Briefs: Storm Expected Tonight, Meet the Lambs, First Baby, and Much More
Courts, real estate, right whales off Jeffreys Ledge
The Bar Harbor Story is generously sponsored by Swan Agency Real Estate.
A Quick Note From Us: Each week, we compile briefs and press releases and event images and share them all in one (sometimes very long) story.
Our briefs article is mostly just press releases that we don’t write, or claim to write, but just share from the agencies, businesses, and organizations that send them in.
If things are not a press release, they are labelled “BRIEF” in their headlines. The press releases will not have that label.
Brief: Winter Storm Expected Tonight
MOUNT DESERT ISLAND—A winter storm is expected to blast into Maine tonight and continue through Monday afternoon, according to a winter storm warning issued by the National Weather Service.
Bitterly cold temperatures in much of the state is expected to follow the snow. Currently, the heavy snow is expected to begin this evening at approximately 7 p.m. and the storm will continue to Monday at 1 p.m. These times could change depending on the storm’s track and your specific location.
The storm warning specifies that snow accumulation is predicted to be between 6 and 9 inches and wind gusts could reach 35 mph. In some snow bands, snow could accumulate at a rate of 1-2 inches each hour. The watch is for portions of coastal Downeast, interior Downeast, and Penobscot Valley.
The cold weather following the storm is expected to bring wind chills of 20 to 30 below in parts of the state on Monday night and Tuesday night.
SOME LINKS
To see these headlines and the latest forecast, visit weather.gov/car
Power outages with Versant can be reported via its Online Outage Report Form or by calling (207) 973-2000 or 1-855-363-7211 (1-855-363-7211).
The latest road conditions for Maine are at newengland511.org.
Meet the Lambs at Rockefeller Farm
BAR HARBOR — Experience the joy of lambs and help welcome the newest arrivals at College of the Atlantic Peggy Rockefeller Farm on Saturday, Feb. 1 and Saturday, Feb. 8 from 9–11 a.m. The events, sponsored by the COA Food and Farming Workshop Series, are free and open to the public, and families are welcome.
Join farm manager April Nugent, assistant manager Catherine Sullivan, and student farmers to see the flock cozied up in their winter quarters, with ewes watching over their rambunctious little lambs, and learn all about the lambs and the farm.
Volunteer readers from the College of the Atlantic Library will host story times throughout the morning for our youngest farmers. If weather permits, the farm’s hard-working tractor will be out on display as well.
Visitors are encouraged to dress warmly and wear sturdy, waterproof shoes. In case of inclement weather, please check @peggy_rockefellerfarm on Instagram for event updates. For more information, email or call Catherine at csullivan@coa.edu or 207-610-0552. Additional information for visitors can be found at coa.edu/prf. The farm is located at 532 Crooked Road.
MDI Hospital Welcomes First Baby of 2025
BAR HARBOR—MDI Hospital is excited to celebrate the first baby born on the island in 2025! Jane Louise Clark was born on January 10, at 12:06 p.m. to Stuart and Sarah of Northeast Harbor. Baby Jane weighed 6 lbs 7.8 oz and measured 19 inches long.
Stuart and Sarah shared their heartfelt gratitude for their experience at MDI Hospital:
"We were debating where to go and we are so happy that we chose here. Everyone has been so kind, and all the nurses have been wonderful. MDI Hospital has been dreamy and such a lovely experience. We couldn’t be happier, this is the best experience we’ve had, and we couldn't have asked for a nicer place to deliver our baby."
This joyous occasion was made even more special by the generous contributions from community partners who helped create a wonderful New Year baby basket for the Clark family. The first baby born in the new year receives this basket as a part of a 20+ year tradition at MDI Hospital. The hospital extends its heartfelt thanks to:
A & B Naturals
Brasserie Le Brun
Carroll Drug Store, Inc.
Choco-Latte Cafe
Dead River Company
Echo Salon
Geddy's (Including Patrick's By The Sea)
Havana Restaurant & Parrilla
Island Quilters Group
Kimball Shop
Maine CDC (Safe Sleep)
MDI Hospital Auxiliary
MDI Hospital Nutritional Services
MDI Hospital Ortho
Midtown (Atlantic Brewing)
My Darling Maine
Raising Readers
Salisbury Specialty Market
Side Street Cafe
Spruce and Gussy
Tanya Hanke
Tim Murphy Studios
Window Panes
WS Emerson
Zi Photography
Bar Harbor Garden Club Seeks Candidates for Two $1,000 Scholarships
BAR HARBOR—The Bar Harbor Garden Club is pleased to announce applications for two scholarships are now available. $1,000 will be awarded to the recipient of the Peter H. Dolliver Legacy Scholarship and to the Inge C. B. Weber Memorial Scholarship recipient. The deadline to apply for both scholarships is May 1, 2025. A brief description of each scholarship follows.
PETER H. DOLLIVER LEGACY SCHOLARSHIP
The purpose of the scholarship is to offer financial aid to applicants who have a strong interest in plant science, horticulture or closely allied fields with an emphasis on sustainable practices. The scholarship helps to support the applicant’s goals of study, research and innovative work practice. The scholarship is open to applicants from all backgrounds who are graduates of a either a Maine high school or a home school program with a preference for MDI High School graduates or residents of Mount Desert Island.
