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There's the rain we were looking for. Even if it won't end our drought, the rain is definitely something to be thankful for.

Thanksgiving has always been my favorite holiday, one purely focused on family, friends and food. But tempering my enthusiasm this year is the knowledge that for many families across western Maine, next Thursday will not be Turkey Day, as folks continue to struggle to afford basic groceries, much less a bird with all the trimmings.

That's why it's particularly alarming to hear food pantries like the one in Farmington are reporting higher volume and less funding as we enter the holiday season. See the links below. 

Maine Recovery Council approves $13.9 million in projects

The Maine Recovery Council on Tuesday approved a $13.9 million funding package for 43 projects statewide, its largest and most comprehensive allocation since it first met two years ago.

The 15-member Maine Recovery Council is tasked with overseeing the distribution of half of Maine’s $230 million share of opioid settlement funds over 18 years. The national settlements are the result of years of litigation against pharmaceutical manufacturers, distributors and retailers accused of fueling the epidemic.

The projects, selected from more than 120 applications, include a methadone clinic in Aroostook County, a syringe service program in Hancock County, and recovery homes in Franklin County. 

Read this story by Emily Bader of The Maine Monitor.

While The Maine Monitor does not place its content behind paywalls, some newsrooms we link to in this newsletter may. 

Many Maine customers are expected to see a drop in their electric costs this year. | Maine Public

ICYMI from The Monitor: Underfunded and understaffed, Maine’s dam agency does what it can to keep the aging infrastructure safe. | The Maine Monitor

Rep. Jared Golden has called for adding House seats and other changes in a bid to make government more representative. | Sun Journal

The chair of a committee that assessed the town of Hebron's governance is requesting that four of the committee's recommendations be placed on the March town meeting warrant. | Advertiser Democrat

Franklin County commissioners distributed more than $500,000 in federal American Rescue Plan Act money to 10 projects across the county. | Sun Journal

Farmington's food pantry will not be giving out Thanksgiving food baskets this year, in a bid to save funds and focus on providing week-to-week support for its more than 1,700 customers. | Livermore Falls Advertiser

Phillips residents voted to transfer $75,000 from the town's undesignated fund to go toward a fire engine for the town. | Sun Journal

The post office in Mexico will reopen Saturday; the building closed after the Swift River flooded in December. | Rumford Falls Times

Know of a story that we should be digging into? Send it to our newsroom. 

The Maine Monitor is a publication of the Maine Center for Public Interest Reporting, an independent and nonpartisan nonprofit news organization that produces investigative journalism. We believe news is a public good and keep our news free to access. We have no paywall and do not charge for our newsletters. If you value the reporting we do for Maine, please consider making a donation! We cannot do this reporting without your support.