Shore to Summit: News releases from around the MDI region
Aug 08, 2025
The Bar Harbor Story is generously sponsored by Acadia Shops.
A QUICK NOTE FROM US:
Each week, we compile briefs and press releases and event images and share them all in one (sometimes very long) story. You may have to click through to read it all
Our briefs article is mostly just press releases that we don’t write, or claim to write, but just share from the agencies, businesses, people, and organizations that send them in.
If things are not a press release, they are labelled “BRIEF” in their headlines. The press releases will not have that label. Also, if you or your organization has something you’d like us to share, just email us here.
DURLIN LUNT RETIREMENT CELEBRATION
MOUNT DESERT—A retirement party has been set for outgoing town manager Durlin Lunt who will be retiring from the position this August. The town is undergoing a search for Lunt’s replacement. Lunt said on Friday that there would be an agenda item at an upcoming selectboard meeting about him possibly being appointed interim.
The party is set for August 22 and will be from 4-6 p.m. at the Neighborhood House on 1 Kimball Street. All are invited.
“Few will have the opportunity to help shape and influence policies and procedures that will guide their community for a generation or more. I have been blessed with this privilege for fifteen years and that it took place in my hometown makes the return to the community as a private citizen even more rewarding. Although we face severe challenges in the years ahead there is no doubt in my mind that we are on an upward trajectory,” Durlin said in February.
WATER AND WASTEWATER BILL DUE DATE EXTENDED
BAR HARBOR—The due date for the most recent quarterly water and sewer bill has been extended by 10 days to August 21, 2025. This extension accounts for recent municipal office closures and any inconvenience they may have caused in forwarding payments.”
BAR HARBOR FOOD PANTRY HOUSEWARMING
Rooted in Community: First National Bank Invests in MDI Hospital’s Campus Improvement Project
First National Bank Donates $250,000 to Improve Community Health
BAR HARBOR—Mount Desert Island Hospital is honored to celebrate a generous $250,000 gift from First National Bank to the hospital’s Campus Improvement Project. This significant investment in the health and well-being of the MDI region will help fund critical improvements to MDI Hospital’s main campus, including a new modernized, climate-resilient Emergency Department designed to deliver lifesaving care when it matters most.
“For more than a century, First National Bank and MDI Hospital have stood side by side as community pillars,” said Christina Maguire, President and CEO of MDI Hospital. “This generous gift is not only a reflection of that longstanding partnership, it is an investment in the health of our families, our neighbors, and the generations to come.”
The Campus Improvement Project will expand and modernize MDI Hospital’s Emergency Department, main entrance, and ambulance bay to improve service for year-round residents, seasonal residents, and visitors. The upgrades are designed to expand access to critical care, improve emergency response times, and provide care teams with the space and tools they need to save lives every day.
“The bond created over 100 years ago between MDI Hospital and First National Bank is as solid as it has ever been,” said Tony McKim, president and CEO of The First. “As medicine and treatment have evolved, so has MDI Hospital as a delivery channel for health and wellness. We are proud to support our local hospital and look forward to the next 100 years.”
“This milestone gift is community in action,” said Oka Hutchins, director of advancement at MDI Hospital. “It reflects First National Bank’s enduring belief in the power of kindness—and their commitment to keeping compassionate, expert care close to home, now and for the future.”
Members of the public are invited to learn more about the Campus Improvement Project and celebrate this community-wide effort at MDI Hospital’s Community Celebration and Building Our Future Campaign Launch on Wednesday, August 27, from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. at the Bar Harbor Club. Admission is free, but space is limited. To RSVP, please visitmdihospital.org/communitycelebration.
MDI Historical Society to celebrate the island community with a free concert & potluck
MOUNT DESERT—The MDI Historical Society has been doing a lot — developing a free digital history tour of the island, offering free monthly programs, developing a new vision for our future, expanding collections, and interpreting current events through a historical lens. On August 21 from 5-7pm at Northeast Harbor’s Neighborhood House, we will thank our members and community while celebrating our successes with a public potluck and performance by historic music ensemble Lyracle. Historic places and spaces help us imagine what life for some people in colonial New England might have looked like, but what might it have sounded like? Find out at this performance of historical music ensemble Lyracle’s program, Musick’s Recreation.
In this program, Lyracle focuses on a few documented viol players in colonial New England as well as viol players who were left out of historical records. Lyracle connects what can be inferred about their varied musical experiences to English repertoire that was likely present in 17th and early-18th-century New England. Celebrate all kinds of local historic music-making: the silly, the serious and everything in between.
The evening begins at 5pm with a brief annual meeting then moves to the music and food from 5:30 to 7pm. The event is free and open to the entire community. Bring a dish to share and register at: https://forms.gle/mRSX6UKndgu21y1r6
For more information, visit mdihistory.org/events, call 207-276-9323 or email info@mdihistory.org
COA Welcomes Two New Trustees
BAR HARBOR — The College of the Atlantic Board of Trustees welcomed the addition of two new members and named a new board chair at their annual meeting July 26.
Elected to the board were Chris Groobey and Andrew Griffiths, both of whom share a love for COA and the college’s mission to prepare students to create meaningful lives, help solve global problems, and contribute to their communities through a human-ecological perspective.
New board chair Cynthia Baker, a trustee since 2018, takes the helm for a four-year term. She steps in as Beth Gardiner, a trustee since 2014, completes her four-year term. Baker, who is Senior Development Director for Duke University and a proud COA parent, lives in Washington, D.C. and Southwest Harbor with her husband Jon Zeitler and sons.
Gardiner was awarded the 2025 Samuel M. Hamill, Jr. Distinguished Service Award by a grateful Board of Trustees at the annual meeting.
Chris Groobey is an angel investor, board member, and mentor to young companies and their founders, primarily in the areas of energy, climatetech, and hardtech. Previously he practiced corporate and finance law for 25 years, concluding his career as an equity partner at the technology-focused law firm Wilson Sonsini. He has served on the board of a public clean energy company and multiple private companies where he is an investor or advisor.
Groobey first became involved with COA through the COA Summer Institute and trips to the college’s marine research stations, and is excited now to be able to contribute to the college in a more substantive and year-round manner.
Groobey grew up in Washington, DC, and attended Hampshire College and the University of Chicago Law School. He and his wife Carolyn lived in Annapolis, Maryland, for many years and now split their time between Southwest Harbor and Miami, Florida. The two are active sailors and boaters, have raced sailboats together for many years (including on MDI’s Great Harbor) and have transited the Panama Canal and crossed the Atlantic Ocean in their own boat.
Andrew Griffiths was COA’s Administrative Dean and CFO from 2004 to 2019, with a one-year interim role as COA’s sixth president before Darron Collins.
Griffiths started his career as an electrical engineer after graduating from Brown University in 1962, but in 1972 shifted gears and left his position at MIT’s Lincoln Lab to help start a nonprofit in the Massachusetts criminal justice system, primarily developing jobs for ex-prison inmates. After financial positions in the Massachusetts state government during the Dukakis administration and then at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, he settled down at WGBH public radio in Boston. He served at this leader in public broadcasting as its Treasurer and VP for Finance and Administration for 25 years before joining COA.
