News

 We need community support to provide this dinner and are looking for volunteers who would like to cook or make a donation.

We are most in need bakers willing to cook about 15 pies and 16 batches of cookies. We also need turkeys, hams, potatoes, squash, stuffing and gravy mixes, cranberry jelly, and 9-12 dozen rolls.

If you would like to cook, make a donation, or work at the dinner please call Pam Newton @ 897-3072

If you wish to join us For Christmas Dinner call:

Karen Mitchell @ 897-3593 and leave your name and how many will be attending. This will help us in our meal planning.

There will be meal delivery available in the local area.
This dinner is supported by the Tri-Town Ministers and excess donations will be given to the Food Bank.

The backstory about the dinner is:

More than ten years ago, Betty Richard and I both approached our minister during the same week about the need for a Free Christmas Dinner in our area. He decided that if two people felt it was needed, he should help us make it take place. And so the community Christmas dinner began. The first year we served about 35-40 people and since then it has grown to around 65-70 meals being served. We have numerous volunteers who help by doing everything from peeling potatoes to setting up the tables or delivering meals. Some come and spend an hour or so before going home to their families and others spend the day with us. We have no budget and rely completely on donations of food and money.

We find that many people come, eat, and then stay and enjoy conversations with the others who are present. We try to send each person away after the dinner with a small assortment of home baked cookies as a gift.

I hope this helps. If you need more information you can give me or Pam Newton a call. We appreciate the Legion's generous support of our efforts. Thanks.

Maine’s Economy “Booming” under LePage Administration 

Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia indicates Maine is among top 10 growing economies

AUGUSTA – Maine’s economy is “booming,” according to the Philadelphia branch of the Federal Reserve. Business Insider recently highlighted the news from the Reserve’s monthly coincident index for each of the 50 states. Governor Paul R. LePage today reminded Mainers how much the State has improved its business climate since 2010 when the unemployment rate was 8.4 percent in Maine and nearly 10 percent nationally.

“When we took office, Maine’s economy was a mess, workers were losing their jobs in droves, and our state budget was a nightmare after years of liberals who advocated for tax increases, out-of-control government spending and the use of one-time money from the federal government,” Governor LePage said. “We’ve come a long way in the nearly three years since then. Our economy is growing, and over 8,000 more people are working since 2011.”

The Governor notes that while this report only covers a three-month period, it is still welcome news for the State of Maine. “This is all good news, and we’re headed in the right direction, but we’re not done. Our Administration is working to reform welfare to provide Mainers with job training to enable them to become self-sufficient, and we are continuing to improve Maine’s business climate so more jobs are available.”

Recent news has shown many positive signs for Maine’s economy, including:

• Maine moved to one of the ten best in the nation in the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia’s leading index forecast for economic growth over the next three months. The indexes are released a few days after the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) releases the employment data for the states.
• From January 2013 to August 2013, the Maine Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD) certified 12 businesses anticipating 267 new jobs, generating $14.2 million in payroll and nearly $70 million in new investment.
• Over the same period in 2012, DECD certified 14 businesses anticipating 128 news jobs, generating $6.3 million in payroll and just over $157 million in new investment.
• In the first eight months of 2013, DECD’s Maine Made Program certified 61 new small businesses.
• The first three years of private-sector job growth under Governor LePage were the best three years for Maine in over a decade.
• Maine’s four-week average of initial weekly unemployment insurance claims is at its lowest level since 2008.
• Maine’s unemployment rate is 6.7 percent, below the national average of 7.3 percent.

Please join us on December 6th at Educate Maine's Symposium: The Pipeline to Prosperity at the Holiday Inn by the Bay in Portland. 

 

The Pipeline to Prosperity is a symposium for business, policy, education and community leaders about Maine's education pipeline from early childhood through post secondary. Last year's event brought together more than 300 of Maine's business, policy and education leaders from early childhood through higher education. We are pleased to have Nick Donohue, CEO and President of the Nellie Mae Education Foundation and the Honorable John R. "Jock" McKernan, former congressman and governor of Maine, and current President of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation, as our opening and closing speakers, respectively.

