Wednesday on the Morning Show

Maine comedian Bob Marley joined the show on this day before Thanksgiving, serving up plenty of laughs as the gang chewed over Thanksgiving traditions, the holiday season, and current events.

Rich Johnson of FOX News called from the White House, where President Bush was fulfilling a Thanksgiving tradition by pardoning a turkey. Johnson also discussed the other presidential pardons announced this week, which, as Ray noted, did not include border patrol agents Ignacio Ramos and Jose Compean, who are currently serving over a decade in prison for shooting and wounding an illegal alien drug smuggler.

Auburn Mayor John Jenkins visited the show to talk about local isses concerning his town, including the Wreaths Across America program, as well as his efforts to help residents pay for home heating oil.

Finally, Ray, Ted, and Bob talked turkey with "Mary" from the Butterball Turkey Hotline, which offers emergency advice and counseling to people trying to cook their Thanksgiving bird. (Do you need help with your turkey? Call 1-800-BUTTERBALL.)

Tuesday on the Morning Show

Today on the show, Elise Loschiavo, special events and public relations manager for Portland's Downtown District, came in to talk about the ceremony planned for the lighting of Portland's Christmas tree.

Westbrook Police Chief Bill Baker was in to talk about police and fire department issues in Westbrook, including the recent arrest of a Main Street store owner for selling crack and cocaine out of his store.

Tim Frechette of Biddeford was on to talk about the town's recent vote to keep the Biddeford Airport open.

Monday on the Morning Show

A wide range of topics were covered today, from racial incidents that have been reported around Maine to the prospect of gay marriage in the state. Ray wonders if the fight for gay marriage is really about equality, or if it's about one segment of society trying to force acceptance by the rest of society.

Also, Josh Shea of Independent Publishing Group of Windham came in to talk about municipal budgets and the trouble they're dealing with in these troubled times.

Ray addresses all in the audio post below, and invites your opinions in the comments section.

Season of Miracles

The holiday season can be stressful, but Ray urges us all to focus on the good things, the things we're thankful for, as we head towards the new year.

Friday on the Morning Show

Today, Ray and Ted were embracing the holiday season earlier, asking audience members what they're doing for Thanksgiving and what they're thankful for this holiday season.

45 years ago this weekend, President John F. Kennedy was assassinated. Gary Mack, curator of The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza in Dallas, and a 25-year veteran of JFK assassination investigations, called the show today in to talk about forensics tests recently conducted that concluded that Kennedy was shot from the sixth floor of the book depository building, the building Lee Harvey Oswald was supposed to have been in.

Don Campbell of The Don Campbell Band called to talk about the lighting of the LL Bean Christmas tree on Friday night, where he'll be performing an outdoor concert.

John Williams of Williams Broadcasting was in the studio to talk about the holidays, NASCAR, and how ski resorts are gearing up for the new season.

Thursday on the Morning Show

Today on the show, Taren Bragdon, CEO of the Maine Heritage Policy Center, called in to talk about Gov. John Baldacci's $80 million in budget cuts.

Attorney Mary-Anne Martell comes in on the third Thursday of every month to dispense legal advice to audience members who call in with questions about the law and their rights.

State Senator Bill Diamond, chairman of Maine Criminal Justice Committee, called in to talk about a couple of crime-related issues, including the ongoing legal fight over the sex offender registry, and also the controversial sign hung at a store in Standish encouraging people to bet a dollar on the date of President-Elect Obama's assassination, along with other racist responses to Obama's election.

Finally, FOX News Radio Chicago correspondent Jennifer Keiper called from Chicago, where she was reporting from the scene of the Chicago Toy and Game Fair, the largest toy fair in the country.

Wednesday on the Morning Show

Today on the show, Bob Morrill and Mike Hammer came in to talk about reverse mortgages, which are financial packages available to people 62 years or older which allows them to tap into their home equity without having to pay a tax.

Political analyst Joe Bruno, who's also a Dirigo Health board member, stopped by to talk about that troubled institution.

Fred Forsley of Shipyard Brewing called in live from Ft. Lauderdale, where he's down with other Maine business owners talking to cruise ship companies about what's so special about Maine.

Donald Canaday, President of Kiwanis International, came in to talk about the mission of Kiwanas, and to talk about a special event honoring WWII veterans at The Woodfords House in Portland at noon on Thursday.

Dean Scontras came in to kick off The Republican Project, an effort to regroup, refocus, and reform the Republican party.

In the audio post below, Ray discusses these guests, the issues of the day, and what's on tap for tomorrow's show. Give it a listen.

Tuesday on the Morning Show

Today on the show, Ray and Ted fielded calls from audience members on a variety of topics, including the use of ethanol or E-10 in gasoline products, and what the unintended consequences it might have. There were a lot of questions and opinions thrown out, and Ray promises to get a mechanic on the show to sort out some of these issues.

Also on the show, Ray read and reflected upon the famous "Bixby Letter," written by President Abraham Lincoln to a Massachusetts mother who lost five sons in the American Civil War.

