BRIEFS: BAR HARBOR WARRANT COMMITTEE LOOKS FOR NEW MEMBER
MDI Bio Lab Scientist Receives $2 Million NIH Grant, First Baby, FOA and COA news and more
BAR HARBOR—Every week papers get briefs to put into their hard and digital versions. Since we don’t want to overload your inbox more than we already do, we are compiling them to put out once or twice a week. We’ve also added in a couple of things that didn’t quite yet stand-alone stories.
BAR HARBOR WARRANT COMMITTEE VACANCY
BAR HARBOR—Caleb Cough has resigned from the town’s Warrant Committee according to Town Clerk Liz Graves, Monday afternoon, after a newsflash about the need for a committee member was released. The budget process begins tomorrow, January 23.
The release reads,
“The Warrant Committee will appoint a new member to temporarily fill a vacancy created by a recent resignation from the committee. Under the Town Charter, the committee by majority vote appoints a qualified resident to serve until a new member is elected to the seat at the next regular election.
“Anyone interested in serving is encouraged to contact the Town Clerk’s office by 5 p.m. February 1. A formal application is not required, but a statement of why you’re interested in serving and what you feel you would bring to the committee is helpful.”
Contact 288-4098 with any questions. You can email statements to Graves’ office at clerk@barharbormaine.gov.
BAR HARBOR FIRE DEPARTMENT HELPS FILL TOWN HILL SKATING RINK
TOWN HILL—The Town Hill Village Improvement Society with the help of volunteers created a public ice skating rink by the Town Hill Playground this year. The weather hasn’t cooperated. The Bar Harbor Fire Department headed over Saturday to help fill the rink.
Make sure to check ice and weather conditions and that the rink is ready before you head over.
JESUP MEMORIAL LIBRARY CONTRADANCE
BAR HARBOR—Come join the fun and warm the winter's night away! Beginners, experienced dancers, families are all welcome to a contra dance with music by Big Moose band and caller Chrissy Fowler
The dance is at the Jesup Memorial Library, 34 Mt Desert Street, Bar Harbor on Saturday June 17 from 7-10 p.m.
CHAMBER NEWS
BAR HARBOR—The Bar Harbor Chamber of Commerce recently completed its Second Annual Buoy Tree Fundraiser in December. This year’s nonprofit recipient was the Bar Harbor Food Pantry. Participants were able to purchase a buoy to decorate for the tree throughout November and December with the proceeds going to the Bar Harbor Food Pantry. Non-perishable food donations were also accepted. Through this year’s efforts, the fundraiser was able to generate $800 for the Bar Harbor Food Pantry in addition to several bags filled with non-perishable food items.
“For the past two years, the Pantry has seen a record need for our services,” said Tom Reeve, the Executive Director of the Bar Harbor Food Pantry. “The support from our community has been overwhelming, and we are all grateful for everyone who helps us build food security in our community.”
“The Bar Harbor Food Pantry is an incredible resource within our community to help address food insecurity. We are happy to help support the important work they do through the Buoy Tree fundraiser,” said the Bar Harbor Chamber’s Executive Director Everal Eaton. “Thank you to everyone from the community who participated in this cause by decorating a buoy or donating non-perishable food items to support the Bar Harbor Food Pantry. Each year, the community continues to impress us with their support of this program.”
Participants who would like to retrieve their decorated buoy can reach out to the Bar Harbor Chamber by calling (207) 801-2566 ext. 12 or emailing events@visitbarharbor.com.
About Bar Harbor Food Pantry: The Bar Harbor Food Pantry is a 35-year old organization that seeks to nourish and support our community in Hancock County, Maine, through dignified access to healthy food. We operate a choice-model food pantry in the basement of the YWCA of MDI and Serendipity, a resale clothing store cattycorner from the Village Green.
About Bar Harbor Chamber of Commerce: The Bar Harbor Chamber of Commerce is a membership organization that represents over 400 businesses in Bar Harbor and the surrounding communities by providing business development opportunities, community-building events, and visitation services.
CRYIN’ OUT LOUD DEBUT SINGLE RELEASES!
“I Smoke Cigars and I Play the Blues" Debut Single from Maine-Based Blues and Classic Rock Band Cryin' Out Loud
Pilot Light Records has released the debut single from Cryin' Out Loud, “I Smoke Cigars and I Play the Blues," produced by Grammy-winning guitarist Paul Nelson.
