Talk of the Towns | WERU 89.9 FM Blue Hill, Maine Local News and Public Affairs Archives

Producer/Host: Ron Beard, University of Maine Cooperative Extension and Sea Grant Topic: Maine and Climate Change: What Choices Do We Have Now? What is the Marine Extension team?  How is the Natural Resources Council of Maine working to address climate change issues?   What niche is emerging for Chewonki Foundation in terms of pilot technologies that may reduce greenhouse gas emissions? Guests:  E...

Producer/Host: Ron Beard, University of Maine Cooperative Extension Topic: Eating (and Growing) Local in Maine What are the benefits of eating locally grown produce and other food products?  How did the “Eat Local” challenge in Waldo County work, and why was it organized?  What needs to happen for producers and consumers to increase the amount of food and agricultural products sold in...

Producer/Host: Ron Beard, University of Maine Cooperative Extension Topic: Maine Towns Take Action on Global Warming How are towns and organizations taking action on global warming? What are some of the projects that are making a difference? What advice do those involved have for anyone thinking of starting a similar project? Guests: Ann D. Burt, Maine Council of Churches; Deb Avalone-King, Maine...

Producer/Host: Ron Beard Topic: Communities Going Green Guests: Amanda Ravenhill, Cranberry Isle Sustainability Initiative;  Barb Fernald, Selectperson, Cranberry Isles;  Sharon Malm, Bar Harbor Chamber of Commerce;  Leland Moore, College of the Atlantic;  Bob Shafto, Maine Association of Conservation Commissions How did the Cranberry Isles Sustainability Initiative come about?  What collaboration...

Producer/Host: Ron Beard, University of Maine Cooperative Extension Topic: Paper or Plastic—-what are the issues, what are the choices? Guests: Maine State Representative Ted Koffman; Senator Feargal Quinn, SuperQuinn Grocery chain, Ireland; Megan Hellstead, Environmental Sustainability Manager, Hannaford;  Suzette Bergeron, Bulletin Bags;  Mindy Veichiniki, Bar Harbor Whale Museum; Kathryn...

Producer/host: Ron Beard, University of Maine Cooperative Extension Topic: Agriculture Setting the Table of Maine’s Creative Economy What were the origins of John Harker’s report on Maine’s Agricultural Creative Economy to the Maine Legislature?  What is the mission of Farms for Maine’s Future?  What resources does the university employ to assist farmers and agricultural pr...

Producer/host: Ron Beard, University of Maine Cooperative Extension Topic: Maine Feeds Maine–An Idea Whose Time Has Come, Again Guests: Jane Livingston, Coordinator, Maine Feeds Maine;  Logan Perkins, Food for Maine’s Future; Jim Cook, Director, Crown of Maine Organic Cooperative;  Carly DelSignore, Tidemill Organic Farm; Chris Grigsby, Belfast Co-op Call in show The post Talk of the T...

Producer/host: Ron Beard Topic: Constructing Town Land Use Ordinances that Work Guests: Tom Martin, Executive Director, Hancock County (Maine) Planning Commission; Noel Musson, CES Inc.; Dale Sprinkle, Chair, Planning Board, Surry, Maine How does a town exercise its authority to guide land use decisions in Maine?  What is the legislative basis for towns to “plan”?  What is a land use o...

Producer/host: Ron Beard, University of Maine Cooperative Extension Topic:  Making Meetings and Groups More Effective Guests: Craig Freshley, Good Group Decisions, Brunswick, Maine; Deb Burwell, Organizational Consultant, Belfast, Maine Call in show The post Talk of the Towns 9/28/07 first appeared on WERU 89.9 FM Blue Hill, Maine Local News and Public Affairs Archives .

Producer/host: Ron Beard, University of Maine Cooperative Extension and Sea Grant Topic: Maine’s fisheries Guests: Robin Alden, director, Penobscot East Resource Center, Stonington ( former commissioner, Dept Marine Resources; Aaron Dority, project director, Downeast Fisheries Initiative, Ted Hoskins, Chaplain, Maine Sea Coast Mission The post Talk of the Towns 8/24/07 first appeared on WERU...

Producer/host: Ron Beard, University of Maine Cooperative Extension Topic: Healthy Boating and Healthy Beaches Why are we concerned? What are the human health aspects of swim beaches? What sorts of contaminants are common and how/where do they originate? Guests: Esperanza Stancioff, University of Maine Cooperative Extension, Sea Grant Coordinator, Maine Healthy Beaches Program; Pamela Parker, Main...

Producer/host: Ron Beard The post Talk of the Towns 6/22/07 first appeared on WERU 89.9 FM Blue Hill, Maine Local News and Public Affairs Archives .

