For nearly four decades, MPR News reporter Dan Gunderson told stories that remind us how much meaning can be found in everyday life. He’s covered floods and farming, faith and politics, the changing landscape of rural communities — and the people who live there.  

But what’s made Dan’s work so memorable isn’t just what he’s covered. It’s how he’s covered it — with patience, curiosity, and a deep respect for the people he meets along the way. 

Now, after 38 years with MPR News, Dan is retiring. At an event in Moorhead in late October, MPR News guest host Catharine Richert talked with Gunderson about storytelling, some of the people he’s met over the years and what he’s discovered about Minnesota along the way. 

Guest:

• Dan Gunderson is a reporter based in Moorhead. He covers general news for a wide swath of western Minnesota and eastern North Dakota with a focus on the environment, agriculture and Indian Country. He has reported for MPR News since 1987.

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  2025 Dan Gunderson, longtime MPR journalist and master Minnesota storyteller, retires
  
  


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  2025 Minnesota minister rediscovers his faith among people in need
  
  


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  2025 In this west-central Minnesota town, fiddle jams draw players from ages 3 to 86
  
  


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  2025 Minnesota woman on a quest to preserve stories of disappearing towns
  
  


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  2025 ‘Loon lady’ turns passion into action to protect Minnesota’s iconic bird
  
  


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  2011 Researchers investigating movement of black bears into new habitats
  
  


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  2007 Moorhead orchestra students rock
  
  


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  2001 The land of the dancing tractors
  
  

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When we think about what happens to our body after we die, some of us may picture a heavy, polished casket or an urn of ashes left after cremation.

But a growing number of people are choosing to return to the earth in more environmentally friendly ways.

Some are choosing water-based cremation, which doesn’t burn fossil fuels. Others are planning simpler death rituals that skip embalming, steel caskets and concrete burial vaults. Instead, the body is placed in the ground in a biodegradable basket or shroud and allowed to decompose as quickly and as naturally as possible.

MPR News guest host Catharine Richert talks with her guests about rising interest in these greener options and some of the questions and concerns that surround them. 

Guests:

• Angela Woosley has been a licensed mortician in Minnesota for 20 years. In 2020 she started her own funeral care business focused on natural death care, Inspired Journeys. She previously worked for a funeral home and taught in the Program of Mortuary Science at the University of Minnesota.   
• Taelor Johnson is the communications director for Interra Green Burial by Mueller Memorial in St. Paul and White Bear Lake. She’s the third generation working in the family-run funeral home.  
• MPR News correspondent Dan Kraker is based in Duluth and covered efforts to establish a green cemetery in Carlton County, Minn.

Health insurance is about to get more expensive for a lot of people — in Minnesota and across the country. 

Many older Minnesotans are scrambling to find new insurance plans after some insurers stopped offering or scaled back Medicare Advantage plans.

People who buy their own insurance will see premiums jump next year as much as 26 percent on the individual market. Workers who get insurance through their employers are also looking at higher premiums.

And the federal tax and spending bill signed by President Donald Trump this summer is expected to push as many as 140,000 low-income Minnesotans off Medicaid.  

MPR News guest host Catharine Richert looks at how the rising costs of medical care along with changes in state and federal policies are reshaping health care in Minnesota.

If you’re looking for more information, here are some resources that were mentioned during the show

• Contact Medicare at 1-800-MEDICARE
• Minnesota Aging Pathways (formerly known as the Senior LinkAge line) at 800-333-2433

Guests:

• Sayeh Nikpay is a health economist and an associate professor in the Division of Health Policy and Management at the University of Minnesota’s School of Public Health. 
• Kelli Jo Greiner is a health care policy analyst for the Minnesota Board on Aging and the Minnesota Department of Human Services. 

Subscribe to the MPR News with Angela Davis podcast on: Apple Podcasts, Spotify or RSS.   

Use the audio player above to listen to the full conversation.     

President Donald Trump’s mobilization of the National Guard in a few U.S. cities in recent months has reignited debate about when — and whether — federal troops should be used on U.S. soil. 

Does a president have the authority to deploy state National Guard units against a governor's objection? If so, what does that mean for the balance of power between civilian and military authority?

MPR News guest host Catharine Richert talks with a political scientist who studies civil–military relations and a law professor who studies national security to help us understand what’s at stake — legally, politically, and for the U.S. tradition of keeping the military out of domestic affairs.   

Guests:

• Laura Dickinson is a professor of national security law and constitutional law at the George Washington University Law School. She is also the author of “Outsourcing War and Peace.”
• Ron Krebs is a Distinguished McKnight University Professor and professor of political science at the University of Minnesota where he studies civil-military relations and security policy. He is also the author of “Narrative and the Making of US National Security” and “Fighting for Rights: Military Service and the Politics of Citizenship.” 

Traditionally, a college degree has been seen as a ticket to a secure future.

