WERU 89.9 FM Blue Hill, Maine Local News and Public Affairs Archives

Host/Producer: Amy Browne Scale Up, Carbon Down event tomorrow in Belfast, with Alan Gibson and Sanna McKim of GoLogic Theme music: BreakBeat Chemists I, 2015 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives 4.0 International License The post Around Town 6/25/26: Local News, Culture and Events first appeared on WERU 89.9 FM Blue Hill, Maine Local News and Public Affairs Archives.

Host/Producer: Amy Browne Seahorses at the Shaw Institute in Blue Hill, with Dr. Charles Rolsky, Shaw’s Executive Director & Senior Research Scientist Theme music: BreakBeat Chemists I, 2015 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives 4.0 International License The post Around Town 6/23/26: Local News, Culture and Events first appeared on WERU 89.9 FM Blue Hill, Maine Local News and Public Affairs Archives.

Host: Ann Luther, League of Women Voters of Maine Production Assistance: Linda Washburn, Joel Mann Democracy Forum: Participatory Democracy, encouraging citizens to take an active role in government and politics. This month: We’ll talk about the value of a nonpartisan, professional civil service in sustaining a functioning democracy. We’ll cover the struggle to depoliticize the civil service going back to the end of the nineteenth century and bringing it up to date. We’re now seeing the ranks of civil servants slashed, with some positions converted into political appointments. Where is this heading? What are the risks? If the “deep state” consists of well educated professionals, are they the natural enemy of autocrats? How is it playing out in this moment? And how is it playing out in Maine? Guest/s: Ryan LaRochelle, Senior Lecturer at the Cohen Institute for Leadership and Public Service at the University of Maine. Rob Shriver, Managing Director of the Civil Service Strong and Good Government Initiatives at Democracy Forward. To learn more about this topic: Visit LWVME.org About the host: Ann Luther currently serves as Treasurer of the League of Women Voters of Maine and leads the LWVME Advocacy Team. She served as President of LWVME from 2003 to 2007 and as co-president from 2007-2009. The post Democracy Forum 6/19/26: Pillars of Democracy: Nonpartisan Civil Service first appeared on WERU 89.9 FM Blue Hill, Maine Local News and Public Affairs Archives.

Host/s: Liv and Swathi Editor: Sarah Johnson Music: Samuel James Justice Radio is a WMPG production. Justice Radio: Tackling the hard questions about our criminal legal system in Maine. This week: Vic talks about meeting the needs of youth, particularly in Lewiston, and Nicole urges understanding young people and involvement at a recent community gathering. Guest: Vic, a Lewiston youth, and Nicole Lemay, from Youth Lead Justice The post Justice Radio 6/18/26: Youth Needs in Lewiston, Maine first appeared on WERU 89.9 FM Blue Hill, Maine Local News and Public Affairs Archives.

Host/Producer: Amy Browne Summer Solstice by the Sea on Sears Island this weekend — Ashley Megquier from Friends of Sears Island is here to extent an invitation Friends of Sears Island facebook page Theme music: BreakBeat Chemists I, 2015 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives 4.0 International License The post Around Town 6/17/26: Local News, Culture and Events first appeared on WERU 89.9 FM Blue Hill, Maine Local News and Public Affairs Archives.

Host/Producer: Amy Browne Nearly 100 billionaires and their spouses have donated to Susan Collins’ reelection campaign, according to a new report by Josh Keefe in the Maine Monitor. Two scientists have been awarded fellowships to conduct research in Acadia National Park, both focused on coastal erosion. An initiative of Schoodic Institute supported by the David Evans Shaw Family Foundation, Sibley-Saltonstall Charitable Foundation and individual donors, Acadia Science Fellowships fund science to inform management and protection of Acadia National Park resources. The 36th annual Happening at Harry Brown’s farm in Starks is coming up this weekend Theme music: BreakBeat Chemists I, 2015 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives 4.0 International License The post Around Town 6/16/26: Local News, Culture and Events first appeared on WERU 89.9 FM Blue Hill, Maine Local News and Public Affairs Archives.

