Random House, 2009 Hardcover, 246 pp, $25 Dysfunctional Maine family and a paintball game gone wrong Lewis Robinson’s debut novel opens with lines from the final stanza of Wallace Stevens’ famous poem “Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Blackbird”: “It was evening all afternoon./It was snowing/And it was going to snow.” Stevens’ imagery fits the
Task force hears concerns from lobstermen
How to get a better price for lobster, how to better market it, lack of trust between fishermen and dealers, sustainability of the fishery and how better to diversify the fisheries and take the pressure off lobster: These issues and more held everyone’s attention for four hours on March 10 in Ellsworth at the task
Maine’s groundfishermen struggle to survive
“Never in a million years did I imagine I would leave the fishery at 46 years.” Craig Pendleton of Saco, who began lobstering when he was nine, groundfishing at 17. He sold his groundfshing permit in October 2008. If an interim rule is passed by National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), the 70 fishermen who land
Vinalhaven teen realizes dream to fly
Who among us has not had a childhood fantasy to be a fireman, a doctor, a ballerina, or a rock star? It is less common for those dreams to be realized, and even rarer still for such goals to be attained as a teenager. Chad Guilford, 18, of Vinalhaven, dreamed of being a pilot for
Maine’s working waterfront, fish processing supported in Pingree bill
The state’s working waterfront access program would receive $5.5 million if a bond bill proposed by Speaker of the House Hannah Pingree makes it through the State Legislature and is approved by voters. The bond bill also includes money to preserve farmland and help create food processing for both the fishing and agriculture industries. Pingree’s
Co-op opens fish processing plant in Port Clyde
In opening a processing plant, the Midcoast Fishermen’s Co-op has added another element as it works to create a new model of groundfishing. On March 16, the co-op received final approval from the Maine Department of Agriculture to open a small processing plant for shrimp and fish. Located off Marshall Point Road, the plant will
Loose fishing boat grounds out, despite Coast Guard effort
What do you do when you’re crossing a bridge in a 35-knot easterly with driving snow gusting to 40 and two-foot seas, and you see a big unmanned Novi boat drifting toward the bridge? The lobster fisherman driving across the Beal’s-Jonesport bridge on February 24th did what he said the next person to cross the
Car sharing comes to Portland
Casco Bay Island residents who juggle an island car, a mainland car, and high parking fees may find some relief in the introduction of a car share service to downtown Portland. U Car Share, operated by U-Haul, is comprised of four Chrysler PT Cruisers available for hourly and daily rental. Two of the vehicles are
Swan’s Island voters decide to keep their island “dry”
Last Friday Swan’s Island residents voted overwhelmingly to continue the tradition of living on a dry island. When asked to decide on a Local Liquor Option Referendum, allowing liquor sales on the island, voters exercised their rights and sent a clear message that tradition should not be changed. Swan’s Island, population 327 residents according to
On food, the most important label is local
Like many Mainers along the coast, Maegan Harvey of Ellsworth thinks a lot about the food she buys for her family. And like many Mainers, her food choices don’t fall into easy categories. She buys organic produce, pasta, and milk, but she buys non-organic naturally-raised meat because of the high cost of organic meat. She’s