Mount Desert Appoints Assistant Fire Chief as Chief's Retirement Nears. Board also honors trail volunteer Cliff Olson, approves school climate grant, and authorizes salt purchase and new public works vehicle.

Mount Desert Appoints Assistant Fire Chief as Chief’s Retirement Nears.

Board also honors trail volunteer Cliff Olson, approves school climate grant, and authorizes salt purchase and new public works vehicle. Carrie Jones Jun 03, 2026 The Bar Harbor Story is generously sponsored by Restaurant Barn. MOUNT DESERT—A new assistant fire chief is officially coming to Mount Desert. Kyle Stewart is on his way from Utah and will begin working for the town, June 8. The town … Continue reading Mount Desert Appoints Assistant Fire Chief as Chief’s Retirement Nears.

After a Complicated Bid Process, Mount Desert Looks Ahead to a New Skating Rink The Selectboard approved a $1.07 million contract for the long-anticipated recreation project.

After a Complicated Bid Process, Mount Desert Looks Ahead to a New Skating Rink

The Selectboard approved a $1.07 million contract for the long-anticipated recreation project. Carrie Jones May 26, 2026 The Bar Harbor Story is generously sponsored by Viridian Law. MOUNT DESERT—After an extended bidding process, work on the town’s ice skating rink is expected to begin in September 2026. The rink is at the town’s tennis courts in Northeast Harbor. In May 2025, voters in the town approved … Continue reading After a Complicated Bid Process, Mount Desert Looks Ahead to a New Skating Rink

From Trail Builders to Town Budgets: A Meeting About the Heart of a the Mount Desert Community Mount Desert Approves All Budget Articles and Elects Officers While Honoring Cliff Olson and Durlin Lunt.

From Trail Builders to Town Budgets: A Meeting About the Heart of a the Mount Desert Community

Mount Desert Approves All Budget Articles and Elects Officers While Honoring Cliff Olson and Durlin Lunt. Carrie Jones May 06, 2026 The Bar Harbor Story is generously sponsored by Paradis Ace Hardware. MOUNT DESERT—Cliff Olson spent his entire life working behind the scenes, making people’s lives better, but on Tuesday during the Mount Desert Town Meeting in the Neighborhood House Hall, his image—along with his wife … Continue reading From Trail Builders to Town Budgets: A Meeting About the Heart of a the Mount Desert Community

Mount Desert Election and Town Meeting Coming Up!

Mount Desert Election and Town Meeting Coming Up!

Carrie Jones Apr 25, 2026 The Bar Harbor Story is generously sponsored by Restaurant Barn. MOUNT DESERT — Mount Desert voters have a chance to support town officials in multiple uncontested races, Monday, May 4 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Voting on those candidates happens May 4 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. at the town office meeting room at 21 Sea Street. The annual … Continue reading Mount Desert Election and Town Meeting Coming Up!

Somesville Intersection Camera Is Traffic Equipment, Not Surveillance. On Mount Desert Island, Officials Address Fears Over Traffic Camera.

Somesville Intersection Camera Is Traffic Equipment, Not Surveillance.

On Mount Desert Island, Officials Address Fears Over Traffic Camera. Carrie Jones and Shaun Farrar Apr 14, 2026 The Bar Harbor Story is generously sponsored by Choco-Latté Café. SOMESVILLE—A camera mounted on a pole at a major intersection in Somesville is likely just a camera from the Maine Department of Transportation used to control the cycling of the traffic lights, according to Bar Harbor and Mount Desert Police … Continue reading Somesville Intersection Camera Is Traffic Equipment, Not Surveillance.

The Most Expensive Street in Maine Is on Mount Desert Island.

The Most Expensive Street in Maine Is on Mount Desert Island.

Apr 10, 2026 by Kathleen O’Brien/BDN MOUNT DESERT—One residential road on Mount Desert Island could hold the title as the most expensive stretch of the state. Cooksey Drive in Mount Desert’s exclusive Seal Harbor neighborhood is home to 25 properties, the assessed value of which totals more than $128 million, according to the town’s property records. “Our town just topped $3 billion in assessed value last … Continue reading The Most Expensive Street in Maine Is on Mount Desert Island.

9 99+ Mount Desert Residents Urge Changes to Parking Policies. Selectboard will hold another listening session in May.

Mount Desert Residents Urge Changes to Parking Policies.

Selectboard will hold another listening session in May. Carrie Jones Apr 08, 2026 The Bar Harbor Story is generously sponsored by Window Panes Home and Garden. MOUNT DESERT—Mount Desert may rethink parking rules after residents warned that crowded streets, blocked sidewalks, and limited enforcement are creating growing safety concerns. “We’re happy to police any way that the community wants us to police,” Bar Harbor and Mount … Continue reading Mount Desert Residents Urge Changes to Parking Policies.

Value of Billionaire’s MDI Estate Grows as Construction Continues on Former Rockefeller Property

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

Owner of Seal Harbor Mansion Slashes Price by $10M and Still Has Not Found a Buyer

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

Potholes, Delays, and Uncertainty: Many MDI Road Issues Persist Without Immediate Fixes. Technical Glitch Is Shortening Timeline for Seawall Road Repairs.

Potholes, Delays, and Uncertainty: Many MDI Road Issues Persist Without Immediate Fixes.

Technical Glitch Is Shortening Timeline for Seawall Road Repairs. Carrie Jones Mar 25, 2026 The Bar Harbor Story is generously sponsored by the Maine Seacoast Mission. MOUNT DESERT ISLAND REGION—There aren’t any big paving projects planned by Maine Department of Transportation (DOT) in the Mount Desert Island region for this year, but that doesn’t mean that the department doesn’t have projects scheduled for the future or … Continue reading Potholes, Delays, and Uncertainty: Many MDI Road Issues Persist Without Immediate Fixes.