Mount Desert Business Receives $200k, LifeFlight Asks People to Please Not Point Lasers at Its Helicopters
Events, Closures, and More Briefs
Each week, we compile briefs and press release and event images and share them all in one (sometimes very long) story. This is this week’s briefs
LOCAL BUSINESS RECEIVES $200K FROM STATE
AUGUSTA—Governor Janet Mills today announced $7 million in grant awards from her Maine Jobs & Recovery Plan to help Maine technology companies create jobs and strengthen Maine's innovation economy.
Zero Energy Homes in Mount Desert received $200,000. Caroline Pryor is its founder. Its website says, “We are a worker-owned cooperative that builds affordable, net zero energy homes using state-of-the-art, modular construction and 80-90% Maine materials.”
The awards were distributed through the third and final phase of the Pandemic Recovery for an Innovative Maine Economy (PRIME) Fund, a $39.6 million Maine Jobs & Recovery Plan initiative administered by the Maine Technology Institute (MTI). The initiative was established in 2022 through the Governor's Maine Jobs & Recovery Plan to help Maine technology companies recover from the pandemic and catalyze long-term economic growth.
"These Jobs Plan grants will support cutting-edge technology companies across Maine as they innovate and create new jobs, which helps diversify and strengthen our economy," said Governor Mills. "I thank the Maine Technology Institute for their partnership in investing these funds to build a stronger economy that provides greater opportunity for Maine people and their families."
"These PRIME awards will help us continue to grow a stronger, more diverse economy, create jobs, and attract new workers to our state, all of which are central to Maine's 10-Year Economic Development Strategy," said Heather Johnson, Commissioner of the Department of Economic and Community Development.
"MTI has been honored to help deploy the Maine Jobs & Recovery Plan funds to bolster our state's tech-based economy," said Brian Whitney, President of the Maine Technology Institute. "While the last of those funds have now been awarded, we are elated that voters approved a $25 million R&D bond on November 5th that MTI will administer in 2025 to further support innovation in Maine."
The final phase of the competitive PRIME Fund program, which received 134 applications seeking more than $20 million, focused its investments on businesses in the state's targeted technology sectors, which include biotech, composites and advanced materials, forestry and agriculture, marine industries, precision manufacturing, and more.
By targeting these sectors, the PRIME Fund was designed to accelerate job creation and reach businesses that were largely unable to access other federal pandemic-response economic support programs. Of the 48 awards, nearly 60 percent went to firms that had not received any previous MTI or pandemic relief funding.
In July 2022, Governor Mills announced that 174 companies had been awarded $23.3 million in grant awards from the PRIME Fund to help them recover from the pandemic, invest in new products and business lines, attract new customers, and create long-term economic growth.
In January 2023, Governor Mills announced $5.6 million in awards from the second round of the PRIME Fund to 16 organizations develop programs to support Maine entrepreneurs and startups.
The Maine Jobs & Recovery Plan is Governor Mills' plan, approved by the Legislature, to invest nearly $1 billion in Federal American Rescue Plan funds to improve the lives of Maine people and families, help businesses, create good-paying jobs, and build an economy poised for future prosperity. For more about the Maine Jobs & Recovery Plan, please visit maine.gov/jobsplan.
Under Governor Mills' leadership, Maine's gross domestic product has experienced the strongest GDP growth in New England and outperformed the economic growth of larger states like California, New York, and Virginia. Maine has experienced more economic growth over the last four years than it did in the preceding fifteen.
MDI HIGH SCHOOL CRAFT FAIR AND MARKET!
The MDIHS Annual Holiday Craft Fair is right around the corner! At the seventh annual fair, there will be a wide array of crafts and good food. Lunch is by West Eden Pizza. Pies, holiday greens, Blue Barrens Blueberries, ECO Team Pop-up Thrift Shop, Children's Craft run by National Arts Honor Society, and so much more.
The event with more than 40 vendors supports the upcoming Italy trip for approximately 50 students and staff.
Sunday, November 24
10 a.m. - 3 p.m.
