The Woven Record

Bottom line: If you don't have the documentation required to register and vote, you will not be able to vote, and the SAVE act is going to require more documentation than you needed to vote previously. Get prepared now. This advice goes well beyond Mankato, Blue Earth County, or Minnesota.

In this episode of The Woven Record's Get Election Ready series, Mike Lagerquist and Becki True break down the SAVE Act's potential impact on voter registration and what it means for you. Currently debated in the Senate after passing the House, this legislation could dramatically change voter registration requirements, potentially requiring voters to provide updated documentation including birth certificates, passports, and current ID with your correct address.

We emphasize the importance of checking your voter registration status NOW using resources like Vote.org, understanding your early voting and absentee ballot options, and taking action before potential new requirements take effect. Whether the SAVE Act passes or not, being election ready means verifying your registration, gathering necessary documents, and planning ahead to avoid the heartbreak of showing up to vote only to find you're not eligible.

Keep up with the Get Election Ready series by subscribing to our YouTube channel or our YouTube Podcast.

And let us know what topic you'd like us to cover and what questions you have.

On a scale of 1–10, how 'paperwork-ready' are you if the SAVE Act passes tomorrow? (1 = I have no idea where my birth certificate is; 10 = Passport and ID are updated and in my hand!) Leave us a comment in the video

It should surprise no one that we had record turnout for party caucuses in Minnesota earlier this month. Minneapolis, St. Paul and all of Minnesota were still experiencing the peak surge of government agents roaming our cites and towns.

Nothing stirs democratic passions like getting a practical lesson in our Constitutional rights. I bet more people know their 1st, 4th, 5th, 10th, and 14th amendments better than they did 3 months ago. I know many people were surprised to see even their 2nd amendment rights get side eye from the government.

To be clear, we here at The Woven Record are big fans of the Constitution. All of it.

This is your government, and you are paying for these people to treat you and your neighbors this way. The good news is there's a big job interview going on right now - it's an election campaign for local, state, and Congressional offices. You get to decide who should run, and who we should hire, but you have to be prepared.

To help you get prepared, we're going to run a series of "how-to" videos and articles on how to Get Election Ready. This is the introduction video, and we'll follow up with specific topics and timelines that you need to be aware of. And with the new SAVE act still being voted on in Congress, you'll need to make sure you have the documentation required to register and vote. If this law passes, it's going to put a burden on governments to get your documents on time, and if you're a person who does not have the same name as is on your birth certificate, you're going to have even more work to do. That includes an awful lot of women who changed their name when they got married.

It's your government, and you can help shape it with your participation even before the general election.

Brennan Center for Justice February 2026

Beyond voting, discover lesser-known ways to participate in democracy, including the poll observer (or 'poll challenger') role that allows you to monitor election integrity at polling places. Becki shares her personal experience as a poll challenger and explains how election officials work to ensure voting is above board with representation from both parties. The video covers essential pre-election planning, including voter registration verification, arranging transportation if you're housebound or without a vehicle, and understanding key dates for signing up for observer roles or other opportunities.

This video emphasizes that elections work as well as citizens make them work -- it's not just about voting on election day, but about getting involved in the infrastructure that makes democracy possible. You'll learn about important resources like Vote.org and the Minnesota Secretary of State's office that can help ensure you're registered, know your polling place, and have all the information needed to participate fully in the electoral process.

Subscribe to the Woven Record or our YouTube Podcast to keep up with the Get Election Ready series so you aren't disappointed on election day.

Vote.org

Mike took a road trip to visit his brother and sister-in-law in the Dallas Fort Worth area. While there, Mike learned about Chef Brian Santiago's work building community, through food. Join Mike and Chef Brian in the kitchen as Brian preps for a party that he is catering.

Brian shares his farm-to-table philosophy, discussing how sourcing from local farmers like Cherokee Lakes and partnering with ethical butchers like Prolific Butcher keeps meals sustainable, affordable, and deeply nourishing. He explains why community starts at the farmers market and extends to intimate dinner experiences that celebrate local food culture.

Beyond private dining services and event catering for 20-70 guests, Brian manages Fort Worth's Clear Fork Farmers Market (open Saturdays, 8am-12pm year-round at Edward's Ranch) and leads innovative community initiatives. Learn about his butchery classes held during winter and spring, where students bond around campfires, and his 'Chaos to Confidence' personal development retreat -- a unique program created with life coach Jennifer Land that uses culinary challenges to build self-belief and break limiting cycles.

Brian also shares his Cajun heritage, generational cooking wisdom from New Orleans, and his vision for working with troubled youth ages 18-25. Discover how demystifying food, embracing seasonal menus, and creating spaces for authentic human connection can transform both individuals and communities. Whether you're interested in farm-to-table dining, local food sourcing, community building, or personal development through culinary arts, this interview offers practical insights and inspiring philosophy.

