Let's Connect

What does it take to live car-free in Greater Portland — and is that really possible? Host Tom Bell talks with Portland Press Herald writer Leslie Bridgers, car-free Portland resident Isabel Vivanco, public transportation advocate Katherine Charbonneau, and Andrew Clark, Transit Program Manager at the Greater Portland Council of Governments, about the benefits, challenges, and realities of getting...

Host Kristina Egan speaks with Rick Bennett, an independent candidate for governor, about his vision for Maine. Bennett discusses his goal of reducing political polarization by encouraging compromise and consensus-building. He takes calls from listeners and shares his views on housing, public transportation, the Gorham Connector, property tax relief, regional collaboration, and transportation fund...

Host Kristina Egan explores energy policy in Maine with Celina Cunningham, Acting Commissioner of the Maine Department of Energy Resources, and Ethan Tremblay of the Department’s Planning and Policy Division. They discuss Maine’s over-reliance on fossil fuels and efforts reduce Maine’s dependence of heating oil, the benefits of heat pumps, and the state of solar development and its impact on ratep...

How can temporary street projects help create safer roads and save lives?  Host Belinda Ray talks with Cashel Stewart of the Greater Portland Council of Governments and Ainsley Judge of Neighborways Design about the demonstration projects coming to Portland, Scarborough, and Saco this summer. They discuss the region's Vision Zero goal of eliminating traffic fatalities and serious injuries. how dem...

Host Kristina Egan talks with Ben Dinsmore, General Manager of Casco Bay Lines, about the anticipated arrival of the Battery Steele — the most innovative passenger vessel ever built for Maine island service. They discuss how hybrid-electric propulsion works in a demanding marine environment and the infrastructure needed to support ferry electrification. The conversation explores the opportunities...

Host Kristina Egan interviews candidates running seats on the Cumberland County Board of County Commissioners.  This is a 30-minute highlight of a one-hour televised  forum produced by the Portland Media Center in conjunction with the Greater Portland Council of Governments. The primary election is June 9. The candidates are the forum were: Amy Leshure , Joel Vincent Mahaffey , Sigrid A. Olson , P...

Host Tom Bell speaks with Kate Lemos McHale, the Executive Director of Greater Portland Landmarks about why historic preservation still matters in a time shaped by housing shortages, political division, and rapid change. The conversation explores the role preservation plays in strengthening communities, supporting local economies, and shaping Portland’s identity, while also tackling difficult ques...

Host Tom Bell explores the alarming decline of eelgrass in Casco Bay with Ivy Frignoca, Casco Baykeeper with Friends of Casco Bay , and Janelle Goeke, Staff Scientist for Casco Bay Estuary Partnership, who coordinates eelgrass restoration projects in Casco Bay. Often overlooked beneath the water’s surface, eelgrass is a critical foundation species that supports fisheries, improves water quality, s...

Regional mayors come together to talk through the financial challenges facing their communities. Host Kristina Egan speaks with Portland Mayor Mark Dion, South Portland Mayor Elyse Tipton, Saco Mayor Jodie MacPhail, and Biddeford’s newly elected mayor, Liam LaFountain.

Are you thinking about building an accessory dwelling unit in your backyard? Host Tom Bell talks with some experts: Matt Grooms, deputy planning director of the Planning & Economic Urban Development Dept. for the City of Portland , Portland Press Herald reporter Hannah LaClaire , who has been doing extensive reporting about ADUs for an upcoming story, and Austin Gregory, Chief of Operations &a...

Host Tom Bell sits down with Kayla Lewis to explore the real-world impacts of the digital divide and the ongoing effort to expand broadband access across southern Maine. Kayla shares what it means to be on the front lines of digital equity—helping people navigate essential tasks like applying for jobs, housing, and benefits in an increasingly online world. While she’s not a policymaker or engineer...

Host Kristina Egan brings together two leaders at the forefront of Maine’s housing solutions—Tuck O’Brien with Maine Redevelopment and Jennifer Hawkins with Avesta Housing —for a timely conversation on how the state can address its housing shortage. The episode explores innovative policy ideas, including legislation that would help communities convert vacant and underused schools into much-needed...

