Host: Ron Beard, Emeritus Professor, University of Maine Studio Engineer: Amy Browne Issue: Community concerns and opportunities Program Topic: A Climate to Thrive seeks energy independence for Mount Desert Island Key Discussion Points: 1. A climate to thrive is working on “energy independence” by 2030… what does that mean? What is most compelling about solar energy in the pursuit of energy independence? 2. What are the main elements of your solar work, including Solarize MDI? 3. What is the Community Energy Center at College of the Atlantic, and what projects does it carry out? 4. What are some of the barriers facing community solar initiatives? How are you working to surmount those barriers? A Recent Maine PUC Ruling is negative long-term but provides an incentive for installing solar in 2017. 5. What advice do you have for listeners in other communities? 6. Given your longer term vision of energy independence, what are your mid-term hopes… what would you like to see happening over the next five years. Guests: Joe Blotnick, Coordinator, A Climate to Thrive Gary Friedmann, Chair, A Climate to Thrive Advisory Board, Town Councilor, Bar Harbor Anna Demeo, College of the Atlantic, Director of Energy Education and Management

The post Talk of the Towns 5/12/17 first appeared on WERU 89.9 FM Blue Hill, Maine Local News and Public Affairs Archives.

Host: Ron Beard, University of Maine Cooperative Extension Studio Engineer: John Greenman Issue: Community concerns and opportunities Program Topic: Working Towards Food Security for Maine Key Discussion Points: What are some of the practical ways we are addressing food insecurity in this part of the state? How do local food pantries work with the statewide Good Shepherd Food Bank? Hunger Pains is the title of a recent report commissioned by Good Shepherd Food Bank and Preble Street. What does this report reveal about food insecurity in Maine? What stands out? How does hunger or food insecurity affect other aspects of life for those needing a hand up (learning, job performance, family cohesion)? What are the highlights of that report, and how does the report influence how we should respond to food insecurity as a state? Are there general myths around food insecurity that listeners should be aware of? What policy changes are called for in the report? While we work on policy changes, what more can we be doing at the local level to work towards food security (support for food pantries, gleaning and growing food for donation to food pantries, awareness and outreach). Include results of Hancock County Food Drive Guests: Jennifer Jones, Bar Harbor Food Pantry Emily Herweden, Healthy Acadia Clara Whitney, Good Shepherd Food Bank

The post Talk of the Towns 4/14/17 first appeared on WERU 89.9 FM Blue Hill, Maine Local News and Public Affairs Archives.

Host: Ron Beard, University of Maine Cooperative Extension Studio Engineer: Amy Browne Issue: Community concerns and opportunities Program Topic: Acadia Fire Soccer Academy—Developing Skills and People What led to the creation of Acadia Fire Football Club (AFFC)? Explain the importance of the mission “to offer the highest level of skill development to the greatest number of players.” What led to the development of coaching philosophy at AFFC? And how has your coaching approach has been received by players and parents? Summarize the importance of AFFC for the development of children’s overall emotional and physical wellbeing. For players: How has participating with AFFC made your life better in other areas? Why do parents like having their children play with AFFC? What are the long term goals of AFFC? Guests: Michael Curless, Director, Acadia Fire Simon Hulbert, Bar Harbot, Student at University of Southern Maine, coach and long time player Lelia Weir, Bar Harbor, Grade 7… current player

The post Talk of the Towns 3/10/17 first appeared on WERU 89.9 FM Blue Hill, Maine Local News and Public Affairs Archives.

Host: Ron Beard, University of Maine Cooperative Extension Studio Engineer: Amy Browne Issue: Community concerns and opportunities Program Topic: Making Age Friendly Communities in Maine Key Discussion Points: As people the world over grow older, there is more attention paid to making their communities “age friendly”… what might be a good working definition of “age friendly community”? How did the Bangor, Ellsworth and Bar Harbor decide to sign on as partners in the AARP Age Friendly Community Network? … What are some of the opportunities / problems you would like to address? Who is involved in your community (characterize the network within your towns)? What challenges and successes are you finding in your work? What are your hopes for the future of your communities and Maine as we create communities that are more “age friendly?” Guests: Patricia Oh, LMSW, MS Livable, Age-Friendly Communities Consultant AARP Maine Jo Cooper, Executive Director, Friends in Action, Ellsworth Doreen Willett, Executive Director, Island Connections, Bar Harbor Patty Hamilton, APRN, City of Bangor Public Health and Community Service

The post Talk of the Towns 1/13/17 first appeared on WERU 89.9 FM Blue Hill, Maine Local News and Public Affairs Archives.

Host: Ron Beard, University of Maine Cooperative Extension Studio Engineer: Amy Browne Issue: Community concerns and opportunities Program Topic: Higher quality of life for all Maine people – Maine Community Foundation’s plans and programs Key Discussion Points: What is the concept of a community foundation and how does it fit in the overall framework of philanthropy in the US? How did MCF start and evolve? What services does MCF currently provide for communities and for donors What are the current strategic goals for MCF and describe the process you used to arrive at them… describe some of the key learnings from your “listening” to the people of Maine? How does MCF partner with Maine people, communities and organizations? How will your five new strategic goals shape the work ahead? What is the role of “county funds” as part of MCF strategy… What is the role of the MCF board and how do they contribute to the overall success of MCF? Guests: Steve Rowe, Maine Community Foundation President Becky Hayes Boober, Vice President, Community Impact, Maine Community Foundation

The post Talk of the Towns 12/9/16 first appeared on WERU 89.9 FM Blue Hill, Maine Local News and Public Affairs Archives.