If you're passionate about community building, sustainable food systems, or personal development, subscribe to the Woven Record or our YouTube Podcast for more inspiring interviews with local leaders.

How food has connected you to your community? Who's story should we tell next?

Upcoming Retreat

Minnesota is seeing ICE enforcement on a scale it has not seen before, and residents are responding. Mike Lagerquist and Becki True talk about the immediate impact of the raids, from personal accounts of deportations to organized efforts supporting people released from federal detention with nothing.

Know your rights. The constitutional protections everyone should know, especially Fourth Amendment rights about warrants and entry into your home.

Documenting what happens. More than 100,000 trained citizen observers, the role of local journalism and video evidence against misinformation, and a county commissioner who challenged ICE agents by asking the right questions.

What you can do. Support local businesses, join mutual aid networks, organize through Discord and subreddits, attend a rally or stand with a sign. Volunteers at the Whipple Federal Building hand out coats and phones to released detainees.

Keep up with what's going on in the Mankato area by subscribing to our YouTube channel.

ICE enforcement is intensifying across Minnesota. Mike Lagerquist and Becki True share what is happening in Mankato, the Twin Cities and surrounding areas, and how you can help your community.

A community-wide crisis. Enforcement has closed schools, disrupted businesses and spread fear well beyond the people targeted, and it has affected U.S. citizens and legal residents too.

How to help. Mutual aid, community support resources and solidarity across political differences. standwithminnesota.org lists donation opportunities, mutual aid funds and community support initiatives.

Check before you share. Verify sources on social media before passing information along, whatever your politics.

Keep up with what's going on in the Mankato area by subscribing to our YouTube channel.

In this episode of The Woven Record, we explore the powerful role small businesses play in strengthening community bonds. Meet Ryan Schmidt, a high school teacher and first-year owner of NP Junction Bookstore in Carlton, Minnesota, housed in a beautifully restored 1917 bank building that once served as the heart of the original Northern Pacific Junction. Ryan shares how his bookstore has become a community gathering space for book clubs, history groups, and local connections—honoring his father's legacy while revitalizing downtown Carlton.

We also sit down with George, the third or fourth-generation owner of Mocols grocery store in Mankato, which has been serving the neighborhood for 108 years. George reveals how his family's Lebanese immigrant heritage shaped a business built on genuine human connection, fresh-cut meats, and the kind of personal relationships that have become increasingly rare in our digital age. From serving multiple generations of families to becoming a destination for visitors seeking authentic community experiences, Mocols represents the last of a dying breed—the neighborhood grocery store.

Both business owners emphasize a crucial truth: in an increasingly isolated world, these local gathering spaces provide more than products—they offer human connection, trust, and a sense of belonging. Whether it's the vault-turned-children's-section in the bookstore or the famous Mocols meat counter, these businesses prove that community thrives when we prioritize relationships over convenience. This is what The Woven Record is all about—rebuilding the connections that make neighborhoods feel like home.

Melinda Wedzina tells the story behind Feeding Our Communities Partners and its backpack food program. A volunteer position at ECHO Food Shelf grew into a 15-year effort against hunger in Mankato.

Building the program. Melinda describes the planning and partnerships behind it, from working with dietitians on nutritious menus to deliveries that protect students' privacy.

No stigma. Volunteers, school staff and local organizations work together so no child goes hungry over the weekend.

Learn more: Feeding Our Communities Partners, ECHO Food Shelf and VINE Faith in Action.

Keep up with what's going on in the Mankato area by subscribing to our YouTube channel.

In this, our premiere episode, we explore two inspiring initiatives making a difference in Mankato, Minnesota. First, meet Professor Thad Shunkweiler who opened Mankato Marriage Solutions during his sabbatical to address the growing need for relationship counseling. Learn about the crucial connection between healthy marriages, family dynamics, and community well being.

Then, discover the newly formed Mankato Community Queer Choir, bringing together LGBTQ+ community members and allies through music. With artistic co-directors bringing both classical and contemporary influences, this group exemplifies the power of creative expression in building inclusive communities.

Becki True and Mike Lagerquist introduce The Woven Record, an online media platform that fills the gap left by shrinking local newspapers.

The Woven Record shares the stories of everyday people in Southern Minnesota and beyond, from farmers and teachers to health care workers and artists. Weaving those stories together shows how connected our experiences and challenges are.

Share your story: [email protected]. Journalists who want to contribute: [email protected].

Keep up with what's going on in the Mankato area by subscribing to our YouTube channel.