Mainebiz

V O L . X X I I N O. X V I I J U LY 2 5 , 2 0 1 6 10 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 includes $595 million in financing to support ongoing operations and capi- tal investments. e company has 560 employees at its mill in Jay. Lewiston's Fuel offered to essay winner Eric Agren, the owner of the Lewiston restaurant Fuel, is looking to move onto his next project. He is offering the restaurant, at 49 Lisbon St., to the winner of a 300-word essay contest, with a nonrefundable entry fee of $150. In addition to the 80-seat restaurant and its contents — includ- ing kitchen equipment, recipes and an extensive wine and liquor inventory — the winning entry would receive $20,000 in cash and a two-bedroom, two-bath condo next door. e win- ner will be chosen between Oct. 25 and Nov. 30. Farmington could get state's largest solar farm Environmental studies are now underway in Farmington for what would be the largest operational solar farm in the state. Aaron Svedlow, the project manager for the 50-to-80-megawatt solar farm being proposed by the Yarmouth- based energy company Ranger Solar, told the Morning Sentinel that if all goes according to plan, ground would be broken in 2018 on undeveloped land off Farmington Falls Road. Svedlow wouldn't con- firm exactly where on Farmington Falls Road the solar farm would be, but Bussie York, the owner of Sandy River Farms, told the Sentinel that the energy company approached him over a year ago about possibly using part of his 600-acre farm for the project. Six jobs created at Augusta printer J.S. McCarthy Printers will create six jobs when a new paper-cutting machine is installed at its facil- ity at 15 Darin Drive in Augusta. Rick Tardiff, president and CEO, said the new machine will allow it to cut paper sheets from larger rolls in-house, instead of hav- ing local papermakers send rolls to Allentown, Pa., to be cut, the Kennebec Journal reported. "Currently, we buy sheets from sup- pliers," Tardiff told the newspaper. "We're going to bring that in-house for efficiency and saving money." e installation and subsequent 14,400-square-feet, $2.5 million expansion is the third expansion at the company since 2007. N O T E W O R T H Y C E N T R A L & W E S T E R N Androscoggin Bank's MainStreet Foundation announced quarterly grants of $13,510 to five Maine organizations that assist at-risk children. Recipients included the Lewiston Auburn Area Housing Development Corp., United Way of Androscoggin County, Goodwill Industries of Northern New England, Wayside Food Programs and No Limits Limb Loss Foundation. Sugarloaf in Carrabassett Valley an- nounced KÜHL, a clothing retailer based in Utah, will open in Sugarloaf Village in October. Ripple effect of Jackson Lab's base-pay boost e increase of minimum wage at Jackson Laboratory is getting praise from some politicians and educa- tors in the state, with its rolling-out and effect on the community at large adding more talking points into November's ballot question that looks to increase Maine's minimum wage. Philip Trostel, a professor of economics at University of Maine, told the Bangor Daily News that the Bar Harbor-based lab's decision to adjust its minimum wage is an indicator of the improving economy. As wages increase, so too does the allure of working for Jackson Lab, which could spur more customers at area businesses. "It they're pay- ing more than anyone else is, they're going to get the pick of the litter," Trostel told the BDN. e increase could also provide similar busi- ness, like the Mount Desert Island Biological Laboratory, with a larger qualified pool of potential employees in the area to choose from. State Sen. Andre Cushing, assistant major- ity leader in the state Senate, told the BDN that businesses choosing to independently boost their mini- mum wage are a worthy alternative to legislative mandates, cautioning that state-imposed increases can mis- fire, leading to fewer hours as well as positions being eliminated. 207.730.5566 EXECUTING VISION "Transforming Brick North, an historic 1904 building once used as a railroad car repair shop, required a great deal of vision—not only from tenants like Bettina Doulton, owner of Cellardoor Winery, but also from our construction partner, Landry/French Construction. Their team of knowledgeable, experienced professionals were instrumental in executing our vision—bringing a collaborative approach and creative solutions to challenges they encountered along the way." Chris Thompson, Forefront Partners From Left: Bettina Doulton, Cellardoor Winery; Chris Thompson, Forefront Partners; Kevin French, Landry/French Construction; Jed Troubh, Forefront Partners 100% EMPLOYEE OWNED M I D C O A S T & D O W N E A S T

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