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W W W. M A I N E B I Z . B I Z 13 N OV E M B E R 2 8 , 2 0 1 6 Resources. As recently as 2010, the dollar value fell to $6.66 million and, by 2013, the catch was valued at $1 million, according to the DMR. Maine's lobster industry, by compari- son, had a catch value of $495 million in 2015, according to the DMR. 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 Nine Ellsworth-area businesses took over a vacant downtown shop to create a Holiday Marketplace, the Ellsworth American reported. The ven- ture was orchestrated by the Ellsworth Area Chamber of Commerce and the Downtown Ellsworth Association, which worked with the building's landlord, Rod Grant. The store was previously the Grasshopper Shop. The nine stores are: Sullivan Harbor Farm Smoked Sea Products, Sullivan; Elizabeth's at Hilts Landscaping, Hancock; Gull Rock Pottery, Hancock; Downeast Cheesecakes, Franklin; Maine Alpaca Experience, Unity and Northport; Three Wishes, Blue Hill; Sea Crow Co., Hancock; M Designs Jewelry, Winter Harbor; and La Petite Bakery, Sullivan. The pop-up shop opened Nov. 25, on Black Friday. Twin Rivers to acquire paper division of Burrows Paper Twin Rivers Paper Co., a Madawaska- based specialty paper manufacturer, announced it will acquire the paper- manufacturing assets of the New York- based Burrows Paper Corp. Terms of the transaction, which will close by year's end, were not disclosed. e deal expands Twin Rivers' geographic footprint and product off erings while strengthening its ability to serve a wide array of customers in the lightweight publishing, packaging, label and other technical specialty sectors. With the deal, four specialty Burrows Paper machines in New York and Mississippi will be added to Twin Rivers' operating roster. " is transaction is a 'win' for our business, the customers we serve and the communities, both current and future, that we are privileged to call home," Ken Winterhalter, president of Twin Rivers, said. " e experienced team joining Twin Rivers shares the commitment to quality, innovation and service excellence that has been our trademark at Twin Rivers." Gov. Paul LePage said it was a sign the "paper industry is not dead." Apple donation will preserve 32,000 acres Apple Inc., in partnership with e Conservation Fund, is donating a conservation easement across more than 32,400 acres of the Reed Forest in Aroostook County as part of a larger, global conservation eff ort. In addition to the easement, Apple is also support- ing the Conservation Fund's donation of an endowment to the Forest Society of Maine, which will ensure that the ease- ment can be monitored and enforced, according to a news release. Located along the Mattawamkeag River, Reed Forest connects more than 1 million acres of conserved lands and interconnected forest habitat that extends beyond the U.S. border into Canada. Apple said the conservation easement ensures forests at Reed won't be developed or converted to other uses and helps promote economical and ecologically-sustainable production of fi ber and other wood products. e easement also guarantees recreational activities in the forests and requires forest harvest plans to address water qual- ity, native fi sh and wildlife habitat, soil productivity, recreational values, scenic benefi ts and other conservation eff orts. N O T E W O R T H Y N O R T H E R N & E A S T E R N Aroostook Aspirations Initiative in Presque Isle announced a Sustaining Strategic Partnership with Cary Medical Center in Caribou. Partners commit to the sustainability of the Initiative with a fi nancial contribution over a fi ve-year period. Eastern Maine Community College in Bangor will offer an associate degree program in human services, starting January 2017. This degree program focuses on the knowledge and skills required to work in today's diverse fi eld of human services. Maine Oxy, the Auburn-based supplier of welding supplies, industrial and specialty gases, announced that it has merged with Lynox Welding Supply & Cleaning Systems of Presque Isle. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. The combined company, operating under the Maine Oxy name, will retain all of its current locations, including the Lynox locations in Presque Isle, Hermon and Portland. The merger will bring the total number of employees to more than 200. PRESEN T ING SP ONSOR Join us as we celebrate the top 3 Fastest Growing Company winners Fastest Growing Company winners Fastest Growing Company Top 3 award winners revealed live! FOLLOW US @MBEVENTS #MBFast16 L A R G E C O M PA N I E S Apothecary By Design OTTO Pizza Tilson Technology M I D - S I Z E D C O M PA N I E S Horch Roofing Maine Coast S M A L L C O M PA N I E S Cheating Gourmet Energy Circle Maine Foodie Tours F I N A L I S T S Tickets are $45 Includes: passed hors d'oeuvres, 1 free drink, and great face-to-face networking with finalists and other business executives The Portland Club 156 State Street, Portland Thursday, December 8 5:00–7:00pm For more information and to register, visit www.mainebiz.biz/Fast16 N O R T H E R N & E A S T E R N

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