1. An 87-year-old Maine woman who buried her best friend in her backyard will avoid jail time. Vernelle Jackson pleaded guilty to abuse of a corpse, theft, and forgery after police found Mae Shelton’s body buried in Norway in 2019. Prosecutors say Jackson collected more than $30,000 in benefits and wrote bad checks in her friend’s name. The judge cited Jackson’s poor health in sparing her prison time. (WMTW)
2. Bangor International Airport is celebrating major runway upgrades following a $45 million, two-year project. Officials say the improvements will support airlines, military, cargo and medical flights, and could help the airport welcome up to one million travelers by 2030. The upgraded runway also boosts critical operations for LifeFlight of Maine and emergency medical transport. (WMTW)
3. Snow moves into Maine this afternoon as a clipper system brings a white Christmas to the state. Forecasters expect 3 to 9 inches for most areas, with up to a foot possible along parts of the Midcoast. Winter storm watches and advisories are in effect, and slick travel is expected tonight into Christmas Eve. (WMTW)
4. The Powerball jackpot continues to be a potentially perfect Christmas gift for someone. No one won the jackpot on Monday night, so the grand prize total is up to $1.7 billion. The next drawing will take place on Wednesday night (Christmas Eve), and is expected to be the 4th-largest in U.S. lottery history. (AP)
5. AAA estimates a record-setting 122.4 million Americans will travel at least 50 miles from home this holiday season. The travel forecast covers now through January 1st. Nearly 110 million travelers will be driving to their destination. Around 8 million people are projected to take domestic flights during the holiday season. (Yahoo)
Made Hot in Maine by the Law Offices of Joe Bornstein. Accidents happen… to be their specialty. 207-CALL-JOE or online at: joebornstein.com.
