WERU 89.9 FM Blue Hill, Maine Audio Archives

Producer/Host: R.W. Estela Hi, I’m RW Estela: Since 1991, I’ve been presenting A Word in Edgewise, WERU’s longest-running short feature, a veritable almanac of worldly and heavenly happenings, a confluence of 21st-century life in its myriad manifestations, international and domestic, cosmopolitan and rural, often revealing, as the French say, the more things change, the more they stay the same — though not always! Sometimes in addressing issues affecting our day-to-day lives, in this age of vagary and ambiguity, when chronological time is punctuated elliptically, things can quickly turn edgy and controversial, as we search for understanding amid our dialectic. Tune in Monday mornings at 7:30 a.m. for an exciting journey through space and time with a few notable birthdays thrown in for good measure during A Word in Edgewise . . . About the host: RW Estela was raised as a first-generation American in Colorado by a German mother and a Corsican-Basque father who would become a three-war veteran for the US Army, so RW was naturally a military brat and later engaged in various Vietnam-era civil-service adventures before paying his way through college by skiing for the University of Colorado, playing Boulder coffeehouses, and teaching. He has climbed all of Colorado’s Fourteeners; found work as an FAA-certificated commercial pilot, a California-licensed building contractor, a publishing editor, a practitioner of Aikido, and a college professor of English; among his many interdisciplinary pursuits are the design and building of Terrell Residence Library (recently renamed the Terrell House Permaculture Living & Learning Center at the University of Maine), writing Building It In Two Languages (a bilingual dictionary of construction terminology), aerial photo documentation of two dam removals (Great Works and Veazie) on the Penobscot River, and once a week since 1991 drafting an installment of A Word In Edgewise, his essay series addressing issues affecting our day-to-day lives — and WERU’s oldest continuous short feature. When pandemics do not interfere, he does the Triple Crown of Maine open-water ocean swims (Peaks to Portland, Islesboro Crossing, and Nubble Light Challenge) and the Whitewater Downriver Point Series of the Maine Canoe and Kayak Racing Organization. RW is the father of two and the grandfather of three and lives with his partner Kathleen of 37 years and their two Maine Coons in Orono.

The post A Word in Edgewise 1/29/24: Of Parade Leaders, Millenarians, & Magnum P.I. . . . first appeared on WERU 89.9 FM Blue Hill, Maine Local News and Public Affairs Archives.

Andree Bella | Writer/Reader

The post Esoterica 1/28/24: The Snow Fork first appeared on WERU 89.9 FM Blue Hill, Maine Local News and Public Affairs Archives.

Producers: Hazel Stark & Joe Horn Host: Hazel Stark On cold, clear nights, almost imperceptible ice crystals will form high up in the atmosphere creating arcs and halos of light around the glowing moon. Photos, a full transcript, references, contact information, and more available at thenatureofphenology.wordpress.com. About the host/writers: Joe Horn lives in Gouldsboro, is Co-Founder of Maine Outdoor School, L3C, and is a Registered Maine Guide and Carpenter. He is passionate about fishing, cooking, and making things with his hands. He has both an MBA in Sustainability and an MS focused in Environmental Education. Joe can be reached by emailing [email protected] Hazel Stark lives in Gouldsboro, is Co-Founder and Naturalist Educator at Maine Outdoor School, L3C, and is a Registered Maine Guide. She loves taking a closer look at nature through the lens of her camera, napping in beds of moss, and taking hikes to high points to see what being tall is all about. She has an MS in Resource Management and Conservation and is a lifelong Maine outdoorswoman. Hazel can be reached by emailing [email protected]

The post The Nature of Phenology 1/27/24: Moon Halos first appeared on WERU 89.9 FM Blue Hill, Maine Local News and Public Affairs Archives.

