State of the art VA clinic opening in Portland, Maine
PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — The Veterans Administration’s newest health clinic offers a 62,500-square-foot, state-of-the-art facility in Maine’s largest city. The VA Maine Healthcare System’s new Portland VA Clinic, which opens Monday, consolidates existing VA clinics in Saco and Portland. The VA’s Maine director, Tracye B. Davis, described it as “beacon” for veterans that will provide them “the health care services they deserve.”
Senators want more staff at National Parks as visits grow
BAR HARBOR, Maine (AP) — Maine’s independent senator and a colleague from Montana want more staffing at America’s National Parks to keep up with increased attendance. Sens. Angus King of Maine and Steve Daines of Montana said visitation and workloads have increased in the parks system, but employment numbers have not kept up. They said park staffing has steadily declined over the course of the last decade. King and Daines told the leaders of the Senate Appropriations Committee that a good staffing level would be 23,000 full-time equivalent positions. That’s thousands more than the current level.
Sam’s Italian eateries sold with goal of employee ownership
LEWISTON, Maine (AP) — A chain of Italian sandwich shops has been sold to a New York company that assists small businesses as they transition to employee ownership. Teamshares buys companies whose owners are retiring and Sam’s Italian Foods fits the criteria. The owner, Richard Michaud, is retiring after having worked at Sam’s with his wife since 1988. Michaud said the business will continue, workers will be retained, and there will be new opportunities.
BREWING DIVERSITY
Brewer, college team up to try to diversify craft beer biz
PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — A Maine beer business is working with a public university in the state to try to help diversify the craft brewing industry. Maine Beer Company has given the University of Southern Maine a $100,000 gift to create an internship and scholarship fund program. The university said the gift will create a pilot program for its students that includes a paid internship with Maine Beer Company and a scholarship of up to $5,000 per academic year. The program is set to launch this spring.
VETERAN RECORDS
Maine rep wants better access to official records for vets
BANGOR, Maine (AP) — One of Maine’s U.S. representatives is calling on the National Archives to make official records more readily available to veterans. Democratic Rep. Jared Golden, a veteran himself, said the National Personnel Records Center should be fully reopened so veterans can use records to access benefits. The records center is an agency of the National Archives and it holds personnel records for military members and civil service workers. Golden says it’s “nearly impossible” to get military records for veterans who need assistance.
POLICE STANDOFF-ROBOT BOMB
Man whose home was bombed by police holds off on rebuilding
BANGOR, Maine (AP) — A Maine man whose home was destroyed by a police bomb is holding off on rebuilding at the standoff scene. Sixty-five-year-old Michael Grendell won a $400,000 settlement in November 2020 after suing members of the Maine State Police and one member of the state attorney general’s office. Grendell’s lawsuit indicates a neighbor alerted police to his deteriorated mental health and implored them not to hurt him. Officers shot Grendell after the 20-hour standoff when they drew him out of the home in Dixmont by detonating an explosive. Records indicate Grendell has bought a home in Bangor but still has the property in Dixmont.
DOMINION-HOPE GAS
Dominion sells West Virginia gas utility to Ullico
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Richmond-based Dominion Energy says it’s selling its gas utility in West Virginia for $690 million. Dominion Energy West Virginia _ also known as Hope Gas, Inc. _ serves about 111,000 customers in West Virginia and employs about 300 people. It’s based in Clarksburg, West Virginia. In a news release Friday, Dominion said it’s selling the utility to Ullico Inc.’s infrastructure fund. Ullico plans to integrate Hope Gas into its Hearthstone Utilities holding company, which provides natural gas to about 80,000 customers in Indiana, Maine, Montana, North Carolina, and Ohio. As part of the deal, Hearthstone will move its headquarters to West Virginia. It is currently headquartered in Naperville, Illinois, according to its website.
MAINE-NOVA SCOTIA FERRY
Bay Ferries sets date for Maine-Nova Scotia ferry service
BAR HARBOR, Maine (AP) — A Canadian company that’s bringing ferry service back to Bar Harbor has set a start date for restoration of service between Maine and Nova Scotia. Bay Ferries says service with a high-speed catamaran called The Cat will start on May 19 at four days per week before increasing to seven days per week in late June. Service will conclude in October. There has been no ferry service between Maine and Nova Scotia since 2018.