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Forum about future of district schools, including HCS, draws little interest

Forum about future of district schools, including HCS, draws little interest

By Sam Lemonick • May 15, 2026

Elected officials and school district staff outnumbered community members at a forum on Wednesday, May 13, meant for the district to share plans for its aging schools and hear public feedback. The two people who spoke up questioned whether officials had the right information to make decisions about the future of elementary schools in Harpswell and other towns.

Mermaids and mythology mix in ‘paranormal romance’ set on Harpswell coast

Features

Mermaids and mythology mix in ‘paranormal romance’ set on Harpswell coast

By Kenneth Z. Chutchian • May 8, 2026

Sarah Milner isn't sure when her journey as a writer began, but when she gained traction on her first novel — a "paranormal romance" set largely in Harpswell — she learned that every writer's journey is different and personal. Like many writers, she learned the hard way.

First Person: Orr’s Island mechanic John Kaler ‘just can’t say no’

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First Person: Orr’s Island mechanic John Kaler ‘just can’t say no’

By Jeffrey Good • May 7, 2026

"My stepfather ran gas stations all his life. He was old style, where you'd go in and someone would pump your gas, check your oil, wash your windshield. When it was slow at the pumps, he'd show me how to work on the cars in the garage. Growing up, my friends and I had cars, and we'd do our own work."

On humanitarian mission, Great Islander observes effects of Cuban embargo

Features

On humanitarian mission, Great Islander observes effects of Cuban embargo

By Kenneth Z. Chutchian • May 6, 2026

The humanitarian crisis in Cuba may not resonate with Americans who feel whiplashed by conflicts and crises around the globe and at home. But one Harpswell woman who first crossed the 90 miles between Cuba and Florida years ago recently returned to help people whose basic necessities are disappearing under the U.S. oil embargo imposed in January.

Features

In ‘life-changing’ program, Mt. Ararat theater students learn what makes a good show great

High school theater is a rite of passage for many students, but for the cast and crew of Mt. Ararat Stage Company's "A Year with Frog and Toad," it's much more.

byBisi Cameron Yee

April 2, 2026