The Bar Harbor Story is generously sponsored by Witham Family Hotels.

TREMONT—What do you get when you combine a $4.2 million Aston Martin equipped with James Bond gadgets, its strange theft from an airport hanger, a Florida land developer, family feuding, and a gun that was used to kill a presidential assassin?

You get one heck of a real life mystery that was explained in detail by one of its players this week at the Seal Cove Auto Museum.

Executive Director Mike Staggs stood before the audience at the auto museum, surrounded by historical automobiles and bikes, Thursday evening, looking dapper, white cap perched upon his head, a martini in hand as he spoke his first words of the night.

His eyes met the eyes of one audience member, then another before he said, “My name is Staggs, Mike Staggs.”

The play on movie spy James Bond’s famous line (as well as the dapper costume and martini with two olives, likely shaken not stirred) were a perfect beginning to a talk by Mary Seelhorst, a writer, museum professional, and independent contractor who has a personal relationship with one of James Bond’s famous cars—the DB5 from Goldfinger.

The 1963 Aston Martin DB5 is a luxury car. In Goldfinger and other Bond movies, it’s a car that’s not just luxurious; it’s full of gadgets and spy gear, cooler than cool: tire shredding blades, a machine gun, an ejector seat, and so much more.

In her talk, “The Platonic Ideal of a Sports Car: James Bond’s Aston Martin DB5,” Seelhorst explained the spy-like saga of a car that was part of a court trial after it was stolen from an airport hangar in Boca Raton, Florida, approximately 30 years ago. It was insured for approximately $4.2 million.

“There weren’t a whole lot of cars selling in the multimillion dollar range then,” Seelhorst explained.

The car disappeared and no one saw it for years before lawyer and founder of Art Recovery International Christopher Marinello said that he located the car somewhere in the Middle East.

“In the dead of night on June 18th, 1997, Bond’s original Aston Martin DB5 was stolen from Pugliese’s hangar in Boca Raton airport. The thieves tore a secure gate from its hinges, cut the alarm and fastened a chain to the car’s axel, before dragging it away. Insurance company Grundy Worldwide paid out $4.2 million to Pugliese, and offered $100,000 to anyone with information that could lead to the car’s recovery,” writes Gentleman’s Journal.

The Aston Martin used in the movie was a modified DB4, a DB5, a prototype.

The Bond gadgets were taken off and the car sold to Gavin Keyzar in 1968. He had the gadgets reinstalled.

He sold the car to Richard Loose in 1971. He sold it at auction and Anthony Pugliese III, paid $275,000 for it. Pugliese was a Florida developer. He loved movies. He was a collector of things.

Pugliese is the same man who shot bullets from the gun that killed Lee Harvey Oswald, the man who assassinated President John F. Kennedy, and sold those bullets for $500 a piece.

His brother-in-law, Robert Luongo, exhibited the car in multiple places. One of those places was at a museum where Seelhorst worked.

“He always looked a little rumpled,” Seelhorst told the Great James Bond Car Robbery.

And he may not have always made the right decisions. For instance, Robert took that gun and in what he may have believed was marketing genius was in D.C., had some time, and went to the Capitol building. There, he spotted a senator coming down the stairs. He did not know the senator, but intercepted him, showed him his briefcase and said something like “wouldn’t you like to see the gun that killed Lee Harvey Oswald” and he opened the briefcase.

The senator was Speaker of the House Thomas Foley.

The police swarmed. They confiscated the gun.

“Under the District of Columbia’s gun law, the Ruby gun would have been destroyed if Luongo was convicted of a weapons charge. But authorities decided not to pursue the case,” the South Florida Sun Sentinel reported.

There was a bit of a falling out between the two men whose families went back three generations together to Italy.

Or so the story goes, according to the podcast and the paper. Some believe Luongo’s actions caused a falling out between the men. According to the Orlando Sentinel, in 1992, the gun was returned to Pugliese.

But then the Aston Martin was stolen and it wasn’t found.

“The investigation that followed possessed all the international drama of a Bond film without any of the resolution. Scotland Yard dispatched detectives. The FBI opened files. Insurance companies offered rewards. Art recovery specialists began their patient hunt through the shadowy networks where stolen treasures hide. The theories multiplied like conspiracy novels: the car had been airlifted by cargo plane to some Middle Eastern stronghold, dropped into the Atlantic to claim insurance money, or hidden in one of Pugliese's own storage facilities in an elaborate fraud,” British Classics writes.

Luongo said that he’d always been promised 10% of the car’s worth when it was sold, which was why he’d worked showing the car every day for free. He went to court trying to get that $420,000. Pugliese counter-sued and said that was Luongo was doing was extortion.

Eventually, because of that connection and her work, Seelhorst had to testify about the stolen car and its worth. Was it the most famous car in the world, she was asked.

No, she told them, she believed that car would be the one where President Kennedy was riding in when he was assassinated.

Prior to her talk, Bar Harbor’s Rob Packie, spoke about his own association with James Bond—the ornithologist who summered on Mount Desert Island in Pretty Marsh. Carroll Sargent Tyson Jr. was Bond’s uncle and brought him to the island and influenced Bond’s love of the outdoors.

Having the same name as a movie character wasn’t easy.

“It called a lot of consternation over the years,” Packie said. This, he said was especially true for Bond’s wife, Mary Fanning Wickham Bond née Porcher, when women started calling looking for a dashing spy.

The Smithsonian backs Packie’s story, writing, “The strange late-night phone calls sounded dodgy from the get-go, and James Bond knew it.

“Sultry female voices would ask, ‘Is James there?’ Then came a giggle and a click—not the typical call for the noted Philadelphia bird expert.

“The year was 1961, and neither Bond nor his wife Mary could figure out what was happening until a friend clued them in: Ian Fleming, the British spy novelist, had confessed to Rogue magazine that he’d stolen his 007’s name from the author of a birding book.

“‘There really is a James Bond, you know, but he’s an American ornithologist, not a secret agent,’ Fleming explained in the interview. ‘I’d read a book of his, and when I was casting about for a natural-sounding name for my hero, I recalled the book and lifted the author’s name outright.’”

Showing those connections—to car, to communities, to place, to history—are part of Seal Cove Auto Museum’s mission.

“It’s to tell the story of innovation, ingenuity, technical and social change in New England and America through the development and use of early motor vehicles,” Staggs said.

There are multiple opportunities to do just that this season. Seelhorst’s talk was the first of the speaker series for the summer. The museum is public and open to visitors. The museum will also be hosting multiple Cars and Coffee events on Saturdays. The one today, July 25, ends at 1 p.m.

Its 1912 Crane just won best in class at the Misselwood Concours de Elegance.

LINKS TO LEARN MORE

Seal Cove Auto Museum

Mary Seelhorst’s website

The Real James Bond

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Each week we compile briefs and put them initially only on the website (Substack) and then send them all on Friday or sometimes Saturday if things are chaotic like they have been for us this week.

We do that so that:

1. You get press releases from agencies and organizations and officials, which is a common aspect of a local newspaper.

2. You don’t get 10 (or more) emails every day, which is sometimes what would happen if we separated it all out and sent each press release to you individually.

If you click through to a release that interests you, you can read it in its entirety.

You can always keep up with all the briefs throughout the week by clicking here.

You can see all the past news articles by clicking here.

THIS WEEK’S BRIEFS AND PRESS RELEASES:

LOCAL RELEASES

Past events, previously published this week:

HANCOCK COUNTY PRESS RELEASES (And Sometimes Neighboring Counties, Too)

STATE OF MAINE PRESS RELEASES

MAINE CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION PRESS RELEASES, LOBBYING GROUPS, AND STATE POLITICAL GROUPS.

We’ve had a lot of these this week and this piece is also really quite long, so the releases from Maine’s Congressional delegation are all here (where they always are) on a dedicated POLITICS tab on our site. Releases that are from political entities (State Dems, State Republicans, lobbying groups) are also on that tab.

We also try to share some the local press releases on Facebook, Instagram, and BlueSky, but sometimes we get too busy and when we do? That’s the thing that we drop since we know we’ll share them here on Fridays or Saturdays (and at the end of an article during the week).