 

The agenda includes presentations, conversations and workshops for and by some of Maine's leading educators and business leaders about Maine's education pipeline. A sample of presentations and presenters include MELIG (Maine Early Learning Investment Group) CEOs Jim Clair, Chris Emmons, John Peters, Ellie Baker; the Cianbro Institute; the Maine Community College's Maine is IT! program; the Aroostook County Business-Education Collaborative; the Maine Teacher of the Year Program; and Portland's Riverton Elementary OWL Curriculum. 

 

Our event concludes with our annual Leadership Luncheon during which we recognize some of Maine's best educators and present the Weston L. Bonney Leadership Award.  

 

To view the agenda and/or to register, please visit the Educate Maine website. 

 

For more information about the event or for sponsorship opportunities, please contact Tanna Clews at tanna@educatemaine.org or 207-347-8638.

 

I hope to see you on December 6th. 

 

Tanna Clews

Executive Director

Educate Maine

15 Monument Square, Suite #4 

Portland, ME 04101

Office: 207.347.8638 

Cell: 207-620-4743

tanna@educatemaine.org 

www.educatemaine.org

Franklin Memorial Hospital Hosting Information Sessions on the Health Insurance Marketplace

 

One-on-one assistance to sign up for health insurance is included

 

Farmington¾

 

Franklin Memorial Hospital, in collaboration with Western Maine Community Action, is hosting two one-hour information sessions followed by limited one-on-one free assistance in signing up for health insurance coverage through the Marketplace.

 

Anyone with an interest in learning more is invited to attend. Organizers are hoping to help area residents who are uninsured or underinsured and don’t qualify for MaineCare or other government programs get enrolled in an affordable health plan that is accessed at www.healthcare.gov.

 

The information sessions are taking place on Wednesday, December 4, 5–8 p.m. and Tuesday, December 10, 3–8 p.m. in the Bass Room at Franklin Memorial Hospital.

 

The Health Insurance Marketplace is a new way to find health coverage that fits one’s budget and needs. Through the Marketplace, residents can access quality health plans, make apples-to-apples comparisons between different options, and access new tax credits that could lower monthly premiums 

 

To sign up at an information session with assistance from a certified application counselor or navigator, please come with the following: Social Security numbers (or document numbers for legal immigrants); birth dates; pay stubs, W-2 forms, or wage and tax statements; policy numbers for any current health insurance; and information about any health insurance you or your family could get from your jobs.

 

For additional information about these sessions, call a patient financial advocate at Franklin Memorial Hospital at 779-2777.

 

Free one-one-one assistance in signing up for health insurance coverage through the Marketplace is also offered by appointment by calling either of the following: Western Maine Community Action at 1-855-806-7333 and Franklin Memorial Hospital Patient Financial Services at 779-2777.

 

A Thanksgiving Message from Governor Paul R. LePage

The holiday season has a way of bringing out the best in people, and through the years I have found Mainers to be very generous people.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

For nearly 30 years, I have been an active Rotarian in my community and have seen how Mainers working together improve their communities with simple acts of kindness.

As we gather around the table this Thanksgiving, let us reflect on how we can make a difference. Donate food to a local pantry, spend time with a disabled adult or visit a senior at a local nursing home.

To learn more about volunteering in your area, call 2-1-1. There are many opportunities to better the lives of others, if only we take the time.

Recently, I joined the Salvation Army to kick off its Annual Kettle Campaign. This year’s goal is to raise 800,000 dollars, all of which goes to provide services and programs to men, women and children during the holidays and throughout the year.

So, the next time you hear the sound of a ringing bell and see the red kettle, consider making a donation. You’ll be giving back to your community and perhaps even a neighbor in need.

