EAST MILLINOCKET, Maine (AP) — Clouds that shrouded mighty Mount Katahdin on a still November morning gradually lifted above its mile-high summit as the day wore on, just as a pale of gloom is giving way to a glow of optimism in two northern Maine towns below. Paper-making, for generations the lifeblood and soul of […]
economy
Posted inMaine, sj-web
Road clear for heavy trucks on Maine, Vt. highways
PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — The president has signed into law a bill that includes a provision allowing trucks weighing between 80,000 and 100,000 pounds to use all interstate highways in Maine and Vermont. The U.S. Senate and House approved the measure earlier Thursday, sending it to the president’s desk for signing. The provision is good […]
advertisement
Posted inLewiston-Auburn
Bisson shuts down long-haul trucking, service operation in Auburn
AUBURN — Bisson Transportation is shutting down its Auburn-based long-haul trucking operation and heavy-duty truck center, laying off 38 truck drivers and 23 other workers, including mechanics and office workers. Several workers lost their jobs this week. Others will be let go over the next two weeks. Bisson President Bob Cooper said the company could […]
Posted inBusiness, sj-web
Lower birth rates for young women tied to economy
ATLANTA (AP) — Birth rates for the nation’s youngest mothers hit new lows last year — further evidence that few forms of birth control are as effective as the economy. The national birth rate dropped for the third straight year, with declines for most ages and all races, according to a federal report released Thursday. […]
Posted inAdvertiser Democrat, Oxford Hills
LePage team networks with business owners in Bethel
BETHEL — Members of Gov. Paul LePage’s administration networked with local business owners and community members during a breakfast Wednesday. The Bethel Area Chamber of Commerce hosted the event at the Bethel Inn Resort. Guests John Butera, LePage’s senior economic policy adviser, and George Gervais, commissioner of Department of Economic and Community Development, spoke to […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
Occupy groups rally in Maine
BANGOR, Maine (AP) — More than 100 people have turned for an Occupy Bangor rally at a downtown park. The Bangor Daily News says Saturday’s event featured speeches from union officials, members of the Peace and Justice Center of Downeast Maine and others who spoke about how they’ve been affected by the struggling economy and […]
Posted inNation / World, sj-web
Obama announces help for student loan borrowers
Speaking at the University of Colorado Denver, Obama said that he and his wife, Michelle, together owed more than $120,000 in law school debt that took nearly a decade to pay off. He said that sometimes he’d have to make monthly payments to multiple lenders, and the debt meant they were not only paying for […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
Demonstrators target bank in Maine
PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — About 40 demonstrators are targeting Bank of America with a protest in Maine’s largest city, holding signs and chanting “make the banks pay.” The demonstration outside a Bank of America branch at One City Center on Friday was organized by OccupyMaine, which has set up an encampment a few blocks away […]
Posted inBusiness, Maine, sj-web
Dead River to sell Maine stores to Circle K
BANGOR, Maine (AP) — Dead River Co. is getting out of the convenience store business and selling its Maine stores to the Circle K convenience store chain. Dead River officials say the company is selling its convenience stores to focus on its core business of selling heating fuels. Circle K is owned by Alimentation Couche-Tard […]
Posted inBusiness, Maine, sj-web
Educated workers needed for health care jobs, LePage says
As Maine’s economy continues to struggle, state leaders say the health care sector remains strong and is expected to grow. At a conference on Tuesday, officials said training a qualified work force is the key to both meeting the growing demand for health care services in Maine and taking advantage of the economic activity that […]