1. Bill Cosby was sentenced to three to 10 years in state prison on Tuesday for drugging and sexually assaulting Andrea Constand at his Philadelphia home 14 years ago. Cosby was led directly to prison in handcuffs after Judge Steven O’Neill denied his request for bail. O’Neill also designated the 81-year-old funnyman–dubbed “America’s dad” by The New York Times–a “sexually violent predator,” which means he’ll have to undergo monthly counseling and register as a sex offender in Pennsylvania for the rest of his life. More than 60 women have accused Cosby of sexual abuse going back decades; as Reuters notes, he was the first celebrity to be convicted of such criminal misbehavior since the start of the #MeToo movement. To that end, his lawyers are planning to appeal his convictions. (AP News)
2. A developer wants to turn Scarborough Downs into a new downtown area. The nearly 500-acre property would be turned into a village center with homes, businesses and green space. Developers and the town have agreed to a deal that would give the developers a substantial tax concession. In response to the proposed deal, a group of Scarborough residents released a statement. “This will be the largest financial commitment the town has ever made. (The) 30-year agreement could have a significant negative impact on the town’s financial situation, (and) radically change the town’s character.” A public forum on the proposal will be held Wednesday at the downs at 6 p.m. (WGME)
3. An island in Casco Bay that was once owned by Arctic explorer Robert Peary is on the verge of being sold for nearly $1 million. It took just under one month for a buyer to step forward with the promise of paying the $950,000 that the owners of Crab Island in Freeport were asking for the 1-acre island that is just a 10-minute boat ride from the South Freeport boatyard. If the sale goes through, the new owners will inherit an island with two sand beaches, walking paths and a 1950s-era camp with two bedrooms, one bath, a large stone fireplace, septic system and two wells. The island though does have a couple of drawbacks. There is no electricity and no dock. Boats must use the beaches to access the island, but there is potential for a deep-water dock. (Press Herald)
4. The Gianni Versace empire was sold on Tuesday to Michael Kors Holdings Ltd. for a reported $2.1 billion–and fashion fans are furious about it. “Gianni Versace didn’t die for his ICONIC brand to be sold to some cheap and tacky designer,” one social media user fumed. “This is the end of Versace. I’m so disappointed.” Wrote another, “The iconic Versace, one of my favorite brands…bought by Michael Kors, the tackiest man alive.” It seems fashionistas’ biggest fear is that Versace goods might actually become (gasp!) less expensive. “The brand about to go from high-end luxury to TJ Maxx and Walmart,” one Twitter user complained, while another moaned, “Worst-case scenario about this: Versace is being sold at Marshalls for discount prices.” (USA Today)
5. Dunkin’ is dropping the donuts – from its name, anyway. Doughnuts are still on the menu, but Dunkin’ Donuts is renaming itself Dunkin’ to reflect its increasing emphasis on coffee and other drinks, which make up 60 percent of its sales. The 68-year-old chain has toyed with the idea for a while. In 2006, it released a new motto – “America runs on Dunkin’ – that didn’t mention doughnuts. Last fall, it tested the “Dunkin’ ” logo on a new store in Pasadena, California; it has put the name on a few other stores since then. (AP News)
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