While a donation can go a long way, your time can too. I have rung countless kettle bells on cold winter afternoons and served hot meals to seniors who are homebound. Volunteering your time is as valuable as a dollar, and for me it is often more rewarding.

Let us also be reminded that Mainers hit hard times no matter the season. So, as the holiday spirit starts to fade, we should not forget the spirit of giving back is needed year round.

FCHN Hosts Departmental Basket Contest to Raise Funds for United Way

 

Fourteen departments took part raising $2002

 

Farmington¾

 

Franklin Community Health Network hosted a departmental “Holiday” basket contest this week to add additional funds to its annual United Way campaign. The event raised $2,002.

 

Fourteen departments took part in the contest that required participants to start with a copy paper box and from there let creativity be their guide. Departmental employees donated toys, gift certificates, games, ornaments, nonperishable items, Maine items, and more to fill their baskets. Staff then placed bids through a silent auction for purchase.

 

A panel of judges that included United Way executive director Lisa Laflin selected the following winners based on creativity: 1) Toyland Express by Surgical Services; 2) Tom Turkey submitted by the Lab; 3) Maine Christmas by Radiology; and honorable mentions were awarded to the administrative wing for the Tree of Thanks and Human Resources for Crafty the Snowman.

 

The Tree of Thanks, submitted by several departments in the administrative wing, was also the grand prize winner for receiving the highest bidundefined$600.

News Release

On-Premise Alcohol Sellers Training Happening Dec. 5

 

Healthy Community Coalition of Greater Franklin County is offering a Responsible Beverage Server Training (RBS) to all bars in Greater Franklin County. Training includes how to identify fake identifications (ID), identify minors and intoxicated persons, how alcohol affects the body, the Liquor Liability Act, and more.

 

This on-premise alcohol training will take place on Thursday, December 5 from 7:30 a.m.–noon at the Farmington Elks Lodge in West Farmington.  Frank Lyons, a retired Law Enforcement Officer who has served at local, county, and state levels for over 30 years will be the presenter. There is a $15 fee per person and there is LIMITED space.

 

Participants are required to bring a current picture ID. After successful completion of the training attendees will receive a certificate approved by the Commissioner of the Maine Department of Public Safety that is valid for 5 years. 

 

This RBS training is sponsored by Healthy Community Coalition of Greater Franklin County. HCC is a Healthy Maine Partnership, and is an affiliate of the Franklin Community Health Network.   

 

Again space is limited. If you would like to have some or all of your employees attend, please register by contacting Christine Bruen at 779-2927 or cbruen@fchn.org.

State Labor Commissioner Jeanne Paquette released September and October workforce estimates for Maine.

Seasonally Adjusted Statewide Data

Survey of Households  - The preliminary seasonally adjusted unemployment rate estimate for Maine was 6.7 percent in October—the lowest figure since November 2008—down from 6.9 percent in September and 7.2 percent one year ago. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimated 47,300 were unemployed, down 3,800 over the year.

The share of the population that is employed continued to gradually trend higher in Maine to 61.0 percent. The national employment to population ratio of 58.3 percent remained at about the same level it has been at for four years. October was the 73rd consecutive month the share of employed population in Maine exceeded the national average.

The U.S. unemployment rate estimate was 7.3 percent, little changed from 7.2 percent in September and down from 7.9 percent one year ago. The New England estimate was 7.1 percent. Rates for other states were 5.1 percent in New Hampshire, 4.5 percent in Vermont, 7.2 percent in Massachusetts, 9.2 percent in Rhode Island, and 7.9 percent in Connecticut.

Survey of Employer Payrolls – Preliminary estimates from the Bureau of Labor Statistics indicate there were 600,900 nonfarm payroll jobs in October, up 3,600 from one year ago. The estimate of U.S. nonfarm payroll jobs was up 204,000.

