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Week 36
July 28: On Day 263 of WSYY’s fight for the Northern Forest, Jim Talbott discusses the new MBA organization. Reading from an article published in the Lincoln News where the MBA is said to be interested in revitalizing Millinocket’s downtown district, and wonders why, if that were their true interest, they didn’t ask their own friend, Bob Benjamin to do something with all of the commercial buildings he owns in the downtown district.
July 29: On Day 264 of WSYY's fight against MAGIC, Jim Talbott discusses postings from the Katahdin Commons forum regarding the MBA(n), for MAGIC By Another Name, as well as other postings on the discussion forum.
July 30: Jim Talbott discusses state and national issues, including gas prices; but in particular, the lack of response we've seen to our problems from those who we elect to send to Washington D.C.
July 31: On Day 266 of the fight for the Northern Forest, Jim Talbott makes several announcements for local activities and events, but otherwise mostly discusses non-local issues of interest from around the nation. JT also announces that the WSYY Morning Show will not be airing next week.
Week 37
Week 38
August 11: On Day 277 of the fight for the Northern Forest, Jim Talbott discusses the article in US News and World Report, entitled "Death Watch in a Mill Town," as well as the latest in puff pieces by Nick Sambides about Matt Polstein's decision not to run for reelection to the town council. He also discusses the mill closure, pointing out that although most people knew that the mill would eventually close, and we had plenty of time to prepare, rather than doing so we gave our resources to MAGIC, who won't account for whatever they did with the money. JT also discusses Matt Polstein's part in granting a TIF to the mill, a company that he was negotiating with for acquisition of his land. The mill owners got the TIF as a gift from the taxpayers, Matt Polstein got his land, and the people of Millinocket got stiffed.
August 12: Jim Talbott discusses an article by Alyce Maragus and published by the Magic City Morning Star, about the Lincon News article about MAGIC’s radio station license; as well as the US News and World Report article, entitled "Death Watch in a Mill Town," which discusses high oil prices being the death of Millinocket. He also discusses the MBA (Millinocket Business Association), also known as MBA(n) (Magic By Another Name), and how they have been dropping names of business people who simply attended one meeting to see what was going on, but who did not consider themselves to be a part of the group, and reports that others have been verbally strong-armed in an effort to force them to join. He also discusses the political effort that was required in order to set the scene for the break up of Millinocket's mill operations from its hydroelectric and timber operations, leading to the inevitable closure of what was once the largest pulp and paper mill in the world.
August 13: On Day 279 of the fight for the Northern Forest, Jim Talbott reads and discusses Alyce Maragus' article in the Magic City Morning Star about the Bangor Daily article reporting on Matt Polstein's decision to bow out of reelection to the town council. JT also announces some local events, and discusses national issues, Darwin, and a variety of other topics.
August 14: On Day 280 in his fight for the Northern Forest, Jim Talbott discusses a variety of local and non-local issues, such as television shows, and reminds listeners of local events, such as the Millinocket Historical Society's upcoming backyard sale.
Week 39
Week 40
August 25: On Day 291 of his fight for the Northern Forests, Jim Talbott discusses the mill and the politicians who separated the hydroelectric operations from the mill itself, allowing the "Canadian Raiders" to take the assets of Maine's river and give nothing in return. He also discusses the obvious slant that can be seen in news reported by the Bangor Daily and the Lincoln News, including the fact that Nick Sambides saw it necessary to write an article about Council David Cyr supposedly living outside of town while he never saw a reason to write anything about Council Matt Polstein doing the same. The same can be said when news stories are written that overlook the fact that Dennis Dunbar is a Washington, D.C. resident while always making a point to report that WSYY's owner is a California resident. Nick always reports the positive for Matt Polstein, and never the negative. He also discusses that one of the most biased reporters for the Lincoln News, Lisa Pelkey, has left town leaving a lot of debts behind. Also of interest is that, although Bruce McLean had said that he'd have his license for a radio station by mid-July, here we are pushing into September, and still they don't have a license. WSYY is filing its final response to the FCC today, and it should soon be found on katahdin-news.com. Also in discussion was the statement from Gene Conlogue's statement that the town may have to look to a Tax Anticipation Note in order to see the town through until mid-November, when tax payments become due, and reminds his listeners that Matt Polstein was the one who spearheaded a huge TIF for the mill, removing the language that would encourage them to keep the mill in operation. In reference to this, he reads Alyce Maragus' opinion article published in the Magic City Morning Star entitled, "Millinocket Town Council Meeting - 8/14/08."
August 26: On Day 292, WSYY's last papers have been filed with the FCC and Dennis Dunbar apparently didn't like them very much, having fired a fax off to WSYY's attorney in complaint. On another subject, Jim Talbott discusses a publication from the Alliance for Maine's Future, identifying 64 legislators who show very little support for employers, jobs, or Maine's economic future, those with an average MERI score of 25 or lower are those who are least likely, willing, or able to move Maine in the right direction. Rep. Herbert E. Clark (Millinocket) was given a rating of 34, while Rep Henry Joy (Crystal) has a rating of 92.
August 27: The "Canadian Raiders" of Brookfield Asset Management Company has announced that they are going to close the mill on September 2nd, although not long ago they were heralding the success of the mill. Scott Gonya, a Millinocket councilor and mill employee, has said that he believes that the company quit taking orders for paper, and was actually cancelling orders for paper, intending to close the mill in order to be able to sell power on the grid. Gonya says that it isn't the cost of oil or the lack of sales that prompts the shutdown, but that the owners stopped taking orders so that the company can use the power generating facilities to sell power on the grid. They don't care about our community; they only care about their stockholders making money. Given these facts, the town will have to take steps to protect the interests of the people who live here. JT asks what our elected officials are doing about it, saying that he has a call in to Herbie Clark but has not yet received a reply. JT asks whether these events might relate to the Northern Forest Alliance's goals, as followed by MAGIC and its founder, Matt Polstein, that a gateway community can't be near a mill or a mall. What might they have had to do with it, other than taking every cent in grant money that came in for the region, spending it on themselves rather than helping the community or helping to build its economy? After eight years of MAGIC, the town has nothing to show for it but a declining tax base and a lot of debt. The answer is not the Millinocket Business Association, since that's just another name for MAGIC, since they are not looking to bring in the whole group of business leaders in the community, only those who support MAGIC's agenda. On an entirely different subject, JT announces that WSYY has doubled its ratings in just over a year.
August 28: Jim Talbott discusses comments from people around town about the mill closing, including Stu Kallgren, who describes Brookfield as an example of foreign predator companies who buy U.S. property and companies and shut them down. Kallgren describes the state of Maine as being run by a bunch of environmentalist nuts who don't want industry in the state. He also refers to lame statements made by Senators Collins and Snowe, who provide rhetoric but nothing else. In the hands of corporate and environmental interests, they are not going to bit the hands that feed them. Then, as a politician willing to give more than rhetoric, Rep. Henry Joy will be on the WSYY Morning Show next Wednesday. JT discusses a situation brought up in discussion on the Katahdin Commons, about Laurie Dobson, who wanted to run for a U.S. Senate seat, but was unable to get some of the town registrar's to validate and return signed petitions she had turned in to them, and was therefore denied a place on the ballot. She has brought suit against the State of Maine, asking that her name be certified for the 2008 ballot.
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