Main Street

Friday, September 2, 2022 - Our monthly Journalists Roundtable. Plenty to talk about this month. Host Alicia Hegland-Thorpe is joined by special guests Sydney Mook, managing editor of the Grand Forks Herald; and Steve Andrist, former president of Journal Publishing, and past executive director of the North Dakota Newspaper Association. ~~~ Labor Day weekend is the last chance for many people to squeeze in a summer vacation. Harvest Public Media’s Elizabeth Rembert explores how unexpected activities are being used to lure tourists to Midwestern states. ~~~ Matt Olien reviews “Three Thousand Years of Longing.” ~~~ In an episode of “TellTale, Dakota Folklife and Stories,” a group of elders in Jamestown converse about the joys and dangers of farming, especially threshing. ~~~ Chuck Lura shares a Natural North Dakota essay about the Maximilian Sunflower.

Thursday, September 1, 2022 - Humanities North Dakota has loads of interesting events and classes taking place. Sue Skalicky joins us to discuss the Public University Series, Gamechanger presentations, and the Brave Conversations program. ~~~ Sue Balcom is here for Main Street Eats. Her topic this week is bread.

Wednesday, August 31, 2022 - “One Book, One North Dakota” is a recurring event organized by Humanities ND. The book selected for September is from North Dakota native Taylor Brorby: “Boys and Oil: Growing Up Gay in a Fractured Land.” On September 25th there will be a free Zoom event with Brorby and moderator Tayo Basquiat. With that in mind, today we replay a visit with Taylor Brorby from earlier this summer.

Tuesday, August 30, 2022 - What makes artifacts valuable? What are the guidestones of a good archaeologist? That and so many more questions as we visit with Dr. Andrew Clark, of the North Dakota Historical Society; and Liz France of the North Dakota Archaeologist Association. Among the topics … amateurs digging up old outhouse sites to find “items for posterity.” ~~~ The Whitestone Hill Memorial Horseback Ride is underway. It’s a ride from Fort Thompson in South Dakota to Whitestone Hill in North Dakota. The ride in memory of the tragedy that took place on Whitestone Hill in 1863, as Brigadier General Alfred Sully launched an attack against a village of Yanktonai, Santee, and Teton (Lakota) Sioux. Sully killed, wounded, or captured 300 to 400 people, including women and children. We visit with rider and ride organizer Jimmy Hallum. ~~~ Historian Tom Isern shares this week’s Plains Folk essay: “The Printer’s Towel.”

Monday, August 29, 2022 - Our monthly Philosophical Currents conversation with UND professor Jack Russell Weinstein tackles a rich topic: equal protection under the law.

Doug Hamilton, who hosted Main Street from 2012-2021, passed away on August 5 following his battle with acute myeloid leukemia.

Friday, August 26, 2022 - Today friends and family paid respects to the late Doug Hamilton, who hosted Main Street for nearly ten years. We begin with a tribute, hearing from some of his many friends and colleagues. ~~~ Two North Dakota state agencies will be merging, effective Sept first. The Department of Human Services and the Department of Health will combine as the "Department of Health and Human Services." Prairie Public's Dave Thompson talks with Human Services executive director Chris Jones, who begins with an update on how the merger is going. ~~~ Matt Olien reviews “Fire of Love.” ~~~ In another episode of Telltale Dakota Folklife and Stories, we hear about mail order brides.

Thursday, August 25, 2022 - The Unaccompanied Refugee Minors Program is statewide, done by different organizations in different zones, having taken over from Lutheran Social services. These organizations partner with the Department of Human Services to provide support for refugees who have come to the country without an adult to care for them. We visit with Briana Miller and Shanda Hakk. They help manage the program for the Agassiz Valley Human Service Zone. ~~~ Tom Isern shares this week’s Plains Folk essay. ~~~ Sue Balcom is here for Main Street Eats.

Wednesday, August 24, 2022 - Fox Creek is the latest in the Cork O’Connor mystery series from Minnesota-based, NYT bestselling author William Kent Krueger. He’ll be speaking in Grand Forks and Fargo this weekend. ~~~ The risk of death from COVID-19 among indigenous people remains the highest among all racial and ethnic groups. Alicia Hegland-Thorpe visits with Dr. Loretta Christensen, director of the Indian Health Service, an agency within the Department of Health and Human Services responsible for providing federal health services to the country’s native population. ~~~ Midwest Flavor Fest is coming up this weekend in Mandan. It showcases food, arts & crafts, and music. And best of all, it’s free to attend. We visit with Phillip Schultz, the founder of BisMan Eats.

Tuesday, August 23, 2022 - Humanities North Dakota has loads of interesting events and classes coming up. One of them is a workshop called Little Mo Writers. It’s designed to help writers, scholars, and historians hone and improve their writing while bringing their projects to fruition. We visit with instructor Deb Marquart. ~~~ The USDA and ND agriculture leaders are getting together for a good cause, and it includes getting tomatoes thrown at them. The unusual celebration takes place at the next farmers market in Bismarck this Saturday. It's called LaTomatina. Alicia Hegland-Thorpe visits with Mary Podoll, with the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service.