INGE C.B. WEBER MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP
The mission of this scholarship is to encourage and financially aid students and graduates who are engaged in the allied plant sciences. This scholarship is unique in that it not only supports academic studies, but also can be used for expenses related to field studies, travel, and conferences. Candidates for the scholarship can be in either a non-college pathway of study in plant sciences; an accredited college or university pathway majoring in the allied plant sciences including such studies as horticulture, floriculture, landscape design, or other related areas; and, College of the Atlantic (COA) students studying the allied plant sciences and having successfully completed their second year as a COA student.
Interested applicants for either of the above scholarships can find more details about the scholarships including the required essay and application form on the Bar Harbor Garden Club website, barharborgardenclub.org. Questions can be directed to Tom McIntyre, BHGC Scholarship Chairperson, at tjmc1944@gmail.com or scholarship@barharborgardenclub.org. or by phone at 207-288-4378.
RIGHT WHALES SPOTTED OFF JEFFREY’S LEDGE
GULF OF MAINE—In a January 17 notice to the lobstering community, Maine Department of Marine Resources Commissioner Patrick Keliher wrote,
“Seventy-five endangered North Atlantic right whales have been seen this week just off the western edge of Jeffreys Ledge.
“I am strongly urging any lobster fisherman with gear in the vicinity of the right whales on Jeffreys Ledge to move their gear to another area until surveys indicate that the whales have moved on.
“I don't have to tell you that within the last year, Maine gear was found for the first time on a deceased right whale. The ramifications of another entanglement in Maine gear could be devastating to your fishery. I cannot predict what will happen if Maine gear entangles a right whale, however it is possible that resulting federal regulatory restrictions on the Maine lobster fishery could be catastrophic - including extensive additional prohibitions on the use of traditional gear.
“Given the close attention being paid to these whales, there is potential for any entanglement that might occur to be linked not just to the Maine fishery, but potentially to an individual fisherman.
“Also, it's important to note that boats of any size can injure or kill a whale if a collision occurs. Therefore, I urge you to reduce your speed to less than 10 knots when transiting the area near Jeffreys Ledge until further notice.
“The future of this fishery is in your hands. Failure to act by a few fishermen in this area will have far-reaching impacts to all who depend on this fishery if a right whale is entangled. Please take personal responsibility and shift gear to eliminate the risk to whales and to the future of the Maine lobster fishery.
“I will continue to monitor this situation and will reach out to you as we have additional information.”
MDI Historical Society 14th Annual Community Baked Bean Supper
MOUNT DESERT—Connect with community over a traditional Maine bean supper on Monday, January 20, 2025 from 6-8 p.m. at the MDI High School. Feast on all-you-can-eat beans, hot dogs, and brown bread, complete with all the fixings, followed by homemade pies and baked goods. After supper, stay for a preview of the film “Join or Die” which will kick off the Historical Society’s program series examining and celebrating civic engagement on Mount Desert Island. Our speakers, COA President Sylvia Torti and Dr. Bill Horner will explore the importance of civic engagement to a healthy democracy.
Admission is $10 for adults and $5 for children. Tickets can be purchased online at mdihistory.org/shop or at the door on the day of the event.
This event is made possible by the generous support of Bar Harbor Bank & Trust and Hannaford. For more information, go to www.mdihistory.org or email lisa.murray@mdihistory.org
ABBE MUSEUM ANNOUNCES 2025 DATES FOR DAWNLAND FESTIVAL
BAR HARBOR—The Abbe Museum’s Dawnland Festival of Arts & Ideas will return to the campus of the College of the Atlantic (COA) in Bar Harbor on July 12 & 13, 2025. The unique multi-day festival is a showcase for Wabanaki and Native culture and ideas, including performances, panels featuring Indigenous thought leaders, and a Native arts market.
“The Abbe Museum is thrilled to be able to bring this vibrant festival to the COA campus again this year,” states Betsy Richards (Cherokee Nation), Executive Director & Senior Partner with Wabanaki Nations. “Native arts and cultures cannot be separated from Native ways of knowing. The Dawnland Festival of Arts & Ideas celebrates the Native creative economy while also lifting up Indigenous thought leadership vital to the conversation on a healthy planet and society for us all.”
The Dawnland Festival of Arts & Ideas will open with the Native Market at 9 a.m. on Saturday, July 12, 2025. Panels begin at 2 p.m. that day, and run until 5 p.m. Music performances and demonstrations by artists will run throughout the day, with a finalized schedule available closer to the date. The market closes at 4 p.m., Saturday.
Sunday’s schedule, for July 13, 2025: Market open from 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.; Panels from 2 - 5 p.m.; music performances and Native artists’ demonstrations throughout the day.
The Festival, which drew well over a thousand people in 2024, is free and open to the public, and sponsorship opportunities are available.
For more information, see the Festival website: DAWNLANDFESTIVAL.ORG or email info@abbemuseum.org
About the Abbe - The Abbe is a museum of Wabanaki art, history, and culture, with the mission to illuminate and advance greater understanding of and support for Wabanaki Nations’ heritage, living cultures, and homelands. The Abbe works directly with Wabanaki Tribal Nations to share authority for the interpretation of their living cultures and history, and privilege Native perspective/voice. These practices can be seen throughout our exhibits, public programs, educational workshops, tours, research, collections management, and museum shop. In 2013, we became the only Smithsonian affiliate in Maine. The Abbe Museum contributes to global conversations through our work with the International Coalition for the Sites of Conscience, all while being an involved community anchor in Mount Desert Island, Maine.
