Maine Calling

In this month of New Year's resolutions, many of which have to do with weight loss, we learn more about obesity in Maine : how prevalent it is, what the latest research tell us about the nature of obesity, and what can be done to manage or reduce it--in individuals and in communities. Guests: Dr. Peter Amann , Family Practice physician and Site Leader for Maine Medical Partners—Scarborough Family Medicine Erin Guay , Executive Director of Healthy Androscoggin Dr. Dervilla McCann , Chief of

Shay Stewart Bouley and Debby Irving join us to talk about race, racism and their "Cross-Racial Conversations" workshops. Guests: Shay Stewart-Bouley , is the executive director of Community Change Inc., the oldest continuously running anti-racist organization in the United States. Most probably know her from her blog "Black Girl in Maine," where she writes about life in Maine as a woman of color, growing into middle age and musing on the state of race relations in the United States, among

Parts of Maine are treasured for their amazing night sky, unaffected by the light pollution of cities and towns. In other parts of Maine, efforts are underway to reduced light pollution, by rethinking outdoor lighting. Bird lovers, astronomy buffs and tourism officials are among those promoting the dark skies movement here in Maine, and across the nation. Guests: Ed Gleason , astronomer and planetarium manager at University of Southern Maine Nancy Hathaway , chair of the Surry Conservation

From Bitcoin to iPhone battery issues, our tech team returns to answer listener questions. They will also explain just how worried you should be about the Intel chip hacker vulnerability. Guests: Jared Maxfield , Owner of Necessary Technology Janet McKenney , Director of Library Development, Maine State Library Andrew Rosenstein , Owner of TechPort

We speak with legislative leaders about the items making news this season. Among the front-burner issues: the effects on the federal government shutdown on state government; extending the moratorium on a comprehensive marijuana law; Medicaid expansion, ranked-choice voting, and, selecting which bond initiatives will come before the voters next election. Guests: Erin Herbig , House Majority Leader, D-Belfast Garrett Mason , Senate Majority Leader, R-Lisbon Falls

How significant is snowmobiling to Maine's economy? What should people know about our trail system, and what are some good journeys to take? We'll also hear about safety tips and regulations. Guests: Bob Meyer , Executive Director, Maine Snowmobiling Association Chris Ring , business development manager of Automatic Distributors in Bangor, a major supplier of snowmobile parts, gear and accessories

We’ll get answers to your questions about all-wheel drive versus four-wheel drive, snow tires versus all-season tires, whether Tesla will ever reach its production goals, and more from the world of cars, trucks and SUVs. Guests: Jamie Page Deaton , automotive editor for U.S. News & World Report John Paul , New England AAA spokesperson and master mechanic

This show will be broadcast live from Bates College Now in its fourth year, Bates College's Purposeful Work initiative is a structured program of supported exploration, discovery, self-reflection, and skill-building designed to align students' interests and talents with the work they will ultimately pursue after graduation. The core philosophy is infused into all aspects of the Bates experience and has a proven track record. We’ll discuss how this program is fostering connections between Maine c

Where once pamphlets were a way for politicians to distribute their ideas, attack political enemies, and reach an audience, today we have Twitter. We’ll discuss the role of Twitter in current day politics and how it is changing political discourse and impacting social movements. Guests: Judith E. Rosenbaum , PhD, Assistant Professor, Department of Communication and Journalism, University of Maine. Author of Constructing Digital Cultures – Tweets, Trends, Race, and Gender . Brooke Foucault Welles

Maine schools are struggling with a shortage of teachers, particularly for areas such as Special Ed and world languages. How do we compare with other states? Why aren’t there enough qualified teachers to meet the demand, and what's being done about it? Some districts have found creative solutions to fill the need. Guests: Catharine Biddle , Assistant Professor of Educational Leadership, University of Maine College of Education and Human Development Lois Kilby-Chesley , President, Maine Education