A New York Times story today quotes Michael Palmer, head of WVII and WFVX, the ABC and Fox stations in Bangor, as saying when "Bar Harbor is underwater, then we can do global warming stories." But not until then.

What's his policy on doing stories about evolution? Click here to ask.

10/30/2006 9:07:22 PM by Jeff Inglis | Comments [0] |  

This week, the Maine Chapter of Military Families Speak Out will hand DVD copies of the Iraq-war movie "The Ground Truth" to two incumbents running for reelection to Congress - Tom Allen and Olympia Snowe. The critically-acclaimed 2006 documentary looks at military recruitment, the realities of fighting in Iraq, and what it's like to return home after combat.

MFSO is also asking republican candidate for US House, Darlene Curley, and republican US senator Susan Collins to watch the film.

A press release from the Maine chapter of MFSO reads, in part:

Most Americans, and nearly every Congress person, will never know first hand the emotions of  our soldiers and their families. This quote from a MFSO parent is representative of the many letters we receive:

“My son is tired of putting kids in body bags so that some peoples’ pockets can be lined with blood money. He asks, “ Mom, where are the American people? Do they know what’s going on over here? Do they even care about us?”

 

Never before in our history have so few sacrificed so much and received so little. MFSO asks the candidates to consider this, and we ask them to bravely support our troops by cutting the funding that keeps them dying.

MFSO wants immediate withdrawal of troops from Iraq.

 

 

10/19/2006 12:16:18 PM by Sara Donnelly | Comments [0] |  

Karen Morgan's Wednesday-night comedy showcase at the Comedy Connection has been canceled for the time being, though Morgan says it may return sometime in the winter. The showcase, the Connection's first foray into Wednesday nights, has run for about a year, and Morgan pulled out because she is going on tour with her Mama's Night Out comedy trio for most of the weekends this fall. (Some of the stops will be in Maine, so watch the Portland Phoenix listings for details.)

Her first book, You Might Be A Mama, also hit stores earlier this year. (Disclosure: I blurbed it.)

And the Mama's Night Out crew are putting out their first DVD in early November, which is what the tour will support. (As well as several benefit shows for various charities around Maine and New England.)

With all that going on, Morgan says, she decided to pull out of the Wednesday shows to be able to spend the evening with her husband and their three children, seeing as she's going to be gone all weekend most of the time.

The Comedy Connection has not yet returned a call seeking information on what will be scheduled on Wednesday nights this fall.

10/3/2006 10:30:54 AM by Jeff Inglis | Comments [0] |  

Jean Hay Bright's campaign for US senate may receive a much-needed shot in the arm when progressive congressman and former prez candidate Dennis Kucinich comes to Maine to stump for her. Hay Bright, who was a local co-coordinator on Kucinich's presidential campaign in 2003 and 2004, is miles behind incumbent republican Olympia Snowe, according to a recent poll by Strategic Marketing Services. According to a report published on Tuesday by the Portland Press Herald, SMS says roughly 9 percent of Maine voters intend to support Hay Bright, compared with roughly 73 percent of voters who support Snowe. Ouch.

Kucinich, who is running for reelection in Ohio, will speak on Monday, October 9 at South Portland High School. The event is free, with requested donations to Hay Bright's campaign of $5 for students, $10 for adults. Hay Bright will likely appreciate all the spare change she can get, since she's up against an unbeaten opponent who has over $2 million on hand without any debt, according to June 30 figures from the Federal Election Commission, the most recent available. Hay Bright, according to the FEC, was operating with only $119 on hand and a debt of more than $12,000. Double ouch.

Hay Bright and Kucinich have both made their opposition to the Iraq war a central element of their platforms. Kucinich endorsed Hay Bright last spring.

 

Jean Hay Bright listens while Kucinich speaks to a group in Maine in an undated photo.

10/2/2006 10:39:34 AM by Sara Donnelly | Comments [0] |