Tag: Food and Medicine

Maine Currents 3/15/17

“Democracy Lives in Truth” Rally & Welcoming City Resolutions in Maine

Producer/Host: Amy Browne
Engineer: Joel Mann

Segment 1: Speakers at Saturday’s “Democracy Lives in Truth” rally in Bangor: Sean Faircloth, Kimberly Hammill, Stacy Leafsong and James Varner The rally and march that preceded it were hosted by Mainers for Accountable Leadership and cosponsored by Indivisible: Bangor, Standing For The Common Good, Bangor Racial and Economic Justice Coalition, Food AND Medicine Peace and the Justice Center of Eastern Maine.
FMI:
Mainers for Accountable Leadership www.facebook.com/groups/223438051414968/
Indivisible: Bangor www.facebook.com/groups/indivisiblebangor/
Standing for the Common Good www.facebook.com/groups/245994745824081/
Bangor Racial & Economic Justice Coalition www.facebook.com/BangorREJC/
Peace & Justice Center of Eastern Maine www.facebook.com/Peace-Justice-Center-of-Eastern-Maine-102131166536360/
Food AND Medicine: www.facebook.com/foodandmedicineme/

Segment 2: Several towns in Maine have joined others across the country in adopting what are known as “Welcoming City” resolutions. Today we’re going to talk with some of the organizers: Nicolle Littrell of Belfast, Becca Shaw Glaser of Rockland, Elisabeth Goodridge of Appleton and Betsy Sweet of Hallowell.
FMI:
Details on Belfast’s petition for a resolution: www.change.org/p/please-sign-to-support-adoption-of-this-resolution-to-make-belfast-maine-a-welcoming-city-for-all
BelFem (group organizing Belfast’s efforts to pass a resolution): www.facebook.com/belfemgroup
Village Soup article about Rockland’s resolution passing: knox.villagesoup.com/p/rockland-council-oks-diversity-resolve/1632942
Appleton’s Resolution reads:
“Appleton is a home to people from all walks of life, whose heritage and origins are diverse, and is a community whose well-being depends on the security, serenity, and mutual respect of all its citizens.
Therefore, Appleton is resolved to respect the dignity of all people, promote civil discourse, and honor diversity in all forms. We as a town and individuals will work to make our community a place where all people feel safe in their homes, on the streets, in our schools, and within the community at large.
Appleton is resolved to be a community where all people are welcome.”

Maine Currents- independent local news, views and culture, every Wednesday at 4pm on WERU-FM and weru.org

RadioActive 11/20/14

Producer/Host: Meredith DeFrancesco

Issue: Environmental and Social Justice

Program Topic: Solidarity Harvest and comments on Faripoint Strike and Bucksport Mill Closure

Key Discussion Points:
a) This Thanksgiving marks the 12th annual Solidarity Harvest, a food distribution effort organized Food AND Medicine and the Eastern Maine Labor Council, in concert with union members, local farmers, laid off workers, the underemployed and other area organizations.
b) Solidarity Harvest distributes food for Thanksgiving time for laid off workers and others struggling in Maine, but it is also specifically designed to be a model of solidarity, rather then charity, an example of an organized community response to an often unjust economic system.
c) Jack Mckay also comments on the issues surrounding the Fairpoint workers strike and the closure of the Bucksport paper mill.

Guest: Jack McKay, director of Food AND Medicine and president of Eastern Maine Labor Council. www.foodandmedicine.org

WERU News Report 9/11/13

Producer/Host: Amy Browne

Production assistance: John Greenman, Carolyn Coe, Matt Murphy

Segment 1: Maine’s Aging Population – state and federal policies – press conference in Bangor organized by Food&Medicine, featuring several local speakers.
Segment 2: An alternative to the official story about what happened in Syria, raised by Lawrence Reichard at a speak out in Bangor last week.
Segment 3: Toxic “layer cake” at Kidder and Mack Points in Searsport? Interview with Ron Huber, Friends of Penobscot Bay

