Week 41

September 1: Due to Labor Day, the WSYY Morning Show did not air.

September 2: Jim Talbott discusses the Nick Sambides article about Councilor Scott Gonya seeking to seize the mill, and points out that Gonya never said that, and then plays the sound clips demonstrating that Nick's article was erroneous, including the comments of other councilors on the subject, including Jimmy Busque and David Cyr, as well as Bruce McLean, so that you can see who is on the side of the people of Millinocket. He also makes light of Governor Baldacci's comment about the idea of the town taking anything by eminent domain, as the governor has nothing to say about that. Politicians like to "flap their gums" but when it comes to actually doing something, they're either absent or on the wrong side. If the politicians really wanted to help, they could. If the politicans changed the charter as it pertains to the water rights once, they can change it back. The question is, are they on the side of the Canadian raiders or are they with the people of Millinocket, Maine? Sometimes you have to stand up to tyrants; are our politicians going to stand up to the tyrants, or with them? Rather, it appears that they are not going to do anything other than offer extended benefits and retraining so that people can move out of the area, leaving it to others who have no need of a job. He also quotes Brownie Carson, of the Natural Resources Council of Maine, who fought against the Big A Dam (along with Matt Polstein), and points out that in the fight against the dam, he referred to the paper company's "wanton, inconsiderate, profit-motivated abuse of the people's river," and asks why Carson isn't here now, standing up on the side of the people who own the river. If it's really the people's river, then Millinocket should seize the generating plant by eminent domain and use that electric power from the hydro system that is generated by the water that belongs to the people for the benefit of the people of the Katahdin region, rather than for the benefit of the Canadian raider, Brookfield Asset Management? It is time to stand behind your councilors, those who are standing up for you, which isn't all of them, as demonstrated by the comments of Councilor McLean. After hearing Councilors Busque, Gonya, and Cyr, and their strong support for moving forward with an agenda to save the town of Millinocket, McLean's comments were weak at best, and leaning toward being an apologist for the Canadian raiders. The one councilor who claims to be an economic developer is the one who has no ideas of his own, or the courage to support those who do. On the subject of MAGIC's application for a license to run a radio station at the taxpayer's expense, JT encourages his listeners to view the filing documents, which can be found at www.katahdin-news.com/wsyy/ and find our for themselves, rather than depending on newspapers which cannot be trusted to tell the truth.

September 3: A guest on the WSYY Morning Show today is Rep. Henry Joy, of Crystal, one of the few politicians in August working for the people of northern Maine. Rep. Joy discusses the CLUP, which he expects to be held very quiet, and taken pretty much as it was originally written before the public hearings. He also cautions that they will likely be lining up as many supporters as possible to pack the public hearings. Those who are dedicated to shutting down Maine's forest industry are unlikely to make any productive changes as a result of information received at the workshops which were held. Despite the fact that only a couple of people spoke in favor of the CLUP as proposed, while a multitude of people spoke against it, he expects that they'll ignore the multitude and depend on their ability to pack the public hearings with planted supporters to justify pushing it through against the will of the people. JT asks what the purpose is of having workshops if they're just going to ignore the people and go with a predetermined outcome? Rep. Joy warns that people need to follow through, analyzing the documents, and speaking out where it counts. Henry points out that one of the tactics they use is to neglect to define the terms that they use, such as "primitive camping," leaving it to be defined however they like at some later date. Joy predicts that they will move forward with the CLUP as soon as a decision is made on the Plum Creek proposal, probably sometime after January of next year, likely around the first of June. He reminds the listeners that they tend to schedule such hearings for the inconvenience of those who might oppose them. Henry Joy explains the process required to move the CLUP forward, and the steps that might be required in order to defeat it, including a citizen's initiative. Henry also discusses a move to put the unorganized territories under the control of their respective counties rather than LURC, which he has attempted twice before. According to Henry, those who live in the UT, or have businesses in the UT, need to appear in August with an army of people testifying in favor of such a bill when it is reintroduced. Henry talks a little bit about the green proposals to remove dams and replace them with wind power and biomass power plants, pointing out that those that have been built have not provided power at the promised reduction in cost to the people of Maine. When they talk about "restoring" the Penobscot River, Henry Joy points out that no one knows what they are restoring it to, and warns that what we'll end up with is a lot of mud flats. The conversation then turns to Millinocket, the mill closure, and possible solutions to the problems that face the area. Henry points out the big picture, as he has before, that the result of closing the mills will be to achieve the agenda of rural cleansing, leaving behind nothing but picture takers for a wilderness that isn't really wild. If you add up everything that is being put in place, including the consolidations, the CLUP itself, the closures of the mills, and opposition to shut down any economic resource coming out of the forest, that is really rural cleansing at its worst. As for the local issues, Henry doesn't think that eminent domain is the answer, and fears that putting the charter back together again, so that the power generated from the dams would again be tied to the continued operation of the mill, would be a large undertaking, and one that would feed a lot of lawyers for a long time. However, while he suggests that the people of the community need to be united, he doesn't offer any solutions other than prayer. He does say that any time you are fighting for survival, you are fighting for the right thing.

