1. A day after Gov. Paul LePage set off a wave of speculation and concern by saying a company in southern Maine soon will cut 900 jobs, his staff refused to provide specifics and his own Department of Labor wasn’t aware of any employer planning a mass layoff. “There’s a big company that hasn’t come out yet, I happen to know about it and I’m sworn to secrecy until they make a public announcement, but we’re talking 900 jobs,” LePage said Wednesday. Yesterday, officials from local economic development agencies, municipalities and the Department of Labor said they didn’t know anything about it. (PH)
2. Josh Titus, the former Auburn high school student who inspired thousands of basketball fans across the nation by not letting his disability keep him off the court, was remembered by friends and family yesterday. Titus died Wednesday at the Hospice House in Auburn. Titus, who was autistic, served as the manager of the Edward Little High School boys’ basketball team in 2009. He made national headlines when he entered the Red Eddies’ final game of the season and scored nine points. (PH)
3. The Maine Red Claws were eliminated from the NBA D-League playoffs, 123-117, at the hands of the Canton Charge in Game 2 of the best-of-three series Thursday night at the Cross Insurance Arena.
4. Uber claimed that it uses industry leading background checks to vet their drivers and now those words are coming back to bite them where it hurts most-the bank. The rideshare service is about to pay at least $10 million for misleading customers. (Complex)
5. National Empanada Day. This day is meant to celebrate the empanada, which is stuffed bread or pastry that is filled with meat, cheese, vegetables or fruits and baked or fried.
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