Greetings from the Heart Presentation and Tasting

Join Freeport Historical Society on Sunday, February 5th , 2:00pm at 45 Main Street in Freeport for a fascinating look at chocolate and its evolution in American cookery.

Food historian, Sandra Oliver, will present a lively and fascinating romp through America’s cooking past as she shares how chocolate was gradually incorporated into American cookery. From its start primarily as a beverage to the recent era of chocolate decadence and death by chocolate, she will describe early chocolate cakes, made chocolate by use of chocolate filling or frosting in plain cake to the addition of chocolate to the batter later around the late 1800s and early 1800s including the creation of the rich, dark devil’s food cake (and Devil Dogs, etc.) as the opposite of the very popular white, fluffy angel cake.

Freeport chocolatier and Maynard’s Chocolate’s owner, Wanda Theobald, will discuss her perspective on candy-making and will demonstrate tempering chocolate. In addition, she will hand-make her incredible Wild Maine Blueberry clusters.

Andy Wilbur, from Wilbur’s of Maine will demonstrate how the yummy classic Maine confection, the Maine Potato Needham, is made.

The audience will have the opportunity to taste a 19th c. chocolate drink and then sample two cakes made from historic recipes, as well as sampling contemporary chocolates from Maynard’s Chocolates and Wilbur’s of Maine.

Tickets: $10. per person, $8.00 FHS members

FMI: 865-3170 or www.freeporthistoricalsociety.org

Hana Tallan is helping with work on a home she has purchased from Habitat for Humanity of Greater Portland, one of 11 Habitat homes under construction or being planned in Freeport. “I feel empowered,” she said. “Every day that I work on my house, I’m learning new things. I know what my house is made of. I brag about it to my co-workers. … It will be a beautiful home.”

Styrofoam insulation panels stand out on one of three homes being built as part of the South Street Freeport Project

HOW TO APPLY
POTENTIAL APPLICANTS must attend a new applicant meeting, which are held once or twice a year as needed. The meetings give potential applicants information about the program, including requirements for how much time applicants must volunteer in “sweat equity,” before they apply. Applications are made available at the end of the meeting and are not available by mail.

THE NEXT MEETING is not scheduled at this time, but if you want an invitation to the next one, call Amy Dowler, director of family services, at (207) 772-2151, or send an email with your name, address and daytime phone number to homeownership@habitatme.org.

Tallan is one of 11 future homeowners who will benefit from the town’s growing partnership with Habitat for Humanity of Greater Portland. She has purchased one of three Habitat houses under construction on former town-owned land on South Street, and the Town Council recently agreed to provide additional land to build four duplexes off West Street.

A Somali immigrant and divorced mom who works as an education technician in Portland schools, Tallan says she’s excited and grateful for the opportunity to build a home for her five children and buy a piece of the American dream.

“I feel empowered,” said Tallan, 42, who rents in Biddeford. “Every day that I work on my house, I’m learning new things. I know what my house is made of. I brag about it to my co-workers. I’m putting in flooring. I’m building walls. It will be a beautiful home.”

Last month, the Town Council approved the fourth town-sponsored Habitat project in Freeport since 2003. The eight-unit project — the largest ever developed by the Greater Portland group — reflects the town’s commitment to increase affordable housing stock as recommended in its comprehensive plan and promoted by Town Planner Donna Larson.

“The council always has a concern with providing work force housing because there’s not a lot of it,” said Town Manager Dale Olmstead.

The median sale price for homes in Freeport is about $290,000 — about $100,000 higher than the price that’s considered affordable for a family with a median annual income of about $94,000, according to the Maine State Planning Office.

The Habitat houses will sell for $135,000 to $190,000, depending on family income. Buyers will receive financing and training through the Maine State Housing Authority’s first-time homebuyers’ program.

If homeowners decide to sell one of the Habitat houses, which appraise for $220,000 to $230,000, a majority of the profit will go back to Habitat to finance construction of additional homes, said Stephen Bolton, executive director of Habitat of Greater Portland.

Bolton said several cities and towns have helped his agency develop more than 50 single-family homes since 1985. But few have made the commitment as strongly as Freeport, in part because town leaders realize that workers in local retail outlets are traveling from as far away as Portland, Lewiston and Augusta because they can’t afford to live in town.

