DispatchCast

In January, Brainerd High School basketball coach Scott Stanfield and his entire staff announced their intentions to resign at the end of the basketball season. The coach cited ongoing tension with some parents over play time and other coaching decisions as the reason he intended to leave the post. He told the Brainerd Dispatch these tense moments made his job as a high school basketball coach more difficult than his previous profession as a police officer.

Stanfield's resignation resonated with many people across high school athletics and beyond, making the story go viral. But as the dust settles, what will the Brainerd School District do to prevent these types of issues for its new coaching staff, and for other coaches who are feeling the same kinds of pressures? What can be done to improve the atmosphere for the kids involved in high school sports?

Dispatch sports guys Mike Bialka and Jeremy Millsop sit down with Charlie Campbell, activities director for the Brainerd School District, to learn more about the district's reaction to the situation and its plan moving forward.

Producer: Chelsey Perkins

Hosts: Mike Bialka and Jeremy Millsop

Guest: Charlie Campbell

What makes a journalist ethical? How can journalists develop and maintain public trust? In today's political climate, these questions might be more important than ever.

Just as in many newsrooms, the reporters and editors of the Brainerd Dispatch must regularly grapple with ethical decisions regarding news coverage. How we arrive at decisions and what principles guide that decision-making process is the subject of this week's DispatchCast episode. Have you ever wondered why we chose to include -- or not include -- certain information in a story? This just might be the episode for you.

Plus, meet our newest reporter, Gabe Lagarde.

Producer/Host: Chelsey Perkins

Contributors: Jennifer Stockinger, Frank Lee and Gabe Lagarde

What makes a journalist ethical? How can journalists develop and maintain public trust? In today's political climate, these questions might be more important than ever.

Just as in many newsrooms, the reporters and editors of the Brainerd Dispatch must regularly grapple with ethical decisions regarding news coverage. How we arrive at decisions and what principles guide that decision-making process is the subject of this week's DispatchCast episode. Have you ever wondered why we chose to include -- or not include -- certain information in a story? This just might be the episode for you.

Plus, meet our newest reporter, Gabe Lagarde.

Producer/Host: Chelsey Perkins

Contributors: Jennifer Stockinger, Frank Lee and Gabe Lagarde

With New Year's Eve already a month behind us, now's the time to get inspired to keep moving on your resolutions -- or get them restarted.

Who better to help with that than three women who managed to run every day for a year, or two others leading the charge in a community-wide health improvement initiative?

Join the DispatchCast for an episode brimming with inspiration and practical ideas to attain the goals you want to accomplish in the new year. We're back from a mid-winter break and ready to share more stories and interviews that will reel you in!

Host/Producer: Chelsey Perkins

Guests: Cassie Carey and Jackie Thurlow of Crow Wing Energized; and Kari Whitlock, Sheila Miller and Jessica Waytashek, accomplished run streakers.

With New Year's Eve already a month behind us, now's the time to get inspired to keep moving on your resolutions -- or get them restarted.

Who better to help with that than three women who managed to run every day for a year, or two others leading the charge in a community-wide health improvement initiative?

Join the DispatchCast for an episode brimming with inspiration and practical ideas to attain the goals you want to accomplish in the new year. We're back from a mid-winter break and ready to share more stories and interviews that will reel you in!

Host/Producer: Chelsey Perkins

Guests: Cassie Carey and Jackie Thurlow of Crow Wing Energized; and Kari Whitlock, Sheila Miller and Jessica Waytashek, accomplished run streakers.

And then there were three.

Three entrepreneurs remain in the Destination Downtown Business Challenge, each dreaming of a different business to add to downtown Brainerd.

Meet the minds behind an artisan bath and body boutique with a crafty twist, an event center/microbrewery/cafe/might be missing something and a microdistillery preparing to offer local spirits.

Who will win the $50,000 prize package and be named the winner of the challenge? Listen to this week's episode of the DispatchCast to pick your favorite!

Host/Producer: Chelsey Perkins

Guests: Brenda Billman-Arndt, Ed Mattson and Lisa Desrocher

And then there were three.

Three entrepreneurs remain in the Destination Downtown Business Challenge, each dreaming of a different business to add to downtown Brainerd.

