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 Jen Intro 1Return to index of stories... |
Hi, I'm Jennifer Rooks and this is Making Sense New England. |
| Jen Tease/Intro Return to index of stories... |
Welcome to Making Sense New England, a monthly series about the economy and you. We're here to share ideas, advice and solutions to the financial and economic challenges facing all of us. The stories come from your neighborhoods and take on some of the problems brought on by the recession. Today, you'll see how colleges in Vermont are making it easier to afford a degree. You'll meet a couple from Maine who made what they thought was a great investment. And you'll hear what Common Security Clubs might mean to you. But first, unemployment numbers for northern New England took a slight dip this past month. Despite the good news, there are still a lot of people out of work, especially in the manufacturing sector. For some people who remain unemployed, relocating is their best route to job recovery. For others, there's retraining. That's the story Making Sense correspondent Phil Vaughn found in the northern New Hampshire city of Berlin. |
| Story 1 - Retraining Return to index of stories... |
N1 - Paul Robitaille goes to work every weekday morning. That in itself may not seem significant, but for this former mill worker, it is. Paul 3-455 "This is the entry way…to school." N2- And it's at this mill in Berlin where Paul, like a lot of people in this northern NH city made paper products, friends and a living. Paul 3-30 "How many people worked…center of the community." Paul 2-3110 - "I was there28 years…1973." N3- For many generations of Berlin residents, a job at the pulp and paper mills seemed like a birthright. Paul 2-3255 - "My father worked here…office." N4- But those jobs, like many others in northern New England's manufacturing sector are gone. Left behind are empty lots and unemployment. Paul 2-3440 "We had a feeling…see it." N5- Paul's job of 28 years ended in 2001. Paul 2-3600 "I took a vacation…daze." Mark 4848 - "When did you lose…happy days." N6- Mark Belanger worked at the same mill as Paul. Now, he's just down the street managing the local NH Employment Security office. It took him years to get here. He began by going back to school through a federal retraining program called Trade Act. Mark 4510 - "Trade Act…competition." N7- Trade Act retrains and reeducated laid off workers. Employment Security counselors direct them toward fields where there's work. Mark 4343 - "The other option…" Mark 5533 - "Each contract…studying." Paul 3844 - "I remember going into…this and that." N8- Paul returned to college with assistance from Trade Act and emotional support from family. He earned a degree, which he began working toward years earlier. Today he's a manager and counselor at ServiceLink, a statewide program for elderly people. Paul 4610 - "I realized this is the work…great decision." Mark 4135 - "There are people who have no idea…occupation." Paul 300 - "Have you seen people who…drank to death." N9- Patience, Mark says, is key to retraining because in some cases, unemployment benefits out pays what workers get once they re-enter the work force. Mark 5230- Paul 4830/5040 N10 - For Making Sense NE, I'm Phil Vaughn. |
| Tag /Intro Story Return to index of stories... |
There are job retraining and continuing education programs throughout northern New England. For information, visit our website at MakingSenseNE.org For all but a fortunate minority of high school seniors, the question of how to pay for college looms large this time of year. Adding to the challenge of historically high tuitions is the decrease in mean family income wrought by the current economic downturn so even parents who saved ahead for this day are finding their best-laid plans falling short. In our next story, Making $ense correspondent ________ looks at how Vermont's community and 4-year state colleges are working together to help make a degree more affordable. |
| Story 2 - College Return to index of stories... |
1. 0 12 UVM class scene #2 46.37+ TITLE: Paying for College NAT So just a little bit. 2. 0 15 XCU girl with pen to mouth #2 44.55 NARR For the majority of today's incoming college freshmen and their families, 3. 0 0 MWS down-the-line students #2 45.04 choosing the right school has as much to do with financial decisions as educational ones. if not more. 4. 0 0 zebra laptop and 2 girls #2 43.21+ Long gone are the days when mom and dad single-handedly covered the full cost of tuition, room and board. 5. 0 21 V/O Donovan #2 2.44-3:05 We're looking at things differently.than a year and a half ago. CONTINUE AS NAT 6. 0 0 TH Donovan lower third: Tim Donovan Chancellor, Vermont State Colleges We're looking at the cost of things.in the case of colleges CONTINUE AS V/O 7. 