Author: carriejonesbooks

I am the NYT and internationally-bestselling author of children's books, which include the NEED series, FLYING series, TIME STOPPERS series, DEAR BULLY and other books. I'm a podcaster, editor, and writing coach. I like hedgehogs and puppies and warm places. I have none of these things in my life.
Letters From Our Readers Ann Caswell. Matthew Hochman. Lynn Gregorski. Nathan Young.
news, opinion

Letters From Our Readers

Owen “OJ” Logue. Rep. Gary Friedmann. Terry O’Connell. Tyson Starling. just now 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 … Continue reading Letters From Our Readers

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People We’ve Lost Gail Joseph Bowden. Dorene Kimball Mitchell. Matthew A Cough.
news, obituaries

People We’ve Lost.

Sharon Kennedy Bukulmez. Kinsley Marie Grubb. Sawyer Lee Grubb. Peter Godfrey. Laura W. Thomas, Eugene A. Strout. Richard “Dick” Gray. Carrie Jones just now “People We’ve Lost” is a feature of the Bar Harbor Story where we share obituaries of people that the island area has lost in the previous 1-2 weeks. We’re doing this because we think everyone deserves to be remembered as widely … Continue reading People We’ve Lost.

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Powerhouse MDI Girls Cross Country Are Northern Maine Champions! State Championship Up Next for Team
news, sports

Powerhouse MDI Girls Cross Country Are Northern Maine Champions!

State Championship Up Next for Team Carrie Jones BELFAST—The Mount Desert Island High School Girls’ Cross Country team zipped to a Northern Maine Championship crown, Saturday at Troy Howard Middle School in Belfast. The win doesn’t just mean that the team gets the Northern Maine title. It also means that the team races again at the Maine State Championship meet next weekend. The championship follows … Continue reading Powerhouse MDI Girls Cross Country Are Northern Maine Champions!

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‘We Are All Stronger Together’: Bar Harbor Chamber Recognizes Some of Mount Desert Island’s Leaders. Stephanie Clement, Bo Jennings, and six other award recipients were recognized for their contributions to local businesses, nonprofits and community life.
news

‘We Are All Stronger Together’: Bar Harbor Chamber Recognizes Some of Mount Desert Island’s Leaders.

Stephanie Clement, Bo Jennings, and six other award recipients were recognized for their contributions to local businesses, nonprofits and community life. Carrie Jones just now BAR HARBOR—Stephanie Clement’s dad came up to Mount Desert Island every summer as a geologist. Stephanie and Katherine, his daughters came here too, learning the granite, playing and exploring on the cracks and slopes, becoming acquainted with the base of … Continue reading ‘We Are All Stronger Together’: Bar Harbor Chamber Recognizes Some of Mount Desert Island’s Leaders.

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Halloween Parade Offers a Joyful Moment Before a School’s Big Move. Ghostbusters, Dancing Librarians, and a Very Determined Little Parade-Goer as Conners Emerson Brings The Treats to Bar Harbor.
features, news, schools

Halloween Parade Offers a Joyful Moment Before a School’s Big Move.

Ghostbusters, Dancing Librarians, and a Very Determined Little Parade-Goer as Conners Emerson Brings The Treats to Bar Harbor. Carrie Jones just now The Bar Harbor Story is generously sponsored by the Bar Harbor Music Festival. BAR HARBOR—Cameras flashed. Phones recorded. People on the sidewalks rocked out as the Conners Emerson School band played “Ghostbusters” as they marched down the streets of Bar Harbor. Kids smiled. … Continue reading Halloween Parade Offers a Joyful Moment Before a School’s Big Move.

