I wanted to thank you and the Island Institute for working to protect the islands, simple as that. It’s a shame that what’s going on at Diamond Cove amounts to nothing short of a takeover of the place by commercial and investor interests. The idea of a place where people actually live, as opposed to
Swift Boat’ defined incorrectly
To the editor: In his otherwise fine article on “Jack” Elliot (“Jack Elliot: Remembering a ‘Swift Boater from Thomaston, Maine, WWF August 2008) Harry Gratwick notes that LCDR Elliot served on PBRs but he errs in calling them Swift Boats. That term-which Senator John Kerry, a former Swift Boat officer, unwittingly helped to popularize-was applied,
P.E.I fishermen close tuna fishery; wait for bigger fish
 The Prince Edward Island tuna season opened on July 30, and as of August 14 reports from the fishery were cautiously positive. “On the whole I would say that this year’s results are steadier than they have been,” said Ed Frenette, executive director of the Prince Edward Island Fishermen’s Association (PEIFA). Frenette is quick
Portland’s eastern waterfront: ambitious projects now on hold
An aura of mystery shrouds the city block on Portland’s eastern waterfront where Jordan’s Meats is closed and the weeds grow profusely beyond the chain link fence. It’s been two long years since the Procaccianti Group abandoned their plans to transform the site into a $110 million Emerald City-a 223-room hotel, 97 luxury condominiums and
Unfair dismissal of a new idea
To the editor: Roger F. Duncan, my eleventh-grade English teacher forty-six years ago, taught us to write plain and pointed stories in the tradition of E.B. White, and “Banker on Vacation” (Working Waterfront, August 2008) shows that his own knack for that is undiminished. But he also taught us to be logical and fair, and
Proposed European Union ban could jeopardize seal hunt
Prince Edward Island seal harvester Kenneth MacLeod of Murray River may be a small-time harvester, usually taking about 475 pelts. But his crew relies very heavily on his income. “I have to make money in order for them to make money,” says MacLeod. MacLeod was adding his opinion to the late July reports by the
The Long View: Lobsters–the rest of the story
A deep sense of unease pervades the waterfronts of Maine’s 145 lobster villages scattered between York Harbor and Eastport. During the past four years lobstermen have been squeezed by continuously declining harvests and declining prices – not how the laws of supply and demand are supposed to work-while also trying to adapt their businesses to
George Washington’s Secret Navy:
Fighting the Revolution at sea Following the battles of Lexington, Concord and Bunker Hill in the spring of 1775, the American Revolution devolved into a stalemate. The British army withdrew to Boston where they remained for the next year surrounded by a ragtag American army led by George Washington. To keep the British from receiving
Swan’s Island looks to the future after library fire
A lightning strike during the early morning hours of July 24 is believed to have caused the devastating fire that completely destroyed the Swan’s Island Library building. The Swan’s Island Educational Society, the organization that oversees the Swan’s Island library and historical society, is already hard at work making plans for the future. The Swan’s
With winter coming, islanders plan heating help
The extraordinarily high cost of heating oil will affect everyone in Maine this winter, and islanders are no exception. Their costs, in fact, generally prove to be higher since island oil companies must pay additional transportation costs to deliver the product by ferry. On islands along the coast, various groups are already preparing to help