Mainebiz

V O L . X X X I I N O. V I I I A P R I L 2 0 , 2 0 2 6 8 B U S I N E S S M A I N E B U S I N E S S M A I N E B U S I N E S S N E W S F RO M A RO U N D T H E S TAT E e move is expected to save Maine's largest health system about $1.5 mil- lion annually in overhead expenses and reduce the need for capital invest- ment in non-clinical settings over the next three to five years, according to a news release. Public health workers are the focus of new training e University of New England will join forces with the Maine Public Health Association to give students hands-on training in tackling complex health challenges. e collaboration will link students from the school's new Institute of Public and Planetary Health with a statewide network of public health organizations, provid- ing experience with issues from cli- mate change to an aging population. Launching this spring, the initiative will bring together students in public health, nutrition, marine science, cli- mate change leadership, medicine and business to work in teams with the Maine Public Health Association. N O T E W O R T H Y S O U T H E R N Woodhull, an architecture, construc- tion and millwork firm in Portland, announced that Barba + Wheelock Architects in Portland has joined the firm, forming a dedicated Preservation Studio that will be led by Nancy Barba. Float Harder, a wellness center in Portland, is celebrating its tenth an- niversary. The company offers private float rooms filled with body-tempera- ture water saturated with Epsom salt, creating an environment designed to reduce external stimuli and support deep physical and mental relaxation. Community Dental expanded its Portland clinic to create a dedicated space for orthodontic treatment with increased access to care for children covered by MaineCare. The 1,200 square-foot expansion was funded through the city of Portland's American Rescue Plan Act allocation and a dona- tion from Portside Realty Group. Recreative + co., a branding, web de- sign and photography studio in Kittery, launched VisitKittery.org. Legacy Properties Sotheby's International Realty, a luxury real estate company in Portland, said its participating agents have committed a total of nearly $200,000 to over 100 local, statewide and national charitable organizations serving Maine commu- nities through its "Legacy's Legacy: Giving Back to Maine" program. Wright-Ryan Construction in Portland held a ribbon-cutting for United 4 Child Care, a child care center at 236 Gannett Drive in South Portland. The United Way of Southern Maine facility is the first of its kind to open under a model to provide affordable and flexible child care for working families at mul- tiple locations across Southern Maine. The city of Portland announced that the Portland Waterfront dredging work is complete. On the Portland side of the Fore River alone, over 10,000 linear feet of berthing was deepened and restored, resulting in over 45,000 cubic yards (equivalent to 4,500 dump trucks) of material relocated to the con- fined aquatic disposal cell disposal site located in the seafloor of the harbor. ohDEER, a provider of environmentally friendly solutions for deer, rabbit, tick and mosquito control, announced that Dave Hanlon will operate a franchise in Portland, while Kyle Cone will oper- ate a franchise that covers the remain- der of Southern Maine. Lighthouse caretakers sought e Maine Department of Marine Resources is looking for two volun- teers to serve as island caretakers this season at Burnt Island Light, an his- torical lighthouse site situated about half a mile offshore from Boothbay Harbor. Caretakers will live in the upstairs portion of the lighthouse, which includes private bedrooms and bathroom facilities. e assignment entails greeting visitors, leading tours and sharing the history of the light- house and Maine's coastal heritage. N O T E W O R T H Y M I D C O A S T & D O W N E A S T The MDI Biological Laboratory in Bar Harbor announced that the National Institute of General Medical Sciences awarded Prayag Murawala, whose work explores how vertebrates can regenerate tissues after injury, a five- year, $2.1 million grant as part of its Maximizing Investigators' Research Award program. CONGRATULATIONS TO THE 2026 MAINE WOMAN OF IMPACT WINNER! Maryna Shuliakouskaya Aroma Joe's Franchisee Locally sponsored by M I D C O A S T & D O W N E A S T

• Cover