Maine is made up of many tight-knit communities – from rural areas to dense city neighborhoods. And it’s usually not a line on a map that shows us how to find these communities, or how to understand what holds them together. We’ll look at the connections that make strangers neighbors and friends, as well as people who challenge us to decide how we want to show up in our own lives. First, we’ll get to know a famous figure who drew a city together while remaining completely anonymous. Then, we’ll ask what being a good opponent at chess can teach us about building strong, long-lasting relationships.
For nearly 50 years, a mysterious figure known only as The Valentine’s Bandit plastered Portland, Maine with red hearts every February. The bandit’s feats were epic – hanging hearts from hard-to-access landmarks in the dead of night. But as Anisa Vietze reports in Red Paper Hearts, the secret was revealed in 2023, and fans of the bandit all across Maine began to see the hearts as far more than a beloved prank or fun tradition.
Featuring: Sierra Fahrman, Patti Urban
Town: Portland | County: Cumberland
In Westbrook, Maine, Nic Neves stumbles into a lively chess scene at the local grocery store. As he takes a turn at the board, he unpacks the many possibilities that branch out when two people sit across from each other and play. Shannon’s Tree was reported in 2021.
Featuring: Ruben Babayan, George, Leroy, Barry Magda, Matthew McLaughlin, Taylor, Molly Tefft
Town: Westbrook | County: Cumberland