Jennifer Rooks

4 days ago | mainepublic.org | Jennifer Rooks |Cindy Han

As Head Start marks its 60th anniversary, we examine how this federal program provides education to young children from low-income backgrounds in Maine—as well as support services to their families. What is Head Start's reach in Maine, and what is the lasting value of early childhood education? We'll also find out how federal actions are affecting Head Start and other Maine programs for children and families in need.

5 days ago | mainepublic.org | Jennifer Rooks |Cindy Han

Covering more than a million acres, Maine's Allagash Wilderness Waterway is the largest undeveloped watershed east of the Rockies. It's home to precious wildlife and is popular for outdoor recreation. A new guidebook presents the ecology and history of the waterway, and what changes are in store for this ecosystem in the face of climate change and other threats.

1 week ago | mainepublic.org | Jennifer Rooks

For Mother's Day, we explore the idea of what it means to raise children and nurture life. In her new book, Mother, Creature, Kin: What We Learn from Nature's Mothers in a Time of Unraveling, essayist Chelsea Steinauer-Scudder asks: "What can other-than-human creatures teach us about mothering, belonging, caregiving, loss, and resiliency?" She writes about living beings—whether owls, whales, or plants—and how we all share a need to protect our natural world.

1 week ago | mainepublic.org | Jennifer Rooks |Cindy Han

Maine's Sabbathday Lake Shaker Village is the only active Shaker community in the United States. The New Gloucester-based village provides visitors a glimpse into the history and traditions of the Shaker religious sect, which prioritizes simple, communal living, as well as celibacy and pacifism. Recent federal funding cuts threaten the completion of the Shaker Village's "Herb House" cultural center.

3 weeks ago | mainepublic.org | Jennifer Rooks |Jonathan Smith

A recent report by the Nationhood Lab found that despite a divisive climate, Americans share certain ideals, rooted in the Declaration of Independence. We’ll learn about these shared beliefs—and whether it’s possible to harness them to heal national strife. Panelist:Colin Woodard, director, Nationhood Lab, with the Pell Center for International Relations and Public Policy; contributing writer, Politico; state and national affairs writer, Portland Press HeraldTheodore R.