Muskie School of Public Service

Muskie in the News

2005

January 13, 2005
As partner to a 15 state project studying the effects of urbanization on farming, Professor Mark Lapping spoke with the Daily Nebraskan, saying, "Increasingly, farmers are finding it very difficult to maintain their farmland base, especially those in the rural-urban fringe areas around cities, where the pressures of sprawl appear to be the greatest."

February 24, 2005
Professor Evan Richert discussed with the Times Record Brunswick's plan to endorse a regional project aimed at reducing traffic congestion, improving road safety and preserving scenic character along a 100-mile stretch of U.S. Route 1. Richert is serving as a consultant for the project.

March 24 & 25, 2005
The Bangor Daily News and the Portland Press Herald reported on the release of the 2004 Crime & Justice Data Book, published by the Maine Statistical Analysis Center (housed at the Muskie School). The author of the report, Mark Rubin of the Muskie School, is quoted.

April 18, 2005
A front page article on the problems facing Maine and its aging population appeared in MaineBiz. Professor Charlie Colgan is quoted as saying: "The defining issue of Maine policy going forward will be the war between health care and education."

May 3, 2005
The Kennebec Journal reports on Professor Charlie Colgan's advice to members of the state's Taxation Committee concerning the future of tax reform in Maine. Colgan recommends diversifying revenue sources that rely too heavily on automobile sales and construction goods.

June 10, 2005
Professor Mark Lapping was interviewed by Howard Berkes for a story on National Public Radio's Morning Edition entitled "Rural Maine Towns Give Up on Self Government." The story is available in the Archives section of the National Public Radio web site.

June 16, 2005
Project coordinator Elise Scala discussed with the Portland Press Herald the goals of a three year program focused on improving patient care and care-giving for the elderly in Maine. "We're looking at changing the culture, both for the workers and residents, so they experience more of a home environment," Scala said. The Muskie School is working on public education for the program, which will be run by the Northern New England LEADS Institute.

September 7, 2005
In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, Professor Jack Kartez submitted an op-ed to the Portland Press Herald in which he discusses how much of the knowledge gained over the years concerning how to handle disasters is rarely used. The full text of this article can be found here.

October 7, 2005
As reported in an article appearing in the Kennebec Journal, Muskie Senior Policy Analyst Larry Glantz is working with the state on a four-year project to increase employment among those with disabilities. According to a survey conducted in April, only 12% of Maine businesses said that they were employing someone with a mental or physical disability.