WERU News Report 2/1/11

Producer/Host: Amy Browne
Audio contributed by: Meaghan LaSala

Segment 1:
Naomi Schalit, executive director and senior reporter for the Maine Center for Public Interest Reporting, a nonprofit, nonpartisan journalism organization, is reporting this week on the controversial background of a program called the “Maine Green Energy Alliance”. It was funded by a federal grant, over objections from state staff working in other similar programs, at the request of former Governor Baldacci. The program was run by Baldacci’s former attorney, and shortly after Schalit began her investigation, the program was shut down. FMI: http://www.pinetreewatchdog.org

Segment 2:
(audio recorded by Meaghan LaSala, edited by Amy Browne)
Last week was “National No-Name-Calling Week”, an event that began in 2004, inspired by the book “The Misfits” by James Howe– a novel for young adults, about a group of students who work together to abolish name-calling in their school. Ellsworth High School marked the event with an assembly that featured presentations by students, faculty and community members. Carol-Anne McEtchern -Murphy is a Clinical Social Worker at Ellsworth HS. She talked about the impacts of bullying. Alissa Wells told the assembly that at a student at Ellsworth HS, she has been treated well. She said she does sometimes feels uncomfortable w/ how she thinks members of the greater community see her. Andy Coate of the Trevor Project Youth Advisory Council talked about the impact of bullying on GLBTQ students, and some of the resources available for them.The presenters encouraged anyone who feels like they are being bullied to speak with an adult, and to know that they are not alone. More information is available at: http://www.nonamecallingweek.org

Leave a Reply