September 4: Jim Talbott reminds his listeners that this is a fight for survival, and it's time to pull out all the stops, and suggests that this applies to East Millinocket as well. Reflecting on Tuesdays program, in which the words of four of our town councilors were heard, JT states that we heard from three councilors who actually cared about the community, and from another who sat there and did his nansy pansy little political speech, but refused to take a stand. As for the water rights, if the legislature can change it one way, the legislature can change it back. A lot of people are up for reelection this year, so we need to pay attention to who we send back up. Pay attention to what your politicians are doing, not just what they might be saying. As for Governor Baldacci's comments about not allowing the town to take property by eminent domain, the law doesn't give him power over such things. Eminent Domain Power: A municipality may acquire real estate or easements for any public use. Matt Polstein is building an eco-resort on Hammond Ridge, and the "bible" that he has been going by was prepared by the Northern Forest Alliance, which states that these resorts cannot be near a mall or a mill. Think about it if you're without a job today. If this is your hometown, and you're in charge, you shouldn't let some big, multinational, Canadian corporate raider push you around. It's time to stand behind the people who are fighting for you locally, namely Cyr, Gonya, and Busque. If you don't stand up for them now, you may not have a hometown. He also replays the comments made by Councilors Cyr and Gonya during the last council meeting.

Week 42

September 8: On Day 305 of WSYY's fight against MAGIC and for the Northern Forest, Jim Talbott encourages citizens to attend council meetings and to support those councilmen who are fighting for Millinocket's economy and the ability of its people to earn a living. He refers to posts on the Katahdin Commons about the history behind what has led us to the current situation with the mill closing and Brascan being allowed to sell its power on the grid rather than using it to make paper in Millinocket. The first step for the town to take some control over its own future is to use eminent domain to take the power generation facilities. The power is produced by water that belongs to the people, and should be used for the people rather than to enrich a Canadian raider company like Brascan, or Brookfield Power, Brookfield Asset Management, or whatever name they might be going under at a given time. Overall, at the time the council voted to extend the TIF to Brascan, the public objected to it, yet it was pushed through by MAGIC's majority on the council, under the direction of Matt Polstein, who was reportedly in negotiations with the company for the purchase of his land at the same time that he was pushing for a TIF for the same company that he was in negotiations with. Is anyone still wondering why he was able to buy his land?

September 9: On Day 306 of the fight with MAGIC, Jim Talbott again encourages people to pay attention to town council business, encouraging councilors to go ahead and act on the suggestion made during the last council meeting, to pursue taking the power generation facilities in the mill by eminent domain. Also, citizens should be aware if not all members of the council are acting in the town's best interests, and bring that memory with them when they cast their votes in November. He replays Scott Gonya from the last council meeting, as he introduces the idea, as well as David Cyr, who supported the idea, and Bruce McLean, who seemingly didn't know what to say, probably because Matt Polstein was absent, and not there to tell Bruce what his opinion should be.

September 10: On Day 307 of WSYY's fight against MAGIC and for the Northern Forest, Jim Talbott discusses a conversation he had with a local businessman about the idea of the town taking the power generation facilities by eminent domain. While people are generally not in favor of eminent domain, the cases which generate controversy are generally those in which government is taking property from an individual or local business. However, in this case it would be brought against a corporation based in Canada which has already demonstrated its unwillingness to be a good neighbor. In this case, it is thought that the use of eminent domain would be opposed mostly by those who do not want the town to survive beyond playing a role in supporting Matt Polstein's resort and a national park. JT plays the sound files of Councilor Jimmy Busque speaking in favor of Councilor Gonya's proposal to take the power generation facilities by eminent domain.

