Talk of the Towns 3/28/14

Producer/Host: Ron Beard
Studio Engineer: Amy Browne

Issue: Community concerns and opportunities

Program Topic: Community Response to Domestic Violence

Key Discussion Points :
What is domestic abuse?
• Define
• Tactics of abuse
What is Extent of the problem in Hancock and Washington Counties
• Next Step statistics
• Other statistics and information
• Other trends from the perspective of law enforcement
What are the signs of abuse and what can someone to do help?
What are services offered by Next Step
• Hotline: Who can use the hotline, who works on the hotline
• Emergency shelter: information about trends in shelter
• Transitional housing: what is the benefit, the need, the availability
• Other services: face to face advocacy, support and education groups
• Advocacy in court
• Community education, training, and consultation
Trends in the community’s perception of and response to DV
• What has changed since the first shelters opened in the 70’s?
• What is on the horizon for assessing risks?
• How should we be organizing ourselves as a community to
further enhance our response to DV?
How can community members become effective allies for those who are targets or suspected targets of domestic violence?

Guests:
Rebecca Hobbs, Exec. Director, Next Step
Lt. Rod Charette (Commanding Officer, Maine State Police Troop J),
Rick Doyle (Staff Attorney, Next Step)

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RadioActive 3/27/14

Producer/Host: Meredith DeFrancesco

Program Topic: Tour to raise federal minimum wage to $10.10; Wabanaki Tribes continuing struggle to maintain sovereignty and fishing rights

Key Discussion Points:
a) We look at the movement to raise the federal minimum wage from $7.25 to $10.10 an hour. A bus tour promoting the passage of the Fair Minimum Wage Act stopped in Bangor. Miguel’s Mexican Restaurant of Bangor has just raised their minimum wage to $10.10.
b) We speak with Maine Congressional Representative and gubernatorial candidate, Mike Michaud about the minimum wage and the realities for low income Mainers
c) Passamquoddy tribal member, Vera Francis speaks on state opposition to tribal sovereignty and fishing rights,
specifically around the elver fishery. After long negotiations to come to an agreement that involved recognizing that tribal elver regulations were protective of the fishery and allowed tribal autonomy, Maine’s State Attorney General shut down the process in the 11th hour. The Passamquoddy Tribes own management plan puts a limit on total tribal catch, but allows anyone in the tribe to fish. They argue that this management system is more protective then the state’s permit system.

Guests:
Congressman Mike Michaud
Laura Fortman, US Dept of Labor
Sean Garceau , manager at Miguel’s Mexican Restaurant, Bangor
Rev. Becky Gunn, Unitarian Universalist Society of Bangor
Vera Francis, Passamaquoddy tribal member, Passamaquoddy Fisheries Committee

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