Evening Music continues with Jacobean Consort Music
BAR HARBOR—Evening Music, the series of chamber-music concerts presented by the Friends of Music at St. Saviour’s, will continue on Saturday 25 January at 4 p.m. The ensemble Harmonie Universelle will perform Jacobean Consort Music: chamber music from the time of the Stuart kings of England (1604-1714) for harp, organ, and strings. Harpist Phoebe Durand will play on a reproduction of a 17th-century Italian triple harp, a harp with three rows of strings that was designed to play the chromatic music of the Baroque era, 150 years before the invention of the modern pedal-harp. She will join organist Daniel Pyle, who will play on a small portable organ designed for chamber-music of the 15th- through the 18th centuries. Also performing will be violinists Heidi Powell and Sylvia Schwartz and cellist Raffael Scheck.
The program is centered on works by Henry Purcell, William Lawes, and Giovanni Coperario. The last composer, in spite of his name, was an Englishman who was born John Cooper, but changed his name because he thought that Italian musicians were favored over their English contemporaries.
Harmonie Universelle has been performing music of the 17th and 18th centuries using historically-appropriate instruments and playing styles for over four decades. It was founded by American musicians working and studying in Amsterdam in the Netherlands in 1982. They returned to the United States in 1986, and since then have been performing throughout the U. S. and western Europe.
Phoebe Durand-McDonnell grew up in Bar Harbor and began studying harp with Liza Rey Butler. She earned a BM in harp performance at Oberlin Conservatory. In 2019, she received a Fulbright Research grant to study historical harp performance and early music at the Haute École de Musique Genève (HEM) in Geneva, Switzerland, from which she received her first MA in 2021.She has performed with the Baroque Orchestra of Maine, Crescendo Early Music, and collaborated with the Episcopal Chaplaincy at Harvard for their "Treasures of Darkness" program. Phoebe has given masterclasses in baroque and renaissance harps at the Boston University Tanglewood Institute and the Halifax Institute of Traditional and Early Music. In 2023, Phoebe completed an MA in musicology at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
Daniel Pyle is Organist/Music-Director for the St. Saviour’s Episcopal Church in Bar Harbor ME, and Musical Director of the ensemble Harmonie Universelle, From 2019 to 2024 he was the Artistic Director of the Acadia Choral Society, and in 2018 and 2019 he conducted Handel’s Messiah for the Blue Hill Bach Festival. His solo recording, The Maiden’s Songe: Elizabethan music on the lautenwerk, was released in 1994 on the Gasparo label. He holds degrees from the Univ. of Alabama and the Eastman School of Music, and studied at the Sweelinck Conservatorium of Amsterdam and at the Accademia Musicale Chigiana. Dr. Pyle was one of the five founders of the Atlanta Baroque Orchestra, and its Resident Director 2003-2011. He has taught organ, harpsichord, and music history at the University of Kansas, the Louisiana State University, and Clayton State University; he has also taught masterclasses at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester, UK.
The Evening Music series was inaugurated in 2021, to bring concerts of chamber-music to the year-round residents of MDI and the the Downeast region. The concerts take place one Saturday of each month (except December) at 4 p.m. in the sanctuary of St. Saviour’s Episcopal Church in Bar Harbor, presented by the Friends of Music at St. Saviour’s. The admission for all concerts in the series is free, but donations are requested from the listeners in support of the Friends of Music.
GAME PLAYING FESTIVAL!
PUBLIC WORKS FACILITY CLOSED
BAR HARBOR—The Public Works Facility in Hulls Cove will be CLOSED on Monday, January 20, 2025 in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
The Transfer Station / Recycling Center will be CLOSED on Wednesday-Thursday, January 22-23, 2025 for maintenance. Normal operations will resume on Friday.
2025 Dog Registrations are Due Now!
MOUNT DESERT—This is an ANNUAL FEE for dog registrations. Late fee starts February 1!
For more information on how to register your dog, you may contact the Town Clerk at (207) 276-5531.
All dogs that are six months and older must be licensed. To obtain a license or renewal of a dog license, a certified rabies certificate from a Maine veterinarian must accompany the request.
Renewal licenses maybe done through the mail or online at https://www10.informe.org/dog_license/
All licenses are required to be obtained on or by January 1.
A late fee on unregistered previously registered dogs will be imposed on February 1.
Current year licenses are available starting mid-October.
The fee for neutered/spayed dog is $6.00; male/female dog is $11.00.
Library Teas are Back!
SOUTHWEST HARBOR—It's Tea Time again at the Library! Please join us from 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Thursdays, January 30, February 20, March 20, and April 17, for tea in a fine china cup, homemade treats, live music, conversation, and friends. Everyone is welcome to stop in the middle of a busy day and relax with a nice cup of hot tea by the ibrary’s fireplace. Music provided by Zella Harmon and friends. For more information, go to https://tinyurl.com/jn5e8zfc, www.swhplibrary.org or call the Library, 244-7065.
