Bangor Area Commons 8/6/15

Producer/Editor/Host: Amy Browne

Today we’re bringing you to a new monthly storytelling event in Bangor. “Queen City Cellar Tellers” is organized by Renee Johnson and Chris Roberts. Roberts is the owner of the Juice Cellar where the event will be held on the 3rd Friday evening of each month. Each month the program will have a different theme and highlight a local nonprofit. This edition, recorded on July 17th, 2015 featured “Sustainable Harvest International” and the theme was “transformation”

For more information and/or to sign up to tell a story at one of the upcoming events, email info@thejuicecellar.com

Bangor Area Commons 7/2/15

Producer/Editor/Host: Amy Browne

Today we’re bringing you to the debut of a new monthly storytelling event in Bangor. “Queen City Cellar Tellers” is organized by Renee Johnson and Chris Roberts. Roberts is the owner of the Juice Cellar where the event will be held on the 3rd Friday evening of each month. Each month the program will have a different theme and highlight a local nonprofit. At the debut on June 19th the theme was “best friends” and the spotlight was on the Bangor Humane Society.

For more information and/or to sign up to tell a story at one of the upcoming events, email info@thejuicecellar.com

Bangor Area Commons 6/4/15

Producer/Editor/Host: Amy Browne
Audio recorded by: John Greenman

In 2012, Maine’s attorney general informed the Penobscot Nation that the state had decided that the Penobscot reservation didn’t actually include any of the water surrounding their islands—that they had no rights to their namesake river—contrary to historic agreements. The tribe responded with a lawsuit asserting their rights, now known as “Penobscot Nation vs Mills”. Since that time, several towns have signed on as intervenors, essentially taking the side of the state against the Penobscot Nation. Orono was among them until town residents learned about what was happening and pressured the town to withdraw. Now the Penobscot Nation is hoping that more towns will do the same if they know more about what is happening and what the stakes are.
On April 30th, Maria Girouard of the Penobscot Nation — a frequent guest on WERU’s “Wabanaki Windows”—was a guest speaker at the Bucksport Town Council meeting. Bucksport is one of the towns along the river that have signed on as intervenors, but it became clear at the meeting that the council was very open to learning more. John Greenman attended and recorded the meeting, and we bring you there today. One more note before we get started, about a name you’ll hear mentioned a few times. Matt Manahan is an attorney for Pierce Atwood, the law firm representing the interveners. He’s also the author of an August 2012 article in the Bangor Daily News in which he said the Penobscot Nation had “endless Federal resources” and warned readers of dire consequences should they win their lawsuit, including: “What does it mean for you if the Penobscots prevail? They will regulate your hunting, trapping and fishing on the river. They will regulate municipal and other discharges into the river and some of its branches and tributaries, even though such discharges are already carefully controlled by the state and federal governments. If you live in a town that borders the river and thought your town ran to the middle of the river in accordance with Maine law — surprise! If you paddle, fish or otherwise use the Penobscot River in any way, you will now confront a new regulator telling you what you can or can’t do and how much it will cost you to do it. And, unlike state regulators, the Penobscots won’t even be obligated to listen to your concerns about the impact of their regulations; you will have no control or influence over those regulations. The Penobscots have even announced they intend to close the river to trapping and require a permit to access the river for any reason, making it their exclusive domain.” Manahan’s article concluded “There’s no question the history of the treatment of Indians in this country includes tragic episodes of overwhelming resources used to renege on commitments previously made. It’s ironic the same scenario is happening again, with roles reversed.” (http://bangordailynews.com/2014/08/06/opinion/contributors/role-reversal-how-the-penobscot-nation-is-suing-maine-and-has-the-upper-hand/)
As you’ll hear, Maria Giroaurd and others strongly disagree with his portrayal

Bangor Area Commons 3/5/15

Producer/Editor/Host: Amy Browne
Audio recorded by: Matt Murphy

The Maine Christian Association’s Wilson Center on the UMaine campus was the location of a talk on February 23rd on the topic of “Religion and Violence Today: Why Is There So Much Religious Violence and Can Religion Become a Force for Peace?” presented by Doug Allen, award-winning Professor of Philosophy, author, and expert on Gandhi and non-violence

Bangor Area Commons 5/1/14

Producer/Editor/Host: Amy Browne
Audio recorded by: John Greenman

This year’s HOPE festival keynote speech from indigenous rights lawyer and activist, Sherri Mitchell. Born and raised on Indian Island, Sherri graduated from the University of Maine magna cum laude and went on to the University of Arizona, where she earned her law degree and a certificate in Indigenous Peoples Law and Policy. She is the director of the Land Peace Foundation, dedicated to the protection of indigenous land rights and works with the Wabanaki confederacy in Maine and the Maritimes and has been involved with the Idle No More movement, launched in the winter of 2012 in Canada to resist Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s policies dismantling the rights of First Nations peoples. She is director of the Land Peace Foundation, an organization dedicated to the protection of indigenous land rights, and works with the Wabanaki confederacy in Maine and the Maritimes.

FMI: http://landpeacefoundation.net/

The 20th annual free HOPE (Help Organize Peace Earthwide) Festival was held on April 26th at the University of Maine in Orono. The festival is held each year “to celebrate Earth Day and all the good work being done my more than 60 organizations working to take care of the earth and each other. The festival offers information, entertainment and interaction.” It is sponsored by the Peace and Justice Center of Eastern Maine

FMI: www.peacectr.org

(NOTE: There are 2 audio files attached to this post. The shorter one is the Bangor Area Commons show as it aired. The longer file is the minimally edited full speech)

Bangor Area Commons 9/6/12

Producer/Host: Niles Parker
Engineer: Amy Browne
Issue: Bangor’s growing music scene
Bangor in August: KahBang! And the American Folk Festival
A history of KahBang! And the American Folk Festival and their impact on Bangor

a) History of the festivals
b) Impact on Bangor and relation to the Waterfront
c) How to further develop the festivals and the Bangor arts/music scene

Guests:
A) John Rohman, Chair of the American Folk Festival
B) Heather McCarthy, Executive Director of the American Folk Festival
C) Joshua Gass, Creative Director of KahBang!
D) Megan Shorette, Executive Director of KahBang! Arts

Call in show

Bangor Area Commons 7/11/2011

Producer/Host: Meaghan LaSala
Topic: Attracting young people to Maine and to the Bangor Region.

What are some of the factors that contribute to Maine’s aging population, oldest in the Nation? What currently attracts young people to the Bangor region, and where are there gaps? What efforts are in place statewide and regionally to reverse this trend?

Guests:
Johann Sabbath, Fusion Bangor and Bangor Greendrinks.
Melanie Brooks, Managing editor at Bangor Metro.
Emily Burnham, Reporter at the Bangor Daily News
Anne Dailey, Peacemeal Farm, food writer