DispatchCast

One of the Brainerd Dispatch's most ambitious annual projects, the Progress Edition, recently hit the stands. It tells the stories of people and businesses undertaking interesting and inspiring pursuits in the Brainerd lakes area.

In this episode of the DispatchCast, Dispatch reporters share their experiences in pursuing some of the 20 stories filling 56 pages of the 2018 Progress Edition -- the things they learned, the interviews that captured their attention and the reasons they're excited to share the stories with readers.

Plus, meet the Dispatch's newest reporter, Theresa Bourke, who takes over on the city of Brainerd and area education beats.

Visit https://issuu.com/brainerd_dispatch/docs/2018-progress-edition to read the stories mentioned in this episode.

Host/Producer: Chelsey Perkins

Contributors: Theresa Bourke, Jennifer Kraus, Gabriel Lagarde, Frank Lee - Brainerd Dispatch reporters

One of the Brainerd Dispatch's most ambitious annual projects, the Progress Edition, recently hit the stands. It tells the stories of people and businesses undertaking interesting and inspiring pursuits in the Brainerd lakes area.

In this episode of the DispatchCast, Dispatch reporters share their experiences in pursuing some of the 20 stories filling 56 pages of the 2018 Progress Edition -- the things they learned, the interviews that captured their attention and the reasons they're excited to share the stories with readers.

Plus, meet the Dispatch's newest reporter, Theresa Bourke, who takes over on the city of Brainerd and area education beats.

Visit https://issuu.com/brainerd_dispatch/docs/2018-progress-edition to read the stories mentioned in this episode.

Host/Producer: Chelsey Perkins

Contributors: Theresa Bourke, Jennifer Kraus, Gabriel Lagarde, Frank Lee - Brainerd Dispatch reporters

Quinn Nystrom grew up knocking on her neighbors' doors, asking for donations for Type 1 diabetes research after first her brother and later she was diagnosed with the chronic condition. She apparently liked door knocking so much, she did it again as a candidate for the Baxter City Council and once more as the DFL challenger to District 10A representative Josh Heintzeman.

As Nystrom prepares to leave her post on the city council to focus more on her advocacy work, she sat down the DispatchCast to share her passion for diabetes education, her experiences as a woman running for office and her hopes to get more young people involved in the political process.

Host/Producer: Chelsey Perkins

Guest: Quinn Nystrom

Quinn Nystrom grew up knocking on her neighbors’ doors, asking for donations for Type 1 diabetes research after first her brother and later she was diagnosed with the chronic condition. She apparently liked door knocking so much, she did it again as a candidate for the Baxter City Council and once more as the DFL challenger to District 10A representative Josh Heintzeman.

As Nystrom prepares to leave her post on the city council to focus more on her advocacy work, she sat down the DispatchCast to share her passion for diabetes education, her experiences as a woman running for office and her hopes to get more young people involved in the political process.

Host/Producer: Chelsey Perkins

Guest: Quinn Nystrom

How much does the quality of water in Minnesota's lakes, streams and rivers mean to you? And how do you think leaders should use the state's resources to keep the waters of the Brainerd lakes area healthy?

Melissa Barrick of the Crow Wing Soil and Water Conservation District joins the DispatchCast to discuss the One Watershed, One Plan process underway in Crow Wing and Cass counties -- meant to take a comprehensive approach to conservation efforts in the Pine River Watershed. The federal government considers the Pine one of the most important watersheds from the Mississippi River to the Atlantic Ocean, and it contains more than 500 miles of rivers and streams and more than 400 lakes of 10 acres or larger. Within its boundaries are the Whitefish Chain of Lakes, Pelican Lake and the Pine River, a tributary of the Mississippi River.

Listen in as Barrick explains the importance of watershed planning to protect one of the area's most precious and economically important resources.

For more information and to take part in the watershed planning discussion, visit crowwingswcd.org or call 218-828-6197.

Host/Producer: Chelsey Perkins

Guest: Melissa Barrick

How much does the quality of water in Minnesota's lakes, streams and rivers mean to you? And how do you think leaders should use the state's resources to keep the waters of the Brainerd lakes area healthy?

Melissa Barrick of the Crow Wing Soil and Water Conservation District joins the DispatchCast to discuss the One Watershed, One Plan process underway in Crow Wing and Cass counties -- meant to take a comprehensive approach to conservation efforts in the Pine River Watershed. The federal government considers the Pine one of the most important watersheds from the Mississippi River to the Atlantic Ocean, and it contains more than 500 miles of rivers and streams and more than 400 lakes of 10 acres or larger. Within its boundaries are the Whitefish Chain of Lakes, Pelican Lake and the Pine River, a tributary of the Mississippi River.

Listen in as Barrick explains the importance of watershed planning to protect one of the area's most precious and economically important resources.

For more information and to take part in the watershed planning discussion, visit crowwingswcd.org or call 218-828-6197.

Host/Producer: Chelsey Perkins

Guest: Melissa Barrick

Kind-hearted and charming, Levi Siekas loved to catch frogs as a boy and do flips off the dock.

Described as a boy in motion, he was active in sports, excelled in school and enjoyed many friends. He took his life on Nov. 7, 2017, at his home. He was 15. His family, his friends, his grandparents -- no one saw it coming.

His grandparents, Sharon and Dave Siekas, said their emotions were on a rollercoaster, but time is a healer. Listen to an excerpt of their interview with Managing Editor Renee Richardson.

Host: Renee Richardson

Producer: Chelsey Perkins

Guests: Sharon and Dave Siekas

#BDReachesOut