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More Than a Charcuterie Board: A Mother and Daughter Build a Business Around Gathering. For Susan Scanlan and Kayla Musetti, Olive & Pearl is about more than food presentation. It's a way to turn a family tradition into a business that celebrates connection and local makers. Shaun Farrar just now Kayla and Susan. The Bar Harbor Story is generously sponsored by Birch Bay Retirement Village. NORTHEAST HARBOR—Food’s ability to be a social cornerstone is one of the founding premises of one of Mount Desert Island’s newest, and perhaps most unique, endeavors in cuisine based catering. From intimate gatherings to large functions, Olive & Pearl creates charcuterie boards that can not only astound the tongue but also the eye. Many would agree that food can bring people together. In fact, culinary delights, and sometimes adventures, have been utilized as the centerpiece for social and business occasions of all kinds for centuries. Often times it even has the ability to start conversation, temper differences, and build new relationships. Settings can vary, from a multi-course sit down meal, a backyard barbecue, or a couple of bowls of chips and dip in front of a television, but the result can be the same. Humans come together, they share food, and the whole process is a catalyst for thought, communication, and a shared experience. Imagined and created by the mother and daughter team of Dr. Susan Scanlan (formerly MacCready) and Kayla Musetti, Olive & Pearl was started in June of this year and has been creating, delighting, and growing since. We gave the two an opportunity to answer some questions about themselves and their new venture. The love, passion, and pride for what they are doing and the fact that they are doing it as a mother and daughter team came through so strongly in their answers that we decided to present the question and answer session in its entirety. The Interview What did you do prior to Olive & Pearl? We’re a mother-daughter team, and food, family, and hospitality have always been a big part of our lives. Susan grew up in a large family in Pennsylvania, where the table was always at the center of everything. There were multiple dishes, little bites, stories, and plenty of conversation. Food was never simply about eating. It was about gathering, celebrating, and spending time together. After living in several Southern states, Susan relocated to Maine more than 20 years ago, and Maine has truly become home. She loves its sense of community, natural beauty, and connection to local food and makers. Professionally, Susan is a registered nurse and holds a doctorate in health administration. She has worked in a variety of clinical, nonclinical, and leadership roles and currently works as a faculty academic director. Building Olive & Pearl has been an exciting creative venture alongside her career. Kayla is also a registered nurse and works in the ambulatory surgery unit at Mount Desert Island Hospital. While healthcare is an important part of both of our professional lives, Olive & Pearl has given us an entirely different way to connect, collaborate, and create something together. Tell us about the business. Olive & Pearl is a mother-daughter charcuterie business centered around beautiful food, thoughtful presentation, and bringing people together. We create curated charcuterie boards designed for everything from intimate gatherings and dinner parties to weddings, showers, corporate events, boat days, and celebrations of all kinds. We think of our boards as more than food. They’re an experience and an invitation to gather, slow down, and enjoy time with the people around you. We’re intentional about quality ingredients, artful presentation, and personalization. Whenever possible, we also incorporate Maine-made and locally sourced products, including cheeses, jams, honey, seasonal produce, and baked goods. What inspired you to start Olive & Pearl? In many ways, Olive & Pearl grew out of something we had been doing our entire lives —bringing people together around food. We’ve always loved creating beautiful spreads for family and friends. There was something special about watching people gather around a table, graze, talk, laugh, and simply enjoy being together. Friends and family began telling us, “You should do this as a business,” and one day, we stopped laughing it off and started mapping it out. We realized we had an opportunity to combine our different strengths and create something that reflected what we both value: hospitality, creativity, quality, and connection. Charcuterie felt like the perfect expression of that. It’s beautiful and creative, but it’s also communal and approachable. At its heart, it brings us right back to where the idea began, a table filled with food and people gathered around it. Do you have a business partner(s)? Our business partner is each other! Olive & Pearl is truly a mother-daughter partnership, and building it together has been incredibly meaningful and sometimes hilarious! We know each other extremely well, which can be both a strength and, occasionally, a challenge. We have different personalities and strengths, but we’ve learned to lean into those differences and use them to our advantage. There’s a lot of trust between us, and we’ve learned how to communicate, collaborate, and occasionally laugh at ourselves along the way. We’re also building Olive & Pearl while continuing our careers in healthcare and education, so we’re taking things thoughtfully and growing the business one step at a time. We all have to start somewhere. One of the most rewarding parts has been having something that belongs to both of us. We get to learn from one another, celebrate the small wins together, and create something that we hope will become part of our family’s story for years to come. When exactly did you launch the business? Recently, in June 2026, we launched Olive & Pearl, turning an idea we had talked about for years into real business. It has been incredibly rewarding to watch something that started around our own family table and begin to find a place within the community. How is it going so far? How do you feel it has been received? It has been going very well, and we’ve been incredibly encouraged by how warmly Olive & Pearl has been received. As more people hear about us, our orders have continued to increase, and we’re seeing growing interest in boards for