Working Waterfront

New Islesboro pre-school facility opens this summer

The reasons for providing daycare and preschool services on an island are many, and they are compelling. But the new Islesboro Pre-School facility came to fruition because island leaders asked for help and got it. First, the reasons. Bruce Claflin, who led the fundraising efforts for the facility, says the… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

Remembering that first day on Frenchboro

Reflections is a monthly column written by Island Fellows, recent college grads who do community service work on Maine islands and in remote coastal communities through the Island Institute, publisher of The Working Waterfront. I can’t believe two years have already passed since beginning my fellowship on Frenchboro. I remember leaving… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

Homing in on Dave Morrison

New York City just didn't agree with Dave Morrison. The music scene was a clutter of competition and costs he hadn't encountered playing nightclub circuits in New England. Living arrangements were expensive. Waiting tables at the Hard Rock Café was less than satisfying. Transportation was awkward, especially lugging around guitars… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

Beverly Ross Johnson is Chebeague’s volunteer extraordinaire

There is an old saying that you can’t keep a secret on an island, but that was disproven at Chebeague Island’s town meeting on June 10, when Beverly Ross Johnson was presented a legislative sentiment by Rep. Janice Cooper. The sentiment recognized Johnson’s 53 years contributing her time and talents… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

Readers respond to Stonington, Matinicus photos

We asked for reader with information about old photographs we published in the May and June issues of The Working Waterfront, and you did not disappoint. First, the Matinicus photo, which depicted a woman playing an accordion-like instrument. Across the sepia-tone image, the date was hand-written. Several readers correctly pointed… SEE MORE

A sailboat approaches Portland's waterfront.

Working Waterfront

Island students learn by serving other Mainers

For some island kids, overnight trips to the mainland are no big deal. For others, a night or two in a strange place, especially with teacher chaperones and not parents, is a truly daunting prospect. For that reason, we try to regularly build overnight off-island experiences into the North Haven… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

The myth and reality of widow’s walks

By Leigh Donaldson You’ll see them as you drive along the coast, what appears, at first glance, to be rooftop patios. I marvel at what could be an ideal place to get a panoramic view of the landscape and ocean while having a barbecue picnic. Even the mosquitoes could not… SEE MORE

Community

Working Waterfront

Islander teamwork rescues feathered family

As near as anyone has been able to tell so far, there were ever only two water-powered granite polishing mills in the world (one may have been in Springfield, Mass.), and only one powered by tidal water. The latter was on Vinalhaven and it was powered by big iron turbines… SEE MORE

An aerial photo shows the North Haven Community School with the Camden hills on the horizon.

Working Waterfront

North Haven school will try magnet program next year

North Haven Community School, Maine’s smallest K-12 public school with an average of 60 students, is seeking mainland students to participate in the pilot year of its new magnet program. Magnet schools are permitted by Maine law and allow publicly funded schools to accept students from outside their service area.… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

Private air-traffic control could impact Penobscot Bay

By Kevin Waters In 1998, an ice storm swept through Maine, leaving some communities completely inaccessible. Without general aviation, many towns and island communities would have been cut off from resources for an unknown period. It was general aviation pilots who stepped up to the plate, providing a vital link to ensure… SEE MORE