Yellow Tulip Project

Portland restaurants granted aid to help weather winter

Nine Portland restaurants just got a shot of financial aid to help them weather the winter.

Anoche, Chaval, Cocktail Mary, Coffee By Design, eighteen twenty wines, LB Kitchen, Maine Oyster Company, Solo Italiano and Tu Casa will share in $50,000 grants intended to help these small food businesses keep their doors open during COVID-19.

The restaurants are using the funds to purchase outdoor dining pods, awnings, air purification systems and other equipment or supplies necessary to survive the winter.

For instance, Chaval is building four greenhouses adjacent to the restaurant that will allow small parties to dine together, outside, in their own heated “pod.”

The grant is made possible through a collaboration between The Federal Home Loan Bank of Boston, Norway Savings Bank, Coastal Enterprises, Inc. and Community Concepts.

Kiwanis comes through

Scarborough Kiwanis Club has donated 300 reusable water bottles to Scarborough Public Schools. Water fountains in the schools have been shut off to help prevent the spread of coronavirus, so the donation will ensure every student will be able to have water available during the school day. The club also recently assembled candy-filled “firecrackers” to donate to Scarborough Public Safety employees.

Hires, promotions, appointments

RE/MAX Shoreline welcomes Jim Brown, an experienced broker with a strong background in commercial lending, sales and business development, education and training to its Falmouth office.

Hipai Pamba has joined The Telling Room staff and is the school’s first alumni hire. Hipai is now studying at SMCC, majoring in education.

Legacy Properties Sotheby’s International Realty welcomes Maine native Jessica Falcone as the new vice president of the brokerage.

Casco Systems, a Cumberland company that automates and integrates power systems for utility, power generation and industrial clients across the country, hired Brent Willett as a senior technician in the industrial automation group. Willett is a seasoned engineer with more than 35 years of experience in industrial automation systems and process controls.

Latoya Hunder has been promoted to the newly created position of director of resident services at the Portland Housing Authority. She will oversee resident services and lead a team of resident service coordinators. Rob Parritt III has been hired to fill Hunder’s previous position as the new resident transition and stability specialist. Parritt is the former director of the Oxford Street Shelter in Portland.

Sebago Technics, a Maine-based, employee-owned, engineering consulting firm, has hired Amy Bell Segal, a longtime Portland resident, as a new senior landscape architect.

Happy trails

Teens to Trails has a new home at 179 Neptune Drive in Brunswick. Fueled by donated pizza and pumpkin cookies, six teenagers and three parents shuttled loads down the stairs of 98 Maine St. to new space the organization is sharing with Brunswick Topsham Land Trust and Cathance River Education Association.

It’s all in the name

After 20 years leading state and national campaigns for safe food, safe drinking water and toxic-free products, the Portland-based organization Environmental Health Strategy Center has changed its name to Defend Our Health. Executive Director Mike Belliveau said the organization’s mission of creating a healthy environment for all has not changed, “but with this rebranding comes renewed energy to engage with more communities, in more places.”

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