But not today. Thanks to soaring tuition costs and weighty student loans, many people are questioning the value of college. A 2025 Pew Research poll found that only one in four U.S. adults says it’s “extremely or very important to have a four-year college degree” to get a well-paying job.

And many young Americans — including Black, Latino and Indigenous students — contend they can build solid careers without seeking further education. In a 2025 survey by New America, a majority of young Americans agreed “there are lots of well-paying, stable jobs that people can find with only a high school diploma or GED.”

So is college still worth it — especially when it comes to low-income or first-generation students?

MPR News’ North Star Journey Live project teamed up with Sahan Journal Community Conversations in October to host a panel discussing the pros and cons of higher education. They also discussed other burgeoning post-secondary options, like trade schools, apprenticeships and becoming an entrepreneur.

Guests:

• Frida Torres Macal is the founder of That Social Invite, an independent social media marketer focused on helping women-owned businesses and professionals grow.
• Marquan Harper is a sophomore at the University of St. Thomas, where he is double majoring in Digital Media Arts and Marketing Management. He’s also the founder of Ador Hospitality, a Midwest-based hospitality group dedicated to enhancing the nightlife experience for young adults aged 18-24.
• Jalayah Johnson is enrolled at the Finishing Trades Institute of the Upper Midwest as a second-year glazer apprentice for the Empire House.
• Ali Osman is a high school counselor at South High School in Minneapolis.
• Jessica Yang is the senior implementation manager at the Get Ready GEAR UP Minnesota program administered through the Minnesota Office of Higher Education.

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For centuries, witches have cast their spell on our imaginations and enchanted our stories.

Throughout folklore and pop culture, some pointed-hat witches have established their unforgettable characters, both evil and good, from the Wicked Witch of the West, in the 1939 “Wizard of Oz” film, and Hermione Granger in the “Harry Potter” series.

So, why are witches so popular? And why can’t pop culture seem to get enough?

Coming up Friday at 9 a.m., MPR News host Jacob Aloi, reporter Alex V. Cipolle and editor Max Sparber spend an hour exploring witches across history and culture. With their guests, the MPR News arts team will talk about the witches in one of Shakespeare’s best-known plays, as well as witches in TV, film, music and books.

The fall harvest is wrapping up across Minnesota. But will farmers turn a profit?

Following a meeting Thursday between President Trump and China’s president Xi Jinping, there is hope that China will resume buying at least some soybeans and other export crops from the U.S.

But Minnesota farmers are still suffering from the fallout of the trade war. They’re also grappling with inflation, tighter credit and increasingly unpredictable weather. And, the federal government shutdown has slowed access to farm loans, crop insurance, disaster aid and other programs.

MPR News guest host Catharine Richert talks with a farmer and Minnesota’s agricultural commissioner about these challenges and what’s next.

Sex education in schools tends to focus on how to avoid unplanned pregnancy — but that means a lot of Americans don’t learn much about fertility.

One of the most common misunderstandings relates to age. A woman’s fertility declines as she ages, but many people underestimate just how much harder it can be to get pregnant in their 30s and 40s.

And, most people also think fertility treatments are more likely to be successful than they are.  

MPR News guest host Catharine Richert talks with two doctors about what affects the likelihood of getting pregnant and the things people wished they’d known before trying to have a baby.

Guests:

• Dr. Suzanne Darnell practices obstetrics and gynecology at M Health Fairview. She’s also an assistant professor at the University of Minnesota Medical School.   
• Dr. Tana Kim is a reproductive endocrinologist and the IVF director at Reproductive Medicine & Infertility Associates (RMIA) in the Twin Cities. She is board-certified in obstetrics and gynecology as well as reproductive endocrinology and infertility.  

In its fourth week, the federal government shutdown has become the second-longest government shutdown in American history, with no resolution in sight.

The funding dispute has halted paychecks for hundreds of thousands of federal workers and disrupted key services — from food assistance and small business loans to national parks and research programs.

MPR News guest host Catharine Richert talks with a political scientist about how we got here, how the budget impasse is affecting people and what it reveals about the balance of power in Washington.

Guest:

• Kathryn Pearson is a professor of political science at the University of Minnesota. She is also an associate dean of undergraduate education and the director of the University Honors Program.

We’ve all been told that our credit scores matter — but what does that really mean?  

A high credit score can open doors. It can help you get a lower interest rate on a car loan, qualify for a mortgage or even make it easier to rent an apartment. 

But a lower score? It can quietly cost you thousands of dollars in higher interest payments over time — money that could be going towards your savings, your home or your future. 

MPR News guest host Catharine Richert talks with a financial coach about what determines your credit score, simple steps to improve it and the smart choices that can strengthen your financial health for years to come. 

Guest:

• Demitri McGee is a financial coach, certified housing counselor and youth director at Build Wealth Minnesota, a nonprofit opportunity center dedicated to helping families through financial education, personalized coaching and community-based programs.