Finally, in what promises to be an ongoing issue in the state, Ray and Ted discussed the looming battle Maine faces over gay marriage, making specific mention of the Maine clergy members who recently gathered to support same-sex marriage rights in the state.

Monday on the Morning Show

Talk about a political football: Ray and Ted sparred over remarks President-Elect Barack Obama made on "60 Minutes" regarding college football needing a playoff system. Ray thinks Obama has enough to worry about without poking his nose into collegiate athletics.

Interior decorator Kat Powers joined the program to talk about her Thanksgiving show, "Harvest House of Kat," which airs on FOX23 throughout November. She is offering helpful, creative, inexpensive ways to make your Thanksgiving more memorable.

Elias Thomas of the Sanford-Springvale Rotary was in the studio today to talk about his organization's efforts to eradicate polio from the face of the earth.

As always, Ray and Ted fielded calls from audience members to get their opinions. Today's callers included State Rep. Doug Thomas, who weighed in with his concerns about federal money for home heating assistance in Maine, which has doubled since last year.

Ray comments on all these guests and issues in the audio post below. Give a listen, and sound off in the comments section.

Friday on the Morning Show

Interim Portland Police Chief Joe Laughlin visited today to talk about his years with the Department, crime trends in Portland (including some alarming drug stats), and the search for a new Chief.

State Rep. Tom Saviello came in and shared some frugal ideas for cash-strapped folks trying to plan for Christmas.

Peter Barnes of the FOX Business Network called from the White House to talk about the upcoming G20 (Group of 20) Summit, a meeting among 20 of the world's largest economies.

Ali Locke, a young lady from Norridgewock, was in the studio to talk about her experience filming an episode of "Aqua Kids," an award-winning children's program dedicated to educating young people about marine life. Ali's episode, "Casco Bay Life," airs on FOX23 at 7 a.m. on Nov. 15, 2008. Ali was joined in studio by Curtis Bohlen, director of the Casco Bay Estuary Partnership, and Sue Schaller, a wildlife ecologist.

In the audio post below, Ray talks about all these guests, and serves up a sneak peek at next week's topics (including gay marriage in Maine). Give a listen.

Thursday on the Morning Show

Tarren Bragdon, CEO of the Maine Heritage Policy Center, came in for his weekly visit to the show to talk about national and local issues, including how the recent vote on Question 1 will affect the Dirigo health care system.

Bruce McToose, the intrepid traveler from Down Under, stopped by with tales of his many travels and explorations around Portland.

As part of the FOX Morning News Live Music Series, local singer-songwriter Taylor Mesple, from The Maple Room in Lewiston, joined the show today to perform an original song.

Ray remarks on all of these guests, as well as Henry Paulson's revision of the $700 billion Wall Street bailout plan, in the audio post below. Give a listen.

Wednesday on the Morning Show

Dan Nathanson of the NFL Network called in today to talk about why the NFL Network is not on Time Warner, Comcast, and other cable companies -- meaning tomorrow night's game between the Patriots and the Jets is not available to local sports fans.

But most of the day was devoted to you the audience, and Ray and Ted took lots of calls from listeners and viewers who wanted to weigh in on President-Elect Barack Obama, the state of the Republican party, and other issues of the day.

Tuesday on the Morning Show

On this Veterans Day, politics were laid aside as we heard from and honored some true heroes, our nation's veterans.

Adjutant General of the Maine National Guard Gen. Bill Libby and Peter Ogden, director of the Maine Bureau of Veterans' Services, were in the studio today to talk about what the day means and ways in which we can and do honor our veterans.

John and Bunny O'Leary of Wreaths Across America came in to talk about their upcoming event on Dec. 7, the Wreaths Across America Escort to Arlington.

Also in the studio were Specialist Jeff Lewis with Pam Payeur and Donna Chapman of Operation Homefront, an organization that works with military families during deployments to get them help ranging from home and auto repair to urgent financial assistance. Operation Homefront just finished installing a new furnace in Specialist Lewis' home while he was deployed in Iraq.

133rd Battalion's Executive Officer Lt. Col. Dwayne Drummond and Lt. Lisa Sessions, commander of the 136th Engineer Company, stopped by, as did Lt. Julie Rand, Sgt. Amie Phelan, and Specialist Katie Britt (Soldier of the Year for the Maine Army National Guard).

We also heard from Lt. Col. Mike Backus and Master Sgt. Harry Dumont, and Sgt. Jim LeBlanc and Sgt. Dan Thibeault.

Finally, Col. Marv Milbury, a chaplain, came in to talk about his long military career, which began in the '60s.

Ray comments on all the guests in the audio post below. Give a listen, and share your Veterans Day thoughts in the comments section.

We thank these (and all) veterans for their service to our country, and wish everyone a happy Veterans Day.

Monday on the Morning Show

Jerry Mathers, who played "The Beaver" on the classic TV sitcom "Leave it to Beaver," called the show this morning from Fort Kent, Maine to talk about the "Help is Here Express" bus tour, which is sponsored by the Partnership for Prescription Assistance, the same group Montel Williams talked about when he visited the show. The bus tour is part of a nationwide effort to call attention to the rising rate of chronic disease in the U.S. and to the assistance programs that can provide free or nearly free drugs to the needy.