“Many towns include affordable housing as a goal in their comprehensive plans,” Bolton said. “Freeport is actually acting on it. They’re linking it to economic development and stabilizing their work force.”
In 2003, the town and the Freeport Housing Trust provided land on Grant Road, where Habitat built two of its typical ranch houses, Bolton said. One of the houses was the first woman-built Habitat project in Greater Portland, meaning that 75 percent of the work was done by women.

In 2008, the town provided a parcel at 12 West St., where L.L.Bean put a historic house that was removed from Cross Street to make way for a parking lot. Habitat renovated and sold the house and paid the town $2,500 to cover outstanding taxes on the West Street property.

In 2009, the council agreed to sell Habitat one acre of town-owned land at 38 South St., which was acquired because the former owner failed to pay property taxes. Construction of three, three-bedroom houses started last summer and should be done by June, Bolton said.
One of the three houses has been sold — to Tallan — and another is under contract. When the project is done, Habitat will pay the town $104,000 to cover back taxes on the three lots.

Under the plan that the council approved Dec. 20, Habitat will build four duplexes on three acres of land off West Street that were also acquired because of unpaid property taxes. When the duplexes are sold, Habitat will pay the town $40,000 to cover the taxes.

In addition, Habitat and town officials are seeking a federal Community Development Block Grant to pay for road and utility work for the duplexes. If all goes well, construction should start by spring 2013 and help the Greater Portland agency increase its annual output, Bolton said.
Until now, the agency’s largest projects included four homes. It completes three homes per year in Cumberland County, largely because it’s dependent on fundraising and volunteer labor.

“We recognized some time ago that if we’re going to build one house here and one house there, we’re really not going to fix the problem,” Bolton said.
All of the Habitat homes being built near the village center reflect the architecture of several historically significant houses on Depot Street.

The so-called Mallet houses are classic two-story, wood-frame homes that were built at the turn of the 20th century by Freeport businessman E.B. Mallet for his employees. Habitat’s modern version features bay windows, clapboard siding and shingled gables.

Tallan appreciates the architecture of her house and its connection to Freeport’s history. She also appreciates the work of volunteers who are helping her build it, regardless of foul weather and aching muscles. She looks forward to the day when she can help others build their Habitat houses.
“That is my dream,” Tallan said. “I’m going to be building a lot of houses.”

by David Granirer MA, North America’s Psychotherapist/Stand-up Comic

Your six-year-old chooses this morning to decide he isn’t going to school. The 45 minutes it takes to cajole and threaten him with time-outs and loss of TV privileges means you miss that project meeting you spent months setting up. Finally you get to work prepared to crank out some apologetic e-mails and your computer crashes, taking your last three weeks of work with it. Trembling with righteous indignation, you prepare to reach for the phone and scream at the tech support people. Just then, a coworker wearing Groucho Marx glasses and a clown wig pokes her head into your cubicle, tosses a rubber chicken into your lap, and hands you a bag of Hershey’s Kisses. In spite of yourself, you feel a smile coming on, toss the rubber chicken back, and have a laugh as you munch the chocolates. Five minutes later, the world is once again a beautiful place.

Diversionary Humor

The above intervention is an example of diversionary humor, one of the most effective ways of defusing stress. Diversionary humor involves doing things that create humorous distractions during times of high stress, thus giving people a break from the situation and a chance to cool down.

The logic here is that when we’re under stress, physiological arousal occurs in the body, making it hard for us to think clearly or rationally. We also tend to regress into unproductive behaviors like sulking, blaming, or running up a huge Visa bill.

Having a laugh interrupts this physiological cycle of arousal, restoring our sense of perspective and ability to think clearly. And science has proven that when we’re happy, the body recovers more quickly from the biological arousal of upsetting emotions.

Because of their ability to provide a quick laugh, props play an important role in diversionary humor. When I worked at the Vancouver Crisis Centre, we had baskets containing psychedelic plastic slinkies, koosh balls, play dough, and other toys in our phone room for the volunteers to use after a tough call. Diversionary humor involving props was promoted as part of our organizational culture, because we realized it was one of the quickest, most effective ways we had to reduce stress.

Establishing Humor Precedents

I realize all this sounds great, but you may be wondering, how do you actually get people to use humor in these situations? The answer lies in establishing precedents.

No matter how you look at it, humor is a risk. People don’t take risks unless they feel safe, and safety comes from being able to cite examples of a particular strategy or behavior working or being accepted. Here are four tips for establishing precedents:

1. Start slow. Bring in props like Groucho glasses and give some to your coworkers. Doing so will start some good-natured bantering and clowning.

