Mainebiz

V O L . X X V N O. X M AY 1 3 , 2 0 1 9 6 CruiseMaine forecast calls for more port calls Maine's 2019 cruise season looks to surpass last year in scheduled port calls and passenger numbers, with at least 10 vessels making maiden voyages here. Some 430 port calls are expected statewide this year, compared to 400 last year, according to the latest data from CruiseMaine. at translates to 450,000 passenger days this year, com- pared to 400,000 in 2018. Combined crew and passenger days are estimated at 635,000 visitor days in Maine on ship in 2019, up from 552,000 last year, Sarah Flink, executive director of CruiseMaine, told Mainebiz. She noted that an average of 80% to 90% of passengers disembark at port for dining, shopping and sightseeing, as do 40% to 50% of crew members. Maine has a total of 10 cruise ports, led by Bar Harbor, Portland and Rockland, No. 1, 2, and 3 respectively, with the rest defined as niche ports. N O T E W O R T H Y S T A T E W I D E The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development awarded a total of $24.8 million to support afford- able housing in Maine through its Community Development Block Grant, Emergency Solutions Grants and HOME programs. The state received $11.6 million through the CDBG pro- gram, $4 million through the HOME program and $1.35 through the ESG program to distribute to cities with populations of less than 50,000 and counties with populations of less than 200,000. In addition, Portland received $1.9 million through the CDBG program, $1 million through the HOME program and $160,873 through the ESG program; Auburn received $544,099 through the CDBG program and $442,773 through the HOME pro- gram; and through the CDBG program Cumberland County received $1.5 million, Lewiston received $887,262, Bangor received $837,680 and Biddeford received $467,761. The Federal Highway Administration designated eight major road corridors in Maine for alternative fuel vehicles as part of an effort to build out a state- wide network of fast chargers. The new corridors, extending from Jackman to Bar Harbor, from Bangor to Kittery, and from Portland to the mountains of west- ern Maine, will link Maine's metropoli- tan areas and major tourist destina- tions with similar corridors in Quebec and southern New England. U.S. Sens. Susan Collins and Angus King announced that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency awarded $1,724,386 to the Maine Department of Environmental Protection to administer environmen- tal programs for air, water, and waste throughout the state. Additionally, the B U S I N E S S M A I N E Business news from around the state S T A T E W I D E Nonprofit for at-risk youths launches $6.5M capital campaign B y M a i n e b i z S t a f f B I D D E F O R D — My Place Teen Center, a Westbrook nonprofit offering after- school programming and meals year round for at-risk youths aged 10 to 18, announced plans for a $6.5 million capital campaign to open a second teen center in July 2020. My Place Teen Center is a year-round, free, after-school program for children between the ages of 10 to 18. Details of the campaign were announced by the nonprofit's board of direc- tors, campaign chairs and the mayors of Westbrook and Biddeford on May 2. The campaign, which has already raised $2.7 million, aims to convert the bottom floor of the former St. Andre Church, at 75 Bacon St. in Biddeford. The new center will be modeled directly after My Place Teen Center's first location in Westbrook, which serves 40 to 70 kids per day, and over 500 each year. "Expansion has always been part of our strategic plan, so we are thrilled to partner with Biddeford's mayor and housing authority to bring year-round, no-barrier services to a new city," said Donna Dwyer, president and CEO of the nonprofit. "The positive relationship developed with city leaders and a similar demographic and landscape between both cities makes this an easy leap for our organization." When completed in 2020, the Biddeford teen center will encompass 9,800 square feet of space on the bottom floor of the church. The expansion is part of MPTC's vision to counterbalance the effects of poverty, food insecurity and the opioid epidemic with protective factors and safe environments. "We see Biddeford as an area that could benefit from the type of programming we provide at My Place Teen Center," said Dwyer, who was honored by Mainebiz in 2015 as Business Leader of the Year in the nonprofit category. "As the down- town becomes revitalized, it becomes more important than ever to make sure the most vulnerable residents aren't left behind. My Place Teen Center has the programming in place to provide a safe place where teens can gather after school, learn about themselves and their role in the community, eat a warm meal, and feel safe and loved." B R I E F ABOUT MY PLACE TEEN CENTER My Place Teen Center is a year-round free after-school program for teens and pre-teens who are often homeless, food- insecure, cognitively delayed, low-income, immigrants or refugees. In the 2018 fiscal year, 567 young people were served by the nonprofit's diverse offer- ings and is on track to surpass that number this year. Donna Dwyer, president and CEO of Westbrook-based My Place Teen Center, launched a $6.5 million capital campaign to expand the nonprofit's operations to Biddeford. As mouse production grows, Jackson Lab begins hiring surge — Who knew lab mice would be a growth industry? Planet Fitness to fill vacant anchor space in Rockland Plaza — Filling a major vacancy by taking over a former J.C. Penney space 'Commuter' bus route from Lewiston-Auburn to Farmington is up and running — Let the economic development begin New York-based investors close on purchase of Bangor Mall — A step toward recovery KeyBank donation to Avesta will fund areas of 'critical need' — A step toward much-needed housing Portland waterfront rezoning moves forward, Fisherman's Wharf project doesn't — As parts of the city grow, others become mired in battles over best and highest use Maine bankers back federal marijuana banking bill — Why have the feds waited this long? EPA says CMP permit application with Army Corps of Engineers is 'incomplete' — CMP's plans for a transmission line through Maine could be a long time in coming Lobster industry caught in crosshairs as regulators eye right whale protections — There has to be some middle ground Report: Maine's organic farms encompass less acreage, but yield higher sales — The report also indicated the average age of Maine farmers grew from 55.1 to 57.4 C R E D I T S & D E B I T S P H O T O / T I M G R E E N WAY

• Cover