Eastport City Manager Elaine Abbott with staff. From left: Abbott

Working Waterfront

Eastport: no glass ceiling here

In Elaine Abbott's first week as Eastport's city manager, the breakwater collapsed. "It has been a rough winter," she said, a deliberate understatement. Record-setting snowfall and the logistics of maintaining services only added to the responsibilities she has taken on since January. Coming up through the ranks of city employees,… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

Escaping winter in Italy brings ‘bump’ in the road

On Sunday, March 22, Bruce and I caught a windy 5 a.m. ride off island with Richard Howland on his fishing boat, Endeavor. We were flying to Italy on Monday night, but the weather forecast did not guarantee getting away from the island any later. It was just fine to have… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

Robin Alden recognized as innovator in fisheries work

STONINGTON — Robin Alden is the recipient of the 2015 Innovator Award as part of the first SOURCE Maine Sustainability Awards presented on April 9 at Pineland Farms in New Gloucester. The award is one of seven given to Maine leaders, organizations and businesses. "Alden has made it her life's work to… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

Keeping it live at Andy’s in the Old Port

PHOTO ESSAY BY KATIE JOHNSON SEE THE SLIDESHOW Looking for live music? Andy’s Old Port Pub is locally famous for having music every night of the week. Owners and Great Diamond Island residents Rick Frantz and Jennifer Fox’s support music draws performers from all over the state, country and occasionally… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

Chebeague celebrates Islander with free passage on April 6

The distance between the Stone Wharf on Chebeague Island and the Cousins Island landing is just 1.7 miles. But over the 30 years that the Islander ferry has been making the daily runs, she has logged enough miles to take her to the moon and halfway home. On Monday, April 6, the Chebeague… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

L.L. Bean gives Maine Island Trail $100,000

FREEPORT — In 1987, long before “public/private ventures” became fashionable, L.L.Bean issued a small grant to create a Maine Island Trail Association, in partnership with the Maine Department of Conservation and the Island Institute. With this, the grassroots Maine Island Trail Association (often known as “MITA”) and the Maine Island… SEE MORE

Children take off in their hunt for the Easter eggs in this snapshot from decades ago.

Working Waterfront

Hunting eggs, hunting spring

Charlotte image The sun is shining through a milky sky. A warmth beats its way through the crisp early spring air. Stalks of new green grass struggle to poke through the thick, dead, brown mat of old grass left from the winter, and gray trees have yet to offer… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

Dreaming of a not-too-distant future

It's early March as I write, and snow is still piled up to the crotch of the pin cherry tree. But you may be reading this in early April, and I hope you'll permit me to do a little fantasizing about what it might be like, a month from now.… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

The unspoken problem—island struggles with substance abuse

It's not hard to make the case that substance abuse is a community problem. In island communities, its impacts may be greater, and the solutions more difficult. The subject was discussed at the Feb. 26 meeting of the Maine Islands Coalition in Augusta. It remains difficult to discuss openly, especially… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

A life in books led to a later life as a writer

VINALHAVEN — Sherry Bunin worked in the publishing industry all her life, but it wasn't until late in her career that her writing was published. She started out as an English major at the University of Cincinnati and while a student, took a job at Writer's Digest where she… SEE MORE

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