Beals

The marine research laboratory, in the Washington County town of Beals, launched the public phase of a campaign to raise $4 million in support of the institute’s housing, operations and other capital priorities.

The goal is to find a successor with the background and ability to take the institute to the next level. “We have so much potential and so much lined up to help us grow.”

The Downeast Institute, which began in 1987, recently lost two promising new researchers because they were unable to find affordable housing.

The Luke’s Lobster Keeper Fund awarded $25,000 in mini-grants to 10 coastal projects from Beals Island to Portland. The grant program, established in 2018, is designed to strengthen economic opportunities for fishing communities and keep coastal waterways clean.

Downeast Institute in Beals hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Saturday to celebrate the grand opening of its new $6.6 million expansion that includes a state-of-the-art shellfish hatchery.

The U.S. Department of Transportation has awarded $10.5 million for the replacement of the Beals Island Bridge, the only crossing that connects the island and town of Beals with the mainland at Jonesport.