On this edition of the Center Stage hour, Jearlyn speaks to the following guests:

• "LOCH MESS! The World's Largest Freshwater Musical" playwright/composer Josef Evans and performer Lux Mortenson
• Singer/musician/songwriter Aaron "Heatbox" Heaton
• "The Music of Gladys Knight" lead performer MsArnise
• Singer/musician/songwriter Josh Cleveland

Summer is usually the time of year a lot of people look forward to, so they can get outside and enjoy all that Minnesota has to offer.  This Summer is a bit different, though.  Poor air quality across the state, and for large pockets of time, have dominated the headlines for weeks.  David Brown, Environmental Research Scientist & Meteorologist with the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, explains the factors that have set up this situation.

During recent Pride Months, retail giants have increasingly shown their support of the LGBTQIAP+ community.  However, that’s come under heavy amounts of scrutiny this year.  Major companies are facing backlash from customers upset over this kind of ally-ship.  Brandography CEO Jason Dailey joins the program to talk about the back-and-forth of it all.

Brandography CEO Jason Dailey talks about the backlash against some companies marketing towards the LGBTQ community.

David Brown of the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency helps us figure out why our air quality has been so poor over the past few weeks.

If you like to stroll through one of Minneapolis’ parks, you may notice graffiti on some of the buildings you walk by.  But there’s an effort to try and keep that vandalism from happening in the first place.  The Minneapolis Parks and Recreation Board has employed local artists to help by painting murals on some of the park buildings.  Board Senior Planner Carrie Ann Christensen offers some details of the program.

Jearlyn leads off this last show of June by talking about "what's in a name" and buying fireworks for the Fourth.

Carrie Ann Christensen from the Minneapolis Parks and Recreation Board explains a new program to combat graffiti on local park structures.

On this edition of Center Stage, Jearlyn talks with the following guests:

• "The Buddha Prince" creator/writer/director Markell Kiefer
• Stages Theatre CEO & artistic director Sandy Boren-Barrett
• Twin Cities Jazz Festival founder Steve Heckler
• Comedian C. Willi Myles

A new bookstore in Downtown Minneapolis is offering selections from a diverse clientele of authors.  Strive is the latest outlet from Strive Publishing LLC, and company CEO/founder Mary Taris joins the program to explain how her lifelong dream of educating has turned into this expanding business.

Jearlyn gives her thoughts on the DeSantis-Disney fight and the tragic death of a former American Olympian.

Strive Publishing founder Mary Taris tells us about her new bookstore in Minneapolis.

In 2023, are strides being made to help men get the care they need for their minds?  June is Men's Mental Health Awareness Month, and Jearlyn invites Abbott Northwestern hospitalist and author Dr. Craig Bowron on the show to explain the barriers men have to seeking this type of health care and how those are slowly being eroded.