MinnCentral Currents

In January of 2020, for only the second time in the history of American labor statistics, women outnumbered men in the American workforce - a headline-making milestone. At the same time, however, another rare but significant story was developing - one that would ultimately lead to the worst job-losses among women in the history of our country. The pandemic hit female-dominated industries the hardest: Hospitality, education, health care, and retail. By April of 2020, the pandemic had caused 4.2 million women to exit the labor force. And even as there was a slight rebound in early summer of 2020, losses continued to chip away at any gains made as more women excited the labor force to be caregivers of young children. By early spring of 2021, there was still a 2 million job deficit among women in the labor force. In a speech in April of 2021, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said, "Our policymaking has not accounted for the fact that people’s work lives and their personal lives are inextricably linked, and if one suffers so does the other." What can we learn about the real cost of personal and family labor by reflecting on how this pandemic-fueled recession disproportionately affected women? Guests: Dr. Sucharita Sinha Mukherjee, Professor of Economics, CSB/SJU Chef Madelyn Adamski, Community Member and Small Business Start-Up Show Notes: Report: Great Recession, great recovery? Trends from the Current Population Survey Article: As the overall job market stumbles back, women still struggle to recover lost employment Article: Why Some Women Call This Recession a ‘Shecession’ Article: A year from the start of the women’s recession, 2 million women are still out of the workforce Article: Women outnumber men in the American workforce for only the second time Report: When Women Lose All the Jobs: Essential Actions for a Gender-Equitable Recovery Article: St. Cloud business survey: Unemployment benefits hurting hiring Article: Central Minnesota firms struggle with worker shortages, supply chain issues Survey Report: RESULTS OF MAY 2021 SURVEY OF GREATER ST. CLOUD/CENTRAL MINNESOTA ORGANIZATIONS Data: Minnesota Unemployment Data: Labor Force Participation Rates Report: Wage Inequality and the Stagnation of Earnings of Low-Wage Workers: Contributing Factors and Policy Options Report: A SLOW CLIMB BACK FROM THE “SHE-CESSION”: HIGH JOBS DEFICIT IN CHILD CARE AND SCHOOL SECTORS CONTINUES Report: YOUNG WOMEN WORKERS STILL STRUGGLING A DECADE AFTER THE GREAT RECESSION: LESSONS FOR THE PANDEMIC RECOVERY Article: Women Left Their Jobs To Be Caregivers. A Business Coalition Wants Companies To Help Article: After mass closures and too little support, post-pandemic child care options will be scarce Data: American Time Use Survey Press release: Warren, Jones and Colleagues Reintroduce Universal Child Care and Early Learning Act and Call for President Biden to Invest $700 Billion in Child Care Press release: Clark Introduces the Child Care is Infrastructure Act Report: Child care in rural Minnesota after 2020 Data: Minimum-wage rates in Minnesota Data: Cost of Child Care in Minnesota Episode Manager: Malik Stewart Produced by Riverside Productions LLC Music by Epidemic Sound Twitter @MinnCentral Facebook YouTube (for closed captioning) Featured Songs: Mannerisms - Charles Holme Clockings - Marten Moses Everyday Hustle - Matt Large I’m Free - DJ DENZ The Rooster Just In Time For Dessert - Trabant 33 Labor Life - Giants’ Nest

The pandemic has shone a light on how much we rely on our ability to connect to one another online when we are unable to connect in-person. And, as with many other areas of our infrastructure, it exposed where our communities fall short at connecting the public to businesses, schools, and services across the digital divide. Where does Minnesota stand when it comes to providing accessible high speed internet service state-wide? Guests: Diane Wells, Office of Broadband Development Show Notes: Minnesota Office of Broadband Development A look at Minnesota's digital divide during a pandemic Minnesota lawmakers agree to spend $70 million on improving broadband access across the state Governor’s Task Force on Broadband Minnesota Population Trends Infrastructure Bill Passed by Senate Includes Historic, Bipartisan Broadband Provisions Episode Manager: Bruce Anderson Become a Patron of our show! Produced by Riverside Productions LLC Music by Epidemic Sound Twitter @MinnCentral Facebook Featured Songs: Divine Wire - Martin Klem Digital Dreams - Nylonia Digital Jungle - Lucention

