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V O L . X X I N O. X M AY 1 8 , 2 0 1 5 12 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 claims that Diaz faced discrimi- nation, harassment and threats of losing her job for not holding the religious beliefs of her employer, Dan Beck. Diaz is seeking to recover back pay, lost benefits, as well as receiving punitive damages. Robert Brooks, an attorney for Moody's, said in a statement that the restau- rant "will continue to defend itself against Ms. Diaz's allegations and maintains that it never subjected Ms. Diaz to any form of religious discrimination or retaliation." Waldo County manufacturer lands $30M loan Pride Manufacturing, which has a major operation in Burnham, has secured a $30 million loan that will allow it to refinance exist- ing debt and create new growth opportunities. Citizens Bank announced that it recently closed on the financing deal for Pride, which manufactures Lincoln Logs, golf tees and other precision-engi- neered wood products. In addition to refinancing existing debt, the manufacturer will use the financ- ing for "general corporate purposes including various growth initia- tives," according to the bank. Pride is based in Tennessee and is owned by private equity firm Lindsay Goldberg LLC. Ex-Camden charity official to enter guilty plea Russell "Rusty" Brace is expected to plead guilty to federal fraud charges this month after being accused of stealing more than $4.6 million from the Midcoast charity he once led. e Bangor Daily News reported that Brace is scheduled to enter guilty pleas in U.S. District Court on May 29 for two counts of tax fraud and one count of bank fraud. e Rockport businessman is expected to be sentenced several months after that date. In April, Brace reached a settlement with United Mid-Coast Charities, agreeing to pay the $4.6 million. e newspaper said Brace used the money in part to support his floundering business ventures. Damariscotta bookstore up for sale e Maine Coast Book Shop in Damariscotta, one of New England's largest independent bookstores, is being put on the market. e Bangor Daily News reported that co-own- ers Susan Porter and her husband, Barnaby, are selling the 50-year-old business because they want to spend more time with family. e Porters have owned the business for nearly 30 years. Porter said the bookstore "hasn't been that profitable in the last couple of years," but she hopes to find a buyer who is passionate about books and working in a bookstore. BIW reaches settlement for discrimination lawsuit Bath Iron Works has reached a settlement with a former worker who sued the shipyard over allega- tions that it was enabling an "anti- Muslim culture." e Bangor Daily News reported that the federal lawsuit by Husam Abed of Portland was settled out of court for an undis- closed amount of money. Abed's lawsuit, which was moved to federal court in Maine in January, sought $75,000 in damages. Rockland energy plant proposal gets first OK e Rockland City Council has approved an option-to-buy agree- ment for a Boston energy company that is seeking to build a $200 million natural gas-fired plant on city prop- erty. e Bangor Daily News reported that the city council on May 8 voted 4-0 to grant the option, two days after failing to do so in an initial vote. e option will have Rockland Energy Center LLC, a subsidiary of Energy Management Inc., pay $1,000 a month for Rockland's City Hall and public services garage while negoti- ating a sale agreement with the city. Rockland Energy Center's proposal has drawn some opposition from resi- dents who are concerned about the plant's environmental impacts. But if approved, the company said, it would create 12 to 18 permanent jobs and provide the city with significant tax revenue. e energy plant is estimated to cost $200 million to build, though it will require up to a $20 million investment from another company to extend a natural gas line to Rockland. 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 Maine Fresh Sea Farms, a startup based on the Damariscotta River, was one of five Maine companies to share $471,571 in Value Added Producer Grants from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Rural Development Program. The organization received $71,673 to help study the feasibility Sign up today for non-credit WELDING CLASSES at Southern Maine Community College Learn from SMCC's experienced instructors and gain skills to further your career! Welding classes being offered include: • Introduction to Welding • Advanced Structural Welding • Aluminum Welding For more information and to REGISTER NOW visit www.smccME.edu/continuingstudies or call 207-741-5758 Start SMART, Finish STRONG

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