BAR HARBOR— Brandon Stallard is a man that appreciates the finest quality in three things: cigars, whiskey and the blues. To understand that is to understand the man who is the singer-songwriter, guitarist, and voice behind Cryin’ Out Loud, a Maine-based blues and classic rock band.
You see, Stallard doesn’t merely smoke a cigar. He takes his sweet time; he meticulously chooses each cigar, which he cuts precisely, and burns slowly. So much like the way he appreciates every moment of a fine musical performance.
When he relocated to the Bar Harbor, Maine-area from his native-Fredericksburg, Virginia, Stallard had decided to radically simplify his life, making music his number one professional priority. So far, it’s been five years, and he is not looking back.
His band Cryin’ Out Loud will release its first full album, “Play Loud & Smoke Often,” in March 2024, produced by Grammy Award-winning guitarist Paul Nelson (Johnny Winter).
The album was recorded at Husson Communications (Husson University) in Bangor, Maine, by recording engineer Joshua Small. The recording features band leader Stallard on guitar and vocals, Ben Chute on guitar, Jim Fratini on bass, and drums performed by Jeff Glidden, Scott Stallard, and Tommy Rush. Nelson is guest featured on guitar and mandolin. The band is presently preparing a “behind the scenes” video with footage captured during the recording of the album. By all accounts, it was a special experience for everyone involved.
The result of their work is both raw and authentic, and captures the energy of a live performance. The players shine on a diverse collection of smartly-written songs by Stallard, that range from straight blues and blues-rock, to earthy folk-blues, and even some high power, up tempo Chicago blues.
The lead off-single from the album “I Smoke Cigars and I Play the Blues,” has been released by Norwalk, CT-based label Pilot Light Records, to all major streaming outlets both internationally as well as the United States.
“ ‘Play loud and Smoke often is my mantra.’ It’s a saying that I have lived by for years. So, of course, that had to be the name of the album. The hook of the song comes from when I first moved to Maine and people would eventually ask me ‘What do you do?’ I’d say ‘I smoke cigars and I play the blues!’ ” Stallard said.
Marc Alan, Managing Director of Pilot Light Records, stated: “I was really grateful for the opportunity to work with Brandon and his band, for which I have to thank Paul Nelson for the introduction. To me Pilot Light Records was basically designed for bands like Cryin’ Out Loud, who are as passionate, and hardworking, as they are talented. When it comes to what we look for in a band, Cryin’ Out Loud has everything it takes. They just made a great album with Paul, and we’re excited to be a part of sharing it with the world.”
“I Smoke Cigars and I Play the Blues” is now streaming on Apple Music, Spotify, Amazon, and all major music outlets.
MDI BIO LAB NEWS
MDI Bio Lab Scientist Receives $2 Million NIH Grant
Capping a year that saw federal and private research awards totaling $8.5 million to the MDI Biological Laboratory, researcher Dustin Updike, Ph.D., learned in December that his group will receive a $2 million grant from the National Institutes of Health.
The “Maximizing Investigators Research Award” (MIRA) will support the next phase of Updike’s groundbreaking work on proteins that can program and reprogram cells to sustain development, fertility and the regenerative capacities needed for healing, but which can also play a role in potent diseases such as melanoma and breast cancer.
“The MIRA award is designed to provide scientists more flexibility than most other government research grants,” says MDI Bio Lab President Hermann Haller, M.D. “This is a testament to Dustin’s creative approach to comparative biology, and to MDI Bio Lab’s commitment to excellence and innovation.”
Awarded by the NIH’s National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS), the funds will be supplemented by support from the Laboratory’s donors and foundations to keep the Updike research group busy for the next five years, while allowing the hire of a new team member.
Updike and his colleagues are exploring mysterious assemblies of proteins called “germ granules” that are found inside the reproductive cells that pass genetic information from parent to offspring. The cells that make up the germline, as it’s called, carry the same DNA as other cells in our bodies, yet only the germline can perpetuate the genetic code.
Updike is generating new insights on the role these protein assemblies play in the germline’s activities. His work utilizes the tiny C. elegans roundworm, a valuable model for human physiology, because it depends on many of the same proteins that we do, while its transparency makes it ideal for observing subcellular mechanics in real time, using the Laboratory’s state-of-the-art microscopes.
