The Southern Maine Report: Recent Episodes
Cameron Autry
The Southern Maine Report is a conversation style podcast hosted by Cameron Autry featuring writers, creative types, business owners, advocates, and more of Southern Maine's finest. New episodes release every other Monday.
Gus Alivizatos, formerly a Baltimore attorney, moved to Maine several years ago for a quieter, calmer life with a greater connection to nature. He now operates Lucky Lou's food truck, offering damn good Greek cuisine throughout Southern Maine.
Gus tells about his journey from lawyer to food truck entrepreneur, detailing why slinging gyros has offered a better life than slinging real estate contracts.
Check out Lucky Lou's here.
Emma Rose is a fiction writer, marketer, and entrepreneur. Her books cover fantasy, speculation, and mythological weirdness. She has published two novels of her own through her independent publishing house, Imperative Press Books, in addition to an anthology titled Paul Bunyan Wears a Face Mask, which chronicles the experiences of different Mainers through the Covid-19 pandemic.
Emma walked us through her childhood in rural Maine, the tragedy of losing her cousin at an early age, and traveling throughout the world - all while detailing how these events influenced and motivated her writings. We also talk about the flourishing independent publishing community.
Learn more about Emma and buy her books here.
Jason DeWald is an audio engineer, producer, and the man behind Audio Evolutions, a local audio production company. He's also the host of the Maine Experience Podcast (which you should listen to).
He joins the pod to chat about all the things that make Portland, Maine the cool place it is - which really consist of an abundance of places to eat at and get drunk. We also talk about his podcast, his move from Florida to Maine, life under Covid, and more.
Angela Okafor is a Nigerian born immigrant and practicing attorney. She also holds a seat on the Bangor City Council and owns two small business in Bangor. She joins the pod to talk about her experiences finding work when she first immigrated to the United States, the complexities of American immigration laws, starting an international market in Bangor, and what issues matter to her the most as a local politician.
This episode is jam packed with kernels of wisdom on how to succeed in life and stay motivated. As they say in Nigeria, “There are two options: Succeed and Succeed.”
Michael Hillard is a professor of economics at the University of Southern Maine. His scholarly work focuses on macroeconomics, labor history, and the production of food under capitalism. He joins the pod to breakdown the current economic fiasco of Covid-19 induced mass unemployment, the federal government response, and what more should be done to fully remedy the situation.
Hillard has a new book - Shredding Paper: The Rise and Fall of Maine's Mighty Paper Industry - slated for release in 2021. You should probably stop what you're doing right now and set a reminder to buy it when it drops. Anything less would be foolish beyond belief - and a mistake to hang over your head for the rest of your life.
Kerry Landry is a cannabis enthusiast, artist, and one of the hosts of the Maine Potcast, a podcast spotlighting growers, caregivers, and happenings within the Maine cannabis industry and culture.
I, Cameron, barely prepared for this episode at all and let Kerry and I’s common appreciation for the green goddess guide us through the podcast.
We ended up talking about the Maine Potcast, the nefarious actions of the Wellness Connection, a writer we both love who if I named here would get us both cancelled immediately, and best practices for parents using cannabis. As Kerry says, he probably would have never played such an in-depth, multi-hour reenactment of WWII with his son without the assistance of the magic herb.
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Robert Diamante is a photographer, marketer, and creative writer based out of Bangor, Maine. He’s the power behind Berlian Arts, a digital marketing agency for artists and crafters. In addition to Robert telling us about how he got started in his career, we talk about travel, New York City and Berlin nightlife, various small yet totally cool towns throughout Maine, and other topics, that if I included in the description, would surely take us out of the algorithm.
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Learn more about Robert Diamante
https://robertdiamante.com/
https://www.berlianarts.com/
Ben Moore is a photographer, jiu jitsu enthusiast, and content creator who works with breweries throughout Maine. Follow his Instagram page to catch The Active Beer Show, his daily 6pm live streams with himself and the coolest of the cats in the craft beer world.
