Author: CNN Newsource

By Penny Kmitt

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    BOSTON (WBZ) — Businesses in Massachusetts are getting more creative to deal with the shortage of pennies.

Earlier this month, the U.S. Treasury stopped minting pennies because making the one-cent coins became too expensive.

Theo Christo has been stashing away pennies at his breakfast restaurant, Theo’s Cozy Corner, in Boston’s North End for months. He hopes to give his customers exact change for as long as possible.

“I prefer to be cash-only, so I don’t have to deal with fees, credit card fees,” he told WBZ-TV.

But that’s getting harder. Businesses are struggling to make change.

“The restaurant industry is literally an industry of pennies,” said Stephen Clark of the Massachusetts Restaurant Association.

He said businesses are now torn. Do they round up and risk frustrating customers or round down and lose money?

“Anytime you’re talking about profit margin or menu price, it comes down to pennies and how you’re actually making the difference between staying in business and going out of business. If you lose a lot of pennies, you’re going to feel the financial strain of that,” Clark said.

He added that Congress will need to decide how cash transactions should work without the penny, especially in states like Massachusetts, where businesses are required to accept cash payments.

“We need national guidelines to say, well, this is how we handle it,” he said.

Several national chains are doing away with the penny. McDonald’s told CBS News some of their restaurants now round cash payments to the nearest nickel.

That means a $1.22 order becomes $1.20, while a $1.23 order jumps to $1.25.

GoTo Foods, the parent company of popular brands like Cinnabon and Carvel, told CBS News it’s “recommending that franchisees round cash transactions in the guest’s favor.”

“With everything being so expensive these days, it’s really just growing more and more insignificant,” Mo, a visitor from Seattle, told WBZ about his stance on the penny. He’s noticed more cash-only spots in Boston than in other cities.

So would he pick up a penny on the sidewalk?

“I probably would for nostalgia’s sake, but not for the sake of saving that penny,” he said.

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By Kaicey Baylor

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    PARKVILLE, Maryland (WJZ) — A wooden community food pantry built by Girl Scouts in Parkville was stolen and quickly returned.

Neighbors behind the Parkville Community Fridge said the pantry, which sits by a community fridge, disappeared between Friday night and Saturday morning.

Kim Becker, the troop leader for Girl Scouts Troop 1159, said her troop built the wooden pantry on November 15.

It’s unclear who removed the wooden pantry.

Becker alerted the Bmore Community Fridge Network to help track down the missing pantry. Becker said she even started a donation fund, thinking she would have to replace it.

However, on Monday morning, she learned the pantry had been returned.

“I’m disappointed that someone took the pantry,” Becker said. “I think the silver lining is that now more people know about this pantry who need it. More people can come and donate because they weren’t aware.”

Becker is grateful that community members jumped into action.

“I really wanted to show the kids that there might be a bad actor in the community every once in a while, but people will step up, and neighbors will help neighbors if we just ask,” Becker said.

Becker said neighbors have already started to restock the pantry.

She said the roughly $700 raised will be used to build a new pantry. Those funds will also be used to stock the shelves, making sure the Parkville community has food ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday.

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By John Lauritsen

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    MINNESOTA (WCCO) — For many veterans, experiencing a war together creates a special bond, but eight decades after World War II, two veterans are just starting to form their own.

For more than a century, 102-year-old Les Schrenk and 101-year-old Casey Bukowski didn’t know each other.

“I corresponded with so many of the POWs I was with and every one of them is gone for a good number of years now,” Schrenk said.

But a couple of weeks ago, Schrenk got a pleasant surprise. Even though he lives in Bloomington, Minnesota, and Bukowski lives near Buffalo, New York, friends of the veterans got to talking and realized the two had a lot in common.

“Actually, unbelievable. Because I had doubts about what would occur and how to approach this thing,” Bukowski said.

