Through the hurricane season of late summer and fall, the long Maine winter and the exaggerated, shameless, Wellie-sucking mud of March and April — at least some years — we who live on islands are interrogated regularly by telephone, by text, by Internet, by single-sideband, by any other available means and asked the same question,
Small cars plus fast race equals big fun
ISLESBORO — Eight years ago when Gilbert Rivera moved from Southern California to Islesboro, he left behind slot car racing and a winning reputation in the sport. But not for long. Now he races on Islesboro, and is mentor to 11-year-old Aiden Randlett, who recently picked up honors in Mount Holly, New Jersey at the
Lobster union effort ignorant of history
The Maine Lobstermen’s Association (MLA) has been proudly and effectively representing Maine lobstermen for 59 years. The MLA was organized in 1954 by lobstermen who had the foresight to understand that they would be better off working together than on their own. Over the years, the MLA has established a track record of being effective
‘Content’ is how Gaserpini describes his island life
VINALHAVEN — For Eric Gasperini, Vinalhaven is and always will be home. The 27-year-old grew up on the southerly Fox Island and attended public school there as well. His parents came to Vinalhaven as a teacher and a scallop dragger. “[My father] came to the island to pick up nets,” he said. Gasperini acknowledged the
College of the Atlantic divests of fossil fuels
BAR HARBOR — In March, College of the Atlantic completed the process of dropping fossil fuel investments from its endowment portfolio, according to school officials. The small school on Mount Desert Island, long known for its green focus, seemingly has become the first college or university in the country to end its investment in fossil
Slow, gentle spring mirrors island experience
Spring has taken its opening shots across our bow — ice is out, the crocuses are clustered around houses, and gardeners are shaking off the winter woolies to get seeds planted on windowsills and start turning over the soil in south-facing beds. At Chebeague Island School, the students love tucking lettuce and marigold seeds under
Tug-barge funds aim at boosting Portland shipping
PORTLAND — A new way of shipping container freight along the East Coast is taking shape, at least on a drawing board, thanks to federal funds. McAllister Towing and Transportation, a New York-based firm that builds and operates tugs and barges, has been awarded $150,000 in federal grant funds to design an articulated tug-barge that
Training ourselves to solve problems
Merriment and mayhem on the Third of July
The Fourth of July is always good proof that summer is here—with its picnics, parades and the fireworks that make it the nervous dog’s worst night of the year. Although the Fourth of July has traditionally been a big deal on Swan’s Island, I should admit upfront that I’ve never been around for one. I
The IT guy makes a ‘fair’ point about Snowden and J. Edgar
Not the “‘It’ Girl,” as silent film star Clara Bow was known, but the IT Guy. That’s who I needed this past weekend now that the last of the digitally literate children has moved out of the house and for the first time in more than a decade a pair of ignorant adults has to