AUGUSTA

LePage will open forum on family-run businesses

Gov. Paul LePage will open a forum on family-run businesses this week in Bangor.

The forum begins Thursday morning at Husson University’s Gracie Theater. The event is a 2012 community initiative by the Institute for Family-Owned Business, a nonprofit that has served Maine’s family-owned businesses for 17 years. The public is invited to attend.

The governor says family-owned businesses account for 60 percent of employment and 78 percent of all new jobs in Maine’s economy. He hopes to learn more so steps can be taken to help those businesses succeed.

More about reservations is available at www.fambusiness.org.

Maine agency seeks out information from boaters

The state agency that manages and develops most of the boating facilities and navigational aids on Maine’s ponds and rivers is looking for information from boaters.

The Conservation Department has the three surveys on its website, www.maine.gov/doc/parks/programs/boating/surveys.html.

Two of the surveys will give officials feedback on boating facilities and navigational aids, and the third one asks for suggestions on where there is a need for those services.

The department’s Bureau of Public Lands and the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife develop and maintain more than 400 public boating facilities that give access to lakes, ponds, rivers and the Maine coast.

UNITY

Gardeners invited to learn to make gardens organic

Maine gardeners will get a chance this week to learn how to make their gardens organic.

The Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association will host 35 workshops across the state Wednesday to teach gardeners how to make the transition from conventional to organic gardens.

The workshops are being held from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. and will give participants the basics in soil, composting methods, crop rotation, and weed and insect control.

For a list of workshops, visit MOFGA’s website, www.mofga.org, and click on the “grow your own organic garden” link.