Tag: Maine

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

Coastal Conversations 1/25/19 (web only) & 1/31/19

Producer/Host: Natalie Springuel

Note: Because of storm-related power outages in the area, Coastal Conversation aired only via live stream on it’s usual air date, 1/25/19. It was rebroadcast on 1/31/19.

Maine coastal and ocean issues: The Maine Ocean School

Key Discussion Points:
-Interviews with students, faculty and board members at the Maine Ocean School, a new public magnet school based in Searsport with a mission to provide a theme-based high school education focused on the ocean.
-Students talk about their aspirations for the future and how the Ocean School will help them get there.
-Founders talk about how this unique educational model came about with support from marine industry members from throughout the state.
-Teachers talk about the school’s innovative curriculum.

Guests:

The 12 students of the Maine Ocean School‘s inaugural class
Leslie Gregroy, Lead Teacher, Maine Ocean School
Meg Begley, Teacher, Maine Ocean School
James Gillway,school founder and chairman of the Maine Ocean School Foundation Searsport Town Manager, State Representative
Gayle Zydlewski, member of the board of trustees of the Maine Ocean School
University of Maine Associate Professor of Marine Sciences and Director of Maine Sea Grant
Almon D. (Bud) Rivers, member of the board of trustees, Maine Ocean School Searsport Emergency Management Director

BoatTalk 12/11/18

Producers/Hosts: Alan Sprague & Mike Joyce
Engineer: Amy Browne

Maine built boats

Key Discussion Points:
a) lobster wars movie coming to bar harbor
b) maine built boat qualities
c) maine coastal news

Guests:
Jon Johanson President of the Board Maine Built Boats, publisher of Maine Coastal News
David Abel Boston Globe reporter, film maker

Coastal Conversations 11/23/18

Producer/Host: Natalie Springuel
Guest Co-producers for this show: Corina Gribble, Ela Keegan, and Katie Clark, College of the Atlantic students

Maine coastal and ocean issues: Stories from the nation’s island-based working waterfronts

Key Discussion Points:
1. Year-round island communities in Maine, the Chesapeake Bay, and the Great Lakes all share the need for an active working waterfront for survival.
2. Interviews recorded at the National Working Waterfront Symposium in May 2018
3. Stories from island residents, fishermen, municipal officials, a marine suveyor and others about the importance of ferry service, a good relationship with the adjoining mainland, parking.
4. Demographic changes are moving many island working waterfronts from fisheries based to tourism based.

Guests:
Matthew Preisser, Lansing, MI, Lake Coordinator, Michigan Office of the Great Lakes
Steve Train, Long Island, ME, Commercial Lobsterman
Duke Marshall & Mark Nelson, Smith Island, MD, Smith Island United
Russ Brohl, South Bass Island, OH, Retired Ship Captain, Member of the Port Authority
Peter Huston, South Bass Island, OH, Filmmaker
Donald McCann, Fleets Island, VA, Marine Surveyor, Virginia Institute of Marine Science
Andy Dorr, Vinalhaven, ME, Vinalhaven Town Manager
Hattie Train, Long Island, ME, Undergraduate, University of Maine, and Commercial Lobsterman

Maine Currents Special 10/24/18

Producer/Host: Amy Browne

The Impact of Trump’s Economic Policies on Maine

Garrett Martin, Executive Director of the Maine Center for Economic Policy (MECEP), speaking at the University of Maine on October 11th. More information about MECEP can be found at mecep.org

Panel Discussion: “Sex Discrimination in Maine: Why We Need an Equal Rights Amendment”

Recorded in Bangor on 10/10/18

Sex Discrimination in Maine: Why We Need an Equal Rights Amendment

Panel Discussion moderated by Nancy Murdock, Equal Rights Maine

Panelists:
Rebecca Webber, attorney with Skelton, Taintor and Abbott, specializing in Employment and Civil Rights Litigation
Kathleen Caldwell, retired 35 year Pine Tree legal assistance attorney, specializing in poverty law

Equal Rights Maine
Advocating for the ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment to the U.S. Constitution and to the Constitution of the State of Maine FMI: www.equalrightsmaine.org

Coastal Conversations 9/28/18

Producer/Host: Natalie Springuel
Studio Engineer: Amy Browne

Maine clams: what is causing their decline and how do we bring them back?

Why are clams declining? Rising sea temperatures, green crabs, milky ribbon worms.
What does the research show us? Over 99% of settled clams are being eaten (mostly by green crabs) before they reach 1 years old
What can we do about the decline? Options for changing management.

Guests:
Dr. Brian Beal — Professor of Marine Ecology at the University of Maine at Machias and Director of Research at the Downeast Institute.
Sara Randall — Associate Director of the Downeast Institute
Chad Coffin– Professional Clammer and President of the Maine Clammers Association