Maine Department of Labor announces its upcoming no-cost trainings for January 2026.

Upcoming classes:

Forklift Operator Safety – January 6, 2026 l 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.  SafetyWorks! Training Institute, 45 Commerce Drive, Augusta

United Midcoast Charities will host its next LEARN@UMC professional development workshop on Wednesday, Jan. 14, from 9 to 10:30 a.m., at the UMC office in Camden. The session, Storytelling for Impact, will be led by award-winning journalist and audio producer Elaine Appleton Grant.

ROCKLAND — A buyer has come forward with intent to purchase the current Police Station condo at 1 Park Drive. Details are still to be publicized, however that buyer intends to repurpose the basement level condo into a parking garage, according to Rockland Police Chief Tim Carroll, thus relieving the question of what new group of people would be inheriting the black mold that has manifested within Police Plaza.

The dirt roads in the northern corner of Oxford County froze early this year, marking the unofficial start of the winter logging season in Maine. 

The hardened roads make it possible for loggers such as Andy Irish and his Rumford-based company, Irish Family Logging, to drive a fleet of semi-trucks and heavy machinery into the woods without disturbing the underlying soil as much as in the summer.

Steel-Pro welcomed 17 students from Waldo County Technical Center (WCTC) in Belfast on Monday, December 8, for a facility tour and welding competition.

Students began their visit with a guided tour of the Rockland manufacturing shop, gaining firsthand insight into Steel-Pro’s production process—from the arrival of raw materials to the completion of precision stainless-steel equipment.

ROCKLAND — Alterations to a proposal to construct a 6-unit apartment house on Gay Street have been made, and developers will return before the Planning Board, Tuesday, Dec. 16, 2025.

Broad Vision Builders, of Medford, Massachusetts, is proposing to build a three-story, 2,267-square-foot structure on the lawn at 26 Gay Street, parallel to the current house on the property. The current house is not a part of the development plans, according to the Code Enforcement Office.

ROCKLAND — “Ultimately, would you rather a building be built with four apartments with parking, or six apartments without?” said Planning Board Member Ed Ledoux, during the Dec. 8, 2025 City Council Meeting. “Worded another way, how many parking spaces is worth one person sleeping in their car? Would you rather someone open a restaurant without parking, or not start their business at all?”

ROCKLAND — Join City Manager Tom Luttrell and Police Chief Tim Carroll on Wednesday, Dec. 17, at 5:30 p.m., for the first public meeting on a new police station. The meeting will take place at City Hall, 270 Pleasant Street in Rockland.

Through grant funding and commissioned research, Maine Cancer Foundation recently invested $700,000 in support of cancer patients’ access to care.

According to Maine Cancer Foundation, in a news release, the research – a transportation and lodging needs assessment – offers an increased understanding of services available to Maine patients and a roadmap to better support cancer patients in their access needs in the future. The 14 grant awards will provide transportation and lodging to cancer patients when they need it the most. 

"The Knox County Regional Airport is preparing an update to its Airport Master Plan, and we want to hear from you," said Knox County Regional Airport, in a news release.

The airport's second Public Information Meeting will be held Thursday, Jan. 8, at 5 p.m., at the Owls Head Transportation Museum. This is an opportunity for community members to learn about the project, understand its goals, and ask questions. KCRA will be covering Inventory and Forecast topics.

Four Maine employers have been honored as recipients of the 2025 Governor's Award for Business Excellence (GABE), the State's premier recognition for Maine businesses that demonstrate leadership, innovation, and commitment to their employees and communities.

For the first time ever, an award was also presented to a Maine nonprofit in recognition of the 7,000 nonprofits in Maine and the important contributions they make to the state's communities and economy, according to a news release.

The City of Rockland, the Town of Searsmont, and Coastal Mountain Land Trust are among recipients of Maine Trails Program grants in the first round.

The Maine Association of Nonprofits (MANP), in partnership with the Maine Community Foundation (MaineCF) and KGA, is launching a free Employee Assistance Program (EAP) designed to support the health, wellbeing and resilience of Maine’s nonprofit workforce. This new benefit will provide small nonprofits with free access to professional, confidential support for staff and leaders to address personal or work-related challenges that may affect their job performance, health or overall wellness.

In the wake of several Subway locations closing this week in Maine following the revocation of their business registrations, the Maine Department of Labor is attempting to reach affected workers who have lost their employment, according to MDOL, in a news release. The Department also wants to remind anyone who experiences a layoff of the resources available to them.

Rockland Main Street announces the return of ROCKlocal & WIN! to Downtown Rockland with 35 businesses participating up, down, and around Main Street.

"Last year was the inaugural year and was very exciting for our community, businesses, and visitors, and Rockland Main Street is thrilled to bring it back for the 2025 season," said Amy Brautigan, Rockland Main Street Festival of Lights Planning Committee, in a news release.

ROCKLAND — Remediation of a former junkyard site in Rockland has begun, paving the way for six affordable houses in the near future.

PORT CLYDE — Tom Fina has joined the Board of Directors for The Herring Gut Coastal Science Center.

Fina has sailed and explored Maine since the 1960s, when he fell in love with the Maine coast and islands as a child, according to Herring Gut, in a news release. Born in Italy and raised in Washington, D.C. and Italy, Fina attended Harvard College and the University of Virginia School of Law. Post college, he worked for four years as a lobbyist in the New Jersey State Legislature.

Ashley Rackliff has joined Allen Insurance and Financial as a Client Service Associate in the company’s personal insurance division.

Rackliff brings a strong background in customer service and management, with prior experience in banking, hospitality and retail leadership, according to Allen Insurance and Financial, in a news release. She holds an associate degree in business administration and is currently pursuing her bachelor’s degree in the same field.

ROCKLAND — “Let us send a clear, powerful message, once again,” said Councilor Kaitlin Callahan. “Rockland stands with all of its residents. We will protect our community, and we will protect those who serve it and protect it. And once again, show that we will never be governed by fear. Not today, not tomorrow, and not ever.”