Business and Economy

The company planning to build a wood pellet plant at the site of the former Great Northern Paper mill in Millinocket has lost some key funding for the project.

The head of the Maine State Employees Association says she's disappointed, but not surprised, by a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that prohibits an Illinois union from collecting "fair-share" union fees from part-time, home health care aides.  

Maine is one of 26 states that require all public employees who are represented by unions to pay similar dues, whether they officially join or not.  

PORTLAND, Maine (AP) _ A new owner is set to close on the Canadian assets owned by the railroad blamed for a deadly oil train derailment in Quebec.

More than a month ago, parties completed the sale of U.S. assets of Montreal, Maine and Atlantic to a subsidiary of New York-based Fortress Investment Group, which has changed the railroad's name to Central Maine and Quebec Railway.

Bankruptcy trustee Bob Keach said he expects the Canadian closing to happen Monday.

WATERVILLE, Maine (AP) _ An economic development organization in Waterville, Maine, hopes expanding the city's foreign trade zone will help companies better compete in a global economy, but businesses so far are taking a wait-and-see approach.

Foreign trade zones are in the United States but considered outside the country for customs purposes, allowing companies to reduce duties on imported products and eliminate them on exports.

A consumer survey confirms that Mainers are going out of their way to buy more local produce and seafood. The survey was conducted by researchers at Maine Food Strategy, a sustainability initiative at the University of Southern Maine's Muskie School.

More than a third of people surveyed said they purchased up to a quarter of their food from local sources. Ninety percent said that freshness, flavor, and nutrition were their main reasons for seeking out locally raised food, rather than foods that had to travel long distances.  

PORTLAND, Maine (AP) _ A Maine government survey says the average price of heating oil in the state has held steady from two weeks ago at $3.51 per gallon.
 
    The Governor's Energy Office said Tuesday that the average statewide price for a gallon of heating oil ranged from $3.24 to $3.87. It also found the average price of kerosene dropped 1 cent over the last two weeks, to $3.98 per gallon. The average propane price is now $2.83, a drop of 5 cents per gallon from two weeks ago.
 

PORTLAND, Maine (AP) _ The Maine Association of Realtors says Maine single-family home sales increased by 7.25 percent in May.
 
    The association says 1,302 homes changed hands in May. Realtors report that median sales price dipped 4.79 percent to $169,950 in the past 12 months.
 
    Maine's home sales differ from nationwide trends. The nationwide median sales price increased 4.9 percent to $213,600 from a year ago while sales decreased 5.7 percent.
 

FREEPORT, Maine — A Maine company has produced a trio of brightly hued canoes for fashion icon Ralph Lauren's showroom on New York's Madison Avenue.

Lincoln Canoes co-owner Mark Bourgoin tells the Sun Journal that his Freeport crew worked long hours to finish the job, which started with a request for one canoe, and then turned into an order for three.

He said Ralph Lauren's people originally wanted a canoe that's white — an unusual color for a canoe. They liked it so much that they wanted two more in bright blue and yellow.