FOX News Radio Chicago correspondent Jennifer Keiper called live from Chicago to talk about transition preparations underway by President-Elect Barack Obama, including Obama's plans to issue executive orders reversing the ban on stem cell research and reinstating the ban on offshore oil drilling in the U.S.

Ray comments on these guests, as well as the issues of the day, in the audio post below. Give a listen, and share your opinion in the comments section.

Friday on the Morning Show

Today on the show, political strategist and frequent guest Roy Lenardson sat in to talk about the results of Tuesday's election -- specifically the local elections here in Maine.

Pam Payeur and Donna Chapman visited from Operation Homefront, an organization that works with military families during deployments to resolve issues ranging from home and auto repair to urgent finacial assistance. They talked about the projects they're working on now, including the installation of furnaces into military families' homes.

State Rep. Tom Saviello was on to talk about where the Maine legislature is likely to go from here after this week's election. He also announced an event in Farmington this Saturday that will honor prisoners of war from World War II, Purple Heart recipients from the Korean War, families of vets killed in action in Vietnam, and veterans who served but were never recognized for their sacrifice.

John Williams of Williams Broadcasting stopped by for our weekly dose of NASCAR news.

As always, Ray and Ted (with an assist today from Roy) fielded calls from audience members, as people offered their opinions on the election, local events, and other issues.

Be sure to share your opinion in the comments section.

Thursday on the Morning Show

Tarren Bragdon of the Maine Heritage Policy Center was in the studio today to talk about the presidential election and local issues affecting Mainers. He talked about the disconnect between the fact that people tend to vote right-of-center on policies but left-of-center on politicians. Case in point would be the people's repeal of the beverage tax enacted by the legislature in the spring, but the re-election of the legislators who passed that tax.

Michael Dow of Dow Investment Group discussed the state of the economy, and offered advice on how to deal with investments in this volatile market.

Josh Gottheimer, a former speechwriter to President Clinton, called in to discuss the transition of power to President-Elect Barack Obama, and the process of choosing a new Cabinet.

Portland guitarist/singer Adam Kurtz was in the studio with bassist Keith Mann to chat with Ted about music and to perform two original songs.

In the audio post below, Ray talks about these guests, and gets fired up about the state of the Republican party. Give a listen, and then share your opinion in the comments section.

Wednesday on the Morning Show

The day after this historic election, which didn't go exactly the way Ray would have wanted, Ray remains philosophical. He's not thrilled with the outcome, but he's thrilled with his fellow citizens, who turned out in record numbers to cast their vote.

Today on the Morning Show, State Rep. Scott Lansley and Raymond Selectman Joe Bruno stopped by to talk about the election results.

In addition, Maine House Leader Josh Tardy called in with his thoughts, and FOX News' Alastair Wanklyn called in with a reaction from Europe.

Also on the show, Matt Jacobson, president and CEO of Maine & Company, was in to talk about where the state of Maine goes from here as it tries to generate more jobs.

As always, callers' opinions were welcomed on the show, as people from all over the state called in to chew over the election results.

We want to get your opinions too. Listen to Ray's audio post below, in which he reflects on last night's election (and actually breaks into song!), then sound off in the comments section.

A Heavy Turnout

Judging by the heavy activity at the polling station in Ray's town of Westbrook (and reports from around the state), it looks like voter turnout in Maine is going to crush every old record. Ray mulls what an awesome privelige (and responsibility) Americans enjoy with their right to vote, and he expresses his high hopes that McCain might pull this one out.

Tuesday on the Morning Show

On this historic Election Day, Ray and Ted welcomed back to the show Professor John Frary, the cantankerous second district Republican congressional candidate, who stopped by to talk about the campaign he's run against incumbent Mike Michaud.

But for most of the show, Ray, Ted, and guest host Joe Bruno turned the show over to audience members, fielding call after call about the candidates and the issues people are voting on today. You can check out every last call from today's show on MyFOXMaine.com.

In the audio post below, Ray talks about the fun they had on the show today, and urges each and every one of you to get out and vote. Listen in, cast your vote, and sound off in the comments section.

Monday on the Morning Show

Today on the show, Newell Augur, chairman of Fed Up with Taxes, and Alisa Coffin, owner the Great Impasta restaurant in Brunswick, came in to talk about their opposition to the new tax on beverages and health care claims, and their support for the ballot question (Question 1) which will repeal that tax.

Oxford County casino project spokesperson Pat LaMarche discussed her support for ballot question 2, which would allow a casino to be built in Oxford County. If you'd like the newsletter Ray put together on this issue, e-mail him at ray@myfoxmaine.com.

Portland Mayor Ed Suslovic stopped by to talk about his run for Portland City Council and to refute some hit pieces that have been put out against him in the final days of the campaign.

Ray talks about all these guests in the audio post below, as well as the issues on his mind on the eve of the election. Give it a listen, and weigh in with your own views in the comments section.