Water Main Shutdown Planned on Lower Ledgelawn Avenue on January 22, 2025
BAR HARBOR—On Wednesday, January 22, 2025, the Town’s Construction Contractor will be working on the water main along lower Ledgelawn Avenue near the Cromwell Brook bridge (Maine DOT bridge headed to the Transfer Station). This work will require a water main shut-down. Select customers on lower Ledgelawn Avenue, Strawberry Hill Road, Great Meadow Drive, and Short Cake Way are expected to be without water from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Water Division crews will notify these customers via door hangers. Traffic impacts are expected to be minimal, but be prepared to seek alternate routes if possible.
If you have questions, please contact the Bar Harbor Water Division at 1-207-288-3555 or email water@barharbormaine.gov.
HYDRANT REPLACEMENT
BAR HARBOR—This coming Wednesday, January 22, 2025, the Town’s Contractor will be replacing the fire hydrant at the intersection of First South Street and School Street.
Bar Harbor Bank & Trust Donates $5,000 in Matching Funds to Five Food Pantries in Hancock County
BAR HARBOR—Bar Harbor Bank & Trust recently donated $5,000 to help support the efforts of five local food pantries working to improve food security for residents of Hancock County. The Bank donated $1,000 to each of the following nonprofit organizations: Bar Harbor Food Pantry, Common Good Soup Kitchen, Emmaus Homeless Shelter, Loaves & Fishes Food Pantry, and Schoodic Food Pantry.
In honor of Giving Tuesday, the Bank pledged to match, dollar for dollar, up to $5,000 in donations made to the five food pantries between December 1, 2024, and December 13, 2024. All five food pantries raised more than $1,000 in donations to ensure they received the Bank’s matching funds.
“It is our honor to match the generosity of the members of our community who stepped up to make donations to our local food pantries,” said Jack Frost, VP Director of Community Giving at Bar Harbor Bank & Trust. “By uniting our resources, we have made a positive impact in helping our neighbors who are experiencing food insecurity and the organizations that work tirelessly to make sure that no one goes hungry.”
Bar Harbor Bankshares (NYSE American: BHB) is the parent company of its wholly owned subsidiary, Bar Harbor Bank & Trust. Operating over 50 locations across Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont, Bar Harbor Bank & Trust is headquartered in Bar Harbor, Maine and has more than $4 billion in assets. As a leading Northern New England community bank, Bar Harbor Bank & Trust offers a full range of personal and business banking services, as well as wealth management services through its subsidiary Bar Harbor Wealth Management. For more information about Bar Harbor Bank & Trust, visit www.barharbor.bank or call 888-853-7100. Member FDIC.
MaineCF grants available to nonprofit organizations in all 16 counties
PORTLAND & ELLSWORTH —Nonprofit organizations throughout the state may be eligible for grants from the Maine Community Foundation’s (MaineCF) Community Building Grant Program.
The grant program invests in local projects and organizations that help build strong communities in all 16 counties. Community Building supports projects and organizations that invest in people, engage with the people served and strengthen community resources.
In 2024, MaineCF’s county and regional committees awarded $1.97 million in grants through the Community Building Grant Program. Learn more about the Community Building Grant Program and application process at www.mainecf.org/communitybuilding.
The deadline to apply is Friday, Feb. 14.
The Community Building Grant Program is MaineCF’s largest grant program. It is one of the only grant programs in the state that supports a broad range of interest areas, including arts, education, environment, economic development and human services.
The grant program offers two types of funding: project grants and general support. Project grants are only available to larger organizations for new projects. General support grants are geared towards smaller organizations and this flexible funding may support new, expanding or ongoing programs as well as operational needs.
For a list of 2024 Community Building grants by county, visit www.mainecf.org/recentgrants.
The Maine Community Foundation brings people and resources together to build a better Maine through strategic giving, community leadership, personalized service, local expertise and strong investments. To learn more about the foundation, visit www.mainecf.org.
Registration Opens for Women’s History Month March 2025 Exhibit at the Southwest Harbor Public Library
Southwest Harbor—Registration is open to participate in this year’s Women’s History Month March 5 to 28 Exhibit at the Southwest Harbor Public Library. We invite individuals and groups connected to Mount Desert Island to show an item during the month of March, inspired by the National Women’s History Alliance 2025 theme “Moving Forward Together: Women Inspiring and Educating Generations”. Celebrate a woman, or women, who impacted you because of her strength and influence dedicating her life to education, mentorship, and leadership. Details and registration at https://tinyurl.com/4wjszy6t. The deadline for registration is Wednesday, February 26th.
On Friday, March 7th from 5:30-7:00 p.m. join us for a Reception to view the show and meet the exhibitors. Refreshments will be provided.
Other Mount Desert Island Libraries will celebrate Women’s History Month with exhibits, receptions, and programs. Check their websites for information. Exhibitors are encouraged to show at multiple libraries.
For more information about the exhibit and reception, visit https://tinyurl.com/4wjszy6t, call 207-244-7065, or email womenshistory@swhplibrary.org.
February 1 Campfire Dances
Warm up with the Kotwica Band and the Downeast Folk Dancers celebrating Trndez - the Armenian holiday in February when families jump over a campfire for luck, fertile land, and prosperity. Armenian, Carpathian Mountain, and Serbian Roma campfire dances will be featured at this community dance on February 1, 7 - 9:00 p.m. at the YWCA 36, Mt. Desert Street, Bar Harbor. Teaching by Carolyn Rapkievian - no experience and no partner is needed. Admission is $10 at the door. For more information, visit Downeast Folk Dancers on Facebook.
