A drone view of the property the city has dubbed "Belfast Yards."

Working Waterfront

City wants development on waterfront lot

Like that of most coastal towns, Belfast’s commercial waterfront is a finite stretch of real estate. Mike Hurley defines it as the shoreline that extends from the Route 1 bridge south to what is known locally as the Boathouse. “There ain’t no more,” jokes Hurley, a city councilor and long-time… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

How ‘the internet of things’ is changing how the world works

The Internet of Things, or IOT, is a way of describing an ecosystem of inter-related computers, sensors, or digital transmitters, each with its own unique identifier that can record and transmit information across a network automatically. The internet of things makes our lives more convenient—from booking a Lyft ride while… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

Help wanted, help needed—Maine must grow labor pool

By Nancy Griffin Maine’s work force must grow if Maine’s businesses are to grow. That’s the conclusion of a new report on the future of the Maine economy. Across the state, jobs remain empty as employers seek to fill them, according to the roughly 1,000 business people interviewed and hundreds of… SEE MORE

Business

Edward French at the offices of The Quoddy Tides.

Working Waterfront

Living in, and telling a community’s story

We journalists are supposed to be objective, but really, the objectivity exists in the work we produce, not in our hearts. The truth is that we tend to be an opinionated bunch. I will admit there are places on the Maine coast I love more than others. One of those… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

Put a price on what’s poisoning our atmosphere

By Eric Toder Rising carbon emissions from burning fossil fuels and other activities that release greenhouse gases threaten the future well-being of all of us. These emissions warm the planet, raise sea levels, shift rainfall patterns, boost storm intensity, and increase the risk of sudden climate change. They pose a… SEE MORE

Bruce Fernald prepares to unload his boat

Working Waterfront

When chefs and lobstermen meet, live

Anyone around Little Cranberry Island would say my husband Bruce, a lobster fisherman, has a knack for getting involved in some very interesting media situations. (See “One lobsterman’s 15 minutes of fame” at workingwaterfrontarchives.org.) Friends joke that he likes attention from the press, but lately most of the situations have revolved… SEE MORE

Students from the Blueberry Harvest School learn about sustainable fisheries during an August 2014 trip in Frenchman Bay.

Working Waterfront

How Trump administration’s immigration policies are hurting Maine

By Julia Brown Maine recently hosted statewide “Families Belong Together” rallies protesting the administration’s so-called “zero tolerance” policy. While the unprecedented policy of separating and detaining asylum seekers has rightfully taken center stage, this administration is applying its anti-immigrant agenda to all facets of immigration law. This indiscriminate attack on… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

Salmon from a fish tank

On the Fourth of July, many a Maine family once sat down to a traditional meal of fresh salmon, garden peas, and new potatoes dug from the warm earth. A century ago, Maine salmon were known around the world as being among the best of seafoods. In the late 18th… SEE MORE

Corbin Davis peers through the glass counter to make his choice.

Working Waterfront

‘Go Fish’ continues to hook customers on Vinalhaven

In a time when more and more independently owned brick and mortar shops are closing, Vinalhaven entrepreneur Rachel Noyes is celebrating the 20th anniversary of her gift shop, Go Fish. The shop offers gifts, toys, candy, jewelry, clothing and more, but Noyes says it started with one T-shirt. "I never… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

North Haven Mercantile selling island-made goods

Shopping options in downtown North Haven have expanded, thanks to two creative entrepreneurs. The North Haven Mercantile, a showcase for island-made goods, has opened its doors. The brainchild of Carrie Brezzo, the designer behind Able Jane Clothing (formerly CarrieSewFancy), and Laura Serino, a writer and the owner of Island Apothecary,… SEE MORE