A superintendent resigns after weeks of controversy, and a familiar face steps in to steady the ship. A standoff with police draws dozens of emergency personnel to the scene and ends with a man in custody. A Deer Isle Selectman decides not to run for office again—nomination papers are due by January 2 for anyone who wants to run for the seat. And the Reach rings in the holiday season with a community cast staging an innovative radio play of It's a Wonderful Life.

The controversy around the School Union 76 superintendent gathers steam, as Sedgwick joins Deer Isle-Stonington in telling him to refrain from working on their behalf until further notice. In other news, an era comes to an end with the demolition of the Bridge End, a former restaurant. Stonington looks into enforcing the rule about no commercial boats using Hagen Dock. And the Island Community Center craft fair was a hive of holiday activity.

Plunged into the chilly waters of Stonington Harbor, students don "Gumby suits" and learn survival skills. A Deer Isle resident asks the select board to move its 2025 town meeting to a Saturday so more people can attend. And our bird columnist discusses the craftiness of crows and ravens, and why they have been known to fly toward the sound of a gunshot.  

A state commission co-chaired by a Stonington official releases 12 ideas to better prepare communities for climate change. Engineers get to work figuring out the extent of maintenance required at the high school. Speaking of school, we take a look at how area high schools are curtailing cell phone use—and how parents could take a hint. A local select board opposes a proposal to live-stream its meetings. And Stonington's Main Street is about to be cut off in the middle, blocking through-traffic for several weeks to allow for water repairs.

The bomb squad pays a visit to the Island after a  Deer Isle man with a metal detector unearths an antique explosive. Isle au Haut is on the verge of blazing fast internet, thanks to a new subsea cable laid this week. School Union 76 begins the evaluation process for its superintendent. Meanwhile, the school union's draft budget for 2025-26 is 21 percent higher than this year's numbers.

Trump wins the White House, yet carries none of our local towns; check out our election chart to see how your town voted. Learn all about the amazing little sea squirt, a nuisance for local fishermen that is being served up on plates abroad. Find out how your school's enrollment has fared over the past decade and half, with an in-depth look at all area towns. The Odd Fellows get a new home in Oceanville. And Deer Isle makes plans to cash in on a small fortune in returnable cans and bottles. 

“I’m just not confident what’s underneath it. We’re working with the Federal Emergency Management Agency on a damage assessment right now. It’s definitely not as good as it was before the storm.” Jim Fisher, Stonington Town Manager, on the possibility that January flooding may have undermined the Sunshine Causeway  (from "UMaine students engineer ideas for Sunshine Causeway”)

A Stonington couple packs up a trailer and heads south to help people displaced by Hurricane Helene. The contenders for local state representative share their views at a candidates' forum. The Opera House receives a commemorative plaque that's been 30 years in the making. Stonington learns the results of lead testing done on its giant ash pile. And, when a business owner asks for more floats at Hagen Dock, the select board has a succinct answer: "Go fly a kite." 

A pair of economists give Stonington some advice on how to prepare for "life after lobster." The Island looks to study the housing problem with the help of new grant money. Things get weird at a soccer game. Our bird columnist offers some dos and don'ts for bird feeders. And, with the election just weeks away, meet your local candidates in our comprehensive 2024 Voter Primer!

That big trash fire in Orrington is finally out, but local officials are still worried about what it means for garbage disposal. Donors step forward to restore the school snack program for Island students. Stonington looks toward "big time donors" to create a locally run $1 million climate resiliency fund. And, with only a few weeks to the election, we talk with the Secretary of State about how Maine ensures that votes are safe, secure and counted.

Island residents gather to share stories of addiction. Students get out of the classroom and into the great outdoors. An old school building in Stonington gets ready for a high-tech conversion. Meanwhile, a mystery lurks under the streets of Stonington.

A longtime Island summer resident died after trying to "hike until sober," and now his family is raising awareness of alcohol withdrawal. The Deer Isle town office will have a solar array on its roof by next year. The high school soccer team faces some tough matchups. And our "Beak to Tale" columnist says you probably have the wrong bird identification book.

A 350-ton pile of ash has Deer Isle officials scratching their heads about what to do with it. A generous donor gives $400,000 to Memorial Ambulance Corps. Talk of the Towns is returning to Stonington. And no one knows shoulder pain like fishermen, which is why our health columnist created a free guide, "The Lobsterman's Guide to Shoulder Pain."

A plane skids off the runway in Stonington and breaks its landing gear. Two apple experts search for the holy grail of heritage trees on Deer Isle. An oyster farm receives a new license in Greenlaw Cove. And the head of the area's largest land trust suddenly resigns.

Local contestants put their metal to the test in this week's smash 'em up derby at the Blue Hill Fair. Construction begins on the Oceanville Bridge replacement. The Island sets up a task force on workforce housing. And a Deer Isle eatery is on the list for Maine's best lobster roll.  

Local schools are in a game of musical chairs, scrambling to fill positions before students return. A superintendent calls police to report an alleged confrontation with a board member. Thousands of alewives born in local ponds are now making the journey downstream and out into the big, wide ocean. And local businesses say the tourist season finally—finally!—found its sea legs in August. 

A confusing and chaotic week isn't over yet, after a principal and curriculum coordinator resigned at Deer Isle-Stonington Elementary School. Out at sea, the housing crunch is also affecting (wait for it) lobsters? The Deer Isle select board hears about aquaculture regulations. And an osprey nest caught fire, shutting down access to and from the island for hours. Plus, ever wonder what's out there on Crotch Island? Our reporter takes you there for a firsthand look.

