People We’ve Lost
Lyta Kathryn Gerhold Seddig; Lorraine Bunker Smart; Mark Sarro; Carolyn Anne Grant; Bruce Sweeney Astbury; Celeste Chick Cram; Ellen Keegan Hersey. Mar 29, 2026 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 … Continue reading People We’ve Lost
Historic Open Hearth Inn Suffers Devastating Fire.
Second fire at the address this week. Shaun Farrar and Carrie Jones Mar 28, 2026 TRENTON—Just over 48 hours after responding to 1147 Bar Harbor Road, the Open Hearth Inn, for a dumpster fire, the Trenton Volunteer Fire Department was called back for a structure fire. Shortly before 3 a.m., March 28, the fire department was dispatched to the fire, located at the inn, which, according to … Continue reading Historic Open Hearth Inn Suffers Devastating Fire.
Val Peacock Is Not Running For Bar Harbor Town Council.
Plus, who has currently pulled papers in Bar Harbor. Carrie Jones Mar 27, 2026 BAR HARBOR—Val Peacock, Bar Harbor’s Town Council Chair, has chosen not to run for reelection this year. She’s been informally telling people about her decision. She’s chaired the Town Council for the last four years during multiple town projects that look toward housing availability, climate resilience, and through some tumultuous issues … Continue reading Val Peacock Is Not Running For Bar Harbor Town Council.
Maine’s PUC Approves Bar Harbor’s New Water Rates
Formal Complaint Ongoing. Carrie Jones Mar 27, 2026 BAR HARBOR—The Maine Public Utilities Commission (PUC) approved Bar Harbor’s new water rates, March 25. The approval came as a group of ten citizens, led by Charles Sidman, advocated against the increases via a formal complaint. Under Title 35-A, ten-person complaints under section 1302 are separate matters from requests to approve rate changes under section 6104, according to the … Continue reading Maine’s PUC Approves Bar Harbor’s New Water Rates
Two Trenton Incidents Wednesday Night Kept Volunteers Busy
Carrie Jones Mar 27, 2026 TRENTON—A duo of calls—including a dumpster fire—in Trenton Wednesday night kept the volunteer firefighters busy. The first fire was at The Hinckley Company on the Ramp Road, which is located behind the Hancock County Airport. The call was toned out as a possible structure fire. “The initial report indicated that cleaning staff detected the odor of smoke coming from a … Continue reading Two Trenton Incidents Wednesday Night Kept Volunteers Busy
Court Decision Ends a Sidman Appeal Tied to Bar Harbor Cruise Disembarkation Violation.
Other cases continue. Carrie Jones Mar 26, 2026 BAR HARBOR—A legal challenge stemming from a Bar Harbor cruise ship violation reached its conclusion, Thursday, as the Maine Supreme Judicial Court denied two counts of an appeal filed by Charles Sidman and affirmed the Maine Business Court’s earlier rulings. The March 26 decision by a panel of justices determined that the Business Court had not erred … Continue reading Court Decision Ends a Sidman Appeal Tied to Bar Harbor Cruise Disembarkation Violation.
National Park Service Is Trying to Pay for Seawall Road Rebuild.
Maine DOT three-year work plan for the Acadia Region Explained. Shaun Farrar Mar 26, 2026 SOUTHWEST HARBOR—The winter storms of 2024 rendered the beloved Seawall Road in Southwest Harbor impassable until July 26, 2024, when six local construction companies finished making repairs on their own, free of charge, to help stymie the issues of lost summer revenue for businesses and increased travel times, especially for emergency responses. … Continue reading National Park Service Is Trying to Pay for Seawall Road Rebuild.
Bar Harbor Warrant Committee Rejects Council Plan to Tap School CIP Funds
Carrie Jones Mar 26, 2026 The Bar Harbor Story is generously sponsored by Restaurant Barn. BAR HARBOR—A proposal to tap school reserve funds to lower Bar Harbor property taxes is facing pushback after the town’s Warrant Committee voted against recommending the move Monday night. At its meeting, Monday, the Bar Harbor Warrant Committee disagreed with several aspects of the Town Council’s proposed budget. However, it spent … Continue reading Bar Harbor Warrant Committee Rejects Council Plan to Tap School CIP Funds
From Ancient Volcanoes to Current Canvas: Joan Vienot Paints the Story Beneath Maine’s Coast.
View the exhibit, meet the artist, and support the library through art sales. Carrie Jones Mar 25, 2026 The Bar Harbor Story is generously sponsored by Havana. NORTHEAST HARBOR—When fine artist Joan Vienot moved from Florida to Downeast Maine approximately three years ago, she began an adventure. “My mission was to paint the rocky coastline; the first task being to learn how to convincingly paint rocks,” … Continue reading From Ancient Volcanoes to Current Canvas: Joan Vienot Paints the Story Beneath Maine’s Coast.
Potholes, Delays, and Uncertainty: Many MDI Road Issues Persist Without Immediate Fixes.
Technical Glitch Is Shortening Timeline for Seawall Road Repairs. Carrie Jones Mar 25, 2026 The Bar Harbor Story is generously sponsored by the Maine Seacoast Mission. MOUNT DESERT ISLAND REGION—There aren’t any big paving projects planned by Maine Department of Transportation (DOT) in the Mount Desert Island region for this year, but that doesn’t mean that the department doesn’t have projects scheduled for the future or … Continue reading Potholes, Delays, and Uncertainty: Many MDI Road Issues Persist Without Immediate Fixes.