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W W W. M A I N E B I Z . B I Z 7 JA N UA R Y 2 1 , 2 0 1 9 Dollar-an-hour hike in wage for 143,000 Mainers e $1-an-hour state minimum wage increase that took effect on Jan. 1 will boost pay for 143,000 Mainers in 2019, according to the Maine Center for Economic Policy. Over the course of the year, it estimates that one in four Mainers will receive a direct or indirect benefit from the minimum hourly wage going up from $10 an hour to $11 an hour. Yearly increases were approved by voters in 2016. As of Jan. 1, the center estimates that 15.2% of all workers in the state — or about 87,200 people — will benefit directly from raises. ose Mainers' average wage increase adds up to about $1,040 in additional earnings per year. e federal minimum wage has not changed since 2009, when it went up from $6.55 an hour to $7.25 an hour. N O T E W O R T H Y S T A T E W I D E U.S. Sens. Susan Collins and Angus King announced that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services awarded $828,415 to Maine's state-level Department of Health and Human Services. The grant is awarded to a maternal and child health services program that works to protect the health of Maine's mothers, women and children, includ- ing children with special needs. SMHC plans $34M upgrade in Sanford Southern Maine Health Care plans to invest $34 million in construction and upgrades of the SMHC Medical Center in Sanford. e plan will includes a new, modern long-term care center for older adults, establishment of a short-stay, inpatient behavioral health care unit and general upgrades. Southern Maine Health Care is part of the MaineHealth system. Upgrades will include a $23 mil- lion, 94-bed eldercare center designed to provide nursing, long-term and memory care services; an $11 million, short-stay behavioral health care unit that will be relocated from Biddeford to Sanford and more than doubling its capacity, and general campus improvements currently underway and expected to continue into the spring. N O T E W O R T H Y S O U T H E R N Botto's Bakery, located at 550 Washington Ave. in Portland, will celebrate 70 years of business in 2019, all in the same location and under the ownership of the Mathews Family. Foreside Financial Group LLC, a Portland-based provider of distribution and compliance services to clients in the global asset management industry, acquired NCS Regulatory Compliance, a provider of outsourced S T A T E W I D E S O U T H E R N Portland moves forward on tightening working waterfront zoning — The hope is there will be more long-term planning SMHC plans $34M construction project at Sanford medical center — Will mean jobs and improved medical care Maine Office of Tourism awards $46K to tourism-marketing projects across the state — Promoting a critical piece of Maine's economy Bucksport businessman to purchase historic Wilson Hall — Another step in Bucksport's transition Danforth Inn auctioned for reported $1.7M, closed for rest of the month — Could this be a turnaround after last year's bankruptcy reorganization? Shutdown affects Bay Ferries ferry plan in Bar Harbor — Good thing there's still a road to Nova Scotia Wilton Barclaycard closing came as surprise to town — Yet Wilton has been there before Women's clothing store Maurices closes at Aroostook Centre Mall — Another setback for a regional mall that's already seen a few Minimum wage increase seen boosting pay for 143,000 Mainers this year — Is anyone else surprised by the number of people affected? Travel, hospitality businesses will be guided by Gen Z, WEX report says — And just when we had millennials figured out C R E D I T S & D E B I T S GO BEYOND THE ORDINARY You have big dreams for your business. And to get there, you need more than traditional expertise. From cost segregation opportunities to smart property tax strategies, Wipfli and Macpage have joined forces to help construction and real estate firms throughout Maine protect their bottom line and reach higher to achieve their goals. Push the boundaries of what's possible with Wipfli/Macpage. wipfli.com/maine South Portland | Augusta Proud Partner of the Maine Red Claws

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