There are veterans from over a dozen wars and military operations living among us right now.

While Minnesota ranks right in the middle for the number of Veterans living in our state, we lack Vet Centers on a per-capita basis.

Today we hear from two Veterans who are advocating for more Vet Centers in underserved regions, such as Central Minnesota.

Guests:Kathy Marshik , Veteran Service Officer, Morrison CountyPhil Ringstrom, Veterans Advocate

Show Notes:Vet CentersRepresentatives to contact:Tom Emmer

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May is Mental Health Awareness month. For a lot of us, the concept of mental health care is tied directly to being in a state of crisis, and for far too many of us, we neglect our own mental well-being until we’ve reached that state of crisis. Resources at that level have been stretched thin for years, and oftentimes the wait list for assistance leaves people without services when they need them most urgently. But, what if we could change the way we think about mental health care, so that more of us sought help BEFORE we reached that crisis stage? This week and next, we’ll be looking at peer-to-peer services in Minnesota that offer help for mental wellness and beyond. Guests: Mille Richard, Licensed Peer Recovery Specialist with Wellness in the WoodsJode Freyholtz-London, Executive Director of Wellness in the WoodsShow Notes:Wellness in the Woods

2019 Minnesota Department of Health report on Rural Health Care in Minnesota

Peer Respite as an Alternative to Hospitalization - report by the Legislative Analysis and Public Policy Association

Representatives to contact:Rep. John Poston, House District 9A Rep Heather Edelson, House District 49A>>Support Our Podcast! One-time donations and Patron subscriptions

80 years ago, America stepped one foot out of the depression and right into World War II. In order to avoid the looming threat of inflation that came with the sudden change in available workers back home, the government placed a  cap on wages. But they let businesses offer employer-sponsored health insurance to attract employees.While this resolved the immediate problem in 1942, it created a new problem in America: Job Lock. Fear of losing health insurance coverage caused more folks to stay in jobs that weren’t right for them, or set  aside dreams of starting their own business because of the exorbitant cost of self-insurance. By 2009, a report found that Job lock costs U.S. workers an estimated $3.7 billion every year in foregone wages.It took nearly 70 years to see a significant change in the way American receive health insurance coverage. And even with the passage of the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare), there’s room for improvement. The number of uninsured Americans fell by 20 million, or 7.8%, after the implementation of the ACA, until 2017. Since, then, the uninsured rate has slowly started to climb again.Americans need access to health care. So, how do we find coverage that takes into account the needs of the patient while also honoring the work of the doctors? Guests:Renee Cardarelle,  Community MemberSenator John Marty, MN-66

Show Notes:History of Health Reform in the U.S.Key facts about the uninsured populationJob Lock Phenomenon

Health Care For All Minnesota

Minnesota Health Plan (and E-book)

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Roughly 68,000 farms spread across Minnesota occupy 51% of our land. Minnesota ranks fifth in agricultural production in the United States, bringing in 16.7 billion dollars annually.  In short, the agriculture industry is big in Minnesota. Still, agriculture only counts for roughly 6% of the workforce, and wages for farm work fall well below the median income across the state. A lot of folks in Central Minnesota might know a farmer or two - might have even been raised on a farm themselves. But farming has changed a lot over the past few decades. Today we’re taking a first look at what it means to be a farmer in Minnesota in 2021. We’ll revisit this topic from time to time as we get to know the folks who supply our restaurants and farmers’ markets.Guests:Bruce Anderson, Community MemberGreg Reynolds of Riverbend Farms in Delano, MNShow Notes:

North Circle Seeds

Riverbend Farms, Delano - Email Greg

Data on Family Farms - USDAMinnesota Agricultural Profile - MN Dept. of Agriculture>>Support Our Podcast! One-time donations and Patron subscriptions

Minnesota is home to 11,842 lakes and 6,564 natural streams and rivers. Our waters flow north to Hudson Bay, east to the Atlantic Ocean, and south to the Gulf of Mexico. We fish in these waters, swim in them, drift down them on lazy summer afternoons. From chasing frogs through small creeks to dropping a line through the ice, we spend a lot of time in and around the water. This Earth Day, we’re asking: what’s the quality of our lakes and rivers in Central Minnesota? And what can we do to ensure we have safe water to enjoy for generations to come? Guests: Dave Rieder, Community MemberJohn Barten, Clean Water Council - Lakes & Streams Non-Profit, Chair, Policy Committee Show Notes:Minnesota Clean Water Council>>Support Our Podcast! One-time donations and Patron subscriptions

If there’s one thing Minnesotans will gladly talk about, it’s the weather. This is more than just the cliche safe subject to talk about - we really, REALLY get into talking about our weather, because our weather events are some of the most extreme in the nation. And just as much as we love to talk about the weather, we love to be out in it. Minnesotans as a whole are hard-core outdoor enthusiasts. With this episode airing during Severe Weather Awareness week in Minnesota, we wanted to ask: What does the intersection of weather, the great outdoors, and climate change look like?Guests:Bruce "Harv" Busta, Community Member

Rachel Humphrey, Assistant Professor of Meteorology and Science Education at St. Cloud State University.Show Notes:

What Climate Change Means for Minnesota

Minnesota Historic Mega Rain Events

Children’s Blizzard

Armistice Blizzard

SCSU Department of Atmospheric & Hydrologic Sciences

Vasaloppet Nordic Ski Race

Birkebeiner Ski Race

Nordic Ski Club of Central Minnesota >>Support Our Podcast! One-time donations and Patron subscriptions

Only 16% of private sector workers have access to paid family leave. So, what happens when a new child enters the family, when a serious illness strikes, or when a loved one needs care during their final days of life?In this episode we look at a possible solution to the question: How do we find the balance between needing to work to survive, and needing to be present for ourselves and our loved one through all the seasons of life? Guests: Arnie Burzynski, Community MemberBethany Winkles, Executive Director MN AFL-CIOShow Notes:

Bureau of Labor & Statistics Access to Paid and Unpaid Family Leave

Text of HF1200 Paid Family & Medical Leave Bill

National Partnership for Women and Families Paid Family & Medical Leave Fact Sheet

Minnesotans for Paid Family & Medical Leave Info Sheet>>Support Our Podcast! One-time donations and Patron subscriptions

Today we’re talking about knowing ourselves better, as a community and as the beautiful patchwork of people who make up this Central Minnesota landscape.

My first guest, Jan Sorell, joined me to talk about preserving her own past through a community group called Memory Writers. 

My second guest is Carie Essig, Executive Director of the Stearns History Museum.

MinnCentral Currents takes a look at big topics to see how they impact our everyday lives in the cities, towns, and fields of Minnesota’s heartland.

Subscribe to learn what keeps Central Minnesota moving!