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V O L . X X I V N O. I X A P R I L 3 0 , 2 0 1 8 6 Jobless rate falls to 2.7% in March Maine's unemployment rate fell to 2.7% in March, according to preliminary esti- mates. e Maine Department of Labor said that the preliminary seasonally adjusted unemployment rate estimate of 2.7% of March was down slightly from 2.9% for February and from 3.3% a year ago. e number of unemployed fell by 4,000 from a year ago to 19,100. Maine's unemployment rate has been below 4.0% for 28 consecutive months, the longest period on record. Nationwide, the jobless rate was 4.1%, unchanged for six months and down from 4.7% a year ago. e New England aver- age was 3.6%, with Maine falling between New Hampshire (at 2.6%) and Vermont (2.8%). Southern New England's jobless rates were higher, with Massachusetts at 3.5% and Rhode Island and Connecticut each at 4.5%. Report: Cumberland is healthiest county Cumberland County is the healthiest county in the state, according to com- parisons based on five metrics contained in the 2018 County Health Rankings within MaineHealth's annual health B U S I N E S S M A I N E Business news from around the state S T A T E W I D E MTI awards $10.9M in technology grants to seven Maine firms B y M a i n e b i z S t a f f B R U N S W I C K — The Maine Technology Institute has com- pleted the full disbursement of the $45 million technology bond approved by voters, awarding $10.9 million in challenge grant awards to seven Maine companies. MTI said the overall $45 million in grants will "have dramatic and demonstrable impacts on Maine's economy," generating 5,350 jobs and $1.37 billion in economic output for the state. Earlier grants from the bond went to Vets First Choice and the Jackson Lab, among others. In all, MTI received 183 proposals. Here's the breakdown on how the $10.9 million in awards announced by MTI on April 13 will be distributed: Pleasant River Lumber Co., Dover-Foxcroft: $4,226,000 awarded toward a $12 million project to expand and mod- ernize its Dover-Foxcroft facility, adding a new planer mill, continuous dry kiln and high-speed small-log sawing line. Pleasant River Lumber has 300 employees in Dover-Foxcroft, Jackman, Sanford, Hancock and Clinton. It plans to use the technology "to efficiently process small logs and balsam fir, both of which currently lack sufficient markets in Maine. This will help meet the needs of Maine landowners and also provide by-products for the recovering paper mill industry and lumber for the growing cross-laminated timber markets." Hussey Seating Co., North Berwick, $2,812,500 awarded toward an $8.2 million project. Hussey Seating — a sixth- generation family-owned business with 280 employees that was founded in 1835 — is modernizing equipment, facilities and processes to ensure the company's continued ability "to compete successfully on the global stage while remaining a Maine-based manufacturer." J.S. McCarthy Printers, Augusta, $1.5 million awarded toward a $5.6 million project, involving the purchase of a Heidelberg printing press. In business for over 60 years, J.S. McCarthy has grown to be one of the largest sheet-fed printing operations on the East Coast, with 230 full-time employees operating 24/7, according to MTI. "The purchase will allow J.S. McCarthy to increase overall capacity to substantially grow sales, creating new jobs in Maine," MTI said. ON Semiconductor, South Portland, $1 million awarded toward a $23.2 million project that MTI reported involves investments in "equipment and facilities infrastructure to enable the introduction and volume manufacturing of two new technologies at the South Portland wafer fabrication plan. It will create more than 25 jobs. Bristol Seafood, Portland, awarded $743,698 toward a $4,859,243 project at its facility. Founded in 1992, the com- pany was the first in the United States to earn a Fair Trade certification for seafood harvested in U.S. waters and its plant meets Marine Stewardship Council guidelines. Bristol expects to create 40 new jobs over the next five years. Tilson, Portland, awarded $602,737 toward a $1,607,300 project. A high-growth 400-employee technology company headquartered in Portland, Tilson has been recognized in the Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing private companies in the U.S. for seven years. DeepWater Buoyancy Inc., Biddeford, awarded $187,500 toward a $500,000 project. The world's largest producer of subsea buoyancy products for the oceanographic industry, with an additional line of buoyancy solutions for offshore oil and gas and other marine companies, DeepWater Buoyancy is making investments to capitalize on demand for new products in existing markets and demand for their products in new markets. B R I E F Bristol Seafood President and CEO Peter Handy in the fillet room at the company's Portland facility. Bristol Seafood imports frozen haddock from Norway and could make use of the proposed cold-storage facility. Maine Technology Institute has awarded a $743,698 technology grant to Bristol Seafood toward a $4.9 million project at its facility. P H O T O / T I M G R E E N WAY index report. Washington County ranked last among Maine counties, based on statewide comparisons of lifespan (which comprises 50% of the weighted metric rankings) and quality of life, which is based on percentages of adults reporting poor or fair health as well as poor physical or mental health days in the previous months, and the percentage of babies who are born live with low birth rates. It's the second year a row Cumberland and Washington held their respective positions in the rankings. Rankings take into account seven health factors: Childhood immu- nizations, tobacco use, obesity, prevent- able hospitalizations, cardiovascular deaths, cancer deaths, prescription drug abuse and addiction. N O T E W O R T H Y S T A T E W I D E The Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry awarded five grants through its Agricultural Development Grant Program totaling $187,735. Recipients included LaJoie Growers LLC in Van Buren, Tide Mill Organics in Edmunds Township and Wild Blueberry Commission of Maine in Orono, $50,000 each; University of Maine, Orono, $27,735; and Blue Sky Produce, Scarborough, $10,000. Southern Maine Community College in South Portland and Central Maine Community College in Auburn an- nounced a partnership with Sunday River Resort in Newry to offer a culi- nary apprenticeship program that will allow up to 15 new and current resort employees to take culinary classes in September while working full-time. Participants will take classes on-site at the resort and either on-site or on- line at one of the colleges. U.S. Sens. Susan Collins and Angus King announced that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services awarded the state of Maine $2 million to fight the heroin and opi- oid abuse epidemic. Portland pivots from Maine concert promoter Portland City Council voted 9-0 to contract with the national S O U T H E R N