Ben comes on the pod to talk all things Maine craft beer. However, we also find a way to talk about Dragon Ball Z, Joe Rogan, Elon Musk, and coronavirus among other topics.
Friends, stay tuned for the ride.
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Check out Ben and his work
Website
Joseph Urtuzuastegui is a local chef and restaurateur who along with his wife Laura own and operate El Corazón - a popular Mexican restaurant in downtown Portland. Joe talks about learning how to cook from his mother, the fascinating story behind El Corazón, his run-ins with celebrity chefs, operating a restaurant during the Covid pandemic, among other food related topics. He also graciously takes some time to share some valuable cooking hacks to help elevate your homemade quarantine cuisine.
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Mike Wilson and Emily Nodine are medical marijuana caregivers and the husband and wife business duo behind Maine Craft Cannabis. After working for several years as mechanical engineers, Mike and Emily decided they wanted to try something new - and they successfully transitioned into growing weed full time. We talk about their business story, the benefits of cannabis, life in the quarantine, and the ways in which buying weed has changed over the years.
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Chris Busby is the editor of Mainer (formerly The Bollard), a monthly news-and-art magazine with a wide circulation and following throughout Maine. Chris returns to the podcast to fill us in on how local businesses are coping with the economic shock induced by the Covid-19 pandemic, the inadequacies of the federal government’s attempt to prop up small businesses, and about the psychological toll of the pandemic on humanity.
It’s always a blast to talk with Chris - and despite the heaviness of the conversation, he also reflects upon the fact that he gets to spend more time with family, more people are reconnecting in general, and how his work keeps him motivated.
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Learn more about Chris Busby and Mainer News
Mainer News
Stacy Mitchell is a senior researcher and co-director of the Institute for Local Self-Reliance, a nonprofit that advocates for strengthening local businesses. Stacy is also known as an authority on the abuses of power of big tech companies - Amazon, in particular.
Last summer, she testified before the United States House Judiciary Committee on the monopoly power of Amazon and other tech giants. Her book, The Big Box Swindle, lays out how mega-retailers have been reshaping the economy at the peril of the working class.
This episode is slam packed with unique insights on Amazon’s unscrupulous actions. Stacy tells us the ways in which Amazon influences politics, stifles worker’s rights, and exerts monopoly power over the e-commerce sector at the expense of smaller businesses.
We all love the 2 day delivery, low prices, and ease of shopping that Amazon provides - but all of that convenience comes with a heavy price for society to pay.
It’s not all doom and gloom, though. Stacy details several actionable steps the government could take to reign in on Amazon’s monopoly power.
Note This podcast was recorded in February 2020 - right before the COVID-19 outbreak.
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Learn more about Stacy Mitchell and the Institute for Local Self-Reliance
Stacy’s Website
The Institute for Local Self-Reliance
Oren Gersten M.D. of Portland Direct Primary Care is a family physician practicing medicine in the greater Portland area. In this episode of the podcast, Dr. Oren shares his thoughts on staying healthy and well - both physically and mentally - during the COVID-19 outbreak. We also talk about how Maine might fare through the pandemic compared to other states, how the immune system and antiviral drugs work, the importance of sleep, among other topics.
Disclaimer: This podcast is for general informational purposes only. It does not constitute the practice of medicine or other health care services including the giving of medical advice. No doctor patient relationship is formed. The use of this information and the materials linked to this podcast is at the listeners own risk. The content on this podcast is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Listeners should not delay in obtaining medical advice from any medical condition they have, and they should seek the assistance of a health care professional for any such conditions.
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Learn more about Dr. Oren and Portland Direct Primary Care
Website
Dave Aceto is a co-owner and co-founder of Arcadia National Bar, an arcade with full bar service and food located on 24 Preble Street in Portland. Dave talks about the struggles of operating a bar and arcade, life in downtown Portland, and the importance of offering employees paid sick leave, among several other topics.
