Four talented musicians converge in the Clifford Arts & Student Center (42 Depot St, Unity, formerly known as the Unity Center for Performing Arts) on Friday, March 29, 6:30-8:30 PM, to perform in the Nashville tradition of a “songwriters’ round,” in which the group of writers perform in a round-robin style sharing original songs and some of the stories behind them. A variety of voices will be represented in this offering: Kate McCann (late addition to the line-up), Seth Gallant, Roger Ramsey, and Sara Trunzo. (Sara Trunzo will also serve as emcee.) Tickets are $20 and may be purchased here. This concert event is presented in partnership by WERU and the Ecology Learning Center. (Read more for artist bios.)
Station News
Blue Hill Co-op Shoppers Can Support WERU!
WERU is the grateful recipient of the Blue Hill Co-op’s Change For Good for the month of March. This program invites shoppers to round up to benefit WERU, so if you are shopping at the Co-op, please say “yes” to rounding up! Thanks!
Volunteer Profile: Kristie Billings
On the March edition of Conversations from the Pointed Firs, host Peter Neill sits down with Kristie Billings. A wearer of many hats, Kristie is a long-time volunteer DJ of Daydream Nation on WERU (Saturday’s 6-8pm). From small-town grocery clerk to working in a fish market, owning her own shoe store, being an Arts Educator at a local theater, a lobster fisher, and an antiques seller, Kristie has done it all.
Most of all, Kristie is a collector. Of stories, of emotions, of dolls, of feelings, wigs, mannequin parts, record albums, memories, beauty, laughter, vintage clothing, scallop shells, barnacles, and hermit crabs. She is an observer, as well. She has been writing poetry since childhood, and taking pictures forever with her old Nikon and other cameras she’s amassed over the years.
Her latest book, “Sea Witch: Photographs, Poems and Forget Me Nots from a Mainer Growing Up” (Seaport Books, Nov 2023) is filled with images and words of the sea, nature, folk art, dolls, loss, grief, love, acceptance, rage, music, and life.
Thank You Rick Foster!
After a radio career that began in 1962 and lasted over six decades, including two runs at WERU, Rick Foster has decided to unplug and hang up the microphone and headphones and retire from DJing. We are so fortunate that six years ago Rick came back to WERU, after retiring from WDEA 1370 in Ellsworth, Rick’s radio home for many years, to bring us the oldies from the 50’s and 60’s on At the Hop. During his previous time at the beginning of WERU, Rick played big band records on the popular show Jukebox Saturday Night, from May 1988 to December 1993.
Rick’s love of music, his offbeat humor, and his mastery of the art of radio are unsurpassed, and we will really miss being entertained by him over the airwaves. Thanks for everything, Rick! (Rick’s last show was Saturday, March 2, 3-5pm, which you can listen to here. If you’d like to thank him email [email protected].)
Joel Raymond RIP
Joel Raymond, who died of pancreatic cancer this week, was a phenomenal musicologist and dedicated WERU volunteer DJ, hosting Friday’s edition of On the Wing for the past thirty years. He was passionate about the music and all the people involved, and was a great friend to many at the radio station, most recently welcoming new volunteers just getting started at WERU. Joel will be terribly missed by all, not the least of which are his many listeners and fans. Stay tuned for tributes to Joel in the coming weeks, which will be many because he was a great member of our family, a consummate programmer and host of “a little thing, we like to call… On the Wing.”
Maine Takes One Small Step
Back in June 2023, we put out a call. We were looking for people who were willing to come together for an hour-long facilitated conversation with a stranger with different viewpoints, during which they would be invited to get to know each other as people, through listening to each other’s stories. As you can imagine, the response was mixed. But by the end of 2023, over a hundred people had signed up to participate…
Click here to listen to the Live Special Broadcast with One Small Step Facilitators Chris Battaglia and Michele Christle, and Station Manager Matt Murphy, that took place on January 31, 2024. Participants and community members joined the conversation by phone, and joined in discussing experiences with the project, personal takeaways, and how the project has affected them since.
New Short Feature: Climate & Community
Climate and Community: Maine Voices for Action with A Climate to Thrive is a new five minute weekly short feature that will illuminate stories of climate courage, solutions, and resilience-building action from across the state, with a focus on communities leading the way right here in coastal Maine. You can catch it live on Thursdays at 8:30am, or in the WERU archives.
Talk of the Towns: Town Planning for Climate Resilience
Maine’s fishing communities are first in line to deal with rising sea levels and warming ocean temperatures, affecting their economies and their infrastructure. And, as Maine’s port with the highest volume of lobster landings, Stonington is working hard for a more climate resilient future.
This month on the next Talk of the Towns, co-hosts Ron Beard and Liz Graves invited Stonington Town Manager Kathleen Billings and Linda Nelson, director of community development, Susie Arnold, of the Island Institute, and Carla Guenther of Maine Center for Commercial Fisheries to share their observations and experience as they work to adapt to changes in the climate.
Check out the WERU App!
Can’t get WERU on the radio? Don’t like to listen on your computer while you work? Then why not listen on your phone using WERU’s mobile app?
Download it at your favorite app store, and check it out! You can also let us know what you think about it using the handy “Contact WERU” button in the menu. And as always, thank you for listening and for supporting WERU, whether you tune in on the app, Internet, or FM airwaves. It’s all good, and it’s all Community Radio!
Featured Artist of the Week
“Morning Maine” Featured Artist of the Week: TUCKER WOODS
Tucker Woods is our “Featured Artist of the Week”! Tune in each weekday morning at 7:45 AM (ET) to hear our volunteer disc jockey play at least one cut from their newest album.