Category: Talk of the Towns

Live & local call-in on civic issues. Happens on the third Friday of every month from 10 – 11 AM.

Talk of the Towns 2/25/11

Producer/Host: Ron Beard
Studio Engineer: Amy Browne
Featuring audio clips produced by: Meghan Vigeant, Island Fellow

Topic: Swans Island: Recovering Our Legacy

How did the Swans Island Memory Project come about? Who was involved? What are the key components of the project?

Guests: Meghan Vigeant, Island Fellow; Sonny Sprague; Donna Weigle

Talk of the Towns 2/11/11

Producer/Host: Ron Beard, University of Maine
Studio Engineer: Amy Browne

Topic: Looking Ahead: Municipal concerns for Maine’s Legislative Agenda

What is the Maine Municipal Association (MMA)’s history and its role in creating a legislative agenda with the help of its Legislative Policy Committee? Given the make up of this legislature and the election of Governor LePage, what do you see as your most important opportunities and challenges over the next two years? In general, what strategies have proven effective in helping legislators understand municipal concerns? What are your hopes for the relationship between municipal and state government, in this session and going forward?

Guests:
Geoff Herman, Director of State and Federal Relations, Maine Municipal Association; Michelle Beal, City Manager, Ellsworth;
Gary Fortier, Ellsworth City Council Member; Jim Schatz, Selectman, Town of Blue Hill

Talk of the Towns 1/28/11

Producer/Host: Ron Beard, University of Maine Cooperative Extension
Studio Engineer: Amy Browne

Topic: Recruiting and Retaining Volunteer Firefighters

What are the key requirements for being a firefighter in small towns in Maine in 21st century? What are you looking for as you recruit? How can citizens can get involved in your efforts to educate, prevent and fight fires and contribute to public safety? (what are the options for volunteering?) Describe the ongoing training required of current volunteer firefighters? What are the trends you have observed and where is it all leading? What do you want citizens and tax payers most to know about the work of your fire departments?

Guests:
Mike Bender, Fire Chief, Mount Desert, Maine; Dave Rand, Fire Chief, Bar Harbor, Maine; Dennis Robertson, Fire Chief, Blue Hill, Maine

Talk of the Towns 1/14/11

Producer/Host: Ron Beard, University of Maine Cooperative Extension
Studio Engineer: Amy Browne

Topic: Celebrating Local History

When did people start keeping track of local history and what forms did that take? What are some trends with local historical societies and museums? How do they make materials available and engage the community?

Guests:
Tim Garritty, Director, Mount Desert Island Historical Society
Cinnamon Catlin-Legutko, Abbe Museum
Bill Horner, Local Amateur Historian
Larissa Vigue Picard, Maine Historical Society

Talk of the Towns 12/11/10

Producer/Host: Ron Beard, University of Maine Cooperative Extension and Sea Grant

Topic: Protection for Working Waterfronts

What is “working waterfront” and why is it important? What are the threats to Maine’s working waterfront? What is being done to protect them?

Guests: Jen Litteral, Policy Directory, Island Institute; Natalie Springuel, University of Maine Sea Grant; Gerry Cushman, President, Port Clyde Fisherman’s Co-op; Nick Battista, Congressman Pingree’s Office staff

Talk of the Towns 11/12/10

Producer/Host: Ron Beard, University of Maine Cooperative Extension
Studio Engineer: Amy Browne

Topic: Community Science: Schoodic Education and Research Center links researchers, school teachers and students

Guests:
Michael Soukup, Director, Schoodic Education and Research Center; Sarah Nelson, Water Research Institute, University of Maine; Ed Lindsey, Science Teacher, Old Town High School; James Townsend and Rachel Callaway, Students, Old Town High School

Call in show

Talk of the Towns 10/22/10

Producer/Host: Ron Beard, University of Maine Cooperative Extension
Studio Engineer: Amy Browne

Topic: Clean Elections: What has Maine learned over its ten year history??

Guests: Ann Luther, Co-Chair, Maine Citizens for Clean Elections; Anne Perry, State Representative, District 31, Calais; John Brautigam, legal counsel, ME Citizens for Clean Elections; Hannah Pingree, Speaker of the House, Maine House of Representatives

How does Maine’s “Clean Elections” law work? What factors led to the law? What have been its impacts?