1. Maine’s governor said Thursday that she would sign a bill to ban so-called gay conversion therapy for minors that advanced in Maine’s House and Senate this week. If the bill becomes law, Maine would join 16 states that have banned the practice, which aims to change a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity. (NewsCenterMaine)
2. Amazon is being accused of indefinitely storing information shared with the company’s kid-friendly Echo Dot Kids devices. A complaint to be filed with the FTC on Thursday alleges that this is a violation of the Children’s Online Privacy and Protection Act. Investigators had to call customer service to change or delete sensitive info stored by the Echo Dot Kids device. (WSJ)
3. The Portland Symphony Orchestra is returning after a one-year hiatus to the Eastern Promenade for Maine’s largest Independence Day celebration. The PSO performed on the Eastern Prom as part of the Stars and Stripes Spectacular from 2010 to 2017. But the musicians took last year off because organizers couldn’t afford the $30,000 fee. (NewsCenterMaine)
4. Kraft is paying moms up to $100 apiece to hire babysitters for Mother’s Day. “We are giving moms across the country the chance to have what they secretly really want: some time for themselves,” explains the company’s marketing chief. Moms need to upload a signed babysitting receipt to Kraft’s Mother’s Day Away website in order to get reimbursed. The promotion runs through May 19 or whenever Kraft reaches $50,000 in reimbursements. (CNN)
5. Hot 104.7 & SIS Bank Present Hot Beach Bash starrinSean at Bernie’s Beach Bar in Hampton Beach on Saturday, June 15th. Tickets on Sale Now