Griffiths lives with his wife Susan at Birch Bay in Bar Harbor. Since retirement, he has been active on several boards, including six local nonprofits and two mission-driven, for-profit corporations.
BASS HARBOR BOOK FAIR
Author Talk with Sara Sligar: Vantage Point
Thursday, August 21st, 2025 at 6:30pm
BAR HARBOR – On Thursday, August 21st at 6:30pm, author and academic Sara Sligar will appear at the Jesup for a reading and book signing of her new release, Vantage Point, about a billionaire family torn apart by a series of deepfake videos. The book tells the story of Clara and her brother Teddy, who grew up on Mount Desert Island in the shadow of their parents’ tragic deaths, haunted by rumors and paparazzi. Fourteen years later, they’ve mostly put their turbulent past to rest. Teddy has married Clara’s best friend Jess, and the three of them have taken over the sprawling, remote family mansion known as Vantage Point. Then Teddy decides to run for Senate—an unnerving prospect made much worse when intimate videos of Clara are leaked online. The most frightening part is, she doesn’t remember filming any of them. Are they real? Or are they deepfakes? Is someone trying to take down the Wielands once and for all?
Everyone around Clara thinks she’s losing her grasp on reality. But she knows the truth: years ago, the curse destroyed her parents. Now, it’s coming for her.
From the critically acclaimed author of Take Me Apart, Sara Sligar returns with another shocking, breathless novel of Gothic suspense. Named a New York Times Book Review Editors’ Choice pick, Vantage Point is a twisted web of family secrets and political ambition, set against the rugged beauty of the Maine coast and raising urgent questions about the blurred lines between public and private personas and the nature of “truth” in our digital age.
Sara Sligar is an assistant professor of English and creative writing at the University of Southern California. Her first novel, Take Me Apart, was published by MCD in 2020. It was a Kirkus Reviews Best Book of the Year and was short-listed for the Ned Kelly Award for Best International Crime Fiction. She holds a doctoral degree in English from the University of Pennsylvania and a master’s of philosophy in modern European history from the University of Cambridge. Her second novel, Vantage Point, was published by MCD in January 2025.
COA Welcomes New VP of Institutional Advancement
BAR HARBOR—College of the Atlantic welcomes Brad Smith, M.Ed as their new Vice President of Institutional Advancement.
Smith is a human-centered, mission-driven fundraiser with 25 years of experience at organizations including senior positions at MIT, The Technion, and Jackson Labs. In 2020 he founded Rootstock Philanthropy, a consulting firm that supports nonprofits across the country. He is also founder of the Philanthropy Network, a dynamic community of nonprofit and social impact leaders on LinkedIn.
“The world isn’t lacking in stuff—we’re drowning in it, frankly—but we are starving for meaning,” Smith said. “What’s exciting to me is the opportunity to connect resources with purpose in a way that actually changes lives. That’s what we’re trying to do: build a future we can all believe in, and take responsibility for, together.”
Early in his career, Smith said, he was all-in on raising capital for world-shaping technology, projects that he’s still proud of. He helped secure major funds for fusion energy and cancer research, and helped catalyze MIT’s $240M IBM Intelligence Initiative.
“I believed deeply that technology had a responsibility to fix what was broken: from human health to climate change. But while I worked on a lot of futuristic ideas, the state of the world today has me feeling that the promise of technology might not be realized for a while—or worse, could be incomplete,” Smith said. “I see College of the Atlantic as a place that educates people who go out into the world with a very different perspective, and who understand their role and our collective impact on the planet. And to me, that’s a gift to the world. It feels like an impactful, tangible, immediate difference we are making.”
Smith has spent most of his life in Maine, and along with his wife Peg has raised his two daughters in Cumberland. He believes in transparency, integrity, and promoting authentic human interaction.
“We are so excited to have Brad Smith join us here at College of the Atlantic. His decades of fundraising experience, matched with his desire to be part of an institution that, as he said, educates people who go out into the world as stewards for environmental and social justice, make it clear that he is the right person to serve the college and lead us in the coming years,” said COA President Sylvia Torti.
Smith takes the lead in COA’s advancement department on the departure of Dean of Institutional Advancement Shawn Keeley, who remains with the college as the Executive Director of the COA Summer Institute, a newly formed position made possible by philanthropic funding.
Conserving Maine Woodlands, with Love
BAR HARBOR—Maine conservation leader and author Karin Tilberg discusses her new book, Loving the North Woods: 25 Years of Historic Conservation in Maine (Downeast Books, 2024) with COA professor Ken Cline on August 12 as part of College of the Atlantic’s Coffee & Conversation summer series.
The event takes place at 9:30 a.m. at the Davis Center for Human Ecology and online via livestream. A book signing will follow. Registration is required at coa.edu/coffeeandconversation.
Tilberg is an expert on Maine’s vast woodlands and highly regarded past-president/CEO of the Forest Society of Maine. She holds a B.S. in Wildlife Biology from the University of Vermont and a J.D. from the University of Maine School of Law. She has been a strong advocate for the conservation of the North Woods, promoting sustainable forestry, and supporting healthy, diverse local economies. Tilberg has provided guidance on environmental and natural resource law and policy matters to individuals and organizations for decades. Her book outlines the difficult challenges that led to tremendous conservation successes during a remarkable period of activity from 1990 to 2015.
Cline is the inaugural COA David Rockefeller Family Chair in Ecosystem Management and Protection. Before joining the faculty, Cline served as a Judicial Clerk for Federal Judge Gus J. Solomon in Portland, Oregon; as a Staff Attorney for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit in San Francisco; and as an attorney specializing in municipal, environmental, and land use litigation for Calfee Halter & Griswold in Cleveland, Ohio. Cline began teaching at COA in 1989, teaching a broad range of courses in environmental law and policy.
The Coffee & Conversation series features discussions between invited guests and College of the Atlantic faculty members and trustees. The series hosts authors, entrepreneurs, scholars, artists, researchers, thought leaders, and more. Sessions are one hour long, and include a Q&A session. Coffee and pastries are served. Coffee & Conversation events are free and open to the public, but pre-registration is required for both in person and online participation.
HIDDEN BARN BOOKS AUGUST EVENTS UPDATED!
Hidden Barn Books is located in Bar Harbor behind Reel Pizza.
THE CYGNET GALLERY
For a list of events, click through here.
The Cygnet’s August exhibit opened this week!
The August Exhibition opening reception occurred on Thursday August 7, 5-7:00 p.m. and on the heels of the Cynget’s “The Lost Weekend” show featuring May Pang’s private collection of her photographs depicting her 18 months relationship with John Lennon.
Featured artists this month are Dorothy Feeley, Patty Corcoran, Sharyn Paul Brusie, Rick Hamilton, Matthew Russ and Judy Volkmann.
A BENEFIT FOR ALLIED WHALE!