Disclaimer: This episode was recorded on March 13th 2020, and most of the recent events caused by the COVID-19 pandemic -including government orders for bars and restaurants to close - were not discussed.
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Arcadia National Bar
Website
Mathew Anderson is the lead vocalist and guitarist for Livid Orange, a four piece rock band from Northern Maine. Livid Orange is known for mixing blues with hard rock, and their sound has been compared to Led Zeppelin and Pearl Jam. In this episode of The Southern Maine Report, Mathew talks about starting the band, performing live, his experiences hitchhiking and train-hopping, social media, the cultural oddities of Maine, and much more.
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Marty Grohman is the host of the Grow Maine Show podcast and the executive director of E2Tech, an organization dedicated to expanding Maine's clean energy sector. Marty also served two terms as a representative in the Maine State House from 2014 to 2018, and is known as a voice for start-ups and entrepreneurship in Maine. Marty and I talk about exciting new tech companies popping up in Maine, our experiences podcasting, his tenure in the State House, climate issues and more.
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Learn more about Marty Grohman:
The Grow Maine Show: https://growmaineshow.com/
E2Tech: https://e2tech.org/
Nancy Marshall is the founder and CEO of Marshall Communications, a PR and marketing firm from Augusta that works with businesses throughout Maine and beyond. Nancy also hosts her own podcast - the PR Maven Podcast - that spotlights business leaders and the tips and advice they have to offer fellow entrepreneurs and marketers. Nancy talks about her career, strategies for staying productive and managing stress, and the difficulties and benefits of operating a business in Maine.
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Learn more about Nancy: https://www.marshallpr.com/
James Harder is a float tank enthusiast and a board member of the Float Tank Association. James, along with his wife Amy, own and operate Float Harder Relaxation Center, a float tank center located on 500 Washington Avenue. James and I talk at length about the history, benefits, and common experiences of floating. If you're not familiar with floating, it's a way of blocking all external stimuli by floating in an enclosed tank filled with epsom salt. This is typically in a dark, soundless setting, and is used to achieve mental clarity, to practice mindfulness, to recover from physical stress or trauma, and various other reasons. James also talks about what is was like to start and grow a business, his experiences hitch-hiking, and human optimization.
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Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/floatharder/?hl=en
Website: https://www.floatharder.com/
James Fereira is a local food writer with the West End News and man about Portland. James has a background in exploring ancient ruins, quilting, and making Easter eggs. In his spare time, he enjoys walking in the rain and questioning authority. In this episode of the Southern Maine Report, James and I talk about his experiences living in Maine, the Portland food and beverage scene, and more Maine and Southern Maine related happenings.
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Learn more about James Fereira:
https://thewestendnews.com/author/jamesfereira/
Tony Zeli is the editor of the West End News and sits on the board of Portland Buy Local. In this episode of The Southern Maine Report, Tony comes back for the threepeat to talk about the role he played as an advocate who successfully fought to decriminalize marijuana in Portland. Despite this success, as Tony warns, there is still a long road ahead to a fully legal, federally approved adult recreational marijuana industry. We talk about marijuana legalization in Maine, Maine's cultural uniqueness, and touched on climate change and artificial intelligence as well.
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Read the West End News
https://thewestendnews.com/
Dave Patterson is a local novelist, musician, and the former beer columnist for the Portland Press Herald. His first book, Soon the Light Will Be Perfect, which takes place in Vermont and depicts the struggles of a family at its breaking point, is available at local bookstores throughout Southern Maine. In this episode of The Southern Maine Report, Dave talks about his experiences growing up in rural Vermont, his writing process, the cultural oddities that make Portland so unique, and about the Maine craft beer industry.
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Learn more about Dave Patterson
Personal website: https://davidrpatterson.me/
Tanner Campbell is a podcaster and the proprietor of the Portland Pod, the first podcasting studio in Maine. In this episode of The Southern Maine Report, Tanner expands on how he came up with the idea to start a podcast studio and the journey he went through to open his business. It wasn’t easy, but with a tremendous amount of effort - and a ton of hours - Tanner pulled off turning a passion into a career. The conversation also dived into philosophy for a brief moment, and took some more random turns here and there in typical Southern Maine Report fashion.
