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Friday, June 23, 2023 - With the recent Supreme Court decision affirming preference for native children to be adopted by native families, we thought it would be a good time to learn more about adoption here in North Dakota. Joining us is Julie Hoffman, administrator of Adoption Services for the Department of Health and Human Services. ~~~ Dave Thompson joins us for our weekly news chat. ~~~ Matt Olien reviews “The Flash,” and he comments on actress Glenda Jackson, who passed away on June 15th.

Thursday, June 22, 2023 - Katie Dachtler is one of this year’s recipients of the Bush Foundation Fellowship. As a fellow, she’ll be pursuing a PhD in Change Leadership for Equity and Inclusion. Her background as an adoptee from South Korea and work in mental health informs her approach to leadership and inclusion. ~~~ Dr. Gary Schwartz, chair of the Dept. of Population Health at the UND School of Medicine & Health Sciences discusses North Dakota’s ranking among the most radon-dense states in the nation, the danger that poses, and UND’s new Radon Outreach and Research project.

Wednesday, June 21, 2023 - Immigration is a hot topic, and North Dakota will soon have an Office of Legal Immigration, the creation of which was approved during the last legislative session. What will this office be charged with doing? We’ll ask Senator Tim Mathern. He introduced the legislation. ~~~ Ready for a delightful conversation? We hear the winning stories from the recent PBS Kids Writers Contest. Joining us is Callista Martinez, community engagement coordinator. ~~~ An essay from NDSU historian Tom Isern: “Glorious 4th.” ~~~ An episode of BirdNote” “Tree Swallows and Feathers.”

6172 - Tuesday, June 20, 2023 - We get an update on Extreme North Dakota Racing from Joel Larson, race director. Called END-Racing, the group sponsors several endurance events each year. Next up is the “Wilderman,” an off road triathlon they’re holding in Walhalla. ~~~ The Air Race Classic has female pilots from across the country racing from North Dakota to Florida. The annual event starts this year in Grand Forks. We hear from Elizabeth Bjerke, associate dean at UND’s John D. Odegaard School of Aerospace Science and pilot Gretchen Jahn of team Random Chance. ~~~ Chuck Lura shares a Natural North Dakota essay on tomorrow’s Summer Solstice.

Monday, June 19, 2023 - Today is Juneteenth, and it's also the day descendants of the Atlantic Slave Trade who live in Minnesota and the Dakotas can begin applying for grants to be used for wealth-building projects. Over the next eight years, the fund will award grants of $50,000 to at least 800 eligible applicants. Here to explain the who, the what and the why is the senior director of Nexus Community Partners, Danielle Mkali. ~~~ We learn about air quality monitoring at the Department of Environmental Quality from Ryan Mills. ~~~ Poetry from Studio 47 comes to us from Patrick Hicks, writer in residence and a member of the English faculty at Augustana University in Sioux Falls. Today he profiles poet Eamonn Wall.

Friday, June 16, 2023 - Tim Dirks, Fargo Public Library director, is John Harris’s guest in an excerpt from the Prairie Pulse television show. ~~~ We recap yesterday’s decision by the Supreme Court regarding the adoption of Indian children by sharing excerpts of NPR’s coverage. ~~~ Dave Thompson joins us with an update on the week in news. ~~~ Poetry from Studio 47 with Patrick Hicks: Camille T. Dungy.

Thursday, June 15, 2023 - At the start of the pandemic, Congress paved the way for states to keep people continuously enrolled in Medicaid, but that's now changed, so the state is urging people to be aware of their Medicaid renewal deadlines. We visit with Krista Fremming, interim medical services division director at the state department of health and human services ~~~ Rancher, musician and essayist Jessie Veeder combines those talents as we hear in a composition titled “Nashville.” ~~~ From the Great American Folk Show, we hear from chef Summer Peterson, who shares a favorite recipe. ~~~ More and more communities in North Dakota are celebrating the Juneteenth emancipation holiday. Special contributor Alicia Hegland-Thorpe Visits with organizers of the Bismarck event. ~~~ How many eggs does a bird lay? We get an interesting examination of that question in an episode from Birdnote.

Wednesday, June 14, 2023 - Minnesota's transportation budget includes several big-ticket projects including $4 million to study St. Paul to Fargo passenger rail service. We visit with Brian Nelson, president of All Aboard Minnesota. ~~~ Tom Isern shares a Plains Folk essay titled “The Yellow and the Green.” ~~~ Auctions are a live marketplace for knick knacks, land and everything in between. For rural communities, they’re also a social event. But Harvest Public Media’s Elizabeth Rembert reports those interactions are increasingly going online. ~~~ The North Dakota voters ethics commission was created by passage of an initiated measure in 2018. Now there are two openings for commissioners. News director Dave Thompson visits with Rebecca Binstock, the executive director of the commission.

Tuesday June 13, 2023 - Civil Rights activist Fred Edwards is here to reflect on race relations as we lead up to Juneteenth. ~~~ Mark Billings, the former president of The Rotary Club of Dickinson, played a pivotal role in spearheading a remarkable endeavor: a two-year technology project that promises to uplift the lives of underprivileged individuals in the rural parish of Sinincay, Ecuador. ~~~ Peggy Lee Day has become a big annual event in Valley City. It celebrates the famous singer who grew up here in North Dakota.Joining us to preview the event are band leader Myron Sommerfeld and singer Bonnie Lynn.

Monday, June 12, 2023 - Vision West ND is a non-profit seeking to address immediate, short-term needs in the state's energy producing region to meet growth management challenges and establish a diversified economy. ~~~ Ellis Julin of Montana Public Radio reports on sixteen young people who say the state of Montana isn’t doing enough to address climate change. ~~~ We hear a report from Harvest Public Media. ~~~ The Missouri River Bluegrass Festival is coming up! We get a preview from two of the organizers and performers, Jill Wiese and Juan Gelpi. ~~~ Birdnote.