A Radio Man, a Dog, and a Night at the Shelter. Why Chris Popper Is Sleeping at the SPCA This April.

A Radio Man, a Dog, and a Night at the Shelter.

Why Chris Popper Is Sleeping at the SPCA This April. Carrie Jones Apr 06, 2026 The Bar Harbor Story is generously sponsored by The Witham Family Hotels Charitable Fund. TRENTON—Some people spend Saturday night on the couch, half-watching a movie and promising themselves they’ll go to bed early. And then there’s Chris Popper, who will spend his night in Trenton in a place of wagging tails, curious … Continue reading A Radio Man, a Dog, and a Night at the Shelter.

THINGS TO DO IN THE MOUNT DESERT ISLAND REGION THIS WEEK And in the near future.

THINGS TO DO IN THE MOUNT DESERT ISLAND REGION THIS WEEK.

And in the near future. Carrie Jones Apr 06, 2026 THINGS TO DO It’s our weekly round-up, and we may have missed some things, so apologies! If you have something you’d like in here, please let us know. Also, you may have to click through to see everything. There are so many things that this email is a bit long for a lot of inboxes. … Continue reading THINGS TO DO IN THE MOUNT DESERT ISLAND REGION THIS WEEK.

local meetings ON THE AGENDA: Town & School Meetings This Week. It's our round up of upcoming government meetings. All are public. That means you can go and be involved.

ON THE AGENDA: Town & School Meetings This Week.

It’s our round up of upcoming government meetings. All are public. That means you can go and be involved. Carrie Jones Apr 06, 2026 Every week we document the Mount Desert Island region’s government and school meetings that we know of. Please let us know if we’ve missed something. Also, sometimes things on the town and school calendars are cancelled or rescheduled, so make sure … Continue reading ON THE AGENDA: Town & School Meetings This Week.

Letters From Our Readers Nineteen MDI Hospital employees

Letter From a Reader

Bill Dohmen. Apr 05, 2026 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR POLICY We always welcome letter submissions to The Bar Harbor Story. For details on our policy, please visit our about page and scroll down or just visit here. As with all newspapers, the beliefs, opinions, and viewpoints expressed by the writers of letters to the editor and included here do not necessarily reflect the beliefs, opinions, and viewpoints or official … Continue reading Letter From a Reader

PEOPLE WE'VE LOST

People We’ve Lost

Kyle William Spruce. Donald Milton Stover. Jeanette Lounder. Elaine B. Dunbar. Alice J Brown. Benjamin E. Grant. David George. Note: “People We’ve Lost” is a feature of the Bar Harbor Story where we share obituaries of people that the island lost in the previous 1-2 weeks. We’re doing this because we think everyone deserves to be remembered as widely as possible and not behind paywalls or … Continue reading People We’ve Lost

Was Real at MDI High School Call Linked to Nationwide Hoaxes Triggers Lockdown and Raises Communication Questions

“I Thought That Today I Might Die.” The Lockdown Was a Hoax, but For Many the Fear Was Real at MDI High School

Call Linked to Nationwide Hoaxes Triggers Lockdown and Raises Communication Questions Carrie Jones Apr 04, 2026 BAR HARBOR—Though Friday’s lockdown of the Mount Desert Island High School turned out to be a hoax, for many of the students and faculty, the staff and the parents, it still had emotional and psychological impacts. The school is not alone. According to Bar Harbor and Mount Desert Police Chief David … Continue reading “I Thought That Today I Might Die.” The Lockdown Was a Hoax, but For Many the Fear Was Real at MDI High School

Value of Billionaire’s MDI Estate Grows as Construction Continues on Former Rockefeller Property

Value of Billionaire’s MDI Estate Grows as Construction Continues on Former Rockefeller Property

Apr 04, 2026 by Kathleen O’Brien/BDN MOUNT DESERT—The value of a billionaire’s compound in an exclusive Mount Desert neighborhood has jumped significantly as renovations on the site continue, hinting at what’s underway at the multimillion-dollar property. Mitchell Rales, a minority owner of the Washington Commanders, bought a nearly 15-acre oceanfront property on Mount Desert’s Cooksey Drive in January 2018 for $19 million. The site, called Ringing … Continue reading Value of Billionaire’s MDI Estate Grows as Construction Continues on Former Rockefeller Property

Why You Might See Giant Snap Peas at Grocery Stores This Weekend. Giant Fruits, Big Goal: The 15th Annual Hancock County Food Drive Aims for 120,000 Meals.

Why You Might See Giant Snap Peas at Grocery Stores This Weekend.

Giant Fruits, Big Goal: The 15th Annual Hancock County Food Drive Aims for 120,000 Meals. Carrie Jones Apr 03, 2026 HANCOCK COUNTY—If you see some human-sized grapes or snap peas while out shopping Saturday, April 4, do not worry that you’re hallucinating. Hoping to help continue providing food for those who need it, the 15th Annual Hancock County Food Drive kicks off Saturday, April 4. … Continue reading Why You Might See Giant Snap Peas at Grocery Stores This Weekend.

“All Students Safe.” Hoax Threat Prompts Heavy Police Presence at MDI High School

“All Students Safe.”

Hoax Threat Prompts Heavy Police Presence at MDI High School Carrie Jones and Shaun Farrar Apr 03, 2026 The Bar Harbor Story is generously sponsored by Havana. BAR HARBOR—Mount Desert Island High School spent the morning in lockdown, the result of an apparent hoax that was called in via phone where the caller said that there was a man with an assault rifle outside the school. “MDIHS was … Continue reading “All Students Safe.”

New Housing Complex for Acadia’s Seasonal Employees Won’t Open This Summer

New Housing Complex for Acadia’s Seasonal Employees Won’t Open This Summer

Apr 03, 2026 by Sabrina Martin/BDN ACADIA NATIONAL PARK—A new housing complex for Acadia National Park employees that has been under construction since 2024 will not be open this summer for seasonal staff. Harden Farm, an apartment complex in Bar Harbor that currently holds eight one-bedroom units, is being renovated to add 56 beds for seasonal employees. The eight existing apartments that have been at the … Continue reading New Housing Complex for Acadia’s Seasonal Employees Won’t Open This Summer