Posts Categorized: News

Congrats to 2015 Cajun Cookin’ Challenge Champs, Bintliff’s American Cafe. Bintliff’s, soon to be renamed Bayside American Cafe, served a Gumbo with Chicken and Andouille Sausage with Mini Corn Cakes. Tasty!

Want to read our “End Of Year” newsletter? Catch up on the latest WMPG news including features on WMPG winning 3 Maine Association of Broadcaster Awards, WMPG’s Kate Manahan and her program New Mainers Speak, our new mission statement, our new web page and much more!

In October, WMPG began airing daily morning news Monday through Friday. Volunteer news anchors now present news breaks at 7 and 8am each day within existing morning music programs. State and local headlines are written and read by the volunteer anchors, and original reports created by WMPG volunteer reporters.

Many people think that planned giving is a difficult process and only something that wealthy people can do. In reality, planned giving is easy to do and a great opportunity to leave a legacy for future generations. Planned giving, or gift planning, enables individuals to make larger gifts to nonprofits and charities than they normally could make from their income. Depending on the type of gift chosen, an individual may enjoy tax benefits, secure a lifetime income stream and provide additional income for heirs. These gifts, while planned now, help ensure that the voice of WMPG Community Radio will be alive and well for years to come.

19th Annual WMPG CD/Record Sale happens on Saturday, November 8th at the USM Portland Sullivan Gym. Runs from 10am to 3pm.

We are still accepting CD/Records/Turntables/Amplifiers & Speakers as donations for the sale! Call (207) 780-4424 or e-mail the

On Monday, October 20, WMPG Community Radio presented the 12th Annual Bluegrass Spectacular at One Longfellowsquare . Local Bluegrass legends, Tumbling Bones, The Grassholes, the Jerks of Grass performed. WMPG’s Ceci Gilson, host of Thursday’s “Kitchen Party” program was MC the evening. Doors opened at 6 PM and the place quickly filled to near capacity! Thanks to everyone who came to the show and especially the bands who were stupendous! All proceeds from the Bluegrass Spectacular benefited…

WMPG volunteers have won three awards from the Maine Association of Broadcasters. Each year the MAB recognizes and honors the best work of Maine-based broadcasters through their annual News and Creative Awards. Entries come from both commercial and and non- commercial broadcasters, including Maine Public Broadcasting.

First a huge thanks to everyone who donated to the Fall Begathon. Without all the help from all you wonderful listeners, area businesses, volunteers on the phones and of course the fantastic programmers we wouldn’t have had a Fall Begathon! To date 831 donors have pledged $41,049! Wow – we do love begathons and this one was very exciting with all the happenings going on around USM!

On Friday morning, 9/12, USM Interim President David Flanagan visited the WMPG studios and spoke with long-time volunteer host Steve Hirshon about the challenges USM faces this year. The interview will air on WMPG this Monday morning, 9/15, from 8 to 8:30am, and is also available for download here.

Twenty-five years ago then WMPG Program Director Ed Noyes loved blues music. He loved it so much he created the WMPG Evenin’ Sun program, MPG’s flaghip blues show still heard six nights a week from 5-7pm. He also took his love of blues to another level, helping create the Southern Maine Blues Society. To make this love complete he opened his own nightclub called Morganfields which brought the best national blues acts to Portland. The…

WMPG in partnership with Local Sprouts Cooperative, presented a screening of an acclaimed social justice documentaryShadows of Liberty about corporate control of the mass media. All proceeds from ticket sales benefited WMPG.

Thanks goes out to everyone who joined us on Tuesday May 20th for pizza or two at Flatbread Pizza on Commercial Street in Portland. Flatbread donated $3.50 to WMPG for each pizza ordered between 5-9pm! Yea! Thanks Flatbread Pizza for supporting WMPG and all the other non-profits you support as part of this project!

Another huge thanks goes out to everyone who came out and supported WMPG at our 10th Annual WMPG Fashion Show Benefit! It featured local fashion designers presenting their works in a fast-paced, high fashion setting with a hometown touch. It all took place at Port City Music Hall in Portland. The show included entertainment by Dark Follies Vaudeville theHoop Vixzens plus live music by The Moodiest. A huge thanks to The Foo Crew who were there and filmed the entire show…

40 years ago Howard Allen was attending USM, then known as UMPG, and was instrumental in creating WMPG!Thanks Howard! On 4/23/14 we had a live broadcast event and community gathering to celebrate the station’s 40th Birthday. Howard attended and was interviewed by longtime WMPG’er Jessica Lockhart. Click here to listen to the Howard Allen interview The celebration started at 10am with an hour of special programming originating from the station’s studios. Howard dropped in then and was one of many to stop by. The…

On Thursday, November 21st, WMPG broadcast USM Edtalks live from USM’s Hannaford Hall. This was a chance for the USM community to speak to a panel of Maine Senate and House Representatives about the rising cost of education, budget cuts and the future of public higher education in Maine. The forum was co-hosted by USM Student Government, The Free Press, WMPG, and the USM Executive Director of Student Life & Dean of Students. The moderator…

Lars – WMPG’s host of You’ll Dance To Anything, Sundays 9-11pm also presents us with Gallery Talk, a 2 minute arts module heard weekly on WMPG. He also provides it in a blog format. Gallery Talk can be heard Thursdays 7:00am, 5:00pm & 8:30pm on WMPG! Or check out the blog at gallerytalk-lars.blogspot.com

Rachel Talbot Ross is the State Director of the Maine NAACP, and President of the NAACP’s Portland Branch. This morning, Ms. Talbot Ross visited the WMPG studios to participate an audio project being prepared for a MLK Day radio special. She talked with WMPG Volunteer Reporter Lorenzo Raffa about today’s response from Maine Governor Paul LePage to invitations from the Maine NAACP to attend events honoring Dr. Martin Luther King. If you would like to…

No need to growl…just give us a whistle… we’ll come fetch it! Make no bones about it…donating your car will make WMPG howl with delight! If your car has an engine and is towable… and you have the title, call 1-888-WMPG-AUTO to see if your old wheels may be eligible for a tax deductible donation to WMPG. You make the call… and we take care of the rest! WMPG has teamed up with the friendly…

Lee Auto Malls One of the first things I noticed when I stepped into Board Chairman Adam Lee’s office was the beautiful nature photography displayed on the walls. Turns out it’s his work. But more about that later. First, I was interested in finding out how a business partnership that started with a handful of used cars on consignment, and about $1,000, became a company with 14 new car franchises, 13 used car dealerships, and the highest volume…

We are proud to report that WMPG’s own Blunt Youth Radio program was featured on the WCSH 207 program. The Blunt Youth Radio Project produces a weekly call-in talk show that airs Monday nights from 7:30-8:30 on WMPG, Southern Maine Community Radio. High school age youth from the Portland area, both free and incarcerated, staff the show. Blunt Members are trained in all areas of radio production: interviewing, hosting, reporting, editing, and engineering. The show has won several Gold and…