Producer/host: Ron Beard, University of Maine Cooperative Extension Topic: Intersections of Science and Place on the Lower Penobscot Watershed Guests: David Hart, Senator George J. Mitchell Center for Environmental and Watershed Research, University of Maine; Gayle B. Zydlewski, President, Cove Brook Watershed; Aram Calhoun, Professor of Wetland Ecology, University of Maine; Greg Burr, Department...

Producer/host: Ron Beard, University of Maine Cooperative Extension Topic: Service Learning and Global Citizenship—Maine to Ecuador Guests:  Susan Vafiades-Diaz (New Teacher Leader, and coordinator of  Ecuador Field Studies Program, Mount Desert Island High School, Students, Fran Rudoff, KIDS Consortium The post Talk of the Towns 4/27/07 first appeared on WERU 89.9 FM Blue Hill, Maine Local News a...

Producer/host: Ron Beard Topic: The connection between our food choices and the impacts of industrial agriculture on the rural people of places like Belize, Panama and Nicaragua.   We learn about a program based in Down east Maine that uses grass-roots extension work to turn that picture around: Sustainable Harvest International Guests: former Peace Corps member Florence Reed, founder and Ron Poit...

Producer/host: Ron Beard Topic: Opportunities and Challenges in Non-Profit Leadership in Downeast Maine Guests: Dwayne Shaw, Downeast Salmon Federation/Downeast Rivers Land Trust; Mary Laury, Schoodic Arts for All; Gary DeLong, Maine Seacoast Mission; Alan Furth, Cobscook Community Learning Center The post Talk of the Towns 2/23/07 first appeared on WERU 89.9 FM Blue Hill, Maine Local News and Pub...

Guest Producer/host: Matt Murphy Topic: Civic and Political Dialogue in Polarized Times What are some available resources for promoting civic dialogue on controversial issues? What are the benefits and limitations of consensus decision-making, conflict resolution and non-violent communications? Local training opportunities? Guests: Sonia Turanski, Trained Mediator; Peggy Smith, Nonviolence Communi...

Producer/host: Ron Beard Topic: Changing Nature of Democracy: How are citizens changing the way government works? What are ways to make government more responsive? What are the techniques for engaging citizens, experts and policy makers in dialogue? Guests: Matt Leighninger, author of “The Next Form of Democracy”; Barbara Peppey, Healthy Peninsula, Blue Hill; State Rep. Jim Schatz, Blu...

Producer/host: Ron Beard The post Talk of the Towns 11/24/06 first appeared on WERU 89.9 FM Blue Hill, Maine Local News and Public Affairs Archives .

Producer/host: Ron Beard Topic: TABOR, the “TaxPayer’s Bill of Rights” which will appear on the Maine ballot in November Guests: Mary Adams, TABOR proponent; Bill Becker, Maine Heritage Policy Center; Dana Reed, Town Manager, Bar Harbor; Jeff Austin, Maine Municipal Association During the final segment of the program the phone lines were opened to callers. What is the general sit...

Host: Ron Beard Candidates running for Maine Governor this fall, and/or their campaign spokespeople, share the hour The post Talk of the Towns 09/22/06 first appeared on WERU 89.9 FM Blue Hill, Maine Local News and Public Affairs Archives .

Host: Jill Goldthwait Topic: Home Grown. Good Eating. (Local farms, fresh food) What are small local farms like in Maine? The markets – consumers, CSA, WIC, restaurants, farm stands, farmer’s markets. Obstacles – regulations Guests: Kerri Sands, Director, Farms for the Future; Jo Barrett, King Hill Farm; Chip Angell, The Brooklin Inn; Diane Lokocm, Beech Hill Farm Call in show Th...

Guest host: Paul Anderson, Maine SeaGrant Program Topic: The safety of Maine’s swimming beaches, featuring expert guests. Call in show The post Talk of the Towns 07/28/06 first appeared on WERU 89.9 FM Blue Hill, Maine Local News and Public Affairs Archives .

Host: Ron Beard, University of Maine Cooperative Extension Topic: Sustainable development for Maine’s Native Peoples: Four Directions Development Corporation (FDDC) Location and population of Passamaquoddy, Penobscot Tribes, Houlton Band of Maliseets and Aroostook Band of Micmac Indians, current economic and social conditions? When and why was the FDDC established? What are the primary goals...

Topic: Maine Legislative Review 2006 What is the work of citizenship in following complex public issues before the Legislature? What were some of the highlights and disappointments of this past legislative session? What was some of the background to legislation under consideration, including expanded internet access for rural residents, protection of wetlands and vernal pools, incineration of demo...