The Nature of Phenology 2/9/19

Producers/Hosts: Hazel Stark and Joe Horn

Bird Irruptions

Photos, a full transcript, references, contact information, and more available at thenatureofphenology.wordpress.com.

In parts of Canada, where many of these finches would happily spend their winters, there is a particularly poor food crop this year. Alder and birch seeds, mountain ash fruits, spruce and other conifer seeds are in low supply this year—as happens from time to time. This food scarcity drives these birds that are adapted to those food types further south to places like Maine where the food crop isn’t as bad this year.

Talk of the Towns 2/8/19

Producer/Host: Ron Beard, University of Maine Cooperative Extension
Engineer: Amy Browne

Community concerns and opportunities: Is it time to open up the Maine’s primary process to unenrolled voters

Key Discussion Points:
What are primary elections and how are they conducted in Maine?
What role do parties play, what is the role of the state of Maine?
What has been the rationale to prohibit unenrolled voters from participating in party primary elections?
How is the present campaign organized and what are you hoping will happen?
What was your experience with the primary experience, as a member of a party or as an Independent candidate? What did you appreciate about it? How would this proposed change benefit the state of Maine?

Guests:
Kaitlin LaCasse, Campaign Manager, Open Primaries Maine
Jill Goldthwait, former State Senator, Independent
Dennis Damon, former State Senator, Democrat

Maine Currents 2/7/19

Producer/Host: Amy Browne

An Ambitious Plan to Address Homelessness in Maine

Mainers may have a chance in November to vote on a bond issue that would authorize $15 million to build housing for homeless people in the state: LD 48, “An Act To Authorize a General Fund Bond Issue To Invest in Housing for Persons Who Are Homeless”. The plan is to expand a “Housing First” model that has proven successful in Portland to other parts of the state.

We speak with Representative Michael Brennan of Portland, who is also a former mayor of the city and an adjunct professor of social work, the sponsor of LD 48, and Donna Yellen, Deputy Director of Preble St. in Portland- the agency that oversees the “housing first” programs there. And we listen in on testimony at the January 22nd public hearing on LD 48, before the legislature’s Appropriations and Financial Affairs committee.

More information about LD 48, the Appropriations and Financial Affairs committee and contact info for legislators is available on the State Legislature’s website

Notes from the Electronic Cottage 2/7/19

Producer/Host: Jim Campbell

Facial Recognition Update 2019

“Imagine a government tracking everywhere you walked over the past month without your permission or knowledge. Imagine a database of everyone who attended a political rally that constitutes the very essence of free speech…” Words of some tin-hat wearing technophobe? Nope, the words of Brad Smith, President of Microsoft, talking about the potential of uncontrolled use of facial recognition technology, a technology whose uses he and many others feel requires government oversight. Here’s why.