Main Street

Friday, March 13, 2020 – Dr. Mark Seeley is an extension climatologist/meteorologist at the University of Minnesota, well known for his climate reporting on Minnesota Public Radio's Morning Edition and writing for WeatherTalk . He has published two books and won numerous awards for his work. He’ll be appearing in Fergus Falls on April 2 to speak about climate change and how it will impact the region. ~~~ There are 31 million beef cattle in the U.S. — about 1 for every 10 Americans. It’s a big

Performances from the 2020 North Dakota Poetry Out Loud Contest at the Heritage Center in Bismarck. Cassandra Rostvedt (one of the 5 finalists) does Dead Butterfly by Ellen Bass, an interview with first-time judge Shaunane Tangney, Katy Meester doing Requests for Toy Piano by Tony Hoagland, Jacob Klaudt does Eagle Plain by Robert Francis, Gabi Oberg from Washburn performs Prints by Joseph Bruchac, Alexandra Puetz of Wyndmere does The Albatross by Kate Bass, and Kylie Howatt of Northern Cass does

Thursday, March 12, 2020 – Tim Weidrich of the State Health Department starts us off with a corona virus update. ~~~ Long time Bismarck travel agent Katherine Satrom joins us from Hawaii to comment on the impact the corona virus is having for North Dakota travelers. And are the travel insurance companies going to remain solvent? ~~~ Sue Balcom shares some tips about starting plants for this week’s Main Street Eats. ~~~ Ashley and Christine have our What’s Happening calendar of events.

Wednesday, March 11, 2020 – We share an interview with Stephanie Land about her memoir, "Maid: Hard Work, Low Pay, and a Mother's Will to Survive." She writes about overworked and underpaid Americans and the deep-rooted stigmas of the working poor. She visits with Sarah Aaronson, host of The Write Question from Montana Public Radio. ~~~ Bill Thomas returns to share more recitations from the North Dakota Poetry Out Loud contest.

Tuesday, March 10, 2020 – North Dakota chef Andrea Baumgardner, of Fargo restaurant BernBaum's , is a semifinalist for the 2020 James Beard Awards as “Best Chef Midwest.” She joins us to talk about the award and the challenges faced by restaurateurs. We continue on a food theme as we hear from three female entrepreneurs who bring global flavors to the March edition of First Fridays at B. Featured are local Ladybosses: Sifa Olive from Adibon, Maria Carpenter Rodriguez from Maria's HomeStyle

Monday, March 9, 2020 – We’ve previously discussed the plight of the Yazidi people, and today we hear the story of one survivor of that genocide. Shaker Jeffrey helped the US Military special forces and was promised a visa to America and a colleges education. That promise was not kept. He remains in Germany, hoping he will one day be allowed into the country. Joining us is Katharine Holstein, who tells his story in the book, “Shadow on the Mountain, a Yazidi Memoir of Terror, Resistance and Hope

Friday, March 6, 2020 – In another excerpt from Conversations on Healthcare, hosts Mark Masselli and Margaret Flinter speak with Dr. Sheri Fink, Pulitzer Prize winning New York Times Correspondent and one of the executive producers of “Pandemic: How to Avoid an Outbreak.” She has covered numerous catastrophes, epidemics and war zones, and shares her insights into public health interventions as the world faces the Corona Virus outbreak. ~~~ Americans are divided on lots of issues. But a recent

Thursday, March 5, 2020 – Megan Pennington ditched her title as a dietitian, rejecting much of what she’d been taught when she found it just wasn’t working. She’s now a food sensitivity specialist. She says every single person she’s tested has had an immune response to more than a handful of foods, which can lead to chronic inflammation, fatigue, digestive issues, and more. ~~~ Tom Isern shares a Plains Folk essay, “Lightning Rods and Dollar Signs.” ~~~ Main Street Eats with Sue Balcom. Today

Wednesday, March 4, 2020 – High school is supposed to prepare you for your next step. For decades, students were pushed into pursuing four-year liberal arts degrees, leaving some workforce gaps in hands-on careers. Today, there's a resurgence in tech-ed. We visit with Dale Hoerauf, director of career and technical education for Bismarck Public Schools. The Bismarck Career Academy recently purchased a plane to help aviation students like Casey Wetzel, a senior hoping to become a private pilot. ~~

Tuesday, March 3, 2020 – Abriendo Fronteras means “Opening Borders.” This non-profit organization has been organizing trips to the southern border. According to its mission statement, it seeks to cultivate “peace and justice by creating opportunities for building relationships of mutual respect and dignity.” Today we visit with 3 people just back from a 6-day immersion experience organized by Open Borders. Joining us are Josh Boschee, Karen Ehrens, and Cynthia Shabb. ~~~ The Hidatsa people have