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Economic Development

  • Maine tourism office awards $57K in grants

    Staff August 2, 2016

    The Maine Office of Tourism awarded grants totaling $57,675 to seven groups in the most recent round of the Tourism Enterprise Marketing Grant program.

    Staff August 2, 2016

  • Cloudport CoWorking puts $30K into innovation initiative

    Lori Valigra August 1, 2016

    Venture Hall, a new startup and innovation initiative in Portland, will get more than $30,000 of in-kind investment from boutique Cloudport CoWorking MultiSpace, Venture Hall co-founder Jess Knox told Mainebiz.

    Lori Valigra August 1, 2016

  • Maine's economy comes out swinging in first quarter

    Staff July 28, 2016

    There's good news for Maine from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, which looked at the gross domestic product of the country: The state made it into the top 10 in economic performance for the first quarter of 2016.

    Staff July 28, 2016

  • Four buildings to be razed to revitalize downtown Waterville

    July 21, 2016

    Waterville's comeback is in full swing as four buildings owned by Colby College are to be torn down for new uses.

    July 21, 2016

  • Venture capital deals not as soft as believed; Maine sees 5 deals in Q2

    Lori Valigra July 15, 2016

    Counter to the well-reported lull in venture capital deals recently, venture capitalists invested $15.3 billion in 961 deals in the second quarter of 2016, up 20% in dollars from the first quarter and down 5% in the number of deals.

    Lori Valigra July 15, 2016

  • Credit cards: Are they what they used to be?

    Lori Valigra June 27, 2016

    Flashing a platinum or gold credit card used to be a status symbol, but a recent Money Pulse survey by Bankrate.com found the times are changing, especially among younger generations.

    Lori Valigra June 27, 2016

  • DECD, Greenlight Maine partner to double prize purse, fuel jobs

    Lori Valigra June 24, 2016

    The Maine Department of Economic Development will help entrepreneur competition Greenlight Maine at least double its purse to $200,000 in season two, and expand its reach in the state with the aim of also creating more jobs in the state.

    Lori Valigra June 24, 2016

  • Ellsworth awarded $300K Community Development Block Grant

    June 24, 2016

    The city of Ellsworth will receive $300,000 from the Maine Department of Economic and Community Development via the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development that can be used to assist homeowners and landlords to make improvements in a

    June 24, 2016

  • Pop-Up art gallery highlights downtown Augusta

    June 22, 2016

    Peter Precourt, a professor of art at the University of Maine at Augusta, is using a vacant storefront at 265 Water St. in the state's capital as a pop-up art gallery.

    June 22, 2016

  • Hospitality coalition opposes wording of minimum wage measure

    Staff June 17, 2016

    A coalition including the Maine State Chamber of Commerce and the Maine Innkeepers Association said the language of a statewide ballot measure to raise Maine's minimum wage fails to meet the standard of presenting the issue “concisely and

    Staff June 17, 2016

  • Washington County nonprofit nabs $600K for economic development

    Staff June 16, 2016

    The Machias-based Sunrise County Economic Council, will be receiving $600,000 from the U.S. Department of Agriculture in the form of a $500,000 Rural Microentrepreneur Assistance Program Loan and a $100,000 grant to support rural economic

    Staff June 16, 2016

  • Not far from downtown Bar Harbor, Town Hill attracts small businesses

    Laurie Schreiber June 13, 2016

    A mini-boom in small-business activity is taking place in Town Hill, a small village that's part of the busy tourist town of Bar Harbor, but is located on its outermost fringe.

    Laurie Schreiber June 13, 2016

  • MTI awards $21K to five businesses across Maine

    Staff June 10, 2016

    The Maine Technology Institute approved five grant applications for the month of May totaling $21,303 to Maine businesses specializing in advancements in the fields of aquaculture and marine technology, precision manufacturing, environmental

    Staff June 10, 2016

  • Will deep discounts lure businesses to downtown Ellsworth?

    June 3, 2016

    Two Ellsworth commercial property owners are taking matters into their own hands to address the high vacancy rate they say has become all too common a sight on the city's Main Street.

    June 3, 2016

  • Downtown Ellsworth Association hires new director

    June 2, 2016

    The Downtown Ellsworth Association has hired Gouldsboro native and Ellsworth business owner Cara Romano as the part-time executive director of the association.

    June 2, 2016

  • New directors mark chamber of commerce growth statewide

    Peter Van Allen May 30, 2016

    Maine's chamber of commerce offices are ever-evolving. In recent weeks, two chambers have announced new executive directors.

    Peter Van Allen May 30, 2016

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Today's Poll

Do you support an increase in Portland's minimum wage?
Poll Description

The Portland City Council is weighing a controversial proposed hike to the city’s minimum wage.

The proposal would increase the minimum wage from $15.50 per hour to $20 per hour within four years. (The statewide hourly minimum wage is $14.65.)

The proposal does not include a wage hike for tipped workers who are currently paid an hourly wage of $7.75, but employers are required to ensure that wages and tips combined total $15.50 per hour. 

While inflation pressures have made it hard to survive on the minimum wage, many business owners are concerned the hike would cut already thin margins. 

More Information