Articles
Phippsburg store is community institution
Mary Nickerson, who has run the West Point General Store in Phippsburg with her husband Emery for the past six years, says people who have heard it is up for sale come in and tell her, “Well, so you haven’t sold it yet. That’s good. I know you don’t like it, but that’s good.” Nobody
Community helps injured man
Residents of Phippsburg brought out their old-fashioned community spirit when they put on a dinner and dance in June to help Nick Gilliam, 23, pay medical expenses and buy specialized equipment. Gilliam, of West Point, was injured while helping out on a construction job. He is now a paraplegic. For the lobster roll dinner, fishermen
Community institution
At 4:30 a.m. on a muggy morning in June, Doug Scott swats at mosquitoes as he unlocks the building at Sea Horse Lobster in West Point, Phippsburg. The day doesn’t begin quite this early during the winter, but now, with the lobster season picking up, fishermen depend on Scott and his helper to be there
Managing fishermen as well as fish
That “someone else” turned out to be their wives. In 1977 after the Magnuson Act was passed, Robin Alden, then a member of the New England Fisheries Management Council, called a meeting of a small group of fishermen’s wives, including Gail Johnson of Harpswell, Blazon and Brenda Tetrault from Portland and Mary Ann Bradford of
A pinch of salt
Take some sea water, wood, plastic, a lot of ingenuity and hard work. Add a pinch of salt — well, slightly more, say about 6,700 pounds — and you’re owner of a thriving business that is creating more demand than it can satisfy. After almost four years, that’s the story with Maine Sea Salt, the
Mosquitoes and browntail caterpillars: lobstermen monitor aerial spraying
State response to browntail moth and to mosquitoes that are potential vectors for West Nile Virus has residents polarized in coastal communities, especially in areas where browntail moth is thriving this year and where WNV- positive dead birds were discovered last fall. Any talk of spraying for either creates concern about unintended effects sprays might
At the S.S. Shanty, the emphasis is on action
While Maine fishing communities generally have a local hangout – a wharf, general store or small restaurant – where fishermen congregate to exchange information about gear and catch (or not), gripe about prices and ponder the latest regulations, but there’s nothing here quite like The S.S. Shanty, located in North Chatham on Cape Cod. Established
A coastal community confronts an “absurd” housing situation
Ed Myers of Walpole says four fishermen and owners of two oyster companies use his dock for access to the Damariscotta River, but not one of these people lives in the town of Bristol, which covers the peninsula where Myers is located. Instead, they travel from Nobleboro, Newcastle, Waldoboro and Jefferson to earn their livelihood.
“Work that matters” MLA’s new executive director brings a broad perspective to her job
“She’s a good leader, a real asset to the industry; we’re awful lucky to have her,” says Pat White of Patrice Farrey, who last November became executive director of the Maine Lobstermen’s Association. Farrey took over the job after working for two years as associate director. White had served as executive director for the past
Testing, testing, testing
If anyone mentions something might be beneficial for lobster pounds or the lobster industry in general, Herb Hodgkins’ ears perk up like a fire horse hearing the alarm. He’s off and running, willing to devote oodles of time and energy to whatever it is that might improve the lot of anyone associated with the lobster