Pete Pedersen believes he has no choice but to answer the call for help with the ongoing grounds renovation at the Vinalhaven Grange. A summertime Grange member, Pedersen knows if he refuses to help, fellow member Lois Webster will do it. And if Webster, who is in her late eighties and a survivor of cancer,
Chebeague holds its second town meeting
Sometimes, selectmen’s races have the potential to divide communities and leave bitterness among residents. That was not the case on Chebeague Island this year in an easygoing race that lacked campaign signs and contentiousness. The incumbent, Donna Damon, and the challenger, David Hill, were nominated by Michael Porter and Deborah Bowman respectively. A vote was
Time to think differently
The announcement in mid-June that the Bush administration would ask Congress to lift the current restrictions on offshore oil drilling was yet another reminder of how out-of-touch this country’s leaders continue to be on energy policy. Forget the fact that drilling wells on the Outer Continental Shelf won’t do a thing to lower gasoline prices
Island high-speed Internet? Well, sometimes…
Below is a list of the high-speed Internet possibilities on each island, but the list won’t tell the whole story. Each island with a school and/or a public library has high-speed Internet in these buildings, even if the rest of the island is crawling with dial-up. Some islands are close enough to large mainland towns
About Lyme Disease
People and animals usually contract Lyme disease between April and November when deer ticks are active. May through July is the highest risk period because tick nymphs are abundant and active. Most people contract Lyme disease from nymphs because they are about the size of a pin head and easily overlooked. Wear light clothing in
Islanders face food sticker shock
As the general manager of Carver’s Harbor Market in Vinalhaven, Renee Jones is used to the high prices charged by her distributors. But even she was shocked when the prices of some food jumped a dollar in the space of a week. “I had to check the books,” Jones said. Other island grocers could commiserate.
Lyme disease continues its spread in Maine
Summer is a great time to be roaming the fields and woods of Maine. Before venturing out though, it’s wise to take extra precaution against tick bites by tucking pant legs into socks or applying repellent. Deer ticks, correctly known to entomologists as black-legged ticks, Ixodes scapularis, carry the bacteria that cause Lyme disease.
Community Supported Fisheries
In the rear parking lot of the First Universalist Church in Rockland, parishioners and neighbors stop to talk as usual after the Sunday service. It’s a familiar scene to anyone driving by, but a closer look reveals a surprising new twist: several of the people talking or heading to their cars carry plastic bags with
Golfing and Fishing
During June, the Stone Wharf on Chebeague Island bustles with activity as barges drop off cars and trucks, passengers come and go on the Chebeague Transportation Company’s ferry, Islander, and lobstermen rig traps and load them onto their boats. At this time of year, lobsterman Stephen Johnson can be found in the midst of all of
Island Institute to celebrate its 25th birthday
The Island Institute turns 25 this summer and will launch its silver anniversary with an extensive show of new work by Peter Ralston, well-known photographer of the Maine coast and the Institute’s executive vice-president and co-founder. The show will run through October 25 and includes new work since his celebrated 1997 book, Sightings: A Maine