For this week's episode, Portland Press Herald City Hall reporter Randy Billings joined Editorial Page Editor Greg Kesich to explain our city's unique government structure and how it may contribute to drama in a municipal government with no partisan difference.
This week's fight was over the city budget... kind of. The city council passed a $240 million annual budget with a very small cut (.02% of the budget) that exposed deep discord: they eliminated a position for Mayor Ethan Strimling's assistant, which was held by Jason Shedlock. Now Strimling is threatening to veto, an act that would likely be symbolic since the council has the right to override.
The arrangement of our city council, mayor, and city manager has lead to confusion over job roles and decision making power. On this episode Billings opens up his reporter's notebook from the fraught budget debate, explains why the two men who have held the new-ish role of elected mayor have interpreted the job description differently, and how the city might solve this confusing issue.
This week President Trump fired FBI Director James Comey. The dramatic timing has redivided partisan sentiment and further complicated investigations into possible Russian meddling into the last election cycle.
Why did Trump fire him this way? What exactly were his reasons? How might Senators Collins and King react from the Intelligence Committee? Does America need a new FBI Director to investigate or an independent investigator? Do we have time to talk about Gov. LePage demurring on a challenge to King for his Senate seat? What is even happening? Our host Portland Press Herald Editorial Page Editor Greg Kesich and Sunday columnists Cynthia Dill and Alan Caron dig into as many angles of Comey's past year as they can... with a just a few rounds of argument.
Portland Press Herald Editorial Page Editor Greg Kesich and columnists Bill Nemitz, Cynthia Dill, and Alan Caron discuss three big stories of the week: the passage through the House of the American Healthcare Act and why Rep. Bruce Poliquin kept his vote secret until game time, a provisional vote in Maine to have us join the Atlantic time zone if Massachusetts and New Hampshire do the same, and Gov. Paul LePage's oppositional appearance in Washington D.C. to discuss the economic impact of the Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument.
Related:
Rep. Poliquin supports health bill, says only 7% of Mainers affected. Facts show otherwise
Maine House votes to join Atlantic time zone, if New Hampshire and Massachusetts do the same
LePage, advocate offer dueling testimony in Washington on Katahdin-area monument
Portland Press Herald Editorial Page Editor Greg Kesich, and columnists Bill Nemitz and Cynthia Dill discuss three big stories of the week: President Trump’s 100 day review, the Maine house’s debate over the best way to raise money for the state’s education system, and what the US’s role and responsibilities are when it comes to escalate and cooling foreign conflicts.
Related:
Trump now says being president harder than he thought
Bill Nemitz: In debate over school tax, LePage’s latest gaffe makes a big difference
Two U.S. troops die battling Islamic State militants in eastern Afghanistan
Portland Press Herald Editorial Page Editor Greg Kesich, and columnists Bill Nemitz and Cynthia Dill discuss the week's news, including the first official entry into the 2018 governor's race, the disturbing case of Anthony Sanborn, and Bill O'Reilly's departure from Fox News.
Related:
Prosecutor facing scrutiny over 1992 murder trial agrees to testify
Veteran, attorney Adam Cote files to run for governor as Democrat
Portland Press Herald reporters Ed Murphy and Matt Byrne discuss in detail the case of Anthony Sanborn Jr., released on bail after serving 25 years for a 1989 murder. They talk about the circumstances of the crime, and the new evidence that led to his release. They also describe the dramatic moments in the courtroom when Superior Court Justice Joyce Wheeler announced the decision.
Related Stories:
Man convicted of 1989 Portland murder granted bail after star witness recants
In first hours of freedom, disbelief it was real after 25 years in prison
This week on the Portland Press Herald Podcast, Editorial Page Editor Greg Kesich is joined by Sunday columnists Jim Fossel and Alan Caron to discuss the Legislature's moves to overturn the vote on the minimum wage, and the spilt that is exposing between elected democrats and the Maine People's Alliance. Also using children as political pawns, and can bipartisanship ever happen if people never change their mind?
Portland Press Herald Editorial Page Editor Greg Kesich, and columnists Bill Nemitz, Alan Caron and Cynthia Dill start by talking about Paul LePage's apparently fluid views on healthcare as expressed in recent radio interviews. They wonder if America can get a real independent investigation into Trump's Russia connections and from whom, How Post-Fact politics will change the country and re-shape the political center, and finish by previewing upcoming columns about tipping, casinos and reasons for optimism.
Portland Press Herald Editorial Page Editor Greg Kesich, and columnists Alan Caron and Cynthia Dill talk offer some free advice to Republican politicians. They also ponder some questions. Can Paul LePage still run as an outsider? Will Angus King talk to constituents in Maine Second Congressional District about Judge Gorsuch? Will Bruce Poliquin make a firm commitment? Can Obama sue Trump over wire tap tweets?
Portland Press Herald Editorial Page Editor Greg Kesich, and columnists Bill Nemitz, Alan Caron and Cynthia Dill talk about: What the Pope had to say about giving to panhandlers, and what Paul LePage is up to in Washington; Angus King's central role in the Russia scandal, late-night TV in the Trump era, and what they're reading.
Today on the podcast we introduce Jim Fossel, the newest addition to the Sunday editorial page crew, whose column debuts this weekend. Jim comes in with a more conservative viewpoint, and in this episode he talks with Editorial page editor Gerg Kesich about the different groups that make up the Republican Party.
Portland Press Herald Editorial Page Editor Greg Kesich, and columnists Bill Nemitz, Alan Caron and Cynthia Dill meet and talk about a new poll on the makeup of the electorate; How police body cams became a hot topic in Portland exposing divisions in city hall, and if Bernie Sanders' supporters are unfairly blaming Hillary Clinton for Donald Trump.
After a week off due to poor weather, Editorial Page Editor Greg Kesich, and columnists Bill Nemitz, Alan Caron and Cynthia Dill return to the podcast to talk about the challenges and opportunities facing our elected representatives in Washington.
Will Bruce Poliquin ever take a stand?
Are liberals too critical of Susan Collins?
Will Angus King be on TV a lot?
and what's up with Paul Lepage?
This week Editorial Page Editor Greg Kesich, and columnists Bill Nemitz, Alan Caron and Cynthia Dill discuss the collapse of the plea deal with the Commercial Street Black Lives Matter protesters, how Senator Collins is going to deal with Cabinet and Supreme Court nominations, and if the legislature is going to ignore citizen-initiated referendums on ranked-choice voting and minimum wage.
This week on the Podcast, our panel, including Editorial Page Editor Greg Kesich, and Columnist Bill Nemitz, Alan Caron and Cynthia Dill, discuss the beginning of the Trump Administration, massive protests last weekend in Portland and around the country, and the Governor's feisty town hall meeting in Biddeford.
It's a full house this week on the Portland Press Herald Podcast. Editorial Page Editor Greg Kesich, and columnists Bill Nemitz, Alan Caron and Cynthia Dill chat about what Governor Paul LePage is doing to the State and what Democrats in the state legislature can and can't do about it. They also talk about Senator Susan Collins' skillful handling of her pivotal role in a Donald Trump - led government.
Editors Greg Kesich and Sarah Collins react to online reader comments from commenters Brian Peterson, midcoastg8tor, Gadfly371, and JJFW
Columns:
Our View: Real ID law shouldn’t fly in Maine Legislature
Another View: Editorial mischaracterizes critics of eliminating tip credit
Our View: Don’t put off deadline on implementing retail sales of marijuana