On hot days, it’s not unusual to find folks in the Eastern half of Central Minnesota taking refuge beneath the cooling canopy of our largely maple and oak deciduous forests. We hike the winding trails, enjoy the shaded swimming holes, and camp within the shelter of these forests. The state parks and trails have been crowded this summer, in spite of the unusually hot June, because the people of Minnesota love the outdoors. And while the state Legislature finally agreed on a deal that will not force the closure of State Parks this July, as we step into the middle of our Minnesota summer, we find ourselves along with roughly half the nation in a worsening state of drought. Prairie grasses and lawns have been bleached pale. Fallen forest debris stands dry like a bed of kindling among struggling trees. The State has already lost 35,000 acres to a higher than average number of fires this year, and is bracing for more. What do these prolonged periods of severe drought mean for the future of our forests, and what can we do to take an active part in their preservation? Guest: Dr. Lee Frelich, Director of The University of Minnesota Center for Forest Ecology Show Notes: US Drought Monitor In fast-warming Minnesota, scientists are trying to plant the forests of the future Carbon cycle of forests Nature Conservancy in Minnesota Using plants to control buckthorn Episode Manager: Bruce Anderson Become a Patron of our show! Produced by Riverside Productions LLC Music by Epidemic Sound Twitter @MinnCentral Facebook YouTube (for closed captioning) Featured Songs: Fever Trees - Martin Clem Oak Trees - Likeminds

Season 1 is done! This is the first rebroadcast of our holiday season break. Thought this episode in particular would be useful right now... ----- As the 2021 holiday season approaches, many of us are looking forward to seeing our beloved family and friends gather around the table together once again after a long time apart. Many of us are also dreading the possibility of having hard conversations at these gatherings. How can we prepare to have hard conversations with people we genuinely care about? Guests: Communication and Theater Association of Minnesota Conference panelists: Wendy Bjorklund, St. Cloud State University Pam Secklin, St. Cloud State University Jennifer Senchea, St. Cloud State University Suzanne Stangl-Erkens, St. Cloud State University Scott Wells, St. Cloud State University Show Notes: Book: Talking across the divide: How to Communicate with People You Disagree with and Maybe Even Change the World Bridge Alliance More in Common Common Ground Committee Episode Manager: Scott Wells Become a Patron of our show! Produced by Riverside Productions LLC Music by Epidemic Sound Twitter @MinnCentral Facebook YouTube (for closed captioning) Featured Songs: I'm Still Listening - Justnormal Meet You There - Eric Feinberg

There has been a lot of news lately about the presence of microplastics in everything from our food and water to our bodies. How did this even happen? Guests: Mary Kosuth, Research Assistant and PhD student at the U of M School of Public Health Episode sponsor: Susie Osaki Holm - thank you for your generous support! Show Notes: Mary Kosuth’s paper: Anthropogenic contamination of tap water, beer, and sea salt Microplastics: What are they and why should we care? The World’s Plastic Pollution Crisis, Explained Waste Land - an episode of Planet Money ​​Plastic Pollution is Killing Sea Turtles Your Laundry Sheds Harmful Microfibers. Here’s What You Can Do About It What Companies Are Behind the Global Surge in Single-Use Plastic Loop’s Revolutionary Reusable Packaging System - Coming to Some Big Stores Bottle Bill States and How They Work Oregon Bottle Deposit ($ .10) and Bottle Drop Redemption Centers Oregon Governor Signs Country’s Second EPR Law For Packaging The Race to Develop Plastic-Eating Bacteria Episode Managers: Susie Osaki Holm and Bruce Anderson Become a Patron of our show! Produced by Riverside Productions LLC Music by Epidemic Sound Twitter @MinnCentral Facebook Featured Songs: Hollow Inside - Daxten Ocean Flow - West & Zander