Meet the minds behind an artisan bath and body boutique with a crafty twist, an event center/microbrewery/cafe/might be missing something and a microdistillery preparing to offer local spirits.

Who will win the $50,000 prize package and be named the winner of the challenge? Listen to this week's episode of the DispatchCast to pick your favorite!

Host/Producer: Chelsey Perkins

Guests: Brenda Billman-Arndt, Ed Mattson and Lisa Desrocher

To find some of the premier prep athletes in the state, one need look no further than Brainerd and its neighbors.

Four area football teams and two volleyball teams have earned their ways into this weekend and next weekend's state tournaments. Who better to talk their strengths, surprises and prowess than the Brainerd Dispatch's sports writers, who between the two of them have covered area athletics for about 60 years?

Mike Bialka and Jeremy Millsop share their knowledge and insights into the high school teams headed into the playoffs with high-powered stars and venerable coaching staffs on this week's episode of the DispatchCast.

Host/Producer: Chelsey Perkins

Contributors: Mike Bialka, sports editor, and Jeremy Millsop, sports writer

Winter is coming, and the cozy book nook is calling. But what should you read? Two local book nerds and Brainerd Public Library advocates Laurel Hall and Sheila DeChantal have you covered with all the best titles they've come across lately. Also learn about the hippest book club in town, Books, Burgers and Brews at Prairie Bay Grill in Baxter.

Read the story about the book club here.

Host/Producer: Chelsey Perkins

Contributors: Laurel Hall, librarian at Brainerd Public Library, and Sheila DeChantal, president of the Friends of the Brainerd Public Library

Book recommendations:

The Kind Worth Killing - Peter Swanson

Turtles All The Way Down - John Green

Will Grayson, Will Grayson - David Levithan and John Green

The Marriage Pact - Michelle Richmond

The Identicals - Elin Hilderbrand

From Here to Eternity - Caitlyn Doty

Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood - Trevor Noah

The Last Mrs. Parrish - Liv Constantine

It Devours - Jeffrey Cranor and Joseph Fink

The Round House - Louise Erdrich

The Girl with Seven Names - Hyeonseo Lee

Big Little Lies - Liane Moriarty

The Nightingale - Kristin Hannah

The Hate U Give - Angie Thomas

The Good Lord Bird - James McBride

Before the Fall - Noah Hawley

Recommended audio books:

Beartown - Fredrik Backman

Never Let You Go - Chevy Stevens

Ready Player One - Ernest Cline

Will Grayson, Will Grayson - David Levithan and John Green

Missoula: Rape and the Justice System in a College Town - Jon Krakauer

You - Caroline Kepnes

Hidden Bodies - Caroline Kepnes

Welcome to Night Vale (podcast)

Winter is coming, and the cozy book nook is calling. But what should you read? Two local book nerds and Brainerd Public Library advocates Laurel Hall and Sheila DeChantal have you covered with all the best titles they've come across lately. Also learn about the hippest book club in town, Books, Burgers and Brews at Prairie Bay Grill in Baxter.

Read the story about the book club here.

Host/Producer: Chelsey Perkins

Contributors: Laurel Hall, librarian at Brainerd Public Library, and Sheila DeChantal, president of the Friends of the Brainerd Public Library

Book recommendations:

The Kind Worth Killing - Peter Swanson

Turtles All The Way Down - John Green

Will Grayson, Will Grayson - David Levithan and John Green

The Marriage Pact - Michelle Richmond

The Identicals - Elin Hilderbrand

From Here to Eternity - Caitlyn Doty

Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood  - Trevor Noah

The Last Mrs. Parrish - Liv Constantine

It Devours - Jeffrey Cranor and Joseph Fink

The Round House - Louise Erdrich

The Girl with Seven Names - Hyeonseo Lee

Big Little Lies - Liane Moriarty

The Nightingale - Kristin Hannah

The Hate U Give - Angie Thomas

The Good Lord Bird - James McBride

Before the Fall - Noah Hawley

Recommended audio books:

Beartown - Fredrik Backman

Never Let You Go - Chevy Stevens

Ready Player One - Ernest Cline

Will Grayson, Will Grayson - David Levithan and John Green

Missoula: Rape and the Justice System in a College Town - Jon Krakauer

You - Caroline Kepnes

Hidden Bodies - Caroline Kepnes

Welcome to Night Vale (podcast)