0 0 UVM class scene #2 families are asking is paying 2 or 3 times more. in many cases, no. 8. 0 12 " " V/O Giles #3 16:28-16:40 College costs have been rising now.more than a decade. CONTINUE AS NAT 9. 0 0 TH lower third: Scott Giles VP for Policy Research & Planning, VT Student Assistance Corporation And that's clearly been exacerbated by the recession. families are really feeling the pinch. 10. 0 8 Ext WS VSAC building, Zooming-in 2.00.16+ NARR For many aspiring collegians, the financial quest begins at a non-profit institution like the VT Student Assistance Corporation. 11. 0 13 DISSOLVE TO WS resource room #3 3.35+ Part do-it-yourself resource center, 12. 0 0 WS blond counselor on phone #3 9.45+ part counseling service and 13. 0 0 CU hand on calculator #3 14.55+ part financial aid clearinghouse, 14. 0 0 VSAC provides information, 15. 0 0 advice and expert assistance with a variety of federal, state and other supports. 16. 0 25 " " V/O Giles 18:57-19:22 We administer the state grant. scholarship program. CONTINUE AS TH 17. 0 17 TH Giles NAT And between those two programs we probably give out. Unfortunately the largest.loans. 18. 0 10 DISSOLVE WS Jenna studying #4 23.07+ NARR And unfortunately not everyone is in this economy is looking for a loan. 19. 0 0 CU writing in notebook #4 24.40+ The question of affordability hits especially hard 20. 0 0 CU Jenna #4 23.22+ when you're the first one in your family ever to pursue a college degree. 21. 0 7 OTS Jenna studying #4 24:20+ V/O Jenna #4 6:06-6:13 I see how the rest of my family is doing. CONTINUE AS NAT 22. 0 0 TH Jenna lower third: Jenna Bresette Brandon, VT NAT and like I love them.wanna do a lot better and help them if I can. 23. 0 5 NARR But the last thing Jenna Bresette wanted was to further burden her family with college loans. 24. 0 15 WS Jenna walks into kitchen, picks up books #4 27:00 - 27.15 V/O #4 9:34-9:49 My parents, they both work. just so I could go to college. 25. 0 25 XCU picks up keys #4 27.41+ NARR Instead of jumping at her acceptance to Castleton State College's 4-year track, 26. 0 0 EXT walks out door to car #4 27.56+ Jenna opted for one of the most popular trends in college planning: the "2 + 2" program. By living at home while doing her first two years at a nearby VT Community College site, then completing her degree at a participating 4-year VT state college, Jenna will reduce her total college bill by as much as 20%. She'll also have more time to 27. 0 0 |
| Tag/Intro Story 3 Return to index of stories... |
Given the rising cost of college, early financial planning can be crucial. For more information on college financing strategies and links to northern New England's community and state colleges, visit the Making$ense New England website at Making Sense NE.org You know the old saying that if something seems too good to be true it probably is. It's advice that Ray and Carolyn Thompson of Maine probably wish they kept in mind when they recently made an investment. Experts warn that investment fraud schemes are more sophisticated now than ever. And the Thompsons, they're typical victims -- successful, secure and financially literate. |
| Story 3 - Investor Return to index of stories... |
This 3-ring binder holds the remnants of Ray and Carolyn Thompson's big dream… *1:36:16/Carolyn/nice pan So we were looking forward, not only to our retirement time - although now we probably never will retire - but also to helping our children develop something for their future. :25 …a chance to make a lot of money by investing in a new wind company. 1:28:08/nats This is like a picture he had on the website. The windmill was a little like that, only more of a fabric blade…:17 The company, called "Almighty Wind," promised to manufacture electricity-producing windmills that don't make noise or vibrate, and don't harm birds. 1;26:36/nats Where we wired our money… this is where I checked their incorporation, and they are incorporated in Nevada…:43 The company recruited investors from all over the country, who then recruited their friends. The Thompsons were one of several couples in the greater Bangor area. They were very excited. Carolyn 1:03:37 Everything seemed like, "Oh! This is something we've been waiting for. And we could have one right here on our rooftop or out in the yard and produce our own power. And it was going to be producing more power than our house would need." :50 Ray 1:04:00 They were planning on leasing these to homeowners. And the concept was great. I mean, it really was great. The homeowner could save a lot of money, and it really wouldn't cost him very much at all. 1:04:11 The plan was that every investor would become a dealer of the windmills… Ray 1:04:46 What they did is develop so that you could buy "territories" with