RadioActive 7/4/13

Producer/Host: Meredith DeFrancesco

Issue: Environmental and Social Justice

Program Topic: Action in Fairfield blocking railway carrying fracked oil from North Dakota to New Brunswick; The proposed cancellation of a bus route in Bangor; Food and Medicine and Eastern Maine Labor Council’s annual 4th of July event

Key Discussion Points:
a) We hear a report on last week’s action in Fairfield, where activists blocked a train carrying fracked oil from the Bakken shale fields in North Dakota to an Irving refinery in St. John, New Brunswick.
b) We also discuss campaigns they are working on, including the city of Bangor’s plans to cancel their Odlin Road bus route, which would deeply effect a number of people without other transportation options. FAM also discusses their involvement in a national campaign to improve the quality and availability of in-home care and better conditions for home care workers.
c) We speak with members of the Brewer based organization Food and Medicine and the eastern Maine labor Council about their annual 4th of July event.

Guests:

A) Bob Toole, president of Food and Medicine. Member of Eastern Maine Labor Council
B) Ethan Drutchas, intern with Food and Medicine.
C) Jack McKay, president of Eastern Maine Labor Council, organizer with Food and Medicine
D) Read Brugger, 350 Maine, arrested in train blockade civil disobedience
http://www.350maine.org/
E) Sass Linnekan, resident of Benton, arrested in train blockade civil disobedience

WERU News Report 6/20/12

Producer/Host: Amy Browne
Program Topics: Maine Initiatives Awards, Mabel Wadsworth Women’s Health Center, Local Peace & Justice Activists, Making Local Food Accessible for Low-Income Community Members

Guests:
Recorded audio from Maine Initiatives Awards (www.maineinitiatives.org) (recorded by Matt Murphy); Interview with Jack McKay, Director of Food AND Medicine (www.foodANDmedicine.org)

Call In Program: no

WERU News Report 4/11/12

Producer/Host: Amy Browne
Audio contributed by: John Greenman
Issue: Alternative, Independent Local News
Program Topics:
Maine’s Legislative Session is winding down, and as law makers prepare to recess there are several pieces of important legislation that are moving quickly through the process, sometimes with changes that the public may not be aware of. One instance is the latest version of a worker’s comp bill that has raised concerns among worker’s rights advocates who held a press conference in Bangor on Monday. (FMI: www.foodandmedicine.org) Updates on other legislative action today, and an interview w/ Judy Berk, Natural Resources Council of Maine, re: the Maine mining bill and “takings” legislation (FMI: www.nrcm.org)

Key Discussion Points:
Worker’s Comp legislation
Other legislation voted on today
Mining bill update
“Takings” legislation

Guests:

Speakers recorded at a press conference re: Worker’s Comp legislation: Jack McKay, Director of Food AND Medicine; Rev. Mark Doty, Mark Richards, Dean Harding, Loren Snow

Interview with Judy Berk, Communications Director, Natural Resources Council of Maine

Call In Program: No

RadioActive 1/26/12

Issue: Environmental and Social Justice

Broadcast Time:4-4:30PM

Program Topic: Governor LePage’s Proposed Budget Cuts to Department of Health and Human Services programs, including MaineCare

Key Discussion Points:
a) We look at efforts to uncover the coordinated crackdown on Occupy Wall Street encampments across the country, through the US Conference of Mayors.
b) We look at restrictions to those on unemployment insurance, under the proposed bill LD 1725, “An Act to Strengthen the Unemployment Insurance Laws and Reduce Fraud”.
c) And, we check in on the status of the massive cuts to low income social service and healthcare programs, proposed by Governor LePage. 65,000 people could be cut from MaineCare The Appropriations Committee has already agreed to cut funding for “Wrap Around Maine”, which has helped struggling youth turn their lives around.

Guests by name and affiliation:
A) Mara Verheyden-Hilliard, director of The Partnership for Civil Justice Fund : www.justiceonline.org , www.justiceonline.org/owsfoia
B) Jack McKay, director of Food and Medicine : www.foodandmedicine.org
C )Ana Hickes, Senior Policy Analyst at Maine Equal Justice Partners : www.mejp.org, www.reasonablesolutions.com

Call In Program: No
Political Broadcast: No

Host: Meredith DeFrancesco
Engineer: Meredith DeFrancesco

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