Maine's House speaker, Hannah Pingree

Despite the gloom of the recession, there was an atmosphere of excitement and optimism as the new 124th legislators took oaths of office. There were no illusions about the difficult tasks facing the state, but with the chambers filled with new members, voted in on a wave of change that swept the nation, there is also hope.

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Maine State Senator Libby Mitchell

Last November Elizabeth (Libby) Mitchell became the first woman in America to hold both leadership roles of Speaker of the House and Senate President. The mother of four and grandmother of six is known as a leader who never waivers from her core convictions and who has devoted her public life to bettering education for the people of Maine.

Libby is a woman of many talents, having been a teacher, the director of Maine State Housing, holding a law degree and blazing the trail for women in Maine. Her tremendous sense of humor has defused situations, helping bipartisan cooperation, and her steadfast focus on education continues to motivate her.

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The Bankery, bakery in Skowhegan.

On Water Street, Skowhegan’s main street that runs adjacent to the river, there has been a transformation happening over the last two years, with new lamp posts, trees, and sidewalks. Even the storefronts have been renovated. Much of the work has been made possible with the proceeds of a $400,000 Downtown Revitalization fund from a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG).

The grant issued by the Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD), helps communities make needed investments to enhance their downtowns. As a result, more people are shopping downtown and enjoying the new businesses that have opened up during the same time period.

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The Maine Craft Center off I95 in West Gardiner, the first craft center of its kind in the U.S.A.

Over the holidays many travelers on Interstate 295 in West Gardiner stopped at the brand new service plaza which offers what most travelers expect, restaurants, rest rooms, fuel, and tourist information. But many were pleasantly surprised by something unique and new to Maine — the Center for Maine Craft.

The Center is operated by the Maine Crafts Association (MCA) and is a showcase and retail outlet for hundreds of Maine artisans.

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Governor John Baldacci celebrates with Maine businesses and dignitaries in Canada during the Maine International Trade Center mission which has proven to be the most successful mission to date.

For companies who have participated on trade missions, there is nothing like being able to meet face to face with potential business partners, and having the head of state at the table encourages companies to invest in Maine.

On the recent mission to Canada, Governor John Baldacci paid his own expenses to spend the last day of the mission in Toronto. The trip was critically important to help Maine business and to bring business to Maine.

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Ryan Low became the commissioner of the Department of Administrative and Financial Services (DAFS) last September, just when the news headlines were dominated day after day by Wall Street’s worsening financial crisis. Throughout it all, he’s remained calm, cool and collected, while continually assessing Maine’s finances.

The work is relentless as the recession has taken hold. Low was in his office throughout most of the Thanksgiving break. “Over the holiday I was working on the budgets. We had some questions about Corrections, so Marty Magnusson (the commissioner) came in for a meeting; then I briefed the governor again.”

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What makes Maine so special? Many would say it’s the people, the amazing natural settings, and peaceful community atmosphere. That quality of life is making the state a mecca for people to relocate in.

Many residents already are aware of Maine’s magic, but many towns for decades in the past have sorely lacked resources to revitalize their rivers. Until Senator Ed Muskie highlighted the plight of this unique natural resource for the nation and authored the Clean Water Act, some of Maine’s rivers were used to pour industrial waste into. Before then, loggers navigated thousands of logs downstream for a forest-products industry, and ice was harvested. Before then, the rivers were the routes for travelers and goods connecting communities across the state.

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Enhanced incentives will be available for projects that meet the highest standards. The program will make potential incentives worth as much as $6,000.

The announcement came at a kickoff event establishing the new Maine Small Wind Working Group. With help from a grant from the federal Department of Energy, the working group will bring together stakeholders from around the State to act as an information clearinghouse for Mainers interested in establishing small wind projects.

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Governor John Baldacci congratulates Gene Ferguson on the NotifyMD expansion

Coming in second at the annual Chester Greenwood Earmuff Farmington Festival is the only area where NotifyMD’s local branch hasn’t been first. Out of the company’s seven call centers, Farmington is ranked number one and will be adding 25 new jobs in 2009, as well as helping the company’s new Winthrop facility train workers.

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Director Dale McCormick

In January, 2005, Dale McCormick became director of the Maine State Housing Authority, Maine’s housing finance agency and one of the state’s leading mortgage lenders. MSHA provides safe and affordable housing for low- and moderate-income Maine residents through a variety of programs, which it funds primarily through the sale of its mortgage revenue bonds or through federal funds it acquires for Maine.

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