Host Belinda Ray sits down with Kevin Kraft, Director of Planning and Urban Development for the City of Portland, to explore the relationship between tall buildings and sustainability. As Portland considers a proposed 30-story tower in the Old Port, the conversation dives into public reaction, concerns about the changing skyline, and whether building taller buildings can reduce sprawl, car depende...

At the ClimateWork Maine Summit in Portland on March 19, 2026  host Kristina Egan sits down with Bob Keefe, a national climate advocate and Executive Director of E2—a nonpartisan network of business leaders, investors, and professionals working across sectors to advance policies that strengthen both the economy and the environment. In 2025, Time  magazine named Keefe one of the nation’s top 100 cl...

Host Kristina Egan is joined by Aaron Chadbourne of Demetria Real Estate for a wide-ranging conversation on the state of the region’s housing market. Together, they explore the factors driving up the cost of housing and the policy changes that could make housing affordable for more families. Produced by Greater Portland Council of Governments Edited by C.Carter First broadcast on WMPG.

Host Kristina Egan  speaks with Nathan Davis , Executive Director of Gateway Community Services Maine, and Cary Tyson , Executive Director of Portland Downtown , about how federal immigration enforcement activity is affecting businesses, workers, and families across the Greater Portland region. Drawing on results from a recent survey of more than 240 local businesses, the conversation explores how...

Host Tom Bell digs into the $25 million Portland Harbor dredging project now underway—why it matters for the working waterfront, what’s being done about contaminated sediments, and how the project is being managed and funded. Joining the conversation are Heather Moretti, the City of Portland’ s new Waterfront Coordinator, and Mike Doan, Staff Scientist at Friends of Casco Bay , who explain the saf...

Host Kristina Egan  sits down with Samantha Horn , Director of the M aine Office of Community Affairs —a new state office created to help communities access coordinated planning support, technical assistance, and resources. Together, they unpack what how the agency can help local leaders and volunteers tackle real-world challenges, from capacity constraints in small towns to building strong partne...

Host Andrew Clark sits down with Mike Tremblay, Director of Transit Development at Greater Portland Metro , for a wide-ranging update on what’s new—and what’s next—for public transportation in the region. They dig into the impact of the South Portland–Metro merger one year in. The conversation then turns to Metro’s plans to expand service in Scarborough, including plans for both fixed-route and mi...

Host Kristina Egan  sits down with Bill Needelman , the former Waterfront Coordinator for the City of Portland, Maine, for a big-picture conversation about how Portland’s working waterfront has evolved over the past 25 years — and what it’s taken to protect one of the region’s most vital economic and cultural assets. From innovative zoning policies and mixed-use piers to global trade connections,...

Host  Tom Bell talks with Portland Water District General Manager Scott Firmin and filmmakers Alexander Wolf Lewis and Kaitlyn Schwalje.  Alex and Kaitlyn are the creators of the feature-length documentary Unless Something Goes Terribly Wrong —an informative, funny, and surprisingly heart-warming look inside Portland’s wastewater treatment plant. The film follows a ragtag crew of engineers, mechan...

Across Greater Portland, the push to build more housing often runs into a less visible but critical challenge: infrastructure. In this episodehost Kristina Egan is joined by Emily Cole-Prescott, Assistant City Administrator for the City of Saco, and Jennie Franceschi, Director of Planning & Code Enforcement for the City of Westbrook, for a practical, on-the-ground conversation about what it re...

Host Kristina Egan sits down with House Speaker Ryan Fecteau to explore legislative priorities in an election year, including efforts to lower the property tax burden and address the loss of federal funding for programs that help Mainers pay for food, childcare, and health care. They discuss the realities of bipartisan governing — all with a focus on what these decisions mean for everyday Mainers.

Host Kristina Egan is joined by Brett Frank, Deputy Director of Public Works in Scarborough; Mike Murray, Director of Public Works for the City of Portland; and Caity Hager, Portland’s Emergency Management Coordinator to unpack how plowing decisions are made, why parking bans matter, how roads are treated, what causes delays, and how communities plan for emergencies before a storm even hits.  

Host Tom Bell explores how Accessory Dwelling Units are helping Maine homeowners navigate the state’s housing affordability crisis. He talks with two local residents—Mark Baker of Portland and Keri Ouellette of South Portland—who have each built an ADU for different reasons. Mark Baker and his wife, Lynn, recently retired and wanted to move from Fresno, California, to Portland, Maine, to be closer...