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W W W. M A I N E B I Z . B I Z 13 O C T O B E R 3 0 , 2 0 1 7 SeniorsPlus, an agency on aging located in Lewiston, received a $40,000 grant award from the Walmart Foundation to help sup- port the organization's Meals on Wheels program. The Auburn Fire Department was awarded a Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation Grant in the amount of $16,150 to purchase a BullsEye Trainer's Package - Digital Fire Extinguisher Training System MDI cites affordable housing as top priority Elected officials around Mount Desert Island have identified the need for more affordable, year-round housing as a top issue. e Mount Desert Islander reported that an Island Housing Trust survey found that 70% of people working on MDI live off-island; and that many of those people could afford houses in the $250,000 range, but the average cost of a house in Bar Harbor is $400,000. "e list of folks who need our assistance is ever growing," Island Housing Trust Executive Director Alison Beane said. Island Housing Trust announced earlier this year that it was considering an offer from Maine Coast Heritage Trust to buy land near the head of the island for 12 to 15 single-family homes. Kathy Miller, executive director of the nonprofit Mount Desert 365, said the organization is working to provide more workforce housing in Northeast Harbor. She said high prices and the increasing number of seasonal homes is keep- ing people from living there, and the shrinking year-round population is impacting local businesses. Castine housing project nears completion e first building in an eight- building, 16-unit affordable hous- ing subdivision in Castine is almost completed. Developer Doug Koos, who owns the 40-acre Hancock Village Mobile Home Park where the subdivision is underway, told the Castine Patriot that he is invested in providing housing to working families in Castine. He currently rents about 20 mobile homes in his park. "e biggest problem [in Castine] is quality of housing," he said, adding, "Castine's high value of real estate is a double-edged sword. It has had a negative impact of making it harder for new families to settle here." Affordable housing in Castine is defined, by ordinance, as costing not more than 30% annu- ally of 125% of the Hancock County median income, or about $1,400 per month. Koos said he would be renting "below-the-peak" rent permitted. "e need for workforce- type housing is still acute," Town Manager James Goodson told the newspaper. "If Doug were to build out all 16 units, I still think there would be a need." 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 Camden National Bank announced that more than $184,000 has been donated to local homeless shelters through its Hope@Home community giving program. Susie Barnes purchased Dot's Café and Market in Lincolnville Beach. Canadian company pays $30M for timberlands Solifor of Quebec City paid $30 mil- lion for the 62,000-acre Ste-Aurelie Timberlands in Somerset County. e Bangor Daily News reported that this is Solifor's second property in Maine. Earlier this year, Solifor acquired 69,000 acres along the Canada bor- der. "It is primarily softwood lumber that we supply to Quebec proces- sors and that is used for building in Quebec," Solifor spokesman Patrick McQuilken told the BDN of the earlier purchase. Primary customers are Quebec companies. e recently purchased land is mixed forest of coniferous and hardwood trees. Biomass deal in limbo after investor withdraws Boston-based Arctaris Royalty Ventures Co-Investment LP withdrew its offer to loan $5 million to Stored Solar LLC, owner of biomass power plants in West Enfield and Jonesboro. Most of the proposed loan was to have been backed by Finance Authority of Maine. Every smile tells a story. And each one can say something powerful. As the nation's leading dental benefits provider, Delta Dental makes it easy to protect your smile and keep it healthy with the largest network of dentists nationwide, quick answers and personalized service. Learn more at NortheastDeltaDental.com. I GUESS THEY LIKE ME YOU LOOK AWFULLY FAMILIAR I CAN'T REPEAT IT BUT IT'S GOOD MY EMPLOYEES ARE WELL TAKEN CARE OF IT'S TOO GOOD TO PUT DOWN THIS IS FUN, I THINK M I D C O A S T & D O W N E A S T N O R T H E R N & E A S T E R N

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