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Published by the Trenton Town Office

59 Oak Point Road, Trenton, Maine 04605 / 207-667-7207 / townoffice@trentonme.com

WELCOME to Trenton News! If you are not yet a subscriber, you can subscribe to this free quarterly publication to receive new editions by email. Multiple addresses at each residence are welcome. Please feel free to share this link with others.

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Upcoming Events

• The Trenton Planning Board is holding a Public Meeting on August 12 at 7:00 pm at the Town Office to discuss Short Term Rentals. Learn more in Planning Board section, below.

• Trenton Volunteer Fire Department Pancake Breakfast on August 15, 6:00-10:00 am at the Town Office/Fire Department.

• The Annual Acadia Disposal District Household Hazardous Waste/Universal Waste Collection event will be held at MDI High School on September 19.

• Trenton Butterfly Garden will hold an Invasive Plant Workshop on Saturday, September 19 at 1 pm and a Native Seed Swap and Seed Harvesting Workshop on Saturday, October 17 at 1 pm, both to take place in the Butterfly Gardens behind the Trenton fire pond on 59 Oak Point Road.

First Mentions in the Trenton Newsletter

• The Trenton Timberwolf Community Cupboard Food Pantry

• Frenchman Bay Conservancy’s Jordan River Preserve

• The Trenton Community Trail

Learn more below.

Openings on Town Boards and Committees

• Parks & Recreation Committee: four members

• Planning Board: one member

• Solid Waste Committee: one member

If interested, please fill out a volunteer interest form and submit it to the Town Office.

Town Office News

It’s hard to believe we have finished another fiscal year. We came in at 97% of the total projected budget. It’s nearly time for the 26/27 tax bills to appear in your mailbox. There have been a few changes this year. We were short staffed on and off for quite some time, and are happy to report we now have Skyler Church running the front desk full time.

Community Resilience Partnership

The Town of Trenton was officially enrolled in the State’s Community Resilience Partnership program in April. With this enrollment, the Town was eligible to apply for a grant through the program. The Town’s Community Resilience Committee worked with the Hancock County Planning Commission to submit the Town’s first Community Action Grant, due in June. The Town requested $75,000 in funding to go toward a fire-fighting cistern, to be located on town-owned land in the Business Park. This application request is in line with one of the priorities identified during the Community Resilience Partnership enrollment process, which included community input, “To evaluate the impacts of drought on water sources used for fire suppression, determine whether additional sources are needed, and explore means to secure additional/reliable sources.” The Town will know in August/September whether the grant will be awarded.

To learn more about the Community Resilience Partnership - https://www.maine.gov/future/climate/community-resilience-partnership

To learn more about Community Action Grants –

https://www.maine.gov/future/climate/community-resilience-partnership/grants

Working committee: Janna Richards, Regional Resilience Coordinator, Hancock County Planning Commission; Greg Askins, Maddie Cole, Steve Heckman, Jarod Rollins, Judy Sproule, Jim Turner.

Comprehensive Plan Update

Trenton’s Comprehensive Plan Update is Officially Underway! This summer, Trenton’s newly formed Comprehensive Plan Committee held its kickoff meetings to begin charting the town’s roadmap for the next 10 to 20 years. The Comprehensive Plan is a vital, state-required document that will guide our future policies on housing, land use, natural resources, transportation, and economic growth.

Co-Chaired by Jarod Rollins and Judy Sproule, the committee is made up of 12 dedicated local volunteers representing a wide cross-section of Trenton. The group has already secured critical technical support from the Hancock County Planning Commission, and started assigning “Chapter Champions” to tackle specific town issues.

What’s Next? We need to hear from you! The committee is currently drafting a town-wide public opinion survey and planning a large Community Visioning Session for this October. We want every voter, taxpayer, and business owner to have a voice in what we protect and how we grow. Keep an eye out for survey links and meeting dates this fall, and please reach out to any committee member or CompPlanTrenton@gmail.com if you’d like to get involved!

Committee members: Greg Askins, John Bennett, Aaron Brown, Steve Heckman, Christina Heiniger, Peter Lazas, Chantal Longo-Guess, Ann Luther, Jarod Rollins, Judy Sproule, Mary Turner, Jacob Wartell

Trenton Volunteer Fire Department

Summer Safety & Community Update

As we enjoy these warm summer months, the Trenton Volunteer Fire Department wants to share some important safety reminders that could protect you, your family, and your property. We’ve received several requests from residents for this information, especially following a handful of structure fires in our area recently.

🔋 Lithium Battery Safety

With the growing use of electric bikes, scooters, tools, and other lithium-powered devices, we’re seeing increased fire risk from improper handling. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and U.S. Fire Administration recommend:

• Storage: Keep spare lithium batteries and charging devices outside the home when not in use—a storage shed is ideal.

• Disposal: Take used or damaged batteries to a local retailer that accepts them for recycling. Do not toss them in regular trash.

Charging hazards are real: damaged cells, overheating, and improper chargers can cause rapid thermal events. When in doubt, check before you charge.

🔥 Summer Fire Safety Tips

Grilling: Keep grills at least 10 feet from your house, away from combustibles, and never leave cooking unattended. Make sure children and pets stay back from the grill zone.

Camping & Campfires: Check local fire conditions before lighting any fire. Keep a bucket of water or hose nearby, and fully extinguish coals with water and never burn on windy days.

Swimming & Boating: Wear life jackets on boats, swim only in designated areas when possible, and never swim alone. If you see someone in trouble, call 911 immediately.

🥞 Join Us for Our Final Fundraising Pancake Breakfast of the Year!

We rely on community support to keep our department equipped and ready to serve. Don’t miss our last fundraising event of the year:

Date: Saturday, August 15th
Time: 6:00 AM – 10:00 AM
Location: Trenton Volunteer Fire Station
Cost: Adults $15 | Kids ages 5–12 $8 | Children under 5 Free

Come out early for the best selection of pancakes, French toast, bacon, sausage, scrambled eggs, coffee, and the best of all; good company! Your attendance directly helps us maintain equipment, train volunteers, and respond quickly to emergencies in our community.

Thank you for keeping Trenton safe and supporting our firefighters. As always, if you have questions or need assistance, reach out to us anytime.

Stay safe, Trenton!

LT. Rachel Malcom, Trenton Volunteer Fire Department - Public Information Officer

Code Enforcement

Looking Ahead: Updating Trenton’s Land Use Ordinance

Over the coming months, the Town of Trenton will begin working with the Musson Group to review and update portions of the Land Use Ordinance to comply with recent changes in Maine law, including the requirements of LD 1829.

LD 1829 was enacted by the Maine Legislature to encourage additional housing opportunities throughout the state. The law requires municipalities to review their land use ordinances and make certain amendments to ensure they are consistent with state requirements. Depending on the topic, these changes may affect such things as residential development, accessory dwelling units (ADUs), parking requirements, and other housing-related regulations.

The Town has retained the Musson Group to assist with this process by providing planning expertise, preparing draft ordinance language, and working with the Planning Board and Select Board throughout the review process.

As draft amendments are developed, they will be discussed at public meetings, and residents will have opportunities to review the proposals and provide comments before any changes are considered for adoption.

The Town encourages interested residents and property owners to follow the progress of this project by attending Planning Board and Select Board meetings and watching for updates in future newsletters and on the Town’s website.

Permit Activity

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How do I know if I need a permit?

A: If you’re planning to build, expand, demolish, change the use of a building, or undertake certain land-disturbing activities, you may need a permit. It’s always best to contact the Code Enforcement Office before starting work.

Q: Do I need a permit to build a shed?
A: It depends on the size, location, and intended use of the shed. Even if a permit isn’t required, setback requirements may still apply.

Q: Do I need a permit for a deck?

A: In most cases, yes. Decks are regulated to ensure they meet setback requirements and applicable building standards.

Q: Can I start work while waiting for my permit?

A: No. Beginning work before a permit is issued can result in delays, additional costs, or enforcement action.

Q: Can I cut trees on my property?
A: In many areas, yes. However, if your property is in a Shoreland Zone or another protected area, restrictions may apply.

Q: How close can I build to my property line?
A: Setback requirements vary depending on the zoning district and the type of structure. Contact the Code Enforcement Office before planning your project.

