Maine Calling

From the implementation of ranked-choice voting in next year’s Democratic primary, to the transition from a caucus to a primary, we’ll discuss the 2020 campaign, including the departure of Susan Collins’ on ly primary opponent, reaction to the latest debate among the Democratic candidates and why many of them are making stops in Maine .

Gov. Janet Mills has called for a new, concerted state effort to coordinate Maine’s efforts to deal with climate change. The Maine Climate Council launches on Sept. 26. We’ll hear from key members about the goals and challenges for the council. This show is scheduled to coincide with the UN Climate Action Summit, where Mills will address the UN General Assembly.

The Nature Conservancy has a new "Coastal Risk Explorer" tool , which simulates the effects of sea level rise on coastal communities. In developing the tool, the team used a variety of datasets to show homes, roads, and emergency services that would be affected (flooded, blocked, cut off from access) with each additional foot of water. We’ll learn about the how the Nature Conservancy partnered with a Bowdoin College professor to create a “Social Vulnerability Index,” which helps identify areas

The Smithsonian Channel debuts a documentary series about the sinking of the UBoat 56 off the coast of Cape Elizabeth on September 22. Maine Calling explores the discovery of the UBoat with the film's director, a maritime historian, and one of the divers involved in the project. We’ll also discuss other famous shipwrecks off the Maine coast.

On September 19, 2019, a ban on vaping in Maine schools will take effect. Nationwide, more news of vaping-related illness and deaths are prompting such crackdowns, including a recent statewide vaping ban in Michigan. We’ll discuss what we’re learning about the dangers of vaping and how the ban will be enforced.

A new documentary by Ken Burns explores “the history of a uniquely American art form: country music. From its deep and tangled roots in ballads, blues and hymns performed in small settings, to its worldwide popularity, learn how country music evolved over the course of the 20th century, as it eventually emerged to become America’s music.” Join us for a conversation about country music. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MVOZl671ssY

Maine’s new "no-texting" law goes into effect on Sept. 19. Our panelists will address what the law includes and how it will be enforced, as well as why distracted driving has become a top safety hazard. We’ll also discuss other road safety issues: teen and older drivers, rules of the road, winter conditions, bicyclists and more.

The actor from Maine, best known as "McDreamy," the heartthrob surgeon on the TV medical drama Grey's Anatomy, joins us to talk about his latest work with the Patrick Dempsey Center for Cancer Hope and Healing in his hometown of Lewiston. He started the center in 2008 in honor of his mother, Amanda Dempsey, who died of ovarian cancer in 2014. The center's well-known run/walk/cycle Dempsey Challenge is on Sept. 28-29. Dempsey will also discuss his Maine roots, his career, and his involvement with

There has been a troubling decline in recent years of Maine’s clam harvest attributed to pollution, predation, warming waters and competition. Maine collects more soft-shell clams than any other state, so the losses in this industry are significant. We’ll learn about why this is occurring and what clammers and researchers are doing to reverse the trend.

What does the future hold for the longest military engagement in our nation’s history? What will be the repercussions of this week's failed negotiations and attacks? On this 18th anniversary of 9/11, our panel looks back at the origins of the war, why it has slogged on for so long, and what may be next for Afghanistan, the U.S., and the world.