Maine Grains take tour to New York City

SKOWHEGAN — Maine Grains President Amber Lambke recently returned from taking a road tour to the Big Apple, accompanied by a contingent comprised of head miller Erik LeVine, The Bankery co-owner/operator Matt Dubois and her daughter, Zoe.

One of the trip’s highlights was being a featured guest of the GrowNYC Greenmarket Regional Grains Project, spearheaded by June Russell. Bags of Maine Grains flour sat alongside other artisan brands of grain products at the famed Union Square Market. Lambke, LeVine and Dubois also spoke on Heritage Radio Network’s Farm Report, broadcast live from a shipping container stacked behind an artisanal pizzeria in Brooklyn. Lambke said that her vision, now in the third year of a thriving reality, “was a function of community redevelopment, assessing where the leakages are occurring in rural communities in our state ravaged by losses of former grist, textile and paper mills, with a sight toward the next things that can employ people.”

“Grains are sexy right now” Lambke said. “In my county alone, over 51 percent of people qualify for food assistance, so we are concerned with meeting the needs of our community — not just simply looking to ride the trend.”

Lambke visited a dynamic customer, Dig Inn, leading the vanguard of farm-to-counter establishments. With 11 New York City locations and a plan for more growth, Dig Inn’s mission is to serve quality food to those on a budget. Culinary Director and Executive Chef Matt Weingarten develops innovative menus sourced seasonally from local/regional ingredients. His fall menu features Maine Grains in an organic wheat and rye berry salad with shaved golden beets and a caraway dill vinaigrette, as well as a toasted organic farro bowl with butternut squash, rosemary oil, no-waste orange peel confit, celery, cinnamon and parsley.

“It’s enlightening to taste our grains on tables in what is arguably the country’s biggest food city, in turn guiding us to what we need to grow at home in Maine,” Lambke said.

Waterville’s HBL Group now family-owned

Waterville insurance and financial services agency HBL Group LLC has transitioned recently from being a MetLife office to being family-owned, the agency announced in a news release.

Formerly of MetLife Auto & Home Insurance, it is owned by Patty and Yvon Boudreau, of the Boudreau Agency, and it is still at 279 Main St.

New hair salon opens in Augusta

Love Is in the Hair, a member of the Kennebec Valley Chamber of Commerce, held a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Nov. 9 at its location at 11 Lorette Lane in Augusta.

Owner Paula Peaslee showcased her completely renovated space just off Mount Vernon Avenue, according to a news release. Staff members and representatives of the chamber attended the ribbon-cutting.

Cash mob set for Thursday in Augusta

A cash mob is scheduled for 5:15 p.m. Thursday in downtown Augusta, according to a news release from the Augusta Downtown Alliance.

Participants are asked to bring $20 to spend and to meet at Lisa’s Legit Burritos before heading off to a “secret location.”

The event is an effort to support local businesses in the Augusta downtown.

Kozak & Gayer opens Colorado office, receives honors

Kozak & Gayer, P.A., has announced the opening of its new office and health law practice in Colorado. Kozak & Gayer, located on Capitol Street in Augusta, specializes exclusively in health law. The new office is located in Salida, Colorado, and is staffed by attorney Steve Johnson, who will divide his time between Maine and Colorado to serve the firm’s clients, who are also located in Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, New York and Massachusetts.

Kozak & Gayer also recently received many honors. The firm was named by U.S. News & World Report and Best Lawyers as a 2016 Best Law Firm for Health Care. Joseph Kozak, Benjamin Townsend, Mike Seitzinger and Steven Johnson were selected to be among The Best Lawyers in America 2016. Benjamin Townsend was named 2016 Best Lawyer of the Year — Health Care Law for Augusta. Mike Seitzinger was named 2016 Best Lawyer of the Year — Administrative & Regulatory Law for Augusta. Joseph Kozak and Mike Seitzinger were selected to be among New England Super Lawyers in Health Care Law. Steve Johnson was selected as a “Rising Star” in Health Care Law among New England Super Lawyers.

Compiled from contributed releases