Ocean Gateway: State selects a contractor, developers spar over rail rights

This September, after years of hand wringing and money wrangling, Maine’s Department of Transportation plans to begin building Ocean Gateway on Portland’s Eastern Waterfront. In July the Portland City Council approved borrowing an additional $1.6 million, bringing the city’s contribution to $4.1 million towards the $20 million project. In late June, a contractor was finally

Continue reading...


New Museum Opens

The Islesboro Historical Society’s new museum building, built in 1894, has been a town office and meeting hall, and then a high school through 1954. In 1971 a society member requested the Town sell the building to the Society. One dollar sealed the deal, and the land and building were transferred to IHS. On June

Continue reading...


Frenchboro plans August 13 lobster dinner

Frenchboro will host its 43rd Annual Lobster Dinner on Saturday, Aug. 13. The menu includes Maine lobster, chicken salad, hot dogs, cole slaw, homemade pie, potato chips and soda. Dinner will be served from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and will take place rain or shine. Proceeds benefit the 116-year-old Outer Long Island Congregational Church.

Continue reading...


Windfall: The Navy left Winter Harbor a village’s worth of valuable real estate but few kids to fill the local school

“It’s always been a fishing village, that hasn’t changed,” said Bruce MacKay, 85, referring to how the 2002 closure of Naval Security Group Activity/Winter Harbor, the secret, low-key Navy base tucked away in Acadia National Park on the Schoodic peninsula, has affected the town of Winter Harbor. And MacKay should know: he was a freshman

Continue reading...


Fund offers affordable housing grants

The Islands Challenge Fund, a collaborative effort of the Genesis Community Loan Fund, the Island Institute, Maine Community Foundation, the Maine Seacoast Mission and several island residents, will make challenge and matching grants from $5,000 to $25,000 for affordable housing and community facility projects. Chebeague island resident Pommy Hatfield, member of its advisory committee, commented

Continue reading...