Category: WERU News Report

WERU News Report 1/18/12

Issue: Alternative Local News
Broadcast Time: 4pm

Program Topic: Robert Shetterly speaking on the 10th anniversary of “Americans Who Tell the Truth”

Key Discussion Points:
Artist/activist Robert Shetterly talks about some of the subjects of the portraits in his “Americans Who Tell the Truth” portrait series, at the Blue Hill Library, 1/6/12

Guests by name and affiliation:
Robert Shetterly, “Americans Who Tell the Truth” (www.americanswhotellthetruth.org)

Call In Program: No
Political Broadcast: No

Host: Amy Browne
Engineer: Amy Browne
Audio recorded by Matt Murphy

WERU News Report 1/17/12

Issue: Alternative Local News
Broadcast Date: 1/17/12
Broadcast Time: 4pm

Program Topics:

Segment 1: Naomi Schalit and John Christie, Senior Reporters for the Maine Center for Public Interest Reporting have just published the results of their investigation into how a loophole in state law has allowed $235 million dollars to flow from the state to private organizations run by legislative leaders or the spouses of high-level state officials—without any requirement that it be reported to the public.

Segment 2: Dr. Denise Patmon, the Keynote Speaker at yesterday’s 16th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr Breakfast Celebration at the University of Maine.

Key Discussion Points:

a) State Law Loophole explained

b) How has the loophole been used?

c) MLK Jr’s vision for education

Guests by name and affiliation:

A) Naomi Schalit, Senior Reporter for the Maine Center for Public Interest Reporting (www.pinetreewatchdog.org)

B) Dr. Denise Patmon. 2011-2012 Libra Professor at the University of Maine, Director of the undergraduate teacher licensure program at U Mass Boston where she teaches courses in writing and literature and supervises field experiences in urban schools. Her professional writing has been heavily influenced by her experiences as a black person involved in the National Writing Project.

Call In Program: No
Political Broadcast: No

Host: Amy Browne
Engineer: Amy Browne
Audio recorded by: Matt Murphy

WERU News Report 1/10/12

Issue: Alternative Local News
Program Name: WERU News Report
Broadcast Date:1/10/12
Broadcast Time: 4pm

Program Topic: Maine Legislature Watch

Key Discussion Points:
a) Updates on the DHHS supplemental budget and other legislation being monitored by the Maine Center for Economic Policy (MECEP)
b) Follow up re: the proposed renaming/restructuring of the Department of Environmental Protection and the recommendations of the LURC Reform Committee with Natural Resources Council of Maine
c) Audio from today’s work session discussion re: legislation to make the Governor’s “working paper” exempt from Freedom of Access requests

Guests by name and affiliation:
A) Dan Coyne, Legislative Director for Maine Center for Economic Policy (MECEP) FMI: http://www.mecep.org/
B) Pete Didisheim, Senior Director of Advocacy for the Natural Resources Council of Maine (NRCM). FMI: www.nrcm.org

Call In Program: No
Political Broadcast: No

Host: Amy Browne
Engineer: Amy Browne

WERU News Report 1/4/12

Program Topic: DEP Commissioner Patricia Aho’s proposal –is it simply “renaming” the bureaus, or is it restructuring?

Key Discussion Points (list at least 3):
a) Aho, a former lobbyist for the American Chemistry Council, the American Petroleum Institute, Horizon Wind Energy, LLC, the Maine Real Estate & Development Association and Verso Paper, among others, was appointed to the Department of Environmental Protection post after Governor LePage’s original pick, Darryl Brown, resigned under controversy over conflicts of interest last year. Aho– who in the past received an award from the Kennebec County Chamber of Commerce for her advocacy on behalf of the business community– announced her plans to restructure DEP at a Chamber of Commerce event last month.

b) Audio recorded a few hours ago as Aho presented the plan to the Environment and Natural Resources Committee of the State Legislature

c) Comments from Pete Didishieim, the Senior Director of Advocacy for the Natural Resources Council of Maine, an organization that has been watching this process carefully and has serious concerns

Guests by name and affiliation: see above

Call In Program: no

Political Broadcast: no

Host: Amy Browne

Engineer: Amy Browne

WERU News Report 1/3/11

Broadcast Time: 4pm

Program Topic: Segment 1: Legal System’s Response to Domestic Violence in Maine, Segment 2: The LURC Reform Committee’s Recommendations

Key Discussion Points (list at least 3):
a) A follow up on last week’s discussion of how the bail system (and other parts of the pre-trial legal system) in Maine impacts domestic violence
b) How does the system’s response affect the safety of the victims and the wider community?
c) What recommendations will the Land Use Regulation Commission (LURC) Reform Committee be making regarding the future of that agency?

Guests by name and affiliation:
A) Francine Garland Stark, Executive Director, Hope and Justice Project
B) Cathy Johnson, NorthWoods Project Director and Senior Staff Attorney for the Natural Resources Council of Maine

Call In Program: No
Political Broadcast: No

Host: Amy Browne
Engineer: Amy Browne

WERU News Report 12/27/11

Issue: Alternative Local News
Broadcast Time: 4pm

Program Topic: Short-comings in Maine’s bail system impact domestic violence cases-

An interview with John Christie, Senior Reporter for the Maine Center for Public Interest Reporting, and author of a newly published series of articles on the topic

Key Discussion Points (list at least 3):
a) How does Maine’s bail system operate and how does it differ from the systems used in other states?
b) The impact on domestic violence cases, in particular
c) The bipartisan coalition forming to address the issue, and pending bills

Guests by name and affiliation:
A) John Christie, Senior Reporter for the Maine Center for Public Interest Reporting, www.pinetreewatchdog.org

Call In Program: No

Host: Amy Browne
Engineer: Amy Browne

WERU News Report 12/14/11

Broadcast Time: 4pm

Program Topic: The Maine Center for Public Interest Reporting’s new report on corruption in small town Maine governments

Key Discussion Points (list at least 3):

a) What types of corruption?

b) What is the cost, financially and otherwise?

c) What can be done to address the problem?

Guests by name and affiliation: Kate McCormick, Contributing Writer for the Maine Center for Public Interest Reporting, and the author of the report

FMI: www.pinetreewatchdog.org

Call In Program: No

Host: Amy Browne
Engineer: Amy Browne

WERU News Report 12/13/11

Broadcast Time:4pm

Program Topic: Maine Group Issues New Report on Toxic Chemicals in Toys and Paint

Key Discussion Points:

The Environmental Health Strategy Center issued a report today, warning shoppers that “Hormone-Havoc Chemicals Lurk in Products” such as toys and paint.
The classes of chemicals are BPAs and NPEs
The list of products was compiled as companies self-reported under Maine’s “Child Safe Products” law

Guests by name and affiliation:
Steve Taylor, Program Director for The Environmental Health Strategy Center, and co-author of the report

Call In Program: No

Host: Amy Browne
Engineer: Amy Browne