Tag: Maine Center for Public Interest Reporting

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/

WERU News Report 8/6/14

Producer/Host: Amy Browne

Segment 1: Mainers who have been victims of con artists and thieves may never received restitution, even if a court orders it, according to a recent investigation by the Maine Center for Public Interest Reporting. In a series of reports that will be published over the next several days, they describe the problems with the system and how lives are being impacted. We spoke with the authors of the series, Marina Villeneuve and John Christie:

Segment 2: The Maine Farm Bureau is asking for the public’s help as they assist the former Moo Milk organic dairy farmers in Washington County in transitioning to another market. David Bright of the Farm Bureau explains:

WERU News Report 7/17/13

Producer/Host: Amy Browne

Segment 1: An interview with Nell Gluckman and John Christie of the Maine Center for Public Interesting Reporting (www.pinetreewatchdog.org) re: their latest report, released today, on Representative Chellie Pingree’s large increase in campaign donation since marrying a billionaire – and how that gels with her past work on campaign finance reform.

Segment 2: Short story/poems by Norman Snowden, about life in Maine.

WERU News Report 11/20/12

Producer/Host: Amy Browne
Audio recorded by: Carolyn Coe (and edited by Amy Browne)

Barbara Lubin of the Middle East Children’s Alliance, has been working for decades to bring attention to the plight of children in the Middle East spoke in Maine recently before heading back to Gaza with humanitarian aid. Today, in the first of a 2-part special, we’ll hear what she had to say. (FMI: www.mecaforpeace.org) But first we talk with investigative journalists from Naomi Schalit and John Christie of the Maine Center for Public Interest Reporting, about their latest story, just released today, on Representative John Martin’s finances. (FMI: www.pinetreewatchdog.org)

WERU News Report 11/14/12

Producer/Host: Amy Browne

The Maine Center for Public Interesting Reporting released a report today on their investigation of where things stand in the state of Maine in terms of preparing for the consequences of climate change. We talk with Kate McCormick, author of the report. (www.pinetreewatchdog.org)

Update: The Maine Center for Public Interest Reporting last week reported that the state Department of Environmental Protection had removed a climate change report from its web site in December, 2011. A DEP spokesman said this week that the report was restored in April, 2012, at the request of a citizen. The Center interviewed DEP Commissioner Patricia Aho about the report’s status in June, 2012, at which time she did not say it had been restored to the web site.

WERU News Report 9/25/12

Producer/Host: Amy Browne

Maine Center for Public Interest Reporting Investigates Maine’s U.S. Senate Candidate’s Claims
*An in-depth look at claims made by each campaign re: jobs and the economy
*How listeners can learn more and follow the documentation cited by the MCPIR
*The candidate’s response to the investigative series

Guests:
Naomi Schalit and John Christie, Senior Reporters for the Maine Center for Public Interest Reporting ( www.pinetreewatchdog.org)

WERU News Report 5/9/12

Producer/Host: Amy Browne

Program Topic: John Christie and Naomi Schalit, Senior Reporters for the Maine Center for Public Interest Reporting, and regular guests on the WERU News Report, join us to talk about their 2 most recent investigative reports.

Segment 1: “University System a haven for former top state staffers” (http://pinetreewatchdog.org/2012/05/03/university-system-a-haven-for-former-top-state-staffers/ )

Segment 2: “Official’s use of US and GOP funds to buy a camper was kept under wraps” (http://pinetreewatchdog.org/2012/05/09/officials-use-of-us-and-gop-funds-to-buy-a-camper-was-kept-under-wraps/ ) NOTE: The official in question is Phil Roy, who is currently the chief financial officer for Hancock County)

Guests: John Christie and Naomi Schalit, Senior Reporters for the Maine Center for Public Interest Reporting

Call In Program: no

WERU News Report 2/29/12

Issue: Alternative Local News
Host/Producer & Studio Engineer: Amy Browne
Production Assistance: Matt Murphy

Broadcast Time: 4pm

Program Topics:
Segment 1: The Joint Standing Committee on the Judiciary’s Public Hearing and Work Session on legislation that would exempt the Governor’s working papers from Freedom of Information requests, LD 1805 “An Act To Implement Recommendations of the Right To Know Advisory Committee Concerning a Public Records Exception for Proposed Legislation, Reports and Working Papers of the Governor”
Segment 2: John Christie & Naomi Schalit of the Maine Center for Public Interest Reporting have recently published the results of their investigation into Pine Tree Development Zones in Maine. (www.pinetreewatchdog.org) John Christie joins us to tell us what they found.

Key Discussion Points:
Testimony from the public hearing on the Governor’s working papers, held last week
Outcome of today’s work session on the issue.
Pine Tree Development Zones

Guest:
John Christie, Senior Reporter for the Maine Center for Public Interest Reporting
Also recorded testimony from public hearing

Call In Program: no