September 11: On Day 308, Jim Talbott discusses a lawsuit that is in progress in a Bangor court, in which former recreation director, Mary Walsh, is suing the town of Millinocket for wrongful termination, as a result of actions taken against her by Council Matt Polstein. JT plays back some comments that were made by Town Manager, Gene Conlogue, and Councilor Jimmy Busque in January of this same year, in which they spoke of how well the mill was doing, based on reports given to them by its management. Comparisons have often been made about MAGIC's agenda to turn the Katahdin region into a gateway to a national park with Bar Harbor, the idea being that Bar Harbor is doing very well with this arrangement. However, according to a conversation that JT had with a local businessman, the largest employer in the Bar Harbor area is not tourism, but Jackson Lab. Yet MAGIC has been putting all of our marbles into the tourism basket, and primarily into that part of it that is owned by MAGIC founder, Matt Polstein. JT names those who have taken out papers for a seat on the town council, including Gilda G. Stratton, Michael A. Madore, Alyce Maragus, Laura E. Manzo, Dale F. Hayes, Marsha H. Donahue, her husband, Robert W. Curlew, and Brian Davis. Gilda Stratton has also taken out papers for a school board position, as has Keven J. Gregory. He warns the voters to become familiar with these names, and to be sure not to elect MAGIC supporters to represent you, as they have proven themselves incapable of representing the people, as their allegiance to MAGIC runs contrary to the interests of the town. There are some big MAGIC sycophants on that list; know who they are. Know who they are and don't repeat past mistake under new names. The MAGIC agenda works for a few of MAGIC's founders, but it works against most everyone else in town.

Week 43

September 15: Proclaiming today "Mary Walsh Monday," Jim Talbott announces Mary's win in court, her suit against the town of Millinocket, and discusses what is known of the case at this point. Mary used to be the recreation department head in Millinocket, whose duties included supervision of the trail grooming program, for which Councilor (and MAGIC founder) Matt Polstein is being paid to do. During the course of her work, Mary found that Matt was grooming the trails between the town and his own resort very well, but was neglecting the other trails. Unable to fix this problem inhouse, she reported it to the state, since the state is paying for this to be done. Unwilling to put up with anyone daring to question his own work, she was added to Matt Polstein's hit list. After someone reported to Matt that Mary was having lunch with Magic City Morning Star editor, Michelle Anderson, he sent her a threatening email. On another day, after she had again had lunch with Michelle and others, Matt Polstein pinned her car in so that she could not exit, and again tried to intimidate her. Undaunted, she continued to perform the job that she was hired to do, and refused to sign his checks for the snowmobile grooming because he refused to perform the job correctly. In response, Councilor Polstein, under the guise of consolidating departments, championed a move to consolidate the recreation department with East Millinocket, retaining East Millinocket's recreation department director for both towns, and leaving Mary without a job, a move that was soundly objected to by local parents and children, and which has led to fewer services for the town of Millinocket at greater cost. Mary sought legal advice that resulted in the lawsuit that resulted in a jury finding in her favor. Mary's attorney was quoted as saying that Matt Polstein was one of the most helpful witnesses he could ask for, as he is someone who is unable to understand that power was a gift from the people and not a sword for revenge. On other matters, at the last town meeting, after other members of the council proposed sending a list of demands to Brookfield Asset Management, Councilor Polstein referred to this as creating a bad business environment, rather than standing up for the town that he was elected to represent. A bad business environment? Excuse me, Councilor Polstein, but they are closing the mill. There is no business environment as it relates to Brookfield Asset Management. Interestingly, Matt Polstein reportedly said, during the trial, that he wasn't angry because Mary had reported him to the state; he was angry because she was having lunch with Michelle Anderson. On the Katahdin Commons forum, Venturer suggested that the reason that Polstein wasn't upset about being reported to the state was that he is tight with the state's snowmobile administrator, Scott Ramsey. Venturer also reports Ramsey's participation in Matt's back stabbing of the area's snowmobile community, in which Polstein pleaded with Roxanne Quimby to buy more land, promising that the area wouldn't be hurt by the closure of more land to snowmobile use. Again, JT cautions the voters to pay close attention to who they vote for in November, and to not make the mistake of electing someone from MAGIC or from the MBA(n), which stands for "Magic By Another Name." Don't elect another Polstein sock puppet like Bruce McLean, or any other MAGIC sycophant. Millinocket needs representatives who are working for them, not those who will work against the interests of the town. People have been warning about MAGIC as far back as 2002. If you didn't believe them then, surely you have to believe them now, after their warnings have come true. MAGIC has had control over the newspapers for years, so those who want to learn the truth have had to look elsewhere. We are either going to support the community and a diversified economy, or we are going to turn the place into a gateway community. Your vote can make that difference, for good or harm. JT then reads from an article by Alyce Maragus on Mary's win published by the Magic City Morning Star, giving some of the background behind the loss of recreational activities in Millinocket, resulting in Mary's termination as recreational director. When the recreation department was given over to East Millinocket, Mary's salary was divided up among two other staff members, resulting in an increase in cost to the town of Millinocket, making a lie of Polstein's claim that this was done in order to save money. JT points out that while people like the Donahues, the Chamber, and others associated with MAGIC might talk a good game about community and supporting local businesses, but then they turn around, and they go out of town to buy all their goods and services, including cars, hardware, and radio services. Look at what people are doing, not to what they say. JT reminds everyone that unless you want to become a gateway community and have no jobs, or good-paying jobs, it's time to stand up. Over the past few years, a lot of people have been standing up. If you want your town to survive, you need to stand with them. WsYY's advertisers haven't given in the the bullying tactics of MAGIC and Councilor Polstein so if you can do nothing else, patronize them and support those who are standing up for you.

