Working Waterfront

Native peoples should inform land use policy

Indigenous peoples should be part of land use decisions, asserts Darren Ranco, a University of Maine associate professor of anthropology and citizen of Penobscot Nation. “We have to be at the table,” he says. “When indigenous people are on the land and making decisions about land management, biodiversity increases.” An… SEE MORE

A recent photo of Thomas and Jackson. PHOTO: COURTESY YVONNE THOMAS

Working Waterfront

My personal race story

Twenty-five years ago, I made a conscious choice to avoid the issue of race. And because I am a white woman, living in a majority white community, I had the privilege of making such a choice. I had just earned my master’s degree in counseling, and had done my student… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

In the classroom—Island author inspires island students

We listened attentively as writer Anica Mrose Rissi read a chapter from an upcoming book. Everyone in the Zoom room was captivated—eyes widening during spooky parts, smiling and laughing during funny parts. The Zoom room was populated by 5th-8th grade students from Maine’s outer island one-room schools on Monhegan, Frenchboro,… SEE MORE

The beach on Elmer’s Island where the bottle was found. PHOTO: COURTESY TIM FARRELLY

Working Waterfront

Return to sender: Island graduates get message in bottle

[caption id="attachment_23865" align="alignleft" width="240"] The bottle with the letters it carried. PHOTO: COURTESY TIM FARRELLY[/caption] The senior class of 2020 at Vinalhaven School set adrift a message in a bottle as part of its graduation ceremonies last year. The idea came from Bianca Barroso, the graduation coordinator. Due to… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

Maine Maritime student honored by peers

Dylan Bunker explains his course of study at Maine Maritime Academy in much the way Goldilocks explained her taste in porridge. There are three tracks for the marine engineering degree, the 22-year-old senior says. One is very much a hands-on discipline, one is rooted in the theoretical, and one has… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

The Maine coast and islands will continue to lead

Eighteen years ago, I sat for the first time on the rugged granite backside of Frenchboro, marveling at the power of the tides and the open water extending to the horizon. I appreciated then, as I do now, that I was there because of the relationships that preceded me and… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

‘Digital equity’ opens internet for seniors

Les Stanwood is 80 years old and lives in Addison. Although he’s retired, he remains active in his community, serving on the board of a local health agency. The National Digital Equity Center is Machias may be contacted by calling 207-259-5010. Like many people confronted by the pandemic early on,… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

Explaining and bridging Maine’s digital divide

The things people can do from home would be unfathomable to someone 30 years ago. Those with access to broadband can further their education, utilize telehealth, engage in remote work, and connect with anyone (who also has broadband access) around the world. “It is necessary for our civic and cultural… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

A new, old-fashioned way to serve school lunch

Lincoln Academy students who purchase lunch will now eat it out of what are known as “tiffin” containers. Tiffins are reusable stainless-steel lunchboxes that can be washed and sanitized every day which will significantly reduce schools packaging costs as well as plastic waste. Most schools use disposable plastic containers—thousands of… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

Minke whale skeleton finds second life

Photos by William Trevaskis Students, staff, and visitors to North Haven Community School are greeted by a new, impressive sight when they enter the school grounds: a 26-foot minke whale skeleton, mounted in a spruce timber frame. The display is the culmination of a years-long project, begun in 2016 when… SEE MORE