This year’s United Nations Climate Conference, COP 26, will - for the first time - center the impact of climate change on human health. From the very urgent severe weather crisis that has seen an uptick in storms and wildfires to the more long-term effects of climate impacts on our food systems, there is a lot to discuss. Today, however, we want to know: How is climate change affecting the health of our youth here in Central Minnesota? Guest: Cathy Kulus, MD, FAAP, Pediatrician and Medical Director of Pediatric Hospital Medicine Program at the St. Cloud Hospital Show Notes: TedxStCloud Presentation by Kathy Kulus, MD and John Mahowald, MD., Oct. 30, 2020 How climate change impacts health Young People Are Anxious About Climate Change And Say Governments Are Failing Them Climate Changes Children’s Health Climate change and child health: a scoping review and an expanded conceptual framework Episode Managers: Eve and Gary Wallinga Become a Patron of our show! Produced by Riverside Productions LLC Music by Epidemic Sound Twitter @MinnCentral Facebook Featured Songs: I Need Nature - Alex Ora Playground Fun - Alex Ora

Over the past several months we’ve covered a variety of environmental and agriculture topics, from water quality to soil health to forest sustainability. Today, I’m interviewing a guest who takes these threads and weaves them together in the story of the practice of silvopasture. Guest: Tyler Carlson, Owner and operator of Early Boots Farm, and Silvopasture and Agro-Forestry lead for the Sustainable Farming Association of Minnesota. Show Notes: Early Boots Farm Silvopasture Learning Network Sustainable Farming Association’sAgroforestry page The Savanna Institute - Non-profit working on silvopasture in the Upper Midwest based in Madison, Wisconsin. Soil Health Case Studies - Silvopasture Grassland 2.0 Scholarly articles recommended by Tyler: A reconceptualization of open oak and pine ecosystems of eastern North America using a forest structure spectrum Recognizing loss of open forest ecosystems by tree densification and land use intensification in the Midwestern USA Episode Manager: Bruce Anderson Become a Patron of our show! Produced by Riverside Productions LLC Music by Epidemic Sound Twitter @MinnCentral Facebook Featured Songs: In the Grass - Jon Algar Birds and Trees - Eric Feinberg

Stewardship is defined as the careful and responsible management of something entrusted to one's care. We are in the midst of a series on environmental topics. As the United Nations Global Climate Conference is nearing, we thought it was important to emphasize the issues that will be discussed there, and relate them back to our own lakes, streams, forests, and pastures. How do we, in our small corner of the world, ensure that we are being good stewards of the land Guests: Laura Schreiber, Land Stewardship Project Policy Organizer, soil health Show Notes: Land Stewardship Project 2021 Legislative Session Wrap-Up: Good News for Soil Health, Local Foods, Emerging Farmers — Bad News for Healthcare Land Stewardship Project - Five Year Plan (2019- 2024…A Vision for the Future) The Board of Water and Soil Resources survey - Implementing BWSR Climate Change Initiatives: Healthy Soils, Cover Crops and Water Storage and Treatment >>>Accepting responses through November 12th, 2021

The effects of our changing climate are visible all around us. Over the past six months we have discussed how climate change is impacting our weather, our forests, our waters, and our food supply. I was a child in the 1980s. I have spent my whole life listening to arguments about the reality of events that are measurable, verifiable, and happening around us. Forty years. We have had forty years to address this issue from a basic standpoint of good stewardship of the earth. All arguments aside, shouldn’t we be conducting our industry and our lives in such a way that we minimally impact the home we will be passing on to our children? Guests: Kristen Poppleton, Senior Direct of Programs for Climate Generation - A Will Steger Legacy Zaria Romero, Youth Climate Activist Show Notes: Climate Generation - A Will Steger Legacy Climate Generation - A Window Into COP26 United Nations COP 26 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change - Current State of Climate Crisis Activists ‘born into the climate crisis’ face another challenge: Fear of the future Past Episodes That Deal With Climate: Episode 3: Out For Adventure Episode 4: Our Changing Waters Episode 5: On The Farm Episode 9: I’m In Love With My Car Episode 10: What’s the Buzz? Episode 14: Migrating Forests Episode 18: The Climate of Fishing Episode 21: A Bipartisan Solution to Climate Change Episode 26: The Dirt on Soil Health For conversations: Episode 28: How to have hard conversations State of Minnesota - Climate Conversations Episode Manager: Bruce Anderson Become a Patron of our show! Produced by Riverside Productions LLC Music by Epidemic Sound Twitter @MinnCentral Facebook Featured Songs: Something's Coming - Dye O Shadows Fade Away (Instrumental Version) - Kit Maizy I Let Your Smile Fade Away (Instrumental Version) - Loving Caliber