Q: What is Shoreland Zoning?
A: Shoreland Zoning protects lakes, ponds, streams, wetlands, and coastal resources by regulating development near these areas.

Q: Why do I need a permit?
A: Permits help ensure projects comply with local ordinances and state law, protect public safety, and help prevent costly problems later.

Q: What happens if I build without a permit?
A: You may be required to stop work, submit an after-the-fact permit application, make corrections, or, in some cases, remove work that doesn’t comply with applicable regulations.

Angela Chamberlain, Code Enforcement Officer angiechamberlain1001@outlook.com 207-266-9336

Planning Board

The Planning Board (PB) has six members, John Whetstone (Chairman), Lisa Winger, Steve Eddy, Jacob Wartel, Greg Askins and Adam Fraley. We still have openings for another member. If you are interested, please talk with Carol Walsh at the Town Office.

The Land Use Ordinance (LOU) amendment to add Section 4.1.29 Fire Protection under ARTICLE IV. General Standards was approved at the annual Town Meeting on May 19, 2026. This clarifies the fire protection requirements and approvals for new structures.

Also approved at the May Town Meeting was the amendment to the Shoreland Zoning Ordinance to disallow Medium and Large-scale Solar Systems in any of the districts governed by this ordinance.

At the meetings in April, May and June the PB addressed five submitted Conditional Use Permit applications. Four of these were approved and one was denied. The PB is awaiting a revised application on the fifth one.

The Planning Board has begun working on possible changes to the LUO to regulate Short-term Rentals (STRs). At our July 8^th meeting, we presented a list of items for discussion on STRs. We will begin further discussions at a Public Meeting on August 12^th at 7:00 p.m. at the Town Office. We expect to continue STR discussions with a vote on any LUO changes at the annual Town Meeting in May 2027.

We will be working closely with the Code Enforcement Officer, Angie Chamberlain, and the Musson Group, on changes to the LUO to bring Trenton into compliance with Maine State housing development laws.

Trenton Solid Waste Committee News

Mark your calendar now:

The Annual Acadia Disposal District Household Hazardous Waste/Universal Waste Collection event will be held at MDI High School on September 19, 2026.

Residents of Trenton are eligible to bring Household Hazardous Waste and Universal Waste to this event. There’s no paperwork to fill out prior to, just show up with your items. There is no direct charge to householders for bringing their HHW and UW to this event. The towns will pay for the cost of this service. FMI: https://acadiadisposal.org/household-hazardous-universal-waste/

Also, as reminder, you can drop off universal waste (but not hazardous waste) at EMR in Southwest Harbor once a month— the second Saturday of each month from 9am to 1pm. They accept items like electronics, televisions, batteries and fluorescent lightbulbs.

Would you like to join the Solid Waste Committee?

We have an opening on the Solid Waste Committee for another member volunteer. Please reach out to us if you have an interest and/or skills in this area and would like to join the committee: TrentonSWC@yahoo.com

Respectfully Submitted, Your Solid Waste Committee: Christina Heiniger (Chair) Maggie Harling, Martha Higgins, Ann Luther and Ed Meadows

Trenton Timberwolf Community Cupboard

Did you know you can access free fresh produce in Trenton? The Trenton Timberwolf Community Cupboard (TTCC) is a satellite pantry ensuring access to fresh food for Trenton residents in need. This partnership pairs Trenton Elementary’s facility with Bar Harbor Food Pantry’s food distribution. The TTCC is located on the edge of the Trenton Elementary School parking lot, to the left in front of the greenhouse. A variety of fresh produce is delivered each Thursday and community members are welcome to take what they need and leave what they can. Should you have any questions or need further assistance, please email BHPantry@bhfp.org or call (207) 288-3375.

Emily Shubert Burke, Executive Director, Bar Harbor Food Pantry

Crystal DeGraca, Principal, Trenton Elementary School

Frenchman Bay Conservancy

When Frenchman Bay Conservancy purchased the former Bar Harbor Golf Course in Trenton in late September 2023, the team at FBC knew that the property needed extensive restoration. Decades ago, when the Jordan River property was transformed into an 18-hole golf course, trees were cut down, native plants were removed, and invasive plants took their place. The wetlands were drained or filled in, and the tidal salt marsh was dammed and flooded to create a pond. FBC saw the opportunity to remove that dam and open up the tidal channel to restore the function of the salt marsh by bringing tidal flow back to several acres of the Jordan River property.

A healthy tidal salt marsh on the Jordan River Preserve is important to the entire Frenchman Bay watershed! Salt marshes provide vital habitat for many of the early life stages for shellfish and finfish. Many of those species are commercially important for our local economy and communities in this region. “The Jordan River Preserve’s marsh restoration also helps protect the local economy by protecting the harvesters’ access to the tidal flats. Their livelihoods depend on them getting down to the shoreline. Every access point that we can protect is protection for the local economy.” – Kat Deely, FBC Land Protection Special Projects Manager.

Tidal salt marshes reduce flooding risks and guard communities against sea level rise. Marshes give rising waters a place to go – they can hold storm surges and prevent coastal flooding. Healthy marsh soils can capture carbon for thousands of years, while grasses and plants act as natural filters to reduce water contamination.

Frenchman Bay Conservancy is working with State and Federal agencies, and nonprofit partners to make the restoration at the Jordan River Preserve a success. Partners include Maine Coast Heritage Trust, the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, the Maine Natural Resource Conservation Program, the US Fish and Wildlife Service, and The Nature Conservancy. McMullen Landscape Construction and Maintenance has finished removing the man-made dam and tidal flow has been restored to the marsh. Soil has been removed from several streams throughout the property and the natural tidal flow moves through the stream beds on the Jordan River Preserve.

Restored seagrass meadows provide important habitat for juvenile fish and form the base of food production in the Jordan River. The upper grasslands and fields on the preserve are being rewilded with plants, shrubs, and trees native to Downeast Maine. These healthy forests and grasslands will provide corridors for wildlife to travel safely between disjointed habitats and, along with salt marshes, absorb harmful floodwaters and reduce water contamination. Planting and seeding in the marsh was completed in May. Stay tuned for more volunteer opportunities!

The property will soon be home to a one-mile community walking trail built to the Americans with Disabilities Act standards. In the future, recreation, native plant species identification, migratory bird observation, and even winter wildlife tracking will all be possible at the Jordan River Preserve! Frenchman Bay Conservancy’s Jordan River Preserve will provide a place for community members and visitors to our region to get outside safely.

The Trenton Community Trail

The Trenton Community Trail is open to all. This is a 1.8-mile loop that travels through a variety of forest communities in different stages of succession. A spur trail, highlighted in white, leads to a boardwalk and viewing platform that overlooks a native dwarf shrub bog. There are interpretive signs placed along the trail routs and at the boardwalk. The trail is located behind the Acadia Gateway Center at 685 Route 3 in Trenton. Follow the access road past the Gateway Center maintenance building. Parking is permitted in the Gateway Center lot, and the trailhead is located at the turnaround at the very end.

Construction of the Trenton Community Trail was made possible by generous funding from: the Davis Conservation Fund, Friends of Acadia, National Parks Conservation Association, Nature Valley, and the Yawkey Foundation. Thanks also to the Trenton Community Trail Committee and the hundreds of volunteers who contributed thousands of hours or trail work and other labor in support of the Trenton Community Trail.

Photo credit Emily Muise

Trenton Grange Events

For more information about The Trenton Grange, including how to rent the Hall, visit their website.

https://www.trentongrange.com/

Trenton Butterfly Garden

Despite the rain, more than 30 people showed up to the 5^th Annual Trenton Butterfly Festival on July 18. An assortment of butterflies, bees, moths and other insects paraded around the town office, led by a monarch butterfly and three local entomophiles (people who love insects) dressed in inflatable honey bee costumes. Acadia National Park brought a monarch maze, while kids and the young at heart enjoyed corn hole and lawn tic tac toe. Hancock County Soil and Water, Woodlawn, and the Ellsworth Public Library all made a presence. The Trenton Volunteer Fire Department even brought out their fire truck for kids to touch. And over a dozen slightly soggy people came away with sweepstakes prizes in hand.

