Superstorm Sandy, which punched much of the East Coast right in the gut, gave Downeast Maine little more than a tap on the shoulder, sparing the region the brunt of its mighty wrath. Still, with numerous power outages reported, it did leave a few reminders of just how much of a bullet the area dodged. Read all about it at the top of Page 1 this week.

While Sandy has come and gone, another storm is bearing down on the state next Tuesday, one that will definitely have an impact. Nov. 6 is Election Day nationwide, and area voters will have a full slate of national and local races as well as ballot questions to decide. Be sure to check in at www.fenceviewer.com for all the latest Tuesday night.

We have a report this week on the Eastern Maine Development Corp.’s acquisition and expenditure of $51,000 that had been sitting in dormant accounts belonging to a regional trash district. How does that work? Page 1

And it’s Health Quarterly week in The American. What’s the hot topic this time? Well … you probably don’t want to be eating a donut whilst reading it.

All this plus marvelous photos, people stories, high school football and soccer and a reminder to vote next Tuesday.

All in The American … The Ellsworth American … serving the community since 1851, the 15th year of the reign of her majesty Queen Victoria and the very year Parliament passed a law governing cattle markets.