Amy Manring. Lawrence A. Goldfarb. Daniel Powell Poteet II. Robert Gerald Hersey- “Buddy/Bud.” Dale Roger Fugel. David Earle Keep. Lois I. (Myrick) Crowley. Carrie Jones Feb 22, 2026 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 … Continue reading People We’ve Lost
Bar Harbor’s Tourism Economy Faces Big Swings and Big Planning Implications. Carrie Jones Feb 21, 2026 BAR HARBOR—Bar Harbor may feel crowded in July, but to much of the world it barely exists. It can host fifteen thousand people a day at the waterfront in July and fewer than 500 in winter. Those extremes, outlined in a new tourism analysis presented by Australian data consultant … Continue reading Consultant Says Bar Harbor Sees 15,000 Visitors a Day in Summer Peaks. Fewer Than 500 in Winter.
International Transit Route Could Face Political and Financial Headwinds Carrie Jones Feb 19, 2026 BAR HARBOR—As Bay Ferries continues to seek roughly $325,000 in annual funding from the State of Maine to cover piloting fees for the CAT’s trips between Nova Scotia and Bar Harbor, the Canadian government is simultaneously reviewing a final consultant report on the ferry service prepared by 21 FSP Advisory Inc. … Continue reading As Canada Reviews Ferry Contract, Maine Weighs State Support
Residents Warn of Impact on Housing Affordability, Change Still Must Be Approved by State PUC Carrie Jones Feb 19, 2026 The Bar Harbor Story is generously sponsored by Havana. BAR HARBOR—Bar Harbor residents, nonprofits, and businesses who use town water are one step closer to paying more for that service after a split-town council approved a new rate structure. The change comes after a decade of … Continue reading After a Decade of Flat Rates, Bar Harbor Confronts the True Cost of Water
Carrie Jones Feb 18, 2026 The Bar Harbor Story is generously sponsored by Choco-Latté Café. BAR HARBOR—Three Bar Harbor residents stood before their town council, February 17, and explained that they want the town to adopt a local ordinance about U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, ICE, the federal law enforcement agency under the direction of the Department of Homeland Security. The ordinance would prohibit local law … Continue reading Bar Harbor Residents Push to Block Potential Local Cooperation With ICE
Batter Up! Sugar Showdown Serves Up Frosting and Fundraising Carrie Jones Feb 16, 2026 The Bar Harbor Story is generously sponsored by First National Bank. BAR HARBOR—By the time you stepped in out of the wind to head into the Sugar Showdown, your cheeks tingled and, if you’d parked half in a snowbank, your boots were damp clear through; it was the kind of February chill … Continue reading How a Bake-Off in Bar Harbor Is Helping Neighbors Show Up for One Another.
And in the near future. Feb 16, 2026 THINGS TO DO It’s our weekly round-up, and we may have missed some things, so apologies! If you have something you’d like in here, please let us know. Also, you may have to click through to see everything. There are so many things that this email is a bit long for a lot of inboxes. We hope … Continue reading THINGS TO DO IN THE MOUNT DESERT ISLAND REGION THIS WEEK
Majority looks to having state pay for the expense. Carrie Jones Feb 15, 2026 The Bar Harbor Story is generously sponsored by Havana. AUGUSTA—The recent back-and-forth over whether pilots need to be on The CAT ferry has taken a significant turn. Last week, the state legislature’s transportation committee mostly came out in favor of a tweaked bill that still requires pilots on the CAT as it … Continue reading Legislative Committee Divided Over CAT Ferry Pilot Rules.
Could Dropping a Density Rule Help Housing in Bar Harbor? Officials Debate, Voters Will Likely Decide in June. Carrie Jones Feb 13, 2026 BAR HARBOR—What initially seemed like a fast-moving meeting for the Bar Harbor Planning Board, February 4, hitched a bit when it came time to discuss area per family, a proposed change to the town’s rules that govern land use. That phrase—area per … Continue reading With Hopes for More Housing, Bar Harbor Weighs Eliminating One Density Restriction in Growth Areas.
Federal Judge Lance Walker Hears Oral Arguments After Partial Remand Carrie Jones Feb 13, 2026 BANGOR — U.S. District Court Judge Lance Walker heard oral arguments on Wednesday in a partially remanded federal case challenging Bar Harbor’s cruise ship passenger cap, following a nuanced ruling from the First Circuit Court of Appeals. There were 30 attendees via Zoom, February 11, as four attorneys and Justice … Continue reading The Legal Battle Over Bar Harbor’s Cruise Ship Limits Returns to Court
