Pressroom Podcast

This week's guest is "vaguely well-known in a small part of the country." His words not ours.

On a visit to the big city Aaron Brown, voice of the Iron Range with his blog Minnesota Brown, talks with us about his journalism background, national media descending upon the Range during the political season, and his lifelong connection to the communities there.

We recorded this episode before the election, so there won't be any politics on this episode. You'll have to check out duluthnewstribune.com or his regional blog for election results.

During the month of September our guest created only a mason jar full of garbage. And it took her six days to make any trash at all.

April Hepokoski, the mind behind the Zero Waste Duluth Facebook page, shares how her journey to sustainability began, what first steps she made in eliminating plastics, and what things we can do in our own lives beyond bringing reusable bags to the grocery store.

She also offers some zero waste insight for the upcoming holidays. You know, the season full of wrapping paper, ribbon, and bubble wrap.

This week we have with us a famous face from Fox 21 News who recently landed in front of a national audience on NBC. Anchor Dan Hanger was involved with a moment of awkward banter during a newscast that caught the attention of Jimmy Fallon.

We talk about that moment, but that's just the tip of the iceberg in an episode full of insight into the television news business, Hanger's personal life and how he balances his two worlds.

Make sure you listen to the end because the "What we are into" segment goes off the rails. We're talking a total derailment and it's great.

To some she is known as "the sticker artist," but local watercolor artist Sam Nielson is much more than that. After successfully starting her business and selling her art on Etsy.com, Nielson decided to become a full-time artist last spring.

This week, Nielson shares what Duluth scenes inspire her to create new sketches, what it's been like to fully invest in her watercolor art and how her work appeals to a wide range of art lovers.

This week we have with us a natural-born talk show host who has been interviewing people in front of a live studio audience since he was in high school. Recently, WDSE has picked up his show "Twin Ports Tonight."

Andrew Kirov talks the writing process, pitching sketch ideas, what's funny and how he captures the "weirdness" of the Northland into a talk show meets Saturday Night Live type of local show.

He even gets into character for us as an Eveleth men's hockey league coach whose team is losing to Babbitt.

One of Duluth's most visible - and busiest - artists Adam Swanson recently returned from an artist residency aboard the research vessel Falkor, where he captured images of science with art.

Swanson, who recently finished a giant owl mural in Duluth's Lincoln Park neighborhood, joins Christa Lawler and Barrett Chase on the podcast this week to talk about his recent assignment at sea and how that work re-energizes him once he returns to his home studio.

It's not all ghosts and goblins, Duluth has a dark history all its own without needing to dive into stories of paranormal hauntings. Although those stories have their place, too.

During the month of October, The Duluth Experience offers a Dark History tour which explores the city's lesser-known mysteries. Dave Grandmaison and Nick Schutz stop by this week to let us know what to expect on a tour and where their favorite spooky spot is in Duluth.

Jake and Valerie Scott discovered the craft cider scene while living out east, and decided to bring it back to Duluth - where both graduated from the University of Minnesota Duluth.

Before venturing into the cider business, the couple always enjoyed making beer together, they even made their own beer for their wedding.

On this week's episode, the couple share their origin story, the history behind their taproom, and most importantly what type of cider they will be making - it's nothing like that sweet, carbonated stuff you find in the store.

Abigail Mlinar and Melissa LaTour, two of the people involved with creating Femn Fest, join us this week to discuss feminism - what common misconceptions people have about feminists - and what they have in store for year two of the festival.

Billed as "an unapologetically feminist festival," the two-day event is made up of female-identifying performers, presenters, and business owners. The second annual Femn Fest is Sept. 21-22 at Sacred Heart Music Center in Duluth.

This week we have with us Alexandera Houchin who, in early July, was the female winner of the 2,745 mile Tour Divide - a bike race from Banff, Alberta, to the Mexican border.

Alexandera, a senior at the University of Minnesota Duluth, tells us about the grueling race, which she completed in 23 days and three hours, and her anti-climatic finish.