Jearlyn Steele

It seems like Summer just started, but we’re only weeks away from schools getting back in session.  How can parents help their children begin to transition to their school year schedules?  To help give us a guide, we turned to Eisenhower Elementary School Spanish teacher (in Hopkins) and 2023 Minnesota Teacher of the Year finalist Allyson Wolff.

Elementary school Spanish teacher Allyson Wolff provides some tips for parents trying to get their children ready for the upcoming school year.

Fierce Healthcare staff writer Dave Muoio explains what went wrong with the now-failed merger between Sanford Health and Fairview Health.

The state's Recreational Marijuana law goes into effect on Tuesday.  What should we know about it as the landscape surrounding the drug changes?  Charlene Briner, Implementation Coordinator for the new Office of Cannabis Management, joins the show to answer some of those questions.

As a society, have we even started to get over the affects and impacts of the COVID pandemic?  Jearlyn wonders if there are enough conversations on that question.

MN Office of Cannabis Management implementation coordinator Charlene Briner gives us a primer on the new marijuana law before it goes into effect this week.

On this week's edition of Center Stage, Jearlyn talks with:

• Rosemount HS student and nationally-recognized musical theatre student Mia Nelson
• Local Folk/Soul artist & songwriter Kashimana
• "Jim Caruso's Cast Party" creator/host Jim Caruso
• Local musician/songwriter Brynn Andre

On the back of last week’s conversation about how poor air quality can affect air conditioning and central air units, we reached out to one of the most well-known HVAC shops around.  K & S Heating serves the Twin Cities and Rochester metro areas.  Metro Manager Eric Asleson guides us on how to keep these machines running, despite the poor air conditions.

Eric Asleson of K&S Heating provides some tips on how to keep our air conditioning and central air machines working properly in this Summer of poor air across the state.

What should we be wearing when it comes to the Summer months?  Jearlyn looks into fashion and climate during the second part of the hour.

Earlier this week, the University of Minnesota announced that they will no longer consider race in their college admission procedures.  At the same time, they said that family influence, whether through attendance or employment, will also be dropped when looking at perspective students.  The University is one of several schools to remove legacy status from their admissions process in light of the Supreme Court’s recent ruling on Affirmative Action.

What will this mean for higher education moving forward?  IvyWise premier college admissions counselor Nat Smitobol joins the program to discuss the impacts.

Is the circus not long for this world?  Jearlyn wonders whether younger generations still want to go see the grandeur of this art form, especially considering the recent financial struggles of Cirque du Soleil.

Nat Smitobol from IvyWise describes the impact of some colleges deciding to drop Legacy status from their admissions practices.

On this week's edition of Center Stage, Jearlyn welcomes the following guests on the program:

• Jazz vocalist/songwriter Leslie Vincent
• "The Kung Fu Zombies Saga: Shaman Warrior & Cannibals" playwright Saymoukda Duangphouxay Vongsay
• Star Tribune lead theatre critic Rohan Preston