This podcast started with a vision of elevating voices and stories of folks who live in, work in, and influence the region of Central Minnesota. Some of our topics stretch across the world, tying us to faraway people and places. Others are very much a matter of local interest, but are stories that just about anyone in a rural community could relate to. We have delivered twenty eight episodes so far, and have plenty more in the works. Our core group of volunteers is small but mighty, and I want to thank them for making all of this possible. I also want to thank you, listeners, for making this worth our time. Every single time you tell another person to listen, you’re elevating our educational messaging and broadening the reach of local, independent media. We’re off this week - after ten months straight of weekly meetings, interviews, and production, we’re going to take a breather. But we’ll be back next week with more great content! If you’re still new here, go ahead and dig through that back catalog. Our interviews touch on urgent yet timeless matters, so they are as relevant today as they were four months ago. And we’d love to hear feedback from you! We see the numbers and know you’re listening, but we want to know more about YOU! Send us feedback at host@minncentralcurrents.org. Thanks again for making all this work worthwhile, and for being curious about how you can positively impact the world around us!

As the 2021 holiday season approaches, many of us are looking forward to seeing our beloved family and friends gather around the table together once again after a long time apart. Many of us are also dreading the possibility of having hard conversations at these gatherings. How can we prepare to have hard conversations with people we genuinely care about? Guests: Communication and Theater Association of Minnesota Conference panelists: Wendy Bjorklund, St. Cloud State University Pam Secklin, St. Cloud State University Jennifer Senchea, St. Cloud State University Suzanne Stangl-Erkens, St. Cloud State University Scott Wells, St. Cloud State University Show Notes: Book: Talking across the divide: How to Communicate with People You Disagree with and Maybe Even Change the World Bridge Alliance More in Common Common Ground Committee Episode Manager: Scott Wells Become a Patron of our show! Produced by Riverside Productions LLC Music by Epidemic Sound Twitter @MinnCentral Facebook YouTube (for closed captioning) Featured Songs: I'm Still Listening - Justnormal Meet You There - Eric Feinberg

Today I’m joined by State Auditor Julie Blaha to discuss what exactly it is that a state auditor does, and what we can expect from changes to Minnesota’s Civil asset Forfeiture laws that passed the legislature this past session. Guest: State Auditor Julie Blaha Show Notes: Changes to Minnesota's civil asset forfeiture laws pass Legislature Office of the State Auditor Episode Manager: Theresa Meis Become a Patron of our show! Produced by Riverside Productions LLC Music by Epidemic Sound Twitter @MinnCentral Facebook YouTube (for closed captioning) Featured Songs: Odd Numbers - Frank Jonsson Lucky Number Ten - Martin Klem

It’s fair to say that most of us go day to day without giving a second thought to how healthy the soil is beneath our feet. But for our friends and neighbors in the agriculture industry, the health of their soil is quite important. What is soil health, and why is it so important? Guests: Jim Chamberlin, Conservationist Show Notes: Sustainable Farming Association of Minnesota Happy Dancing Turtle - based in Pine River, MN: From soil health and regenerative agriculture to nature play and environmental education we aim to provide programs, experiences, and learning that changes lives. Slake test - NRCS Agronomist Ray Archuleta demonstrates a simple way to test the health and stability of your soil. Symphony of the Soil - Drawing from ancient knowledge and cutting edge science, Symphony of the Soil is an artistic exploration of the miraculous substance: soil. (2 hrs 17 min) Conquest of the Land - Commissioned by the first chief of the Soil Conservation Service during the Dust Bowl, Conquest of the Land Through 7000 Years looks at the history of agricultural conservation and how it has determined the survival of civilizations over time. Articles from Natural Resources Defense Council Dirt to Soil: Proving the Power of Regenerative Agriculture (October 2018) Why Regenerative Agriculture SECOND STATE OF THE CARBON CYCLE REPORT SOCCR2 is an authoritative decadal assessment of carbon cycle science across North America, developed by over 200 experts from the U.S., Canadian and Mexican governments, national laboratories, universities, private sector, and research institutions. Kiss the Ground - Netflix documentary on regenerative agriculture - 84 minutes Episode Manager: Bruce Anderson Become a Patron of our show! Produced by Riverside Productions LLC Music by Epidemic Sound Twitter @MinnCentral Facebook YouTube (for closed captioning) Featured Songs: Into the Earth - King Peaks Silent Earth - Walt Adams

