Let's Connect

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 and challenges of reducing emissions in public transportation, the future of marine transit in Maine, and what this groundbreaking project means for the ferry line — the oldest pubic transportation service in Maine.

Recorded for broadcast on WMPG 90.9FM
Edited by Tom Bell/C.Carter
Produced by Greater Portland Council of Governments

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, Patricia A. Smith, Robert Vail, and Marpheen Chann.

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 questions about development, affordability, and the balance between protecting the past and building for the future. Kate discusses the history and mission of Greater Portland Landmarks, the challenges facing preservation efforts today, and how residents can get involved in protecting the architectural and cultural legacy of Greater Portland.

Produced by Greater Portland Council of Governments for broadcast on WMPG90.9FM
Edited by C.Carter

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, stores carbon, and provides habitat for marine life throughout the bay. But nearly half of Maine’s eelgrass has disappeared over the past two decades, with especially dramatic losses in Casco Bay. The conversation examines what’s driving the decline, what restoration efforts are underway, and what the future of the bay could look like if communities succeed—or fail—in protecting this vital ecosystem.

Host: Tom Bell
Produced by: Speak Up Greater Portland
Recorded at WMPG 90.9FM for live broadcast and podcast
Podcast edit: C. Carter

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 & Engineering at Backyard ADUs, a Brunswick-based builder of modular-style accessory dwelling units that are constructed offsite and installed across New England.

Produced by Greater Portland Council of Governments for broadcast at WMPG FM
Edited by C.Carter

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, her work as a connector between communities and digital access programs is critical to ensuring that broadband investments translate into meaningful, equitable access for all Mainers.

Recorded by WMPG
Edited by Tom Bell
Produced by Greater Portland Council of Governments.

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 housing, and examines the real-world opportunities and challenges of redevelopment across Maine.  The discussion highlights how collaboration between nonprofits, government agencies, and communities can unlock new housing opportunities.

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 dependence, and development pressure on rural areas. Kraft discusses how density shapes walkability, transit, and downtown vitality.

Produced by Greater Portland Council of Governments
Edited by C.Carter
First broadcast on WMPG.

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 climate leaders.