events and celebrations. It’s exciting to watch something that began as an idea between the two of us start to grow within the community. One of the most rewarding parts is hearing from customers after their events or seeing photos of our boards being enjoyed. Knowing that something we created became part of someone’s celebration is incredibly meaningful to us. Is there a brick-and-mortar location or is it all online? Olive & Pearl is currently an online business. We’re intentionally starting this way so we can build relationships with our customers, learn what they love, and grow thoughtfully. Our long-term dream, if the business continues to grow, is to eventually have a sit-down space where people can experience Olive & Pearl in person. Do you have any future plans if things go well/keep going well? Absolutely. For now, our focus is on continuing to grow Olive & Pearl, getting to know our customers, and becoming part of more celebrations and gatherings throughout the area. Long term, we would love to have our own physical space where people can come together and experience Olive & Pearl beyond the boards themselves. We can imagine a place that combines food, hospitality, creativity, and community. Ultimately, we want to build something that continues to grow while still feeling personal and connected to the people and community around us. Is there an aspect of the business that you really love? There are so many things we love about it, but the people and the connection are probably at the top of the list. We love creating something beautiful, but what really matters to us is what happens after we hand it over to the customer. We picture our boards on kitchen islands, at backyard gatherings, on boats, at weddings, or around a long dinner table—with people laughing, talking, and lingering a little longer. We also love the creative side. Every board is an opportunity to play with color, texture, shape, seasonality, and flavor. We don’t just want to fill a board, we want to curate an experience. And supporting local makers is especially meaningful to us. Whenever possible, we love incorporating Maine-made cheeses, local jams and honey, seasonal produce, and products from nearby bakeries and businesses. It allows us to showcase some of what makes Maine so special. Perhaps most importantly, we love doing this together. Building something as a mother and daughter has given us another way to spend time together, learn from one another, celebrate small wins, and create memories. Is there anything regarding any aspect of Olive & Pearl that you may think is important that is not reflected on the website? One thing that may not always come through online is just how personal this business is to us. Olive & Pearl isn’t something we created simply because charcuterie was popular. It grew very naturally from our family, our traditions, and the way we’ve always enjoyed gathering with people we love. There is a lot of heart behind every board. We think about the people who will be enjoying it, the occasion they’re celebrating, and how we can make the experience feel special. We also want people to know that we care deeply about supporting locals whenever possible. Using Maine products isn’t just about sourcing ingredients, it’s about telling a little story about where we live and the talented people who make and grow wonderful things here. Is there anything that we have not asked that you think is important/relevant that would like readers to know? We hope people see Olive & Pearl as more than just a charcuterie business. At its heart, it’s about gathering. Our goal is to make it easier for people to create those moments when everyone gathers around the table, conversations last a little longer, and people simply enjoy being together. We also hope people see the mother-daughter story behind the business. We’re building Olive & Pearl alongside our careers, one step at a time, and there is something incredibly special about creating a shared family legacy in the process. For us, success isn’t just about how many boards we make. It’s about becoming part of people’s special moments - birthdays, weddings, weekends with friends, quiet evenings at home, or a beautiful day on the Maine coast. If one of our boards helps people put down their phones, linger a little longer, laugh a little more, and enjoy the people around them, then we feel like we’ve done exactly what we set out to do. All photos courtesy of Olive & Pearl. LINKS TO LEARN MORE Olive & Pearl website Olive & Pearl Facebook Olive & Pearl Instagram RECENT PRESS RELEASES AND BRIEFS To see all the press releases, click here. To see our news, click here. For the full archive, click here. All of these are on our dedicated website. Pemetic Students Share Thoughts on Declaration of Independence Pemetic Students Share Thoughts on Declaration of Independence Oct 22 Read full story Fall Festival at the Nor’Easter for Mount Desert Nursery School, October 24. Fall Festival at the Nor’Easter for Mount Desert Nursery School, October 24. Oct 22 Read full story Explore career opportunities where you make a difference for Maine’s natural resources—and the people who enjoy them. Explore career opportunities where you make a difference for Maine’s natural resources—and the people who enjoy them. Oct 22 Read full story Cranberry Isles Comprehensive Plan Committee Oct 22 Read full story Community School Hosts a Pancake Breakfast Fundraiser October 25! Community School Hosts a Pancake Breakfast Fundraiser October 25! Oct 22 Read full story HELP SUPPORT THE BAR HARBOR STORY When we started The Bar Harbor Story, we didn’t know if anyone would read it. But you showed up. You shared. You sent tips. Now—over 400,000 views every month later—it’s clear: people here care about their community and each other. We’ve kept everything free because news should never be out of reach, but every one of our stories takes time to write, and your support keeps The Bar Harbor Story going. If you value our work, please consider a paid subscription, a founding membership, or a sponsorship. It truly helps us cover one more meeting, tell one more story, shine one more light. Even $5 a month makes a difference. Click here to become a one-time supporter now. Thank you so much for being here. Founding member information can be found here. Have questions about sponsorships? Just send Shaun an email at sfarrar86@gmail.com, he’d love to hear from you
news

