Category: WERU News Report

WERU News Report 2/23/11

Producer/Host: Amy Browne
Contributor: Gina Wertz

Topic: The Eastern Maine Labor Council, Food AND Medicine and Food for Maine’s Future sponsored a Legislative Forum in Brewer earlier this month, providing an opportunity for legislators to hear from Mainers working on a variety of issues. Here are some excerpts, including speakers George Burgoyne, a retired state employee, and a trustee for the Maine State Retirement System; Bob St. Peter, Director of Food for Maine’s Future; Bill Murphy, Bureau of Labor Education; Vanessa Sylvester, Maine State Nurses Association; Representative Adam Goode of Bangor; Senator Richard Rosen of Bucksport, and several surrounding communities; Rep. Louis Luchini, District 38, Ellsworth, Otis and Trenton

WERU News Report 2/22/11

Producer/Host: Amy Browne
Contributors: Meaghan LaSala, Meredith DeFrancesco

Segment 1: Opiate addiction and treatment in the Bangor area

Segment 2: Threats to funding for public broadcasting. Interviews with Ginny Berson of the National Federation of Community Broadcasters, and with WERU station manager, Matt Murphy

WERU News Report 2/16/11

Producer/Host: Amy Browne
Contributor: Meredith DeFrancesco

Segment 1:
Following up on yesterday’s news report on the public hearing for the governor’s phase one wishlist of environmental regulatory rollbacks, today we talk with award-winning journalist Colin Woodard. Woodard spoke with us a few weeks ago about his report called “LePage’s Secret Bankers”. Today he’s here to tell us about “LePage’s Secret Puppeteers” http://portland.thephoenix.com/ http://www.colinwoodard.com/

Segment 2:
This week the Bangor-based group PICA (Power in Community Alliances) launched a “Dignity for All” Campaign, asking community members and elected officials to take a pledge in support of equal rights — in the workplace, the legal system, education, social services and health care, and for all to be treated with dignity. Speakers at the event pointed out that during tough economic times, the most vulnerable members of the community are often scapegoated.

WERU News Report 2/15/11

Producer/Host: Amy Browne

A public hearing on the concept plan for LD 1, Governor LePage’s phase 1 regulatory wishlist— officially titled an “Act To Ensure Regulatory Fairness and Reform”– drew a crowd to Augusta Monday, to testify before the Joint Standing Committee on Regulatory Fairness and Reform. As Mainers arrived in droves to offer their input, the Governor submitted an amended concept plan that no longer includes some of the sections pertaining to proposed rollbacks on regulations governing toxins in children’s products, air emissions, vernal pools and the Land Use Regulatory Commission. The hearing drew such a crowd that many people had to be turned away for lack of space, but others chose to stay and speak to the committee, and the hearing lasted for several hours. Here are some excerpts

WERU News Report 2/9/11

Producer/Host: Amy Browne
Contributor: Meaghan LaSala

Headlines: Maine’s Congressional Delegation votes on the renewal of key sections of the US PATRIOT Act; Violence against anti-mining activists in El Salvador escalates

Segment 1: Here in Maine, a statewide coalition of groups who oppose industrial wind power projects are preparing to gather this weekend to join efforts. We speak with Jonathan Carter of the Forest Ecology Network, one of the organizers of the event.

Segment 2: Like wind projects, biomass incinerators are being promoted by industry as a viable alternative energy source. Last week a panel discussion was held at the University of Maine, called “Living Downstream: The Old Town Dump and University of Maine”. Panelists were Darren Ranco, Associate Prof. of Anthropology and Coorcinator of Native American Research, panel chair; John Banks, member of the Juniper Ridge Landfill Advisory Committee and Director of the Natural Resources Dept., Penobscot Nation; Paul Schroeder, Orono resident and member of Trash Trackers Network; Ed Spencer, Old Town resident, original opponent of 2003 dump expansion. Today we have an excerpt from Paul Schroeder’s presentation. We’ll have more audio from the panel on a WERU Special on Monday, February 21st at 10am

WERU News Report 2/8/11

Producer/Host: Amy Browne
Contributors: Jim Campbell, Meaghan LaSala

Segment 1: Brownie Carson retired last week after a career that spanned more than a quarter century, of protecting Maine’s environment, at the helm of the Natural Resources Council of Maine
Back in 1983, when he started work at NRCM, Maine’s rivers were a primary concern for environmentalists because of the high levels of pollution and the dams, which among other things, obstructed fish. As he cleaned out his office Friday afternoon, Brownie Carson took a break to talk with us, reflecting back over early successes and looking ahead to challenges for Maine’s environment.

Segment 2: New York City has Selected Shorts, a program that features readings of short stories from all over the world. Belfast has As If Stories, short stories written by Maine writers and read live by local actors for local audiences.
The series is now in its second year. Gail Hennigsen is one of the original founders and still a current producer of the series which will feature a live reading of a story by Stephen King this coming Sunday. Jim Campbell caught up with Gail recently to find out more about the series, and the
somewhat mysterious name.

Segment 3: The recent 17th annual Changing Maine Gathering was called “Beyond Capitalism: New Economies for Maine.”
Excerpts from a presentation on Solidarity Economy by Ethan Miller and Olivia Geiger

Segment 3:

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