Host/Producer: Glen Mittelhauser Reflecting on her path into wildlife biology, Linda Welch describes how a love of animals eventually led her to a career working on Maine’s coastal islands. The conversation then turns to the growing challenges facing seabird colonies, including the spread of invasive plants and increasing predation from mink and otter, which have contributed to the decline or abandonment of some nesting islands along the Downeast coast. More information about Maine Natural History Observatory can be found on our website at mainenaturalhistory.org/. About the hosts: Glen Mittelhauser founded Maine Natural History Observatory (MNHO) in 2003 to fill the need for an organization that specializes in collecting, interpreting, and maintaining datasets for understanding changes in Maine’s plant and wildlife populations.  Glen received his Bachelor’s in Human Ecology from College of the Atlantic in 1989 with a focus in the biological sciences and received his Master of Science degree in Zoology (with a focus on ornithology and statistics) from the University of Maine in 2000. Glen was the Managing Editor for Northeastern Naturalist and Southeastern Naturalist for 18 years and has served as external graduate faculty for 3 graduate student committees at the University of Maine.  Glen currently serves on the Baxter State Park Research Committee. Logan Parker is an Ecologist residing in Waldo County, Maine. Logan started the Maine Nightjar Monitoring Project in 2017 and brought the project (and his passion for bird conservation) to MNHO when he joined the team in 2018. Logan is heavily involved in the ongoing Maine Bird Atlas where he both coordinates and participates in the project’s special species surveys. When “off the clock”, Logan enjoys birding, writing, gardening, and working alongside his wife, Hallee, on their off-grid home in the Maine woods. Logan is also a wildlife photographer and shares photos and field notes through his project, Here In The Wild. The post Nature Notes: A Maine Naturalist Afield 6/14/26: Seabird Management in a warming Gulf of Maine, Part 3 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 6/13/26: Bugs first appeared on WERU 89.9 FM Blue Hill, Maine Local News and Public Affairs Archives.

Host/Producer: Amy Browne Rockland/Rockport Pride Events At Jesup Memorial Library Summer Reading Kicks off with: Mr. Drew and His Animals, Too! – Maine Secretary of State’s Office announces three races are proceeding to Ranked Choice Voting tabulations, 6/10/2026 Maine Secretary of State’s youtube Theme music: BreakBeat Chemists I, 2015 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives 4.0 International License The post Around Town 6/12/26: Local News, Culture and Events first appeared on WERU 89.9 FM Blue Hill, Maine Local News and Public Affairs Archives.

Host: Holli Cederholm Common Ground Radio is an hour-long discussion of local food and organic agriculture with people here in the state of Maine and beyond. This month: Three new cohosts will be joining MOFGA’s Common Ground Radio, MOFGA’s monthly conversation about local food and organic agriculture on WERU Community Radio. In this this special get-to-know-you conversation, current host Holli Cederholm chats with MOFGA Executive Director Sarah Alexander, and MOFGA board members Ivonne Vazquez and Seth Kroeck. With backgrounds in organic agriculture, gardening with native plants, community organizing, and more, this new crew brings fresh voices and perspectives to the show. Guest/s: Sarah Alexander Ivonne Vazquez Seth Kroeck FMI- Organic gardening resources — www.mofga.org/trainings/gardening/ Beginning gardener resources — www.mofga.org/trainings/gardening/beginning-gardener-resources/ Vegetable planting calendar — www.mofga.org/resources/gardening/seed-planting-calendar/ Common Ground Country Fair — www.mofga.org/about-the-fair/ 50 Years of Common Ground — www.mofga.org/about-the-fair/mofga-50th-annual-fair/ About the hosts: Sarah Alexander is the executive director of the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association (MOFGA), where she advocates for organic agriculture, a healthy environment, local food production, and thriving communities. Sarah has worked on issues related to food sovereignty, clean energy, public water systems, genetic engineering, and local food security. Her background is in community organizing, strategic campaigning, and legislative campaigns, having previously worked with Food & Water Watch, Green Corps, the White Earth Land Recovery Project, Shepherd’s Corner Farm, and the American Community Gardening Association. Holli Cederholm has been involved in organic agriculture since 2005 when she first apprenticed on a small farm. She has since worked on organic farms in Maine, Vermont, Connecticut, Scotland, and Italy, and founded her own small farm focused on celebrating open-pollinated and heirloom vegetables. Previously, she managed a national nonprofit dedicated to organic seed growers; hosted “The Farm Report” on Heritage Radio Network; and contributed to The Maine Organic Farmer & Gardener, which she now edits in her role as content creator and editor at MOFGA. Seth Kroeck is an organic grower at Crystal Spring Farm in Brunswick, Maine. Seth is an active member of the Organic Farmers Association, Real Organic Project, and the Maine Grain Alliance, and is committed to supporting and building regional food systems. He serves on the board of the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association (MOFGA). Ivonne Vazquez is passionate about native plants, pollinators, DIY, sustainability, the environment, and sharing gardening knowledge. She is a Licensed Registered Maine Guide/Recreation, Basic Gardening Instructor at Bangor (Maine) Adult Ed, and native plant nursery grower/owner at Bas Rouge Farm & Forge in Orono, Maine. Ivonne sits on the boards of the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association (MOFGA), the Maine School Garden Network, and Fedco Seeds. The post Common Ground Radio 6/11/26: Meet the New Common Ground Radio Hosts! first appeared on WERU 89.9 FM Blue Hill, Maine Local News and Public Affairs Archives.