“Understanding the function of individual germ-granule proteins, the purpose and conditions of their assembly, and their capacity for cellular reprogramming are critical steps in the development of applications that improve reproductive health, regeneration, and cancer therapeutics,” Updike says.
Other NIGMS research grants won by MDI Bio Lab investigators in 2023 include:
A $1.6 million share of a new Centers of Biomedical Research Excellence (COBRE) grant for the laboratory of Romain Madelaine, Ph.D., to study biological processes that underly muscle decline, regeneration and rejuvenation. The funds are part of a larger COBRE award that includes four research group at the University of Maine.
A $1.3 million Science Education Partnership Award (SEPA) for Jane Disney, Ph.D., to continue work engaging K-12 students in environmental health science curricula and research for the growing All About Arsenic Disney also received funding through the Harvard Chan School of Public Health, of $30,000 to test for and analyze the presence of PFAS “forever chemicals” near schools in Maine.
A $900,000 supplement to the Laboratory’s ongoing COBRE grant that funds work in the Lab’s Kathryn W. Davis Center for Regenerative Biology and Aging, led by the center’s Director, Iain Drummond, Ph.D.
Other major grants included:
A $600,000 federal appropriation secured by Maine’s Congressional delegation to finance infrastructure investments for the Laboratory’s entrepreneurial subsidiary, MDI Bioscience.
A $450,000 award from the Scott R. MacKenzie Foundation for Haller’s research on a recently identified molecule that could protect the smallest blood vessels that serve the kidneys and the heart from diseases such as diabetes. Haller’s group received a similar MacKenzie Foundation award in 2022.
“All of this work springs from the synergistic, collaborative culture that drives our small institute’s mission to improve how we age, and how we heal,” Haller says. “I am confident that 2024 will see more expansion of our scientific capacity, and continued investments to support the growing number of graduates and trainees on campus.”
IN OTHER BIO LAB NEWS
Postdoc Anastasia Paulmann, M.D., kicked off our first Science Café of 2024 talking about how her work with African turquoise killifish could help patients live longer, healthier lives: “With people suffering from kidney failure, for instance, we should be able to precisely design the best techniques for transplantation or medication to make sure the benefits outweigh the risks.” Watch the recording.
The laboratory of Romain Madelaine, Ph.D., is on an ambitious journey to understand and address age-related muscle degeneration – sarcopenia. The group is using a genetically modified zebrafish grown here called the “sarcofish”, whose prolific muscle-regenerating abilities can be altered in the lab, mimicking sarcopenia. BioME recently awarded Ph.D. candidate Romain Menard $6,000 for his research on muscle degeneration. Read more.
Do you know any undergrads from around the country wanting a paid research experience doing biomedical research with world-class faculty mentors on our seaside campus (right next to Acadia National Park)? The application deadline for our Summer Undergraduate Research Fellow (SURF) program is January 26, 2024 at 11:59 PM EST.
MDI HOSPITAL NEWS
The First Baby of the New Year is Here!
MDI Hospital welcomed the first baby of the new year on Sunday, January 14th. Baby Amelia was born to Shannon and Alan Simons of Bar Harbor, Maine. Baby measured 21in long and 7lbs 5oz.
Shannon is an employee of MDI Hospital, working as a Certified Medical Assistant at Cadillac Family Practice, so this birth is particularly exciting for the hospital.
The Simons Family added, “We want to extend our heartfelt gratitude for the phenomenal birthing experience we had under your care. The dedication and kindness of all the staff we encountered were truly exceptional. With Shannon being an employee of the hospital, this experience holds an extra special place in our hearts, knowing now firsthand the outstanding level of care and support provided to patients. Thank you for making this journey so memorable.”
For over 20 years, MDI Hospital has the beloved tradition of gifting a basket to the first baby born in the New Year filled with gifts courtesy of our friends across MDI and the Downeast region we serve. Local businesses, organizations, groups, and individuals participated in donating generous gifts and carefully selected items for this year’s basket.