MDI High School
Rob and Cristy Benson Receive Thorndike Award
BAR HARBOR— Rob and Cristy Benson of Bar Harbor were honored with the 2024 Elizabeth Fritz Thorndike Award. The biennial award, managed by the Maine Community Foundation (MaineCF), honors people who have made outstanding contributions to community service on Mount Desert Island.
Thorndike Award recipients are given the opportunity to make grants to nonprofit organizations that serve MDI and whose work is meaningful to them.
Rob Benson, pastor at Bar Harbor Congregational Church, and Cristy Benson, a science teacher at MDI High School, chose to award $2,500 to the YWCA of Bar Harbor’s Hamilton Station Project and $2,500 to Downeast Restorative Justice.
Rob is volunteer chaplain with the Bar Harbor Fire Department, is on the board of the MDI YMCA, and cofounded the MDI Racial Equity Working Group and the MDI Backpack Program. Cristy volunteers as treasurer for the MDI Town Band, the MDI Backpack Program, and the Friends of Haiti initiative. She also helps lead the annual Thanksgiving basket program. Together, the Bensons help organize College of the Atlantic’s Community Connections program, which supports international students through local host families.
Cristy, a supporter of the YWCA, has seen firsthand the impact of its work. “We’ve seen the incredible work they do for women in vulnerable situations – connecting people to the right resources they need, to housing and that they’re working on trying to create more housing,” she said.
Downeast Restorative Justice is a resource for youth and the community to regain trust following a breach of trust by an individual. Rob says the model helps people take accountability for their actions by facing them directly.
“It’s for when someone has harmed another, it’s finding avenues to have that person take direct responsibility for their actions and for finding a way for people to get back to one another,” Rob said.
Both organizations, the Bensons said, are under-the-radar organizations that might not get a lot of public credit, but whose work is critical for a thriving community.
“There are so many groups and organizations doing great work on MDI and in Hancock County,” Rob said. “These organizations have a direct impact on people’s lives and for those who are particularly vulnerable. These organizations step in and help people redirect their lives which is really important.”
Established in 1992, the Thorndike Award honors Betty Thorndike, a longtime resident of Bar Harbor who served in many capacities in her community as a volunteer, board member, town councilor, patron of the arts, friend and neighbor to many. The Thorndike Award is awarded every two years to community members who embody her spirit. In the years between awards, the committee recommends grants to organizations that serve Mount Desert Island.
Previous Thorndike Award winners include Neha Kumar, Harriette Mitchell, Nan Miller, Jan Varnum, Anna Ryan and Nancy Howland. A committee of island residents selects the recipient for the award. Since 1987, the Thorndike fund has awarded 75 grants totaling $93,036.
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.
THE BEST CHRISTMAS PAGEANT EVER!
Acadia Community Theater Brings The Best Christmas Pageant Ever to MDI This Holiday Season
Acadia Community Theater is pleased to announce its 2024 holiday production, The Best Christmas Pageant Ever. This hilarious holiday classic is based on the 1972 novel by Barbara Robinson. Christmas is coming, and Grace and Bob Bradley are putting on a church pageant to celebrate. But when the Herdman kids show up and put themselves on stage, the production goes wildly awry, in the funniest ways possible.
These kids have been making mayhem in their community for years, and the Christmas pageant is no exception.
Directed by Mark Carignan, this family-friendly warm and funny celebration of the holiday season features a local cast of your friends and neighbors. Shows will be one weekend only, at the Acadia Repertory Theater in Somesville. Shows are Friday, December 6 and Saturday, December 7 at 7 p.m., and Saturday, December 7 and Sunday, December 8 at 2 p.m. Tickets are $15 for adults, and $12 for children under twelve and seniors. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit
https://www.acadiacommunitytheater.net/
BAR HARBOR CLOSURES AND TOWN NEWS
BAR HARBOR—The Public Works Facility in Hulls Cove will be CLOSED on Thursday and Friday, November 28-29, in observance of Thanksgiving and the day after.
The Transfer Station/Recycling Center will be CLOSED on Thursday and Friday, November 28-29 in observance of Thanksgiving and the day after. Normal hours of operation will resume on Saturday, November 30, from 8:00 AM to noon.