September 16: On Day 313 of WSYY's fight against MAGIC, Jim Talbott reminds everyone that MAGIC has yet to take him up on his offer for them to come on the air and tell everyone where all the money went to. JT then talks about the vision committee that was set up years ago, facilitated by AMCi, on behalf of MAGIC. AMCi's website talks about the importance of gaining strategic control in the marketplace, and defines this as being only one place removed from a monopoly. He then equates this to a single resort, owned by the only person able to buy land. This is the agenda that MAGIC has been following, and the goal was, according to the facilitators hired by MAGIC, to permit one businessperson to gain strategic control over the marketplace. It should be clear to anyone who that one person is. In other news, JT discusses the John Frary campaign. Frary is running against Mike Michaud for the U.S. District #2 Senate seat. According to Congress.org, which compiles a power ranking each year to determine how much pull the 435 members of Congress have in bringing home the bacon. According to this, out of 236 Democrats, 230 of them rank higher than Mike Michaud. The ones who rank lower than him include five freshmen and a member who is under indictment. Mike Michaud did raise $100,000 for the Democratic National Committee in the hopes of being named chairman of the Subcommittee on Veteran's Affairs but his fellow Democrats didn't give him the job so he refused to pay his dues this year. Mike has introduced over 560 bills in Congress over five and a half years, but not one has become law. Mike has asked for more than five hundred earmarks last year, 50% more than Collins, Snowe, and Allen combined, but only 22 were approved. He refuses to reveal what earmarks he asked for. John Frary is not the stereotypical politician but he's throwing the fact out there and if you're not happy with what's going on, maybe it's time for a change.

September 17: Jim Talbott discusses the last town council meeting, having listened to the audio of the meeting. He intends to play some of it tomorrow, but he promises that you'll be able to tell the difference between those councilors who are in favor of the town moving forward in the right direction and those two who are pleased with the way things are going, and so are mostly interested in putting obstacles in the way. As we've seen before, Councilor McLean is communicating with the environmental groups about the dam, so it makes you wonder what plots they are developing now. JT also delves into national issues, particularly as they concern the November elections, much of it in a humorous vein.

