Small Business Funding

Lewiston commemoration event honors shooting victims, survivors [Video]
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Lewiston commemoration event honors shooting victims, survivors [Video]

A memorial event was held at The Colise inn Lewiston, Maine, on Friday to commemorate one year since the mass shooting that left 18 people dead on Oct. 25, 2023.The commemoration honored those affected by last year’s tragic events at Just-In-Time Recreation and Schemengees Bar & Grille, as well as those who responded and continue to support Lewiston and other Maine communities.New England Sports Network broadcaster Tom Caron, a Lewiston native, served as the master of ceremonies for the commemoration.The honor guard that presented the nation’s colors was made up of police officers and firefighters from Lewiston and Auburn. The Maine State Police Pipe and Drum Unit then performed “Amazing Grace” before the national anthem was performed by the Lewiston High School Choir.The song “Save You a Seat” by Alex Warren was played before the names of the 18 victims killed in the mass shooting were read aloud as their photos were shown in a slideshow.Liz Seal, the wife of shooting victim Joshua Seal, spoke about how the connections that have been made following the tragedy, comparing them to strands in a spider web.”These connections have formed a spider web of a beautiful community that will forever be ‘Lewiston Strong’ and I am proud to be a part of it,” Liz Seal said. “I love you all.”The crowd gathered at The Colise then heard from Joanna Stokinger, the lead advocate at the Maine Resiliency Center, and Tony-nominated actress Lauren Ridloff, who played Marvel’s first deaf superhero in “Eternals” and is also known for her role on “The Walking Dead.”Two moments of silence were then held. The first was for the eight people who were shot and killed at Just-In-Time Recreation: Tricia Asselin, Thomas Conrad, Michael Deslauriers, Bob Violette, Lucy Violette, Jason Walker, Aaron Young and William Young.The second moment of silence was held for the 10 people who were shot and killed at Schemengees Bar & Grille: Billy Brackett, Peyton Brewer-Ross, Maxx Hathaway, Bryan MacFarlane, Keith Macneir, Ron Morin, Joshua Seal, Arthur Strout, Stephen Vozella and Joe Walker.Information about the development of a permanent memorial was also shared during the event.”There will be a memorial and it will not be for a few, but for all of us, and we understand how crucial it is to engage those most impacted,” said Shanna Cox, president and chief executive officer of the Lewiston Auburn Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce. “Your voices. Your experiences. Your memories. These are what will shape the memorial and the journey to create it is as important as the memorial itself.”Community members can visit OneLewiston.org to sign up for updates on the planning process and contribute their thoughts.”Your input will help us create something that truly honors our shared journey and ensures this memorial reflects the strength of compassion and unity that has carried us through,” Cox said.People who attended the commemoration were invited to bring small items, messages or keepsakes, which will be preserved and catalogued as part of the Maine MILL Memorial Collection. Some items may become part of the permanent memorial or displayed in future museum exhibits.Maine Resiliency Center consultant Regina Schulman, who led the moments of silence, then delivered remarks about resilience.Thomas Minch, a deaf advocate and project director for Disability Rights Maine, then spoke about the community’s shared journey before the Rev. Sarah Gillespie addressed the crowd.The event closed with the playing of the song “I Am Not Okay” by Jelly Roll.The commemoration was hosted by the One Lewiston Resilience Fund Committee in partnership with the city of Lewiston, Chamber of Commerce and Maine Resiliency Center.

‘Frustration and anger’ after MBTA suspends workers for possible criminal activity [Video]
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Small Business Funding

‘Frustration and anger’ after MBTA suspends workers for possible criminal activity [Video]

The MBTA is under fire again. This time over allegations that nearly a dozen workers were working on private vehicles while on the clock at a maintenance facility. “My reaction is frustration and anger,” Brian Kane, Executive Director of the MBTA Advisory Board, said. “These are public resources that are being used by what are supposed to be public servants for their own private use.”Sources tell 5 Investigates that the probe now underway includes surveillance video of T employees detailing and working on non-MBTA vehicles while on the job at Cabot Yard in South Boston. The facility stores and maintains Red Line vehicles as well as buses. After we first reported the allegation on Friday, the T’s General Manager confirmed that an investigation was underway and that 10 workers were placed on administrative leave. Kane gave the GM credit for taking action. “We’re starting to see that his style and his approach and his oversight is getting down into the proverbial trenches at the T,” Kane said. “If there are criminal charges to be brought, I certainly hope that prosecutors will prosecute them to the fullest extent of the law. But this is also a good thing that his approach and his management is starting to get there.”It’s a sentiment echoed by Sen. Ed Markey when NewsCenter 5 asked him about the investigation.”Governor Healey, General Manager Eng are doing a very good job in helping to make the T more accountable. A system the voters, the riders can trust,” Markey said. “It’s important for us to ensure that this is the case.”In a statement, Eng said in part: “We take these allegations very seriously, and any findings from this investigation will be addressed appropriately and in alignment with our core values.”