The pandemic has shone a light on how much we rely on our ability to connect to one another online when we are unable to connect in-person. And, as with many other areas of our infrastructure, it exposed where our communities fall short at connecting the public to businesses, schools, and services across the digital divide. Where does Minnesota stand when it comes to providing accessible high speed internet service state-wide? Guests: Diane Wells, Office of Broadband Development Show Notes: Minnesota Office of Broadband Development A look at Minnesota's digital divide during a pandemic Minnesota lawmakers agree to spend $70 million on improving broadband access across the state Governor’s Task Force on Broadband Minnesota Population Trends Infrastructure Bill Passed by Senate Includes Historic, Bipartisan Broadband Provisions Episode Manager: Bruce Anderson Become a Patron of our show! Produced by Riverside Productions LLC Music by Epidemic Sound Twitter @MinnCentral Facebook YouTube (for closed captioning) Featured Songs: Divine Wire - Martin Klem Digital Dreams - Nylonia Digital Jungle - Lucention

We’ve been hitting some pretty heavy topics hard and fast lately, so we decided to slow down and wander up for a visit to the Minnesota Fishing Museum and Hall of Fame in Little Falls, Minnesota. Guest: Brenda Perlowski, Museum Docent Show Notes: Minnesota Fishing Museum and Hall of Fame Fishing Tackle Value Guide mentioned in the episode Episode Manager: Bruce Anderson Become a Patron of our show! Produced by Riverside Productions LLC Music by Epidemic Sound Twitter @MinnCentral Facebook YouTube (for closed captioning) Featured Songs: A Day Like Yesterday - Headlund Flying Kites - Station Story You and the Sun - Station Story Ducklings Gone Fishing - Martin Klem

For many people the labor movement is a snapshot in time. It evokes memories of Woody Guthrie and Pete Seger singing songs at rallies and black and white photos of workers on strike. We might be reminded now and then that we have our weekends thanks to the Labor movement, but… that “we” doesn’t actually include all of us. Not everyone is afforded the same considerations for their personal time, and not everyone is paid for the real value of their labor. Ahead of the Labor Day weekend, we wanted to stop for a moment to look at the labor movement - what it has given us, what it looks like today, and what changes in our culture of work mean for labor moving forward. Guests: Joe Baratta, Union Member Show Notes: History of the Labor Movement A Brief History: The US Department of Labor The history of the AFL-CIO After this CEO raised his company's minimum wage to $70,000, he said the number of babies born to staff each year grew 10-fold and revenue soared Episode Manager: Theresa Meis Become a Patron of our show! Produced by Riverside Productions LLC Music by Epidemic Sound Twitter @MinnCentral Facebook YouTube (for closed captioning) Featured Songs: Tired of Fighting Blues - Will Harrison The Oldest Tale - Benjamin Carey A Hard Day's Work - Medite Nothin' Left Blues - Peter Crosby More Hard Work - Josef Falkenskold

Parks, public land, and green spaces are important to us for so many reasons. They provide that place where we can connect to nature - something that can be hard to do in this modern world. They offer habitat and food sources for wildlife. They help keep our climate in balance. How do we ensure that the green spaces we enjoy today are preserved for future generations? Parks, public land, and green spaces are important to us for so many reasons. They provide that place where we can connect to nature - something that can be hard to do in this modern world. They offer habitat and food sources for wildlife. They help keep our climate in balance. How do we ensure that the green spaces we enjoy today are preserved for future generations? Guests: Kris Larson, Executive Director, Minnesota Land Trust Eve and Gary Wallinga, Community Members Show Notes: Minnesota Land Trust Sierra Club - North Star Chapter Audubon Society - Minnesota Chapters City of St. Cloud Comprehensive Plan - Parks, Recreation, and Environmental Features Episode Manager: Eve and Garry Wallinga Become a Patron of our show! Produced by Riverside Productions LLC Music by Epidemic Sound Twitter @MinnCentral Facebook YouTube (for closed captioning) Featured Songs: Fairview Park - Ove Meyers Human Nature - Francis Wells In the Park - Ecovillage.mp3

