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V O L . X X X I I N O. V M A R C H 9 , 2 0 2 6 6 Fidium, a national fiber internet and network services company that offers service in Maine, announced that in April it will introduce 5 Gig and up to 8 Gig symmetrical internet plans with WiFi 7 technology for consumers across the state. South Portland digital preservation firm HistoryIT LLC said the acquisi- tion of Chicago-based LifeWeb 360 will allow the organizations to expand how they preserve and use history. Aries Clean Technologies, which is based in Franklin, Tenn., has proposed a $180 million treatment facility in the York County city of Sanford to address the growing issue of PFAS, so-called forever chemicals. Its customers would be municipalities. Acorn Engineering Inc., an employee- owned civil engineering, surveying and landscape architecture firm in Portland, announced that it will take over most of Carroll Associates, a landscape architecture firm in Portland, portfolio of work. As part of the move, Matthew Phillips, a registered landscape archi- tect, has joined the Acorn Landscape Architecture Studio as a landscape architect. Phillips has 20 years of land- scape design experience in Maine. Ted's Fried Clams in Shapleigh was purchased by a group including Joe Christopher of Upward Management Group, Rob and Matt Orr and Roger Zeghibe of the Beantown Pub. The University of New England Online College of Professional Studies in Portland said it is now offering a new, 100% online certificate programs for those interested in careers in the can- nabis industry. Portland-based Center for Grieving Children opened a location at 1209 Main St. in Sanford. The Maine Mariners hockey team inject- ed at least $6.1 million to the Portland area economy during the 2024-25 season, according to a study by the University of New England's Center for Sport and Business Innovation. Beneficiaries included restaurants, bars, hotels, short-term rentals and retailers. The University of Maine at Augusta received a $400,000 grant from the Davis Educational Foundation to ex- pand the use of artificial intelligence and virtual reality in courses serving students across Maine. The two-year initiative will support the integration of immersive and adaptive technologies into at least 20 undergraduate courses in fields including nursing, aviation, business, education, computer informa- tion systems and music technology. Maine Drilling & Blasting in Gardiner announced it will celebrate its 60th anniversary in 2026. JAI Software, Farmingdale-based developers of the Energy Community Online System for managing LIHEAP, weatherization and energy auditing programs, attended the 2026 National Association for State Community Services Programs conference held in Arlington, Va. Central Maine Power, a subsidiary of Avangrid Inc. in Augusta, submitted two filings to the Maine Public Utilities Commission that, if approved, would re- sult in a bill decrease of approximately $4 per month for the average residen- tial customer starting on July 1. The Maine Association of Realtors held its annual Realtor Rally Day at the Maine Statehouse on March 3. The association, which has 6,500 members statewide, is encouraging the 132nd Legislature to make housing a priority. The Better Living Center, a natural foods store in Farmington, has changed hands and will become operated under a cooperative ownership model. The Better Living Center, founded in 1973, will become the Farmington Food Co- op on April 1. It will maintain the site at 181 Front St. in Farmington and offer many of the same products. The transition is being led by a group of 13 community members. B U S I N E S S M A I N E Business news from around the state A chocolate shop that offers more than chocolate B y A l e x i s W e l l s A s soon as you step into Len Libby Candies in Scarborough, you are greeted by the sweet smell of chocolate being made. The counter features 120 different types of chocolates — from cremes, caramels, jellies, toffees, barks, to molded items. Also, its famous coconut needhams aren't made the traditional way. The chocolates sell at $30 per pound and also offer items to suit a range of budgets. Len Libby, the founder of Len Libby Candies in Scarborough, worked for candy companies in Portland, learning the art of chocolate and confection- ery before beginning his career as a music teacher. In 1926, Libby returned to making candy, selling it from his home before opening his first store on Higgins Beach. In 1949, he sold the store to Fernand Hemond but continued teaching Hemond's son, Fern, the art of candy making. Fern Hemond and his wife, Maureen, bought the candy store from his father in 1956 and kept the Len Libby Candies name. Since then, the business has stayed in the family and now has its third generation of owners: Fern and Maureen's daughter, Gisele, and her husband, John DeGrinney, who bought the business in 2015. The store employs 35 team members. To make its famous coconut Needhams treats, DeGrinney says it all starts with Peter's Chocolate, a manufacturer of chocolate ingredients based in Pennsylvania. Needhams are a traditional Maine chocolate-covered candy made with mashed potatoes, shredded coconut, sugar and butter, but not at Len Libby's; they have a new take on the popular treat by opting out of using mashed potatoes. "We hand-crack about 20 fresh coconuts — yielding about 10 fresh pounds — using a hatchet to drain the milk and peel off the inner skin," says DeGrinney. "Then we ground the fresh coconut chunks and mix them into a hot fondant crème, combining the coconut milk, sugar and corn syrup." The mixture is placed on a marble slab to cool and then is cut into rectangles and covered in chocolate. "It is one of our signature pieces — we stand out as using fresh cracked coconut, as opposed to potatoes," he says. "It is extremely labor-intensive, but well worth the effort." These coconut treats take around five hours to complete. To source the ingre- dients for the various types of chocolates, Len Libby's partners with several Maine businesses, including Wyman's of Maine and Maine Maple Products Inc. All candies are sold retail only, to ensure maximum freshness. They are also available online. DeGrinney says this year the business plans to add Christmas Ribbon Candy. They are experimenting with making real Maine Blueberry Ribbon Candy and Fresh Lemon Ribbon Candy. "We are hoping to get out of the research and development phase of things and bring this to our guests soon," said DeGrinney. SP ONSORED BY P H O T O S / C O U R T E S Y O F L E N L I B B Y C A N D I E S Gisele and John DeGrinney, the owners of Len Libby Candies in Scarborough. N O T E W O R T H Y C E N T R A L & W E S T E R N C E N T R A L & W E S T E R N N O T E W O R T H Y S O U T H E R N S O U T H E R N N O T E W O R T H Y S T A T E W I D E S T A T E W I D E

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