The Bar Harbor 2035 Comprehensive Plan is now available for public review and comment. The plan describes the community's vision for the future and outlines steps to achieve it. Comments are welcome and will be considered as the plan is finalized. Comments can be sent to planner@barharbormaine.gov or call 288-3329.
The Bar Harbor Water Division will be closing off a section of road on Holland Ave between Cottage St and Mount Desert St, to preform a water service repair. The work zone will be in the area of 51 Holland Ave.
BLOOD DRIVE IN SOUTHWEST HARBOR
FRENCHBORO SCHOOL TAKES A PAUSE
FRENCHBORO—The Frenchboro School’s two students departed early in November, and the school board voted November 19 to eliminate its part-time guidance counselor position, Kristin Eberdt, and a full-time teaching position, Laura Venger.
MDI HOSPITAL AUXILIARY JEWELRY SALE!
TRENTON GRANGE VENDOR MARKET!
Baroque Orchestra of Maine (BOOM) Performing Baroque Classics
BAR HARBOR—Heidi Powell (violin) and Raffael Scheck (cello) will perform pieces by four of the grand composers of the baroque period, G. F. Handel, J. S. Bach, Arcangelo Corelli, and Antonio Vivaldi, as well as a duet by the renowned but lesser-known Giovanni Platti. The program includes Corelli’s La Folia, a piece with a sad and fatalistic but popular baroque theme spun into ever wilder variations (la folia means folly), a concerto for violin and cello by Vivaldi, a Handel violin sonata, and a piece from the Bach cello suites. The concert brings alive a period of the European past, three hundred years ago, and we cordially invite you to this time travel experience. As historian Jeremy Eichler states, through music “we are hearing the past literally speaking in the present” (Time’s Echo, p. 8). BOOM performs all pieces on period instruments, ensuring that we let the past speak to the present in its own voice. Please see BOOM’s website for details:
https://www.baroqueorchestraofmaine.org/upcoming-concerts
Concert is Saturday, November 30 at 4 p.m. at the Bar Harbor Congregational Church, 29 Mount Desert St. Bar Harbor. Tickets are available at the door, $25 for adults, students are free.
Mount desert Thanksgiving Holiday Closure and Refuse Schedule Change
NO refuse pick up on Thursday and Friday Nov. 28th and 29th, 2024
MOUNT DESERT—The refuse collection schedule during Thanksgiving week is as follows:
Refuse normally collected on Monday & Tuesday will be picked up MONDAY
Refuse normally collected on Wednesday & Thursday will be picked up TUESDAY
Refuse normally collected on Friday will be picked up WEDNESDAY.
The Mount Desert Town Office will also be closed Thursday, November 28th and Friday, November 29th, 2024.
JOEY’S PLACE THANKSGIVING FEAST
MANSET MEETING HOUSE VINTAGE CHRISTMAS!
MANSET—Come enjoy the display of Vintage Christmas at the Manset Meetinghouse, home of the Southwest Harbor Historical Society. Our museum will be filled with lighted Christmas trees, Village sets from days of old, ornaments hand made and some from the 1940’s. Look for the vintage pottery Bar Harbor Times ornament !
The museum will be open on Saturday, December 7, from 1-4 p.m., Wednesday December 11, from 4-6 p.m., and Saturday, December 14, from 1-4 p.m.
Come enjoy hot mulled cider and homemade cookies! We also will have available for purchase Southwest Harbor, Manset & Seawall book, reprinted recently the Jesse Parker book, Recollections of Southwest Harbor, Maine 1885-1984. Special holiday prices! 192 Seawall Rd. Southwest Harbor, call for additional information 244-8063.
Birch Bay Retirement Village Invites the Public to Experience New Art Exhibit by Talented Residents
BAR HARBOR—Birch Bay Retirement Village is excited to announce the opening of its latest art exhibit, featuring 42 paintings and drawings created by eight of its talented residents. The exhibit will be on display starting December 2nd, showcasing the creative achievements of those living in the Birch Bay community.