Host: Ron Beard, University of Maine Cooperative Extension Studio Engineer: Amy Browne Program Topic: Addiction—Emerging Research and Best Practices in treatment Key Discussion Points: What is the most recent research, leading to an understanding of addiction as a chronic health issue “addiction falls along the spectrum of behavioral disorders with clear genetic neurobiological and environmental influences” Where does addiction show up in humans… to what are we addicted? What factors influence human tendency toward addiction… how much is genetic, how much is environmental? How do humans become addicted… what happens when they try to eliminate the things that they are addicted to? How has this research changed how addiction is treated? What factors are behind the current trends in opioid addiction? What are the public policy choices that relate to opioids? What do policy makers most need to consider when devising solutions to problems like the opioid problem? What are helpful community responses to opioid and other addictions? Guests: Dr. Dan Johnson, Executive Director, Acadia Family Center Dr. Vivek Kumar, Assistant Professor, The Jackson Laboratory and board member, Acadia Family Center

The post Talk of the Towns 11/11/16 first appeared on WERU 89.9 FM Blue Hill, Maine Local News and Public Affairs Archives.

Host: Ron Beard, University of Maine Cooperative Extension Studio Engineer: Amy Browne Issue: Community concerns and opportunities Program Topic: Land Trusts Working With Communities Key Discussion Points: Land Trusts have always built public use into its mission, including hunting and trapping… how did you arrive at this policy and how have area residents received it? Great Pond Mountain Conservation Trust engaged a number of area citizens in some interviews as part of updating your plans… what did you learn in those conversations? What directions are you exploring to increase your involvement with the communities in which you have land and shared interests? What is the mission and history of Maine Coast Heritage Trust How did your most recent strategic plan come to have a focus on rivers? What is your work work Down East and collaboration with Downeast Fisheries Partnership How do land trusts typically engage with communities (beyond the early mission of protecting land and other natural resources)… how do you work with schools, for instance? What are your hopes for your own community and how land trusts will continue to evolve to serve both the natural resources they protect and the community members who live and work here? Guests: Cheri Domina, Executive Director, Great Pond Mountain Conservation Trust Jennifer Reifler, volunteer, Great Pond Mountain Conservation Trust Chrissy Allen, Blue Hill Heritage Trust Jacob van de Sande, Maine Coast Heritage Trust by phone

The post Talk of the Towns 10/14/16 first appeared on WERU 89.9 FM Blue Hill, Maine Local News and Public Affairs Archives.

Host: Ron Beard, University of Maine Cooperative Extension Studio Engineer: Amy Browne Issue: Community concerns and opportunities Program Topic: Understanding Dementia and Supporting those affected Key Discussion Points: What are the range of conditions called dementia, and how do they show up? Where does Alzheimer’s Disease fit into this range? How should we (family members, friends) remember when relating to or helping someone with dementia? What are typical problems in communication and “work-arounds?” What are the array of services and supports to individuals and families coping with dementia… what is available for helping someone remain in their own homes? What are the array of services and programs in nursing, assisted living and adult day services? Who are care-givers… what is the range of who provides such support to someone with dementia? What support do care-givers most need? Where are the trends in understanding dementia (research) and treatment? Where can listeners learn more, on their own, and about services for individuals with dementia? Guests: Becky Siebert, Island Nursing Home Judy Mathewson, Island Nursing Home’ Anne Ossana, Director of Adult Day Service Programs, Friendship Cottage The Rev. Mary Carol Griffin, Chaplain of Hancock County Homecare & Hospice

The post Talk of the Towns 9/9/16 first appeared on WERU 89.9 FM Blue Hill, Maine Local News and Public Affairs Archives.

Host: Ron Beard, University of Maine Cooperative Extension Studio Engineer: Amy Browne Program Topic: Statesman: George Mitchell and the Art of the Possible, new biography Key Discussion Points: What qualities led George Mitchell to be successful over the course of his career in the Senate and as a negotiator? What intrigued you most about how Mitchell practiced “the art of the possible” in his Senate leadership and in his handling of the conflicts in Northern Ireland and in Palestine? (any brief stories to illustrate his skill as “statesman”) What were some of the challenges in writing this book? What came together particularly well for you as researcher and writer? Earlier, we spoke of some of the elements in Maine and the larger society that fostered Senator Mitchell’s leadership… what has happened in Maine and the nation since, to produce such a backlash to the sort of leadership he offered? Guest: Douglas Rooks, reporter, author of the book

The post Talk of the Towns 8/12/16 first appeared on WERU 89.9 FM Blue Hill, Maine Local News and Public Affairs Archives.

Host: Ron Beard, University of Maine Cooperative Extension Studio Engineer: John Greenman Program Topic: Maine Farmland Trust and Maine’s Food System Key Discussion Points: Brief overview of MFT mission and history, starting with its land trust model How has MFT evolved to a more comprehensive approach you now embrace (land conservation, land access, farm viability, food access, outreach, arts) What is the vision for a regional food hub and tell about development of the Unity Food Hub, and how it helps farmers, food processors and consumers What is the Farm-Link program and how does it match available farm land & willing farmers How does MFT support farmers in develop the skills they need for success on the land and in the marketplace? What is the Veggies for All program? What are the opportunities and challenges for farms like Songbird Farm in Unity Guests: Sara Trunzo, Veggies For All Director, Maine Farmland Trust Colleen Hanlon-Smith, operations manager, Unity Food Hub Adam Nordell, Songbird Farm, Unity

The post Talk of the Towns 6/10/16 first appeared on WERU 89.9 FM Blue Hill, Maine Local News and Public Affairs Archives.