Along Maine’s coastline, where many businesses make the bulk of their annual profit during the summer months, many business owners have been concerned that the rising gasoline prices could cause a big dip in their profits this year. Some, however, have taken proactive measures to help counteract the negative effects of the rising prices. The
Chebeague students explore Eagle Island
The entire Chebeague Island School, kindergarten through fifth grade, recently opened the visiting season at Admiral Robert E. Peary’s Eagle Island in Casco Bay. Some of the Chebeague students had heard family stories handed down from their grandfathers and great-grandfathers who remembered the days when Peary lived on Eagle Island and kept his sled dogs
The lettuce is up!
Islesboro Central School horticulture students, under the direction of teacher John Pincince, built raised bed garden boxes for Islesboro’s Boardman Cottage, a residential eldercare facility. Students drew up the plans for the wooden structures, built them, and then set them up for the residents. Other community members joined in the development of the boxes, including
Long Island students become successful gardeners
This spring, the teachers at the Long Island school developed a gardening curriculum as an extension of the fitness and nutrition program that began last year. With the help of a grant from MBNA, the school purchased a small greenhouse and supplies to begin gardening, and the students planted seeds in early April. Over the
Chebeague students discover the Middle East
Fourth and fifth graders at the Chebeague Island School have spent a semester discovering the Middle East. Last week they celebrated their achievements with a Middle East banquet they cooked for themselves, the younger students and their families. The Chebeague Island School cook, Annie Long, helped them prepare Israeli and Arab dishes. Matzohs and hummus
North Haven graduate wins $5,000 scholarship
The winner of the $5,000 2006 Maine Island Partners Scholarship is Benjamin Lovell of North Haven. He is a senior at North Haven Community School. The scholarship is awarded to an individual who combines civic leadership, community involvement and academic achievement. Lovell is an outstanding scholar who has taken a lead role in North Haven’s
Intertwined with the Internet Highspeed access becomes a reality on some islands, remains a problem elsewhere
In the 1980s, Frenchboro residents gained the ability to make off-island phone calls. Today, they’re looking into wireless Internet. New technology has made Internet access quicker and more affordable for Maine islanders to use. In turn, faster Internet service often makes year-round living more feasible for new island residents. Frenchboro’s New Net Families On Frenchboro,
Matinicus marks centennial of island church – with running water!
The Congregational Church of Matinicus has a few traditions. Among them are holding services in the evening, feasting together at Christmas Eve dinner, and the interminable singing of “Let the Lower Lights Be Burning.” Soon to be a tradition of the past, however, is running a garden hose from the neighbor’s house every time anybody
Whale necropsy in Trenton attracts numerous volunteers
In Bar Harbor on June 6, people gathered from miles around to view the remains of 46-fot-long sub-adult sperm whale. The whale, which had been dead for about a month, was last seen off Heron Island near Boothbay. The Bar Harbor Whale Watch Company towed it by boat to Trenton where permission was granted by
Pygmy sperm whale comes ashore, gets reassembled
“Cetacean Station” is North Haven Community School’s Vocational Arts workshop. Since the fall of 2004, I have been working with students here to “rearticulate” the skeletons of marine mammals that have been found dead. That is to say, we have cleaned the bones of these oceangoing animals and fastened them back together. Then they are