This exhibit highlights the transformative power of art and creativity, underscoring the accessibility and joy that creating art can bring at any stage of life. “The act of making art is both accessible and affirming,” shares John Bryan, resident council chair and participant in the art group. “Whether created individually or collaboratively, indoors or outdoors, art brings joy and enriches our lives.”
To celebrate this creative expression, Birch Bay Retirement Village will host an artist’s reception on Friday, December 6th, from 3:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. The event, which is open to the public, will include light snacks, wine, and refreshments, providing an opportunity to meet the artists, learn about their creative process, and engage with their works. Some of the featured artworks will also be available for purchase.
“It is truly wonderful to have a resident-sponsored art group at Birch Bay,” says Program Director James Hoke. “This group, created by and for our residents, embodies the spirit of community and creativity. We are thrilled to showcase their works and celebrate the artistic talents within our community.”
The art exhibit will remain on display throughout December & January. If you are unable to attend the reception and would like to view the exhibit at another time, please contact Birch Bay Retirement Village at 288-8014 to schedule a visit.
About Birch Bay Retirement Village: Birch Bay Retirement Village offers a vibrant and supportive community for seniors, providing a wide range of services and activities designed to promote independence, creativity, and overall well-being. The village’s commitment to fostering a creative and engaging environment is reflected in its many programs, including the art group.
A WINTER WALK THROUGH THE GARDENS
Farm stand sale!
MOUNT DESERT — College of the Atlantic Beech Hill Farm hosts an end-of-season sale at their farm stand on Tuesday, November 26, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Most merchandise is marked down 40%, excluding vegetables, beer and wine, and certain preserves. Cash, card, SNAP/EBT and WIC accepted. 171 Beech Hill Rd. Mount Desert.
TREMONT TREE LIGHTING!
MDI HOSPITAL PANEL DISCUSSION!
BAR HARBOR—Join us at the Jesup Memorial Library for a panel discussion on aging with MDI Hospital Chief of Medicine and Hospitalist Director, Dr. Peter Ossanna; JAX Researchers Gary Churchill, Ph.D; Ron Korstanje, Ph.D; and Kristen O'Connell, Ph.D; and Healthy Acadia Outreach Coordinator and Tai Chi for Health Institute Master Trainer, Nina Zeldin.
This discussion will be moderated by former Maine Senator, Jill Goldthwait.
Mount Desert Island Hospital serves a close-knit island and surrounding communities through a 25-bed critical access facility in Bar Harbor and a network of area health centers—all designed to provide comprehensive healthcare for residents and visitors.
The Jackson Laboratory (JAX) is an independent, nonprofit biomedical research organization that leverages a unique combination of research, education and resources to achieve our mission.
Healthy Acadia is a 501c3 nonprofit organization that works on a broad range of community health initiatives that help Hancock and Washington counties to thrive. Since 2001, we have worked to identify priority health needs and to address root causes.
Register to attend in-person or online here: https://www.jesuplibrary.org/events/healthspan
MDI Hospital Community Forum: Campus Planning & Facility Update
Thursday, December 5 at 5:30 p.m.
BAR HARBOR—Chrissi Maguire, MDI Hospital President/CEO, will share campus planning and facility updates and discuss access to healthcare and advocacy initiatives that impact MDI. Hospital partners in construction and planning will be available to offer their insight and expertise.
Q&A to follow presentation.
Chrissi Maguire, President/CEO of Mount Desert Island Hospital and Health Centers also currently serves as the Chair of the Maine Hospital Association’s Board of Directors, an officer of the Maine chapter of the HFMA, and a member of the national HFMA.
Register to attend in-person or online here: https://www.jesuplibrary.org/events/mdi-hospital
ACADIA SENIOR COLLEGE GATHERS AT SEAL COVE AUTO MUSEUM
TREMONT: More than eighty members of Acadia Senior College gathered at the Seal Cove Auto Museum on November 12 for their Fall Party. Members enjoyed mingling with friends, classmates, instructors, and board members while savoring an array of cheeses, sausages, cookies, cider, and wine. The Steve Bowman Band provided a jazzy ambiance for the evening's festivities.
