1. The US has been partially shutdown for 26 days now. Food pantries across Maine are stepping up to provide assistance to families whose members have been furloughed by the partial shutdown of the federal government and are struggling to make ends meet. Alex Eisman, spokeswoman for the Stroudwater Food Pantry in Portland, said any federal worker affected by the shutdown is welcome to come to the facility on Westbrook Street from 1-3 p.m. Sunday to receive food. Maine Coast Guardsmen and women did not receive their mid month paychecks yesterday. (Press Herald)
2. Seven former teachers and administrators at Cheverus High School in Portland were on a list of 50 credibly accused priests made public Tuesday by the governing body of Jesuits for all Northeast states, including Maine. Two of the men named by the regional governing body of the Catholic order were accused of abuse that occurred during their time at the high school in Portland. William Cahill and James Talbot were accused of abuse that occurred during their time at Cheverus. (Press Herald)
3. Snow! Expect widespread snow on Friday that could bring 1 to 3 inches along the coast and 2 to 4 inches across the rest of the area. There will be a larger storm coming Saturday night into Sunday morning. According to WMTW meteorologists there will be likely heavy snow for portions of Maine, but the track of the storm will determine which areas see the most. (WMTW)
4. Fireball Cinnamon Whisky has replaced Allen’s Coffee Brandy as Maine’s best-selling alcohol. Fireball rose to the top spot last year, with sales of more than $10.1 million. Almost half those sales were in the form of small 50-milliliter bottles called “nips.” Allen’s sold $9.6 million last year, about $500,000 less than it did in 2017. The spirit had for at least two decades been Maine’s top-selling liquor. Tito’s Handmade Vodka was the third highest seller of 2018 at 9.2 million. (Press Herald)
5. You can get a free cup of coffee to kickstart your Wednesday. Aroma Joe’s is offering every customer a 16-ounce cup of hot or iced coffee. The Portland-based company says all its coffee blends are 100-percent Rainforest Alliance certified. They say they are committed to sustainable and high quality hand-crafted coffee. You can stop by any of Aroma Joe’s 62 locations on Wednesday for your free cup of Joe. (WGME)
