Mainebiz

V O L . X X I N O. X X I V O C T O B E R 1 9 , 2 0 1 5 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 PORTLANDGLASS.COM PORTLANDGLASS.COM Maine lawyers working with Maine municipalities. Por tland / Kennebunk • 207-775-7271 • 1-800-756-1166 • jbgh.com At Jensen Baird, our commitment is to you. With over 60 years experience, it's no wonder that municipalities, counties and school districts across Maine depend on the knowledge of Jensen Baird. We are your trusted source in providing solutions to a broad range of issues. With prompt, practical and cost-effective guidance, our lawyers are regularly recognized as among The Best Lawyers in America. Saddleback ski resort in 'serious negotiations' Saddleback Maine announced Oct. 8 that its owners were in negotiations with a prospective buyer for the the Rangeley ski resort and that it may open this sea- son after all. e future of the western Maine ski resort has been in doubt since its owners said in July that the mountain wouldn't open for the upcoming season without $3 million in investment for a new central ski lift. In a Facebook post, the resort said that its owners are in the midst of "serious negotiations" with a buyer that plans to open for the upcom- ing winter. e potential buyer wasn't named. e ski resort said in September that four separate potential buyers were interested in operating the resort this season, and a fi fth was considering buying the resort in the spring. Bill and Irene Berry of Farmington purchased Saddleback in 2003 and invested $40 million, adding trails, two quad chair- lifts, a new base lodge and expand- ing snowmaking at the 4,120-foot ski mountain. e resort employs more than 300 people and has been on the market since 2012, when its owners listed the property for $12 million, according to the Morning Sentinal. Jay paper mill employees to fi nd out about layoffs soon Employees at the Verso Corp. paper mill in Jay are expected to fi nd out soon whether they'll be laid off after the Historic rainfall in Portland slowed shoppers An historic rainfall in Portland fl ooded low-lying city streets Sept. 30, making for a slower shopping day for some retailers on Commercial Street. By early afternoon, rain had tapered off and shoppers, some from the two cruise ships docked at the waterfront, were back on Commercial Street. Two cruise ship passengers, Gary and Linda Holland of Huntingdon, Pa., standing outside the Ports of Call gift shop that afternoon, told Mainebiz that some of the others on their cruise ship stayed in because of the rain. The 5.56 inches of rain that fell in Portland on Sept. 30 made it one of the top 10 rainiest days in the city's history, according to the National Weather Service. The record remains Oct. 21, 1996, with 11.74 inches of rain from Tropical Storm Lili. The cruise ship Norwegian Gem, with nearly 2,400 passengers, according to Cruise Portland Maine, canceled its harbor and other area tours because of the rain. Some cruise ship passengers were transported by bus to Freeport to visit shops there. Gary Holland, wearing a clear plastic poncho from the cruise ship, said he was unimpressed with their visit to Portland so far because they had to travel by foot to see a lot of things. "The rainy day didn't help," he said. A few blocks away at home decor retailer Ethan Allen's Commercial Street location, a commercial vacuum company was cleaning the front of the store because of fl ooding. Last August, a rainstorm fl ooded a third of the fl oor, damaging the bottom of some furniture, but the fl ooding covered the front edge of the store, said Lenora Bourgeois, an interior designer for the company. Bourgeois said staff were worried when the water rose above the sandbags in front of the store, but it receded before doing any damage. Casey Gilbert, executive director of Portland's Downtown District, said her offi ce heard from a few businesses with fl ooded basements, but they reported no serious damage from the rain. Whole Foods Market, at 2 Somerset St. in Portland's Bayside neighborhood, was surrounded by fl ood waters and stalled cars, but remained open. — P a u l K o e n i g P H O T O / P E T E R VA N A L L E N Outside of the Whole Foods Market at 2 Somerset St. in Portland's Bayside neighborhood, the fl ood waters receded but a stranded car remained after the heavy rains of Sept. 30. C E N T R A L & W E S T E R N

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