Island: Isle au Haut Vehicle: 1985 Mitsubishi Montero Owner: Kenneth Breeze Mileage: 81,500 “My sister gave me this car two years ago when it quit running,” wrote owner Kenneth Breeze. “She came running into the house one morning muttering, ‘My car is leaking. I’m losing all my gas.’ With that she grabbed an old
Two farmers share a river
Nine years ago, Brooksville resident Anne Bossi was distressed about Jesse Leach’s application for a lease to raise oysters in the Bagaduce River close to her farm shoreline. Like many people faced with the prospect of an aquaculture lease in their “backyard,” she was afraid the venture would disturb the quiet, pristine river she had
Commission urges Maine to open St. Croix River to sea-run alewife
After more than 14 years of contentious debate, momentum is building to allow the sea-run alewife back into Maine’s St. Croix River. On July 10, an international commission with jurisdiction over shared U.S. and Canadian waterways wrote Gov. John Baldacci to urge the removal of structures on dams that block alewives from the river. Canadian
Island work more rewarding, says Chebeague superintendent
The superintendent’s office at the Chebeague Island School is overwhelmed by a copy machine, computer, desk and Donald Trump-style office chair. On Tuesdays and Thursdays throughout the year, this office is filled with the sounds of typing, shuffling papers and the distinctive voice of Alton Hadley III. “I love the island,” said Hadley, called “Bump”
Backyard Maine: Local Essays by Edgar Allen Beem
Tilbury House (2009) Paperback, 224 pages, $15 Local matters In an opinion column that Edgar Allen Beem writes for the Forecaster newspaper called “The Universal Notebook” (which is the reporter’s spiral-bound notebook that fits into most pockets), Beem writes: “The combination of a recession in the economy and a revolution in information technology is conspiring
Chebeague wind power: an idea for the future
Wind power on Chebeague Island is a future possibility, according to economist and island resident John Wilson. “But our best bet right now is to look at conservation.” Speaking to a crowd of about 40 at an informational meeting at the Chebeague Island Hall Saturday morning, Wilson cited the long payback period, the unfavorable
A Step Toward Saving Maine’s Fisheries
Gulf of Maine seafood has fed people for thousands of years and still plays a critical role in providing for New Englanders. But marine systems in this corner of the Atlantic have been radically altered over the years. Now, as fisheries decline and some fishermen are forced to abandon their livelihoods, The Nature Conservancy, Island
Penobscot Bay: People, Ports and Pastimes
The History Press (2009) Paperback, 128 pages, $19.99 Tales of Penobscot Bay In the 1940s, Edith Quinn looked at the window of her kitchen on Eagle Island in Penobscot Bay and saw a submarine. She called to her husband, Jim, and they both ran outside, where Jim took a photo. Was it a German or
The Long View: Local food; local energy
Lately when people ask about the biggest challenges facing Maine islands and working waterfront communities, two questions loom over all others: what will the price of lobsters be and what will energy cost? The prices for lobsters and energy will likely determine whether islands can survive as viable year-round communities and the trends suggest that
North Haven fellow enjoys making island history more accessible
It’s hard to overstate the importance of local history to the residents of Maine’s islands. Historical Preservation Fellow Betsy Walker has been aware of this strong sense of history ever since she first arrived on North Haven. She admits that she might be a bit biased, “I work with history everyday; it’s my job to