so many thousands of people in it. 1:05:21 We had territories in Georgia, Massachusetts and New York.:25 … they also bought a "territory" in Maine. All during the months of February and March of last year. Then in April of last year, the Thompson's traveled to Nevada for a big training event and windmill demonstration. About 200 investors attended. Carolyn *1:08:23 We went out the next day to see this windmill, and when we rounded the corner - we were on busses - and we rounded the corner and I looked at it and tears just streamed down my cheek and I thought "This isn't what we were told. This was not what we were told." And I couldn't even stop them. 1:08:38 Ray 1:06:51 Well. Wasn't what it was described that it was going to be. It was not a working windmill. It had no alternator or generator on it that would produce power. :00 Things unraveled from there. The company made several promises, then never followed through. The Thompsons finally asked for their money back, and have received nothing. Ray 1:13:23 I invested 30-thousand dollars. 10-thousand dollars, three different times. Ouch. 1:13:33 The Thompsons are not the kind of people you'd think would become victims of a scam or deceptive investment scheme. Ray Thompson owns a successful hardware store in West Enfield - he used to be the fire chief in Milo - and both he and his wife have been businesspeople their entire adult lives. But they've since discovered that the marketing manager at Almighty Wind has a criminal record - and is being investigated by the FBI. *Ray 1:17:26 One of the things I feel bad about, Jennifer, is that I talked other people in to investing in it. Told them all, everything that was going on, and these are very reputable people. :35 5:40 - 5;49 We will do a complete investigation and do what we can to bring this individual to justice and stop the practices. Their case is being handled by the Maine office of Securities. Judith Shaw is administrator. 7:37 - 7:54 Unfortunately, with investment fraud and similar types of securities fraud, it's often very difficult to get the money back, because the money has been utilized by the con artist for their own personal purposes, or they've used it to try to engage people in the fraud itself. Meantime, the Thompsons are trying to deal with all of this with humor… and perspective. Carolyn 1:29:36 I have had a heart attack in the past and I don't want another one. Hopefully, we can get some money back, but if we don't, we're not starving yet so we're going to move on. :47 *1:38:20 /Ray I do not measure my wealth in money. I measure it in happiness. And that's one of the reasons this didn't really bother me. I'm still a happy man. :33 |
| Tag/Intro discussion Return to index of stories... |
Maine Office of Securities Administrator Judith Shaw says it's hard to know how common cases like the Thompson's are - because all too often, people don't report what happened to them. If you'd like more information about protecting yourself from investment fraud, you can find it on our website, MakingSenseNewEngland.org. Author and scholar Chuck Collins is perhaps best-known nationally for his work on tax inequality. Now Collins is focusing his attention on another project, trying to help people cope with the recession by creating "Common Security Clubs." I caught up with Collins in Saco, Maine: |
| Thanks/Goodbye Return to index of stories... |
If you'd like to learn more about Common Security Clubs or if you'd like to watch the entire interview with Chuck Collins, you can find that on our website: makingsensenewengland.org Thanks for watching Making Sense New England, I'm Jennifer Rooks. |
| Web Promo Return to index of stories... |
Did you have a reaction to any of the stories or interviews featured in this program? Did we miss anything or do you have suggestions for future Outlook espisodes? If so, we want to hear from you. Drop us an email at nhoutlook@nhptv.org. As always, you can find these stories and more online at nhptv.org/outlook. VERSION ONE: Connect with us online. New Hampshire Outlook is available online on demand at nhptv.org/outlook. We've been streaming our programs since Outlook premiered in September 2000. Whether you want to watch this show again, email it to a friend, search and watch past programs or get more information on thousands of stories and topics, you'll find it all at nhptv.org/outlook. VERSION TWO: Connect with us online. New Hampshire Outlook is available online on demand at nhptv.org/outlook. VERSION THREE: Connect with us online. New Hampshire Outlook is available online on demand at nhptv.org/outlook. Whether you want to watch this show again, email it to a friend, search and watch past programs or get more information on thousands of stories and topics, you'll find it all on our website. |