Assembling the Mount Desert Island Geology Puzzle with Duane and Ruth Braun
SOUTHWEST HARBOR—Curious about the geologic origins of Mount Desert Island and how it came to be? Wondering how glaciers shaped its dramatic landscape? Join geologists Duane and Ruth Braun at the Southwest Harbor Public Library on Tuesday, August 19th from 5:30-6:30 p.m. for an in-person presentation, “Assembling the Mount Desert Island Geology Puzzle.” This is one of our most highly anticipated programs of the year—regularly drawing a full house! Purchase your copy of the Braun’s Guide to the Geology of Mount Desert Island, The Schoodic Peninsula, and Acadia National Park, 2024 Edition. Proceeds benefit the Library and the Maine Granite Industry Museum and Historical Society.
In this talk, the Brauns will guide us through the island’s deep geologic past—starting nearly a billion years ago, when what is now MDI was once part of the ancient supercontinent Gondwana, before becoming part of North America. Fast forward to the last million years, and glaciers advanced and retreated across the island at least five times, burying it under as much as 5,000 feet of ice. As the last glacier melted away about 15,000 years ago, it left behind the striking features and deposits that define MDI today.
Ruth Braun, who holds a Master of Science degree from Johns Hopkins University, has taught science, math, and geology at both high school and college levels. Duane Braun, with a Ph.D. from Johns Hopkins University, is a retired Geosciences Professor from Bloomsburg University. He also mapped glacial deposits across 9,000 square miles of northeastern Pennsylvania for the Pennsylvania Geological Survey.
Together, Ruth and Duane have taught geology courses for Acadia Senior College, co-authored a guidebook on MDI’s geology, and Duane has updated MDI’s geologic maps for the Maine Geological Survey.
Don’t miss this chance to see MDI’s past come to life through science and storytelling!
Registration required. https://tinyurl.com/t6k3xcux. 207-244-7065 or email programs@swhplibrary.org.
CAUSEWAY CLUB MIXED PICKLEBALL DOUBLES AND JUNIOR GOLF CHAMPIONSHIP
SOUTHWEST HARBOR—Haddie and Devin Lueddeke defeated Lelia and Jaime Weir in the mixed pickeball doubles tournament that had 19 teams competing.
Devin Lueddeke and Howard Johnson defeated Bob Pooler and Jaime Weir in the final of the Men’s Pickleball Doubles Tournament.
The 2025 Causeway Club Junior Golf Championship was held Saturday. Elias Paulsen is the champion of the 13-17 age group! George Copadis is the Champion of the 12-under age group! A large gallery watched the competition. Elias Paulsen’s great-grandfather (Ray Reed) won the Causeway Club Championship in 1977!
Abe Noyes and Noah Bracken defeated Dan and Westy Granholm in the final of the Mens Doubles tournament. Colleen Maynard and Pam Curativo defeated Amy Brown and Corrine Foley in the Women’s Doubles Final.
SHIFTING FEDERAL BUDGET TALK WITH LOCAL REPRESENTATIVES
August 2025 Exhibit at the Northeast Harbor Library, Judy Taylor’s Portraits; Maine Labor Mural
NORTHEAST HARBOR—This August, Tremont based artist Judy Taylor will display an exhibit at the Northeast Harbor Library about her 2008 mural project on the history of labor and the labor movement in Maine. Some of her portrait work will also be on exhibit.
The mural project was commissioned by the Maine Department of Labor in 2007. Judy worked with historians to research the subject as she developed the mural. She was inspired by the graphic identity of the WPA, an organization born of FDR’s New Deal. Her mural composition includes 11 large panels depicting the working men and women of Maine. The mural took two years of work to complete from idea to installation. In 2013, with some controversy, the mural was removed from the Department of Labor offices and has been in the custody of the Maine
State Museum. It will be reinstalled in their renovated building in 2026. More information about the mural can be found at https://mainestatemuseum.org/maine-labor-mural/
In addition to work related to this mural, Judy is displaying work from other public art projects including portrait commissions from Johns Hopkins and the University of Chicago and other portraiture work. Her exhibit is up for the month of August. There are signed posters from the labor mural for sale, and some of the original work is for sale. A portion of the proceeds from exhibit sales and prints will be donated to the library.
For more information about the Northeast Harbor Library and our exhibits, please contact Kate Young at kyoung@nehlibrary.org or call 207 276 3333. The exhibit is available for viewing whenever the room is available during library hours; if you are making a special trip to see the exhibit, please check availability at nehlibrary.org or call ahead.
Jazz Piano Concert with Berklee Professor at Northeast Harbor Library
NORTHEAST HARBOR—On Wednesday, August 20 at 5:30 p.m. the Northeast Harbor Library will host pianist and composer Laszlo Gardony for a free jazz performance featuring original compositions and reimagined standards.
Gardony’s music is best described as a natural meeting of jazz, progressive rock, European classical and folk traditions, and blues. Winner of the Great American Jazz Piano Competition, Gardony has been noted for his “fluid pianism” by The New York Times and two of his albums have made DownBeat Magazine’s “Best of the Year” list. “A formidable improviser who lives in the moment” (JazzTimes), he has performed in 27 countries and released 14 albums. Gardony is currently a professor of piano at Berklee College of Music in Boston and is on the faculty at Harvard University’s “Jazz Combo Initiative” program.
Register at nehlibrary.org/events or by calling 207-276-3333.
Author Event for North Woods at Night Anthology
NORTHEAST HARBOR—On Thursday, August 21 at 5:30 p.m. the Northeast Harbor Library will host a free multi-author reading from the new book North Woods at Night: Literary Reflections on Maine’s Largest Forest.
North Woods at Night is a lyrical anthology exploring Maine’s iconic forest under the cover of darkness. With each story and poem, readers journey into a world both eerie and enchanting, as 38 writers reflect on the solitude and wonder of the North Woods after sunset. This collection celebrates the nocturnal beauty of a land where shadows deepen, stars dazzle, and the wilderness whispers.
A small group of authors will read their selected contributions live, followed by discussion with the audience. Copies of the book will be available for sale and signing.
Register at nehlibrary.org/events or by calling 207-276-3333.
Bar Harbor Woman Returns to MDI with Textile Art Show at the Gilley
SOUTHWEST HARBOR— Sarah Matthewson is coming home to Mount Desert Island, stitching together her past and present with Memory Flies Home at the Wendell Gilley Museum, the first museum exhibition of her textile art.
Matthewson, the daughter of multimedia artist Carol Shutt and ceramic artist Rocky Mann, was born and raised in Bar Harbor among, as she says “deep red blueberry barrens, granite cliff beaches and pine-draped mountains. She now lives in England with her spouse and two children.
“When I was a child,” she says, “there was a birdfeeder outside our dining room window, white and forest green with a deer antler for a perch. Every morning I would watch as a riot of birds took their turn at the seed: Gold and purple finch, nuthatches, chickadees; constant evening grosbeaks and the rare rosebreasted one, all fought for their space. In the winter snow would cover the feeder and only the chickadees and nuthatches would remain, but when Spring warmed theearth, the birds would return. In this show I’ve been able to explore these birds of my past as well as the beautiful landscapes of Acadia.”
