Ferry cancellations are disrupting life on Maine’s unbridged islands. Challenges to hiring and retaining crew include rates of pay and meeting licensing requirements. But DOT said it's addressing the situation.
Maine's island communities suffered serious damage during the January and March storms. After collecting 20 bags of debris on one trip, volunteers are heading back.
The nonprofit is working closely with communities for accurate head counts and to figure out trip rotations, to avoid both vaccine shortages and oversupply.
The town of 4,300 along the Kennebec River has won its division eight years in a row in the Maine Municipal Association contest ranking annual town reports. Other winners are Freeport, Mount Desert, Alna and Swan's Island.
Islands without bridges to the mainland are taking special steps to protect residents from the threat of coronavirus. The Cranberry Isles and North Haven have issued restrictions on movement.
Since its inception in 2015, Island Institute's Aquaculture Business Development program has had 75 individuals go through the program, with 20 starting businesses that have contributed an estimated $3.1 million to Maine's economy.
If Emera Maine acquires the Swans Island Electric Cooperative, islanders there and on neighboring Frenchboro could enjoy sharply lower electricity rates.