Industry & Company News
Affordable housing in Maine gets a much needed boost
By Trevor McNally A hard truth that the people of Maine are coming to grips with is the steadily increasing cost of living. In fact, Maine had the third highest increase in rent across the country in 2019, according to Apartment Guide's recently published annual...
What Mainers can do in a plumbing or heating emergency
By Trevor McNally Fortunately for us living in Maine, this winter has been a pretty mild one so far. But plumbing and heating emergencies can occur at any time, and that's why the United Association created Plumbers 911: a call-referral service that connects Mainers...
Congress’s most ambitious attempt to strengthen unions in years is set for a House vote next week
By Eli Rosenberg for the Washington Post Jan. 29, 2020 at 6:00 a.m. EST One of the most significant bills to strengthen workers’ abilities to organize in the past 80 years is headed to a vote next week in the House, where it will probably pass amid a newfound momentum...
Tips to prevent frigid weather from freezing water pipes
By WGME With the bitter cold temperatures, Maine homeowners are being urged to take action to prevent frozen pipes. Read more: https://wgme.com/news/local/tips-to-prevent-frigid-weather-from-freezing-water-pipes
Higher rebates on ductless heat pumps sweeten an already good deal
By Trevor McNally Governor Mills announced on Tuesday that rebates given by the Efficiency Maine Trust for certain eligible heat pumps would double- going from $500 to $1,000 for the first heat pump installed, as well as from $250 to $500 for the second pump...
The ever-growing importance of low-flow toilets
By Trevor McNally A lot of folks don't give a second thought to water scarcity. And why would they? Earth is the blue planet; 70 percent of it is covered by water. But the fact of the matter is that most of that water is saltwater, and mankind has not- as of yet- come...
New tool lets you install leak-proof pipe connections without solder
By Tim Carter for The Washington Post Dec. 24, 2019 at 6:00 a.m. EST Q: Dear Tim, I love reading your column in my local paper. Several months ago, you wrote about which plumbing pipe might be better for water lines, copper and PEX. You briefly mentioned a new tool...
USM launches plan to enhance Portland campus
A 550-bed residence hall and a student/career center are targeted for completion in 2022. BY MICHAEL KELLEY - THE FORECASTER PORTLAND — The new year will be busy on the Portland campus of the University of Southern Maine with buildings torn down and the launch of one...
The decade in Maine business and economy
From the depths of the Great Recession, Maine's economy began a steady rebound that has allowed some industries to flourish despite a growing worker shortage. Staff Report - Portland Press Herald Maine started 2010 in the trough of the Great Recession, with the...
Immigrants are an answer to Maine’s impending workforce crisis
By Trevor McNally On Friday December 6, Educate Maine held it's annual education symposium in Portland. There it was projected that Maine will need 158,000 more trained workers over the next five years in order to maintain economic growth, according to the Portland...