Decades ago, oil companies like Exxon were already studying the science of Climate Change. According to an investigation that uncovered internal documents from the 1970s, senior scientist James Black of Exxon warned the management committee, “In the first place, there is general scientific agreement that the most likely manner in which mankind is influencing the global climate is through carbon dioxide release from the burning of fossil fuels," Black continues, “present thinking holds that man has a time window of five to 10 years before the need for hard decisions regarding changes in energy strategies might become critical." That was in 1977. Since then, a review of climate models developed during the 1970s has shown that scientists were, in fact, correct in their predictions about the changing climate. The impact of burning fossil fuels is undeniable - even from within fossil fuel companies. The good news is that some of these companies are now making an effort to shift to providing energy from greener sources. But we still have a long way to go in a short time. How do we reduce the output of carbon and other greenhouse gases in a way that encourages big corporations to act with haste without the burden of saving our future falling on the shoulders of those with the fewest resources? Guest: Henry Jakubowski, Professor of Chemistry, Emeritus CSB/SJU Show Notes: Citizens Climate Lobby Join the CCL Contact Your Minnesota Congress Members and Senators IPCC Report White House: Clean energy tax credits, electricity standard are priorities for reconciliation package Why has Andy Karsner frightened the mighty ExxonMobil? Even 50-year-old climate models correctly predicted global warming St. Cloud dam generators shut down due to low river flows for first time since 1988 Dozens of residences evacuated as northeastern Minnesota wildfire spreads Sartell issues complete ban on non-essential water use due to drought Episode Manager: Bruce Anderson Become a Patron of our show! Produced by Riverside Productions LLC Music by Epidemic Sound Twitter @MinnCentral Facebook YouTube (for closed captioning) Featured Songs: Fire Still Burning - Craft Case The To-Do List - Craft Case

The pandemic has been and continues to be a revelatory event, exposing the strengths and weaknesses in so many aspects of our infrastructure, economy, and culture. One thing, above all else, caused a massive ripple in all three: Closed child care centers. What value does our society place on our children - all of our children - having access to safe, quality care? And what does the state of child care access look like today? Guest: Marcia Schlattman, a Program Director at Milestones Show Notes: Article: Policymakers Used to Ignore Child Care. Then Came the Pandemic Article: COVID-19’s disruptions disproportionately hit child care workers Resource: State of Minnesota Child Care Resources Resource: Milestones Resource: Parent Aware Phone Resource: 651-290-9704 ext 260 Child Care Information Specialist Episode Manager: Kelli Olson Become a Patron of our show! Produced by Riverside Productions LLC Music by Epidemic Sound Twitter @MinnCentral Facebook YouTube (for closed captioning) Featured Songs: More Hard Work - Josef Falkenskold Hard at Work - Trabant 33

A couple of episodes ago, I spoke with two Civics and Social Studies teachers about the importance of learning about Civic Engagement. We discussed how this important topic is covered starting as young as Kindergarten, and how it is vital to continue to challenge ourselves into adulthood to keep up with our civic knowledge and engagement. That episode was brought about in part because of the rumblings out there that claimed “they don’t teach civics anymore.” Well, today’s episode can be framed, in part, as a response to “they don’t teach critical thinking skills anymore” So what are we talking about today? Early Childhood Education, and why it is important to the development of future adults with strong critical thinking skills. Guest: Jennie VonderHaar, Preschool Teacher and Director of Bethlehem Lutheran Early Childhood Center Show Notes: Paper Monsoon InBrief: The Science of Early Childhood Development Parent Aware Robert Munsch Episode Manager: Kelli Olson Become a Patron of our show! Produced by Riverside Productions LLC Music by Epidemic Sound Twitter @MinnCentral Facebook YouTube (for closed captioning) Featured Songs: Not Much of a Trouble - More than Family The Eyes Have It - Jerry Lacey