The federal Department of Agriculture’s Rural Development program has given Maine $8.6 million in loans and grants for a variety of community and economic development initiatives.
Among the recipients is the city of Brewer, which will receive a $6.5 million loan to build a community facility to house both its fire and police departments, and Northern Maine Medical Center in Fort Kent, which will receive $1 million in loans to build a 10-bed addition, according to a press release.