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  • An open attitude between developers and municipal officials generally leads to satisfactory results

    Justin Lamontagne

    “They are impossible to deal with.” It has been said about every town and city hall in Maine. Yet, commercial real estate projects and economic development continues to advance throughout our great state. So what gives?

  • An expert in fireworks displays takes his wares to the people

    Matt Dodge

    A fixture on the Maine pyrotechnics scene for over 30 years, Steve Marson says he was surprised when he heard the state would legalize the sale of fireworks as of Jan. 1. “I never expected the state to allow consumer fireworks,” he says.

  • Focus on Travel & Tourism
    Focus on Travel & Tourism

    Training for the hospitality industry gets a boost from three institutions

    Matt Dodge

    Consistently rated as the largest service sector industry worldwide, tourism is an especially important economic driver in Maine where miles of coastline and natural wonders draw those "from away" to the state.

  • Opinion
    Opinion

    Disclosing the details

    Carol Coultas

    Somewhere in the middle of editing Doug Rooks' fine cover piece on the changing landscape of Maine's daily newspapers, "Read all about it," I realized I had better provide a disclosure. But where to begin?

  • TEDx evolves in third try

    Sara Anne Donnelly

    The latest offering from TEDxDirigo, the ambitious Portland-based volunteer effort modeled after the popular multidisciplinary online TED talks, featured speakers presenting 10- to 20-minute talks on everything from social justice theater to the c

  • Bargains, exchange rates drive Canadians to Maine to shop and stay

    Late last October, James Gerety, general manager of the Bangor Mall, was driving on Bangor Mall Boulevard after leaving work, when he witnessed a Kodak moment: a sports utility vehicle with New Brunswick license plates chock full of shopping bags.

Today's Poll

Will you take advantage of post-Thanksgiving holiday shopping sales?
Choices
Poll Description

Sponsored by Kennebunk Savings Bank

The days after Thanksgiving are the traditional start of the holiday shopping season. Many shoppers are already setting their sights on the whirlwind of holiday shopping — Black Friday, Small Business Saturday and Cyber Monday.

Major retailers like Walmart, Target, Amazon and Best Buy have already launched early deals, giving shoppers a head start on savings. 

A record 186.9 million people plan to shop from midnight on Black Friday through Cyber Monday, according to a consumer survey by the National Retail Federation. The figure is up by more than 3 million total shoppers from last year's record.

The National Retail Federation forecast also calls for holiday spending to surpass $1 trillion for the first time, with sales predicted to grow between 3.7% and 4.2% from 2024.