Let's Connect

Host Kristina Egan explores how Accessory Dwelling Units—or ADUs—can help address the region’s housing shortage while offering financial benefits to owners and occupants. Whether you’re curious about the cost, permitting process or return on investment, this episode offers practical insights from Nell Donaldson, Director of Special Projects for the City of Portland, Austin Gregory, Chief of Operations and Engineering at Backyard ADUs, and Alex Brockway, Vice President and Residential Lending Officer at Kennebunk Savings.  Tune in to learn why ADUs are gaining traction and what it takes to build one

Host Kristina Egan sits down with Marty Grohman, Mayor of Biddeford, to talk about one of Maine’s fastest-growing and most talked-about cities. From revitalization efforts and economic development to housing, community life, and what’s next for Biddeford, Mayor Grohman shares insights on the challenges and opportunities shaping Biddeford’s future.

Produced by Tom Bell
Edited by Caroline Parker
Photo Credit: Tom Bell

Maine Trust for Local News Managing Director Stefanie Manning, Executive Editor Carolyn Fox, and Advisory Board Chair Mark Stodder join host Tom Bell to talk about Maine’s changing media landscape. Learn why printed weeklies are disappearing, how digital newsletters are gaining ground, and what’s at stake for democracy when trusted journalism fades. From subscription models to AI tools and combating misinformation on Facebook, this episode examines whether local news can survive—and thrive—in a digital world.

Host: Tom Bell
Produced by Tom Bell
Edited by Caroline Parker

Host Belinda Ray sits down with Craig Freshley, a professional facilitator and author of Together We Decide, to explore one of the most pressing issues of our time: political polarization.From the U.S. Congress to local town halls, divisions are running deep. What’s fueling this polarization? And more importantly, how do we find our way back to trust and dialogue?Craig shares practical advice and stories from his work helping communities and organizations bridge divides. The episode covers how polarization plays out in local government, the impact of social media on public discourse, and why conversation remains democracy’s most powerful tool.

What’s causing America’s growing political divisions?

Host: Belinda Ray
Produced by: Tom Bell (GPCOG)

On this episode of Let’s Connect Greater Portland, host Annella Linton explores how Portland’s new professional soccer team, the Portland Hearts of Pine, is doing more than winning games.Soccer is building community, bridging cultures, and redefining what it means to belong.

Joining us from the City of Portland are Ethan Hipple, Director of Parks, Recreation & Facilities, and Greg Watson from Housing & Economic Development. They’re joined by team founder Gabe Hoffman-Johnson for a conversation about placemaking, the power of public space, and why the “beautiful game” plays such an important role in Maine’s most diverse neighborhoods.


Hosted by Annella Linton
Edited by Caroline Parker
Produced by Tom Bell and the Greater Portland Council of Governments

Andrew Clark, Transit Program Manager at the Greater Portland Council of Governments, speaks with Chad Heid, Chief Transportation Officer at the Greater Portland Metro and Josh Caldwell, Climate and Clean Energy Policy Advocate and Outreach Manager at the Natural Resource Council of Maine, about the financial challenges facing Maine’s public transportation operators and the need for the state to provide sustainable funding. 

Dave Herring, Executive Director, Wolfe’s Neck Center for Agriculture & the Environment in Freeport, talks about how regenerative agriculture is helping farmers build resilience in the face of climate change. Dave explains what makes regenerative practices different from conventional or organic farming—and how they can help farms survive floods, droughts, and unpredictable weather.We also dig into the recent loss of a major $35 million USDA grant and what it means for the farm’s future. Can the funding be restored? And how will Wolfe’s Neck continue to serve as a leader for sustainable farming in Maine and across the Northeast?

Host Kristina Egan speaks with several leaders working on climate issues at the ClimateWork Maine Summit, including Hannah Pingree, who recently stepped down from leading the State Office of Policy Innovation & the Future, James Dozier, a clean energy advocate and lobbyist, Glenn Cummings,  Director of Green Schools, Alan Caron, founder of ClimateWork Maine, Lydia Covert, Corporate Sustainability Director at Unum, Joe Curtatone, President, Alliance for Climate Transition, and Dr. Ivan Fernandez retired as the Distinguished Maine Professor of Soil Science in the School of Forest Resources at the University of Maine.

In this episode, host Jamie Garvin talks with South Portland City Manager Scott Morelli, Gray Town Manager Michael Foley, and Kate Dufour, Director of Advocacy and Communications at the Maine Municipal Association. Together, they explore the factors fueling increasing property taxes—and efforts in Augusta and in local communities to ease the burden.

Don’t throw away your food waste! Save money and turn your table scraps into rich soil and renewable electricity. Kevin Roche, CEO of ecomaine and Greg Williams, Director of Public Policy & Outreach at Waste Solutions at Agri-Cycle, talk with host Tom Bell about keeping food waste out of landfills. Learn compositing tips (keep those worms fed and happy) and about how dairy farmers are mixing food waste with manure to create electricity for the power grid.