The University of Maine Automotive Enthusiast Club Meeting

ORONO, MAINE—That time of year again when UMaine Automotive Enthusiast members gear up for their annual Maine Day cruise; they’re biggest event of the school year.

Members met at their so called “club house” which is the Wendy’s in Orono, ME on March 24, 2010. They used to meet at the Bear’s Den on the University’s campus but with the cut back on hours they serve dinner members have joined at an older, more familiar meeting place.

No new members showing up left only ten active UMaine members present along with two officers of the group. With more members leaving than coming into the club, new elections have not been held this school year due to lack of student effort. It was decided at the meeting to keep the already elected officers elected for the rest of the school year and talk of re-elections in the fall. Hopefully with new members drawn in from the Maine Day cruise elections can be held as planned.

A more common topic was discussed on when the club does get potential new members the alumni scare them away by making rude comments towards them on the first class folder. Some new members have stated that the folder isn’t friendly, there is constant name calling, pointing fun and mean remarks about the member’s intelligence and vehicle. It’s the classic scenario of seniors in high school picking on the new freshmen. There is no one solution to fix this problem, all the officers and moderators can do is continue to enforce the folder rules by deleting un-friendly posts and banning members if they continue to break the rules. This topic is always up for discussion at every automotive meeting.

The important top at the meeting was creating a plan for Maine Day. The date is already set but there is still much to decide. Members talked about which roads to take, places to stop, eat and ride go-karts. It was concluded that it will take on the plan as the years before it did. Except for the go-karting, last year the usual place in Brewer wasn’t open and a panic attempt was made of finding a mini-golf that had go-karting was open. Calls will be made once a rough estimate of people attending is known to see which places are open and could accommodate whatever sized group.

Another meeting is looking to take place between today and April 28 to finalize Maine Day plans but otherwise much of the groups’ topics were discussed and met. Head counts will start to take place for the event which promises to be a bigger turn out than Maine Day 2009.

A Polluted Headache

SANFORD- People like to live in towns that don’t have many “eyesores” and the town members of Sanford feel the same way. The 17-acre former CGA site on New Dam Road has been a dump for many years.

The property has been left in its polluted state for about 20 years. The property was used by a company called Country Gates Arts Inc. and their business was removing copper from computer circuit boards by soaking them in sulfuric acid. When CGA packed up its business and left Sanford it left behind a “two-acre, eight-foot-deep pile of discarded boards and fiberglass” which has just been sitting there for more than 20 years. Underneath the pile the soil is contaminated by the copper and chemicals used in the procedure.

Later in 1995 a man from Freeport, Maine bought the property and ran a recycling business. Due to the polluted state of the property the Department of Environmental protection “sued the man and the former owners and fined them just over $43,000.

One man that has been pushing this clean-up act for more than 20 years is David Bernier whose property is adjacent to the CGA site. Bernier and his mother Theresa have spent far too many years asking for help to clean-up the property. Bernier said “it seems every time I raise the issue it gets attention… It all comes down to money. The town doesn’t have any. It will cost about two million dollars. But we want to move from what can we get to what can we get done with local manpower. I think there is an opportunity to go for some low-hanging fruit here”.

The Bernier family members have a farmer near by and say the building and burnt-out trailer on the CGA site is to close to a drinking water source. The Maine Department of Environmental Protection later wrote to Bernier stating the site does not show any significant public health risk.

Commissioner David P. Littell from DEP stated that there is limited state funding for clean-up and is “currently available only at hazardous substance sites that pose imminent public health threats… DEP has identified 1,500 locations in Maine contaminated with hazardous substances that are known to need clean up or require further investigation into whether clean-up is required”.

Bernier is not giving up hope “after 22 years of letter writing, enough is enough… We no longer want nicely worded letters. We want action, bottom line. We launched a campaign to clean up CGA in 1998, 2000, 2007, and now in 2009/2010. I have moved back to Sanford, and have plenty of energy to keep bugging everyone until the site gets cleaned.”

On February 1, 2010, more than a dozen Sanford residents held a rally pleading; some might say “demanding”, the Sanford Town Council to consider the foreclose of the polluted CGA site. Sanford residents for years now just want the Town or anyone to take ownership of the property and clean it up, finally eliminating the potential treat of this waste land.

The Town Council had already rejected a foreclosure over the property because of the estimated two million dollar cleanup required. Town Manager Mark Green stated that Sanford just doesn’t have the money especially with budget cuts happening. Green later stated “but (the waste) is not moving offsite. There is no leak or anything getting into the groundwater. It does need to get fixed”.