Downeast Restorative Justice To Hold Community Conversations in Northeast Harbor
NORTHEAST HARBOR—On Thursday, February 6 at 4:30 p.m. Downeast Restorative Justice and the Northeast Harbor Library will host their first Community Circle of the new year. Community Circles are a discussion series to share, listen and support each other while acknowledging differing experiences. The focus of the February 6 discussion will be the political division we face as a nation and community, and how it affects our lives.
At the opening of each circle, DRJ’s Restorative Practitioner Kayla Gagnon will introduce Restorative principles and practices to facilitate the conversation, followed by a new discussion topic guided by the interests of participants and recent events.
Circles meet on the first Thursday of each month with breaks in April, August, and December. There is no expectation to share; showing up to listen is just as valuable. The discussion topic for February 6 is political divisions. The discussion topic for March 6 will be LGBTQ+ rights and gender dynamics in our communities.
Downeast Restorative Justice is a worker self-directed non-profit organization that helps to repair harmed relationships through equitable, non-adversarial, community-based justice. The Northeast Harbor Library is a non-profit educational institution and public library that serves the Town of Mount Desert, the Town of Cranberry Isles, and their surrounding communities.
Drop-in Information Table Southwest Harbor's Climate Vulnerability Assessment:
Learn More and Ask Questions!
SOUTHWEST HARBOR—Are you interested in Southwest Harbor’s Climate Vulnerability Assessment? Drop by the Southwest Harbor Public Library on Tuesday, January 28th from 3 - 5 p.m. to learn more and ask questions! The Town of Southwest Harbor is conducting climate vulnerability assessments in collaboration with the Gulf of Maine Research Institute (GMRI). Join Abigail Long, Steph Sun, and Sienna Zuco of GMRI's Municipal Climate Action Program for Open Hours to learn more about the project, explore resources, ask questions, and discuss climate change.
The Gulf of Maine Research Institute is an independent, objective nonprofit organization dedicated to the resilience of the Gulf of Maine ecosystem and the communities that depend on it.
For more information and questions, go to https://tinyurl.com/2e87vprv. For program info, contact Sienna Sun. 772-2321 x8090. szuco@gmri.org. For venue info, call the library. 244-7065. programs@swhplibrary.org.
MINC welcomes Maine Center for Public Interest Reporting as a strategic partner
HALLOWELL AND BANGOR, MAINE—The Maine Independent News Collaborative is delighted to announce that the Maine Center for Public Interest Reporting, the nonprofit publisher of The Maine Monitor, is now a strategic partner of MINC and will work collaboratively with MINC and its partner news organizations.
MCPIR will bring its experience in investigative reporting, philanthropic fundraising, and audience engagement, in particular, to support the MINC newsrooms and to work with MINC partners and other independent newsrooms throughout Maine to support strong and sustainable journalism for Maine.
“We look forward to exploring collaborative news reporting projects, sharing knowledge, and supporting joint outreach and events,” said MCPIR Executive Director Micaela
Schweitzer-Bluhm. “In particular, we want to share our experience as a nonprofit to help Maine news organizations consider new ways to share their reporting and to seek philanthropic support for their important local journalism.”
“The addition of MCPIR and The Maine Monitor as a strategic partner of MINC to secure local news for Maine is an important move towards greater collaboration between news organizations throughout Maine – and towards a stronger news future for Maine,” Jo Easton, MINC steering committee member and Bangor Daily News Director of Development noted. “We are excited to expand MINC and look forward to building new partnerships and growing the impact of our work by addressing unmet news and information needs, investing in infrastructure of independent community news sources, and leveraging the collective to lower costs.”
The Maine Monitor is the nonpartisan, independent publication of the Maine Center for Public Interest Reporting, a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (EIN: 27-2623867), dedicated to delivering high-quality, nonpartisan investigative and explanatory journalism to inform Mainers about issues impacting our state and empower them to be engaged citizens. MCPIR is governed by an independent Maine-based board of directors with fiscal and strategic oversight responsibilities.
The Maine Independent News Collaborative was founded in 2023 by founding partners the Bangor Daily News, Eastern Maine Development Corporation and Unity Foundation. MINC is a collaborative journalism support organization representing 1.5 million readers comprising five local news organizations with common values: Amjambo Africa, the BDN, the Lincoln County News, Penobscot Bay Press and The Quoddy Tides. The project is fiscally sponsored by EMDC.
Learn more about MINC at maineindependentnewscollaborative.org or The Maine Monitor at themainemonitor.org.
CAMP BEECH CLIFF VACATION CAMP
FRIDAY FAMILY FUN NIGHTS AT CAMP BEECH CLIFF
HIP HOP CLASSES
Home and Community-Based Services Quality Assurance Project Town Hall Announcement
AUGUSTA—We Want to Hear from You!
As a reminder, DHHS is hosting a town hall meeting to share information and listen to your ideas about how DHHS can improve the way it handles problems to make services safer and better. DHHS is working with a group called Alvarez and Marsal (A&M). A&M will explain the project and ask for your feedback. Your input will help DHHS understand what’s working and what needs improvement. This is your chance to make a difference in how problems like injuries or medication mistakes are handled.
Important Details:
When: Tuesday, January 21, 2025, from 3 to 4 p.m.
Who: Individuals and families using services, advocates, and support groups
Where: Online (you'll need to register using the button below)
If you can’t join the live session, recordings will be available on the DHHS website. You can also send your feedback by email.
