PEAKS ISLAND, Maine (NEWS CENTER) -- An army of volunteers descended upon the American Legion Randall-MacVane Post 142 on Peaks Island Thursday, the 69th anniversary of D-Day.

They came to give the Legion Hall a major makeover, thanks to a $13,700 grant from the Home Depot Foundation.  Most of the 100 volunteers were Home Depot employees, and contractors that shop there.

Pete Thiel, a member of the Sons of the American Legion, said the post really was looking for new windows.  But managers with Home Depot's Portland and North Windham stores came out and saw that the building needed a major overhaul.

On Monday, a barge brought over heavy equipment and supplies.  More supplies came over by the ferry.  The volunteers ended up not only putting in windows, but new stairs, flooring, ceiling tiles, kitchen cabinets, and an outdoor patio.

Did you know that every year more people develop asthma? Or that Maine is on the top ten list of number of adults with asthma? More than 100,000 adults in Maine have asthma and more than 22,000 children.

Years ago, an allergist explained to me that trying to breathe during an asthma episode is like trying to breathe through a straw when the end has been pinched shut. That image stuck. Read more ...

PORTLAND, Maine (AP) - Portland is hosting a two-day regional gathering that's showcasing dozens of projects tied to the creative economy.

The Creative Communities Exchange is being held Thursday and Friday at the Maine College of Art and other downtown locations. It's being attended by more than 250 people who work on creative economy initiatives for businesses, nonprofits, research organizations and government across New England, as well as other states and Canada.

The event features more than two dozen workshops, networking opportunities and an awards ceremony.

The event is put on by Creative Portland and the New England Foundation for the Arts of Boston. It builds upon two previous creative economy events held in western Massachusetts in 2011 and in Providence, R.I., in 2009.