When Bukowski flew to Minnesota for Schrenk’s birthday, his gift was memories and a lot of coincidences. Both men realized they were staff sergeants during World War II. Both were gunners on B-17s and both their planes were shot down on the same day: Feb. 22, 1944.

“I lost my eye at that time and had a shrapnel wound and I was knocked out,” Bukowski said.

After bailing out with parachutes, the Germans captured Schrenk in Denmark and Bukowski in Germany. Then they ended up in the same prison camps at the same time.

“That’s amazing. We were practically shaking hands, and yet, we didn’t know each other,” Bukowski said.

They were subjected to the same brutal conditions, and Schrenk and Bukowski were forced into the infamous 86-day German death march, which many of their fellow soldiers didn’t survive.

“We all had very severe dysentery, fleas, lice, and bed bugs. And, of course, the cold,” Schrenk said.

“Actually, they told us that was the worst winter in many years. The coldest winter,” Bukowski said.

From the pains of war to the joy of liberation. The British freed Schrenk around the same time American soldiers liberated Bukowski.

“Finally, for us, the war was over, and we were able to think of going home,” Bukowski said.

Though they were likely just feet from each other in the prison camps and on the death march, it took 81 years to finally meet.

One more coincidence — in both their flight crew photos taken during the war, Schrenk and Bukowski are standing in the same spot: back row, second from left.

“We each brought our own memories back to each other,” Bukowski said. “We were together but didn’t even know it.”

“We are both quite mobile and can clearly remember what happened even 80-some years ago,” Schrenk said.

Schrenk and Bukowski met at the Air Force Museum in South St. Paul. They want to thank Schrenk’s friend, Mike Johnson, and Bukowski’s friend and fellow veteran, Jared Cummings, for connecting them. Next year, the group is planning a trip to Poland to visit the camp sites where Schrenk and Bukowski were held prisoner.

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By Kamilah Williams

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    PORTSMOUTH, Virginia (WTKR) — When Missy Waller moved into her new home in Portsmouth three months ago, she was still working to make it her own.

Still in need of a kitchen table, dressers, and more curtains for her windows.

With the holidays approaching and her son off to college, Waller said every dollar counts.

“I pay rent, lights, gas, water, trash, etc.,” she said, listing her $1,400 in monthly housing costs. “It all adds up.”

Then an unexpected gesture from her landlord, Travis Johnson, changed everything.

“He was like, ‘Come outside.’ And when I came outside, he said, ‘Y’all ain’t gotta bring rent for November and December,’ Waller recalled. “You mean literally you don’t have to pay anything? I just jumped for joy. It was a blessing to me because I’ve got a son who’s trying to go to Richard Bland, well, he’s at Richard Bland, accepted, and I’m trying to get him in the dorm. This was a big, huge blessing to help my son.”

For Waller, the financial reprieve was more than just about money. “It was a big relief,” she said. “It was like a book bag of bricks off my back. I just didn’t know what to do, and I’m very thankful.”

Johnson, a Portsmouth native, said his own history with housing insecurity informed his decision.

“I know what it’s like to have a housing crisis and instability when it comes to rent, because I myself have struggled in the past,” he said. “That’s what inspired me to give my tenants free rent for the holidays. The movement actually became bigger than just a moment; it became a national movement.”

Johnson has spent eight years as a landlord and now rents out 12 homes in Portsmouth.

He said he was “overjoyed and excited” to see tenants’ reactions.

“To see their excitement brought me excitement, because you never know when it can be you in a situation.”

For Waller, the landlord’s compassion was a reminder that kindness endures.

“It’s just a blessing. There’s somebody who cares when you think you’re down and out. That’s a blessing, especially for landlords that care. Thank you, Jesus. Hallelujah.”

Johnson said he isn’t stopping with just two families.

“We actually have six more homes to knock on the door and let them know they’re receiving free rent for the month of December,” he said.

He plans to expand the effort, launching the Homebridge Community Care Foundation to help single-parent households and families facing hardship with rent and mortgage payments.