The Union River: Wherein Lies Its Value?
Rosamond Rea and Bill Fogle
Friday, November 22 11:30 a.m.
Birch Bay Village and on Zoom
BAR HARBOR—Rosamond Rea and Bill Fogle will present the history of the Union River, give an overview of the watershed, reveal some long-forgotten stories, and discuss the river's future.
Historic maps and photographs, a twelve-minute video produced by Bill Fogle of the Ellsworth Historical Society, and contemporary images will all be used to tell the story.
The luncheon at Birch Bay Village in Hulls Cove begins at 11:30 a.m. and costs $15. The presentation is from noon to 1:00 p.m.
The Zoom presentation is free and begins at noon. If you register for the online talk you will receive the link the day before the event.
Click for more information and to register
LifeFlight of Maine Raises Awareness After Laser Strikes Helicopter
BANGOR—Amid an uptick in laser strikes nationwide, LifeFlight of Maine is raising awareness about the dangers of pointing lasers at aircraft. Recently, a LifeFlight of Maine crew was about two-thousand feet in the air and flying back to their base in Sanford, when a laser was pointed directly at their helicopter. The incident occurred at approximately 7:45 p.m. in the Scarborough area. Our crew followed protocol and alerted Air Traffic Control to the situation. The pilot was able to continue the mission safely. We are fortunate our crew members were not injured by the laser, as this is not always the case.
According to the Federal Aviation Administration, 8,863 laser hazards have been reported across the U.S. this year. This includes 24 incidents in Maine alone. Under the law, a person who knowingly aims the beam of a laser pointer at an aircraft or at the flight path of an aircraft could be fined, sentenced up to five years in prison, or both.
“When we’re flying at night, our night vision goggles attract any ambient light and amplifies it,” says Michael Bonenfant, a helicopter pilot and aviation safety coordinator for LifeFlight of Maine. The pilot and clinical crew, which consists of a flight nurse and a flight paramedic, all wear night vision goggles in LifeFlight’s helicopters at night to enhance safety, particularly when taking off and landing.
“Crew members can become temporarily or permanently blinded by the light, depending on how powerful the laser is. Sometimes, it can burn your retina,” Bonenfant explains. When flying an aircraft, this is extremely dangerous to the crew, to the passengers on board, and to people on the ground.
At LifeFlight of Maine safety is at the core of everything we do. Our flight crews undergo extensive training every year, including learning about the dangers of laser strikes and how to avoid such events. It is also important that members of the public know and appreciate that pointing lasers at aircraft is both incredibly dangerous and illegal.
According to the FAA, if you see a person aiming a laser at an aircraft, you can send an email to laserreports@faa.gov. Include your name and contact information, date and time of event, location, and description of the incident. The FAA will work with the appropriate law enforcement agency to investigate.
LifeFlight of Maine’s mission is critically important to Maine. We transport more than 2,500 patients each year, all of whom are facing life-threatening medical emergencies. Please help us spread the word about the dangers of pointing lasers at aircraft for the sake of our crew, our patients, all aviators and air travelers, and the people of Maine.
CHILI COOKOFF!
ITALY TRIP ITALIAN DINNER
YMCA APPEAL
BAR HARBOR—Did you know that the Mount Desert Island YMCA is open seven days a week, 359 days a year in service to everyone in the community? Did you know that our non-profit community Y is committed to not turning anyone away due to an inability to pay and is able to offer scholarships and discounts for programs based upon need?
Each year, nearly $100,000 of philanthropic support by means of the generosity of the community is directed back to the working families and low-income individuals for whom we all offer a helping hand.
Every November, the Mount Desert Island YMCA reaches out to the community and this year, our Annual Fundraising Campaign includes an inspired view that together we can advance a sustainable future right here on MDI. Early donations totaling $63,000 will set the stage for matching gifts of $63,000, totaling $126,000 (representing $1,000 for each year that the Y has been in service to the community)!
