Ripple effects of high gas prices, soft retail sales and persistent economic uncertainty threaten to make 2026 a tough year financially for many Mainers.
Kelley Bouchard
Staff Writer
Kelley writes about Maine businesses large and small, focusing on economic development, workforce initiatives and the state’s leading business organizations. Her wider experience includes municipal and state government, immigration, education, transportation, history, human rights, health and elder care, the environment and the housing crisis. A Maine native and University of Maine graduate, she was a college intern for two summers at the former Lewiston Evening Journal. She previously worked at the Ipswich Chronicle, Beverly Times and Salem Evening News in Massachusetts. Favorite pastimes include gardening, cooking, streaming foreign TV series and kayaking at camp.
Posted inBusiness, Maine, News
5 ways to make moving easier for older Mainers
Senior housing specialist Rachel Davis shares advice for later-in-life moves.
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Posted inMaine, News
Maine’s lumber mills, like the one in Searsmont, have known fire risks
The fire that led to an explosion at Robbins Lumber last week, killing a volunteer firefighter, remains under investigation.
Posted inBusiness, Maine, News
Jobs for Maine’s Graduates program set to go nationwide
The new nonprofit Generation US is already partnering with school systems in Kansas, Kentucky, West Virginia and Wisconsin.
Posted inBusiness, Maine, News
Why is Amazon so interested in Maine?
In Caribou, Hermon, Waterville and Gorham, the online megaretailer’s last-mile delivery strategy is making headway and stirring controversy.
Posted inBusiness, Maine, News
4 economic goals Maine business leaders want the state to reach by 2035
A new report lays out priorities to boost business competitiveness, lower housing costs and increase wages 20% within the next decade.
Posted inFeature Obituary, Maine, News, Politics
Gerald Talbot, civil rights leader and Maine’s first Black legislator, dies at 94
The trailblazing politician, activist and historian was a force behind multiple landmark pieces of legislation and the preservation of Maine’s Black history.
Posted inBusiness, News
See 3 historic riverfront mills in Maine that offer modern apartment living
Converted industrial properties in Biddeford, Lewiston and Skowhegan show what can be done with sturdy brick buildings and a little imagination.
Posted inBusiness, News
What should be where Renys was in Portland? Here’s what readers said.
The Congress Street storefront has been vacant since January. Many people would like it to become a grocery store, but others said the location would be challenging for any business.
Posted inBusiness, Maine, News
Tariff refunds won’t benefit many Maine businesses, consumers
Importers that do get refunds say they have no apparent way to reimburse consumers for tariff costs passed along to them.