“We’re in the process of creating a foundation that will focus on helping single-parent households with rent, mortgage, or whatever they need assistance with.”

Johnson also operates Homebridge Home Healthcare, providing in-home care across Hampton Roads.

“Whether you’re a client of ours, an employee of ours, or even if you’re not, we’re going to always pay it forward. That’s our motto,” he said.

The scope of Johnson’s giving has gained attention beyond the neighborhood. He said notable figures, including rappers, have reached out to support the movement.

“Everyone is proud of the movement. They are excited about the movement. They’re potentially talking about jumping on board,” he said.

As Johnson works to expand the program, Waller reflects on how the act of kindness ripples through the community.

“I just think it’s a wonderful thing,” she said. “Not only is it a relief off my back, but for somebody else in Portsmouth going through what I’m going through, they’re going to have relief off their back too. And I’m happy for them as well.”

For now, Waller said she has one more thing to top her gratitude list: “Thank you, Jesus. Hallelujah.”

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By Joel Lopez

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    PALM BEACH COUNTY, Florida (WPTV) — A West Palm Beach widow we first met two weeks ago now has a whole lot to be thankful for this Thanksgiving holiday.

After nearly a month of uncertainty caused by the government shutdown, the SNAP benefits she desperately needed to feed her three sons have finally landed in her account — and relief is unmistakable.

Anna Walker lost her husband two years ago and has been raising her three teenage sons on her own.

The deposit, nearly $1,000 in SNAP benefits, arrived overnight on Monday, ending weeks of worry about how she would afford holiday meals.

“When they ask me, ‘Hey, mom. I’m hungry.’ What am I supposed to say?” said Walker two weeks ago, not knowing how she was going to afford dinner for the holidays. “I wanted to create a meal for Thanksgiving and Christmas.”

The reaction after the funds posted was immediate and emotional.

“I’m feeling good, I’m feeling calm, less stress, I felt like the whole world was on me, but that has been lifted,” said Walker. “Now, my kids are able to eat and stuff, it feels good.”

Her sons are already pitching in to prepare the family’s Thanksgiving dinner.

“My oldest, he loves to cook. He has this thing where he seasons meat a lot better than I do, so I’m going to have him do all the meat seasoning then I’ll do the rest,” said Walker.” He’s more of a baker; he loves making cupcakes and cake and brownies.”

For Walker, Thanksgiving will be both a meal and a moment of togetherness and faith.

“I’m just happy, it’s not because I got my food stamps back on, it’s just because everything is just going good,” said Walker. “I’m able to focus on what I need to do and continue to move forward for my goal of finishing school.”

She’s determined to push her family forward and noted she still has two years left in a criminal justice degree in order to accomplish her dream of becoming a crime scene tech.

“It’s one of those goals where you go where your heart desire. It’s one of those things I’ve been wanting to do since I was 14 and we’re making it happen,” said Walker. ” I have a lot to be thankful for, a lot, cause I could have been in a worse situation.”

Walker lives at The Lord’s Place family campus, where organizers said roughly 90% of residents rely on SNAP. Upwards of 40% of residents there remained without their payments at the time of the report. That’s why the nonprofit has ramped up food production and mobile distribution to fill gaps, while many families wait for benefits to clear.

“What message would you have for families here that are still waiting on the SNAP benefits?” asked Lopez.

“Just have faith, just like Anna has hers now, hopefully theirs will show up shortly,” said Kerline Aurelien.

She is the director of family services for The Lord’s Place, who said helping others has always been her passion.

“We want them to feel like they are home, and we want the children and the families to feel that,” said Aurelien.

That mission is matched by action: The Lord’s Place plans to serve a Thanksgiving meal on Tuesday and said it has enough funding to continue mobile food distribution through December.

They will reassess needs and budget to determine whether services can extend into the new year.

