Hunters in Maine have been warned not to eat wild turkeys in parts of the state, after the birds were found to contain “forever chemicals” that can cause an increased risk of cancer.

Maine officials warned that high levels of Pfas – per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances – have been detected in wild turkey and deer killed and harvested in areas in the south-west of the state.

The warning could put a dampener on Thanksgiving plans for those who like to hunt and shoot their own dinner centerpiece. But the reality is that wildlife becoming contaminated with Pfas is increasingly a problem in the US.

Earlier this fall Wisconsin and Michigan also issued “do not eat” advisories for deer, fish and birds, while in January health officials in New Mexico warned hunters that harmful chemicals had been found in wildlife at a lake in the south of the state.

Maine’s department of inland fisheries and wildlife issued “do not eat” advisories in four areas north of Augusta, Maine’s capital earlier this month.

“It was found that wildlife sampled within a mile of areas with high soil PFAS concentration levels resulted in animals that had levels of PFAS in their muscle tissue that warranted an advisory,” inland fisheries and wildlife said. “The Department and the Maine CDC [Centers for Disease Control] recommend that no one eats deer or wild turkey harvested in these wildlife consumption advisory areas.”

Pfas are a group of chemicals that have been used in manufacturing and added to consumer products since the 1950s. They can take hundreds or even thousands of years to degrade, meaning if they leak into soil or water they can remain there for centuries. The chemicals have been linked to cancer, birth defects, decreased immunity, high cholesterol, kidney disease and a range of other serious health problems.

“Wildlife is already contaminated with Pfas on a global scale, and that contamination will continue to be an issue until we greatly reduce the use of Pfas in consumer products and industrial applications,” Tasha Stoiber, a senior scientist at the non-profit Environmental Working Group, said in an interview with the Guardian.

Maine, which said it was sampling other areas in the state for Pfas, is not alone in being forced to confront the problem of forever chemicals. At least 17 states have issued advisories against eating fish containing Pfas, and birds and mammals appear to increasingly be a concern.

The Michigan departments of health and human services and natural resources issued do not eat advisories in Clark’s Marsh, close to the former Wurtsmith air force base, in September. Officials warned that deer were likely to have “various” Pfas substances, and also said people should not eat any fish, aquatic or semi-aquatic wildlife taken from the marsh.

Various advisories have been in place in the area since 2012, with the Pfas contamination linked to the use by the military of foam to extinguish fires. In August New Mexico found alarming levels of Pfas in the blood of people living or working near Cannon air force base – again due to military use of firefighting foam.

Wisconsin issued advisories against eating fish and deer in an area around the town of Stella, in the north of the state. Officials said people should only eat deer muscle once a month, and should avoid eating deer liver altogether.

Stoiber said it would take “decades” to remediate existing Pfas contamination.

“The most effective and important step is to phase out the widespread use of Pfas in commerce and stop ongoing discharges of Pfas into the environment,” she said.

“Federal regulations such as enforceable drinking water standards and stronger protections for source water are essential to reducing Pfas pollution and limiting future exposure.

“Public education is equally critical. People need clear information about how Pfas exposures occur, since informed public pressure is often needed to drive policymakers to take action and end the widespread use of Pfas.”

Thanksgiving is always the fourth Thursday in November, and this year it falls on Nov. 27, one of the latest dates it can possibly be.

The holiday is a time for friends, families and communities across the United States to come together to give thanks, enjoy a meal together and, for many, to take a break from their everyday lives and work.

Americans should anticipate that most businesses and public services will not operate or be open due to the holiday.

Here’s a list of what is open and what is closed in Massachusetts for Thanksgiving day 2025.

Government

Federal Courts: Closed

State Courts: Closed

Federal Offices: Closed

State Offices: Closed

Municipal Offices: Closed

Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV): Closed

Public Libraries: Closed

Finance

The New York Stock Exchange and the Dow Jones: Closed

Banks: Most banks will be closed, but most ATMs will remain open.

Alcohol & Cannabis

Liquor Stores: Closed

Cannabis Dispensaries: Massachusetts regulators don’t identify specific holidays for when cannabis dispensaries must close, according to the Cannabis Control Commission. It’s up to respective dispensaries to choose whether or not to be open or closed, so check with your local dispensary. However, most will likely be closed.

Shopping

Retail Stores: Most retail locations will be closed, with some operating on reduced or amended hours. Check with your local retailer.

Aldi: Closed

Auburn Mall: Closed

Big Y: Closed

Costco: Closed

CVS: Open, hours vary

Hampshire Mall: Closed

Holyoke Mall: Closed, but department store, restaurant, and entertainment venue hours may vary.

Market Basket: Closed

Natick Mall: Closed

Price Rite: Closed

Safeway: Open, hours vary

Star Market: Closed

Stop & Shop: Closed

Target: Closed

Trader Joe’s: Closed

Walgreens: Closed, but 24-hour stores remain open for essential pharmacy services

Walmart: Closed

Wegmans: Open, check with your local store on hours

Whole Foods: Open with modified hours, check with your local store

• Read More: I ate Thanksgiving Oreos so you don’t have to, with the worst flavor I’ve ever had

Parcel

U.S. Post Offices (USPS): Closed

FedEx: Closed

UPS: Closed

Transportation

Berkshire Regional Transit Authority: No service

Brockton Area Transit: No service

Cape Ann Transportation Authority: No service

Franklin Regional Transit Authority: No service

Lowell Regional Transit Authority: No service

Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA): The MBTA will have regular subway service. There will be weekend commuter rail service. There will be no ferry service. Other transit routes that typically do not run on weekends will not be in service.

Merrimack Valley Transit: No service

MetroWest Regional Transit Authority: No service

Montachusett Regional Transit Authority: Closed

Pioneer Valley Transit Authority: No service

Southeastern Regional Transit Authority: No fixed route service, but demand response service available

Worcester Regional Transit Authority: No service

A Massachusetts man has been arrested after allegedly hitting a New Hampshire State Police cruiser during a chase that ended in Manchester.

Authorities arrested 27-year-old Alejandro Vargas of Lowell early Tuesday morning, they announced Wednesday. Police in Epping notified state police at 1:21 a.m. that a silver 2026 Chevrolet Silverado had fled from them.

Epping officers briefly pursued the truck and had last seen it heading west on Route 101. Police in Candia then reported seeing the same truck going 105 mph.

State police said a trooper tried to stop the truck at Exit 1 on Interstate 293 northbound, but the driver refused to pull over.

The driver got off I-293 on Arnold Street, a dead end, and tried to turn around. He allegedly hit a state police cruiser and two parked vehicles.

State police said the driver and a passenger got out and ran in opposite directions. Manchester police officers, who arrived to the scene with a drone, found and arrested the driver, identified as Vargas.

The passenger was not found. Police did not issue a description.

Vargas had an outstanding warrant from the U.S. Marshals Service, police said without giving details on why he was wanted.

In Tuesday’s incident, Vargas is facing a felony charge of reckless conduct with a deadly weapon and misdemeanor charges of simple assault, disobeying an officer, resisting arrest and conduct after an accident, as well as multiple unspecified violations.

Police said Vargas was expected to be arraigned Wednesday at Manchester District Court. It was not immediately clear if he had an attorney.