Category: WERU News Report

WERU News Report 4/15/15

Producer/Host: Amy Browne
Engineer: John Greenman

Special presentation of “The 1927 Project”, a presentation about an early 20th-century lynching in Little Rock, Arkansas. In 2013, the project’s creator, writer/historian Stephanie Harp traveled to Arkansas to join descendants and relatives of those connected to the lynching to present historical and personal perspectives on what happened. “The 1927 Project” recreates that community discussion. “The public discussion in Little Rock was the first to include family members of so many major figures in the 1927 events,” Harp said. “The wounds from this lynching are still very raw in Little Rock. We all gain a better understanding of today’s news by looking at its roots in the past.” Harp holds a master’s degree in U.S. history from the University of Maine where the lynching was her research topic, and a bachelor’s degree in English from Randolph-Macon College, Ashland, Virginia. She has published journalism, creative nonfiction and book reviews, and has presented her research and writing in Maine, North Carolina and Arkansas.

Stephanie Harp and Orono High School students Emily Noyes, Tom Boss, Erin Luthin, Elsa Jolliffe Saunders, and Jessie Walker join us in the studio for the presentation and discussion.

FMI: http://www.stephanieharp.com/inheritance/

WERU News Report 4/8/15

Producer/Host: Amy Browne
Engineer: John Greenman

Segment 1: Work sessions are got underway in Augusta this week for the Environment and Natural Resources Committee to sort through the details of proposals to rewrite Maine’s mining regulations. Monday the committee considered strategies for assuring that the state won’t be left paying for the clean up if something goes wrong at a mining site. For a sense of what some of the environmentalists following this issue think about the proposals being discussed, in our 1st segment today we’ll hear what Nick Bennett, Staff Scientist and Watersheds Project Director for the Natural Resources Council of Maine had to say

Segment 2: The Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee held public hearings for a slew of bills related to gun owner’s rights are underway in Augusta this afternoon, including LD 652 An Act To Authorize the Carrying of Concealed Handguns without a Permit, also known as the “Constitutional Carry” bill. Sponsor Sen. Brakey of Androscoggin presented it to the committee:

Segment 3: Open phone lines for listener reactions to today’s news, and an update on Mumia Abu Jamal’s health crisis from a concerned area resident.

WERU News Report 4/1/15

Producer/Host: Amy Browne
Engineer: John Greenman

Segment 1: Monday’s public hearing before the Environmental & Natural Resources Committee for LD 750 “An Act To Allow Regulated Metal Mining in Maine”. LD750 is sponsored by Representative Ralph Chapman of District 133, which includes Blue Hill, Brooklin, Brooksville, Castine, Sedgwick and Surry – areas where they have some experience with what can go wrong with mining.

Segment 2: Another piece of legislation sponsored by local Representative Ralph Chapman is LD506, “An Act to Improve Public-private Transportation Partnerships”, which will be discussed and likely voted on by the Transportation committee tomorrow. We have 2 guests with us in the studio to explain why this bill is considered so important to opponents of an E/W corridor. Jane Crosen and Hendrik Gideonse are members of STEWC (Stop the E/W Corridor) & a local spin off group called Advocates for Sustainable Futures Downeast.

We also open the phone lines for calls, and hear from Amy Hughes Scaccia, the coordinator of this year’s HOPE Festival, and annual event sponsored by the Peace and Justice Center of Eastern Maine.

WERU News Report 3/25/15

Producer/Host: Amy Browne
Engineer: Joel Mann

Headlines, then a report on several bills that would increase the minimum wage in Maine that were considered at a public hearing on Monday before the legislature’s Labor, Commerce, Research and Economic Development Committee. In our first segment today we listen in on that discussion, then we open the phone lines for listeners to weigh in on the issue

WERU News Report 3/11/15

Producer/Host: Amy Browne
Engineer: John Greenman

The legalization of fireworks in Maine has been impacting everyone from farmers to people with PTSD (Post traumatic stress disorder) and pitting neighbor against neighbor. Today we’ll hear some of those stories, and listen in on legislative committee hearings as they consider ways to address the issues- and then we open the phone lines for listener calls.

But first.. We’re always looking for stories about ways communities are keeping power and control in local hands. Today’s story comes from Augusta, where residents have turned a mobile home community into a co-op, becoming the fourth resident-owned community in the state. Maine Cooperative Development Specialist and Director of RONA – the Residents Owned Neighborhood Association of Maine, Jessica Pooley, joins us to tell that story

WERU News Report 3/4/15

Producer/Host: Amy Browne
Engineer/Reporter: John Greenman

Encouraging Maine towns to make plans for dealing with rising sea levels due to climate change, a challenge to the right to vote on legalizing marijuana locally, and balancing the budget on the backs of Maine’s most vulnerable — today we take you to public hearings held by the state legislature on these issues, and open the phone lines for your calls.

WERU News Report 2/25/15

Producer/Host: Amy Browne
Engineer/Reporter: John Greenman

The Maine legislature’s committee on Environment & Natural Resources held a public hearing today in the latest round of the controversial re-write of Maine’s mining regulations. As we’ve reported previously, the original legislation was introduced on behalf of the Irving Corporation, and consisted of an industry wish list of changes to existing protections. Irving wants to changes that would allow them to mine Bald Mountain in Aroostook County—a prospect that has been rejected by other companies in previous decades as being environmentally and economically unfeasible- but these new mining rules would open up mining at locations across the state. Following a convoluted path through the legislature, the same proposed rules that were rejected last year are being re-introduced. This has resulted in allegations of administrative misconduct in addition to public outcry against loosening environmental protections.

Today on the WERU News Report we’ll be talking with Lisa Pohlmann, Executive Director of the Natural Resources Council of Maine about that group’s legislative priorities for this session, including the mining regs re-write, and we’ll be taking your calls with questions or comments. But first we start with some of the testimony from today’s public hearing

FMI: www.nrcm.org

WERU News Report 2/18/15

Producer/Host: Amy Browne
Engineer/Reporter: John Greenman

Segment 1: WERU board votes to divest from fossil fuels, moving to a “socially-responsible” investment fund. WERU General Manager Matt Murphy and Board President John Greenman join us with the details.

Segment 2: A new report from Naomi Schalit of the Maine Center for Public Interest Reporting, that will give you a clear idea of what you’re up against when you try to have some influence over your state legislators. Can you compete with the luxury resort stay and steak dinners offered by Time Warner?
(Full report: http://pinetreewatchdog.org/time-warner-made-its-case-to-legislators-at-luxury-resort/)

Segment 3: Latest news on some of the threats to Penobscot Bay, as well as plans for developing a Bay Keeper position with guests Ron Huber, Executive Director of Friends of Penobscot Bay and Sheila Dassatt, Executive Director of the Downeast Lobstermen’s Association. We open the phone lines for listener calls. FMI: http://www.penbay.net/ & http://www.downeastlobstermen.org/