Chytrids in Maine, how the climate will change this problem

This 3:00 segment explores how the cold climate in change will affect the chytrid fungi problem. Local reaction is added as well as input from two of the University of Maine experts.

Clip Reel

Chytrid Package

[ANCHOR]

OVER IN OLD TOWN AN INFAMOUS FUNGUS COULD CAUSE HARM TO AMPHIBIANS INHABITING LOCAL WATER SUPPLYS

[TAKE VO 0:00 – 0:04]

[CG: Stillwater River, Old Town]

[TAKE STANDUP 0:05 – 0:24]

“HERE AT THE UNIVERSITY… FURTHER THEIR RESEARCH”

[TAKE VO 0:25 – 0:41]

[CG Joyce Longcore, University of Maine]

ONGOING RESEARCH AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MAINE HAS DISCOVERED A FUNGUS THAT COULD POSSIBLY HURT THE LOCAL AMPHIBIAN POPULATION OF THE NORTHEAST. ASSOCIATE RESEARCH PROFESSOR JOYCE LONGCORE IS NATIONALLY KNOWN FOR BEING ONE OF THE FEW EXPERTS OF THIS CHYTRID FUNGUS.

[TAKE SOT 0:42 – 0:59]

“AS FAR AS IT’S EFFECT… OF THEM IS INFECTED”

[TAKE VO 1:00 – 1:05]

[CG: Rabern Simmons, University of Maine]

WORKING DIRECTLY WITH JOYCE ON THE CHYTRID FUNGI IS RESEARCH ASSISTANT RABERN SIMMONS

[TAKE SOT 1:06 – 1:29]

“TROPICAL SETTINGS AROUND… MUCH OF A PROBLEM”

[TAKE VO 1:30 – 1:35]

[CG: Water Supply,Maine]

SO FAR THE CHYTRID FUNGUS HAS NOT YET CAUSED MASSIVE DIE OFFS IF MASSIVE DIE OFFS WERE TO OCCUR IT COULD RADICALLY CHANGE MAINE’S ECOLOGY.

[TAKE SOT 1:36 – 1:46]

“IT’S GOING TO BE… COMPETE EVERYTHING ELSE”

Chytrid VOSOT

[ANCHOR]

OVER IN OLD TOWN AN INFAMOUS FUNGUS COULD CAUSE HARM TO AMPHIBIANS INHABITING LOCAL WATER SUPPLYS

[TAKE VO 0:00 – 0:08]
[CG: Stillwater River, Old Town]

ONGOING RESEARCH AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MAINE HAS DISCOVERED A FUNGUS THAT COULD POSSIBLY HURT THE LOCAL AMPHIBIAN POPULATION OF THE NORTHEAST. ASSOCIATE RESEARCH PROFESSOR JOYCE LONGCORE IS NATIONALLY KNOWN FOR BEING ONE OF THE FEW EXPERTS OF THIS CHYTRID FUNGUS.

[TAKE SOT 0:09 – 0:25]

“AS FAR AS IT’S EFFECT… OF THEM IS INFECTED”
[TAKE VO 0:26 – 0:32]

[CG: Local Water Supplys, Old Town]
SO FAR THE CHYTRID FUNGUS HAS NOT YET CAUSED MASSIVE DIE OFFS OF THESE AMPHIBIANS PARTLY DUE TO THE STATE’S COLDER CLIMATE, HOWEVER IF MASSIVE DIE OFFS WERE TO OCCUR IT COULD RADICALLY CHANGE MAINE’S ECOLOGY AND THE FOOD WEB

[TAKE SOT 0:33 – 0:46]

“IT’S GOING TO BE… COMPETE EVERYTHING ELSE”

Philosophy on the future of journalism

Today, right now, as of this very second journalism is experiencing a great schism. Even with the wide history of the field the change of journalism can be felt within my short college experience of three years. The biggest impact and determining factor of journalism is one of the biggest factors in the human race, technology.

Technology has always governed journalism. From the days of the renaissance when it took months to receive messages from the new world to today, where I can tell the world of an incident this second on my cell phone.

The fast paced demanding lifestyle in which our country falls under spills onto journalism. Americans want the news fast, simple and right.

