Business Briefs

Airport receives $143,000 grant
By Kathy McCarty
Staff Writer
    PRESQUE ISLE — The Northern Maine Regional Airport will be receiving over $143,000 for needed upgrades, thanks to a USDT grant, according to an announcement made Aug. 28 by U.S. Senators Olympia J. Snowe and Susan Collins.
    The U.S. Department of Transportation awarded the Northern Maine Regional Airport in Presque Isle a $143,450 grant. The funding, provided through the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), will be used to replace airfield guidance signs and pavement markings that are required to enhance aircraft visual guidance and safety.
    “This DOT funding is certainly welcome news for The County and will help make vital improvements at the Northern Maine Regional Airport,” said Snowe.
    “Maine’s aviation infrastructure keeps our residents connected with the rest of the country and the world. FAA grants like this help ensure our airports can make the crucial upgrades required to keep travelers safe,” added Collins.
    NMRA boasts the second longest commercial runway in Maine, measuring 7,440 feet, complemented by a second runway at 6,000 feet, making the airport a capable transportation facility for commercial, corporate and private users. PenAir, an Anchorage-based air carrier, currently provides round-trip essential air service between Presque Isle and Boston’s Logan International Airport.
Day care participates in meals program
    Bright Beginnings Learning Center, 7 Park St, Houlton, ME 04730, 207-532-2833 announces its participation in the USDA Child and Adult Care Food Program. Meals are available at no separate charge to all enrolled participants without regard to race, color, national origin, sex, age or disability. 
    For further information on participating centers and/or homes, contact Bright Beginnings.
Maine credit unions donated to local Red Cross chapters, food pantries
    PORTLAND — “People Remembering and Helping People” was the theme for the 11th anniversary 9/11 tribute by Maine’s credit unions to the five Red Cross Chapters of Maine. During a Sept. 11 ceremony, Maine’s credit unions honored and remembered the victims of 9/11 and their families.
    In addition, the Maine Credit Unions’ Campaign for Ending Hunger distributed more than $6,000 to the Emergency Food Relief Fund of each Red Cross Chapter in Maine, as well as to a food pantry located in each Red Cross Chapter in the state.
    Locally, the Pine Tree-Aroostook Chapter of the Red Cross received a $911 donation and Catholic Charities of Maine in Caribou received a $311 donation.
    “9/11 brought about a tremendous resurgence of community in Maine and across the country, and helping make sure people have enough to eat and receive assistance during an emergency is what community is all about. The Maine Credit Unions’ Campaign for Ending Hunger has chosen to mark the anniversary of 9/11 in this way each year in recognition of the volunteers who help communities during difficult times,” stated John Murphy, president of the Maine Credit Union League.
    “The Maine credit union philosophy of ‘people helping people’ goes hand in hand with the Red Cross mission of saving lives and helping people prevent, prepare for and respond to emergencies,” explained Jon Paradise, governmental and public affairs manager for the Maine Credit Union League. “As we honor the eleventh anniversary of 9/11, it is important to remember both the tragedies that impact our entire nation, as well as those which occur in our communities each day, in what remains a challenging time for many.”
    Since 1990, the Maine Credit Unions’ Campaign for Ending Hunger has raised over $4.3 million to help end hunger in Maine; 100 percent of all funds raised go directly to the cause of ending hunger and stay in Maine.