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Learn more about the Portland Pod: https://portlandpod.com/
Dan Nuemann is a reporter with the Maine Beacon, the news arm of the Maine People's Alliance, a progressive advocacy organization. Prior, he served as a Peace Corp Volunteer in Gambia before working as a freelance reporter throughout East Africa. In this episode of The Southern Maine Report, Dan recounts his experiences in Africa, sifts through some of the causes of poverty and conflict in the continent, and ponders a few solutions along the way.
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Follow Dan Nuemann here:
Maine Beacon: https://mainebeacon.com/author/dan-neumann/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/DanNeumann35
Sarah Paton is a naturopathic doctor that practices out of a home office in the West End of Portland. Naturopathic doctors use conventional methods to diagnose diseases yet offer more natural treatments that are typically grounded in nutrition, promoting a healthier lifestyle, herbal remedies, and homeopathy among many others. Sarah talks about becoming a naturopathic doctor, how emotional stress can manifest itself with physical ailment, the microbiome, the unhealthy side effects of living in a workaholic, productivity centered culture, and homeopathy.
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Learn more about Sarah Paton N.D.
https://drsarahpaton.com/
Jackson McLeod is a cofounder and co-owner of Atlantic Farms, a medical marijuana store in Portland, Maine that also sells gas and snacks. Jackson talks about coming up the idea to sell marijuana and gas in the same business, the landscape of the medical and recreational marijuana markets in Maine, and about Jackson's experiences operating an aquaponics farm. Aquaponics is a sustainable method of growing vegetables and farming fish. The waste produced by the fish serves as nutrients for the plants, which then purify the water. Learn all about marijuana in Maine, Jackson McLeod, and sustainable farming techniques in this episode of The Southern Maine Report.
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Learn more about Atlantic Farms: https://theatlanticfarms.com/
Tony Zeli is the editor of the West End News and the first return guest on The Southern Maine Report. Tony dives deep into why Portland Mayor Ethan Strimling, the city council, and City Manager John Jennings just can’t seem to get along. As Tony details, it has a lot to do with the ambiguous language of the Portland city charter. Tony and I also talk about the housing crisis and the Portland mayoral election, which will take place on November 5th.
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Learn more about Tony Zeli and the West End News:
https://thewestendnews.com/
Rich Brooks is a Portland based entrepreneur. His company, Flyte New Media, provides digital marketing services for other business, in particular Maine businesses. He is also a fellow Maine podcaster and hosts two podcasts: Agents of Change, a digital marketing themed podcast, and Fast Forward Maine, a podcast he cohosts with his partner Yury Nabokov that highlights effective business practices for Maine businesses. Rich talks about his journey as an early web designer in the 90s to becoming a business leader in the Portland, Maine area, the business climate in Maine, and trends in the Internet landscape.
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Learn more about Rich Brooks and Flyte New Media
https://www.takeflyte.com/
https://www.theagentsofchange.com/
https://fastforwardmaine.com/
Judson Merrill is a fiction writer and teaches English courses at the University of Southern Maine. Merrill's work can be found in The Iowa Review, Chicago Review, The Massachusetts Review, The Southhampton Review, Unstuck, among other publications. Judson talks about his daily writing habits, his distaste of the Internet saturated world, his forthcoming novel featuring sex robots in the future, and about the past and future of Portland and Maine.
Paul Kendrick is an advocate for child sex abuse victims. He tells his two decade long story of advocacy, starting with standing up for the victims of the Cheverus High School sexual abuse scandal of the late 1990s, to hounding local clergy implicit in abuse and coverups, to fighting for the restitution of victims in Haiti. He cofounded the Maine chapter of Voices of the Faithful, a support group for victims of clergy sexual abuse.
