RadioActive 3/31/11

Producer/Host: Meredith DeFrancesco

Segment 1: We talk with labor historian Charles Scontras, in the wake of the labor history mural removal from the Me. Dept of Labor, on Caesar Chavez Day.

In Maine, Governor Paul LePage’s active purging of labor history observations from the Maine Dept of labor building, includes not only taking down the mural depicting scenes from Maine’s labor history, but also orders the renaming of the rooms of the rooms in the Department of labor, one of which is named after Caesar Chavez. Another is named after Frances Perkins, the first woman to serve in a US Cabinet post and the longest serving of any member. Among the many scenes of labor history depicted on the mural painted by the artist Judy Taylor is a panel of Frances Perkins.

Dr. Charles Scontras, the labor historian that worked with Judy Taylor on what history to represent in the mural. Scontras is a retired professor from the University of Maine at Orono’s department of political science, history and modern society. He now works as a historical and research associate with the Bureau of Labor Education. Maine is currently embroiled in another such “right to work” effort, which would undermine the capacity of unions.

For more information on the Bureau of Labor education’s publications, you can go to their website dll.umaine.edu/ble or call 581-4123.

A rally and press conference to demand the return of the Maine labor history mural to the Maine Dept of Labor has been rescheduled due to expected weather. It will take place Monday, April 4th at the hall of Flags at the Augusta State House at noon.

Segment 2: We spoke earlier with Mike Belliveau, the executive director of the statewide public health organization, the Environmental Health Strategy Center.

He spoke with us about the recent unanimous vote by the Energy and Natural Resources Committee to support a ban on Bisphenol-A in products used by children in Maine, LD 412. he also discusses a proposed bill, whose intention is to essentially gut the Kids Safe Products Act.

For more information:
The Environmental and Health Strategy Center : www.preventharm.org
Alliance for a Clean and Healthy Maine : www.cleanandhealthyme.org.

You can listen to testimony by Rep. Jim Hamper, in support of his bill to weaken the Kids Safe Products Act, LD 1129 , in WERU’s archives from the Tuesday, March 29th WERU News Report. In his testimony he admits industry wrote his bill.

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Notes from the Electronic Cottage 3/31/11

Producer/Host: Jim Campbell

Central Maine Power, as some other electric utilities in the this state and country, is installing so called Smart Meters to replace the old familiar meters that are on the outside of our houses. Many are worried about the radiation these meters will emit into our homes. A valid concern but in our view the bigger problem is the privacy problems and strategic
vulnerabilities on a national security level that these meters introduce.

See what you think.

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Talk of the Towns 3/25/11

Producer/Host: Ron Beard, University of Maine Cooperative Extension
Studio Engineer: Joel Mann

Topic: A local food ordinance for the Blue Hill Peninsula and beyond?

What is the actual proposal and how would it work?
What do you imagine the outcome will be, for producers, growers, the local community, after a town adopts the ordinance?
If the local food ordinance passes, how would you advise producers and consumers to attend to concerns about food safety?

Guests:

Heather Retberg, Quill’s End Farm, Blue Hill
Ruth Sullivan, Halcyon Grange
Cullin Schneider, Blue Hill Peninsula Chamber of Commerce
Jason Bolton, Food Safety Educator,
University of Maine Cooperative Extension
Hal Prince, Director , Division of Quality Assurance & Regulations, Maine Dept. of Agriculture, Food & Rural Resources
Walter Kumiega, Representative, District

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