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W W W. M A I N E B I Z . B I Z 7 J U LY 2 4 , 2 0 1 7 and the Van Buren Fire Department received $20,505 to purchase thermal imaging cameras. Amtrak Downeaster ridership tops FY17 goal e Northern New England Passenger Rail Authority reported ridership of 511,422 on the Amtrak Downeaster for fi scal year 2017 ended June 30, exceeding FY2016 ridership and FY2017 ridership goals by 8.8%. Ticket revenues of $8.62 million for the same period exceed FY17 goals and FY16 per- formance by 7%. All-time ridership and records were exceeded in the months of July and September in 2016 as well as January, February, April and June of 2017, according to NNEPRA. "Achieving near- record ridership in a year of low fuel prices and construction-related service interruptions indicates that the Downeaster has come of age in solidifying a durable and loyal customer base," said NNEPRA Executive Director Patricia Quinn. e Downeaster had its record rid- ership of 518,572 in FY14, when gas prices averaged $3.60 per gallon. e recent average is about $2.23 per gal- lon. e Downeaster runs between Brunswick and Boston, with 10 stops between. AVANGRID moves 140 workers to Portland AVANGRID Inc., parent of Central Maine Power Co., moved 140 employees from Pineland Farms to downtown Portland, to One City Center. AVANGRID (NYSE: AGR), which had been based at the Pineland Farms campus in New Gloucester, now, through mergers, has its corpo- rate headquarters in Orange, Conn. e company, with more than $31 bil- lion in assets and operations in 27 U.S. states, was formed in December 2015 with the merger of Iberdrola USA and UIL Holdings Corp. It has 6,800 employees. An estimated 250 people work for AVANGRID in Maine. In addition to the 140 at the new offi ces at One City Center, there are about 20 at Central Maine Power's facility at 162 Canco Road in Portland and another 90 at Central Maine Power's corporate offi ces at 83 Edison Drive in Augusta. It no longer occupies any space at Pineland Farms. With the 900 people who work for Central Maine Power and Maine Natural Gas, AVANGRID and its subsidiaries have about 1,150 employees in Maine. e move to One City Center "is part of a larger eff ort to align facili- ties and corporate functions to reduce costs and promote best practices," the company said. Maine Mall could retool an anchor space e general manager at the Maine Mall said it was possible the regional shopping center would look to other uses besides an anchor-type store. S O U T H E R N Harold Alfond Foundation's $7.5M pledge advances The Maine Center initiative — A major step forward for planned graduate center Just in time for peak season, Maine to get 15,000 workers — Maine's worker shortage gets some help from Homeland Security visas Microsoft pilots internet access project in rural Maine — Much- needed access for 20,000 households Peter G. Alfond remembered for 'his kind heart' — A true leader Attracting students the old- fashioned way — with food— A clever twist on the theme of attracting out-of-state students The CAT ferry trims schedule — A setback for Nova Scotia ferry service Lobster catch down, prices remain steady — Price of bait remains a factor Hope General Store, opened in 1832, is on the block — Another Maine general store headed for a 'transition' On MDI's 'quiet side,' residents oppose cruise ship — But do they oppose the money that comes in with it? Mishaps mar Down East Magazine's first lobster roll festival — Long lines and unpredictable weather C R E D I T S & D E B I T S 1-877-722-6243 | sbsavings.bank OUR BANK'S TIGHT-KNIT BECAUSE OUR IS TOO. Our focus is on you—our friends and families. We see how much you love it here and we do too. As the oldest bank in Maine, we've been here for over 190 years. And we'll be in it together for 190 more.

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