TBG’s upcoming events will be an Invasive Plant workshop on Saturday, Sept. 19 at 1pm and a Native Seed Swap and Seed Harvesting Workshop on Saturday, Oct. 17 at 1 pm, both to take place in the Butterfly Gardens behind the Trenton fire pond on 59 Oak Point Road. All of TBG’s events are free and open to the public, thanks to the support of the Town of Trenton to carry out the Mayors’ Monarch Pledge. Check out the demonstration gardens along the roadside by the town parking lot and behind the Little Free Library next to the fire pond. For more information, join the Trenton Butterfly Gardens Facebook page or contact trentonbutterflies @ gmail.com.

Barb Acosta, Coordinator, Trenton Butterfly Gardens

Little Free Libraries

Trenton has two Little Free Libraries, one at the entrance to the Butterfly Garden in the Town Office parking lot and one at 424 Oak Point Road. Take a book, share a book, enjoy reading! Thanks to Emily Muise and Jackie Wheaton for setting up and maintaining these libraries.

SOMESVILLE—DRACULA: A COMEDY OF TERRORS, by Gordon Greenspan and Steve Rosen, now playing at the Acadia Repertory Theatre in Somesville, takes the classic vampire tale and turns it into a farcical comedy of the highest order! If you’ve ever wondered what would happen if Bram Stoker’s novel had a love child with Mel Brooks, Monty Python and The 39 Steps, well, this is the show for you! Packed with thrills, chills, wordplay, bad puns, and a hot guy who takes off his shirt, this show is guaranteed to induce blood-curdling screams – of laughter!\

DRACULA: A COMEDY OF TERRORS plays Tuesday through Saturday evenings at 8:00 PM, and Sundays at 2:00 PM, through Sunday August 16^th. You can order tickets online at https://acadiarep.com/ or by calling 207-244-7260 on Tuesdays-Sundays between 12:00PM and 5:00PM.

Also opening this week is the triumphant return to the Acadia Rep of Joseph Robinette’s much-beloved adaptation of CHARLOTTE’S WEB. This classic Maine story, a long-time part of our Children’s Theatre series, has delighted three generations of playgoers, and now stands poised to charm a fourth one! CHARLOTTE’S WEB plays Wednesday and Saturday mornings at 10:30, through August 29th. No advance reservations are accepted for our Children’s Series; first come, first serve tickets go on sale at the Box Office at 10:00.

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Our concert goers enjoyed Mark, Serena, Misha, and Nina, with Todd, playing magically all evening last week. The Brentano Quartet wowed, and a special moment was the Trio in D minor, by Gabriel Faure, featuring Serena Canin, Nina Lee, and Todd Crow, pictured below. Our next concert will be Tuesday, July 28, the Mt Desert Festival of Chamber Musiccontinues its season at 7:30 PM at The Neighborhood House.

Todd Crow, piano, and his guests Stephanie Chase, violin, Dov Scheindlin, viola, Mark Shuman, cello, and Festival first timer, Nina Bernat, double bass will play:

Three Romances for viola and piano, Op. 22 Clara Schumann

Piano Quintet in C minor, Ralph Vaughan Williams, and

Piano Quintet in A major, D 667 (”Trout”) by Franz Schubert.

With NIna’s double bass joining the ensemble, a new range of musical choices is available to Todd, and all of us are excited about hearing them.

Join Us this Summer:

• Venue: The Neighborhood House, NE Harbor

• Tickets: Single tickets available online

• Subscriptions: Passes available for all concerts

www.mtdesertfestival.org

tickets@mtdesertfestival.org

Upcoming concerts, don’t miss:

• August 4, Parker Quartet

  Haydn, Wiancko, Schubert

• August 11, Escher Quartet

  Mozart, Zemlinsky, Dvorak

• August 18, Ariel Quartet and Moran Katz, clarinetist

  Brahms

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HANCOCK—On Friday, July 24, 2026, at approximately 3:44 p.m., the Hancock County Regional Communications Center received a 911 call reporting a motor vehicle crash involving a motorcycle and a sedan on Route 182 (Franklin Road) in the Town of Hancock.

The preliminary investigation indicates that Tyeler Grey, 32, of Franklin, was operating a Buell motorcycle northbound on Route 182 toward Franklin. At the same time, Harold Moore, 28, of Mariaville, was operating a 2025 Hyundai Sonata westbound on Coffin Road in Hancock. Moore began making a left-hand turn from Coffin Road onto Route 182 to travel southbound when the two vehicles collided.

Moore and his two passengers were uninjured in the crash. Grey sustained significant injuries and was pronounced deceased as a result of those injuries.

The primary investigating officer is Detective Rick Canarr. He was assisted at the scene by Lieutenant Dakota Dupuis, Sergeant Kyle Kramer, and Deputy Austin McDonald. Crash reconstruction is being conducted by Sergeant Marcus Downes.

Additional assistance was provided by several agencies including the Maine State Police, Maine Forest Service, Maine Marine Patrol, the Hancock Fire Department, the Franklin Fire Department, the Eastbrook Fire Department, the Sullivan Fire Department, the Sorrento Fire Department, and Northern Light Ambulance Service.

The Hancock County Sheriff’s Office extends its sincere condolences to Mr. Grey’s family and loved ones during this difficult time.

This remains an active and ongoing investigation. No further information is being released at this time.

The Bar Harbor Story is generously sponsored by Bar Harbor Bicycle Shop.

By Makayla Morello of the Maine Monitor

MAINE—Many Maine cities and towns struggle to retain their managers, a growing challenge that experts and local officials describe as a “revolving door.”

These administrators serve as chief operating officers, overseeing daily municipal operations, balancing budgets, hiring department heads, and ensuring essential services run smoothly.

In rural communities struggling to fill government jobs, town managers often shoulder extra responsibilities. Tight budgets and persistent staffing shortages pull them into duties far beyond their traditional job descriptions just to keep their towns running.

In Madison, Cheyenne Stevens serves as town clerk, treasurer, registrar of voters, and coordinator of the Living Well in Madison program. She became town manager July 1 and hopes to eventually delegate some of her other duties.

Other communities compensate town managers for specialized work. In Rumford, Town Manager George O’Keefe Jr. also serves as the economic development director. Under his contract, O’Keefe receives a $17,544 stipend for the extra duties.

Kate Dufour, director of advocacy and communications for the Maine Municipal Association, said multiple factors drive high turnover across the state, starting with an aging workforce.

“Like all other industries, public and private, the workforce is aging out,” she said. “Many managers are retiring after serving one or multiple municipalities for decades. Additionally, managers grow their careers by moving from smaller to larger communities.”

Dufour also pointed to the job’s complexity.

“From knowledge of taxes, public works, public safety, and General Assistance, just to name a few, there are many pressures and expectations placed on municipal managers,” she said.

Dufour added that the manager and municipal staff members remain “readily accessible to the people.”

“With growing frustration with all levels of government, public stress, fear and frustration often target the manager,” she said.

Dufour said municipalities also must recruit realistically.

“Finally, in the process of hiring a manager, the community needs to be honest about what they expect the manager to produce and what they are willing to pay for that service,” she said. “The community and manager must be on the same page.”

Mark Brewer, a political science professor and chair at the University of Maine, echoed those concerns and cited an additional challenge: a shrinking pipeline of trained municipal leaders.

“I see two primary drivers here,” he said. “The first is that for a variety of reasons, the number of trained town managers in Maine has declined significantly in recent years.”

The second, he said, “is that local politics has become more contentious in Maine, with many towns seeing more conflict. Sometimes this causes town managers to leave. Sometimes they are forced out.”

Brewer added that turnover can destabilize local government.

“There can be significant disruption to town affairs and (a) decline in the quality of town services and administration,” he said. “Sometimes these can put the town in legal jeopardy.”

Those pressures are reflected in communities across Maine, where turnover is no longer isolated, but recurring — and in some cases, extreme.

In several towns, leadership changes have occurred in rapid succession. Old Orchard Beach saw Town Manager Tim Pellerin resign just two weeks after beginning the role in June. In Lincoln, interim Town Manager Wade Schaefer stepped down after less than two months, becoming the fourth person to leave the position since November 2025.

