I was 10 and an enthusiastic member of the boys’ choir when the church hired a new choirmaster. After the second rehearsal, the choirmaster, Mr. Powell, a small, intense and proper figure of a man, asked me to come sit next to him at the piano. He struck the white middle C key and asked
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The Oyster Connection
Say the word “oyster” and most people will think of the Chesapeake Bay or Louisiana. But Maine has oysters, too, and the expertise that has developed over the last 40 years of Maine’s evolving oyster industry is now in demand in more traditional oyster regions. American or eastern oysters grow in estuaries from Canada to
The Speed of Spring
Twenty-two years ago, a Vinalhaven summer resident, Peter Richards, who is one of the country’s gifted teachers, had an idea about how to teach important math and science concepts to his fourth and fifth grade classes in Atlanta. Instead of just memorizing their times tables and long division, Richards asked his class to write postcards
Maine’s Mr. Baseball: John Winkin
As the baseball season begins, it seems appropriate to salute the career of coaching legend John Winkin. From 1955-2008, his teams at Colby College, The University of Maine at Orono (UMO) and Husson University won over 1000 games, 1,043 to be exact. Over the years, 92 of his former players signed professional baseball contracts. Spring
Chebeague’s Harry Potter Extravaganza
Just like the Great Hall at Hogwarts, the Chebeague Island Hall on February 25 was lit up with stars hanging from the ceiling. Outside it was dark and blustery, but inside, the Harry Potter Extravaganza was in top form. Sitting at a long table across the stage were the Hogwarts “professors,” island adults in full
Forecast: Warm, Wet and Windy
Brain doctors tell us that our short-term memory capacity is more acute, but also more fleeting, than our long-term memory, which, by definition, is persistent but spotty and unreliable. Perhaps this basic neurological fact helps explain why we have such a hard time distinguishing between weather and climate. Weather is what happens to us on
Cruise Ships Can’t Clear Customs in Rockland
Rockland can be a cruise ship destination, but without the authority to process passengers through U.S. Customs, some boats just bypass this deepwater port. A group of local officials hope to change that by upgrading the city’s status with the Department of Homeland Security. An upgrade could mean more visits from passenger vessels and a
The Last Fish House
The Ocracoke Working Watermen’s Exhibit sits on a pier over Silver Lake Harbor, on the un-bridged island of Ocracoke, on North Carolina’s Outer Banks. From the rear window and door visitors see a postcard view across the harbor of the 1823 lighthouse. They watch watermen in their boats heading to and from the fish house.
More Lobster Rope Modifications in Store
After transitioning gear from floating groundline to sinking groundline, Maine lobstermen now are bracing for a new round of rope regulations being crafted to reduce the risk of whale entanglement. Fishing stakeholders are debating with regulators about shaping new rope rules to create a balance between reducing whale entanglement risk and minimizing financial impact. There