Around Town

Checking in with Rebecca Porter ahead of her show tomorrow/Saturday night (4/18) at Hey Sailor! in Searsport — an appearance inspired by Sara Trunzo and WERU listeners!

Theme music: BreakBeat Chemists I, 2015
Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives 4.0 International License

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Maine chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union announced Wednesday that they are suing federal agents involved in the January immigration campaign in Maine dubbed “Operation Catch of the Day”. Carvajal-Muñoz v. Ravencamp, et. al. – Holding Federal Officials Accountable

We have an update this morning on what’s happening with land in Belfast that was saved from industrialization, from Pete Nichols, Executive Director of Penobscot Bay Waterkeeper

Theme music: BreakBeat Chemists I, 2015
Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives 4.0 International License

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Joe Oliva from GrowSmart Maine is here to let us know why they are asking Mainers to contact Governor Mills and encourage her to sign LD 307, An Act to Establish the Maine Data Center Coordination Council and Place a Temporary Limitation on Certain Data Centers

Theme music: BreakBeat Chemists I, 2015
Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives 4.0 International License

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

The state legislature’s Judiciary Committee has a public hearing scheduled for 9 this morning on LD2239, “An Act to Designate School Sports Participation and Facilities by Sex”
Listen live here
Link to sign up to testify over Zoom (if registration is still open)

Theme music: BreakBeat Chemists I, 2015
Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives 4.0 International License

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Equality Maine is looking for volunteers to help with Pride and other events across the state, and has launched a Pride 2026 Guide

The American Civil Liberties Union and Indivisible are offering a virtual Train-the-Trainer event on Immigrants’ Rights, next Monday, April 20th.

The Wabanaki Alliance and Penobscot Nation‘s 2026 US Senate Candidates forum will be held at the Indian Island School on Thursday. Doors will open at 5:30 and the event starts at 6pm

This will be the second of three candidate forums to be organized by the Wabanaki Alliance. A forum for gubernatorial candidates was held March 19 before a crowd of more than 150 people. Plans for a forum for US House candidates for the second Congressional district will be announced soon

From the City of Bangor and Maine Department of Transportation:
The Maine Department of Transportation is beginning preliminary work this month on two separate bridge replacement projects along Interstate 95 in Bangor.
The early work on the I-95 bridges over Stillwater Avenue and the Hogan Road bridge over I-95 coincide with other MaineDOT interstate bridge work in the City: the ongoing construction of the northbound and southbound bridges over Broadway, which is scheduled to conclude in spring 2027, and the replacement of the Kenduskeag Avenue bridge over I-95. The two, aging interstate bridges that extend over Stillwater will be replaced with a single span. A median cross-over utilizing the new northbound alignment will be put in place to maintain through-traffic during construction, according to MaineDOT. While some traffic delays will be necessary as the bridge supports are put in place, no extended detours are anticipated. There will be periodic closures of Stillwater Avenue and Exit 186 ramps requiring detours. Access to businesses and the pedestrian path will be maintained at all times. There will be nighttime I-95 lane closures the week of April 13 to accommodate the start of this work. Starting on Monday, April 13, the southbound passing lane will be closed from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. The same lane will be closed on consecutive nights, with the closure scheduled to conclude at 7 a.m. Thursday, April 16. The construction is expected to last about two years.

Theme music: BreakBeat Chemists I, 2015
Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives 4.0 International License

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Indivisible– a nationwide movement of millions of people working to stop the rise of authoritarianism in the United States and to demand a real democracy- is calling for a national day of action on April 25th, to protest the Trump administration’s efforts to build prison camp warehouses across the country. They write: “On April 25, we’re joining Detention Watch Network and Disappeared in America for a coordinated, nationwide mobilization against the Trump administration’s reckless expansion of ICE warehouse detention centers…
“Our partners will host six major events at frontline sites — communities where new detention centers are actively being proposed. We’re also asking folks to host visible, peaceful, non-violent actions in your own communities to draw attention to the cruelty of Trump’s detention agenda and to pressure our local officials to resist the construction of new detention centers”

Leading up to the April 25th day of action, there will be a training call next Tuesday, April 14th, at 5pm (Eastern) led by organizers at one of the frontline sites dealing with the issue. The discussion will include how to find out if there are plans to build a detention center prison near you, and “tools and support to host a safe, peaceful and effective event in your community”
FMI and to Register for the Call

On Saturday, April 11, from 11:30 am to 2:30 pm, WERU will present our Annual Spring Gathering, once again at the Alamo Theatre, 85 Main Street in Bucksport. Come on down and enjoy the good company of all kinds of people who love WERU, including listeners, volunteers, board members, and station staff. We will provide pizza, popcorn, punch, and other yummy things to eat and drink. And if that’s not enough, we’ll be showing two inspiring short films about community radio: a 15-minute video entitled “A (Very Brief) History of WERU,” and a 34-minute documentary film about WMPG Community Radio at the University of Southern Maine in Portland, called “An Extraordinary Place.” The screenings will be followed by a panel discussion featuring representatives from WERU and WMPG. The event is free and open to the public, and no RSVP is required. We hope to see you there!

Theme music: BreakBeat Chemists I, 2015
Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives 4.0 International License

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

A 30 day window opened this week for comments on the draft wording of a citizen initiated referendum question that will be on the ballot in November.
The ballot question, as drafted, reads: “Do you want to change civil rights and education laws to require public schools to restrict access to bathrooms and sports based on the gender on the child’s original birth certificate and allow students to sue the schools?”
Maine law requires Secretary of State Shenna Bellows to present each proposed legislation “concisely and intelligibly” as a ballot question.
The Secretary will be accepting public comments regarding the question’s form and content until 5 p.m. on May 7. All comments will be reviewed and considered before the ballot question is finalized. Public comment form
Comments can also be made by emailing [email protected] and using subject line “Public Comment – Referendum Question”, or by mail to the Secretary of State, Attn: Public Comment, 148 State House Station, Augusta, ME 04333-0148

Beth C Wright Cancer Resource Center is starting a monthly craft night, starting tonight, and then meeting on second Thursday of every month from 6pm to 8pm in Ellsworth
More information and registration here , or by calling 207-664-0339 or emailing [email protected]

The Good Life Center, the nationally recognized historic homestead of back to the land icons Helen and Scott Nearing, will host its annual apple tree pruning workshop on Saturday, April 11th from 10am to 12pm. Arborist, organic farmer, and Blue Hill Tree Warden Phil Norris will lead the workshop. The workshop will focus on selecting the best tools and best practices for healthy tree growth, promoting optimal harvest results, and safe pruning techniques. All levels of experience and expertise are welcome. Bring pruning tools and dress for the weather. Admission is free. For directions and information: goodlife.org or call 374-5386

Great Pond Mountain Conservation Trust invites the public to join them for a night of Stargazing In The Wildlands with Astronomer and Director of the Jordan Planetarium at UMaine, Shawn Laatsch. The group will meetup at the South Trailhead in Orland, Saturday night at 8. The event is free though donations are accepted. RSVP is required if you would like to attend. You can do that at greatpondtrust.org

Theme music: BreakBeat Chemists I, 2015
Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives 4.0 International License

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Ann Luther from the League of Women Voters of Maine, and host of the Democracy Forum on WERU (3rd Friday of every month, 4-5pm, and archived here) weighs in on the Maine Supreme Court’s ruling this week on Ranked Choice Voting

Theme music: BreakBeat Chemists I, 2015
Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives 4.0 International License

Podcast: Play in new window | Download