He was gone in an instant, slipping away quickly, slumping to the floor, releasing life…perhaps sensing in that last swift-ebbing consciousness, a distant ringing. I was calling my father back, telephoning to apologize for arbitrary nastiness, unwarranted temper, directed at him an hour before. He wanted to see his grandchild…”come with Laura for lunch…” he
City of Portland to vote in October on fate of proposed Diamond Cove inn
A decision on the controversial inn proposal for Diamond Cove has been postponed until October. The Portland City Council decided, after a long hearing on Sept. 3, to move the decision on the project to its Oct. 6 council meeting. This comes after a new group, the Friends of Great Diamond Island, filed a lawsuit
Another bailout for Saint John-Digby ferry
The ferry service between Saint John, New Brunswick, and Digby, Nova Scotia, on the Bay of Fundy has received a second funding reprieve-a total of 15.1 million from the governments of Canada, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. Announcement of the funding was made by Peter MacKay, National Defense Minister who also holds the portfolio for
Monhegan store owner seeks sustainable island living
Running any kind of store on an island is a big challenge, what with ordering from the mainland, paying the freight for the boat, and making sure the produce is fresh. For Tara Hire of Monhegan, there is the added hurdle of obtaining and marketing organic foods, preferably as locally grown as possible. In this
Thumbing a ride home
I stick out my thumb on a small road in Milbridge, and with this simple act I become a rebel. Every driver that passes by notices me, even those who avoid eye contact. Some feel guilty, others feel angry, a few lock their doors, most have other things on their mind and decide not to
Can short sea shipping help Portland’s marine terminal?
When the City of Portland decided to move the Nova Scotia ferry from the International Marine Terminal to Ocean Gateway, it was supposed to help the entire waterfront: the cruise ship terminal would get a regular client and the marine terminal was supposed to double its freight once it no longer had the ferry in
Lab goes on the road to treat mussel threat
With the scourge of tunicates wreaking havoc on mussel socks in Prince Edward Island for at least one decade, a mobile laboratory set up at Georgetown Wharf offers the opportunity to take a closer look at the problem. It is suspected that some of these aquatic invasive species (AIS) have been transplanted via the ballast
Wind project receives overwhelming support; now search for turbines is on
The hunt for wind turbines is on. That’s the biggest hurdle now facing the Fox Islands wind power project, which could provide all the electricity needed annually to power North Haven and Vinalhaven. On July 28, members of the Fox Islands Electric Cooperative approved the wind power project by a vote of 383 to 5.
Artists’ collective helps reinvigorate Machias
A group of young artists, armed only with their ideals and their artwork, have succeeded in resurrecting an important part of downtown Machias. The Beehive Collective is a coalition of Machias-based graphic artists who create panoramic visual art to shed light on issues of social justice and sustainability. Beehive artists believe visual artwork can deliver
Rising from the ashes: Washburn & Doughty cleans up and starts rebuilding
The first thing you notice upon arriving at Washburn & Doughty’s East Boothbay shipyard is the smell. On a damp foggy morning, the stench rises from the charred wood and ash ground into the earth along with scraps of metal, insulation, and fiberglass. The smoke ended a week after the fire, but this site will