Why we need art. In case you were wondering.

Jen Mercieca@jenmercieca.bsky.social · 6mo ago

Tragic beauty, only connect.

What loons teach us.

Cool to be asked to contribute to @niemanstoryboard.org's best of 2025: niemanstoryboard.org/2025/12/18/n...

Nieman Storyboard Best of 2025: Your favorite stories — and storytellers — of the year (Part 2) - Nieman Storyboard

Here are some of your favorite stories, books, podcasts, documentaries … and an audio magazine and a singer-songwriter

niemanstoryboard.org

Here's Part 2 of @niemanstoryboard.org's Best of 2025, as selected by the community. Thanks to everyone who shared their favorite stories, podcasts, books, and documentaries. niemanstoryboard.org/2025/12/18/n... #booksky #podcasts #longreads #documentary

Nieman Storyboard Best of 2025: Your favorite stories — and storytellers — of the year (Part 2) - Nieman Storyboard

Here are some of your favorite stories, books, podcasts, documentaries … and an audio magazine and a singer-songwriter

niemanstoryboard.org

#Maine has long been one of the most food-insecure states in New England and directors are saying ensuring people are fed is becoming even more challenging. To read more from @elaineagrant.bsky.social for free, click the link below.

Maine’s food pantries stare down volunteer shortage

At Neighbor’s Cupboard in Winterport, funding cuts aren’t the biggest challenge. It's keeping volunteers, especially as they get older.

themainemonitor.org

@elaineagrant.bsky.social shares her story on Neighbor's Cupboard, a #foodpantry in Winterport #Maine. Neighbor's Cupboard is facing a #volunteer shortage at a time when Maine food pantries are already facing diminishing food supplies and an increase in demand. themainemonitor.org/food-pantrie...

It's out! My story focuses on increasing demand, diminishing supply, and a hidden but very real problem -- the volunteers who run the nation's emergency food network are old. They're dedicated, warm, compassionate -- and aging out.

The Maine Monitor@themainemonitor.org · 11mo ago

We are partnering with @inn.org, and other outlets, to bring a series about what #foodinsecurity looks like in rural areas and how they are responding to rising costs and aid cuts. @elaineagrant.bsky.social's story on a #foodpantry in rural #Maine will be available to read on our website Sunday.

This weekend is the community holiday in midcoast Maine otherwise known as the Common Ground Fair. It's a wonderful phenomenon that makes you grateful for community spirit, organic farming, environmental goodness, great art draft horses, and, I hear, super-cute goats. #Maine #gardening

Thank you so much to everyone who came out to talk with us and the @midcoastvillager.bsky.social! If you haven't been able to join us on our Listening Tour to share your thoughts on how we serve you, you still can! Check out our Facebook page to see our next stops. Photos courtesy of John Blodgett.

What a great listening session led by @themainemonitor.org and @midcoastvillager.bsky.social in Belfast, Maine the other night!

The Maine Monitor@themainemonitor.org · 12mo ago

Thank you so much to everyone who came out to talk with us and the @midcoastvillager.bsky.social! If you haven't been able to join us on our Listening Tour to share your thoughts on how we serve you, you still can! Check out our Facebook page to see our next stops. Photos courtesy of John Blodgett.

One way to help resist authoritarianism is to be more deliberate about how we use language and whether it matches our intent — not just what we mean, but how the public understands it.

The flying public needs answers. How many FAA personnel were just fired? What positions? And why?

People doing the good work.

Library Innovation Lab@harvardlil.bsky.social · 2y ago

We just launched a 16TB archive of every dataset that has been available on data.gov since November. This will be updated day by day as new datasets appear. It can be freely copied, and we're sharing the code behind it to help others make their own archives of data they depend on.

I went to my Congressman's local office today. First off, they were surprised that I was there. They said they had been getting phone calls, but I was the first walk-in. That said, the phones were not ringing off the hook. If the DC phone lines are busy, try calling the local office.

I oversaw global health programs at @USAID. They reached 100s of millions of people, added 6 extra years to the lifespan of children in partner countries, and were eradicating health threats worldwide. What insanity and cruelty to break that.

“…bad policy has damaging consequences, whether or not Mr. Trump chooses to admit it. Mr. Trump can’t repeal the laws of economics any more than Joe Biden could on inflation.” - WSJ Editorial Board www.wsj.com/opinion/the-...

Opinion | The Dumbest Trade War Fallout Begins

Canada and Mexico vow retaliation in response to Trump’s tariffs, amid new economic uncertainty.

wsj.com

Grateful for the peacefulness of the snow in Maine this very particular morning.

Tomorrow noon east-coast time, 9am Pacific: we'll be here to talk about beloved community, power, storytelling, and enter this next era of US history together, heads held high, friends held close. www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gf_y...

I wonder how I might find the (ex(?)) Googler who made the Google Listen app, the company’s first foray into a podcast app from 2009. Would love to interview them and get their spot in podcast history. Dare I ask for a repost or two?

Happy holidays - a fun little thing I whipped up to celebrate great storytelling and learn seven easy techniques to bring your work alive - straight from The Night Before Christmas! Turns out that…

"Let me keep my distance, always, from those who think they have the answers. Let me keep company always with those who say 'Look!' and laugh in astonishment, and bow their heads." #poetry #poemoftheday

Reporter/producers who created the podcasts Extremely American, about Christian Nationalism, and The Alley: DC's 8th and H case, offer great advice for journalists interviewing reluctant sources. open.substack.com/pub/soundjud...

Don’t get stonewalled: How to interview people who don’t want to talk

It’s one thing to interview friendly sources and guests. But what about those who don’t trust you? Part 1 of a two-part issue on interviewing the reluctant source.

open.substack.com

New here - journalist, pub radio veteran, writer who dissects audio storytelling for a living. Trying my best to figure out how to serve in hard times.