More Than a Charcuterie Board: A Mother and Daughter Build a Business Around Gathering.

For Susan Scanlan and Kayla Musetti, Olive & Pearl is about more than food presentation. It’s a way to turn a family tradition into a business that celebrates connection and local makers. Shaun Farrar just now The Bar Harbor Story is generously sponsored by Birch Bay Retirement Village. NORTHEAST HARBOR—Food’s ability to be a social cornerstone is one of the founding premises of one of … Continue reading More Than a Charcuterie Board: A Mother and Daughter Build a Business Around Gathering.

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16 99+ A Brighter Future Is Set To Begin at Conners-Emerson. A Look Inside the New School Before it Officially Opens Its Doors. From Leaky Ceilings to Three-Pointers: It’s a New Era at Conners-Emerson.
news, schools

A Brighter Future Is Set To Begin at Conners-Emerson.

A Look Inside the New School Before it Officially Opens Its Doors. From Leaky Ceilings to Three-Pointers: It’s a New Era at Conners-Emerson. Carrie Jones The Bar Harbor Story is generously sponsored by Thrive Juice Bar & Kitchen. BAR HARBOR—People still had to take off their shoes when they entered the new Conners-Emerson school last week. Or they could put disposable slippers over their shoes. … Continue reading A Brighter Future Is Set To Begin at Conners-Emerson.

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After Losing Their Mother to Cancer, a Bar Harbor Family Works to Help Others. What began with an idea Ed Douglas dreamed up in 2022 has become an annual fundraiser for local cancer support and Wings of Eden, an envisioned end-of-life care home.
features, news

After Losing Their Mother to Cancer, a Bar Harbor Family Works to Help Others.

What began with an idea Ed Douglas dreamed up in 2022 has become an annual fundraiser for local cancer support and Wings of Eden, an envisioned end-of-life care home. Carrie Jones just now The Bar Harbor Story is generously sponsored by Coastal Kayaking Tours and Acadia Bike. BAR HARBOR—As you entered Mainely Meat on Dreamwood Hill Sunday, a poster taped onto the wood by the … Continue reading After Losing Their Mother to Cancer, a Bar Harbor Family Works to Help Others.

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Bar Harbor’s YMCA Agreement Leaves School Officials Still Seeking Some Answers. Bar Harbor approved agreements with the YMCA and Downeast Transportation, as school officials still seek clearer expectations for after-school transportation.
news

Bar Harbor’s YMCA Agreement Leaves School Officials Still Seeking Some Answers.

Bar Harbor approved agreements with the YMCA and Downeast Transportation, as school officials still seek clearer expectations for after-school transportation. Carrie Jones The Bar Harbor Story is generously sponsored by Paradis Ace Hardware. BAR HARBOR — With no public comment, the Bar Harbor Town Council approved how it would work with two nonprofits that receive funding from the town through the town’s budget. The approval … Continue reading Bar Harbor’s YMCA Agreement Leaves School Officials Still Seeking Some Answers.

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Town Manager Quashes Glen Mary Pool Rumor Bar Harbor committee discusses future needs of its parks and fields
news

Four Years Later, Glen Mary Pool Has a Plan and Town Funding to Move Forward.

The Glen Mary project now has a design and a funding commitment, though the new layout will be smaller and will not accommodate hockey or ice skating. Carrie Jones just now The Bar Harbor Story is generously sponsored by Bar Harbor Bicycle Shop. BAR HARBOR—Since 2022, the Glen Mary Pool has been officially closed. Now, the town-run area is one step closer to a rebuild … Continue reading Four Years Later, Glen Mary Pool Has a Plan and Town Funding to Move Forward.

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