Memory Flies Home includes bird portraits that Mathewson created using an embroidery method known as “silkshading” or “thread painting,” a technique in which thread is worked in parallel lines, using each stitch like thin strokes of a very fine paintbrush. The artist uses both the color of the thread as well as its direction and angle to achieve the desired effect. The show also includes Maine landscapes made from found fabrics using a quilting technique known as English Paper Piecing, a patchwork quilting technique that involves folding fabric over pre-cut paper pieces and then using a whipstitch to fasten the edges together.
She first learned embroidery from her grandmother, and quilting from her mother. From that start, she developed a love of fabric and the memories it can carry. Matthewson is fascinated by how fabric — simple thread and fibers — can be molded and manipulated to tell a story. “I hope when people look at these pieces they feel the warmth of fabric and thread and how it can hold and capture memories,” she says. “I also hope they think about how the cloth they are wearing now; what memories it might hold and how might those memories might be preserved when the edges start to fray.”
Matthewson continues to practice traditional and altered sewing techniques, searching for new ways to express the lost landscapes of her childhood memories and to capture and create memories of her new home in England. “Birds fly south for the winter and then they return, carrying with them the past as well as a promise of the future, a reminder of the many things in life that are cyclical. I like to think of myself like this, gathering up scraps of fabric as I travel through life and carrying them home into my own tapestry of memories, each flash of color or pattern a reminder of where it came from, the hands that touched it and the lives it witnessed.”
Memory Flies Home will be at the Gilley from Aug. 12 through Nov. 1. On Wednesday, Aug. 13, there will be a special artist’s reception for Matthewson and her work from 5:30 to 7 p.m. There is no charge to attend but reservations are requested at http://www.wendellgilleymuseum.org/calendar so the Museum can plan for the correct number of attendees.
Maine Sculptor Interprets Nature in Bronze
David Smus is People-Nature-Art presenter Aug. 12
SOUTHWEST HARBOR – Award-winning Maine sculptor David Smus is bringing his passion for nature and his considerable talent to the Wendell Gilley Museum on Aug. 12 as the People-Nature-Art presenter for August. “I’ve blended a life-long love and inspired study of nature, animals and fine art,” he says.
Growing up around the woods and waters of rural Maine, Smus (rhymes with “us”) has had a close affinity to wildlife since childhood. His fascination with preserving nature’s beauty in an artistic format was fostered during his early years as a licensed taxidermist. He earned a degree in Wildlife Management from the University of Maine, but ultimately surrendered to the call of art and chose it as his true vocation. Beginning as a self-taught wood carver, he specialized in natural-finish birds and animals. From there he transitioned to lost-was bronze. He worked with several master sculptors, and now does mostly limited-edition bronze sculpture and custom commissioned artwork for private, public and corporate clients.
Smus has participated in prestigious juried shows such as the Salmagundi Club in New York City and the Southeastern Wildlife Exposition in Charleston, S.C. His work was used to dedicate the Charles Hathaway Nicholson Park in Boston and – many long years ago, decades in fact, was on exhibit at the Wendell Gilley Museum. He has lectured at the Portland Museum of Art and has won numerous first-place and Best-of-Show awards in competitions including the Maine Outdoor Art Show.
He is noted for evoking a sense that the spirit of the animal is residing in his sculptures. “I spend hours simply observing wildlife and feel like I owe such beautiful creatures the dignity of proper representation,” he says.
Smus, who now lives and makes art in Harmony, Maine, will be at the Wendell Gilley Museum in person to share his insights, methods, and passion for what he does. There will be a 6 p.m. artist’s reception followed by his presentation at 7 p.m. which will be in person and simultaneously livecast. Both in-person and online attendance is free, but registration is required at www.wendellgilleymuseum.org/calendar. Two pieces of his art – a lifesized great blue heron and a grouping of five puffins – will be on display at the Gilley in the weeks before his presentation.
People-Nature-Art is a free monthly series that brings artists, writers, carvers, and creative types of all kinds to the Gilley to explore how nature and art interact in their work, and how their art impacts their own approach to nature. It is sponsored by our friends at Bar Harbor Bank & Trust.
RECENT REAL ESTATE TRANSACTIONS
BAR HARBOR
- Arlene S. Billon, South Paris to Mary E. Miller, Ellsworth, land with buildings and improvements.
- Eric St. Peter, Bar Harbor to Eric St. Peter and Joan St. Peter, Bar Harbor, as joint tenants, land with buildings and improvements.
- Mary Ann Hale, Bar Harbor to Matthew Smith, Clifton, land with buildings and improvements.
LAMOINE
- Anne E. Edwards, Hawthorne, N.J., to Allan R. Salois and Linda J. Salois, Chicopee, Mass., as joint tenants, land with buildings and improvements.
- Cari A. Friedland, Davidson, N.C., to Heung Kim and Eumene Ching, Weston, Mass., as joint tenants, land with improvements.
MOUNT DESERT
- Anthony Dryden Marshall Marital Trust and Anthony Dryden Marshall QTIP Trust, New York, N.Y., to South Shore Road Limited Partnership, Reisterstown, Md., land.
- Amy Elias, Strafford, Conn., to Estate of Kris-tina M. Elias-Staron, Strafford, Conn., land with buildings and improvements.
SOUTHWEST HARBOR
- John G. Treanor, Southwest Harbor to Treanor Management Trust, Southwest Harbor, land with improvements.
SWAN’S ISLAND
- Swancat Properties LLC, Chapel Hill, N.C. to Mary Beth Pope, Pawleys Island, S.C., land with buildings.
TREMONT
- Randall C. Hicks, Savannah, Ga., to Amy E. Peronace, Phoenix, Ariz., Kristina J. Hesse, Phoenix, Ariz., and Justin D. Hicks, Cave Creek, Ariz., one-half undivided interest, land with improvements.
TRENTON
- Coastal Builders & Sons Inc., Hancock to Ronak R. Tilvawala, Winchester, Mass., Rohan R. Desai, Newark, Calif., Yash X. Tilvawala, Mil-pitas, Calif., and Shashank Sharma, Bellevue, Wash., as joint tenants, land.
STATE PRESS RELEASES
ACO Credit Opportunity:
Maine Humane August Public Meeting
Date: August 13, 2025
Time: 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM
Organization: Maine Humane
Location: The Ark Pope Memorial Animal Shelter – 60 Barber Lane in Cherryfield
Instructors: Toff Toffolon, Deputy District Attorney for Hancock County and Chrissy MacFarland, Field Supervisor AWP
Fee: Free
Credit: 1 CEU
This in-person-only, outdoor event will feature two key speakers addressing critical aspects of animal cruelty response and shelter collaboration.
Toff Toffolon, Deputy District Attorney for Hancock County, will discuss animal cruelty cases and strategies for improving case progression in coordination with local shelters. Chrissy MacFarland, Humane Agent Field Supervisor for the Maine Animal Welfare Program, will provide insights on case management, court procedures, and how shelters can support investigations and legal proceedings.
