Articles
A chance to get it right
The City of Portland has an opportunity most of us never get in our lives: a chance to do it over and get it right the second time. On Jan. 16, Portland Mayor Jill Duson announced that the developer Ocean Properties withdrew from negotiations with the city to redevelop Maine State Pier. This comes just
Obama nearly sweeps islands
President-elect Barak Obama nearly swept the year-round unbridged islands, winning everywhere except Swan’s Island. Statewide, Obama won with 421,497 votes to McCain’s 296,215. Sen. John McCain won Swan’s Island by 134 to 105 votes. Obama won every other island, often by very large margins. The results in Casco Bay, were: Peaks Island: Obama 417, McCain
Vinalhaven overwhelmingly supports revisions to wind power rules
Changes to the rules governing wind power sites were overwhelmingly approved at a Vinalhaven Special Town Meeting held on December 15. The revisions defined small, medium and large wind power projects and set up different engineering reporting requirements based on the size of the project, according to Marjorie Stratton, Vinalhaven town manager. Modifications were also
The Pingrees: North Haven’s mother-daughter political team
When North Haven’s Chellie Pingree first ran for the State Senate in 1992, her oldest daughter, Hannah, helped out. Mother and daughter went to Knox County Town Meetings together as Chellie introduced herself to mainland voters. “I came over to Rockland and knocked on doors with her,” said Hannah, who was in high school at
Danish energy expert to islanders: wind is an export
Soren Hermansen, of Denmark, may be an international expert on renewable energy, who travels the world to talk about wind, solar and biomass power. But his instant connection with the 30 residents of Chebeague Island whom he spoke to at the Chebeague Island Boatyard on Nov. 6, emphasized that Hermansen, despite his international fame, remains
Helping lobstermen
When the price lobstermen were paid for their catch collapsed in October, communities along the coast stepped forward to help. A lobster sale was held by Penobscot East Resource Center to raise awareness of the crisis in Stonington. A group of St. George residents held a Buy Lobster Day on Oct. 23. And in Rockland,
Help us make our web site better
The process of redesigning the Working Waterfront web site has been underway for over a year. After unveiling a new design in June, we realized that there is more we can do. And we believe the best way to make further changes is to ask for feedback from our readers. We would like our site
Portland City Council to vote on fate of proposed Diamond Cove inn
Monhegan latest island to consider wind power
It’s Monhegan’s turn. Vinalhaven and North Haven approved a wind power project this summer. Swan’s Island and Frenchboro are in the second year of a study to figure out if wind power makes sense from them. Now the Monhegan Plantation Power District is exploring the possibility of using wind power for the island’s electric needs,
A solar ferry?
It’s been a rough summer for passenger ferries. With skyrocketing diesel fuel prices, ferry companies had to raise rates to keep up with the increased costs. The Maine State Ferry system enacted a 12.5 percent rate hike June 1. Casco Bay Lines imposed a 50-cent-per-ticket fuel surcharge May 1, which has been challenged with a