For Walker, the arrival of SNAP benefits means more than groceries. It restores a little calm, lets her focus on school, and gives her boys a chance to take part in a holiday tradition that bonds the family.

“I’m just happy and thankful for everyone that’s helped me get to where I’m at,” said Walker.

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By Kristi Harper

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    BALTIMORE COUNTY, Maryland (WMAR) — State archaeologists and geologists are working together to solve a more than 10,000-year-old mystery at the Piney Grove archaeological site near Reisterstown, building on discoveries first made in May.

State Terrestrial Archaeologist Zachary Singer and State Geologist Rebecca Kavage Adams are tracking the earliest inhabitants of this region — the Clovis people who walked these lands about 13,000 years ago, long before modern humans built the church that now stands nearby.

“Every piece of chalcedony we’ve found at the site has been worked. Has been flaked,” Zach updates Rebecca. “So this was the hangout and do the work site.” Zach, “Yes, this was the reduction site.”

The Clovis people hunted animals now extinct during a time when estimates suggest only around 150 people lived in all of Maryland.

“It’s a fun partnership because there’s so much common sense to like people’s pathways,” Adams said.

Zach says what typically survives in the archaeological record from 13,000 years ago are stone tools, which researchers use as evidence to recreate how people lived during that time period.

Singer and Adams are working to prove that the paths the Clovis walked were governed by their search for a specific stone that would bring hunting success — chalcedony, a translucent stone pointing researchers to a specific time period.

“The chalcedony must have been found very nearby because we’re finding lots of evidence of people breaking down larger pieces to make hunting tools,” Singer said.

Chalcedony is uncommon in Maryland’s archaeological record, but when researchers do find it, it’s mostly associated with 13,000-year-old archaeological sites.

At the end of the last ice age, this land looked much different than today. However, the nearby stream where the team is digging was likely present then, and something made it an ideal location for the Clovis people to make their tools.

“This site is likely where people were first making those stone tools and then carrying them around the rest of the region,” Singer said.

The discovery of this site was fortunate for both the ancient Clovis people and modern researchers. When a road was built here in 2001, archaeologists found the site contained a large amount of chalcedony.

Singer provided state geologists with samples from the collection to determine the type of chalcedony used to make Stone Age points.

“So I think we could even term it agate because agate is spherically banded fibrous microcrystalline and quartz,” Adams said.

To make that determination, geologists had to grind back into the stone’s past. Over time, the surface becomes muddled by other elements, so state geologists created billets from the interior of the provided samples. Under the microscope, an identifying pattern emerged in these samples.

With that part of the mystery solved, researchers can now focus their search for the source of that stone, bringing Adams closer to walking in the ancient steps of the Clovis people.

“Right now we’re on what’s known as the Cockeysville Marble. So this is a marble that underlies a good portion of Baltimore County. It’s what the Washington Monument was made of,” Adams said. “It’s possible there’s an outcrop of the Cockeysville marble that has this chalcedony that has precipitated in it.”

Using GPS mapping, Adams and her colleague traverse the land to register data points of rock outcrops that could be the original source of the stone brought to the dig site during the Stone Age.

“If I am looking for a nice place to live and an easy path to walk, I’m certainly going to do that in a valley that is formed by the Cockeysville marble than hiking over a whole bunch of ridges and difficult terrain, so the two, you know, the archaeology and the geology really go hand in hand that way. I think that’s neat,” Adams said.

The next step in their search involves blood protein residue analysis on the tools they find. This DNA research allows scientists to extract samples from micro cracks in stone tools. By comparing them to known samples, Singer hopes to identify what these people were hunting.

“Based on blood residue and protein analysis on stone tools on the East Coast, people have found direct evidence for people 13,000 years ago hunting mammoths and mastodon and bison and extinct horse,” Singer said. “We don’t have that evidence yet directly from Maryland.”

The emphasis is on “yet.” With the evidence found during this research, a deeper story of Maryland’s past is coming to light at the Piney Grove archaeological site.

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