Following the meeting, The Ark will be hosting a complimentary vegan barbecue lunch and offering guided tours of the shelter. We encourage all shelter professionals, animal control officers, and animal welfare advocates to attend this informative and collaborative event as we work together to strengthen Maine’s animal protection efforts.
Registration Opens for Free Pesticide Disposal Events Set for October
Pre-registration required by September 26
AUGUSTA—Do you have unwanted pesticides? Maine’s Obsolete Pesticide Collection Program offers a safe, free way for homeowners and family-owned farms to dispose of outdated or unused pesticides. One-day collection events will be held in Presque Isle, Bangor, Augusta, and Portland this October.
The program is a joint effort of the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry’s Board of Pesticides Control (BPC) and the Maine Department of Environmental Protection. It is designed to protect public health and Maine’s natural resources by preventing improper pesticide disposal.
Key Information
- Event Dates: One-day collections in October 2025 in Presque Isle, Bangor, Augusta, and Portland
- Registration Deadline: Friday, September 26, 2025 (pre-registration required; drop-ins not permitted)
- Who Can Participate: Maine resident homeowners and family-owned farms
- What’s Accepted: Obsolete or unwanted pesticides and spray adjuvants, including herbicides, insecticides, rodenticides, fungicides, and disinfectants
- How to Register: Visit thinkfirstspraylast.org to complete the inventory form and registration instructions
- Note: Registrations must be submitted by the person currently possessing the pesticides. Materials collected on behalf of others will not be accepted.
Why This Matters
Improper disposal of pesticides can pollute soil, groundwater, and surface water, posing risks to humans, pets, livestock, and wildlife. Since 1982, Maine’s Obsolete Pesticide Collection Program has safely diverted more than 250,000 pounds of hazardous pesticides from the waste stream.
Collected materials are transported by a licensed hazardous waste contractor to specialized, out-of-state disposal facilities that meet strict environmental safety standards.
“This program provides safe and environmentally responsible disposal of unwanted pesticides for homeowners and family-owned farms,” said Karla Boyd, BPC Policy & Regulations Specialist. “By participating, people are directly protecting our land and water for future generations.”
Safe Disposal Starts with You
Always read and follow pesticide label instructions for proper use, storage, and disposal. For additional tips, visit the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency: www.epa.gov/safepestcontrol/safe-disposal-pesticides
The draft 2025 update of the Maine Wildlife Action Plan is ready for your review!
AUGUSTA—Maine’s State Wildlife Action Plan (SWAP) provides a blueprint for actively conserving fish and wildlife to help prevent species from becoming endangered and recovering those that are. First created in 2005, the plan is updated every 10 years to periodically evaluate the health of wildlife populations and identify conservation opportunities.
The SWAP is a collaboration of Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, Maine Natural Areas Program, Maine Department of Marine Resources, Maine Audubon, and many other members of Maine’s conservation community who share a common goal of assessing the status of Maine’s biodiversity and identifying conservation priorities for the coming decade.
We encourage you to contribute your knowledge and experience by carefully reviewing the draft SWAP (in whole or in part) and providing feedback using our online form. While we welcome all input, comments that are specific, constructive, or offer potential solutions are most useful. Comments must be submitted by Sunday, August 31 at 11:59 p.m. Public comments will be summarized and reviewed by the Maine Wildlife Action Plan Coordination Team.
Step 1:
Step 2:
Provide Feedback on Maine’s SWAP
USDA Distributes Oral Rabies Vaccine for Wildlife in Northern Maine
Bait distribution aims to reduce the spread of the rabies virus
AUGUSTA—In cooperation with the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention (Maine CDC), officials from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Wildlife Services will distribute oral rabies vaccine (ORV) baits in Aroostook County from August 13 through August 22. This annual late-summer ORV bait distribution is in addition to the spring distribution that occurred this year.
Since 2003, the USDA’s Wildlife Services has worked in concert with the Maine CDC to stop the spread of the rabies virus into northern Maine. The USDA’s Wildlife Services also collaborates with Canadian officials in New Brunswick and Quebec to reduce the presence of rabies across Maine and Canada. The ORV distribution program in Maine is part of a larger effort by the USDA’s Wildlife Services’ National Rabies Management Program to prevent the northern and westward spread of the rabies virus. This effort creates a barrier along the Appalachian Mountains from the Canadian border to Alabama.
Top two bait types are fishmeal-coated cube (middle) and sachet (top) used in this ORV bait drop.
Crews will spread the baits by air in rural areas and by vehicle in more populated areas. Each bait is a fishmeal-coated cube or sachet about one to two inches in size. Humans and pets cannot get rabies from contact with the baits but should not touch or move them.
Studies show that ORV baits are safe in many species of animals, including domestic dogs and cats. While dogs may get upset stomachs if they eat a lot of bait, there are no known long-term health risks. If a person has skin contact with bait, rinse the area with warm water and soap. For concerns about a person or pet touching or eating a bait or sachet, call the Maine CDC’s 24-hour line at 800-821-5821.
Rabies is a virus that infects the nervous system of humans and other mammals. It spreads mainly through a bite from an infected animal. Once symptoms develop, rabies is almost always fatal. Timely post-exposure treatment can prevent disease in people. Approximately 90 percent of reported animal rabies cases in the U.S. occur in wildlife. As of August 8, 2025, 21 animals tested positive for rabies this year in 12 Maine counties. These animals include bats, foxes, skunks, and raccoons.
To help protect yourself and your pet against rabies:
- Keep your pet’s rabies vaccination up to date.
- Feed pets indoors.
- Keep garbage cans or other sources of food tightly secured.
- Do not feed, touch, or adopt wild animals. Be cautious of stray dogs and cats.
- Do not move wildlife. This can spread rabies into new areas.
- Wash bite or scratch wounds with soap and water for 10 to 15 minutes.
Who to contact:
- If an animal bites or scratches you, contact your health care provider.
- If an animal bites or scratches your pet, contact your veterinarian.
- To report a dead or suspicious-acting animal in northern Maine, contact the USDA’s Wildlife Services at 866-487-3297. In other parts of the state, contact the Maine Warden Service. Contact your local Animal Control Officer if a warden is not available.
For more information:
- USDA Rabies webpage
- Maine CDC Rabies webpage
- USDA Wildlife Services: 1-866-487-3297
- Maine CDC disease reporting & consultation line: 1-800-821-5821 (available 24/7)
FEDERAL PRESS RELEASES
More Than $3 Million for Emergency Medical Services Advanced by Senator Collins in Funding Bill
WASHINGTON, D.C.—U.S. Senator Susan Collins, Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, announced that she advanced $3,005,000 in Congressionally Directed Spending for Emergency Medical Services in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations bill. The bill, which was officially approved by the Senate Appropriations Committee last week, now awaits consideration by the full Senate and House.