2. Casually ask your coworkers “What could we do with these?” Typically people will come up with suggestions like putting them on at a staff meeting, or wearing them to the cafeteria at lunch. If possible, give a prize for the best suggestion. The point is to get people thinking about the possibilities of using humor. Thinking and talking about something is a first step to actually doing it.

3. Pick one of your coworker’s suggestions and carry it out. Now you have a precedent!

4. Since props lose their surprise value with repeated use, it’s important to bring in new ones from time to time. Put the old ones in a centrally located prop basket. Encourage people to use them. After a while, the old props will take on new life.

Why Props Make Sense

On describing to a client this strategy of using props, she commented that it seemed corny and infantile. She may be right, but the bottom line is that props work. I’ve taken my rubber chickens across North America, for use in presentations with bankers, loggers, accountants, health care professionals, teachers, senior executives, parole officers, etc., and they’ve never failed to get a laugh.

There’s something absurd about props that overcomes our rational adult programming and brings out the desire to laugh and play. It’s as if their presence gives us permission to slip out of our grown-up personas and experience an irrational moment or two of joy.

That’s another reason it’s important to have props in a workplace. They remind us of our joyful side. As adults, we know we’re supposed to slow down, enjoy life, and take things less seriously. But often we forget, especially at work. Having a clown mask or a rubber chicken in the office serves as a constant reminder of this, and in a stressful work environment we need all the playful reminders we can get.

A comprehensive stress-management program involves a lot of different tools, like effective planning, positive thinking, and self-management. Diversionary humor is another tool to add to your toolbox.
And like any new technique, it needs to be adapted to each individual and her environment. So take this basic principle and see how it fits in your workplace, or what you have to do to customize it.

Also realize that like any new skill, it takes time to master, and that it’s okay to make mistakes along the way.

Blue Angels in wings for 2013

BRUNSWICK — The U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds jet team will headline the 2012 Great State of Maine Air Show at Brunswick Landing, Midcoast
Regional Redevelopment Authority executive director Steve Levesque confirmed today from Las Vegas, where he is attending the International Council of Air Shows.

The Thunderbirds are scheduled to perform Aug. 24 to 26, 2012, at the former Brunswick Naval Air Station. Levesque continues to work this week at the trade event to schedule other performers to appear at Maine’s air show.

While officials have not yet determined whether they will hold an air show the following year, Levesque also confirmed today that the U.S. Navy Blue Angels have included Brunswick Landing on their schedule for Sept. 12 to 14, 2013.

“We’re very pleased that the Thunderbirds are coming,” Levesque said today. “We’re hoping for good crowds and good family entertainment. We’re hopeful we’ll have more (attendance) and won’t have a hurricane to deal with.”

The 2011 Great State of Maine Air Show was curtailed by one day after what was then Tropical Storm Irene blew into Brunswick.

Nevertheless, thanks mostly to an insurance policy that covered event cancellations in case of weather, MRRA showed a profit from the 2011 show,
netting just more than $90,000, Levesque said in November. Of that, $70,000 was donated to area nonprofit groups, he said.

The organization announced in November that they would hold another air show in 2012, but officials did not disclose the name of the jet team eyed for the event.

The Thunderbirds will perform a night show on Friday, Aug. 24, and day shows on Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 25 and 26, Levesque said.

The business expo, which coincided with the air show this year, will be moved to the first weekend in June 2012 to coincide with the second annual
International Fly-In, he said.

Following on the heels of the past two years’ “Winter SnowBird(er) Contest,” which was introduced as a way to encourage people to get outdoors in the depths of winter, Freeport Wild Bird Supply (FWBS) is excited to announce it is sponsoring the contest again this winter.  Just because it’s cold out does not mean there are no birds to see!  FWBS already runs a free Saturday morning birdwalk throughout the year, but it is much easier to entice people to participate in May when warblers are around, or July when it is nice and warm out. 

Freeport Wild Bird Supply is a retail store, located at 541 Route One in Freeport, that specializes in products that enhance the appreciation and enjoyment of wild birds, birding, and nature.  It is a fully independent store, locally owned and operated by Jeannette and Derek Lovitch of Pownal.  See www.freeportwildbirdsupply.com for more information.