Bernier and the rally putting more pressure on the Town, the Town Council agreed to talk about the matter on February 2. With the vote 4-3 the Town Council decided to take ownership of the CGA site. Town officials stated being in favor of the foreclosure “will make it easier to obtain funding to clean up the property used by CGA”. Councilors Gordon Paul, Kevin Chabot and Alan Walsh and Chairman Joseph Hanslip all voted for the foreclosure of the CGA site.

Environmental Protection Agency has been in contact with the Town of Sanford and is now stating that the town needs a plan for the CGA site before the cleanup funds can be approved. H. Curtis Spalding, regional administrator for EPA Region 1, “suggested that the Town of Sanford needs to determine potential future uses for the 17-acre property and then seek funding sources through the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (U.S. HUD), and other sources that may have funding for redevelopment”.

Some suggested sites for the 17-acre property were a recreation area, baseball fields and maybe a “multiuse building” that could be used for an ice-skating rink.

A clean-up grant from the Brownfields program could help clean the property by partnering with the town but it only qualifies the contaminated soils, not the rest of the trash that would have to be cleaned up first. It is an estimated $343,620 to remove and dispose the computer circuit boards, $524,096 to excavate, transport the contaminated soil where only $200,000 would be funded by the Brownfields grant.

Attention being brought to the CGA site and passionate people like Bernier behind the issue, we should start to see great things for the former CGA property.

Radio Script

Radio Script

With the start of their engines

 The University of Maine Automotive Enthusiasts Club with hold their annual Maine Day cruise on April 28.

Maine Day is their biggest event and it plans to be a fun filled day event this year as well.

At 10 am members will met at The University of Maine’s parking lot next to the football fields.

The event will last until late afternoon.

First time members are welcomed to join.

The event will consist of breakfast, driving to Acadia National Park, go-karting and lunch at Geddy’s pub.

If you would like more information about Maine Day or the Automotive club please feel free to visit their folder on first class or contact Alysha Steltzer.

CGA Site

SANFORD- People like to live in towns that don’t have many “eyesores” and the town members of Sanford feel the same way. The 17-acre former CGA site on New Dam Road has been a dump for many years.

With the use of harsh chemicals, used computers were torn apart to remove the copper from the circuit boards. The company up and left the property leaving a mess for the town. 8,000 cubic yards of circuit boards has to be removed along with huge tanks, plastic pipes, trash and other materials. The abandoned buildings would also have to be taken down and trashed or recycled. There is also an estimated three acres of contaminated soil to be cleaned.

Environmental Protection Agency has been in contact with the Town of Sanford and is now stating that the town needs a plan for the CGA site before the cleanup funds can be approved. H. Curtis Spalding, regional administrator for EPA Region 1, “suggested that the Town of Sanford needs to determine potential future uses for the 17-acre property and then seek funding sources through the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (U.S. HUD), and other sources that may have funding for redevelopment”.

Some suggested sites for the 17-acre property were a recreation area, baseball fields and maybe a “multiuse building” that could be used for an ice-skating rink.

A clean-up grant from the Brownfields program could help clean the property by partnering with the town but it only qualifies the contaminated soils, not the rest of the trash that would have to be cleaned up first. It is an estimated $343,620 to remove and dispose the computer circuit boards, $524,096 to excavate, transport the contaminated soil where only $200,000 would be funded by the Brownfields grant.

It’s been over twenty years and the town realizes it’s time to get rid of this huge “eyesore” and turn it into something beautiful and useful to the community. With a plan in the works funding will start shortly after then clean-up can begin.

(First Draft)

Maine Day Cruise

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

February 19, 2010

Contact: Alysha Steltzer
University of Maine
98 A North Main Ave
Orono, ME 04473
Phone: 207-459-4616
Email: Alysha.steltzer@umit.maine.edu

“Maine Day Cruise”

ORONO, Maine-- The University of Maine Automotive Enthusiasts Club (UMAE) will be hosting their annual Maine Day event April 28, 2010. The Maine Day cruise is the largest event held by UMAE; were both current and alumni members are welcomed to join in on the event.

UMAE has a folder on first class for many years but current member numbers have dropped the past two years. UMAE hopes to regain members in a series of events before Maine Day although first time members are welcome to join on the day of the Maine Day event.

University of Maine cancels all classes on Maine Day and many clubs hold different events for the student body to participate in. UMAE offers a series of events that start in Orono and end in Bar Harbor.

On April 28^th at 10 a.m. members met at the university parking lot next to the football field to start the day. Next driving down I-95 to Brewer to eat breakfast at McDonalds. After breakfast five minute drive up the street for an event of go-karting. After go-karting the members drive in Acadia National Park and drive up Cadillac Mountain. The drive is very scenic and relaxing. After everyone has taken in the views of the park, drive down the mountain and to Bar Harbor where members can eat lunch at Geddy’s pub. After lunch UMAE event is over and members can do whatever they like. They can drive back to Orono, stay in Bar Harbor or take in Acadia’s beautiful landscape.

