WERU 89.9 FM Blue Hill, Maine Local News and Public Affairs Archives

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

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Issue: Alternative, independent local news
Host: Amy Browne Producers: Jim Campbell & Amy Browne
Segment 1: “Choose Privacy Week”, featuring a talk by Michael German, Senior Council for National Security, ACLU, former FBI. (FMI: www.privacyrevolution.org )

Segment 2: We listen in on part of April’s meeting of the Bangor City Council, as they consider how they are going to deal with Governor LePage’s line item veto of state funding for the General Assistance program.

Key Discussion Points (list at least 3):
Privacy is under siege in the digital age
Since 9/11 in the US, privacy has been more and more reduced by government actions, particularly data mining
Current initiatives in congress would erode privacy even more
Bangor City Councilors are considering which programs they may need to cut to make up for the budget shortfall caused by LePage’s line item veto
Area organizations making budget requests are questioned by councilors, including one that asked why younger people can’t join the senior center, and another who grilled the Bangor Public Library representatives about their decision to not ban “Occupy Bangor” activists last fall (seemingly implying that the library may be punished financially)

Recorded talk by Michael German, Senior Council for National Security, ACLU, former FBI and audio from April’s Bangor budget meeting (several speakers)

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Issue: Alternative, Independent Local News
Producer/Host: Amy Browne

Program Topics: East-West Highway controversy; Aerial-spraying notifications

Key Discussion Points:
a) Opposition to E-W Highway
b) Access to information about the E-W Highway plans
c) What to do if you want to be notified about aerial pesticide/fungicide spraying in your community

Guests:
A) Chris Buchanan of Defending Water for Life in Maine (www.defendingwater.net/maine)
B) Henry Jennings, Director of Maine’s Board of Pesticide Control (www.thinkfirstspraylast.com)

Call In Program: no

Note: Lance Tapley’s article in the Portland Phoenix, which was referred to in the E-W Highway segment can be found here: http://portland.thephoenix.com/news/137148-politicos-like-the-east-west-highway-how-about-th/

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Issue: Independent, Alternative Local News
Producer/Host/Engineer: Amy Browne
Contributor: John Greenman

Program Topics: Segment 1: Steve Brouwer talking about his new book “Revolutionary Doctors: How Venezuela and Cuba are Changing the World’s Conception of Health Care”; Segment 2: The Maine People’s Alliance marked tax day yesterday by attempting to present tax bills to Bank of America branches across the state. I caught up with the group in Bangor

Key Discussion Points:
a) Training of medical professionals in Venezuela
b) Maine People’s Alliance protest
c) Bank of America –bail out and tax responsibility

Guests:
A) Steve Brouwer (lecture recorded by John Greenman at the UMaine Marxist and Socialist Lecture Series)
B) Nicole Brown, Maine People’s Alliance (fmi: www.mainepeoplesalliance.org)

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Producer/Host: Amy Browne
Audio recorded by: John Greenman
Issue: Independent, Alternative Local News

Program Topic: As we reported on yesterday’s news, there are several pieces of new or revised legislation that seem to be getting rushed through at the end of this legislative session, without public notice or input. One of these was LD1911, a bill that would have transferred ownership of the dump in Old Town into private hands. It is still unclear exactly who was behind that legislation, but it raised serious concerns among members of the Landfill Advisory Committee, and was one of many issues that were raised at a meeting last night with DEP Commissioner Patricia Aho. WERU’s John Greenman attended the meeting, and today we have some excerpts that highlight some of the concerns raised by committee members and the public

Key Discussion Points:
Juniper Ridge Landfill Committee learned about LD1911 on a Friday night, late in session.
The committee is meant to advise state officials
Several areas of concern currently, including LD1911 (privatizing the landfill), out-of-state waste, pollution, state officials acting without consulting committee

Guests n/a (recorded speakers from public meeting on 4/11/12)

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Standard Podcast [ 30:41 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Issue: Alternative, Independent Local News
Producer/Host: Amy Browne
Program Topic: Maine Mining Legislation (LD1853)
Key Discussion Points:
*Today’s work session of the Joint Standing Committee on Environment and Natural Resources on proposed legislation, written by and for companies that want to rewrite Maine’s laws to allow them to engage in open-pit metallic mineral mining. *Maine’s Chief Deputy Attorney General Linda Pistner attempts to address the issue of what a change to Maine’s mining laws might mean in light of international trade agreements like NAFTA and CAFTA *Robert Marvinney, Director of the Maine Geological Survey talks about what he says are 4 of the “most well characterized mineral deposits” in the state

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Standard Podcast [ 29:12 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Producer/Host: Amy Browne

An interview with Naomi Schalit and John Christie of the Maine Center for Public Interest Reporting (www.pinetreewatchdog.org) participants in a national study of the integrity of state government– in which Maine received a failing grade. FMI: www.stateintegrity.org

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Host & Producer: Amy Browne
Program Topic: Mining Companies Draft Wish, Propose Legislation Overhauling Maine’s Laws—And Say “Hurry!”

Key Discussion Points:
LD 1853 was drafted by Pierce Atwood, lawyers for the companies that want to mine the land
Audio from Environment & Natural Resources Committee hearing, including bill sponsor, Rep. John Martin (D- Eagle Lake),and Cosponsor, Sen. Troy Jackson (D- Allagash) –both of whom express some reservations about the bill as presented. Nick Bennett, Staff Scientist for the Natural Resources Council of Maine presents a detailed outline of concerns.

FMI: Joint Standing Committee on Environment & Natural Resources (for details/updates): (207) 287-4149. Natural Resources Council of Maine: www.nrcm.org

Guests: n/a
Recorded audio from Environment & Natural Resources Committee public hearing (see above).

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Standard Podcast [ 29:14 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download