Maine Calling

From road safety to hidden bike trails, we talk about all you need to know when it comes to hitting the road - or the trails - in Maine. We'll also get advice on whether to buy a new bike or repair your existing one. Guests: Jim Tasse, Assistant Executive Director, Bicycle Coalition of Maine. Jamie Wright , owner of Gorham Bike and Ski State Rep. Mattie Daughtry (D-Brunswick). Daughtry is the primary sponsor of the Traffic Safety Education Act.

Perception is how we see the world. But what do we really know about how exactly we 'see'? Neuroscientist Beau Lotto explains why the next big innovation won't be a new technology but instead will be a new way of seeing. Lotto draws on over two decades of pioneering research to explain why our brain didn't evolve to see the world accurately. Guest: Beau Lotto is a world-renowned neuroscientist, entrepreneur, and two-time TED speaker

Just in time for the Fourth of July – the Maine Fire Marshal and a Forest Ranger Specialist join us to explain what you need to know to stay fire-safe this summer. We’ll discuss the debate over online burn permits issued by private companies, how high the fire danger is for the holiday weekend, and how to handle fireworks safely. The guests will also address the latest fire news in Maine, as well as questions about the best smoke detectors for your home and other measures to keep your family

With the release of the Senate's health care overhaul proposal, we hear from former NPR health care correspondent Julie Rovner on what's in the bill and how it will affect Americans. We will have call-ins from AARP, American Cancer Society, Maine Medical Association and from a rural hospital in Maine. Guest: Julie Rovner is the Kaiser Health News (KHN) Robin Toner Distinguished Fellow and Chief Washington Correspondent. She joined KHN after 16 years as health policy correspondent for NPR, where

How has Maine's laptop program fared in middle schools since it began 15 years ago, and what is the future of the program? We'll learn about the role of technology in our schools, as well as policy implications of the Maine Learning Technology Initiative (MLTI) program. Guests: Damian Bebell , Assistant Research Professor at the Lynch School of Education at Boston College; Senior Research Associate at the Center for the Study of Testing, Evaluation, and Educational Policy (CSTEEP) at Boston

Writer, sailor and surfer Jonathan White takes readers across the globe to discover the science and spirit of ocean tides. He'll discuss, among other things: Tidal energy development; the Passamaquoddy project, first studied in the 1920s, later championed by President Kennedy, and abandoned after his assassination; Chris Sauer of Portland, Maine's own Ocean Renewable Power Company and his perspective not just on their operations in Eastport but all around the world. White also writes about the

E.B. White, William F. Buckley, Roosevelts and Rockefellers - all passionately loved to sail Maine’s famous coastal passages. But you don’t have to be rich and famous to catch the bug and get out on the water. We learn about the different ways to get involved in sailing, and the impact of sailing to Maine's economy - especially for tourism. Guests: Michael McAllister, Executive Director, SailMaine Matthew Oates , Program Director, Tall Ships Portland Curtis Rindlaub , author of "A Crusing Guide

Maine has an increasingly close relationship with Iceland on many fronts: academic, economic and cultural. We'll learn about some of the collaborations and initiatives happening with our neighbor across the Atlantic. Guests: Dana Eidsness , Director, MENADO at Maine International Trade Center Glenn Cummings , president, University of Southern Maine Ben Ford , counsel, Verrill Dana Larus Isfeld , managing director at Eimskip USA Inc. Tracy Michaud Stutzman , Ph.D. , professor and chair of the

Gregory Maguire, the author of Wicked , and Kirkus Review children's book editor Vicki Smith join us to talk about the state of children’s literature. Guests: Gregory Maguire is a writer of several dozen crossover books for adults and children. His best-known work is Wicked . He also helped found and for 25 years codirected Children’s Literature New England, Inc., a nonprofit that raises awareness of the significance of literature in the lives of children. Vicky Smith , Children's &Teen

Our gardening experts return to answer listener questions about planting, harvesting, de-bugging and soil-maintaining. Guests: Barbara Murphy , Garden Coordinator for Gardeners Growing Healthy Communities William Cullina , Executive Director of the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens