Mainebiz

V O L . X X I I N O. X X I V O C T O B E R 1 7 , 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 Poland Spring sees impact from drought Maine's ongoing drought conditions are causing Poland Spring to transport its water from more distant sources in the Rangeley area. omas Brennan, Poland Spring's senior natural resources man- ager, told Maine Public that dropping groundwater levels at a Hollis aquifer, home of the water company's largest bottling plant, and its spring in Poland has caused the company to truck in water from the Rangeley area and ramp up bottling at a Kingfi eld plant to 24/7. "We could see it coming and we could see over the winter that there wasn't a lot of snow. And we know from experience when you don't have snowpack and you don't have spring rains like happened this year, you need to take steps to protect the business," Brennan told Maine Public. N O T E W O R T H Y C E N T R A L & W E S T E R N University College at Rumford/ Mexico opened a new center, a jointly funded project shared equally between the River Valley Technology Center and the University of Maine System, at 60 Lowell St. in Rumford. The Immigration Resource Center of Maine in Lewiston will receive $300,000 from the Offi ce on Violence Against Women to create, maintain and expand its culturally specifi c sexual as- sault services for East African sexual assault victims living in southern Maine. The University of Maine at Augusta announced it will offer a course on un- manned aerial vehicles, better known as drones. The seven-week course will start Oct. 27 and offer a path for individuals to earn a FAA remote pilot's license. GrowSmart Maine relocated its offi ce from Portland to 177 Water St. in Gardiner. Kennebec Savings Bank in Augusta launched the Catalyst Capacity Building Grant program, which will award grants to two nonprofi t organizations in order to broaden capacity and impact on the communities they serve. The bank will provide up to $18,000 over the course of three years to each recipient for projects such as minor construc- tion, the purchase of capacity building equipment, the hiring of staff or the purchase of a specifi c service that will support the organization's mission. The 8th annual Dempsey Challenge announced this year's event, featuring 3,789 participants from 33 states and seven countries, raised over $1.2 mil- lion for The Dempsey Center. The Maine Offi ce of the Attorney General will receive $197,000 through the Victims of Crime Act Crime Victims Fund, which enhances state victim compensation payments to eligible crime victims. Redzone adds 7,500 businesses to network Rockland-based wireless service provider Redzone Wireless LLC continues to expand its wireless broadband network, this time to communities including Sanford, South Portland and Falmouth. e company also announced near-term plans for added capacity and cover- age with new sites in Augusta, Bangor, Lewiston and Auburn. According to Redzone, the network expansion will add coverage to over 50,000 new households and 7,500 new businesses in Maine. "Redzone is continuing its steady pace of growth, and reaffi rms its goal of reaching 90% of Maine house- holds and businesses. Our new site locations increase both our geographic reach across Maine and our network capacity in order to meet the extraordi- nary demand for our internet service in our most highly populated markets," Jim McKenna, Redzone Wireless president and CEO, said in a statement. Downeast economy reeling from clam at closures Mud fl ats along the coast of Downeast Maine have been closed to clam dig- ging after e Maine Department of Marine Resources detected a type of marine neurotoxin that could affl ict clams and other mollusks harvested from that area. Jeff Nichols, a DMR spokesman, told Maine Public that the mud fl at closure stretches from Otter Point on Mount Desert Island, east to Maine's border with Canada. "We're very confi dent that through the recall and through the closure that we've taken all of the necessary steps to pre- vent any of the impacted shellfi sh from entering the supply chain," Nichols told Maine Public. "We defi nitely take it seriously." In an email obtained by Mainebiz to Gov. Paul LePage and several legislators, Tim Sheehan, co-owner of Pembroke-based Gulf of Maine Inc., said the impact of the closure is already being felt in the BANGOR, MAINE • 207.947.4501 RUDMANWINCHELL.COM Just ask our clients, and they'll agree with Chuck and Belinda. For almost 100 years, Rudman Winchell has earned the trust and respect of businesses all across the state of Maine. Give us a call and find out what we can do for you. Chuck and Belinda Lawrence, owners of TradeWind Markets: "For over 10 years, we've been pleased both personally and professionally with the quality and diversity of Rudman Winchell." A TRUE STRATEGIC PARTNER FOR YOUR BUSINESS M I D C O A S T & D O W N E A S T

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