This funding builds off of the nearly $57 million in Congressionally Directed Spending Senator Collins advanced for Maine law enforcement, fire stations, public safety upgrades, and emergency services in the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, Agriculture and Rural Development, and Commerce, Justice, and Science Appropriations bills.
“Every Mainer should have access to vital emergency medical services,” said Senator Collins. “This funding would provide Maine’s communities with new ambulances, helping to improve emergency response services throughout the surrounding regions. As the Chair of the Appropriations Committee, I will continue to advocate for this funding as the appropriations process moves forward.”
This funding advanced through the Committee’s markup of the FY 2026 Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations bill—an important step that now allows the bill to be considered by the full Senate.
Funding advanced by Senator Collins is as follows:
Bar Harbor Fire Department Ambulance
Recipient: Bar Harbor Fire Department
Project Location: Bar Harbor, ME
Amount Requested: $125,000
Project Purpose: To purchase a new ambulance.
Central Maine Highland Fire Ambulance
Recipient: Central Maine Highland Fire & EMS District 1
Project Location: Howland, ME
Amount Requested: $1,875,000
Project Purpose: To purchase new ambulances for regional EMS.
Town of Waldoboro Ambulance
Recipient: Town of Waldoboro
Project Location: Waldoboro, ME
Amount Requested: $350,000
Project Purpose: To purchase a new ambulance.
Delta Ambulance Purchase
Recipient: Delta Ambulance
Project Location: Waterville, ME
Amount Requested: $655,000
Project Purpose: To purchase new ambulances and emergency medical equipment.
In 2021, Congress reinstituted Congressionally Directed Spending. Following this decision, Senator Collins has secured more than $1 billion for hundreds of Maine projects for FY 2022, FY 2023, and FY 2024. As the Chair of the Appropriations Committee, Senator Collins is committed to championing targeted investments that will benefit Maine communities.
Senators Collins, Daines, Cortez-Masto Send Letter to DOL Urging Support for Rural Veterans
WASHINGTON, D.C.— U.S. Senators Susan Collins, Steve Daines (R-MT), and Catherine Cortez-Masto (D-NV) sent a letter to Department of Labor (DOL) Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer expressing their opposition to a recent change to the Homeless Veterans’ Reintegration Program (HVRP) application. HVRP is a grant program that provides employment opportunities and career training to homeless veterans.
“Under the recently issued notice FOA-VETS-25-01, prospective grant applicants must maintain a physical location within 50 miles of any county they wish to serve. This follows the previously proposed “hub and spoke” model. Both Congress and the first Trump Administration considered and rejected this approach. Congress held public discussions regarding its implementation in 2019 and ultimately decided not to pursue the model,” the Senators wrote.
“The hub-and-spoke model consistently fails rural veterans and creates unnecessary and arduous barriers for organizations that seek to assist them. It is simply not practical for veterans’ service organizations to maintain physical locations in all or even most counties in rural states like ours, which limits the areas they can serve. We hope that you and your Department will take corrective action and rescind this rule to ensure that rural veterans receive the service they deserve. Our nation owes a debt to our veterans, and we must ensure that the federal government is working to get them more support, not less,” they concluded.
The complete text of the letter can be read here.
Nearly $4 Million for Maine Maritime Academy Advanced by Senator Collins in Funding Bill
WASHINGTON, D.C.—U.S. Senator Susan Collins, Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, announced that she advanced $3,970,000 in Congressionally Directed Spending for Maine Maritime Academy (MMA) in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations bill. The bill, which was officially approved by the Senate Appropriations Committee last week, now awaits consideration by the full Senate and House.
“Maine Maritime Academy has a strong record of preparing students for successful careers in the maritime industry,” said Senator Collins. “This funding would support MMA’s efforts to meet the shipbuilding industry’s growing demand for workers and further strengthen Maine’s leadership in this important sector. As the Chair of the Appropriations Committee, I will continue to advocate for this funding as the appropriations process moves forward.”
“Maine Maritime Academy is extremely appreciative of Senator Collins’ support of these projects to help ensure our students have access to the tools and resources needed to succeed,” said Craig Johnson, President of MMA. “The expansion of small vessel training would offer comprehensive hands-on education for highly motivated students interested in shipbuilding careers. Funding to purchase equipment for the State of Maine training vessel would support the capabilities required to provide the next generation of mariners with a world-class education through state-of the art technology.”
This funding advanced through the Committee’s markup of the FY 2026 Labor, Health, and Human Services, and Education Appropriations bill Appropriations bill—an important step that now allows the bill to be considered by the full Senate.
Funding advanced by Senator Collins is as follows:
- $1.17 million to support workforce development through small vessel training.
- $2.8 million to purchase equipment for a simulation laboratory aboard the State of Maine training vessel.
In 2021, Congress reinstituted Congressionally Directed Spending. Following this decision, Senator Collins has secured more than $1 billion for hundreds of Maine projects for FY 2022, FY 2023, and FY 2024. As the Chair of the Appropriations Committee, Senator Collins is committed to championing targeted investments that will benefit Maine communities.
More Than $3.6 Million for Maine Veterans’ Home Advanced by Senator Collins in Funding Bill
WASHINGTON, D.C.— U.S. Senator Susan Collins, Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, announced that she advanced a total of $3,660,000 in Congressionally Directed Spending for Maine Veterans’ Home (MVH) in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations bill. The legislation, which was officially approved by the Senate Appropriations Committee last week, now awaits consideration by the full Senate and House.
“Veterans throughout Maine deserve access to high-quality medical services,” said Senator Collins. “This funding would support important facility and equipment upgrades to veterans’ homes throughout the state, helping to improve health care services for those who have bravely served our country. As the Chair of the Appropriations Committee, I will continue to advocate for this funding as the appropriations process moves forward.”
“Maine Veterans’ Homes greatly appreciates Senator Collins’ strong support for this project and continued commitment to Maine’s veterans,” said Maine Veterans’ Home Chief Executive Officer Brad Klawitter. “This funding would support important facility and equipment upgrades, allowing us to continue our tradition of providing quality care to those who sacrificed for our freedom for years to come.”
Established in 1977, MVH provides long-term care services to Maine’s veterans and eligible family members at their locations in Augusta, Bangor, Caribou, Machias Scarborough, and South Paris. This funding would support needed facility and equipment upgrades across MVH’s locations to provide continued care for aging veterans.
This funding advanced through the Committee’s markup of the FY 2026 Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations bill—an important step that now allows the bill to be considered by the full Senate.
In 2021, Congress reinstituted Congressionally Directed Spending. Following this decision, Senator Collins has secured more than $1 billion for hundreds of Maine projects for FY 2022, FY 2023, and FY 2024. As the Chair of the Appropriations Committee, Senator Collins is committed to championing targeted investments that will benefit Maine communities.
