Emergency response volunteers practice with a mannequin on Vinalhaven.

Working Waterfront

Medical emergencies on islands: Who ya gonna call?

Living on any of Maine’s 15 inhabited islands means making compromises. One of the most serious of those compromises is living with limited medical care. Emergency medical services, in particular, are available in varying degrees, depending on the island in question. Some islands, such as Monhegan, rely solely on good… SEE MORE

Tourists enjoy a stroll on Rockland's breakwater in late July.

Working Waterfront

Linda Bean goes coop, St. Croix Island erodes

It's close to 90 degrees in the Midcoast as this is being written, tourists are strolling the streets of Rockland and for most of them, it’s cooler than the air they left at home. Last week, the Maine Lobster Festival returned to town for its 59th year, and the U.S.… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

New England climate could become predictably problematic

You won’t hear too many Mainers complain about this summer’s weather. It’s been hot, sunny and dry. Gardeners have had to work to keep their flowers and vegetables watered, but for those not in the agricultural business, it’s been ideal—a time to be outside to savor what we love about… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

Bucksport to host maritime film festival

Two Maine organizations dedicated to preserving the past have collaborated to present documentary films in a festival this fall. The International Maritime Film Festival, set for Sept. 30-Oct. 2, is being hosted by Northeast Historic Film (NHF) and Brooklin-based WoodenBoat Publications. The festival will include short and feature length films,… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

What happens after the centennial?

By Aimee Beal Church With some relatives in town this summer, my family and I swam at Echo Lake in Acadia National Park almost every day for a week. On a typical afternoon we’d stake out a little spot with our towels on the granite ledges at the bluffs, sharing… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

A tale of two retail towns—Freeport and Kittery

Freeport and Kittery may be well known as outlet shopping destinations, but residents of these coastal communities rarely think of themselves that way—and they know it’s important that everyone else come around to their way of thinking. Outlet stores began proliferating in these coastal communities in the 1980s. Over the… SEE MORE

Dr. Bill Thomas answers questions at the Aging on Islands conference.

Working Waterfront

New vision for eldercare praised at island conference

Speaking at the July 16 “Aging on Islands” conference on North Haven, keynote speaker Bill Thomas confessed to breaking New York state law governing eldercare facilities. He did not seem repentant. Thomas said the law allowed one dog or cat in a nursing home. “We decided to bring in lots… SEE MORE

Stonington's water tower is visible above rooflines.

Working Waterfront

Saltwater towns worry about freshwater supplies

With Maine in the middle of a drought by early August, municipalities vulnerable to water shortages were keeping an eye on their water supplies. For coastal and island towns, concerns were two-fold. Lagging supply could mean trucking in water from elsewhere, an expensive proposition. And pumping groundwater that is too… SEE MORE

The sewer treatment plant in Portland's East End.

Working Waterfront

Rising seas, bigger storms threaten sewer plants

Over the course of three days in April 2007, a storm dumped 8.5 inches of rain over Southern Maine, causing massive flooding, especially where the floodwaters met the sea. The Ogunquit sewer treatment plant, and the access road to the plant, were flooded. Five years later, an engineering report concluded… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

Vinalhaven hires part-time town planner

Town Manager Andrew Dorr said John Bubier, a retired municipal manager who lives in Yarmouth, will work for the town for 20 to 25 hours per week. He is expected to be on-island one day a week, more often when the work requires. The town is budgeting about $25,000 annually… SEE MORE