| key: Employment Return to index of stories... |
Making Sense New England #102 Air Date/Time: 12/17/2009 HOST: Jennifer Rooks Length: 7:10 Welcome to Making Sense New England, a monthly series about the economy and you. We're here to share ideas, advice and solutions to the financial and economic challenges facing all of us. The stories come from your neighborhoods and take on some of the problems brought on by the recession. Today, you'll see how colleges in Vermont are making it easier to afford a degree. You'll meet a couple from Maine who made what they thought was a great investment. And you'll hear what Common Security Clubs might mean to you. But first, unemployment numbers for northern New England took a slight dip this past month. Despite the good news, there are still a lot of people out of work, especially in the manufacturing sector. For some people who remain unemployed, relocating is their best route to job recovery. For others, there's retraining. That's the story Making Sense correspondent Phil Vaughn found in the northern New Hampshire city of Berlin. PRODUCER/REPORTER: Phil Vaughn NAME OF PARTICIPANTS: Mark Belanger\NH Employment Security, Paul Robitaille\Former Mill Worker. |
| key: Education Return to index of stories... |
Making Sense New England #102 Air Date/Time: 12/17/2009 HOST: Jennifer Rooks Length: 7:42 Welcome to Making Sense New England, a monthly series about the economy and you. We're here to share ideas, advice and solutions to the financial and economic challenges facing all of us. The stories come from your neighborhoods and take on some of the problems brought on by the recession. Today, you'll see how colleges in Vermont are making it easier to afford a degree. You'll meet a couple from Maine who made what they thought was a great investment. And you'll hear what Common Security Clubs might mean to you. For all but a fortunate minority of high school seniors, the question of how to pay for college looms large this time of year. Adding to the challenge of historically high tuitions is the decrease in mean family income wrought by the current economic downturn so even parents who saved ahead for this day are finding their best-laid plans falling short. In our next story, Making $ense correspondent Bridget Barry Caswell looks at how Vermont's community and 4-year state colleges are working together to help make a degree more affordable. PRODUCER/REPORTER: Bridget Barry Caswell NAME OF PARTICIPANTS: Tim Donovan\Chancellor, VT State Colleges, Scott Giles\VP for Policy Research & Planning, Jenna Bresette\Brandon, VT. |
| key: Business / Industry Return to index of stories... |
Making Sense New England #102 Air Date/Time: 12/17/2009 HOST: Jennifer Rooks Length: 8:10 Welcome to Making Sense New England, a monthly series about the economy and you. We're here to share ideas, advice and solutions to the financial and economic challenges facing all of us. The stories come from your neighborhoods and take on some of the problems brought on by the recession. Today, you'll see how colleges in Vermont are making it easier to afford a degree. You'll meet a couple from Maine who made what they thought was a great investment. And you'll hear what Common Security Clubs might mean to you. You know the old saying that if something seems too good to be true it probably is. It's advice that Ray and Carolyn Thompson of Maine probably wish they kept in mind when they recently made an investment. Experts warn that investment fraud schemes are more sophisticated now than ever. And the Thompsons, they're typical victims -- successful, secure and financially literate. PRODUCER/REPORTER: Jennifer Rooks NAME OF PARTICIPANTS: Ray Thompson\Investor, Carolyn Thompson\Investor. |
| key: Employment Return to index of stories... |
Making Sense New England #102 Air Date/Time: 12/17/2009 HOST: Jennifer Rooks Length: 4:10 Welcome to Making Sense New England, a monthly series about the economy and you. We're here to share ideas, advice and solutions to the financial and economic challenges facing all of us. The stories come from your neighborhoods and take on some of the problems brought on by the recession. Today, you'll see how colleges in Vermont are making it easier to afford a degree. You'll meet a couple from Maine who made what they thought was a great investment. And you'll hear what Common Security Clubs might mean to you. Author and scholar Chuck Collins is perhaps best-known nationally for his work on tax inequality. Now Collins is focusing his attention on another project, trying to help people cope with the recession by creating "Common Security Clubs." I caught up with Collins in Saco, Maine: PRODUCER/REPORTER: Jennifer Rooks NAME OF PARTICIPANTS: Chuck Collins\Institute for Policy Studies. |