Bar Harbor Story | Carrie Jones | Substack · Bar Harbor, ME
Stephen Coston's path to Innkeeper of the Year began in a motel basement, with a stack of CDs and a job many people outside the industry don’t think about. BAR HARBOR — Before Stephen Coston was named Innkeeper of the Year, before the 13 properties and the renovations and the business accolades, before the recognition that comes with building something that lasts, there were a whole lot of cigarette butts. He wasn’t smoking them. The cigarette butts were a staple when Coston was a kid working at the Villager Motel on Main Street. His first work assignment was picking up what guests had left behind and a lot of what they left behind were cigarette butts. After that came the work of folding towels, cleaning rooms, scrubbing the swimming pool and, for years, washing laundry in a basement. There was a boombox down there in the Villager’s basement and a stack of CDs. Coston spent much of the money he earned doing laundry buying more of those CDs. They were rap albums, almost exclusively.
Bar Harbor Story · Bar Harbor, ME
Annual ceremonies at the American Legion and Blue Star Memorial honor those who served while keeping generations of local stories alive. Carrie Jones just now The Bar Harbor Story is generously sponsored by Window Panes Home and Garden. BAR HARBOR—Veterans Day in Bar Harbor was marked not only by wreaths, prayers, and moments of silence, but also by shared stories, familiar faces, and the quiet connections that keep the memories of those who served alive. In a room filled with photographs, artifacts, and the memories of generations of service members, an empty chair offered a quiet reminder of those who could no longer be present as Bar Harbor gathered to honor its veterans, November 11. Bits of the veterans’ stories are on the walls of George Edwin Kirk Post 25 of the American Legion on Cottage Street. Sepia-toned photos of men poised in uniforms look back at you as you walk by. Buttons, artifacts, memories are carefully displayed.
Bar Harbor Story · Bar Harbor, ME
The discussion comes as the town navigates cruise ship restrictions, legal rulings, and broader questions about sustainable tourism. Carrie Jones just now The Bar Harbor Story is generously sponsored by Edward Jones Financial Advisor: Elise N. Frank. BAR HARBOR—After lawsuits, voter-approved changes, and a decision that the recent town ordinance is partially unconstitutional, the cruise ship conversation in Bar Harbor is starting up again. This time, it’s the Bar Harbor Chamber of Commerce leading the public conversation in a “Community Forum on Cruise Ships” scheduled for Wednesday, November 18 from 5:30 p.m., to 7:00 p.m., at the Jesup Library. The Bar Harbor Town Council has met about cruise ships with its attorney during executive sessions, which can be legally closed to the public when it’s about lawsuits or personnel matters. The chamber forum is open to all. It comes shortly after Cruise Maine’s release of its 2025 survey of cruise ship visitors who travelled to Maine.
Bar Harbor Story | Carrie Jones | Substack · Bar Harbor, ME
Elizabeth “Betty” Bryer. Daniel M. Dunn. Thomas Richard Rolfes. Nancy “Gram” Merchant. Nancy Elizabeth Montserrat. Everett Almon Beal Jr. “People We’ve Lost” is a feature of the Bar Harbor Story where we share obituaries of people that the island area has lost in the previous 1-2 weeks. We’re doing this because we think everyone deserves to be remembered as widely as possible and not behind paywalls or at a cost of $500 for people mourning. We’re free. If you have an obituary for a loved one or friend that you can’t afford to place in other spaces, please let us know, and we’ll share it here for you. We will also share obituaries that have been in other places, too. Just let us know. By request we’ve started sharing obituaries from throughout Hancock County. This is a bit of a bigger lift for us, but we’ll try to keep doing it if it’s something that you all want. We all are so connected here.
West Plains Daily Quill · Harrington, ME
Nearby: Harrington, METhe Ozark Spring Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution is seeking community volunteers and wreath sponsorships ahead of Howell County’s fourth annual Wreaths Across America ceremony on Dec. 19. The ceremony will take place at 11 a.m. at Veterans Memorial Cemetery, 1019 E. Third St. in Mtn. View, where 195 veterans are laid to rest. Prior to the 11 a.m. ceremony, DAR members, assisted by Mtn. View Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 3009 and local volunteers, will place remembrance wreaths on veterans’ graves. Each veteran’s name will be read aloud as the wreaths are laid in place. Organizers are asking for volunteers to help lay wreaths, read names and attend the memorial ceremony. The chapter is also seeking public donations to sponsor wreaths at $17 each. Donations of any amount can be combined to complete the purchase of a wreath. Sponsorships may be submitted online at wreathsacrossamerica.org/MO0237. Payment options include credit card, debit card, Google Pay or PayPal.
Daily Hampshire Gazette · Orono, ME
Nearby: Orono, MEGoaltending can make or break a hockey team. After losing star netminder Michael Hrabal to the NHL last spring, UMass hockey fans had every reason to worry about the state of the team’s goaltending heading into the 2026-27 season. Enter Ethan Eskit. The freshman puck-stopper from Calgary, Alberta has emerged as a steady option for the Minutemen and sports one of the best save percentages in the country a little over a month into the season. Eskit currently holds a .952 save percentage, which puts the 6-foot, 190-pounder third-best in the NCAA and first in terms of freshman goalies. Against Maine this past weekend in Orono, Eskit turned aside 88 of 91 shots-faced versus the Black Bears in UMass’ split, earning No. 32 Hockey East Goaltender of the Week honors. “I think it’s a big confidence boost but at the same time we split Maine, so there’s definitely room for growth,” Eskit said.
The Maine Campus · Orono, ME
Nearby: Orono, MEDuring Día de los Muertos on Monday, Nov. 2, 2026, the Caribbean & Latinx Student Alliance (CALSA) held a vigil to commemorate the lives of Johan Sebastián Durán Guerrero and others who died in connection with immigration enforcement in Orono, Maine. Tyler Bridges / Maine Campus Caribbean and Latinx Student Alliance organizes ICE vigil By Arianna Perdomo on November 9, 2026 On Monday, Nov. 2, the Caribbean and Latinx Student Alliance (CALSA) met between the Fogler Library and the Memorial Union to hold a vigil honoring lives lost to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). During the offering ceremony, CALSA officers and faculty spoke about the importance of having these events for the Latin community in the face of ICE brutality. CALSA officer Sofia Carrasquillo opened the series of speeches by thanking everyone for stopping by and emphasizing what the vigil represented.
Midcoast Villager · Camden, ME
Nearby: Camden, METhe nursing home replaced the 84-bed Knox Center in Rockland and 39 nursing care beds at Quarry Hill in Camden.
Midcoast Villager · Rockland, ME
Nearby: Rockland, MEROCKLAND — For the 35th consecutive year, volunteers from Adas Yoshuron Synagogue are putting together a community Christmas dinner.
Midcoast Villager · Rockland, ME
Nearby: Rockland, ME'While we are in a period of occasionally debating on whether climate change is real, there is no debate on the high cost of diesel,' Rep. Chellie Pingree said.
Midcoast Villager · Searsmont, ME
Nearby: Searsmont, MEIn town news this week, Joyce and Mickey Sirota write that Sarah Thompkins, who was seriously injured in the Robbins Lumber mill fire and explosion in Searsmont in May, may be coming home in the next month. First responder Lily…