King, Pingree Introduce New Policy Proposal Offering Tax Credits to Working Waterfronts at Risk of Natural Disaster Damage
Bipartisan, bicameral legislation comes on the heels of increasingly damaging storms that cause billions of dollars in damage
WASHINGTON, D.C.—As America enters hurricane and storm season, U.S. Senators Angus King (I-ME) and Bill Cassidy (R-LA) — along with Representative Chellie Pingree (D-ME) and Greg Murphy (R-NC) — are introducing bipartisan, bicameral legislation to offer a disaster mitigation tax credit to working waterfronts located on the coasts and on navigable waterways. The Working Waterfronts Disaster Mitigation Tax Credit Act would provide working waterfronts with a 30 percent tax credit on up to $1 million when they invest in mitigation expenses, adjusted for inflation annually.
Senator King has been at the forefront of supporting working waterfronts as they face the effects of sea level rise and storm damage. This new legislation would ensure that working waterfronts have the financial resources to shore up their infrastructure and prevent the oftentimes devastating consequences of natural disasters.
“Maine’s coastal communities are changing. From a warming climate to an evolving economy, the Gulf of Maine is facing challenges that will define our state’s success for generations to come,” said Senator King. “The Working Waterfronts Disaster Mitigation Tax Credit Act would provide working waterfronts up and down the coast of Maine with the necessary financial resources to adapt to the rapidly shifting dynamics of natural disasters affecting economic and tourism operations. Thanks to Senator Cassidy for working with me to ensure our waterfront businesses have the necessary tools and resources to thrive for years to come.”
“Let’s empower coastal businesses to invest in flood and disaster prevention before a storm hits,” said Dr. Cassidy. “Doing so protects our way of life, fishing and coastal industries, and the livelihoods of Louisiana families.”
“From lobstering to boatbuilding, working waterfronts are the economic backbone of many coastal communities — but they’re vanishing under pressure from development and intensifying climate impacts,” said Congresswoman Pingree. “In Maine, we’ve seen firsthand how vulnerable our waterfront infrastructure is to extreme storms and flooding. At a time when coastal communities in Maine, Louisiana, North Carolina, and across the country are feeling the impacts of an ever-changing and increasingly volatile climate, working waterfronts and those they support need the tools to prepare for the next disaster, not just recover from the last. Our bipartisan, bicameral bill is about protecting jobs, preserving access, and ensuring the future of our coastal way of life.”
“Properties used for commercial purposes in areas at risk of erosion and intense weather systems face unique challenges,” said Congressman Murphy, M.D. “As the representative of more than 80% of North Carolina’s coastline, I understand how tide changes and storms can jeopardize local economies that conduct business along our shores. Ensuring the resiliency of waterfront commerce is essential to our coastal communities and this legislation enables businesses to mitigate the financial costs that come with working in these areas.”
Working waterfronts are comprised of physical property (including support structures over water and other facilities) that provide access to navigable waters to persons engaged in commercial fishing, recreational fishing and boating businesses, boatbuilding, aquaculture, or other water-dependent business used for the purpose of supporting a water-dependent business. The tax credit would be available to any small business that operates a working waterfront. For example, a coastal business owner can use this tax credit to invest in business-related infrastructure to protect property so that it does not suffer damage from rising water and storms.
“Island Institute is grateful to Senator Angus King for introducing this visionary piece of legislation. Maine’s working waterfront businesses will need all the tools they can get; this tax credit will be an important resource for small business owners, many of whom were affected by catastrophic January 2024 storms. This bill assures that small working waterfront businesses can take steps today that will help them to prepare for future impacts of climate change,” said Kimberly A. Hamilton, PhD, President of Island Institute.
Senator King is a longtime supporter of working waterfronts and small businesses. He previously joined the entire Maine Delegation in writing to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in support of Governor Janet Mills’ requests that they treat the multiple devastating winter storms as a disaster event for purposes of damage assessment and federal reimbursement for cleanup. He also has introduced the bipartisan Providing Resources for Emergency Preparedness and Resilient Enterprises (PREPARE) Act to reauthorize the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) Pre-Disaster Mitigation Pilot Program, which would give small businesses the opportunity to take out low-interest loans for the purpose of proactively implementing mitigation measures that protect their property from future disaster-related damage. Most recently, he was named a 2024 Hero of Main Street for his support of small businesses across Maine.
The full bill text can be found here.
Senate Passes Appropriations Bills with Significant Wins for Maine
For the first time since 2018, Senate passes appropriations legislation before August recess
Click HERE to watch and HERE to download Senator Collins’ floor remarks ahead of the vote.
WASHINGTON, D.C.—U.S. Senator Susan Collins, Chair of the Appropriations Committee, advanced significant funding and legislative language for Maine in Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 appropriations legislation that passed the Senate today. Senate passage is an important step in the appropriations process, and the bills can now be conferenced with the U.S. House of Representatives.
The Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies (MilCon-VA) and Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and Related Agenciesbills passed the Senate by a vote of 87-9. The Legislative Branch bill also passed the Senate by a vote of 81-15. These three bills were approved by the Senate Appropriations Committee last month with overwhelming bipartisan support.
“Today’s legislative action marks the first time since 2018 that the Senate has passed appropriations bills before the start of August recess. The MilCon-VA bill would provide significant support for Maine’s shipbuilding workforce and National Guard. By assisting farmers and investing in critical agricultural research and nutrition programs, the Agriculture, Rural Development, and FDA bill would support rural communities throughout the state,” said Senator Collins. “As the Chair of the Appropriations Committee, I am delighted with today’s accomplishment and will continue to champion this funding as the appropriations process moves forward.”
MilCon-VA Bill Highlights:
Local Projects: $9 million for Congressionally Directed Spending projects that support the Maine National Guard and Portsmouth Naval Shipyard.
Power Reliability & Water Resiliency Upgrades: Nearly $228 million for the first increment of Power Reliability & Water Resilience Upgrades at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard. The project would increase reliability, resiliency, and capacity of electric and water utility systems that support nuclear-powered submarines and nuclear support facilities.
Multi-Mission Drydock #1: Nearly $221 million for the sixth increment of the Multi-Mission Drydock #1 at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard.
Shipyard Infrastructure Optimization Program (SIOP): Report language on the SIOP emphasizing its importance and urging the Navy to prioritize the timely funding of public shipyard infrastructure.
GI Bill Apprenticeship Program: Report language driving attention on the underutilization of apprenticeship and on-the-job training under the GI Bill.
Agriculture, Rural Development, FDA Bill Highlights:
Local Projects: More than $25 million for Congressionally Directed Spending projects in Maine.
PFAS Research: $10 million, an increase of $3 million above the FY 2025 enacted level, for the Center of Excellence for PFAS solutions throughout Agricultural and Food Systems in conjunction with the University of Maine.
Potato Research: Maintains full funding for the National Institute of Food and Agriculture’s potato research programs.
Potatoes in School Breakfast: Maintains provision that allows school food authorities to provide potatoes through the School Breakfast Program.
Farm Loss: Includes language directing the Farm Services Agency to provide a report to the Committee on what factors are leading to agricultural production and farm loss in New England, and to include historical and projected data on acreage and crop types.
Neurology Drug Program: $5 million for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Neurology Drug Program to support the development of policies and guidance to keep pace with emerging brain science.
