Beacon Podcast

This week on the Beacon Podcast, Esther, Ben, and Cate discuss the end of the legislative session. They reflect on some of the wins from the session, including $18 million for rent relief, funding for more recovery community centers, and a bill that will create options for development of offshore wind power in Maine. They…

The post Podcast: The thrill of (legislative) victory, the agony of (legislative) defeat… first appeared on Maine Beacon.

This week on the Beacon Podcast, Cate interviews Hillary Knight with the Capital Region Public Defenders Office in Augusta, who clarifies what the right to counsel means for Mainers, some of the realities of meeting the constitutional right to counsel, and some hopeful developments in the state. After a lawsuit in 2022 (which is ongoing)…

The post Podcast: Maine’s long-awaited public defenders first appeared on Maine Beacon.

Today on the Beacon Podcast, Ben and Esther discuss updates from the legislative session including the new pilot program for housing subsidies, the outcome of Planned Parenthood’s proposed constitutional amendment regarding protecting access to abortion, and the Sears Island offshore wind proposal. Additionally, the two discuss Pres. Biden’s new plan to help erase or lower…

The post Podcast: Rent relief, abortion access, wind power and student debt relief! first appeared on Maine Beacon.

This week on the podcast, we bid a fond adieu to longtime Beacon reporter Dan Neumann, who is leaving us for the labor movement. Dan and Ben talk about some of their favorite Beacon stories and when the Beacon’s reporting has really made a difference. They also talk about what’s happening in the last part…

The post Podcast: What it means to be a ‘movement journalist’ first appeared on Maine Beacon.

Esther is joined by Emily Cain to talk about her time as a legislator in Maine, her experience as the executive director of Emily’s List, and the climate for women candidates for office today. Ask a question or leave a comment for a future show at (207) 619-3182. Subscribe to the podcast feed using any…

The post Podcast: Women, Emily Cain wants you to run for office! first appeared on Maine Beacon.

This week, Beacon reporter Dan Neumann joins Ben and Esther to discuss the results of the independent commission regarding the shooting in Lewiston, specifically the finding that the police force and military could have done more. They talk about gun safety in the state legislature, and what real change might look like. Also, it’s the…

The post Podcast: The Lewiston shooting commission’s findings, and what they mean first appeared on Maine Beacon.

This week, Ben and Esther are joined by the Beacon’s Dan Neumann to talk about gender affirming care in Maine and a bill to protect Maine medical practitioners from prosecution by other states. The bill, LD 227, is at the center of a right-wing misinformation panic that has drawn in local neo-Nazis and resulted in…

The post Podcast: Gender affirming care in Maine, in the face of right-wing hostility first appeared on Maine Beacon.

This week on the Beacon Podcast, Ben and Cate discuss the results of the Super Tuesday vote, including affordable housing in Kennebunk, Kingfield, and Cumberland. And they break down a new Pan Atlantic poll of 800 Mainers on the presidential election, and wonder why it didn’t consider ranked-choice voting. Ask a question or leave a…

The post Podcast: Kennebunk says yes to affordable housing, but not Cumberland or Kingfield first appeared on Maine Beacon.

This week on the Beacon Podcast, Cate, Ben, and Esther talk about how the extra $107 million Gov. Janet Mills wants to put away on top of the Rainy Day fund could be better spent. They also talk about Mills’ change in tack on tribal self-determination in Maine, and dive into a complicated bill to…

The post Podcast: It’s a rainy day, so why are we still putting away more? first appeared on Maine Beacon.

This week, Esther is joined by community organizers Carrie Jadud, Jodi Cohen Hayashida, Nyawal Lia and Genevieve Lysen to talk about the ins and outs of community organizing, what it means to be a community organizer, and the rewards of a very hard job. Ask a question or leave a comment for a future show…

The post Podcast: So what is community organizing, anyway? first appeared on Maine Beacon.