Letter From a Reader
Bill Dohmen. Apr 05, 2026 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR POLICY We always welcome letter submissions to The Bar Harbor Story. For details on our policy, please visit our about page and scroll down or just visit here. As with all newspapers, the beliefs, opinions, and viewpoints expressed by the writers of letters to the editor and included here do not necessarily reflect the beliefs, opinions, and viewpoints or official … Continue reading Letter From a Reader
People We’ve Lost
Kyle William Spruce. Donald Milton Stover. Jeanette Lounder. Elaine B. Dunbar. Alice J Brown. Benjamin E. Grant. David George. 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
“I Thought That Today I Might Die.” The Lockdown Was a Hoax, but For Many the Fear Was Real at MDI High School
Call Linked to Nationwide Hoaxes Triggers Lockdown and Raises Communication Questions Carrie Jones Apr 04, 2026 BAR HARBOR—Though Friday’s lockdown of the Mount Desert Island High School turned out to be a hoax, for many of the students and faculty, the staff and the parents, it still had emotional and psychological impacts. The school is not alone. According to Bar Harbor and Mount Desert Police Chief David … Continue reading “I Thought That Today I Might Die.” The Lockdown Was a Hoax, but For Many the Fear Was Real at MDI High School
Value of Billionaire’s MDI Estate Grows as Construction Continues on Former Rockefeller Property
Apr 04, 2026 by Kathleen O’Brien/BDN MOUNT DESERT—The value of a billionaire’s compound in an exclusive Mount Desert neighborhood has jumped significantly as renovations on the site continue, hinting at what’s underway at the multimillion-dollar property. Mitchell Rales, a minority owner of the Washington Commanders, bought a nearly 15-acre oceanfront property on Mount Desert’s Cooksey Drive in January 2018 for $19 million. The site, called Ringing … Continue reading Value of Billionaire’s MDI Estate Grows as Construction Continues on Former Rockefeller Property
Why You Might See Giant Snap Peas at Grocery Stores This Weekend.
Giant Fruits, Big Goal: The 15th Annual Hancock County Food Drive Aims for 120,000 Meals. Carrie Jones Apr 03, 2026 HANCOCK COUNTY—If you see some human-sized grapes or snap peas while out shopping Saturday, April 4, do not worry that you’re hallucinating. Hoping to help continue providing food for those who need it, the 15th Annual Hancock County Food Drive kicks off Saturday, April 4. … Continue reading Why You Might See Giant Snap Peas at Grocery Stores This Weekend.
“All Students Safe.”
Hoax Threat Prompts Heavy Police Presence at MDI High School Carrie Jones and Shaun Farrar Apr 03, 2026 The Bar Harbor Story is generously sponsored by Havana. BAR HARBOR—Mount Desert Island High School spent the morning in lockdown, the result of an apparent hoax that was called in via phone where the caller said that there was a man with an assault rifle outside the school. “MDIHS was … Continue reading “All Students Safe.”
New Housing Complex for Acadia’s Seasonal Employees Won’t Open This Summer
Apr 03, 2026 by Sabrina Martin/BDN ACADIA NATIONAL PARK—A new housing complex for Acadia National Park employees that has been under construction since 2024 will not be open this summer for seasonal staff. Harden Farm, an apartment complex in Bar Harbor that currently holds eight one-bedroom units, is being renovated to add 56 beds for seasonal employees. The eight existing apartments that have been at the … Continue reading New Housing Complex for Acadia’s Seasonal Employees Won’t Open This Summer
Tremont to Hold Two Public Hearings on April 6.
Proposed public safety building and potential deer hunt will both be on the May 11 ballot. Shaun Farrar Apr 02, 2026 The Bar Harbor Story is generously sponsored by the Maine Seacoast Mission. TREMONT—On Monday, April 6, the Tremont Select Board will hold two public hearings on issues that voters will have to decide to support, or not, on May 11. That day is the town’s … Continue reading Tremont to Hold Two Public Hearings on April 6.
How MDI’s Show Choirs Turn Storytelling Into State Championships.
Give them the chance and they rise to it. Carrie Jones Apr 02, 2026 The Bar Harbor Story is generously sponsored by Edward Jones Financial Advisor: Elise N. Frank. MOUNT DESERT ISLAND REGION—This past weekend, some top performers brought some big prizes back to their schools. The Mount Desert Island High School Show Choir brought back state-championship gold from the Maine State Music Festival finals held … Continue reading How MDI’s Show Choirs Turn Storytelling Into State Championships.
Owner of Seal Harbor Mansion Slashes Price by $10M and Still Has Not Found a Buyer
Apr 02, 2026 by Kathleen O’Brien of the Bangor Daily News MOUNT DESERT—A multimillion-dollar Mount Desert mansion hasn’t sold in four years despite staggering price cuts that have slashed the cost by nearly half. Built in 1988, the 10-bedroom, 11-bathroom estate is perched on a cliff near the southern tip of Mount Desert Island’s Seal Harbor neighborhood. The sprawling home offers nearly 10,200 square feet of living space and … Continue reading Owner of Seal Harbor Mansion Slashes Price by $10M and Still Has Not Found a Buyer