Ann Tikkanen, Chief Executive Officer of the Mount Desert Island YMCA stated "fundraising has started! Giving Week at the Y kicks off on November 18 with an Open House at 21 Park Street! All programs and activities underway will be FREE including also a raffle, snacks, opportunities to meet the staff, check out and tour the facility and warm up in the swimming pool. Come along, connect with us, and we think you too will be inspired!"
FRIENDS OF ACADIA NEWS
Thank You for Taking Pride in Acadia!
Last Saturday, 330 people turned out to help “put the carriage roads to bed for the winter” by participating in this year’s Take Pride in Acadia Day. We had more than 20 teams comprised of individuals, businesses, college groups, and more! We loved seeing everyone at the Hulls Cove Visitor Center to celebrate a job well done with chili and cornbread from Big Cat’s Catering and cake and cider, too!
Thank you to all who participated, including many Acadia National Park staff members, and special thanks to our 2024 Event Sponsors: Acadia Bike/Coastal Kayaking Tours, Acadia Park Company/Acadia Shops, Asticou Inn, Bar Harbor Bank & Trust, Bar Harbor Hospitality Group – A Division of Witham Family Hotels, Bar Harbor Savings & Loan, Bar Harbor Whale Watch Company, Beal’s Lobster Pier, Bluenose Inn, Burdick & Associates Landscape Design, Fiore Artisan Olive Oils & Vinegars, Galyn’s Restaurant, John Williams Boat Company, Jordan Pond House – ExplorUS, L.L.Bean, Machias Savings Bank, MDI Grows Landscape Services, Mount Desert Island Hospital, Orono Brewing, West Bay Acadia RV Campground, Wildland Trekking, William Blair & Company, and Window Panes.
Read more about this year's event on our website.
Temporary and Seasonal Closures in Acadia
ACADIA NATIONAL PARK—Starting November 17, the section of Park Loop Road between the start of the one-way section and Cadillac Summit Road will be closed to all uses until further notice. The road will temporarily reopen to all uses between November 28-30.
Beginning November 17, there will be a temporary closure to all uses of Park Loop Road between the Jordan Pond north parking lot and Cadillac Summit Road to accommodate roadside repairs. Cadillac Summit Road will be inaccessible during this closure. The park expects to temporarily reopen this section of Park Loop Road and Cadillac Summit Road to all uses from November 22-24 and November 28-30. To learn more about these temporary closures, visit the park’s website.
The Wild Gardens of Acadia is now closed for the season. The Cadillac Summit Road and Park Loop Road (except for Ocean Drive) will close for the season on December 1. To see a full list of closing dates, visit the park’s website.
Giving Tuesday 12/3: Last Chance to Double Your Donation
Mark your calendars for Tuesday, December 3 for the last opportunity to have your donation doubled in 2024. On Giving Tuesday, every donation to Friends of Acadia, big and small, will be matched 1:1 until we reach our $25,000 goal, thanks to generous donors, Julie Banzhaf-Stone and Steven Stone. Those doubled funds will have twice the positive impact on the park. We’ll send out a special email on Tuesday, December 3 (the link will also be shared on our website and social media), so pencil us in and keep your eyes peeled!
2025 Seasonal Positions with Friends of Acadia
Friends of Acadia will begin to post our 2025 seasonal positions next month through early February. If you or someone you know is passionate about Acadia National Park and conservation, please watch our website for position listings. We will also post announcements on social media and in E-News.
To learn more about all our seasonals do in Acadia National Park, visit our website to see a collection of photos from this season and watch this year’s end-of-season presentation.
UPCOMING MOFGA EVENTS
Stonecipher Farm No-Till Grower Meeting
Sunday, November 24, 1-6:30 p.m.
This event is geared toward farmers who are growing using no-till, ecological practices or are actively transitioning to these methods. Come see how four season farming fits the portfolio. Over the past seven years, winter growing has become a cornerstone of Stonecipher Farm’s identity with over one acre under tunnels, without heat. Also learn about organic mentorship opportunities offered through the Transition to Organic Partnership Program!
