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  • Nuclear Power, Climate Progress, and War

    Nuclear Power, Climate Progress, and War
    2026/10/05
    Community Voices for Change - 30 mins - First Aired October 5, 2026
    WMPG-FM. Univ of So. Maine - Weekly - Mondays - 7:00 PM
    Producer & Host: Richard Rudolph, PhD.


    Today's installment is an interview of Linda Pentz Gunter who is the executive director of the U.S. based nonprofit Beyond Nuclear, which advocates for a world free from nuclear power and nuclear weapons. Ms. Gunter is also the author of a new book: No to Nuclear: Why Nuclear Power Destroy Lives, Derails Climate Progress and Provokes War which has been recently published by Pluto Press. The book is a delight to read for it not only makes the case against nuclear power and the damage it has already caused, it points out the resources, costs and time associated with nuclear power makes it an ineffective tool for addressing climate change. The author also points out that nuclear power and nuclear weapons sectors have disproportionately harmed indigenous people and communities of color as well as women and children, the most susceptible to harm from radiation exposure and what's wrong with the effort to possibly build small advanced modular nuclear reactors which supporters say could make nuclear faster and less expensive. She also points out that we must recognize that the choice to continue with nuclear power rather than use cheaper, faster and safer renewable energy derails climate progress and perpetuates access to nuclear weapons that could destroy us all. In closing, the author writes - "It is time to say a resounding no to nuclear."
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    30 分
  • Mainers Pay the Price for Expensive Health Care

    Mainers Pay the Price for Expensive Health Care
    2026/09/28
    Community Voices for Change - 30 mins - First Aired September 28, 2026
    WMPG-FM. Univ of So. Maine - Weekly - Mondays - 7:00 PM
    Producer & Host: Richard Rudolph, PhD.

    This program is an interview of Andy O'Brien who is the Communication Director of the Maine AFL-CIO. He has recently written a substack and a shorter piece which appeared recently in the Maine Beacon - "Hospital lobbyist thanks Collins while Mainers pay the price for expensive health care" which pointed out that Senator Collins has repeatedly supported deep cuts to Medicaid and Medicare, voting to repeal or undermine the Affordable Care Act and blocking efforts to lower drug prices including a $35 insulin cap. Andy pointed out that Senator Collins wants us to believe that she is uniquely responsible for bringing home every federal dollar to Maine, but every Senator brings home federal money because that's their job and that Maine's entire Congressional delegation plays a role in securing federal money for various projects. Andy also talked about how she used her power to cut more funding to Maine than she is bringing in. She had the power to stop Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill (OBB) but didn't. She voted for the bill when it mattered and took a symbolic vote against it when her vote wasn't needed. Senator Collins and her allies frequently tout her support for the Rural Health Transformation program which is projected to provide $950 million for Maine, but it is far short of the $2.7 billion needed to offset the impact of the OBB cuts. This same bill cuts $1.1 billion over 10 years from food assistance programs which help struggling families, people with disabilities, veterans and other Mainers who have fallen on hard times. The OBB also has put $5.3 billion in planned Maine clean energy investments at risk.
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    30 分
  • Amtrak's New Portland Station

    Amtrak's New Portland Station
    2026/09/21
    Community Voices for Change - 30 mins - First Aired September 21, 2026
    WMPG-FM. Univ of So. Maine - Weekly - Mondays - 7:00 PM
    Producer & Host: Richard Rudolph, PhD.

    The program is an interview with Peter Cole, the President of the Maine Rail Group and Bruce Sleeper, the President of TrainRiders Northeast. The interview first focused on good news regarding the Amtrak Downeaster Service from North Station, Boston to Brunswick, Maine. The Northern New England Passenger Rail Authority has recently been awarded a $48 million grant to construct a new passenger rail station on St. John Street, between Northern Light Mercy Hospital and the Fore River Parkway. Relocation of the Downeaster Station from Thompson's Point to CSX's mainline will eliminate the 15 minute backup maneuver needed to get to and from the existing station on Thompson's Point. The new station site is further down on St. John St from the original historic station that was torn down in 1961 and is within walking distance to the Maine Medical Center and Northern Light Mercy Hospital. There will also be access to convenient public transportation to downtown Portland. Other good news mentioned included the 8.3 miles of double tracking on a portion of the rail line between Andover and Reading in Massachusetts, and $1.06 billion grant award to replace the 1930 "Draw One" Charles River Bridge to North Station in Boston. Our guests also talked about the ongoing effort to expand passenger rail service to Bangor and are hopeful that with the election of a new Maine governor some progress can be made regarding this matter.
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    30 分
  • Social Housing Programs

    Social Housing Programs
    2026/09/14
    Community Voices for Change - 30 mins - First Aired September 14, 2026
    WMPG-FM. Univ of So. Maine - Weekly - Mondays - 7:00 PM
    Producer & Host: Richard Rudolph, PhD.

