Jeremy Dougherty. Annlinn Kruger. Mike Reynolds.

Carrie Jones

Mar 15, 2026

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR POLICY

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BAR HARBOR, YOU SHOWED UP.

To the Editor and the Residents of Bar Harbor,

This past winter, something quietly wonderful happened in the heart of Bar Harbor. A small patch of ice appeared, and with it, something much larger — a reminder of what this community truly is.

It started with extraordinary generosity. The Witham Charitable Trust — the charitable arm of Witham Family Hotels led by siblings Christine, Anne, and David Witham— donated the rink and all the supplies to make this possible. Their gift was the seed from which everything else grew.

From there, the Town of Bar Harbor showed what responsive, caring local government looks like. They were efficient, supportive, and went out of their way at every turn — from providing supplies to plowing a clear path to the rink after every storm. They were always there. Town Manager James Smith deserves special recognition for his consistent follow-up and follow-through, as does Bethany Levitt of Public Works for her efficient and enthusiastic support. They proved, again and again, that town government can truly work for its people.

On installation day, the Bar Harbor Fire Department showed up in temperatures that most people would not leave the house in — negative wind chills, biting cold — and spent hours helping fill the rink to get us started. That kind of community spirit is not something you can manufacture. It has to be earned over generations, and Bar Harbor has earned it.

A heartfelt thank you goes to the YMCA and Ann Tikkanen for their steadfast support and genuine enthusiasm throughout the entire project. Their partnership was invaluable — as were the donated ice skates they facilitated for use throughout the winter, and all the water they helped provide to keep the ice in great shape. For all the “I know you don’t need any more big ideas” that turned out to be great ideas … thank you, Ann and the entire YMCA team.

When I was first asked to make this happen, I didn’t hesitate — even though I don’t really skate and have never built or maintained an ice rink. I didn’t hesitate because I knew I could ask almost anyone in this community and they would show up. That belief was put to the test immediately when Tim Rand, Todd Stanley, Anthony Ricardo, Patrick Murphy, and I attempted to build a rink in 30 mph winds and negative wind chills. (If you have ever tried to lay a 70’×90’ plastic liner in those conditions … you have some idea of how questionable that plan was.)

We did it though.

As the ice began to form and word spread, our circle of helpers only grew.

We had the coldest January in nearly twenty years, which gave us remarkable ice for much of the winter. The rink opened on January 6 — and after just two days of use, a warm streak hit. Most of us have long since forgotten that stretch because what followed was one of the finest winters for skating in recent memory. We closed the rink on February 17, having logged 31 skating days out of 42. Had we opened before the holidays, we believe we could have captured even more. That is the plan for next year.

Because there will be a next year. The rink will be put away in the coming days, and while the town continues its planning for the Glen Mary community area, we are already looking ahead — a little earlier, hopefully some lights for night skating, and fingers crossed for another winter like this one.

But the numbers and the logistics were never really the point.

Shoveling snow off the rink became a way to see old friends and meet new ones. People revealed passions and histories I never knew they had. Children from the YMCA stopped by on their own and joined in. Skating became an after-school tradition. Island Explorer bus drivers arrived early for their routes so they could get thirty minutes on the ice. Parents came to teach their kids how to skate. Field trips happened at the ice rink, birthday parties celebrated on the ice. Adults used the rink as a gathering place — a reason to be outside together in the depths of February.

On February 6, the YMCA helped host an evening of music and skating. We strung up some simple bistro lights around the rink and let the music play. At one point, 56 people were on the ice at once. When “American Pie” came on, I looked around and saw smiling kids, laughing teenagers, giggling seniors, and so many familiar, beloved faces.

It was February. It was cold.

And right there — that was it. A year-round community.

That is the beautiful part of this one little ice rink. It started with a kind gift. It continued with the support of the YMCA and the Town of Bar Harbor. And it grew into something that people of all ages came to love. It wasn’t the most glamorous of rinks. But the joy it created is something I am genuinely proud of.

