Articles
The college years offer ‘redefining’ experience
NORTHPORT — Erica Papkee, like many of her generation, looked to Google for help. A resident of Long Island in Casco Bay who will be a junior at Boston College in the fall, Papkee was awarded the $10,000 S. Parkman Shaw Scholarship in a ceremony at Point Lookout on Saturday, May 31. She joined 59
Vacationland: a tense summer on Penobscot Bay
BOOK REVIEW The native vs. newcomer conflict that was the common dynamic in our public debates for years in the Midcoast seems to be history these days. The détente may be the result of non-natives now being the majority of residents, at least in the towns that touch salt water. And that may mean the
Rockland ’boutique’ hotel will fill need, developer says
ROCKLAND — For Cabot Lyman, it was a simple calculation. The city’s summer festivals, which bring lobster, boating and blues enthusiasts, collectively draw about 100,000. Yet the number of hotel beds in town is about 400. So after buying a small building just off Route 1 in late 2010, Lyman decided to develop a hotel
Comfort and style take flight in Owl furniture
STONINGTON — The Owl stool has the kind of curves that beg to be caressed. But as pleasurable as sliding a hand across the sensuous cherry or walnut is, better still is the sensation of sitting in one. The success of the Owl furniture line, launched by Geoffrey Warner five years ago, has transformed him
Camden shop owner Susan Michaud on welcoming tourists
CAMDEN — From June to October, tourists swarm the village. They wander across Main and Elm streets, in and out of crosswalks. They clog up the sidewalks, staring at restaurant menus. They sit in the mini traffic jam, wondering where to park. And Susan Michaud loves them. Michaud, owner of Theo B. Camisole, a lingerie
Ferry changes set aside, but islanders remain wary
ROCKLAND — A clash between state managers and islanders over ferry terminal policies has been resolved, with the Department of Transportation putting its proposal to change some of the parking and line-up protocols on hold. But despite the status quo’s remaining in place, many Vinalhaven and North Haven residents are wary about the future. Ferry
Kate Webber’s ‘Swan’s Island Chronicles’ collects her interpretation of oral history
The subtitle of Kate Webber’s recently published book, Swan’s Island Chronicles, hints at its flavor: “Borrowed, Exaggerated and Half-Forgotten Tales of Island Life.” It’s a collection of vignettes that each feature the essential elements of a good yarn—colorful characters, often doing something unusual, with the added spice of being in an island setting. The stories
Chebeague conference to be ‘marketplace for ideas’
The term “off the grid” conjures up images of survivalists, back-to-the-landers, energy efficiency geeks and on-the-run criminals. But another way to understand the phrase is as a description of those who choose to live and work in out-of-the-way places. Places like Maine, jutting up into the northeast corner of the national map. Places like islands
Lobster etouffée brings Creole cuisine to island
VINALHAVEN — The summer of 2012 was a dark time for lobstermen, as a glut of product depressed boat prices to historic lows. It was the summer Byron Thomas began his first serious foray into the industry, hauling traps by hand from a skiff. “At a certain point, he couldn’t go,” remembers Yvonne Thomas, his
Lobster coops offer price, market connection
VINALHAVEN — At the end a typical summer day, an 18-wheeler will roll onto the mainland-bound ferry loaded with 300-400 crates of live lobster packed in seaweed. The lobster—40,000 pounds of it, provided by the island’s lobster coop—is then trucked to a dealer who will sort and distribute the product to restaurants, processors and others.