Host/Producer: Amy Browne Chrissy Fowler with Belfast Flying Shoes – upcoming events Theme music: BreakBeat Chemists I, 2015 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives 4.0 International License The post Around Town 6/10/26: Local News, Culture and Events first appeared on WERU 89.9 FM Blue Hill, Maine Local News and Public Affairs Archives.

Host/Producer: Amy Browne Kathryn Markey, Artistic Director at Opera House Arts in Stonington is here with a preview of their upcoming season RESTORE:The North Woods – zoom link for presentation tonight by veteran wildlands advocate, John Davis Theme music: BreakBeat Chemists I, 2015 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives 4.0 International License The post Around Town 6/9/26: Local News, Culture and Events first appeared on WERU 89.9 FM Blue Hill, Maine Local News and Public Affairs Archives.

Host/Producer: Glen Mittelhauser Continuing a conversation with Linda Welch, this episode takes listeners inside the day-to-day work of monitoring seabirds along the Maine coast, from tracking diet and chick growth to documenting survival and productivity across multiple islands. Drawing on observations from sites like Petit Manan Island, Linda describes the seasonal timing of breeding and how food availability shapes the success of species. More information about Maine Natural History Observatory can be found on our website at mainenaturalhistory.org/. About the hosts: Glen Mittelhauser founded Maine Natural History Observatory (MNHO) in 2003 to fill the need for an organization that specializes in collecting, interpreting, and maintaining datasets for understanding changes in Maine’s plant and wildlife populations.  Glen received his Bachelor’s in Human Ecology from College of the Atlantic in 1989 with a focus in the biological sciences and received his Master of Science degree in Zoology (with a focus on ornithology and statistics) from the University of Maine in 2000. Glen was the Managing Editor for Northeastern Naturalist and Southeastern Naturalist for 18 years and has served as external graduate faculty for 3 graduate student committees at the University of Maine.  Glen currently serves on the Baxter State Park Research Committee. Logan Parker is an Ecologist residing in Waldo County, Maine. Logan started the Maine Nightjar Monitoring Project in 2017 and brought the project (and his passion for bird conservation) to MNHO when he joined the team in 2018. Logan is heavily involved in the ongoing Maine Bird Atlas where he both coordinates and participates in the project’s special species surveys. When “off the clock”, Logan enjoys birding, writing, gardening, and working alongside his wife, Hallee, on their off-grid home in the Maine woods. Logan is also a wildlife photographer and shares photos and field notes through his project, Here In The Wild. The post Nature Notes: A Maine Naturalist Afield 6/7/26: Seabird Management in a warming Gulf of Maine, Part 2 first appeared on WERU 89.9 FM Blue Hill, Maine Local News and Public Affairs Archives.