Stonington officials discuss raising roads in two vulnerable areas. Deer Isle and MDOT discuss traffic "calming" ideas. A fundraiser for lifelong Islander Ginny Olsen raises $34,000 in just a few hours. Hit the water and check out renovations at Eagle Island Light during its open house this weekend.

Afraid of heights? Not these "Spidermen" clambering over the Deer Isle-Sedgwick Bridge this week. Closer to the ground, meanwhile, local legislators sit down with Versant to address recent power outages. Community members and organizations step up in a big way to support newly hired Island school staff find housing. And a town-owned building at Bridge End Park is set to be demolished later this year. 

One of the biggest gatherings of wooden boats in the world happens in a few days. Three brothers are honored for their lifetime careers on the water at the Fishermen's Hall of Fame. The real “Sal” reads One Morning in Maine in front of nearly 500 people. And Island residents rally behind one of their own who is fighting cancer.

Fishing vessels roared through the Thorofare for the annual lobster boat races. We have the photos, the story, and the race results. Meanwhile, a local diver tells his incredible story of running a 7-mile underwater extension cord to Isle au Haut. Travelers take heed: The bridge is going to be down to one-way traffic for a while. And finally, frustrated by frequent power outages, local lawmakers call for a meeting with Versant.

Independence Day was full this year. The weather cooperated for the annual Island Community Center Stonington Six race and walk, the parade, events on the Stonington fish pier, and the traditional fireworks over the harbor. Our stories and photos tell the tales. An unexpected area-wide power outage kicked off the work week. And the Stonington select board hears complaints about food truck customers using restaurant bathrooms. Summer on the Island.

The Town of Stonington receives a $1.7 million grant to turn the old elementary school building on School Street into a hub for all sorts of community services.The annual lobster races are coming up on July 14. Workforce housing progresses, with some apartments at Oliver's Ridge due to become available later this summer. And photos of a contra dance on Isle au Haut capture folks having fun.

We close out our June coverage with a special Coming Events focus: a comprehensive preview of all of the Independence Day activities planned for our coverage area. The Stonington Water Company continues its work on the water main replacement. We have updates on the work, with a focus on how leaks are found. The school board debates academic requirements for sports eligibility. And a first-ever Puffin Passages event goes to Seal Island.

The 85th anniversary of the opening of the Deer Isle-Sedgwick Bridge is our featured story this week. The bridge was closed for a short time to allow hundreds of community members to walk it. We have historical anecdotes and photos, including a drone perspective showing the walkers from above. In other news, the Stonington select board set the property tax rate for the coming year at its June 17 meeting. Our coverage captures the details.

Students are in the news. The Deer Isle-Stonington High School Class of 2024 graduates, and eighth grade students at the elementary school are promoted to high school. The Maine Department of Transportation holds a public meeting to share its draft design for the Deer Isle and Little Deer Isle causeway rebuild project. MDOT's plan is to build up about 3 feet, mostly on the existing footprint. Some Islanders feel that won't be enough. And, at the old American Legion Hall in Sunset, music and more is set to return.

This is a week of school coverage. Our annual Graduation Special Section features photos and information about our local high school graduates in preparation for upcoming commencement ceremonies. A school staff member is the recipient of a special state award, and the Island schools hold a mental health day. Stonington's water main replacement project continues with granite blasting and construction expected. And a bridge walk is among the festivities planned later this month to celebrate the 85th anniversary of the opening of the Deer Isle-Sedgwick Bridge. 

This week's news features two Islanders honored for their service to the community and leadership; a Memorial Day observance; the re-opening of a flooded restaurant; new details on financing for a possible new fire station in Deer Isle; and CSD 13 budget increases and upcoming public vote.

Governor Janet Mills visited Stonington on May 21 to stand on the waterfront and announce the launch of a new commission on climate infrastructure. The commission is charged, Mills said, to create the “state’s first long-term infrastructure plan” following all of the major winter storms. Members of the governor’s cabinet were on hand to solicit ideas from the public about priorities for the commission. Elsewhere, schools are in the news. Community School District 13 held its annual budget meeting, and the annual schools report from the Superintendent of Schools is included in this week's content. Finally, we have a feature story about the meaning of Memorial Day, plus a list of local remembrance events. 

The Deer Isle-Stonington High School Honor Parts and photos are front and center this week. Birds are also featured, as this weekend's annual Wings, Waves and Woods events highlight the birds we see and experience on our island. And, we have a story on how a potential gauge change in the way lobster carapace length is measured can affect every lobsterman and dealer on the coast of Maine. A photo shows the current length. 

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Blue Hill Fair Handbook

Summer Guide 2018

Holiday Entertainment

Summer Guide 2016

Spring Fever 2016

Summer Seasonal Guide 2014

Spring Seasonal Guide 2014

Island Ad-Vantages, based in Stonington, Maine traces its history through weekly papers published on Deer Isle from 1882. Serving the island towns of Deer Isle, Isle au Haut and Stonington, the Island Ad-Vantages provides a comprehensive offering of the news and events of the area, while paying special attention to the people, institutions and the natural beauty that make the community the place it is. From lobster fishing and the impact a $46 million a year that industry has on the community to annual events such as graduations,  local sports coverage and a vibrant creative economy, the Ad-Vantages combines words and images to deliver a picture of an area that is as much about its beauty as it is about its ethic of hard work, determination and dedication.

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