The Working Waterfront newspaper reports on the people and forces that shape Maine’s coastal and island communities. As publisher, Island Institute’s premise is that the cultural, environmental, and community assets here are rare and valuable, and are worth fighting for.
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June 7
The not-so-small problem of shrink wrap
About 1.5 million pounds used annually in Maine
The sun is shining, the birds are singing, and the shrink wrap is coming off. The boat shrink wrap, that is—low-density polyethylene plastic prized for its flexibility and ability to keep vessels protected from the sleet, snow, and rain of Maine winters. And most of it is going in the trash. Maine has more than 100,000 registered boats. At an…
June 7
Vinalhaven’s volunteer of the year
[caption id="attachment_36116" align="alignnone" width="500"] Peter Richards, center, works with (from left) students Bryson Lane, Maevis Bryant, Faith McCarthy, and Noah Hufsey.[/caption] PHOTOS BY SHERI ROMER Peter Richards, a retired teacher…
June 6
The island grocery’s essential role
New owners on North Haven to feature local fare
Buying groceries is always on the minds of islanders. Mainland trips often end with a carload of fresh fruits and vegetables and specialty items. Planning meals ahead becomes paramount. And…
June 6
When the helper gets in trouble
National Fisherman and ‘Working the Sea’
There is no shortage of drama in the National Fisherman photograph shown here, taken in December 1973. The dark figure of a man looms in the foreground surveying a scene…
May 31
Class clashes and conspiracy logic
Novel set in Maine airs dirty laundry
Land of Cockaigne By Jeffrey Lewis, Haus Publishing Ltd. (2022) The central thing you need to know about the protagonist family in Jeffrey Lewis’s novel Land of Cockaigne is that…
May 31
Remembering conflict on the home front
War’s misery ripples out far and wide
Memories of long-ago events are cemented into our hearts and minds when they are baptized in emotion. Where were you when…? Without a visceral response at the “what,” the exact…
May 31
Islesboro student flying solo at 16
Jack Moore will soon have pilot license
[caption id="attachment_36036" align="alignleft" width="500"] Moore flies with an instructor. PHOTO: COURTESY AVERY LARNED[/caption] Living on an island and relying on a ferry to get to the mainland and the…
May 24
Ocean acidification threatens blue economy
House bill would begin study of impacts
In a state renowned for its lobster and shellfish, Mainers understand the importance of a healthy ocean. But you don’t have to spend your mornings on a fishing boat hauling…
May 24
An insider's artist view of Casco Bay
Long Island native Roberta Ricker’s paintings depict saltwater life
Hundreds of Roberta Ricker’s colorful paintings depicting coastal and island life hang in homes in Maine and beyond. The paintings are a kind of artistic documentary of...
May 23
Friends of Acadia purchases inn for housing
Kingsleigh Inn in Southwest Harbor will house park employees
In March, Friends of Acadia became the official owner of the Kingsleigh Inn in Southwest Harbor. Formerly a bed and breakfast inn that housed visitors to Mount Desert Island and…
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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