The West End News Podcast

Every Month PelotonLabs founder Liz Trice interviews a community member for The West End News. This month Liz caught up with Seven Siegel (they/them), a Town Councilor in Gorham to discuss the pending Gorham Connector transportation project. 

In this podcast hosted by PelotonPosts' Liz Trice, advocates Jess Falero and Cullen Ryan discuss unsheltered homelessness in Portland, Maine. Conversation ranges from the state of encampments as of January 2024, to issues of trauma and drug use, to what could be done with $10 million. 
Content Disclosure: This podcast contains frank and open discussions and stories about sensitive topics, including homelessness, medical trauma, physical violence, harassment, and drug use. We strive to be respectful and considerate but acknowledge that some listeners may find certain content upsetting or challenging. Names have been removed to protect confidentiality.

Freelance journalist and WEN Contributor Colin Monahan interviews Maine teenagers and Sudanese Americans who visited the Darfur region just weeks before the current conflict began.  The discussion is wide ranging from food, culture, women’s roles, to security and crime. Part 2 featuring El Fadel Arbab and his story will be released December 2023. Thank you for listening to independent media.

Tony talks to Nancy Dorrans, a West End resident, travel agent, and regular contributor to The West End News Adventure Travel page. They discuss the upcoming Adventure Travel Trade Association’s AdventureELEVATE 2023 - coming to Portland, Maine May 9th – 11th. This event will promote Maine as an adventure travel destination. They also talk about current travel industry trends including sustainable travel and cultural emersion.

Wes Pelletier from Maine DSA gets extremely honest on the failed minimum wage campaign as well as the successful campaign to protect tenants’ rights in Portland. Along the way we ask if Portland City Council is “progressive”, how to get service workers involved in organizing, and the potential future for tenants’ unions in the city.

Freelance journalist Colin Monahan joins WEN publisher and editor Tony Zeli to discuss Portland Ballot Question D, which proposes to raise Portland's minimum wage and eliminate the tip credit. Colin - who is a server in Portland - recently interviewed restaurant workers in the West End and talked to organizers behind the ballot initiative. Join Colin and Tony as they break down Question D, look at what effects it could have for workers, and examine the issue's popularity among voters.