Producer/Host: Anu Dudley About the host: Rev. Dr. Anu Dudley is an ordained Pagan minister and a retired history professor. She continues to teach classes, including the three-year ordination curriculum at the Temple of the Feminine Divine, and others such as History of the Goddess, Paganism 101, Ethical Magic, and Introduction to the Runes. Currently she is writing a book about how to cast the runes using their original Goddess meanings. She lives in the woods off-grid in a small homesteading community in Central Maine.

The post Earthwise 1/27/24: Biography of the Pine Tree first appeared on WERU 89.9 FM Blue Hill, Maine Local News and Public Affairs Archives.

Good Morning, People! This is your cosmic curator, Tom Yaroschuk, with a look at the stars for the week of January 27th and the days ahead… About the Host: Tom Yaroschuk is a Vedic Astrologer. His intention is to help people understand their karma and the issues they may confront to cultivate more fulfilling lives. Tom is writing a memoir of the spiritual lessons derived from his work in a Homeless Day Center in between a career as an award winning television and documentary producer.

The post The Cosmic Curator 1/27/24: War of Words first appeared on WERU 89.9 FM Blue Hill, Maine Local News and Public Affairs Archives.

Producer/Host: Natalie Springuel Coastal Conversations: Conversations with people who live, work, and play on the Maine coast, hosted by the University of Maine Sea Grant Program. This month: The January 10 and 13, 2024 storms, along with compounding record high tides, storm surge, and strong southeasterly winds, caused much damage throughout the Maine coast, including the loss of many piers and wharves, erosion of roadways, and destruction of private and municipal coastal access infrastructure. On today’s show, we share portions of a January 16th information session about storm impact and response with leaders from the Departments of Marine Resources, Economic & Community Development, and Maine Emergency Management Agency. The online information session, hosted by the Island Institute just three days after the storm events, reflected the early nature of storm response. One thing emphasized during the show is that the state needs everyone who experienced storm damage to report their losses. Whether you are a waterfront business owner or homeowner, your information will help ensure that the level of aid from FEMA and others is in line with the actual needs on the ground.  You can still report damages by dialing 2-1-1 or visiting the Department of Marine Resources website to fill out the forms online. If you want to hear the complete information session (the show will only re-broadcast a portion of it), and access other storm related resources, please check out the Island Institute and find a link to “January 2024 Storms” on their home page. We are grateful to the Island Institute for sharing this important information with our listeners. Guest/s: Commissioner Pat Keliher, Maine Department of Marine Resources. Commissioner Heather Johnson, Maine Department of Economic and Community Development. Kim Hamilton, Director of the Island Institute. Anne Fuchs, Director, Mitigation, Planning and Recovery, Maine Emergency Management Agency. About the hosts: Natalie Springuel has hosted Coastal Conversation’s since 2015, with support from the University of Maine Sea Grant where she has served as a marine extension associate for 20 years. In 2019, Springuel received an award for Public Affairs programming from the Maine Association of Broadcasters for the Coastal Conversations show called “Portland’s Working Waterfront.” Springuel is passionate about translating science, sharing stories, and offering a platform for multiple voices to weigh in on complex coastal and ocean issues. She has recently enrolled in audio production training at Maine Media Workshop to dive deeper into making great community radio.

The post Coastal Conversations 1/26/24: Coastal Storm Impact first appeared on WERU 89.9 FM Blue Hill, Maine Local News and Public Affairs Archives.

Producer/Host: Pepin Mittelhauser Theme music by Zeke Sacaridiz. All other music is royalty free. This project was made possible by the generous support of the Maine Community Foundation. NextWave Radio Hour is a program focused on and featuring folks around their 20s and 30s from all across Maine. In this program, hosts Pepin Mittelhauser and Olivia Paruk talk with young people who trailblaze their own paths in our modern political, economic, and social climate, and provides unique perspectives and stories of life from the next generation working to create the future they hope to see. Guest/s: Nathan Allard. Website: nathanallardartist.com/. Instagram: @nathanallardart. Facebook: www.facebook.com/NathanAllardArt. About the hosts: Pepin Mittelhauser (he/they) is the Digital Media Coordinator at WERU Community Radio, and an avid gardener and farmer, musician and singer, and lover of nature and the outdoors. He graduated from College of the Atlantic in ’19 with focuses in sustainable agriculture, food systems, and live and recorded audio engineering and production. He has lived in Downeast Maine his entire life. Olivia Paruk (she/her) is a local college student and gardener who is passionate about people and this journey called life we are all on together. She is not a “true” Mainer but moved to Southern Maine with her family when she was ten, but she has been living on Mount Desert Island for three years while attending College of the Atlantic. In addition to radio, Olivia loves analyzing movies with her sister, dancing in her kitchen, attempting to sew, and getting lost in her imagination.