September 18: Jim Talbott plays excerpts from the last Millinocket town council meeting, including Councilor Scott Gonya who makes it clear that the closing of the mill was unnecessary and that there are steps that the town can take to put itself in a healthier position, one of them being, as he had suggested at the previous meeting, the taking of the power generation facilities by eminent domain. Gonya also gives a comprehensive history of recent steps taken by the mill owners which have led to its closure. At the next meeting, Gonya suggests the council come up with a resolve to send to the owners of the company, asking for a CEO who is going to fight for the continuance of the mill, such as the man who held the job until he was removed from that position recently. The town of Millinocket has paid 9 million dollars to this company through a TIF, yet the town has heard nothing from its owners. According to Gonya, the mill owners couldn't have messed the mill up more, unless they intended to do it. He then played Councilor Matt Polstein, who appeared to be seeking a way to put roadblocks in the way of anything productive that might otherwise be going on, taking on the role of apologist for the mill owners, likely as repayment for his being able to buy his land, or perhaps even prepayment on something else that he may want from them. Polstein's suggestions to the town can be summarized as an admonition to roll over and play dead. Could this be because he wants the town to be dead? Next, JT plays Councilor Jimmy Busque, who reiterates his disgust with the mill owners, who decided to close the Millinocket mill in order to sell power on the grid, using water that belongs to the people of Maine. The dams were intended to benefit the pulp and paper production and related facilities in the Katahdin region. Instead, our politicians were manipulated into letting this go, an action that Busque would like to see reversed. One impediment to diversifying Millinocket's economy has always been related to its high power costs, something that taking the power generation facilities would help to alleviate. The water belongs to the people, not to a Canadian power company. Busque suggests that the town pursue changing the laws to require that this power be used to support the pulp and paper industry once again, as was intended. Barring that, the town needs to take control of the power generation facilities. Next, JT plays Councilor Bruce McLean who, now that Polstein is back, knows what his opinion is supposed to be. McLean begins by misrepresenting Gonya's proposal to take over the power generation facilities as an intent to take over the mill. He begins by voicing concerns about the environment, as brought to him by one of the environmental groups in his circle of friends. Gonya responds by setting him straight. It seems that although McLean was in attendance at the meeting in which Gonya introduced this idea, he decided to go with the inaccurate reporting of the Bangor Daily News reporter, who wasn't there, rather than what was actually said. Gonya states that taking anything by eminent domain is a last step, but it needs to be one that is on the table. Gonya would prefer seeing the mill managed by someone whose interests are in reopening the mill. Still, McLean took an argumentative stance against Gonya rather than one of cooperation or concern for the interests of the town. JT then plays the comments of Councilor Dave Cyr, who states that the council cannot sit on its hands in this, but must be proactive. The mill is already closed, and people are out of work, so the council's responsibility is to look out for the town, to seek some benefit for the people of Millinocket. If all of the water that flows through the dams is allowed to go through the power lines to be sold out of state for the benefit of a Canadian power company, the people of Millinocket and the people of Maine have lost. JT closes the Morning Show by discussing issues that will be under discussion next week, such as the laws governing the use of water in Maine. As for local issues, we know that this might be okay with Councilors Polstein and McLean, so we have to be careful not to elect more like them in November.

Week 44: The WSYY Morning Show did not air this week

Week 45

September 29: On Day 326 of WSYY's fight for the Katahdin region, Jim Talbott discusses the Wall Street bailout and nicely ties it in with some of the things that we've seen in the Katahdin region surrounding MAGIC. What's happening locally is also happening on a national scale. He also discusses the negativity that is so prevalent in the mainstream media whenever something positive, such as the proposal to take over the mill's power plant by eminent domain. Rather than seriously considering anything good that might take place in Millinocket, the Bangor Daily and the Lincoln News view everything having to do with Millinocket from a perspective of derision. Yet, when the town of Sanford voted to take the Sanford mill by eminent domain, the "press" reported it without the air of negativity with which the Millinocket proposal was reported. JT also discusses the lack of corporate responsibility seen in Wall Street, and from Brookfield Asset Management. JT plays a powerful speech from Rep. Marcy Kaptur from Ohio, in opposition to the Wall Street bailout. Her comments are a must-hear if, like most of us, you are angry about what our elected representatives did to us in Washington D.C.

September 30: Jim Talbott discusses the stark differences between what the politicians have been saying about the Wall Street Bailout Bill and what you can find when you actually read the bill. The safeguards that we hear them talk so much about aren't there in the actual bill. He reiterates a point that he made yesterday, that the things that have been going on in Millinocket with MAGIC are not much different than the national issues we've been hearing so much about. Local corruption follows the same path as national corruption. As good news, JT announces that the Millinocket Historical Society received a $25,000 grant for the operation of its museum.

October 1: Jim Talbott reports that the Bailout Bill didn't go through the House, yet the sun rose and the country survived. He discusses the condescension coming from our elected officials, about how the public doesn't understand .. well, we understand. Most of us haven't been doing well for years; now that it's effecting Wall Street, we're supposed to bail them out. Rather than bailing out the people who are hurting, they want to bail out the ones who put us in this position. This is a lot like MAGIC, actually.

October 2: Jim Talbott reports that the Senate, which constitutionally cannot originate a spending bill, is actually going to vote on the same bill in the House by changing it around. On today's episode, JT sticks pretty much to national issues and humor, many of which are the same thing.