INFLUENZA UPDATE
STATE OF MAINE FIREFIGHTERS HEAD TO CALIFORNIA
AUGUSTA—Governor Janet Mills announced today that the State of Maine is deploying a team of Maine Forest Rangers and volunteer firefighters to help battle the devastating wildfires in Southern California.
Over the last week, wildfires have destroyed approximately 40,000 acres in greater Los Angeles, with high winds forecast to complicate containment efforts in the coming days. Two crews from Maine -- consisting of eight Forest Rangers and twelve volunteer firefighters -- will assist response and recovery efforts for a two-week period.
"In times of emergency and crisis, states step up to help one another and that is what we are proud to be doing here," said Governor Mills. "Our highly trained Forest Rangers and volunteer firefighters are answering the call to support the people of California and provide much-needed relief to exhausted teams on the ground. I thank them for their service and bravery."
Maine's team is expected to arrive in California by Tuesday evening and will provide vital relief to ongoing efforts where resources have been stretched thin due to the magnitude of the ongoing fires.
In addition to this deployment, the Maine Forest Service has also recently mobilized as part of other emergency response efforts nationwide, including to North Carolina in the wake of Hurricane Helene last October.
Under the Master Cooperative Wildland Fire Management and Stafford Act Agreement, State forestry agencies collaborate with Federal land management agencies to respond to national emergencies like wildfires and hurricanes. During deployments, Maine maintains sufficient personnel to handle local emergencies while providing critical support to other regions.
BIOPRODUCTS
Governor Janet Mills applauded an announcement by the Biden-Harris Administration that Maine's Forest Bioproducts Advanced Manufacturing Tech Hub will receive an additional $22 million to position Maine as a global leader in forest-based biomaterial production and manufacturing.
Maine's Forest Bioproducts Advanced Manufacturing Tech Hub was launched in 2023 to accelerate development of new materials and products derived from wood that can bolster critical industries like housing, eliminate the use of toxic materials, and replace imported plastics and other materials derived from fossil fuels.
The consortium -- led by the Maine Technology Institute and the Mills Administration -- was one of just 31 nationwide to receive a federal "Tech Hub" designation under President Biden's CHIPS and Sciences Act. This award builds on approximately $1 million in federal grants Maine has previously secured for the Tech Hub.
The $22 million award will support two projects focused on driving commercialization and innovation in Maine's forest bioproducts sector that will bring cutting edge products to the global market.
"Maine companies are leading the way in manufacturing innovative and environmentally friendly products that are changing how the world builds homes and businesses, and packages products, and more -- and in doing so, they're writing the next great chapter of Maine's storied forest products industry," said Governor Janet Mills. "This significant federal investment will help Maine cement its growing reputation as a global leader in the advanced manufacturing of forest bioproducts. I thank the Maine Congressional Delegation and the Biden-Harris Administration for their extraordinary support."
"This investment is a testament to Maine's leadership in sustainable forest bioproduct innovation," said Brian Whitney, President of the Maine Technology Institute. "I thank the Biden-Harris Administration and Maine's Congressional Delegation for making this support possible."
"We are honored to partner with the State of Maine on Maine's Forest Bioproducts Advanced Manufacturing Tech Hub," said Joan Ferrini-Mundy, president of the University of Maine and its regional campus, the University of Maine at Machias, and vice chancellor for research and innovation for the University of Maine System. "This award underscores the University of Maine's leadership in forest bioproducts research, innovation, and workforce development and will take advantage of the university's broad and deep expertise and infrastructure to enhance our region's capacity to manufacture, commercialize, and deploy innovative bioproducts."
Maine is one of just six Tech Hubs selected to receive an award under new funding for the Tech Hubs Program included in the Fiscal Year 2025 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The award announced today will support initiatives that will:
Bridge forest bioproducts technological innovations with the commercialization resources and partnerships necessary to successfully bring that intellectual property to market at a globally competitive scale and serving as the backbone organization for the consortium, coordinating governance, strategy, evaluation, and community engagement; and
Strengthen a pipeline of innovations, de-risking these innovations with technical assistance, and leveraging new commercialization, advanced manufacturing, and workforce resources of the Tech Hub to accelerate the most promising innovations.
Maine's Tech Hub is made up of more than 70 partners -- including the University of Maine, the Roux Institute, the Maine Community College System, Sappi, IDEXX, Thornton Tomasetti, FOR/Maine, the Maine Forest Products Council, the AFL-CIO, the Manufacturers Association of Maine, and the Maine Venture Fund -- and backed by investors with more than $4.25 billion in assets. More about Maine's Tech Hub can be found at www.mainetechhub.us.
Information about the Federal Tech Hubs Program can be found at TechHubs.gov.
HANCOCK COUNTY COURTS
Official records for the following cases in Hancock County.
George Elmer Taylor IV, 44, Bucksport. Criminal trespass at Ellsworth, June 5, 2020. Jail five days. Attaching false plates at Southwest Harbor, Aug. 3, 2020. Dismissed.
Steven Robert Biron, 48, Trenton. Theft by unauthorized use of property at Trenton, May 30, 2021. Dismissed.
Thorin E. Smith, 23, Bar Harbor. Operating while license suspended or revoked-OUI at Tremont, Sept. 18, 2022. Dismissed.