Kitchen Licensing Workshop
Friday, December 6, 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Interested in selling your baked goods, ferments, jams, or other value-added goods on a small-scale? MOFGA's annual Kitchen Licensing Workshop will help you get started. Learn about the process of licensing; hear from the experiences of local small business operators who produce value-added food products; and become familiar with Maine's food health and safety standards. Plus, enjoy a catered lunch.
Submit Your “Pest” Story to The MOF&G
Share your “pest” story in The Maine Organic Farmer & Gardener, MOFGA’s quarterly publication. Do you have a story of a crop lost to insects? Or perhaps deer or porcupine ravaged your garden or fruit trees? Have you tried innovative fencing, biological control, trap crops, companion planting, or other organic techniques to protect your harvests? Whatever your story is, we want to hear it! Submit your short (500 words or less), true “pest” story by Jan. 10 to stories@mofga.org. Authors will receive a one-year gift subscription of The MOF&G. You can read our recent round of "harvest" stories on page 6 of the fall MOF&G. Learn more about story submissions.
Water Treatment & Distribution
BAR HARBOR—The Bar Harbor Water Division submitted its service line inventory as required to the Maine Drinking Water Program on October 14, 2024. By definition, the service line is the water pipe from the town’s water main (public) up to the inside face of the building wall (private). Our investigation did not identify leaded service lines or galvanized lines requiring replacement as per the federal guidelines.
Please contact the Water Division office for more information at 207-288-3555.
THOUGHTS ON THE JESUP?
YWCA WINTER MARKET
Local Organization Launches “Giving Health” Campaign
ELLSWORTH—Healthy Acadia, a nonprofit dedicated to improving health and wellness across Downeast Maine, is kicking off its “Giving Health” campaign this December with a goal to raise $50,000. The funds will support the organization’s mission to foster vibrant communities where people thrive and healthful resources are easily accessible.
Gifts to the Giving Health Campaign will help kids grow up healthy, older adults age in place, connect families and individuals to good food, safe shelter, and positive social connections, help people recover from substance use disorder, and lift community members out of poverty. The organization's initiatives are made possible by grants and donations from local businesses and community members.
Healthy Acadia is encouraging the public to get involved in several ways: by making monetary donations, contributing items from the organization’s wishlist (available on its website), volunteering, and helping spread the word about available services.
To learn more about the campaign and how to participate, community members can attend Healthy Acadia’s Open House at 77 Beechland Road, Ellsworth, on December 5, from 4 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Supporters can also follow the campaign on Healthy Acadia's social media channels throughout December, visit the organization's website atwww.healthyacadia.org, or contact Shoshona at 207-667-7171 Ext. 210 for more information.
Healthy Acadia is a 501(C)(3) community health organization building vibrant communities and making it easier for all people to lead healthy lives throughout Washington and Hancock counties. For more information about Healthy Acadia’s health initiatives, visit www.healthyacadia.org.
Healthy Acadia to Host Open House and Ribbon Cutting Ceremony at New Ellsworth Location
ELLSWORTH—Healthy Acadia will host an open house and ribbon-cutting ceremony at its newest office at 77 Beechland Road in Ellsworth on Thursday, December 5. The open house will take place from 4 to 7:30 p.m., with the ribbon-cutting scheduled for 5:30 p.m. The event is open to the public and all are invited to join in the celebration. The organization would like to note that the hours are extended from those listed in previous promotions.
The open house will provide an opportunity for the public to explore Healthy Acadia’s new space, which, in addition to housing offices, has already become a hub for community classes, trainings, and programs such as Tai Chi for Health and Recovery Coach Academy. Guests are invited to meet and mingle with members of the Board of Directors, staff, partners, and community members while enjoying refreshments and learning about community health needs and opportunities to get involved. Healthy Acadia extends special thanks to the Ellsworth Chamber of Commerce for partnering in the event.
While an RSVP is suggested to help with planning, it’s not required – everyone is welcome to drop in at any time during the event. If you'd like to RSVP, you can do so online at bit.ly/ha-beechland24.
For more information, visit Healthy Acadia’s website at www.healthyacadia.org, call 207-667-7171 Ext 210 or email events@healthyacadia.org.