    This program is an interview with two members of the Social Housing Task Force which recently released its Final Report and Recommendations to the Portland City Council regarding the creation of an ongoing Social Housing Program, a dedicated Social Housing revolving fund and begin implementation through two initial pilot programs. Kate Sykes who is a Portland City Councilor who chairs the task force talked about two different housing problems. The existing housing system is not producing enough houses to meet regional needs nor is it producing homes that many working and middle-income households can afford. Both Kate as well as Catherine Buxton who is a member of the task force talked about the key principles behind social housing and how it is different from traditional Federally supported public housing. It would be permanently affordable, mixed income rental housing owned by the City of Portland. It's intended to address the persistent gap in Portland's housing production. It would provide housing for workforce and middle-income households who are not consistently served by existing subsidized housing programs, and would retain the public value created through city investment. They also talked about two pilot models that the committee is considering and the next steps that the City Council will need to take which will include accepting the Final Report, endorsing the Social Housing Program and its core principles and adopting a resolution initiating implementation.
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    30 分
  • Our Power vs Maine Public Utility Commission

    Our Power vs Maine Public Utility Commission
    2026/09/07
    The September 7, 2026 program is an interview of Seth Berry, the Executive Director of Our Power who is an intervenor in the utility rate case which is currently before the Maine Public Utility Commission. Seth Berry, who is a leading critic of Central Maine Power, talked about why his organization is opposed to its request to raise electric utility rates and the impact it would have if the Commission grants its request. He pointed out the utility last year earned 5.88% return on its equity investment which includes the amount of money that a utility can earn on approved grid assets including poles, wires, substations and transformers. The new request to raise the rate of return on equity would provide an additional $189 million in profits. The proposal, if granted, would amount to an increase of about $18 on the distribution portion of a household's monthly bill. If approved, the typical customer's bill would rise by about $216 more per year. The new rates would go into effect in May 2027. The Commission's decision will determine both the price customers will ultimately pay for grid-improvement work and the amount of profit that CMP can earn.
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    30 分
  • The Center for Working Class Politics

    The Center for Working Class Politics
    2026/08/31
    Community Voices for Change - 30 mins - First Aired August 31, 2026
    WMPG-FM. Univ of So. Maine - Weekly - Mondays - 7:00 PM
    Producer & Host: Richard Rudolph, PhD.

    The program is an interview with Jarrett Abbott who is the Director of the Center for Working Class Politics which is a research institute dedicated to surveying the political and economic attitudes of working-class voters, statistical analyses of elections, and the construction of a comprehensive database of progressive candidate demographics, strategy, and messaging. The interview focused on a recent report that Professor Joan Williams and Jarret Abbot have put together, "The Lefts' Coalition Crisis: Understanding the Massive Divide Between Working Class and College Educated Voters, and How to Bridge It." The report points out that the left needs to develop class competence. We need to connect with people whose top priorities are paychecks, prices and personal safety. It is not just about winning elections as crucial as that is when democracy is under attack. It's about understanding that people need a sense of personal and economic security before they will support the changes that progressives are calling for. While Liberals are primarily concerned about costs / working class folks are also concerned about cost, but economic security is the highest working class priority. Protecting Social Security, Medicare, lowering rents and housing costs, drug prices, Medicare and affordable childcare. All of this requires a steady income stream, a secure economic future, rising wages, creating jobs and boosting economic growth. Given these working class concerns, the key to success is to keep focus on the economy. The lesson is not that working-class voters are unreachable. It's that you can't reach them if you don't prioritize the issues that they care most about. The report also points out that class competence can increase working-class support for progressive policies on hot button culture and climate issues. The key is mutual respect accompanied by class-competent reframing around working-class values can move public opinion in a progressive direction.
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    30 分
  • The Miles Delivers Action Coalition

    The Miles Delivers Action Coalition
    2026/08/24
    Community Voices for Change - 30 mins - First Aired August 24, 2026
    WMPG-FM. Univ of So. Maine - Weekly - Mondays - 7:00 PM
    Producer & Host: Richard Rudolph, PhD.

    The program is an interview with Margaret Reynolds who is the cofounder of the Miles Delivers Action Coalition which was formed in May 2026 to convince Maine Health to keep open the Birth Center in Damariscotta, Maine. Since its founding it has reached out to the larger community and has over 10,000 supporters. Margaret talked about Maine Health's rationale for closing the birthing center and the impact it will have on women who will have to drive over an hour to get help delivering their babies. Closure would redirect births to neighboring hospitals and would increase additional demands on EMTs, emergency departments and affect interfacility transportation systems. She pointed out that leading experts in rural healthcare have warned that evaluating maternity programs through narrow financial lenses risks overlooking their broader contribution to hospital sustainability, workplace recruitment and long term health vitality of communities they serve. Her organization has reached out to the governor and members of the Maine State Legislature and remains optimistic that the center will ultimately continue to keep open.
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    30 分
  • Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association

    Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association
    2026/08/10
    Community Voices for Change - 30 mins - First Aired August 10, 2026
    WMPG-FM. Univ of So. Maine - Weekly - Mondays - 1:00 PM
    Producer & Host: Richard Rudolph, PhD.

    This podcast is an interview with Heather Spaulding who is the Deputy Director of the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association. Heather first worked for a number of years on environmental policy issues in Washington, DC. before moving back to Maine where she got a job at the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association as the director of the Common Ground Country Fair. She has stayed with the organization moving through various administrative roles. She is still working to keep toxic items out of watersheds and food systems from commercial pesticides to forever chemicals. The show focused on what's happening with Maine's PFOS Product ban that first took effect January 2026 and how the Trump Administration's EPA voted to approve several new pesticides that qualify as pfas and the recent U.S. Supreme Court 7-2 vote in favor of Monsanto's (Bayer's) Roundup pesticide. Heather also talked about MOFGA's advocacy campaign to convince Hannaford Supermarket to buy Maine native grown carrots and the upcoming Common Ground Fair taking place during the third weekend in September.
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    30 分