Karen M. Benore, 62, Bar Harbor. Theft by unauthorized taking or transfer at Ellsworth, Aug. 25, 2022. Dismissed.
Brittany Tripp, 28, Southwest Harbor. Assault at Southwest Harbor, April 22, 2023. Guilty.
Zachary Taylor, 30, Trenton. OUI (alcohol) at Bar Harbor, Dec. 8, 2023. $500. License suspended 150 days.
David Wilcomb, 77, Bar Harbor. Operating while license suspended or revoked-OUI at Bar Harbor, March 9, 2024. Dismissed. Operating while license suspended or revoked at Bar Harbor, March 9, 2024. $250.
Ashlee Piskura, 30, Southwest Harbor. Operating after habitual offender revocation at Ellsworth, March 5, 2024. $500. Jail 30 days.
Prateek Kanqjiya, 28, Atlanta, Ga. Motor vehicle speeding: 30+ mph over speed limit at Bar Harbor, April 26, 2024. Dismissed.
Jacqueline Michelle Young, 29, Bar Harbor. Operating vehicle without license at Bar Harbor, April 5, 2024. $150. Attaching false plates at Bar Harbor, April 5, 2024. $100, suspended.
Timothy James Stanley, 31, Hancock. Assault at Southwest Harbor, Aug. 6, 2024. $300. Department of Corrections 364 days. Assault at Southwest Harbor, Aug. 6, 2024. $300, suspended. Department of Corrections 364 days. OUI (alcohol) at Southwest Harbor, Aug. 6, 2024. $500, suspended. License suspended 150 days. Violating condition of release at Southwest Harbor, Aug. 6, 2024. Jail six months.
Aimee Michelle LaCroix, 55, Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Domestic Violence assault at Bar Harbor, Aug. 17, 2024. Dismissed. Disorderly conduct, fighting at Bar Harbor, Aug. 17, 2024. Dismissed.
Heather M. Kelly, 53, Bar Harbor. OUI (alcohol) at Bar Harbor, Aug. 31, 2024. $850. License suspended 150 days.
Vincent Milko Lombardi Jr., 19, Bar Harbor. OUI (alcohol) at Bar Harbor, Sept. 22, 2024. $500. License suspended 150 days. Operating vehicle without license-conditional/restricted at Bar Harbor, Sept. 22, 2024. $150, suspended.
Tristen X. Bierce, 17, Tremont. Operating vehicle without license at Trenton, Aug. 24, 2024. $100.
Kaydence E. Warner, 19, Orono. OUI (alcohol) at Bar Harbor, July 29, 2024. $850. License suspended 150 days. Operating vehicle without license-conditional/restricted at Bar Harbor, July 29, 2024. $150, suspended.
Roy Edward Sheperd, 57, Phoenix, Ariz. Operating vehicle without license at Mount Desert Aug. 9, 2024. $150.
Howard Anthony Palmer, 35, Bangor. Motor vehicle speeding: 30+ mph over speed limit at Bar Harbor, Aug. 15, 2024. $250.
Crystal K. Gentles, 22, Trenton. Passing stopped school bus at Trenton, Aug. 29, 2024. $250.
Casey Dwayne Strickland, 21, Bar Harbor. OUI (alcohol) at Bar Harbor, Sept. 22, 2024. $500. License suspended 150 days.
Silverrose Randal Cunningham, 31, New York, N.Y. Operating vehicle without license at Bar Harbor, Oct. 3, 2024. $150.
Richard K. Ladtkow, 68, Arvada, Colo. Passing stopped school bus at Bar Harbor, Sept. 30, 2024. $250.
Jonah Normandeau, 29, North Yarmouth. OUI (alcohol) at Mount Desert, Sept. 21, 2024. $500. License suspended 150 days.
Cory McMillan, 30, Lamoine. Refusing to submit to arrest or detention, refusing to stop at Trenton, Nov. 11, 2024. Jail 24 hours. Violating condition of release at Trenton, Nov. 11, 2024. Jail 24 hours.
Hayden J. Faustmann, 20, Hartland, Wis. Minor consuming liquor at Bar Harbor, Aug.22, 2024. $200.
Vincent Milko Lombardi Jr., 19, Bar Harbor. Minor transporting liquor at Bar Harbor, Sept. 22, 2024. Dismissed.
Martavious Ramon Moore, 30, Collins, Miss. Failure to inform law enforcement of concealed handgun at Bar Harbor, Aug. 24, 2024. $50.
REAL ESTATE TRANSACTIONS
BAR HARBOR
David Jenkins, Suwanee, Ga., to Philippa E. Hansen and Adam Joseph Daigneault, Orono, as joint tenants, land with buildings and improvements.
David Jenkins, Suwanee, Ga., to Philippa E. Hansen and Adam Joseph Daigneault, Orono, as joint tenants, land with buildings and improvements.
Cough Family Real Estate Trust, Bar Harbor to John Dolan and Martha Patricia Dolan, San Angelo, Texas, as joint tenants, land with improvements.
John Steven Walls, Bentonville, Ark., to Kathleen Barbara Lebida, Bowdoin, land with improvements.
James R. Secor and Elizabeth C. Secor, Salisbury Cove to College of the Atlantic, Bar Harbor, land with buildings and improvements.
Dennis John Weber Revocable Trust Oct. 9, 2013, Colorado Springs, Colo., to Deborah Hawkins Weber Revocable Trust Oct. 9, 2013, Col-orado Springs, Colo., land with improvements.