FRIENDS OF ACADIA NEWS
Storm Impacts at Acadia Still Being Assessed
ACADIA NATIONAL PARK—Storms on January 10th and 13th caused devastating damage to Acadia National Park and the surrounding communities. Many areas of the park are affected, including Ocean Path, where 1,000 feet of the two-mile trail is severely damaged, and Seawall Campground and Picnic Area which suffered scattered rock, downed trees, and a washed-out road. A final inventory of the damage will take weeks to complete.
While no one storm is due to climate change, the higher frequency and the greater intensity storms certainly is. Combined with rapidly warming temperatures in the Gulf of Maine and rising sea levels, the impacts of climate disruption at Acadia and its communities remains front and center for Friends of Acadia.
We’ll continue our dedicated support of the park and surrounding communities as the damage is assessed to better understand what role Friends of Acadia can play in the recovery.
At this time, Acadia was not ready for community volunteers to help with clean up. We’ll let you know via social media if volunteers are needed in the future.
Acadia National Park and the surrounding communities are strong and resilient. While the past week has been challenging and heartbreaking, we will emerge through community action and commitment.
Click here to read a roundup of some of the storm coverage and see photos. We will have more on the storm and it’s impacts to Acadia in the Winter-Spring issue of Acadia magazine and need your images of storm-affected areas of the park! Please email images to photos@friendsofacadia.org, along with the photographer's name and the location of the photo.
Seasonal Housing Construction Begins
SEAL HARBOR—Ground has officially broken at our seasonal housing project at Dane Farm in Seal Harbor! Construction is expected to last 10-12 months; when completed, the land and buildings will be donated to Acadia National Park for long-term ownership and management. The lack of affordable seasonal workforce housing has been a factor in the park’s inability to fill positions in the past few years—the project at Dane Farm is another piece of the complex housing puzzle that we will continue to collaborate on with the park. Learn more about the Dane Farm housing project on our website.
Seasonal Positions Announced
Do you love getting people excited about protecting National Parks? Friends of Acadia is currently hiring Summit Stewards, Recreation Technicians, Stewardship Crew members, and a Wild Gardens of Acadia Intern for the 2024 season. Visit our website for more information and application details.
Acadia National Park has started hiring for the 2024 summer season, too. If you'd like more in-depth information about how to apply to work at Acadia, consider registering for one of the upcoming Federal Resume Workshops. Learn more about these workshops and available positions at go.nps.gov/AcadiaJobs.
In Case You Missed It:
Visitor Center Could Be Named After George Mitchell
Mark Your Calendars for 2024 Fee Free Days
National Park Service selects Acadia by Carriage, LLC to operate Wildwood Stables
COLLEGE OF THE ATLANTIC NEWS
It’s 24-Hour Challenge Time at COA
BAR HARBOR — College of the Atlantic’s annual day of giving is upon us. The 12th annual COA 24-Hour Challenge is set to take place on Tuesday, Feb. 6, and will feature a bonfire, ice skating, and campus visits from alumni. COA aims to raise $100,000 from 500 donors on that day to unlock $150,000 in matching gifts.
“The 24-Hour Challenge has really taken on the feel of a community-wide celebration with alums, students, staff, faculty, and members of our community all coming together to support the college. It's also a great way to remind everyone that community support is at the heart of COA and that every contribution truly makes a difference,” says COA Dean of Advancement Shawn Keeley ‘00.
All contributions to the 24-Hour Challenge benefit the College of the Atlantic Annual Fund, which supports scholarships, financial aid, field-based coursework, and upgrades to campus facilities. More than 80 percent of COA students receive some form of financial aid, which the 24-Hour Challenge helps make possible. The school offers merit scholarships as well as need-based aid, with the goal of making COA affordable for all students, regardless of income. COA is consistently ranked among the top schools in the nation for financial aid.
“Whether you can stop by the fire on our front lawn for hot chocolate and ice skating or simply make a gift from the warmth of your home, we hope people will turn out to help make COA a thriving part of our community,” Keeley says.
Learn more about COA’s annual day of giving at coa.edu/24hourchallenge.
College of the Atlantic is the first college in the US to focus on the relationship between humans and the environment. The intentionally small school of 350 students and 35 faculty members offers a Bachelor of Arts degree in human ecology—the study of how humans interact with our natural, social, and built environments. Each student develops their own course of study, collaborating and innovating across multiple disciplines. COA is Princeton Review’s #1 Green College 2016-2022.