AMTRAK STER
ENGERS

NEW YORK– Amtrak is announcing today the start of a pilot test of its eTicketing system on the Amtrak Downeaster service, which operates daily between Boston and Portland, Maine.

The eTicketing program provides passengers increased flexibility when making or changing reservations and eliminates the need to obtain traditional paper tickets.  Amtrak intends to rollout eTicketing to all its trains nationwide during 2012.

With eTicketing, passengers have the ability to print their reservations from the comfort of their home or office.  A receipt will be e-mailed to the customer with the eTicket attached as a printable PDF document which can be printed any time prior to travel.

Passengers also will be able to use their Smartphone to present their eTicket to the conductor, if they provided Amtrak with their
e-mail address when the reservation was made.  The passenger simply has to open the eTicket and display the barcode for
the conductor to scan. If a customer misplaces their eTicket, they can re-print the document for presentation on-board.  Traditional paper tickets will continue to be available and can be picked up at Amtrak ticket offices and Quik-Trak kiosks. 

Under the pilot test, eTickets will only be issued to passengers who have one way or round trip accommodations.  Passengers will continue to receive traditional paper value tickets under the following conditions:

•Are traveling beyond the Downeaster route;

•Have purchased a Multi-Ride Ticket; (e.g., monthly or ten-trip ticket)

•Have a group ticket;

•Are paying travel on the train; or

•Have purchased travel at a travel agency or corporate travel office.

For now, Amtrak Downeaster eTicketing customers will be able to make changes to their reservations online only if they have not already started their journey.  During 2012, Amtrak will look to provide greater flexibility to its online customers with respect to modifying reservations. 

Amtrak operates the Downeaster under contract with the State of Maine’s Northern New England Passenger Rail Authority (NNEPRA.) 

“We thank our partners at NNEPRA for their continued support and cooperation in helping bring this exciting initiative to
our passengers,” said Emmett Fremaux, Amtrak vice president for marketing and product development. “The eTicketing process provides a more convenient and flexible way for customers to book their travel on this increasingly popular line.”

Ridership on the Amtrak Downeaster line increased dramatically this past year, exceeding the 500,000 passenger mark for the first time, with overall ridership more than doubling since 2005.

“I am enthusiastic about the positive effect that e-Ticketing will have on operations for the Downeaster, said Patricia Quinn,
Executive Director, NNEPRA. The electronic validation of tickets is a critical step in improving service, revenue accountability and security on our trains. It’s exciting for the Downeaster service to be one of the first to offer this new technology.”

With the introduction of this new eTicketing capability for customers, Amtrak has also garnered industry recognition by
earning a spot on the 2011 InformationWeek 500 list of top technology innovators across America.  This prestigious award recognizes Amtrak’s innovative use of this mobile technology and the significant value provided to passengers and conductors.

 “Amtrak is pleased to be recognized for innovative business uses of technology which enhances our customer’s travel experience and ability for Amtrak’s employees to deliver a higher level of safety and customer service,” said Amtrak Acting
Chief Information Officer Dee Waddell.

About Amtrak®:

Celebrating 40 years of dedicated service as America’s Railroad® Amtrak is the nation’s intercity passenger rail provider and its only high-speed rail operator. A record 30.2 million passengers traveled on Amtrak in FY 2011 on more than 300 daily trains – at speeds up to 150 mph (241 kph) – that connect 46 states, the District of Columbia and three Canadian Provinces. Amtrak
operates trains in partnership with 15 states and four commuter rail agencies. Enjoy the journey^sm at Amtrak.com or call 800-USA-RAIL for schedules, fares and more information. Join us on facebook.com/Amtrak and follow us at twitter.com/Amtrak

Contact: Barbara Freeman (bfreeman@mainegardens.org or 207-380-9566)

It’s final: Bill Cullina is Gardens’ new executive director

On Thursday, November 10, the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens board of directors finalized William Cullina’s appointment as executive director. Cullina replaces Maureen Heffernan, who left the Gardens in mid-August to take a job in Oklahoma. He has served as acting director since that time.

“Bill has impressed staff, volunteers, and board members alike with his vision, presence, management skill, business head, and calm-yet-fun demeanor,” said Russell as she announced the appointment. She noted how fortunate the organization has been to have on its staff an individual with Cullina’s expertise and nationwide reputation as a horticulturist.

