Maine Calling

Toys R Us is closing, Amazon is reporting an astonishing 30 percent increase in net revenue for the most recent quarter and many malls — including the Bangor Mall — face an uncertain future. We’ll hear from an expert on the retail sector about what the changing retail landscape may mean for employment trends and community vitality.

Broadcast live from the Schoodic Institute. This year has been declared the “Year of the Bird” to celebrate the passage of the Migratory Bird Treaty. We’ll hear from expert birders about the importance of the Migratory Bird Treaty and why Maine is an ideal spot for birders.

Maine has a tradition of using sustainable materials and energy-efficient measures in home construction and design. Now, more homeowners are looking for green design and more builders are incorporating environmentally conscious approaches.

We have made progress as a society in understanding those with intellectual or developmental disabilities, or IDD. But many challenges still exist for those who with the mental or physical impairments that fall under the heading of IDD. Our panel will talk about how people who have IDD have been treated in Maine in the past, and what resources are available to them and to their families.

From lobsters to blueberries, candles to composite wood products, aircraft parts to craft beer, Maine companies are exporting their wares to every corner of the planet — not only finding new markets, but also defining the Maine “brand” around the world. What are the opportunities for Maine companies in the near-term future and beyond? How can a niche company enter the international market successfully? This Maine Calling program ties-in with Maine Public reporter Jennifer Mitchell’s series “It

We hear from Maine legislative leaders about the work still left to be done this session. Among the major issues still pending include tax conformity and Medicaid expansion. We will also discuss the passage of tax breaks for Bath Iron Works and the creation of the new Maine Future Caucus.

Our panel of editorial page editors discusses what made the headlines in Maine in March and why.

Have you ever found a skunk in the kitchen? Bats in your attic? As spring approaches and the weather turns warmer, we hear from two experts on creatures big and small about how best to deal with wildlife that may come a little too close for comfort.

In conjunction with a new exhibit at the Maine Historical Society , we examine Maine’s food heritage, including what ingredients and dishes have come from the different cultures that have shaped our state.

Mariam Jalabi, the representative of the Syrian Opposition Coalition to the United Nations, and University of Maine at Farmington professor Scott Erb join us to discuss the dire situation in Syria and the outlook for the 11 million refugees displaced by the war.