In The News

The town of Cranberry Isles has received a $1.3 million grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Rural Development Community Connect Grant Program for construction of its broadband network. With that support, what was once a community-funded project will now be funded by the USDA grant. The grant will cover most of the cost of the project involving three of the municipality's five islands — Islesford and Great Cranberry Island as well as seasonal homes on Sutton Island. Axiom Technologies of Machias is building the network under a contract with the town.

The fifth annual Artists & Makers Conference, offering tips and strategies to help start and grow arts-related businesses in Maine, will take place Friday, April 6, from 8:15 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Point Lookout in Northport. Hosted by Archipelago and the Island Institute, the conference is open to all artists and makers who live and produce work in Maine. 

Early bird registration runs to Saturday, March 17, for the 5th annual Artists & Makers Conference, produced by the Island Institute’s Archipelago gallery/store. The conference is set for Friday, April 6, at a new location, Point Lookout. Artists and makers who live and produce work in Maine are invited to gather for a full day of information, networking and presentations on a variety of topics from professionals and peers. The Artists & Makers Conference offers three themed tracks — Foundational, Transformational and Inspirational — that highlight information for those just starting a business; those looking to take their business to the next level; and those interested in tips for maintaining fulfillment, passion and inspiration in their businesses.

Isle au Haut residents plan to install a sophisticated microgrid this spring that could eventually end their reliance on expensive power and heating fuel from the mainland. As on many of the other 14 Maine islands inhabited year-round, Isle au Haut residents pay at least double the amount a Portland or Bangor resident would for their electricity, kerosene and oil. Compounding matters, an aging undersea electric cable between Stonington and the island could fail any day, according to Jim Wilson, president of Isle au Haut Electric Power Co.

A proposal for a large-scale solar project on Molokai is on the table and residents are questioning the project’s benefits and whether community ownership of the project down the road is viable or desirable. With the island’s energy grid on the brink of change, a group of community energy leaders from around the world visited Molokai last Monday to share their perspectives on renewable energy solutions with residents.

On remote islands off the coast of Maine, small bands of residents stay through the long winter. They embrace the emptiness and a frontier sensibility. The snow had begun falling overnight, and fell throughout the day, draping the towering pines and the lobster traps, stacked up on land for the winter, in blankets of white.

The Island Institute is now accepting applications for its 2018 Aquaculture Business Development program. In its third year, the program helps fishermen gain the tools they need to diversify and launch their small-scale aquaculture businesses. The nonprofit wants to work with coastal and island residents who are highly motivated to start their shellfish or seaweed aquaculture businesses within the next two years. Applications are being accepted through March 23.

The water off Maine's coast is becoming more and more acidic. It's been shown to have a negative impact on some of the state's fisheries. Scientists say they've known about this problem for a few years and now may have found a solution in Casco Bay. Scientists from Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences and the Island Institute have been gathering data from the water surrounding a kelp farm in Casco Bay, every couple of weeks for the last few years.

One of the biggest challenges for contemporary artists, craftspeople, and makers living in Maine is finding the right brick and mortar store to carry their original artwork and products. One solution to getting more exposure and sales is to sell the work on consignment with shops and galleries. Consignment is an agreement between the artist and the shop to sell the artist’s work for a percentage of the commission. Archipelago, both a gallery and the retail side of the Island Institute in Rockland, represents nearly 250 artists from 20 different islands and the coast of Maine. For the last two years, Archipelago has hosted an Artists and Makers Conference that touched on the topic of consignment as a viable option.

Tollef Olson always had a thing for the sea. As a young man, he hunted for treasure on centuries-old shipwrecks, worked as a commercial fisherman in Florida and an urchin diver in Maine. He has started and sold a variety of businesses, including Aqua Farms LLC (producer of Bangs Island Mussels) and Ocean Approved. In 2016, he co-founded Ocean's Balance, which a year ago started producing a Kelp Puree made from wild seaweed harvested by Olson. Buyers include grocery stores, institutions and restaurants.