Category: Specials

WERU Special 1/29/15

Producer/Host: Amy Browne
Production assistance: Matt Murphy

Segment 1: Panel discussion called “Young and Black Today”, featuring UMaine student leaders Ronald Robbs, from East Orange, New Jersey, who is an elementary education major and president of the Black Student Union; Muna Abdullahi, from Portland, Maine, who is the director of Multicultural Student Life; Ogechi Ogoke, from Nigeria, who is a chemical engineering major and president of the National Society of Black Engineers; and Izundu Ngwu, from Nigeria, who is treasurer of the International Student Association, recorded at the Peace & Justice Center in Bangor on the eve of MLK Day.

Segment 2: Keynote speech from the annual MLK Day breakfast at UMaine the following day. The event is sponsored by the university and the Greater Bangor Area NAACP. This year’s keynote speakers were Esther Attean and Denise Altvater spoke on the topic of “Truth, Healing and Change: Maine-Wabanaki Reconciliation”.

WERU Special: A Review of the First Nine Years of the Roberts Court 12/4/14

Producer/Host: Jim Campbell

Issue: Civil Liberties

Program Topic: A Review of the First Nine Years of the Roberts Court

Key Discussion Points:
a) Freedom of Speech
b) Racial Justice
c) Privacy and Technology
d) Criminal Justice

Speaker: Zachary Heiden, Legal Director ACLU Maine

WERU Special 11/12/14 – Reproductive Left Special Edition

Producer: Abbie Strout
Hosts: Abbie Strout, Amy Browne, Matt Murphy
Engineer: Amy Browne

Showcasing the new program “Reproductive Left” with Producer/Host Abbie Strout — which debuts this month on WERU and will be airing the 1st Tuesday of every month at 4pm

WERU Special 9/30/14 – Shetterly/Kellman

Producer/Engineer: Joel Mann

A conversation between award-winning artist and activist Robert Shetterly, creator of the “Americans Who Tell the Truth” portrait series, and Peter Kellman, the subject of one of his portraits (http://www.commondreams.org/views/2014/09/30/feeding-roots-building-democracy-painting-peter-kellman) — about the Culture of Agriculture

WERU Special 8/25/14

Producer/Host: Amy Browne
Studio Engineer: Joel Mann

The US Army Corps of Engineers and Maine DOT are proposing a dredging project in Searsport Harbor that would result in nearly a million cubic yards of materials being dumped in Penobscot Bay near Islesboro. The project would deepen and widen the shipping channel. Supporters say that would improve commerce in the port, but opponents say the economic and environmental risks far outweigh any potential benefits.

Joining me in the studio today are Joel Pitcher of the Maine Lobstering Union, and attorney Kim Tucker. She represents the Maine Lobstering Union, Pemaquid Muscle Farm, and the Sierra Club of Maine as well as some individual members of the Zone D lobster council. The program also features excerpts from an interview with Dr. Kevin Yeager- an independent scientist who previously worked on the Holtrachem/Mallinkrodt mercury case in the federal court system. He is the author of a new report that raises serious concerns about the plan– among them the possibility that inert mercury in the sediment may be converted to a more toxic form and make its way into the food chain in Penobscot Bay. He also criticizes the methology the Army Corps used in their sediment sampling.

WERU Special: Mainers Speak Out – Palestine 8/7/14

Producers/Hosts: Carolyn Coe & Amy Browne

*Note- Due to a recording error, the introduction to this program was omitted, but the transcript of the intro follows:

Welcome to this WERU Special – Mainers speaking out about Israel and Palestine. It’s August 7th, 2014. I’m Amy Browne.

A group of Mainers visited Senator Collin’s office in Portland earlier this week, to – in their words “object to her support of Israel’s international war crimes against civilians, to the $3.1 billion annual military aid to Israel supplied by U.S. taxpayers, and to the senator representing AIPAC [ the American Israel Public Affairs Committee] rather than her Maine constituents.” WERU’s Carolyn Coe was there and recorded their comments, which we’re going to hear now, then we’ll be opening the phone lines at the half hour for your reaction and comments on the issue.

WERU Special- Alcoholism/Recovery 7/9/14

Producer/Host: Maxim Langstaff
Studio Engineer: Amy Browne

Issue: Alcoholism

Program Topic: Discussion of exactly what alcoholism is, it’s impact, treatment, hope and resources.

Key Discussion Points:
a) What is alcoholism?; the true nature of the disease – breaking down the myths
b) How do I know if I, or a loved one, am an alcoholic
c) What kind of help is out there and how does it work?

Guests:
A) Trudy Avery, Caron treatment Centers
B) John Dyben, Caron Treatment centers
C) Kelly McAdams, Caron Treatment Centers

WERU Special- Downtowns 5/14/14

Producer/Host: Matt Murphy
Studio Engineer: Amy Browne

Downtown and Main Street in Maine Special

Summary:
The “Downtown Movement” is alive and well in Maine and we’ll explore both the concept and details of downtown revitalization in Maine. What is the history of downtowns in Maine? What is a healthy downtown and how do communities get there? What can the public do to support downtowns? What are the controversial elements of downtown revitalization? We explore these questions and more.

Topics:
Definition of “downtown”
Guests’ organizations’ roles in downtown movement
History of downtown in Maine
Elements of healthy downtown and how a town can get there
Hurdles to overcome
Examples
Maine Downtown Conference

Guests:
Meredith Jones, Executive Director of Maine Community Foundation
Briana Pinkham Bebb, Executive Director of Our Town Belfast
Lorain Francis, Senior Program Director of Maine Development Foundation