The post NextWave Radio Hour 1/25/24: Nathan Allard first appeared on WERU 89.9 FM Blue Hill, Maine Local News and Public Affairs Archives.

Host: Brianna Cunliffe   Description: Climate & Community covers the work of WindowDressers, a volunteer-driven nonprofit dedicated to helping reduce heating costs and fossil fuel consumption for Maine homes through hosting community builds to produce low-cost insulating window inserts that function as custom, interior-mounted storm windows. We hear from local coordinator Mark Sullivan.  Learn more at windowdressers.org/.   Johannah, Brianna, Tanvi, Gus, Corey, and Beth are the team at A Climate to Thrive, a nonprofit working to build a model of community-driven, solutions-focused climate action. Since its origins around a potluck table as concerned neighbors gathered to take action on climate change, A Climate to Thrive, or ACTT, has been supporting solutions on Mount Desert Island and beyond since 2016. Learn more at www.aclimatetothrive.org.

The post Climate & Community 1/25/24: WindowDressers first appeared on WERU 89.9 FM Blue Hill, Maine Local News and Public Affairs Archives.

Producer/Host: Meredith DeFrancesco Co-producer: Dawn Neptune Adams A project of WERU and Sunlight Media Collective. Learn more at sunlightmediacollective.org. Casella Waste Systems, the private operator of the state owned Juniper Ridge Landfill in Old Town, is seeking an extension of their state contract, despite threats to the local environment and communities, including the Penobscot Nation. The State of Maine Department of Administrative and Financial Services Bureau of General Services will hold a public hearing regarding changes to its Operating Services Agreement (OSA) between the state and private company Casella Waste Systems, which operates the state owned Juniper Ridge Landfill in Old Town. A public hearing slated for January was postponed. The new date is Thursday, February 15th, from 6-8pm, in Brewer, at Jeff’s Catering. Written comments can be submitted to the Bureau of General Services by Monday, February 26th, at 5pm. In its public notice, the Bureau states that it expects to extend the Operating Services Agreement (OSA) an additional six years from February 5th, 2034, to February 5th, 2040, because of Casella’s proposed expansion of Juniper Ridge Landfill. Over the past two decades, area residents, including the Penobscot Nation, have continued to shine a light on harmful environmental impacts from the landfill and questioned the for-profit model that has increased the importation of out-of-state waste, straining landfill capacity, while minimizing recycling efforts. Leachate from the landfill is currently processed at the paper mill in Old Town, then dumped into the Penobscot River directly below the Penobscot Nation, who have expressed concern for fish and human health impacts from effluent chemicals, including PFAS. This past May, the landfill itself caught on fire and burned for a number of hours, sending plumes of smoke into the air. Local residents and others oppose the proposed expansion of the Juniper Ridge Landfill, the reason given for the state’s consideration of extending ‘s Juniper Ridge contract. They call for an evaluation of Casella’s performance before there is an extension of their contract, that an extension not be granted until an expansion license could be granted, and that an expansion application should consider disposal capacity for in-state waste and include the observation of Environmental Justice, which is now required in statute in the public benefit determination. A landmark measure was passed by the legislature in 2022 restricting the importation of out of state waste, but was postponed for two years this past May, after Casella Waste Systems claimed the restrictions on out of state waste affected their ability to stabilize the landfills liquid sludge. Written Public Comments can be submitted by Monday, February 26th at 5pm. Submission by email, send to: [email protected] Submission by mail, send to: Lane Gould, Landfill Manager Bureau of General Services 111 Sewall St.  Cross Office Building 4th floor 77 State House Station Augusta, ME 04333-0077 Guests: Maria Girouard, is from Penobscot Nation. She’s a Penobscot Nation Tribal Council member (though is not formerly representing the Nation today) She’s a grassroots environmental organizer with Dawn Land Environmental Defense and founder of Sunlight Media Collective. She’s writer and director of the documentary, “The Penobscot : Ancestral River Contested Territory.” Ed Spencer is with the local grassroots watchdog network Don’t Waste Me, which has been involved for the past two decades in opposing Juniper Ridge landfill’s pollution, importation of out-of-state waste and business practices through grassroots organizing legislation and engaging as legal intervenor in a number of proceedings. Ed lives in close proximity to the Juniper Ridge Landfill. Nickie Sekera, founder and organizer of Community Water Justice and a contributing member of Sunlight Media Collective. She also has recently been appointed to the Commission To Study the Role of Water as a Resource in the State of Maine. She grew up in Eddington.

