1. Turkey shot down a Russian warplane near the Syrian border early Tuesday, allegedly because it was violating Turkish airspace. Reuters reports the Su-24 fighter jet had been warned 10 times in five minutes about the encroachment, but the plane “violated it knowingly,” a Turkish official said. Another official stressed to Reuters, however, that it “was not an action against any specific country, but a move to defend Turkey’s sovereign territory.” It was first time since the 1950s a NATO member country’s military had shot down a Russian or Soviet warplane. For his part, Russian President Vladimir Putin denied that the jet threatened Turkish airspace, and vowed that there would be “significant consequences for Russian-Turkish relations.”
2. Do you think recipients of food stamps should be banned from using them to buy candy and soda? Maine’s commissioner of Health and Human Services is calling on the federal government for a waiver, allowing the state to prevent food stamps from being used to purchase soda and candy. Commissioner Mary Mayhew says the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, also known as food stamps, is meant for the essentials, not sugar filled soda and candy. “It seems only logical that in a self proclaimed nutrition assistance program that sugary food and beverages would be off the menu”, said Mayhew.
3. Connor MacCalister, the woman accused of stabbing a 59-year-old woman at Shaw’s in Saco has been sentenced to life in prison on Monday at the York County Superior Court.
4. Winter is coming, unfortunately you won’t be able to enjoy any ice skating at Deering Oaks pond. The park’s 3.5-acre pond will be closed while construction crews reinforce the bottom with gravel and a concrete mat.
5. Today is Celebrate Your Unique Talent Day. This day offers the perfect opportunity to to share your unique gifts with friends and colleagues. What hidden talent do you have that others don’t necessarily know about?