Rossen Reports: How to understand and monitor your credit report [Video]
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Rossen Reports: How to understand and monitor your credit report [Video]

Monitoring your credit report is crucial for maintaining a healthy credit score.Many of you have reached out to Rossen Reports, wanting to know what to look for in your credit report.First, check the personal information section to ensure your name and address are correct.Next, review the section with your credit accounts to verify your loans and credit cards and confirm timely payments.Look at the inquiries section to see which companies or lenders have recently checked your credit.Check the public records section for bankruptcies and the collections section for any debt turned over to collections.Late payments should not appear in your report if they are more than seven years old, and bankruptcies can remain for up to 10 years.If you find an error, you can dispute it online, by phone, or by mail with Experian, Equifax, or TransUnion.The credit bureaus have 30 days to investigate and respond, and they can extend the investigation by 15 days if you submit additional documentation within that period.Have a question for Jeff Rossen? Hes answering your consumer questions every Friday in the new segment “Rossen Responds.” Email your questions to him at RossenResponds@hearst.com. Want bonus content and exclusive deals? Make sure to sign up for our free newsletter at RossenReports.com.

Funding to replace Bourne Bridge lags billions behind Sagamore [Video]
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Funding to replace Bourne Bridge lags billions behind Sagamore [Video]

Both of the Cape Cod bridges need to be replaced but funding for one of the projects is lagging behind the other. While Massachusetts has received several federal grants toward replacing the Sagamore Bridge, the state has recently been unsuccessful at obtaining grants for the Bourne Bridge. During an interview for Sunday’s episode of “On The Record,” Sen. Ed Markey was confident the delegation and Gov. Maura Healey will find funding for the Bourne Bridge. “She’s got a great team in place. We’re going to partner with her and Sen. Warren and I and Congressman Keating and we’re going to go right back in and we’re going to continue to advocate for the Bourne Bridge as well,” he said. Both bridges opened to drivers in 1935 and are responsible for transporting hundreds of thousands of people onto and off Cape Cod every year. According to a Mass.gov web page, the Bourne and Sagamore bridges are “functionally obsolete,” and they “no longer meet the needs of the traveling public.”The full cost of replacing the bridges had exploded to more than $4.5 billion.In August 2023, Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey announced her administration would take a phased approach to replacing the bridges. She decided to focus on the Sagamore Bridge first. For the Sagamore Bridge, Massachusetts has so far secured $1 billion in funding from the federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Bridge Investment Program; $372 million from the BIL Federal Multimodal Project Discretionary Grant Program; and $350 million from the fiscal year 2024 Energy and Water Development Appropriations Act. There’s also $700 million in state funding pledged to the effort.MassDOT said it expects construction on the Sagamore to begin in late 2027 or early 2028 and work could last up to 10 years.”We are proud to have secured $1.7 billion in federal funding to rebuild the Cape Cod Bridges,” Healey said in a statement issued Friday. “We’ll continue aggressively competing for every available opportunity to win federal funding for transportation infrastructure across our state.” Markey and Warren asked for $5 million in appropriations this year to keep the Bourne in a state of good repair ahead of a full replacement.

Rossen roundup: Top consumer stories from the past week [Video]
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Rossen roundup: Top consumer stories from the past week [Video]

Here are all of the Rossen Reports from this past week.This trick could save up to $500 on your next flightNeed to book a flight? Google just updated its Price Guarantee feature on Google Flights which pays you back the difference if the price of your flight drops before your trip.Google will monitor the price until your trip, and if it drops more than five dollars, they will pay back the difference up to $500 using Google Pay.Watch the video above for more on this story.For the full story, click here.Save money with this trick at the checkout lineHave you ever bought something only to find out you could have paid less elsewhere? Here are some retailers Rossen Reports found that still honor price matching.Read the fine print on each retailers price matching policy. Most stores won’t price match third-party sellers, such as items sold by non-Amazon sellers on Amazon. Items on super markdowns, like closeout sales, also usually don’t qualify.For the full story, click here.Top brands targeted by scammersA Federal Trade Commission report highlights the top companies being impersonated by scammers, with PayPal, Amazon and Best Buy’s Geek Squad leading the list.Scammers often claim your account is suspended or that there’s an unauthorized charge, urging you to click on malicious links.Best Buy’s Geek Squad is the most impersonated, with fake emails claiming a service renewal you never signed up for.For the full story, click here.How to understand and monitor your credit reportMonitoring your credit report is crucial for maintaining a healthy credit score.Many of you have reached out to Rossen Reports, wanting to know what to look for in your credit report.If you find an error, you can dispute it online, by phone, or by mail with Experian, Equifax, or TransUnion.For the full story, click here.