MOUNT DESERT
Lijun Jia and Frances H. Fremont-Smith, Somesville to Frances H. Fremont-Smith Revocable Trust and Lijun Jia Revocable Trust, Somesville, land with improvements.
Estate of Pauline Brock Houghton, Woburn, Mass., to Brock Houghton and Nicholas Houghton, La Crescenta, Calif., undivided two-thirds interest, land with improvements.
Susan W. Benson, Mount Desert to Susan W. Benson, Mount Desert, land with buildings and improvements.
SOUTHWEST HARBOR
Bernard W. Miller, Bangor to Harbor Ridge Condominium Association, Southwest Harbor, interest in timeshare estate at Harbor Ridge Condominium, Southwest Harbor, unit 14, week 5.
Bernard W. Miller, Bangor to Harbor Ridge Condominium Association, Southwest Harbor, interest in timeshare estate at Harbor Ridge Condominium, Southwest Harbor, unit 17, week 19.
Matthew R. Lyon, Augusta and Heather B. Lyon, Winterport to Matthew R. Lyon and Patricia W. Morris, Augusta, as joint tenants, interest in timeshare estate at Harbor Ridge Condominium, Southwest Harbor, unit 55, week 11.
Benedict F. and Frances M. Neubauer, Orono to Mary A. Robinson and Michael C. Robinson, Rollinsford, N.H., as joint tenants, interest in timeshare estate at Harbor Ridge Condominium, Southwest Harbor, unit 26, week 29.
Harbor Ridge Condominium Association, Southwest Harbor to Ashley M. Rosborough and Travis K. Walls, Ellsworth, 50% interest, timeshare estate at Harbor Ridge Condominium, Southwest Harbor, unit 53, week 8.
WHAT IS HAPPENING AT ARTWAVES
Spotlight On:
Inner Field Trip® with Lelania Avila
Each month participate we’ll be offering a longer version of the weekly Relax, Reflect, Recharge class, focused on a rotating monthly theme. These will be Guided Adventures that includes meditation, reflection, art, movement and sound current healing: Inner Field Trip®. Instructor Lelania Avila (she/we/tributary), playfully approaches challenges, embracing emotions as a guide to inner wisdom.
She builds community through the healing arts and works in the media of animation/video production, block printing, calligraphy, collage, poetry and puppetry. With gratitude to get to live, work and play in the homeland of the Wabanaki Confederacy, she is dedicated to becoming a better ancestor and global citizen.
Join us on the following dates for upcoming Inner Field Trip® sessions:
Sunday 1/26, 9 a.m. - 12 p.m. - Inner Field Trip®: Block Printing
Sunday 2/23, 9 a.m. - 12 p.m. - Inner Field Trip®: Collage
With special co-instructor, Jeanne Seronde Perkins
Sunday 3/23, 9 a.m. - 12 p.m. - Inner Field Trip®: Poetry
With special co-instructor, Shir Kehila
Sunday 4/13, 9 a.m. - 12 p.m. - Inner Field Trip®: Puppetry
Sunday 5/11, 9 a.m. - 12 p.m. - Inner Field Trip®: Poetry
With special co-instructor, Shir Kehila
Sunday 6/8, 9 a.m. - 12 p.m. - Inner Field Trip®: Puppetry
Upcoming Events & News
Beginner Stained Glass
Our January “Stained Glass for Beginners” class with Dave and Lisa Roy is full. If you missed out on a spot you can still register for our next session on Saturday, February 22!
New Stained Glass Series!
We’re excited to announce a new Intermediate Stained Glass Series. In this course participants will learn techniques to make a full sized, stained glass panel. The class will run every Saturday from 1 - 4 p.m., from March 8 - April 5. For more info and to register, visit the event page.
Sew Down Sunday has moved to Moved!
Mark your calendars for the first Sew Down of the year: Monday, February 3 from 10 a.m. - 12 p.m.. Join the Which Stitch? group and learn to make reusable produce bags. This is an easy way to make a difference and upcycle unwanted clothing/fabric that has a detrimental effect on the environment.
Cyanotype of Paper & Fabric
Join Katama Murray on Friday, Feb. 28 from 3 - 6 p.m. for this workshop on the basics of cyanotype. Participants will capture shadows through cyanotype printing, utilizing seasonally foraged plants of the region as well as everyday objects that hold memory or visual intrigue to print with on coated cotton fabric and watercolor paper. For more info and to register, visit the event page.
Weekly Offerings
In addition to our classes, workshops and special events, here’s what’s happening at ArtWaves every week.
Sunday: Open Studio, 1 - 4 p.m.
Monday: Open Studio, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. & Which Stitch? 10 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Tuesday: Relax, Reflect and Recharge with Lelania Avila, 5:00 - 6:30 p.m.
Wednesday: Hatha Yoga with Abi, 5:30 - 6:30 p.m.
Thursday: Figure Drawing, 12 - 3 p.m.
The Bar Harbor Story is generously sponsored by Fine Violins by David.
If you’d like to donate to help support us, you can, but no pressure! Just click here (about how you can give) or here (a direct link), which is the same as the button below. Our mailing address is 98 Ledgelawn Ave., Bar Harbor, Maine, 04609
If you’d like to sponsor the Bar Harbor Story, you can! Learn more here.