One choosing to get into this field I was unaware of the great changes that are occurring. I liked English, I liked writing, I knew that becoming an author was not an easy road so I took the more business friendly route of journalism. At the university I am a major of mass communication with a film and video minor.

Picking journalism was easy, specifying what I want to do within journalism is not. Due to newspapers and other forms of print journalism dying I decided it was better to focus on broadcast journalism. Broadcast journalism exposed me into two of the greatest things in this world, telling a story and video.

Throughout middle and high school I always enjoyed doing movies for projects, but did not have the skills or knowledge to get more into the field of video. Being a junior, and having student loans and college courses at my disposal gave me the opportunity to jump into my passion full swing.

Establishing video of a passion coincides with where journalism is going. One of the most profitable businesses in this country is the film industry. Our generation is technology driven and our generation is where journalism is headed. We would much rather hear sounds and see video to tell a story rather than read it in a newspaper or listen to it on the radio.

My experiences at the University of Maine have showed me that video is the future. While older professors are teaching through textbooks and lectures, the younger teachers are using youtube videos. Sitting in my history of mass communication lecture last semester granted me a huge epiphany. As the teacher discussed the early days of journalism from the book many students were either nt paying attention or pretending to pay attention. A remarkable thing happened when the teacher played a youtube video of the same material, every student was at full attentiveness and curious. Throughout the course videos were used to keep focus and teach successfully.

Try to access a major newspapers website, or any journalist organization and not see video on the front page. Video is the future of journalism and journalists need these skills in order to be useful.

The future of journalism depends on the fast paced society it covers, it is the reason why using sound and images are used to tell stories, it is the reason why I am using small paragraphs to write this blog entry, it saves time and it gets to the point, something we all want our news to be.

Fall Break edited in FC

I had originally edited my Fall Break movie in Final Cut so this project gave me the opportunity to go back and refine some of the shortcomings in the other video. I was able t do a new voice over as well as polish up all of the clips.

Here is my new video of my fall break.

My Fall Break

Old Town Spotlight: Johnny's Pizza

Discussions at the Old Town Council Meeting

This weeks city council meeting consisted of many financial decisions being made.

Up first for discussion was the option to purchase two 2009 Ford Crown Victorias for the police fleet. The bid from Quirk ford offered the two vehicles for a price of $46,420. One of the arguments made for purchasing these two vehicles is that it is more cost affordable to purchase now.

Currently Quirk Ford is offering the option of purchasing 2009 vehicles which would be cheaper than purchasing 2010 models. The maintenance required on the current vehicles will be expensive and essentially throwing money out the window.

Jamie Dufort urged the council to take this item of debate into serious consideration. Dufort stressed that the council had agreed upon analyzing the allotment of funds more closely.

After some deliberation the council had also realized the the money for the two vehicles has already been put aside for the fiscal year. The council approved a motion to discuss the issue at next Thursday's meeting.

On the table of discussion Tuesday evening was to discuss if the city should consider issuing Municipal warrants for the November 3rd election.

City Council Member Carol May proposing the issue of Municipal warrants

The city council also elected to make a motion to push the decision until next Thursday's meeting.

A meeting with city council member David Fiacco

David Fiacco of Old Town sits on the city council committee and listens to many questions of concern throughout the week.

One of the more pressing issues in Old Town is what to do with the building located on 4 Fourth street along the Penobscot river. The building is known as an "attractive nuisance", attractive for it's history but a nuisance in the way it's harmful to curious children. Children have been found exploring the abandoned building which contains sharp objects and other dangerous things.

David Fiacco discusses options of what can be done with the abandoned building.

Residents React, how local citizens feel about the new smoking ban

The new smoking ban, which ends smoking on patios of restaurants in the state of Maine is now in effect and some citizens have conflicting opinions on the subject.

The two opposing arguments of the new law pits smokers against non-smokers. Smoker, Giuseppi Diflumeri feels as though it is not fair to have more rights stripped away from smokers after already dealing with high taxes and the ban of cigarette smoking in restaurants in 2003. On the other hand, non-smokers feel that it is a smokers choice to smoke and non-smokers should not have to put up with smoke while dining outside in the state of Maine.

Kevin Parsons of Old Town does not agree that he should have to put up with cigarette smoke while eating or drinking on outside patios.

