Working Waterfront

George Mitchell: Much more than compromise

By Douglas Rooks When I began researching Statesman, my biography of Sen. George Mitchell, I thought I knew the man, at least in his public life. After all, we first met in the Kennebec Journal newsroom in Augusta some 30 years ago, and I followed him from there throughout his… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

‘Paris of the ’70s’: Portland emerges

This is the second of a three-part series recollecting the look and feel of Portland in the 1960s, '70s and '80s by a Maine writer who spent his youth there. In the 1970s, Portland grew up. That's one way, anyway, of describing the transition the whole city, and especially the… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

Island fire rekindles fears, appreciation

By Phil Showell More than 50 years ago I was sitting on a porch at my parent’s place on Sheep Island. It lies in the New Meadows River, opposite the Basin, a sensually stunning refuge from stormy weather known to most who cruise Maine’s coast. I was riveted by what… SEE MORE

Near the old Portland Public Library on Congress Street.

Working Waterfront

Home: Portland in the 1960s

Note: This is the first in a three-part series recollecting the look and feel of Portland in the 1960s, '70s and '80s by a Maine writer who spent his youth there. About 5 a.m. around the first of December 1977, I was standing in streetlight shadows on the corner of… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

…And counting

"In God we trust; everyone else, bring data." —Michael Bloomberg For better or worse, we live in the age of metrics. The jury isn't in yet, but I'm thinking it's better and worse. Probably the most colorful example of metrics-driven decision-making comes from the world of sports. A book and… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

When art met science

Sometime back in January, Maine Audubon announced that the renowned entomologist, ultra-marathoner, University of Vermont emeritus biology professor and acclaimed author Bernd Heinrich would be speaking about “the nexus of art and science” at its Field Pond Center in Holden. A few weeks later, a follow-up email arrived: due to… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

‘Things ain’t right’

On the surface, Jon Keller’s novel Of Sea and Cloud is a beautifully rendered story of a small Downeast fishing village losing its traditional way of life. Keller worked as a sternman aboard the South Wind, Oscar Look Jr.’s boat out of South Addison for two years. He learned well… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

The wonderful warmth of wood

Twenty years ago, late on a Saturday afternoon after I'd spent the day dumping firewood into the basement, you might have heard me proclaim: "Wood heat's great, but man, I don't want to be 50 and still doing all this work." Yeah, you guessed it. I'm 56 and still doing… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

Chebeague Island and the tides of time

What thou lovest well remains, the rest is dross – Ezra Pound, Canto LXXXI In the blue distance of inner Casco Bay, the smokestacks of the Cousins Island power plant could be seen poking into the sky. This was in 1980, looking northeast from the… SEE MORE