Bios of the contributors to the December 1997 Salt Magazine, with information on this issue.

Joanna Johnson captures the culture of independent film making in Maine.

Fishing for sea urchins in the waters of Downeast Maine, Dan and Jamie Header face a changing market, along with the typical dangers of diving for urchins. Meghan Daniels discusses the methods that the Header's use for urchin diving and how the urchin industry is changing with added regulations and depressed prices.

Dropped as a child, John Lee was left blind. Marshall Clarke captures how Lee does not let his blindness stand in his way to enjoy his life to the fullest.

Paul Sargent covers the personal histories and experiences of Youth Corps members, and discusses the skills that they learned in the program.

As a security guard at the Portland Public Library, Marko Petrovi? maintains order with a militaristic assertiveness. Dana Bialek documents how Petrovi? was once a border patrol officer in Yugoslavia, and how his previous training made it easy to fit into his new occupation in Portland protecting the library.

Amy Cadge documents the story of the Greer family, discussing their journey to Maine and their studio where they care for people.

At one point during American history, rural populations were growing faster than urban populations. Rebecca Saunders explores how back-to-landers in Maine, or homesteaders, have evolved their lifestyles since the 1950s when people were coming to Maine to live on the land in large numbers.

With struggles within the lobster industry due to oversupply of lobsters, lobstermen thought of collective action. Bram Sable-Smith highlights the work that Arbus Ames put forward to start the Maine Lobstering Union, which would allow them to speak about the value of their catches and get a fair living wage.

Fleeing Iraq because of their cooperation with American forces, former interpreters have found a new home in Maine. Genevieve Lysen documents the lives of Iraqis living in Maine, and discusses the difficulties they face here in America finding work.

Fleeing Iraq because of their cooperation with American forces, former interpreters have found a new home in Maine. Kirk Torregrossa captures the lives of Iraqis living in Maine.

Located in downtown Biddeford, the Maine Energy Recovery Company destroys waste with its incinerators. Samuel Allison investigates how MERC impacts the communities that surrounds it, and what has been done against MERC.