It is still unknown if the new law will affect businesses financially is still up in the air. One theory is that the new law will attract non-smokers to more restaurants and bars while others believe there will be no correlation between business revenue and the new law.

Josh Kahn, Old Town resident talks whether or not he would be for the new law even though he owns a business.

Many residents agree, that although this law is a big impact on the state and the local community, it will not affect businesses financially, positively or negatively. Maine's climate will become colder in the coming months rendering outdoor dining areas useless regardless of smoking policies and should balance any of the unlikely financial changes restaurants will experience.

Smoker Giuseppe Diflumeri feels that there may be a small amount of change in how patrons react to the new law and whether or not it will affect the economics of businesses.

Maine bans smoking on business owned patios

Enacted September 12, it is now against the law for businesses to allow smokers to smoke on outside patios of restaurants. With this new law it makes Maine the third state in the country to ban smoking in outside dining areas. Governor Baldacci signed the new law in an effort to decrease second-head smoke exposure.

Locally the new law affects businesses and smokers. The City Park Grill in Old Town has a patio where previously smokers used to be able to have a drink or something to eat while smoking. The restaurant is located alongside the Penobscot river where many people walk and ride bicycles nearby.

The state of Maine followed suit after Portland passed a similar bill earlier. Many smokers are against the law and feels as though it single them out. While many other smokers do not feel as though it affects them as much.

Cody Bishop, Old Town Resident discusses how the new law is unconstitutional.

Most of the aggravation against the new law isn't from smokers, it's from business owners. Restaurant owners are upset that they spent money into making outdoor smoking areas in order to attract smoking patrons, only to see that money now gone.

Josh Kahn of Old Town has a restaurant that has been in his family for several years. Kahn is actually in favor of the new law and feels as though it will be a good thing for Maine

Check in often for more updates on this pressing issue. More points of views from Old Town residents will be shared along with further insight into the new law and how it is affecting our state.

Coverage of Old Town City Council Meeting

There will be coverage of the Old Town city council meeting Monday, October 5th at 7:00. It is possible that the site will include live updates about the status of the meeting. Be sure to check back often for updates and other breaking Old Town news.

Scenes of Old Town Maine

To go along with the new Maine Distracted Driver law is video showing scenic shots of the city of Old Town.

Maine's New Distracted Driver Law

Maine citizens must now be wary of three new laws have gone into effect this week in the state of Maine. The distracted driver law allows police officers to pull over and ticket drivers who become distracted by electronic devices. Some of these devices that would cause these distractions would be mp3 players, cell phones and GPS’s.

The new distracted driver law can hold drivers responsible for up to five-hundred dollar fines

The other laws include being able to purchase sixty-four ounce containers of beer, also known as growlers. The other two laws that will go into effect is the Maine distracted driver law as well as the banning of smoking on restaurant patios.

The previous laws affect the state of Maine in different ways. Whether it be a more rural area or urban, there will be some change in the communities of the state.

The law that will be discussed in deeper detail, and more arguably the law that will have more impact on the state will be the Maine distracted drivers law.

This new law is affecting local citizens driving habits. Businesses will be directly affected, especially those that are in the business of deliveries.

Pizza delivery driver James Bell says not using technology will slow him down and keep him from communicating with customers. Calling customers is one way that Bell verifies addresses.

Although the law does emphasize drivers becoming distracted from technology, any form of distraction while driving in the state of Maine is legal as of this week.

Old Town Profile

Old Town is a small island community located in Maine known most notably for the Old Town canoe company which sells canoes worldwide.

Old Town is followed by many local Bangor news agencies and the Bangor Daily News. The area is also notable for the Penobscot Native American reservation.

The City Council meets the first Monday of each month. If the first Monday is a holiday, the Council meets the following evening. Council meetings are scheduled for 7:00 p.m. Information provided by the city of Old Town

The following is a list of contacts for the city of Old Town

Councilor President Dave Mahan

Councilor Jamie Dufour

Address:

58 Cedar Street

Old Town, Maine 04468

Phone:

Home - 478-6932

Work - 581-1051

e-mail:

david.mahan@umit.maine.edu

Term Expires:
Dec. 1, 2011