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This newsletter is sponsored by Coastal Enterprises Inc., Koo & Patricia Yuen, IDEXX, cPort Credit Union, MaineHousing, Maine Health Access Foundation, Hannaford, The Sam L. Cohen Foundation, and DHHS Office MaineCare Services. |
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Welcome to Maine Public News Connect Episode 173 is out today in Portuguese, Somali, English, and Spanish with additional newsletters in French, Arabic and Khmer. View all via the links below, or on Facebook, YouTube, and mainepublic.org. News Connect is also available on WhatsApp! Click to join for direct access links to weekly episodes. Visit mainepublic.org/connect to sign up for this newsletter, with options in each language, straight to your inbox. Subscribe, and help us spread the news! A big thanks to our sponsors for making this program possible. Today is Friday, October 4, and below are the week's top stories. |
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We are happy to partner with the following community media stations in Maine. News Connect will be broadcast on: Channel 3 in South Portland on Mondays at 8 PM, Tuesdays at 2 AM, Wednesdays at 8 AM, and Thursday sat 2 PM; Channel 22 in Berwick on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays at 6 PM. Channel 5 in Portland on Fridays at 10 PM, Mondays at 7 AM and 8 PM, Wednesdays at 2 PM, and Thursdays at 3 AM. Channel 1301 in Mt. Blue on Fridays at 5:00 PM and 11 PM EST, Saturday at Noon, and Sunday at 8 AM. |
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Labor Dispute MaineHealth, the state’s largest hospital system, has reached a settlement with a group of medical interpreters over unpaid merit raises. Most non-union employees at MaineHealth typically receive a merit-based wage increase at the beginning of the year. But this year, some medical interpreters did not receive that increase. A settlement was reached earlier this month, with MaineHealth agreeing to pay the merit increases retroactively to January 7. Janice Jaffe, a Spanish language interpreter, said the settlement is a relief, but that the whole ordeal dealt a blow to morale. Interpreters at the health system voted last year to form a union, and contract negotiations are ongoing. Election Lawsuits Maine is among several states slated to get funding to fight post-election lawsuits. The Democratic Association of Secretaries of State has set aside $5 million to support secretaries of state in Maine, Michigan, Nevada, and North Carolina. The group says it's an effort to prepare for what they expect will be a flood of Republican lawsuits targeting election officials, mirroring legal challenges to the 2020 election. Maine was included on the list due to its highly competitive second congressional district, whose single electoral college vote could be critical in a close election. New Recovery Center A new addiction recovery center opened in Lewiston last week. It's being characterized as the first of its kind in the state, for emphasizing harm reduction practices such as wound care and instructions on safe injection. The group says it aims to fill a gap for people grappling with addiction but who are not yet ready or able to stop using drugs. A representative from the group running the center said it will offer recovery groups, cooking classes, and employment assistance. The center will also install a vending box outside stocked with naloxone, the overdose reversal nasal spray drug. Infrastructure Repairs Maine has made progress on a backlog of road and bridge work, but a highway and bridge research group called TRIP said the state has more to do. The group released a report this week showing that 19% of Maine roads and 15% of the state’s bridges are in poor condition. The report says one barrier to repairing vital infrastructure is the increasingly high cost of construction. Maine Public is looking for your feedback. To fill out our short survey, visit mainepublic.com/newsconnect. |
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Thanks for tuning in. You can watch for free in all our languages on Facebook, YouTube, and mainepublic.org – and on community access television across the state. If you enjoy the program, feel free to like, comment, and share. Sign up for direct links to the videos in your preferred language through our Newsletter and WhatsApp groups. New episodes and newsletters are available every Friday. We want to hear from you! Please reach out with any thoughts or story ideas. See you next time. |
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The translator-presenter team includes Paola, Victoire, and Tamara. The reporting for News Connect is compliled by Ari Snider via Report for America, and edited by Mark Simpson and the Maine Public News Department. The newscast videos are produced by Brian Bechard, with Rebecca Conley, and overseen by Cory Morrissey. News Connect was created by as part of the Connecting Communities initiative. |
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Questions about Maine Public News Connect can be directed to Cory Morrissey Email: [email protected] |
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We have News Connect posters available! If you would like a print copy for your organazation, please contact: [email protected] |
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Maine Public News Connect has been made possible by individual supporters, businesses, and foundations from across Maine, and by Koo & Patricia Yuen, IDEXX, cPort Credit Union, MaineHousing, Hannaford, and DHHS Office MaineCare Services, all organizations dedicated to making a difference in Maine. |
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To support Maine Public and the News Connect program, please reach out for sponsorship and advertising opportunities. |
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