Dick Broom

Maine

Reporter at Mount Desert Islander

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Articles

Rental rules, sidewalks, budgets go to voters

May 1, 2024 | mdislander.com | Dick Broom

MOUNT DESERT — It seems that every year there is one issue, more than any other, that brings people out to the annual open floor town meeting. This year that issue is likely to be the proposed short-term and vacation rentals licensing ordinance. The town meeting will begin at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, May 7 in the gym at Mount Desert Elementary School.
Acadia among most crowded, best reviewed parks

Apr 24, 2024 | mdislander.com | Dick Broom

ACADIA NAT’L PARK — Based on seven criteria, Acadia ranks 41st out of the 63 national parks, according to Travel Lemming, an online travel guide. Acadia is the sixth most crowded park, calculated by the total number of visits in 2023 divided by the number of acres in the park, or 79.07 visits per acre. By comparison, Great Smoky Mountains has 25.45 visits per acre, Yosemite has 5.12 and Yellowstone has 2.03.
Select Board candidates discuss issues, priorities

Apr 23, 2024 | mdislander.com | Dick Broom

MOUNT DESERT — Voters on May 6 will elect one of two candidates to a three-year term on the Select Board. The candidates are 11-year incumbent Martha Dudman and Tony Smith, who retired in 2022 after 21 years as the town’s public works director. Earlier this week, the Islander talked with both candidates about their reasons for running and issues that are most important to them. Islander: Why are you running for the Select Board? Dudman: I enjoy being on the board.
Man charged as fire destroys home, damages another

Apr 23, 2024 | mdislander.com | Dick Broom

MOUNT DESERT — A house at 108 Stanley Mountain Road in Mount Desert was destroyed by fire Monday, and another one on the same road sustained exterior fire damage. Glenn P. Stanley, 58, of Mount Desert was arrested by the Maine Fire Marshal’s office and charged with arson in connection with both fires. No one was at either home at the time of the fire and no injuries were reported.
Man charged as fire destroys home, damages another in Mount Desert

Apr 23, 2024 | ellsworthamerican.com | Dick Broom

MOUNT DESERT — A house at 108 Stanley Mountain Road in Mount Desert was destroyed by fire Monday, and another one on the same road sustained exterior fire damage. Glenn P. Stanley, 58, of Mount Desert was arrested by the Maine Fire Marshal’s office and charged with arson in connection with both fires. No one was at either home at the time of the fire and no injuries were reported. kAm%96 9@FD6 2E `_g $E2?=6J |@F?E2:? #@25[ 564=2C65 2 E@E2= =@DD 3J E96 |2:?6 u:C6 |2CD92=’D ~77:46[ :D @H?65 3J $FD2?
Park Loop Road and Cadillac road open for the season

Apr 17, 2024 | mdislander.com | Dick Broom

ACADIA NAT’L PARK — The Park Loop Road opened Monday morning, and the Cadillac Mountain Summit Road opened Monday afternoon. The park issued a news release April 11 saying the Cadillac road was still closed because of icy conditions in some places. But four days later, that was no longer the case. The Summit Road will be closed for three to seven days before May 22 to complete repaving work. Carriage roads, which had been closed for the start of spring thaw, have reopened to pedestrians only.
Are PFAS affecting shellfish in Somes Sound?

Apr 16, 2024 | mdislander.com | Dick Broom

MOUNT DESERT — It is less than a mile from Mount Desert Island High School to the northernmost waters of Somes Sound. Is it possible that PFAS, commonly known as “forever chemicals” because they can remain potent in the environment indefinitely, have migrated from the school’s wastewater holding ponds to the Sound? That’s what Jane Disney, associate professor of environmental health at MDI Biological Laboratory, wants to find out.
Food Pantry buys Mama DiMatteo’s

Apr 13, 2024 | mdislander.com | Dick Broom

BAR HARBOR – The Bar Harbor Food Pantry has bought the building that until this year housed Mama DiMatteo’s restaurant, a downtown fixture for decades. The Food Pantry, which has been in the basement of the YWCA building for more than 25 years, will move to its new location once renovations have been completed. Tom Reeve, the Food Pantry’s executive director, said Friday that he didn’t know how soon that would be. The purchase price of Mama DiMatteo’s has not been disclosed.
Board responds to judge’s request in quarry case

Apr 10, 2024 | mdislander.com | Dick Broom

MOUNT DESERT — Ultimately, the Planning Board decided to keep it simple. In its April 3 meeting, the board affirmed its March 2020 denial of an application by Harold MacQuinn Inc. and Freshwater Stone for a license to operate MacQuinn’s granite quarry in Hall Quarry. The board did so in part because it had determined that an easement for an access road over a portion of a neighbor’s property was insufficiently binding.
Town, county funding complete broadband access

Apr 8, 2024 | mdislander.com | Dick Broom

MOUNT DESERT — The 47 households in Mount Desert that don’t have access to high-speed internet service will get it under an agreement among the town, the county and Spectrum communication services. The Hancock County Commissioners have agreed to give the town $140,834 of their 2021 America Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds. The town will use $131,000 of its ARPA funds.