1. An Etna man was ordered to pay back more than $175,000 to the federal government after using his dead brother’s identity to obtain Social Security benefits. Napoleon Gonzalez, 87, was sentenced Thursday in U.S. District Court in Bangor for identity theft, passport fraud, Social Security fraud and mail fraud. He was also ordered to serve five months of probation. His brother died as an infant in 1939, but Gonzalez applied for a Social Security number for him in 1981. By 2001, he was receiving Social Security benefits for both himself and his brother, according to court records. (PH)
2. Hannaford customers are still feeling the effects of a cybersecurity incident that hit the grocery chain last week. Hannaford’s parent company says this goes far beyond Maine, and law enforcement is also involved. In the meantime, Hannaford says stores and pharmacies are open, but some online services remain down. (WGME)
3. Some Maine school districts are changing their snow day policies. Scarborough will dedicate just two snow days and Portland just three while some schools will transition to remote learning rather than taking days off. Remote days will help the school year end on time. (WGME)
4. Bitcoin has had a post-election surge, climbing to a record high of $87,000, up 23% in only one week. This high, analysts say, due to the anticipated “crypto-friendly” nature of the incoming Trump administration. The incoming President has vowed to make the US “the crypto capital of the planet.” His campaign also accepted crypto donations. Trump has also said he would remove current SEC chair, Gary Gensler, who has cracked down on crypto and asked for more oversight. (AP)
5. According to Nintendo’s latest earnings report the company will drop the Switch’s next generation console during the end of the fiscal year – April 2025. The report also stressed that having a Nintendo account will play a “significant role’ in the second Switch in order to “carry over the good relationship that we have built with the over 100 million annual playing users.” (TT)
Made Hot in Maine by the Law Offices of Joe Bornstein. Accidents happen… to be their specialty. 207-CALL-JOE or online at: joebornstein.com.