In his new post, Cullina will not only manage the staff and operations of thenon-profit organization founded in 1991 as Maine’s first and only botanical garden; he will also help plan the exciting next phase of the 250-acre waterfront garden’s growth. Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens, which opened to the public in 2007, is already acknowledged as one of Maine’s top attractions;
and among garden professionals has been called “The Miracle in Maine.” Plans are already under way for projects that will add to the Gardens’ future appeal and to visitors’ enjoyment.

For more than a decade before joining the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens staff in 2008 as director of horticulture and plant curator, he was nursery director and head propagator for the New England Wild Flower Society, where he developed the
largest native plant nursery in New England. During his time at NEWFS and prior to that at Niche Gardens in North Carolina, he was instrumental in developing and introducing eight new plants – and hopes to introduce others at the Gardens.

Cullina has had five books published in just over a decade and is a sought-after speaker in the U.S. and Canada. He’s also appeared on a number of TV and radio shows, including the “Martha Stewart Show” and “The Victory Garden.” He has won
numerous awards, most recently the Sarah Chapman Francis Medal from the Garden Club of America for outstanding literary achievement and the 2012 Scott Horticultural Medal, perhaps the most prestigious horticulture-related award in the nation.

Cullina and his wife, Melissa, who is the Gardens’ director of education and staff botanist, live on Southport Island and are active in their adopted community. In addition to all their endeavors at the Gardens, Bill is a volunteer fireman on Southport and serves on the board of the Boothbay Region Land Trust; and he and Melissa both volunteer at the Southport School their three children attend.

Fortunately, even though he’s now the executive director, Cullina will not spend all his time behind a desk. Those who enjoy learning about his approach to plants and gardening will still be able to enjoy his presentations and workshops. And all who admire the look and feel of Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens will be glad to hear that he’ll continue to take an active part in the Gardens’ exceptional horticulture. He can’t help it!

The Environmental Leader program is a self-guided process offered by the department as part of its Pollution Prevention program that encourages lodging facilities, restaurants, and grocers to implement selected improvement initiatives from those offered in the department-developed workbook to achieve points towards certification. Grocers can earn points for practices such as adopting and posting an environmental policy, selling a percentage of local and/or organic foods, installing energy-efficient refrigeration equipment, having a posted anti-idle policy in delivery bays and educating
patrons about the store’s green initiatives. 

Businesses submit their completed workbook to DEP for review and certification approval, and must increase their point total to be recertified after two years. 

As businesses work through the process, staff from the department’s Office of Assistance provide free technical assistance to help participants implement sustainable practices, save money and reduce their environmental impact, regardless of whether they end up obtaining certification.

In addition to considerable cost savings, businesses are also incentivized to participate by recognition within store signage and marketing materials and by research that shows environmental designations are attractive to customers. 

“We are so proud of our Environmental Leader program because it engages businesses in DEP’s core priority of protecting our natural resources while ensuring a vibrant and sustainable economy,” said DEP Commissioner Pattie Aho. “Grocers who participate are seeing significant energy cost savings that are leading to increased profitably, allowing them to invest in infrastructure improvements and expansion of their workforce. And by selling locally-sourced food, they are also helping to grow the businesses of those local producers too. This program is yet another example of what is good for
the environment being what is good for the economy.”

Royal River Natural Foods in Freeport sells only organic produce, meats and eggs often from local sources; has eliminated its sales and use of Styrofoam; recycles as part of waste management and encourages customers
to use reusable bags; uses environmentally preferable cleaning products in the store and wet cleaning instead of dry for employee aprons; and donates food to Freeport Community Services and organic wastes to local farmers.

“Our Environmental Leader certification recognizes that our business practices are good both for Maine’s environment and for economic success,” said Tina Wilcoxson, general manager of Royal River Natural Foods. “We encourage more Maine businesses to take advantage of Maine DEP’s free assistance and the availability of this voluntary program for sustainable business practices.”

For more information about the Environmental Leader certification program and a complete list of participants, go to www.maine.gov/dep and click on “Environmental Leader Green Business Certification” under the featured links or
contact the Office of Assistance at 1-800-789-9802.

Norway Savings Bank recognized as one of the healthiest companies in America

NORWAY, Maine – Norway Savings Bank is pleased to announce that it was presented with a Gold-Level Well Workplace Award by the Wellness Council of America (WELCOA).  This award distinguishes Norway Savings Bank as one of the healthiest companies in America. 