Healthy Acadia is a 501(C)(3) community health organization building vibrant communities and making it easier for all people to lead healthy lives throughout Washington and Hancock counties. For more information about Healthy Acadia’s efforts to address food insecurity and other health initiatives, visit www.healthyacadia.org.
Healthy Acadia to Host Free Virtual "3 Body Qigong for Health and Healing" Workshop on December 5
ELLSWORTH—Healthy Acadia invites community members to participate in a free virtual workshop, "3 Body Qigong for Health and Healing," on Thursday, Dec. 5, 2024, from 5 to 6 p.m. via Zoom. The event will feature special guest David Sholemson and is part of Healthy Acadia’s Monthly Mindfulness series.
As the seasons transition from fall to winter, both our bodies and minds experience similar shifts. According to Traditional Chinese medicine, humans are closely connected to nature, and seasonal changes can lead to physical and mental adjustments. This workshop will teach techniques to move energy through the body, aimed at strengthening the immune system and vital organs.
Participants will engage in body tapping, movement exercises, meridian stretching, and sound meditation to enhance energy flow and promote mental calmness. A mat is recommended for the exercises, though chair modifications will be available. The session is designed to support preventive care for both body and mind during the winter season.
David Sholemson is the creator of 3 Body Healing Arts. Sholemson's journey into energy healing and meditation began unexpectedly in December 2005 after his second knee surgery. Seeking relief from pain, he found himself at an energy yoga center. After two weeks of practice and energy healing, he realized he had found his calling. Since then, Sholemson has trained extensively under master healer-teacher Chun Shim, becoming a Qigong teacher and workshop trainer. He has also studied with qigong master Robert Peng, and shaman Sandra Ingerman, and integrated the wisdom of Ram Dass into his teachings.
Pre-registration is required for this free event. To register and receive the Zoom link, visit bit.ly/mindful-12524.
A NOTE FROM US
This is Carrie and Shaun, and as you’ve probably noticed, we’ve been working hard at the Bar Harbor Story, providing local news in a way that keeps you informed, but also embraces and promotes community and the good that is within it.
We take so much time—just the two of us, with a special needs kid that has to be homeschooled—to cover our island community’s (plus, Trenton) local news in a way that’s timely, daily, and remembers that underneath the news . . . there are people who are our neighbors.
We are working hard to get the news out there—for free—for everyone. But it’s taking its toll on our family financially and honestly, sometimes, emotionally, because frontline local news in a small community? It’s hard.
Most media isn’t local (even when it claims it is). Most media has paywalls and advertisers. We don’t. That’s not a smart financial decision for us. It’s a moral one. And we’re going to try to do it for as long as we can because we’re local, we’re passionate, and we’re all about getting the news to everyone—no paywalls.
Richard Stengel, writing in The Atlantic, said, "Paywalls create a two-tiered system: credible, fact-based information for people who are willing to pay for it, and murkier, less-reliable information for everyone else. Simply put, paywalls get in the way of informing the public, which is the mission of journalism.”
As a paper that is owned and staffed by locals, we make every attempt to gather all of the facts for our readers, information that might not be part of the main story and/or information that may not be known even to our towns’ officials, but is still just as important, if not more important, to the story.
We currently have over 3,000 subscribers, the vast majority of them free, with over 230,000 article reads every month. Every one of our stories is opened at least 2,000 times. Most are opened well over that amount.
To continue to provide you with fact based, non-editorialized news, we really need your support! If you’d like to support us or subscribe? It would mean the world to us, and to the Bar Harbor Story!
There are a few ways to do that:
You can send us a one-time support via this link here. It will say “Carrie Jones Books” because that’s what our PayPal account is through.
You can become a paid subscriber at either site here (scroll to bottom) or here (scroll to bottom).
Your business or nonprofit can sponsor the Bar Harbor Story with a banner ad. More information on that is here.
THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING OUR COMMITMENT TO ALL OF OUR COMMUNITY
If you’d like to donate to help support us, you can, but no pressure! Just click here.
If you’d like to sponsor the Bar Harbor Story, you can! Learn more here.