The post RadioActive 1/23/24: Juniper Ridge Landfill Contract Extension Sought first appeared on WERU 89.9 FM Blue Hill, Maine Local News and Public Affairs Archives.

Producer/Host: Donna Loring Other credits: Technical assistance for the show was provided by Joel Mann of WERU, and Jessica Lockhart of WMPG. Music by Ralph Richter, a track called little eagles from his CD Dream Walk. Wabanaki Windows is a monthly show featuring topics of interest from a Wabanaki perspective. This month: In this episode, we look at the Land Claims through a very different Wabanaki Window. The hidden elements of a global historic and economic perspective. Guest/s: Professor Harald Prins is a Native of the Netherlands. He is a Distinguished Professor of Anthropology and Emertus at Kansas State University. Professor Darren Ranco, Penobscot Nation Tribal Member, Professor of Anthropology and Chair of Native American Studies at the University of Maine. Our Special Guest will give a view from the Federal Indian Law and Human Rights Perspectives on the Transcripts and Strategic Long Term State Plan to eliminate the Tribes. Special Guest Law Professor/ Attorney Rebecca Tsosie is a Regents Professor at the James E. Rogers College of Law at the University of Arizona. Professor Tsosie, who is of Yaqui descent, is a faculty member for the Indigenous Peoples’ Law and Policy Program at the University of Arizona, and she is widely known for her work in the fields of Federal Indian law and indigenous peoples’ human rights. She has published widely on sovereignty, self-determination, cultural pluralism, environmental policy and cultural rights. She teaches in the areas of Federal Indian Law, Property, Constitutional Law, Critical Race Theory, and Cultural Resources Law. She is a member of the Arizona Bar Association and the California Bar Association. Professor Tsosie serves as a Supreme Court Justice for the Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation and as an Associate Judge on the San Carlos Tribal Court of Appeals. About the host: Donna M Loring is a Penobscot Indian Nation Tribal Elder, and former Council Member. She represented the Penobscot Nation in the State Legislature for over a decade. She is a former Senior Advisor on Tribal Affairs to Governor Mills. She is the author of “In The Shadow of The Eagle A Tribal Representative In Maine”. Donna has an Annual lecture series in her name at the University of New England that addresses Social Justice and Human Rights issues. In 2017 She received an Honorary Doctoral Degree in Humane Letters from the University of Maine Orono and was given the Alumni Service Award. It is the most prestigious recognition given by the University of Maine Alumni Association. It is presented Annually to a University of Maine graduate whose life’s work is marked by outstanding achievements in professional, business, civic and/or Public service areas. Donna received a second Honorary Doctorate from Thomas College in May of 2022

The post Wabanaki Windows 1/23/24: Hidden Elements within the Land Claims and our Colonial System first appeared on WERU 89.9 FM Blue Hill, Maine Local News and Public Affairs Archives.