1. Fire destroyed the Days Inn on the Route 1 Bypass in Kittery Wednesday afternoon. The building was a total loss in the 5 alarm fire. Kittery Fire Chief David O’Brien said Wednesday afternoon that one or two people were unaccounted for. (WMTW)
2. A Sagadahoc County resident has died of Powassan virus disease. This is the first recorded case and death in Maine this year. People can be infected by a tick bite. Many don’t develop systems but those that do might face fever, headache, vomiting, weakness, confusion, seizures or memory loss. Some people may experience serious neurologic problems, like brain or spinal cord inflammation. About 10 percent of people with severe disease die. (WGME)
3. Montana has become the first U.S. state to fully ban TikTok. The ban on all downloads of the app will take effect on January 1, 2024. (JN)
4. The head of Maine’s Gambling Control Unit said sports betting in the state could be launched by November. The attorney general’s office will have up to 120 days to approve the rules once it receives them. If that happens in June, the attorney general’s approval could come by late October, and sports betting in Maine could go live soon thereafter. (PH)
5. 1-and-1 free throws will be eliminated from High School basketball next season and team fouls will reset for each quarter. For decades, the seventh, eighth and ninth fouls in a half sent boys and girls to the free throw line for a 1-and-1 situation. Starting next year, the fifth foul in each quarter will result in two free throws. (PH)
Made Hot by the Law Offices of Joe Bornstein. Over 25,000 victories for injured Mainers since 1974. 207-CALL-JOE or online at joebornstein.com