Some communities also face deeper instability. Limestone cycled through 11 town managers in the past seven years. The revolving door forced the town to rely on interim and temporary managers, though local leaders said they remain hopeful that recent structural changes will improve stability.

In Raymond, Joseph Crocker became the third town manager to step down in a 20-month period. He resigned in October 2025 after roughly four months on the job, saying some elected officials were not supportive enough of town staff members.

Skowhegan has seen similar instability. Donnie Zaluski has served as interim manager since March 2026, after Nicholas Nadeau served from May 2025 to March 2026 and died by suicide amid an active state police investigation. Before Nadeau, Skowhegan had two town managers who each served less than a year.

Zaluski, who led the town through a period of transition, described the challenges of stepping into the role.

“Prioritizing the budget and department needs. Addressing emergency needs. Many needs from the public and Select Board are going through the town manager’s office,” he said. “Think of the worst day of a customer service position and mix in managing people and being a steward of public funds.”

Zaluski said instability undermines basic governance structures.

“Accountability and communication are the first thing to be addressed,” he said. “The fundamentals of the chain of command are put on hold until someone with leadership can take control.”

Zaluski also tied workforce shortages to a lack of succession planning and difficulty filling specialized roles.

“There is a trained and skilled workers deficit related to lack of succession plans, most likely rooted in the shift to bachelor’s degrees instead of management and skilled trades,” he said.

For municipalities trying to hire and retain permanent managers, Zaluski advised leaders to judge candidates on attitude first, not their technical abilities.

“Hire for attitude, not technical skills. Leadership is what is needed, not legal acumen,” he said. “People want to feel good about what they are doing, and it takes someone that listens to do that. Often people think there is a magic bullet for success, but success isn’t a goal; it is a set of skills based in stewardship.”

Raymond Town Manager Glenn Michalowski said many statewide challenges are reflected in his own experience.

“Maine has over 490 municipalities, and in almost all of them, the town manager is a statutory position — unless you’ve got administrative selectmen or some other setup,” he said. “Right now, there are more people leaving the profession than coming into it.”

Michalowski said a combination of factors drives the shortage.

“Here in Maine, some town managers function as health officers, tax collectors, treasurers, animal control officers and General Assistance administrators, in addition to guiding the strategic direction of their communities,” he said. “And if you’re in a place that’s politically volatile, on top of limited resources and doing all those tasks, it can create burnout, and people move on once they’ve hit their limit or realize it is not sustainable.”

He said expectations also changed over the past decade as technology increased access to local government.

“I think the increase in digital services makes everyone’s lives easier, and it helps us do more with less,” he said. “That added transparency brings added scrutiny, which is fine. I just observe how expectations change.”

Looking ahead, Michalowski said strengthening the pipeline of future town managers will require both mentorship and creative approaches to attracting candidates.

“There are some creative and controversial things other communities are trying,” he said. “I don’t know the answer, but I think mentorship, expanding the pipeline and showing folks that public service is still a great, rewarding career all matter.”

Echoing some sentiments made by other managers, Marc Amaral, the town manager of Winslow, said: “Residents expect more immediate communication and greater transparency than ever before, rightfully so, and technology has made local government more accessible and more visible. Those changes require municipal leaders to communicate proactively and remain responsive.”

Amaral added that balancing affordability with service delivery is an ongoing challenge for local governments.

“In Maine, many communities have aging populations, and many residents are living on fixed incomes,” he said. “As municipal leaders, we have to ask ourselves how to keep people in their homes while also investing in infrastructure, public safety and the services that keep a community functioning. Finding that balance is one of the most important responsibilities of the job.”

Reflecting trends he said the state has seen, Amaral said: “The position requires you to wear many different hats. The variety is one of the things that makes the profession rewarding, but it also means there are constant competing priorities.”

Despite the challenges town managers face, Amaral said the profession remains rooted in public service, and mentorship helps improve retention.

While he acknowledged there may not be a single solution, Amaral said, “This profession requires people who are adaptable, resilient, collaborative, and comfortable making difficult decisions while balancing many competing interests. Those qualities are not easy to find. Competitive compensation and professional support certainly matter, but so does mentoring the next generation of municipal leaders and creating environments where they can succeed. At the end of the day, it’s a profession built on public service, and we should continue encouraging talented people who have a passion for serving their communities to consider it.”

Some municipalities and organizations are already working to address the state’s high turnover rate.

The Maine Municipal Association signed a memorandum of understanding with the University of Maine at Augusta in December 2023, expanding education and training opportunities for municipal officials across the state. Under the partnership, municipal officers, employees, volunteers and members of MMA’s affiliated groups from its 484 member communities can access UMA course offerings at a 20 percent discount on tuition and mandatory fees.

Individual communities are also investing in recruitment efforts.

In late May, the Skowhegan Select Board voted to pay the Maine Municipal Association $6,600 for executive search services to help recruit its next town manager. The association is expected to conduct a background check and assist with contract negotiations. The board also has been working to assemble a search committee that includes public representation.

While the reasons for high turnover vary by community, Maine’s municipal leaders and experts agree on the root challenges: a shrinking pipeline of qualified candidates, increasingly demanding job responsibilities, political tensions and growing public expectations.

As communities invest in recruitment, training and mentorship, many hope those efforts strengthen the profession and provide greater stability for municipalities across the state.

Until then, many cities and towns continue to search not only for their next manager, but for ways to retain that leader.

This story was originally published by The Maine Monitor, a nonprofit and nonpartisan news organization. To get regular coverage from The Monitor, sign up for a free Monitor newsletter here.

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BAR HARBOR — Spirits, seances, suffragettes! The reform movements of the 19^th century made strange bedfellows as many different voices struggled to speak and be heard.

On August 4 at 4:30 p.m., join author Jane Goodrich for a free book talk at La Rochelle and an evening of historical photographs and readings from her new novel The Seraph. You will learn about the once-famous Cora Hatch, a psychic medium and social reformer, and discover how her conversations with the dead helped shape the nation.

Jane Goodrich is a historian, storyteller and the author of the acclaimed The House at Lobster Cove. Known for her lyrically written yet deeply researched historical fiction, Jane writes from her Maine island home. The Seraph is her second novel.

The Bar Harbor Historical Society is a community and institutional leader that welcomes residents and visitors alike to discover the past in order to understand the present, and to take pride in community connections. It is a dynamic, bustling regional center for research, dialogue, and learning where stories are told through multiple media daily. Its mission is to effectively display, preserve, and interpret Bar Harbor’s rich past through its unique collections, ensuring access, enjoyment, and educational opportunities for all.

For more information, please visit https://barharborhistorical.org/ or follow the Bar Harbor Historical Society on Facebook or Instagram. The Historical Society is located at La Rochelle at 127 West Street, Bar Harbor, Maine.

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BAR HARBOR – Author Kate Woodworth will appear at the Jesup Memorial Library on Thursday, August 6th at 5:30pm to discuss her motivation for writing Little Great Island, her award-winning novel about the power of connection and community in the face of climate change, as well as the book’s plot and themes. Against a backdrop of beautiful photographs - many taken on the island that inspired the fictional Little Great Island - this event will also touch on whether fiction can (or should) impact climate action.

Kate Woodworth is the author of Little Great Island, chosen as the April, 2026, read for NPR Maine Public’s Book Club and winner of the IPPY independent publisher award for best regional fiction/US Northeast, the New England Book Festival Book Awards, and the Independent Publishers of New England Book Awards and an American Fiction Award finalist for literary fiction. She is also the author Racing into the Dark, published originally by EP Dutton and re-issued by Sibylline Press. A retired medical writer, a certified end-of-life doula, and a passionate lover of the natural world, Kate is the creative force behind the grassroots climate change initiative Be the Butterfly and the author of the Substack “Food in the Time of Climate Change” that probes the impact of climate change on our food supply.

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American military spending should support American jobs. That is a basic principle I’ve fought to uphold during my time on the House Armed Services Committee (HASC). I’m happy to report we scored two major victories this week for domestic shipbuilding, including the hardworking men and women at Bath Iron Works (BIW): The House passed the annual defense policy bill, including language I authored to block Trump’s attempt to send American shipbuilding overseas and secure $1 billion for an additional DDG-51 destroyer to be made at BIW.