Nutrition: Fully funds nutrition assistance programs that support low-income women, children, and seniors.
More Than $12 Million for Maine Fire Stations and Emergency Services Advanced by Senator Collins in Funding Bills
WASHINGTON, D.C.—U.S. Senator Susan Collins, Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, announced that she advanced $12,265,000 in Congressionally Directed Spending for fire stations and emergency services throughout Maine in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 Agriculture, Rural Development, and Food and Drug Administration Appropriations bill. The legislation, which was officially approved by the Senate Appropriations Committee today, now awaits consideration by the full Senate and House.
“Every day, first responders selflessly put their lives on the line to serve communities throughout Maine,” said Senator Collins. “This funding would help to ensure that Maine’s fire fighters and emergency response professionals have the adequate facilities needed to do their jobs as effectively and safely as possible. As the Chair of the Appropriations Committee, I will continue to advocate for this funding as the appropriations process moves forward.”
This funding advanced through the Committee’s markup of the FY 2026 Agriculture, Rural Development, and Food and Drug Administration Appropriations bill—an important step that now allows the bill to be considered by the full Senate.
Funding advanced by Senator Collins for Maine fire stations and emergency services in the FY 2026 Agriculture Appropriations bill is as follows:
Belgrade Fire and Rescue Station
Recipient: Town of Belgrade
Project Location: Belgrade, ME
Amount Requested: $4,700,000
Project Purpose: To construct a fire and rescue station.
Marshfield Fire Station
Recipient: Marshfield Volunteer Fire Department
Project Location: Marshfield, ME
Amount Requested: $756,000
Project Purpose: To construct a fire station.
St. Agatha Fire Station
Recipient: Town of St. Agatha
Project Location: St. Agatha, ME
Amount Requested: $345,000
Project Purpose: To expand the fire station.
St. Albans Fire Station
Recipient: Town of St. Albans
Project Location: St. Albans, ME
Amount Requested: $1,520,000
Project Purpose: To construct a fire station.
Swan’s Island Fire and Ambulance Station
Recipient: Town of Swan’s Island
Project Location: Swan’s Island, ME
Amount Requested: $1,444,000
Project Purpose: To expand the fire and ambulance station.
Thomaston Fire and EMS Facility
Recipient: Town of Thomaston
Project Location: Thomaston, ME
Amount Requested: $3,500,000
Project Purpose: To construct a fire and EMS facility.
In 2021, Congress reinstituted Congressionally Directed Spending. Following this decision, Senator Collins has secured more than $1 billion for hundreds of Maine projects for FY 2022, FY 2023, and FY 2024.
$6.3 Million for the UMaine System Advanced by Senator Collins in Funding Bills
WASHINGTON, D.C.—U.S. Senator Susan Collins, Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, announced that she advanced $6,300,000 in Congressionally Directed Spending for the University of Maine (UMaine) System in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations bill. The bill, which was officially approved by the Senate Appropriations Committee last week, now awaits consideration by the full Senate and House.
This funding builds off the more than $52 million in Congressionally Directed Spending Senator Collins advanced for the UMaine System in the FY 2026 Commerce, Justice, and Science and Agriculture, Rural Development, and Food and Drug Administration Appropriations bills.
“The University of Maine System is dedicated to advancing the state through an array of innovative programs, projects, and cutting-edge research,” said Senator Collins. “This funding would support initiatives to increase health care training, modernize outdated equipment, renovate facilities, and conduct important research across the UMaine System. As the Chair of the Appropriations Committee, I will continue to advocate for this funding as the appropriations process moves forward.”
“Maine’s public universities are at the forefront of advancing research and workforce development to benefit Maine’s people and economy. We are greatly appreciative of Senator Collins’s support of these projects, which will enable our universities to conduct state-of-the-art R&D in the sciences, engineering, and computing, while simultaneously educating the future innovation workforce of the region,” said Joan Ferrini-Mundy, Vice Chancellor for Research and Innovation for the University of Maine System.
“With the planned renovations to the Ricker Addition building, the University of Maine at Farmington is responding to the dire shortage of trained healthcare professionals in rural Maine. Renovations will outfit new health professional classrooms and simulation labs. The renovated space will provide vital training infrastructure and a pipeline to employment with regional partners in the healthcare industry,” said Joseph McDonnell, President, University of Maine at Farmington.
“This funding would provide much-needed equipment for high-demand health profession programs at the University of Maine at Presque Isle, including our exercise science, medical laboratory technology, and physical therapist assistant programs, as well as the nursing program we partner with the University of Maine at Fort Kent to deliver on our campus,” said Ray Rice, President, University of Maine at Presque Isle. “Training our students for door-opening degrees in these health professions requires modern equipment–from hospital beds to hematology analyzers–that allow us to provide advanced hands-on training, ensuring our graduates are both workforce-ready and able to help meet the future healthcare workforce needs in our region and throughout Maine.”
This funding advanced through the Committee’s markup of the FY 2026 LHHS Appropriations bill—an important step that now allows the bill to be considered by the full Senate.
Funding advanced by Senator Collins is as follows:
Health Care Training Center Renovations
Recipient: University of Maine Farmington
Project Location: Farmington, ME
Amount Requested: $1,900,000
Project Purpose: For facilities and equipment to support a new Health Care Education Center.
Forest Health Facility Equipment
Recipient: University of Maine System
Project Location: Orono, ME
Amount Requested: $500,000
Project Purpose: To purchase equipment for the University’s Forest Health lab.
Modernizing Engineering and Computing Labs
Recipient: University of Maine System
Project Location: Orono, ME
Amount Requested: $2,400,000
Project Purpose: To purchase equipment for the engineering and computing department labs.
Health Care Training Equipment Upgrades
Recipient: University of Maine System
Project Location: Presque Isle, ME
Amount Requested: $1,500,000
Project Purpose: To purchase equipment for the health care profession programs at the University of Maine Presque Isle.
In 2021, Congress reinstituted Congressionally Directed Spending. Following this decision, Senator Collins has secured more than $1 billion for hundreds of Maine projects for FY 2022, FY 2023, and FY 2024. As the Chair of the Appropriations Committee, Senator Collins is committed to championing targeted investments that will benefit Maine communities.
Follow us on Facebook or BlueSky or Instagram. And as a reminder, you can easily view all our past stories and press releases here.
Bar Harbor Story is a mostly reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our work, please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Thanks for being here with us and being part of our community, too!
Thanks for reading Bar Harbor Story ! This post is public so feel free to share it.
If you’d like to donate to help support us, you can, but no pressure! Just click here (about how you can give) or here (a direct link), which is the same as the button below.
You can help us keep bringing you daily and local news
Make a monthly donation
Make a yearly donation
Choose an amount
Or enter a custom amount
Your contribution is appreciated.
Your contribution is appreciated.
Your contribution is appreciated.
DonateDonate monthlyDonate yearlyIf you’d like to sponsor the Bar Harbor Story, you can! Learn more here.
THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING OUR COMMITMENT TO YOUR COMMUNITY
Discover more from Bar Harbor Story
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.