A final, very special thank you to Patrick Murphy and Anthony Ricardo, who spent so many hours shoveling, setting up and breaking down hoses, clearing, cleaning, watering, and snowblowing so that the community could keep using the rink every single day. And to Dan & Rita Farrenkopf, Harrison Spofford, Erin Murphy, and Kenzie Murphy — thank you. To Liam Turner, who built us hockey goals — thank you. And to Peter Bronson and the Northeast Harbor Ice Rink group, for all the guidance and support along the way — thank you.

Bar Harbor, you showed up. Thank you.

With gratitude,

Jeremy Dougherty

Bar Harbor

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SUPPORT FOR PROPOSED BAR HARBOR ORDINANCE ON WORKING RELATIONSHIP WITH FEDERAL IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT.

To the Editor:

I am writing in support of a Bar Harbor Ordinance Proposal to clarify the working relationship between town employees and Federal Immigration Enforcement. Of course, our police have long experience of successfully coordinating with town, county, state, and federal law enforcement. So why do we need a new ordinance? What has changed?

The fundamental difference is that we now have a dysfunctional Department of Homeland Security which has put federal law enforcement agencies in disarray. Inept leadership has created an environment in which experienced officers are instructed to ignore what they have been taught and new officers are inadequately vetted and trained. We have seen the dangerous, disastrous, and deadly results in towns and cities across the nation. Among the victims are local police, officials, and workers who have been sidelined or coerced as ICE and Border Control agents violate the constitutional and human rights of residents and visitors, citizens and immigrants.

With L. D. 1971, Maine has joined other states in passing new laws to clarify the relationship of state and local workers with Federal Immigration Authorities. Now it is Bar Harbor’s turn to locally codify the state law, with some additional safeguards to serve Bar Harbor’s needs. Bar Harbor justly prides itself on being a welcoming town with good community policing. Even under the strains of being a popular tourist destination. All that is not easily created and sustained. And all that is now under threat and at risk. The proposed ordinance will provide legal guidance and legal protections which will benefit all of us.

Annlinn Kruger

Bar Harbor

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WHY IT MATTERS.

To the Editor,

On Saturday, March 28, Southwest Standers, in league with Sweet Fern, Acadia Action, Indivisible, Women’s March, MoveOn, and a host of other local and national Progressive organizations will stand up for Peace, Freedom and Democracy as part of the National No Kings demonstration. We will gather in front of Pemetic School beginning just before 11 AM, and spend our tidy hour bearing witness to the death, violence, corruption, and other multitude of abuses perpetrated by the present administration. We will be joined in a spirit of hope, love, and fellowship in our goal to unite the nation for change. We invite you to join us.

Our weekly turnout has been growing steadily in the year since I first joined a standout, from 10 to 15 of our friends and neighbors, to now over 75. In October, 800 of us stood to protest and bear witness, lining Main Street from Harbor House all the way up to Forest Avenue.

Ok, Great. So what! What does it accomplish other than slow down traffic and possibly create a moment’s amusement on a Saturday morning? Why does it matter?

Simple … It gets results. Since the spring of 2025, empowered citizens have been making their voices heard, here in Maine and nationwide. Because of mass continuous peaceful protest, this has led to almost 150 successful lawsuits curtailing federal infringement on our rights. It has led to a host of judicial injunctions placing restrictions on ICE’s abuse of police power and freeing many American citizens who had been illegally detained and deported. It has led to the State of Maine banning law enforcement agencies from cooperating with ICE, joining over 200 cities and counties across the country. It has also blossomed into the single largest, most diverse mass movement in the Country’s history, with over 8 million people turning out in October to join in a mass chorus of disapproval against a corrupt, brutal dictatorship that is now waging an illegal war against Iran. Most importantly though, It has led to millions of people realizing that their voices matter.

In the end though, even this won’t mean much if you don’t join us. If injustice anywhere is indeed a threat to justice everywhere, we must call attention to injustice wherever we see it, record it, and call it out for what it is – cruel and unacceptable. I hope to see you on the 28^th.

Mike Reynolds

Tremont