These wins were included in the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which passed the House this Wednesday. However, the work to get these provisions through the House has been months in the making.

In May, the Navy issued a shipbuilding plan that included a proposal to allow American ships, or parts of ships, to be built in overseas yards. I pushed back. I questioned Secretary of the Navy Hung Cao and won a vote in the House Armed Services Committee (HASC) to amend the NDAA to ensure not a single dollar can be used to build American battle force ships overseas.

As for BIW, in previous years the Pentagon has requested authorization to build multiple DDG-51 destroyers, creating demand for ships at both Ingalls Shipbuilding in Mississippi and at BIW. This year, the president’s budget proposal included only one ship, which was expected to be built at Ingalls. General Dynamics, BIW’s parent company, told HASC that this would have resulted in layoffs in Bath. I advocated for, and won, another $1 billion for a second ship, expected to be built in Bath.

Ensuring that American ships are built in America is good for jobs, good for innovation and good for national security. House passage of the NDAA this year protects our proud shipbuilding heritage and keeps workers in Bath on the job. I’m proud to have fought for our shipbuilders, and will keep fighting for them as long as I’m in Congress.

The christening of the USS Carl M. Levin Arleigh Burke-class DDG-51 destroyer at Bath Iron Works in 2021.

In addition to the shipbuilding provisions, the 2027 NDAA included multiple provisions that will improve quality of life for America’s service members.

The most immediate individual benefits are a pay raise of 5 to 7 percent for all troops, improved cost-of-living adjustments for troops stationed in high-cost areas, increased paid leave allowances, fertility coverage and junior-reserve dental coverage.

Pushing back against partisan dealmaking

This week, I voted against the House GOP’s reconciliation framework.

Reconciliation, for those who don’t know, is a budgetary maneuver that allows the majority party to amend the current budget and bypass the 60-vote threshold for passage in the Senate. This makes for a partisan process that serves the interests of one political party rather than all Americans — whose tax dollars are set to be spent.

While we don’t know the details of the Republicans’ reconciliation plan yet, I’ve watched the GOP run this play before and I’m not expecting it to add up to anything good for Maine. Reconciliation is how they extended tax cuts for the wealthy and cut health care for millions of Americans.

So while I’ll keep an open mind and will assess whatever they pull together on the merits, I’m not going to grease the skids for the majority to write a partisan bill behind closed doors.

Congratulations to the Maine Discovery Museum

I’m proud to announce that the Maine Discovery Museum in Bangor was awarded the National Medal for Museum and Library Service — the first museum in Maine to win this honor in the 30-year history of the award.

The National Medal for Museum and Library Service is the United States’ highest honor given to museums and libraries for exceptional service and contributions to their communities. Managed by the Institute of Museum and Library Services, the award recognizes up to five libraries and five museums each year.

A staple of the Bangor community, the Maine Discovery Museum provides three floors of hands-on interactive exhibits, science outreach programs and educational play spaces focused on STEM learning, nature and art.

The Maine Discovery Museum clock in Bangor.

I want to hear from you. My offices are available to hear you suggestions, comments, ideas, questions or concerns.

• Bangor Office: 6 State Street, Suite 101, Bangor, ME 04401. Phone: (207) 249-7400

• Caribou Office: 7 Hatch Drive, Suite 230, Caribou, ME 04736. Phone: (207) 492-6009

• Lewiston Office: 179 Lisbon Street, Lewiston, ME 04240. Phone: (207) 241-6767

• Washington Office: 1107 Longworth HOB, Washington, DC 20515. Phone: (202) 225-6306

It is my pleasure to serve you in Congress. Please continue to provide me with your crucial perspective and experiences.

BAR HARBOR—Be a light in the community at the 25th Annual Carol Dyer Memorial Luminaria Evening on Saturday, August 8, from 7:00 to 9:30 p.m. on the Bar Harbor Village Green. This event celebrates the lives of cancer survivors and honors those who lost their lives to cancer, in a beautiful and moving display of flickering lights in luminaria, which can be personalized by the buyer. They are arranged to create a beautiful and moving display by volunteers and those who buy the luminaria.

Luminaria cost $10 each and are available online at www.ywcamdi.org. They can also be purchased in person at the event, or by contacting Vickie Mayer at

victoria.mayer@mdidhospital.org or 207-460-6933.

This event began as a memorial to Carol Dyer, a longtime children’s librarian at the Jesup Memorial Library who died of brain cancer. Her friends wanted to honor her and to raise money for cancer treatment and research.

A quarter-century later, it is still going strong. In case of rain, the event will happen on Aug. 15. “The YWCA MDI is proud to host Luminaria Evening once again, bringing people together to remember, celebrate and support one another,” said Kari Burns, Executive Director of YWCA Mount Desert Island. “No one should have to face a cancer journey alone. Whether you or a loved one has been impacted, this evening is about being in community together.”

This year, proceeds will be donated to the Breast Health Center and the Oncology Department at MDI Health. The Breast Health Center will direct proceeds toward its Mammogram Screening Scholarship Program, which provides free screening mammograms for uninsured and underinsured people. “By removing financial barriers, the program helps ensure more people have access to early detection, when breast cancer is most treatable,” said Mariah Cormier, a public affairs officer for MDI Health.

MDI Health’s Oncology Department will use funds to create a more welcoming, comfortable, and compassionate environment for people receiving cancer treatment.

“Together, these efforts ensure that local patients have access not only to high-quality cancer care close to home, but also to the support and compassion they deserve every step of the way,” Cormier said.

This year’s Luminaria Evening will feature music by April Cough McGuire.

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The Fall Term runs from August 31-November 13, 2026.

Registration ends August 3rd.

Monday Mornings (9:30am-11:30am)

• Adventures in Art History

• Floral Design Basics (waitlisting)

• Understanding the Housing Problem on MDI*

Monday Afternoons (1:00pm-3:00pm)

• First Decade of Sound Part II: England

Tuesday Mornings (9:30am-11:30am)

• Intelligence - Artificial & Otherwise

• The Art of Making a Medical Diagnosis*

Tuesday Afternoons (1:00pm-3:00pm)

• Are you Ready for Some Football?!

• Food & Foodways: Highlights from Prehistory to the 19th Century

• Just for Fun - Give Watercolor a Try

(waitlisting)

Wednesday Mornings (9:30am-11:30am)

• Demystifying AI

• Geology of MDI

Wednesday Afternoons (1:00pm-3:00pm)

• Construction of Wooden Trail Structures

Thursday Mornings (9:30am-11:30am)

• Autumn Bounty in the Natural World: Harvesting, Storing, Preparing

• Geology of MDI

• Introduction to Ballroom Dance

• Roots of the Native Plant Movement

Thursday Afternoons (1:00pm-3:00pm)

• The Hidden Legacy of Jackie Robinson

Friday Mornings (9:30am-11:30am)

• Entrepreneurial Finance

• Picture Books for Life: Exploring the Art, History & Joy of Children’s Books

*Hybrid Course - in-person & via Zoom

Full Course & Registration Information

Reminders for Course Registration

Follow these steps to enroll:

• Make sure you are logged into the site as a member.

• Click the Enroll button below the course description.

• If you don’t see the Enroll link, click the Refresh button on your browser.

• Once you have selected your courses, click “Go to your cart” in the orange message box in the upper right corner of the screen (or the Enrollments or Cart link if the message box is no longer visible).

• Proceed to the payment screen, enter your credit card information and click Submit Card Payment, or indicate you will pay by check, in which case, we will hold your space in the class for seven days. Mail your check promptly to ASC, PO Box 475, Southwest Harbor, ME 04679.

• If you have any trouble, please contact Molly Goodwin at learn@acadiaseniorcollege.org or 288-9500.

If the courses you want are full, join the wait list. You may still have an opportunity to take the course.

Later this month, the State of Maine will begin mailing one-time $300 affordability checks to eligible residents.

Let’s call these payments what they are: an election-year vote-buying scheme.

These checks were included in Governor Janet Mills’ final budget proposal during an election year. Record state budgets have also included tax increases that fall disproportionately on working families, seniors, and low-income Mainers.