Students that wish to join UMAE just have to introduce themselves in the UMAE first class folder and will start getting information on events. You don’t need to own a nice car to join, just the interest in cars is enough.

Look forward to meeting some of you on Maine Day.

From,



Alysha M. Steltzer
Vice President-Secretary UMAE  

Eyes of a Vegetarian

Seth Toothaker is twenty-four years old originally from Brunswick, Maine and is currently living in Orono, Maine attending college. Toothaker enjoys life to the fullest and is very passionate about his surroundings. His friends describe him as a great listener and a great friend. He has an open mind and loves listening to others opinions even if they don’t agree with his own. 

He feels very strongly on how animals are treated by humanity which is when he made the choice to become a vegetarian. Toothaker hasn’t eaten meat in a few years and he couldn’t be happier. He also is slowly eliminating dairy products from his food group by drinking soy milk.

Graduated from Brunswick High School in 2004, Toothaker is now a fourth year student at the University of Maine double majoring in food science and human nutrition; and philosophy. Toothaker is very passionate about both of his majors. He states that he was “awakened to the world of philosophy, and I really enjoy studying it”. When he was “awakened” to philosophy is when he made the choice to become a vegetarian. Toothaker said he became a vegetarian because of the cruelty to animals society puts them through and he had a crush on his first philosophy teacher at UMaine.

Toothaker is an employee of the University of Maine as an organic chemistry tutor. Chemistry isn’t even his major but Toothaker did well in his classes and was asked by his professor to tutor the spring ’10 semester. He loves helping others learn a hard subject and do well in their classes. The only down side to tutoring Toothaker jokes is that he had to sign a contract with the school restricting him from dating any female he tutors.

Basketball is Toothaker’s favorite activity to watch and play. His next favorite hobby is working out where you can find him every day after class lifting weights and in the pool at the schools’ rec center. Toothaker reads philosophy books to help learn everything he can about the subject. One of his favorites is The Philosophy of Civilization by Albert Schweitzer.

At the end of the day Toothaker likes to sit in his room surfing the internet, watching TV and drinking a cold beer. One of his favorite quotes is from Kung Fu Panda “one often meets his destiny on the road he takes to avoid it”. 

James Bond in Blue Uniform

CMJ 236 4.1

It’s a technology gathering of 65 companies showing their latest gadgets that James Bond would be proud of.  Cindy Williams, anchor for WLBZ2, reports on the story gadgets make police work easier, safer that can be found as a video on the WLBZ2 website. Companies show casing their latest crime fighting gadgets for the police force to   do their jobs better, more efficient and safer.

The event took place in South Portland about three hours from Orono but I feel this story is still local. If law enforcement bought a new technology it would spread to other law enforcements in the state. I consider it local news as well because people in Orono or South Portland would like to know about law enforcement since drivers are aware of police every time they drive.

After watching the newscast and paying attention to the writing if I was the editor I don’t believe I would of changed much of the writing content. Williams is very engaging with interviewing what we assume is someone involved with the police department, Williams doesn’t introduce him. That’s one thing I would add, introducing the man Williams interviews and mention it’s in South Portland or Southern Maine.

With an interview story when there’s back to back dialog there isn’t much writing style that an editor can play with. It has to get the audiences attention and make them feel engaged as if they were standing with Williams looking at different type of law enforcement gadgets.

As an editor I would make changes to William’s tone of voice and change some of the verb tenses on the script before air. First thing views see is police lights which catch people’s attention already that’s why police cars have them. Then the audio kicks in with Williams saying “whoa”. Then she continues with her report that “there’s nothing that gets your attention like lights!” This is the only sentence that really bugs me because I feel it’s kind of childish, like Williams is trying to keep a five year olds attention with flashing lights. Changing it to ‘companies are working on making police lights brighter to catch your attention better’ would be more effective to the viewers.

I enjoyed the references to Back to the Future and James Bond mentioned in the report. The medium age of WLBZ2 viewers almost all grew up with those two movies or at least heard of them. It makes the report more relatable and personal.

This report is written well and I wouldn’t have changed much if I was the editor. If this report was to be written for a newspaper I would change much more but for broadcast it holds up pretty well.

Gadgets Make Police Work Easier, Safer

http://www.wlbz2.com/video/default.aspx#/Local/Gadgets+make+police+work+easier%2C+safer/49383985001/49452227001/64920244001