WELCOA’s Well Workplace Awards initiative is driven by a rigorous set of criteria. The Gold Award recognizes those companies that have successfully built comprehensive worksite wellness initiatives and are demonstrating and capturing
concrete outcomes related to behavior change, productivity, cost effectiveness, and return on investment.  A Gold Award designation from WELCOA is a significant recognition by a world-renowned organization at the forefront of
workplace health promotion. 

In 2010, Norway Savings Bank introduced a one-on-one, behavior based wellness program with Occupational Medical Consultants (OMC).  Through OMC’s wellness program, bank employees meet with a dedicated health coach throughout the year to complete a health risk assessment and on-site biometric screening, as well as to set and track personal health and wellness goals. 

Norway Savings Bank also has a Safety and Wellness Committee that is dedicated to making the bank a safer and healthier workplace through new and ongoing objectives geared towards employee education, awareness, intervention
and results. To date, overall participation in the wellness program is at 94% and the bank has already seen an improvement in its aggregate risk-data scores in less than two years.

“The Gold Award is reflective of the commitment, investment and results we have demonstrated through our wellness efforts,” said Patricia Weigel, President of Norway Savings Bank. “A strong wellness program enhances the
quality of life for our employees and contributes toward managing our health care, our health care costs and our health insurance premiums. Our employees are very engaged and involved with our wellness program, and we are very proud
of our accomplishments.”

The Wellness Council of Maine was founded in 2002 by the Bangor business community.  Membership has grown from
seven founding companies to over 100 organizations representing more than 60,000 employees throughout the state of Maine.  With more than 3,000+ members organizations located throughout North America, WELCOA is highly recognized and regarded for their innovative and results-oriented approach to worksite wellness.

About Norway Savings Bank: Founded in 1866, Norway Savings Bank is a leading mutual banking and financial services company headquartered in Norway, Maine. As of September 30, 2011, Norway Savings Bank had $944 million in total assets and provided financial services to over 38 thousand households throughout western and southern Maine. Norway Savings Bank has 20 branch locations and provides access to over 200 ATM locations through Maine Cash Access. Norway operates divisions in asset management, personal and business banking. In 2007 and 2008, Norway Savings Bank was recognized as one of the Best Places to Work in Maine by the Society for Human Resource Management’s Maine State Council.  In 2009, Norway earned the Financial Marketing Excellence Award from the American Bankers Association for its “Colorful Solutions” brand campaign. 

For more information, visit http://www.norwaysavingsbank.com                        

Governor’s Workshops to
Focus on Ways to Improve Business Climate and Assist with Job Creation

Upcoming workshops invite hundreds of
employers to share ideas to get Maine working

Augusta, Maine – Governor Paul LePage announced today he will host a series of job creation workshops in October and November. These working sessions are designed for business leaders to share ideas regarding job creation in Maine
with the Governor, state officials and fellow business leaders to improve Maine’s economy.

“We’re going to roll up our sleeves and work with the business community to get Maine’s economy moving forward,” the Governor said, “our staff will be working with job creators on a number of issues that will enable them to create
opportunities for Mainers.”

A good business climate encourages businesses to flourish and grow the economy. Among key issues used to measure the business climate include business and income tax levels, workforce availability; energy costs; cost of living;
quality of life; environmental regulation and permitting, licensing, and various reporting regulations. All of these topics will be addressed at each job creation workshop.

The Governor will host three separate sessions which are free for attendees and to be held at Central Maine Community College in Auburn, Husson University in Bangor and Southern Maine Community College in Portland. Maine’s largest
city will kick-off the series of workshops October 19. The second will be held in Bangor on October 26 and the final event will be November 17 in Auburn.

Department commissioners and senior leadership teams will join the Governor to listen to suggestions and work with business leaders to improve the climate for job creation. “Government does not create jobs. But what we can do in
Augusta is change the environment by which jobs are created in the private sector. That’s what we’re working on,” said the Governor.

Participating departments include Department of Economic & Community Development; Department of Labor; Maine Revenue Services; Department of Environmental Protection; Workers’ Compensation; Department of Professional
& Financial Regulation; Department of Transportation; Department of Education; and Department of Defense, Veterans and Emergency Management.

Interested businesses are encouraged to contact the Governor’s office for more information at (207) 287-3538 or visit www.maine.gov/governor to sign up. Space is limited and an RSVP is required.