Every Republican legislator has opposed these tax increases.

We also argued that Democrats violated state law by using money from Maine’s Budget Stabilization Fund—the Rainy Day Fund—to help pay for these checks. And when that was challenged, they simply changed the law to allow what they wanted to do.

That should concern every Mainer.

After eight straight years of one-party rule, record state revenues, and record state budgets, every challenge facing Maine families has gotten worse.

Housing costs continue to rise.

Energy remains expensive.

Property taxes continue climbing.

For too many families, Maine has become increasingly unaffordable.

It did not—and does not—have to be this way.

Throughout these eight years, legislative Republicans repeatedly proposed lowering taxes, reducing electric bills, protecting homeowners from runaway property taxes, and providing lasting tax relief for working families, seniors, and those living on fixed incomes.

We had the money to do it—your money.

For eight years, Republican affordability proposals were rejected.

Instead, some people will receive a one-time $300 check that won’t even cover a single monthly household bill.

Think about that.

Government takes more and more of your money, then returns a small portion to selected taxpayers just in time for another election.

We don’t have to keep doing the same thing and expect a different result.

Republicans have better alternatives—policies that reduce taxes, lower energy costs, restore fiscal responsibility, and make Maine affordable again.

Please support solutions that put Maine people first.

This has been Representative Mark Blier with the Weekly Republican Address.

Thank you for listening.

Please help us change Maine for the better: subscribe, share, and follow us on Facebook, X, TikTok, and Instagram.

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Representative Mark J. Blier

is currently serving his fourth term representing House District 138, which includes the towns of Cornish, Limington, and portions of Buxton and Hollis. He serves on the 132nd Legislature’s Joint Standing Committee on Appropriations and Financial Affairs, as well as the Government Oversight Committee. In previous sessions, Rep. Blier served on the Health Coverage, Insurance, and Financial Services Committee.

Mark has spent his career as a real estate agent. He serves as a Buxton Town Selectman and is a member of both the School Budget Advisory Committee and the Comprehensive Plan Committee.

In his spare time, Rep. Blier enjoys playing the drums, skiing, snowmobiling, and boating.

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The Bar Harbor Story is generously sponsored by Geddy’s.

TRENTON—A portion of Route 3 in Trenton was officially dedicated to Deputy Luke Gross of the Hancock County Sheriff’s Department.

The ceremony shut down the road for approximately 15 minutes this morning as Chris Thornton, a retired patrol lieutenant from HCSO, led the ceremony for his friend.

“To most of us this is just a road,” Thornton said. “On September 23, 2021, it stopped being just a road. It became forever connected to the life and sacrifice of Deputy Luke Gross who gave his life in service to the people of Hancock County and the State of Maine.”

When responding to an early morning crash, Deputy Gross had been cleaning debris on Route 3 when a pickup struck him. He died of his injuries. His call number was retired. Hundreds mourned and attended his funeral. He was the first Hancock County deputy to die on duty since 1911.

On Friday, many in the communities that Deputy Gross impacted gathered to formally recognize what many knew.

“This is no longer just a road,” Thornton said.

Now the road is a tribute to a husband, father, friend, coworker, and a loyal public servant who made the ultimate sacrifice, Thornton said.

“This is a permanent tribute to Luke, but more importantly it’s a tribute to his life, his service, and the sacrifice behind that sign,” Thornton explained.

In January 2026, members of the public told the Legislative Committee on Transportation that they’d like to name a portion of Route 3 in Trenton after Deputy Gross, who was 44 when he died.

“What really, truly set Luke apart was who he was beyond the uniform. Luke was kind, he was caring and despite the weight of his profession, he was still a kid at heart,” said Hancock County Sheriff Scott Kane during public testimony, January 8. “Someone who could bring lightness, laughter, and humanity simply by being who he was.”

Sheriff Kane called it a privilege to work beside Deputy Gross and to know him as a person.

Lt. Dakota Dupuis spoke on behalf of the sheriff’s department, Friday.

“His legacy continues to be felt,” Lt. Dupuis said, and the amount of people attending show the impact Gross had.

The resolve, introduced by Rep. Billy Bob Faulkingham (R-Winter Harbor), directed the Department of Transportation to designate Route 3 in Trenton the Deputy Luke Gross Memorial Highway and to erect appropriate signs there to let the public know that the portion of the highway is named after Deputy Gross who lost his life after being struck by a vehicle there.

On Friday Gross’ children unveiled the sign to applause.

Rep. Faulkingham said when he introduced the legislation, his hope was simply that the state of Maine would forever recognize a man whose life was forever defined by courage, integrity, and service.

“Today that hope becomes reality,” Rep. Faulkingham said.

Renaming the highway will be an enduring reminder of Deputy Gross and his impact on the community, Rep. Faulkingham said.

Deputy Gross had worked for the Hancock County Sheriff’s Office for 18 years and played football at Bucksport High School. He also taught DARE drug education, volunteered at Camp Postcard, helped kids with sports, friends with problems, and told a story with a hearty laugh.

“His greatest accomplishment wasn’t his career; it was his family,” said Rep. Faulkingham.

His children had a nickname for Deputy Gross, “the world’s greatest bear hugger.”

Those four words, Rep. Faulkingham said, tell the world more about Gross than the lists of Gross’ many accomplishments.

At Ryan Gross’ eighth grade graduation, deputy after deputy attended, Rep. Faulkingham said. That was yet another testament to the love Deputy Gross inspired, and the loyalty.

“Luke’s family is still their family,” Rep. Faulkingham said.

That’s a big deal. It speaks to the bonds created, he explained.

“Luke was my hero. He was larger than life,” Lauren Gross said at her husband’s funeral in Bangor. “Not just because of the badge he wore, but because of the man he was.”

Photos and video by Shaun Farrar/BHS

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NORTHEAST HARBOR—Join Artemis Gallery on Thursday July 30, 5-7 PM, as we host our fifth exhibition of the summer! This exciting event showcases our six featured artists: Lisa Botswick, acrylic painting, Sam Chappell, acrylic painting, Claire Cushman, oil painting, Keri Kimura, abstract acrylic painting, Ben Lincoln, oil painting and furniture, and Goody-B Wiseman, bronze sculpture. Guests are invited to enjoy an evening of art, live music, refreshments, and conversation while meeting the featured artists and exploring the new exhibition. A portion of the proceeds from this show will support Olympia Snowe Women’s Leadership Institute.

1 Old Firehouse Lane

Northeast Harbor, ME 04662

207 276 3001

info@artemisgalleryme.com

artemisgalleryme.com

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QUICK NOTE: Apologies for the formatting of this press release. The pdf was corrupted and wouldn’t allow us to translate it. If you have difficulties reading it, you can click to enlarge the images.

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The Commission provides planning and zoning services for unorganized townships, plantations, and towns in 13 counties, covering roughly half of Maine, and often called the “UT.” The LUPC statute requires the Commission to prepare a CLUP, to guide its rules, zoning, and development review. The plan is similar in some ways to comprehensive plans written by municipalities in Maine, but covers a much larger area, about 10.4 million acres.

Since the first CLUP was adopted in 1974, there have been five updates, the most recent in 2010. The next update will address changes since 2010 and will guide the Commission into the future.

According to Acting Executive Director Benjamin Godsoe, “it is essential that the Commission hear from those living, recreating, and working in the UT about what is happening in this important part of Maine and how the CLUP update process should go.”

Between July and September 2026, the survey is available to the public via the CLUP update website.

Printed copies are available upon request and may be returned by mail or dropped off at the LUPC offices in Bangor or Augusta. Postcards about the survey are being mailed to all identified property owners in the Service Area in July.

The survey aims to gather feedback on how people relate to the Commission’s Service Area, the most important issues to consider in the update, the best process for updating the CLUP, and how the LUPC is doing. Survey results will be analyzed and presented to the Commission at a public meeting during the fall or winter of 2026.

The Commission encourages anyone who lives, works, owns property, or recreates in the Service Area to participate in the survey and help shape the future of land use planning in Maine’s unorganized territories.

