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June 15
Tourism promotion should understand Downeast's needs
Understanding Eastport means doing the math
By Michael Morse In 2004, my wife and I bought an 1887 brick building in downtown Eastport. We knew that it would take a lot of work to turn it into the gallery that we envisioned. Many of the buildings in town were empty and some were boarded up. We both were brought up and went to school in…
June 15
Vinalhaven's trash collage teaches lessons on litter
'Why Trash Our Treasure?' school project took twist this year
By Kris Osgood Small island schools often struggle to match what bigger mainland schools do: fielding sports teams, filling out bands, casting plays. But small island schools offer opportunities that…
June 3
Swan's Island, Frenchboro face choice between coop and Emera
Rates would drop under merger, but control would be lost
SWAN'S ISLAND — A straw poll in July could determine the future of the island's ratepayer-owned electric cooperative. The approximately 450 ratepayers in the Swan's Island Electric Cooperative will choose…
June 1
Islesboro approves step toward building broadband
Town meeting vote overwhelmingly supports $206,830 expenditure
An earlier version of this story included a wrong first name. ISLESBORO — At their annual town meeting on Saturday, May 30, residents overwhelmingly approved raising and spending $206,830 to…
May 20
A perfectly planned memorial
The meal that marks the end of a life
Judy Coffin perfectly, and cheerfully, planned her memorial service and the reception that followed it. All that we her grieving neighbors, friends and family had to do was follow instructions.…
May 20
Expect record-breaking number of cruise ships in Bar Harbor
Ammonia dumped in Belfast Harbor, Deer Island needs more workers
The cruise ship business must have been hit by the Great Recession, as were other sectors of the tourism economy. So the news, reported by the Mount Desert Islander, that…
May 20
Majestic eagle caught in awkward moment
Surprising a bird after a heavy meal has consequences
Editor's note: This month's Observer is a reprise of an earlier published column. I'm not a bird watcher but I did notice, last week, an Eastern Phoebe light on a…
May 20
Those Cranberry connections, far and wide
For a small island community, the Cranberrys reach to the world
Bruce Fernald recently traveled to the Napa Valley to attend the 17th Annual Worlds of Flavor International Conference and Festival at the Culinary Institute of America. He participated in a…
May 19
Arctic holds shipping opportunities for Maine
U.S. must work for international cooperation, says Sen. King
Receding ice in the Arctic is the dramatic, even shocking result of climate change, climatologists say. But despite what may be understood as environmental catastrophe, open waters in the…
May 19
Asian lodging goes Acadian
The yurt adapted for rentals in Southwest Harbor
The first time Aaron Sprague and Karen Roper sat down in a yurt, owned by a friend in Maine, they experienced a deep sense of calm. "It was such a…
Island Postcards
EPISODE 10: Keep the Light Shining
Two ambitious young women swam around the entire Island of Isle au Haut during the summer of 2019 to raise money for crucial renovations to the lighthouse.
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