And a new way to get information into the world

Carrie Jones and Shaun Farrar

Dec 10, 2025

Hi!

This is Shaun and Carrie and this is not a news article.

We just wanted to give you a quick update about what’s going on at the Bar Harbor Story and why Carrie is burnt out right now. Shaun’s holding strong because he’s a show-off like that.

First off, thank you so much for your support in words, in shares, and financially. It means everything to us and keeps us going.

So, our big things are:

We are still building the Acadia Adventures website, which is here.

We’re adding Frenchboro as a town we’re covering, which was a request from a couple of people there.

But the biggest thing that we’re doing is we’ve built another site on Substack called The Statements.

What’s The Statements?

The Statements is a new Substack publication (like the Bar Harbor Story is) designed for anyone who wants a clear, convenient window into what New England’s leaders say they’re doing straight from the source.

Every day, federal officials and agencies release a flood of statements, announcements, and updates. But keeping track of them means jumping between websites, RSS feeds, and social media accounts. And honestly, who has time for that?

That’s where The Statements comes in.

At The Statements, we collect and post official press releases from:

• New England’s federal lawmakers
• New England’s governors
• Federal agencies
• The White House

No spin. No added commentary. No reporting layered on top. We know! Wild, right?

It’s just the statements themselves, all in one place, so readers, journalists, policy nerds, constituents, and curious humans can see exactly what elected leaders and federal agencies are putting into the world.

We send all the press releases every night in one collated article.

Why It Matters

The Statements exists to make government messaging accessible, transparent, and easy to find.

Every day, congressional representatives, governors, federal agencies, and the White House publish official press releases—announcements that shape public understanding of policy, priorities, and political intent. But these statements are scattered across dozens of websites, email lists, and feeds. Unless you’re a journalist, researcher, or civic super-fan, staying on top of them can feel overwhelming.

Our mission is to simplify that.

We collect and share these press releases exactly as they are issued. No interpretation, no rewriting, no added analysis. We’re not reporting the news; we’re presenting the raw materials of public communication so readers can engage with the source itself.

By gathering these statements in one curated, searchable space, The Statements aims to:

• Increase public access to information directly from elected officials and federal agencies.
• Promote transparency by offering an unfiltered look at governmental messaging.
• Support journalists, researchers, and citizens who rely on official documents to understand policy and political priorities.
• Create a centralized historical archive of statements that are often overlooked or hard to locate once they disappear from agency pages.

We believe that primary sources matter. They reveal intent, shape narratives, and provide essential context long before headlines or commentary appear.

At The Statements, you can read what leaders are saying—literally and directly—and decide for yourself what it means.

Who It’s For

It’s for you …

• If you’re someone who likes primary sources …
• If you’re a journalist who needs quick access to official announcements …
• If you’re a citizen who wants to know what your leaders are saying without sifting through a dozen websites …
• If you just enjoy the strange poetry of government language …

What You Won’t Find at The Statements

You won’t find analysis, commentary, or editorializing. This is not a reporting project. It’s a curated, organized, reliable feed of official communications and nothing more and nothing less.

We hope you’ll join us there if it sounds like something you’re into. If not, no worries! We’re still really glad and honored that you’re here with us at the Bar Harbor Story.

A Little More About The Statements

The Statements will be paid subscriber access only, beginning December 15. It has been published daily since November 24, so there is plenty of free material to look at. The yearly subscription price is $30, which is the lowest subscription amount that Substack will allow us to set.

There will be no comment moderation. We simply do not have the time for that. if you comment on anything published by The Statements, please be forewarned. However, we will look at any comment that we receive a complaint about.

We feel that some of this information is invaluable. If you feel the same or even have a slight interest in it please share The Statements with your friends and enemies. All you have to do is hit the “Share The Statements” button at the bottom of any The Statements article.

The Statements