Not Seasonally Adjusted Substate Data

The not seasonally adjusted statewide unemployment rate was 5.7 percent in October, down from 6.6 percent one year ago. Not seasonally adjusted rates ranged from 4.6 percent in Cumberland and Sagadahoc Counties to 8.4 percent in Washington County. Rates tended to be lower than the statewide average in southern and coastal counties and higher than average in northern and rim counties.

The unemployment rate was below the statewide average in all three metropolitan areas: Portland-South Portland-Biddeford (4.8 percent), Bangor (5.5 percent) and Lewiston-Auburn (5.5 percent).

This release is available at www.maine.gov/labor/cwri/news/release.html. Detailed labor force and unemployment data for the state, counties, and 31 labor market areas; nonfarm jobs data for the state and the three metropolitan areas; and much more is available at www.maine.gov/labor/cwri/data.html.

November estimates will be released Friday, December 20.

NOTES:

1. Preliminary unemployment estimates for Maine tend to move in a direction for several months and then reverse course. Those directional trends are largely driven by a smoothing procedure and may not indicate a directional change in underlying workforce conditions. Annual revisions (to be published in March) will eliminate those directional patterns. A chart illustrating preliminary estimates compared to annually revised figures for the last two years is available at www.maine.gov/labor/cwri/revisions.html.

2. Nonfarm payroll jobs estimates tend to be volatile from month to month. Estimates for the period from October 2012 to September 2013 will be replaced with actual payroll data in March 2014. The job count is likely to show less volatility than preliminary estimates.

President Orders Flags to Half-Staff to Honor President John F. Kennedy  

AUGUSTA – President Obama has ordered flags to half-staff in honor of President John F. Kennedy.

Attached is a proclamation signed by the President late yesterday regarding a Day of Remembrance for President John F. Kennedy. In this proclamation the President directs that flags be lowered to half-staff November 22, 2013, for the entire day.

 

Unemployment Rate Drop to Lowest Rate since 2008 under Governor LePage   

Governor’s efforts to improve economy are working for Mainers

AUGUSTA—Governor Paul R. LePage pointed to declining unemployment rates in September and October as evidence that his economic policies are putting more Mainers back to work.

The unemployment rate fell to 6.9% in September, and then dropped to 6.7% in October. According to the U.S. Bureau of Statistics, 3,800 more Mainers were employed in October 2013 than in October 2012. The recent federal government shutdown delayed the release of unemployment numbers by over a month.

“We have been working hard for three years to improve the business climate in Maine so our companies can do what they do best: create jobs,” said the Governor. “We have reduced taxes, cut red tape, streamlined regulations and made fiscally responsible decisions to right-size government. All of these factors make Maine more competitive in attracting and retaining jobs.”

While the national unemployment rate is still well above seven percent at 7.3%, Maine’s unemployment rate in October fell to its lowest since 2008.

“The nation’s unemployment rate remains high because of the broken system in Washington, D.C., which has resulted in an unprecedented $17 trillion of debt, unbalanced budgets, high taxes and uncertainty in the marketplace,” said Governor LePage. “Now Obamacare is crushing small businesses and the middle class. These job-killing efforts are the exact opposite of what a government should be doing to increase employment.”

“Career politicians don’t know how to create jobs,” the Governor added. “I spent my entire career in business, and I understand what companies need to succeed. When businesses succeed, Maine families benefit from the good-paying jobs they provide.”

The Governor highlighted the world-class companies that have created jobs in Maine over the past few months, including Barclaycards, Irving Forest Products, Ameridial, Eimskip, Tempus Jets, Maine Wood Products, Molnlycke Health Care and many others.

“These companies recognize the great strides our administration has made to transform Maine state government from an adversary into a partner with a ‘can do’ attitude that moves at the speed of business,” said the Governor. “Our pro-growth, pro-business policies have made it easier for them to create more jobs for Mainers.”

For a comprehensive list of public policies, including those that have encouraged job growth, visit the Office of the Governor website and click on the "Moving Maine Forward" booklet.