Main Street

Wednesday, October 26, 2022 - Libraries are academic spaces. And in one professor’s imagination, a portal that protects us from cosmic evil. Brian Urlacher, Ph.D. chairs UND’s political science department by day and reads cosmic horror in his free time. He’s now joining the ranks of fiction writer with his new novella, The Library of Chester Fritz, a fictionalized story of how the library protects us from malicious cosmic forces. ~~~ Tribal colleges across North Dakota are boosting apprentice opportunities thanks to a recent $14 million donation. The funding comes from a trio of private energy companies. Alicia Hegland-Thorpe visits with Dr Cynthia Lindquist, president of Cankdeska Cikana Community College. ~~~ We share another profile from this year’s class of inductees into the North Dakota Native American Hall of Honor. Kevin Todd Finley was inducted for his work as basketball coach and athletic director at United Tribes Technical College.

Tuesday, October 25, 2022 - NDSU political science professor Nicholas Bauroth discusses the upcoming election in this excerpt from the Prairie Pulse television show with host John Harris. ~~~ Tom Isern has this week’s Plains Folk essay, “Sweet Betsy.” ~~~ Fintan Dooley is seeking election as agriculture commissioner. He visits with Matt Olien.

Monday, October 24, 2022 - Drew Wrigley, the appointed Attorney General, is seeking election to the post. He visits with Matt Olien. ~~~ We also visit with Michael Howe, one of the three candidates for Secretary of State.

Friday, October 21, 2022 - In another of our candidate conversations, we meet Rick Becker, independent candidate for US Senate. ~~~ Dave Thompson is here for this week’s news chat. ~~~ Matt Olien reviews “The Banshees of Inisherin,” a black comedy-drama written and directed by Martin McDonagh.

Thursday, October 20, 2022 - Dr. Damian Costello is the author of “Black Elk: Colonialism and Lakota Catholicism.” He’ll be the featured speaker at this year’s Black Elk Convocation and Forum at the University of Mary. Black Elk was born in 1863. He converted to Catholicism, but also continued to practice Lakota ceremonies. He is now designated by Catholics as a "Servant of God," a title indicating that his life and works are being investigated by the Pope and the Catholic Church for possible canonization. Also joining the conversation is Dr. Mike Taylor, professor of education at UMary. ~~~ A Statewide Arts Convening is taking place next week as part of the state’s Main Street Summit. We get a preview from Kim Konikow, executive director of the North Dakota Council on the Arts. ~~~ Sue Balcom is here for a Main Street Eats discussion of pumpkins and squash.

Wednesday, October 19, 2022 - Our candidate conversations continue, today with independent candidate for Secretary of State, Charles Tuttle. ~~~ “Freeman Vines: Hanging Tree Guitars” is a new exhibit at the North Dakota Museum of Art. It tells a story much deeper than guitars, as we learn from Timothy Duffy, who collaborated with Freeman Vines, artist, a luthier, and a spiritual philosopher, whose life is a witness to the truths and contradictions of the American South. ~~~ A BirdNote feature on the various types of bird calls.

Tuesday, October 18, 2022 - The One-Book, One-North Dakota selection for October is “Unwillable: A Journey to Reclaim My Brain.” It’s a memoir by Jackie Stebbins of Bismarck in which she shares the story of her battle with autoimmune encephalitis, a rare brain illness. An author event is coming up on the 23rd, in person and online. For a preview, we share an encore conversation with Ms. Stebbins from July 19th. ~~~ Tom Isern shares a Plains Folk essay: “The Price of Progress.”

Monday, October 17, 2022 - Temple Grandin is an autism activist, scientist and New York Times bestselling author. She joins us to discuss her new book, “Visual Thinking: The Hidden Gifts of People Who Think in Pictures, Patterns, and Abstractions.” ~~~ Can culture help address health concerns? Today we visit with Naomi Bender, Ph.D, a Quechua woman who directs the Native American Health Sciences and the new Center for Native American Health at Washington State University, Spokane. The MN native returns to the area to present “Culture as Medicine: Re-imagining Health Education to Address and Impact Health Inequity in Our Communities” at Concordia College.

Friday, October 14, 2022 - We continue our candidate conversations as Matt Olien interviews Katrina Christiansen, who is running for a seat in the US Senate. ~~~ Dave Thompson is here with our weekly news chat. ~~~ Matt Olien reviews “Moonage Daydream. He also reflects on the career of Angela Lansbury, who passed away this week.

Thursday, October 13, 2022 - Fargo’s Sawyer Anderson is one of 16 people to receive the 2022 International Young Eco-Hero Award. She won 2nd place in the 8-12 age group for her work raising money to build water wells in Zambia. She’s the author and illustrator of Water Works - An American Girl's Journey to Bring Clean Water to Africa. ~~~ Speaking of keeping the water clean, Chuck Lura discusses the benefit provided by beavers. ~~~ Tom Isern shares a Plains Folk essay, “Shane Did Not Live in North Dakota.” ~~~ Sue Balcom is here with a “Main Street Eats” discussion about kitchen shortcuts, or hacks, – some that are good, and some that aren’t.