Merry Christmas. Temperatures will be in the 20s, with sunny skies throughout the state.
Here’s what we’re talking about in Maine today.
Read Tom Hennessey’s Christmas column from 2005
—Hennessey was a longtime BDN columnist and artist who died last week. Here, he recalls a childhood memory that only a lifelong hunter could appreciate.
The Salvation Army’s kettle drive falls thousands short, but it’s not too late to donate
–The Bangor Area Salvation Army needs kettle fund donations after the annual fundraising effort fell $10,000 short of the local target. The fundraising efforts started early last month, but the unusually cold November slowed donations down. This is the first time in the past four years that the fundraiser could not meet its target, according to The Salvation Army.
Poliquin announces he is giving up legal challenge to ranked-choice voting
–Outgoing U.S. Rep. Bruce Poliquin of Maine’s 2nd District announced on Monday that he will end his federal challenge to the state’s ranked-choice voting system, which delivered Rep.-elect Jared Golden’s historic 2018 victory over the two-term incumbent.
The move from Poliquin, a Republican, ends a lawsuit that threatened to drag out for months in federal court, where there had been little sign that he would ever convince judges to agree with his arguments that the voting system enshrined by Maine voters in 2016 is unconstitutional.
Bucksport food pantry rebounds from flooding damage to serve its clients
–Flooding that could cost as much as $30,000 to repair destroyed some foodstuffs at the local pantry. Bucksport Community Concerns had much of its dry goods on pallets that kept them out of the rainwater but some frozen food was lost when a freezer was knocked out by repeated basement flooding at Elm Street Congregational Church. Other goods were also lost, said Marsha Mushrall, co-president of the volunteer community aid group.
Here are some bars and restaurants in Greater Bangor that are open on Christmas
–The presents are open. The carols have been sung. The lamb (or turkey, or ham, or roast beef, or Tofurky) has been sliced. You want a place to go to get away from the hustle and bustle of the home during the holidays — a chance to slip out of the house and meet up with old friends, and possibly bring those favorite siblings or cousins along with you.
Watch this: And you thought your trip home for Christmas was a challenge
–On Monday, volunteers from Marine Mammals of Maine released Premie, a baby seal found almost eight months ago, into the surf at Popham Beach after nursing the cute little critter back to health. Premie swam out to sea with one final gift from her caregivers: a distemper vaccination, the first of its kind in the state.
In other news …
Maine
After living in a car for 6 months, he worried his kids would think ill of the world
Community rallies to save Maine cafe from closing its doors
Maine cities’ lawsuits against opioid makers moved to federal court in Ohio
Business
Migrant workers at Maine wreath company say they were fired after complaining about harassment
Maine lost construction employment in November amid labor shortage
Chinese factory did not use forced labor to make sportswear sold on Maine campuses, watchdog says
Politics
Feds approve LePage’s push for stricter Medicaid rules, but Mills could end it
We spent 8 years trying to understand LePage. Here’s what we learned.
White House says Trump would accept less money for border wall
Opinion
True peace comes from a babe in a manger
Happily ever after is elusive for Sri Lanka
Sports
Record-setting Maine basketball player has high hoop dreams
Steelers, Chiefs among ‘big losers’ in week 16 of NFL season
Irving scores 25, Celtics beat Hornets to end three-game skid
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