The LUPC’s CLUP: Pre-Process website is being continually updated and contains additional information about the current update effort, including an Initial Outreach Report, informational session summaries and presentations, and data and information. The Contact Us page provides information for individuals to sign up for email updates. The following email address can be used to contact LUPC staff directly: Clupdate.LUPC@maine.gov.

About the LUPC

The Land Use Planning Commission was established by the Maine Legislature to extend the principles of sound planning, zoning, and development to the unorganized and deorganized areas of the State, including townships and plantations. These areas either lack local government or have chosen not to administer land use controls at the local level. For more information, please visit the LUPC webpage.

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SOUTHWEST HARBOR— Author, historian, and human rights leader Judith Goldstein will present “Four Murals of Imagination: Cushing, Chagall, Benton, and Ringgold” at the Southwest Harbor Public Library on Tuesday, August 4, from 5:30-6:30 p.m. Registration appreciated for this in person program and online program.

Howard Gardiner Cushing, Marc Chagall, Thomas Hart Benton and Faith Ringgold were four outstanding artists who on occasion exposed fascinating stories through painted murals. Their works powerfully and beautifully conveyed much about themselves and the four vastly different worlds that inspired and shaped them as artists. They didn’t know each other. They painted vastly different subjects in strikingly different ways. But all four sought inspiration in Paris as a center of artistic inspiration.

Dr. Judith S. Goldstein founded Humanity in Action in 1997. She served as its Executive Director for over 20 years leading its international educational programs. Judith received her Master’s Degree and PhD in history from Columbia University. She has written several books and articles about European and American history, including works on Maine and Mt. Desert Island.

Register at https://tinyurl.com/3zxm6wu6. For more information, call 207-244-7065, visit www.swhplibrary.org, or email programs@swhplibrary.org.

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MOUNT DESERT ISLAND—More than 100 community members gathered at The Gallery at Somes Sound for An Evening with Island Housing Trust, where the message was clear: Island Housing Trust is about far more than building homes. It is about the people who anchor our year-round community.

Doctors. Nurses. Teachers. First responders. Librarians. Park rangers. Carpenters. Plumbers. Small business owners. These are the people who make Mount Desert Island thrive, not just during the busy summer months, but every day of the year.

Island Housing Trust’s vision is simple: that year-round community on MDI thrives.

Board President Jim Green welcomed friends and neighbors to The Gallery, thanking the community for coming together to learn more about one of MDI’s greatest challenges, and one of its greatest opportunities. He reminded guests that solving the housing crisis requires all of us working together.

Executive Director Sherry Billings spoke about the families IHT serves, hard-working people earning what is often referred to as the “mission middle.” Their household incomes exceed the limits for most state and federal housing assistance programs. Yet, they cannot afford to purchase a home in a market where the average home price on MDI is approximately $650,000.

Recent Island Housing Trust homes have sold for between $320,000 and $350,000, well below what it actually costs to build them.

“The gap between what we spend to build the house and what we sell it for,” Billings explained, “represents our investment in the community.”

That investment lasts for generations. Every IHT home carries a permanent affordability covenant, ensuring that each home remains attainable for future year-round residents.

The evening also highlighted the partnerships that make this work possible.

Johanna Boynton shared the story behind the generous donation she and her husband, John, made last winter: a parcel of land at 131 Main Street in Northeast Harbor. Boynton reflected on growing up in a vibrant downtown where she knew the shopkeepers by name and where neighbors looked after one another throughout every season.

Those memories inspired their decision to donate the property.

“We wanted to be part of the solution,” she shared, helping preserve the kind of community that shaped their lives and ensuring future generations can experience the same sense of belonging.

Anne Green, Director of the Cornelia Cogswell Rossi Foundation, then spoke about carrying forward the philanthropic vision of the Foundation’s founders, lifelong summer residents of MDI. The Foundation has invested in numerous community organizations over the years, including a recent gift supporting Ripples Hill Phase 3, where nine new homes are currently being placed on their foundations.

Perhaps the most moving remarks came from Dr. Daniel Lomelin, a family physician at MDI Hospital.

Dr. Lomelin described how he and his wife dreamed of raising their children in a place where they could grow, learn, and become active members of a close-knit community. They found that close-knit community on MDI, but homeownership remained out of reach. Like many year-round families, they moved from one rental to another, uncertain where they would live next, and even began considering leaving the Island.

Then they learned about Island Housing Trust.

Encouraged by friends to apply, the Lomelins were approved as IHT applicants and selected to purchase Home #5 in Ripples Hill Phase 3. Soon, they will move into their permanent home with their growing family, welcoming their third child in just a few weeks.

One story, in particular, resonated throughout the room.

Their oldest child recently came home from school and told her parents that she loved her teacher, loved her friends, and wanted to stay here forever.

The moment brought tears to Dr. Lomelin’s eyes and to many throughout the audience. That is what Island Housing Trust’s mission is truly about.

It is about allowing families to put down roots, build lasting relationships, and create the same lifelong memories Johanna Boynton so fondly recalled from her own childhood.

The evening concluded with another inspiring example of community partnership. An anonymous donor purchased a 12-acre parcel of land so that a longtime year-round resident could remain in her home for the rest of her life. Both the donor and homeowner shared a common vision: preserving the land for year-round housing forever.

The property was donated to Island Housing Trust, which established a life lease allowing the resident to age in place. When the time comes, the land will become home to permanently affordable workforce housing under IHT’s covenant model.

It is a powerful example of how philanthropy can take many forms, and how partnerships can create lasting community impact.

Island Housing Trust extends its sincere gratitude to Tyra Hansen for graciously opening The Gallery at Somes Sound for the event; to Clark Point Catering, led by IHT homeowner and Board member Jeannie Anderson, for an outstanding reception; and to our hosts, speakers, volunteers, and the more than 100 guests who navigated a busy evening in Somesville to be part of this important conversation.

As Billings concluded, solving MDI’s housing challenges will take more than one organization.

It will take partnerships. It will take philanthropy.

And it will take a community committed to ensuring that the people who care for our Island can continue to call it home.

To learn more, schedule a conversation with Executive Director Sherry Billings, tour Ripples Hill Phase 3, or make a gift by visiting www.islandhousingtrust.org.

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BAR HARBOR - Beatrix Farrand Society welcomes Jenny Rose Carey to present “Women in Horticulture” at Garland Farm on Thursday, August 6, at 4:00 p.m.

Women have tended and loved their gardens for millennia but their contributions are largely forgotten. In this lecture, Jenny Rose Carey takes a small slice of time, 1900 to 1940, and explores the key women who founded gardening organizations including The Pennsylvania School of Horticulture for Women; The Woman’s National Farm and Garden Association; and The Garden Club of America. Other women discussed include authors, garden designers, conservationists, and dig-in-dirt gardeners.

Jenny Rose Carey is an avid hands-on gardener and professional horticulturist. Born in England to a family of botanists and gardeners she grew up in the countryside and designed her first herb garden at age sixteen. She moved with her American husband to the Philadelphia area and has gardened there ever since.

Her degrees are in Biology, Horticulture and Education so Jenny Rose brings a strong teaching background to her writing and her presentations. Professionally she has been Director of two public gardens; The Ambler Arboretum of Temple University and the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society’s Garden at Meadowbrook Farm.

She is now devoting her time to writing, speaking, and tending her own four-and-a-half-acre garden called Northview where she has lived for over a quarter of a century.

Carey and her gardens have been featured on the PBS series The Victory Garden, in the Wall Street Journal, the Washington Post, the Philadelphia Inquirer, GROW magazine, and The Pennsylvania Gardener. She is the co-author with Mary Anne Fry of A Century of Cultivation, the author and photographer for Glorious Shade, Timber Press, 2017, and The Ultimate Flower Gardener’s Guide, Timber Press, 2022.

Pre-registration for this program is required, and reaching capacity is likely. To pre-register, visit www.beatrixfarrandsociety.org/programs. A Zoom option is also available.

The Beatrix Farrand Society is a nonprofit organization founded to foster the art and science of horticulture and landscape design, with emphasis on the life and work of Beatrix Farrand. Garland Farm, the last home and gardens of Beatrix Farrand, is open to the public every Thursday, 12:00 - 4:00 p.m., from June 18 until September 17.

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