Kate McCarty is a food writer and author of two books, Portland Food: The Culinary Capitol of Maine and Distilled in Maine: A History of Libations, Temperance, and Craft Spirits. Kate's writings can be found on her blog, The Blueberry Files, as well as in Down East, Dispatch, Zest, and The Portland Phoenix. Kate and I talk about all things food and alcohol in Maine.
Aram Mitchell is the executive director of Renewal in the Wilderness, a Maine based non profit that harnesses the power of nature to combat burnout among care providing professionals, such as doctors, social workers, and faith leaders. We talked about nature in Maine, technological detox, burnout in the workplace, and other topics.
Mary Alice Scott is the executive director of Portland Buy Local, a nonprofit business development service geared towards helping small independent businesses. Prior, she played an instrumental role in helping the Portland Food Co-op gain membership and economic stability. We talk about the history of the Portland Food Co-op and Portland Buy Local, the benefits of buying from local independent businesses, and the cons of buying from Amazon and big box chains.
Chris Busby is the editor of Mainer (formerly The Bollard), an independent monthly publication and soon-to-be expanded online outlet that covers news, society, and art in Maine. Busby is known for writing in-depth, investigative stories that have exposed the corruption and wrongdoings of politicians, business people, and other bad actors in Maine. We talk about the transformation from The Bollard to Mainer, some of the most memorable stories broken by The Bollard, and ponder the future landscape of journalism in Maine and at large.
James Myall is a policy analyst at the Maine Center for Economic Policy. His work focuses on education, health care, and labor policies within Maine. James is also a historian and author of the book The Franco-Americans of Lewiston-Auburn. James and I spoke about education policies in Maine, the advantages of state sponsored health care programs over the private insurance system, the benefits of increased minimum wage, and workplace automation.
Kayleigh Calvert is a member of Portland Overdose Prevention Society (Portland OPS), a nongovernmental organization that aims to open the first of a kind overdose prevention site in Maine. Overdose prevention sites have been established in several European countries as well as Canada, and their operations have correlated with noticeably lower overdose rates in each country. Kayleigh and I talk about the potential benefits of establishing such a site in Portland, the roots of the opioid crisis, and why criminalization of drug users is not the appropriate response for dealing with drug abuse.
Dan Dinsmore is the executive director of the Maine Center for Public Interest Reporting, a nonprofit news agency that publishes under the name Pine Tree Watch. Dan and I talk about the current state of journalism in Maine, the polarization of politics and decline of civil discourse, and about the rise of nonprofit news agencies like Pine Tree Watch.
Oren Gersten M.D. is a primary care physician and owner of Portland Direct Primary Care. Instead of working with insurance companies, Portland Direct Primary Care offers primary care services covered by a low monthly fee. In this episode of The Southern Maine Report, Oren talks about the advantages of receiving care from Portland Direct Primary Care, ways in which the current health care system puts profit over people, and integrative medicine, a holistic approach to health care that considers nutrition, exercise, sleep, stress and other factors sometimes ignored by Western medicine that still contribute to overall health.
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Tom Handel is the executive director at the Portland Media Center and the president of the Maine Film Association. In this episode of The Southern Maine Report we spoke about public access television in Maine, filmmaking in Maine, the importance of independent media, and somehow ended up talking about the power of positive thinking.
Brendan Evans is the proprietor of Strange Maine, a Portland record shop and Congress St. institution known for its unique character and quirky selection of vintage media. In this episode of The Southern Maine Report Brendan spoke about opening the store in 2003, the cultural landscape of Portland now compared to twenty years ago, and current local venues that are supporting the Portland music and arts scene.
Tony Zeli is the editor and publisher of The West End News, an independent monthly publication available throughout the greater Portland area. In the first episode of The Southern Maine Report podcast Tony and I talked about the upcoming election for mayor of Portland, ideas about making Portland a car free city, the local housing crisis, and possible solutions to Maine’s workforce shortage.