More Than $39 Million for Hancock County Secured by Senator Collins in FY26 Funding Bills
Bar Harbor Fire Department Likely to Receive Funds for New Ambulance, Southwest Harbor, YMCA, the Labs, and others Carrie Jones Feb 12, 2026 WASHINGTON, DC—Multiple organizations in Bar Harbor and throughout Hancock County will likely receive Congressionally Directed Spending (CDS) for projects in the upcoming fiscal year. Those projects include the expansion of the MDI YMCA, local laboratories, and funds to help pay for a … Continue reading More Than $39 Million for Hancock County Secured by Senator Collins in FY26 Funding Bills
After Bar Island Death, Bar Harbor Changes Skiff Access for Winter Months
Park is still reviewing the incident Carrie Jones Feb 12, 2026 BAR HARBOR—After two incidents in Frenchman Bay in the last month, the town has changed one aspect of where it keeps a boat during the winter months. One event involved a boat capsizing and sinking on its mooring. The other was when a young Maryland man died off Bar Island, which is part of … Continue reading After Bar Island Death, Bar Harbor Changes Skiff Access for Winter Months
Judge Orders $47K in Fines Over Unregistered Bar Harbor Short-Term Rental
Former Council Candidate Loses Short-Term Rental Case in Bar Harbor Carrie Jones Feb 11, 2026 The Bar Harbor Story is generously sponsored by the Maine Seacoast Mission. BAR HARBOR—An Ellsworth District Court judge supported the Town of Bar Harbor’s case against a short-term rental owner at 37 Eden Street in Bar Harbor. The February 2 ruling found that Keith Goodrich has “taken no proceedings since such … Continue reading Judge Orders $47K in Fines Over Unregistered Bar Harbor Short-Term Rental
Secretary of Interior Visited Acadia National Park Last Week
Carrie Jones Feb 11, 2026 The Bar Harbor Story is generously sponsored by Choco-Latté Café. ACADIA NATIONAL PARK—The Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum visited Acadia National Park last week in an excursion that involved visiting at least two major park projects and also a meeting with some local officials. “Acadia National Park had the honor of hosting Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum for a visit on … Continue reading Secretary of Interior Visited Acadia National Park Last Week
Former State Senate Candidate Charged with Alleged Vandalism at MDI Preserve
Feb 11, 2026 by Sabrina Martin/BDN MOUNT DESERT—A Mount Desert man who has run several times for elected office is facing a felony charge for allegedly vandalizing signs at a Mount Desert Island land preserve. Ian J. Schwartz is accused of damaging multiple signs and trail markers at a Mount Desert Land and Garden Preserve on March 28, 2025. The damage amounted to $1,000, according … Continue reading Former State Senate Candidate Charged with Alleged Vandalism at MDI Preserve
More License Plate Reader Cameras Are Coming to Maine’s Coast
Bar Harbor Police Chief Speaks to Bar Harbor’s Experience With the Cameras Feb 10, 2026 by Elizabeth Walztoni/BDN HANCOCK COUNTY—Police are installing license plate reader cameras that record plate numbers of passing vehicles at six locations in Hancock County. Bucksport is set to be one of the latest areas in the county joining a local network of police agencies that use such cameras, which are already … Continue reading More License Plate Reader Cameras Are Coming to Maine’s Coast
Bar Harbor Harbor Committee Wants Fewer Members — Here’s Why
Carrie Jones Feb 10, 2026 The Bar Harbor Story is generously sponsored by Acadia Psychiatry. BAR HARBOR—Appearing in cars, in offices, and in the town office, six members of the 11-member Bar Harbor Harbor Committee gathered Monday afternoon, February 9, and unanimously agreed on a couple things. The first is that the group would suggest to the town council that their membership decrease from 11 to … Continue reading Bar Harbor Harbor Committee Wants Fewer Members — Here’s Why
THINGS TO DO IN THE MOUNT DESERT ISLAND REGION THIS WEEK
And in the near future. Feb 09, 2026 The Bar Harbor Story is generously sponsored by Window Panes Home and Garden. 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 … Continue reading THINGS TO DO IN THE MOUNT DESERT ISLAND REGION THIS WEEK
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 Feb 09, 2026 The Bar Harbor Story is generously sponsored by Paradis Ace Hardware. 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 … Continue reading ON THE AGENDA: Town & School Meetings This Week.
People We’ve Lost
Sheldon F. Goldthwait Jr. Lynn Ann Parsons. Kenneth Joseph Salvatore. Lawrence Charles Johnston. Edward Blanchard Jackson. Feb 08, 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 and not behind paywalls or … Continue reading People We’ve Lost