Podcast appearances and mentions of dakota resource council

President Donald Trump's announced tariffs against Canada and Mexico and their retaliatory measures have significant economic risks, particularly for places like North Dakota, where so much of our economy is tied up in international markets. But perhaps even more damaging is the uncertainty Trump's mercurial approach to this policy area engenders. One of the first questions we asked North Dakota Farmers Union President Mark Watne on this episode of Plain Talk was whether we know what exactly our tariffs policy is toward Canada and Mexico right now given that Trump has pulled back on the tariffs he announced less than a week before. "We really don't," Watne said. "It's been kind of hit and miss on trying to understand it and of course that's a symptom of a bigger problem." "North Dakota is impacted the hardest of all states because we export so much," Watne added, "and the retaliation is the problem." Trump's approach to tariffs can close off foreign markets to American goods, including crops, and that can have major economic implications. "If you're going to hold the US supplies in the US because you're killing your foreign markets, we're going to be in a depressed marketplace for a long period of time," Watne said. He also warned that it's not just farmers who are going to feel the pain from tariffs. "Now, from a consumer perspective, you would assume, well, commodity prices are lower then of course food's lower, but that's not true," he said. "We've effectively gotten so much concentration in our place of food production from beef slaughter to pork slaughter to many grocery chains that control the distribution system that the reflection on commodity prices in what you pay is irrelevant." "It doesn't matter if the price of wheat goes up or down, other than when it goes up [food prices] go up. When it goes back down, they don't bring the price down again." Also on this episode, Chad Oban and react to some listener feedback, and make some predictions for the second half of the legislative session which kicked off this week. This episode is presented by Dakota Resource Council. For nearly 50 years, DRC has worked across North Dakota to protect our land, water and future. Become a member, volunteer and take action, or donate today at www.DRCinfo.org. If you want to participate in Plain Talk, just give us a call or text at 701-587-3141. It's super easy — leave your message, tell us your name and where you're from, and we might feature it on an upcoming episode. To subscribe to Plain Talk, search for the show wherever you get your podcasts or use one of the links below. Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | Pocket Casts | Episode Archive

"It's a tragedy what's happening in Texas," Dr. Paul Carson said on this episode of Plain Talk, referring to that state's measels outbreak, which has already claimed the life of one child. Carson is a medical doctor and an emeritus professor of the public health faculty at North Dakota State University. I wrote recently about North Dakota's statewide kindergarten vaccination rates for well-established vaccines for things like measels and chickenpox are worse than in Texas. Dr. Carson said that means North Dakota is at risk "We have, as Rob alluded to in his article, we have counties in North Dakota that are significantly worse than the areas of Texas that we're talking about," he said. "It's often a matter of time before highly contagious viruses like measles get back into a community and circulate again." "Thankfully most of us are vaccinated, but we've got counties in North Dakota where 20, 25, 30% of the kindergarteners aren't vaccinated," he continued. "If it kind of gets into one of those schools, you'll see it spread and that often shuts down a school and may shut down an entire school for weeks." "It doesn't feel like we should be surprised if we see a news report that there's a measles case that pops up somewhere in North Dakota," he added. Also on this episode, Dakota Rudesill, a professor of law at Ohio State University and a former legislative assisstant on national security to Sen. Kent Conrad, answered questions about the tense situation between the United States, Ukraine, and Russia. Specifically, Rudesill spoke about Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's visit to, and subsequent ejection from, the White House. "One of the things that happened there is that the president and the vice president really wanted Zelenskyy to adopt some of their talking points and parrot those or at least not contest them," he said, "and Zalinsky wasn't willing to do that. And that is very much like the baseline now which has emerged for people in the Trump administration or people who want Trump's favor which is you have to endorse false things that he says." This extends, he argues, to people in Trump's orbit refusing to acknowledge something as verfiably true as Russia's invasion of Ukraine. "The nominees for the top jobs at the Department of Defense scrupulously will not acknowledge the fact that Russia invaded Ukraine," Rudesill said. "The closest we saw to that was the nominee for the under secretary of defense for policy. He said, you know, I understand from the president and vice president that words are very important and so I will not say anything to undermine the negotiations. He couldn't acknowledge the largest invasion since World War II even occurred." This episode is presented by Dakota Resource Council. For nearly 50 years, DRC has worked across North Dakota to protect our land, water and future. Become a member, volunteer and take action, or donate today at  www.DRCinfo.org. If you want to participate in Plain Talk, just give us a call or text at 701-587-3141. It's super easy — leave your message, tell us your name and where you're from, and we might feature it on an upcoming episode. To subscribe to Plain Talk, search for the show wherever you get your podcasts or use one of the links below. Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | Pocket Casts | Episode Archive

Rep. Scott Louser, a Republican from Minot, is one of a handful of North Dakota lawmakers who, after casting a vote in favor of a resolution asking the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn precedent striking down state bans on same-sex marriage, came to regret the decision. "I'm taking the heat for it," Louser said of his change of heart on this episode of Plain Talk. "I don't have a fantastic answer that's going to satisfy everybody," he said when co-host Chad Oban and I asked him about how he came to change his mind. "The best that I could do was tell the world I regretted what I did." "I don't go tell the public, you know, I wish I would have voted different on a bill every time," he continued. "This one warranted that. I made a mistake and I've apologized for it, but probably that's not going to satisfy everybody. I understand that." Louser also discussed the property tax debate. His bill was one of three packages for property tax reform and relief that the House sent the Senate before the crossover break. Why did the House send three bills instead of coalescing around one? He said there was a directive from leadership to "send all three out to the floor of the House and let the whole house decide as opposed to one committee." "The strategy was give the Senate the best ideas that we've had and see what they think," he continued. Also on this episode, Sen. Sean Cleary spoke about his objection on the floor of the Senate to comments characterizing North Dakota's educators and librarians as groomers and pedophiles, and his opposition to the bill they were made in support of. "We're basically bringing law enforcement into a conversation about books in the library," he said of Senate Bill 2307, adding he "just couldn't support a bill like that." Cleary also spoke about a constitutional amendment he proposed which would ban the use of revenues from charitable gaming for political purposes. Legislation defeated in the House before crossover would have directed local governments to deem political organizations like campaigns and parties as "public-spirited" and eligible for the proceeds. Cleary said that bill made him realize "that we have some pretty serious concerns when it comes to gaming in this state." Senate Concurrent Resolution 4027 is "low hanging fruit"when it comes to addressing some of the challenges the explosion in gambling in North Dakota has wrought. This episode is presented by Dakota Resource Council. For nearly 50 years, DRC has worked across North Dakota to protect our land, water and future. Become a member, volunteer and take action, or donate today at www.DRCinfo.org. If you want to participate in Plain Talk, just give us a call or text at 701-587-3141. It's super easy — leave your message, tell us your name and where you're from, and we might feature it on an upcoming episode. To subscribe to Plain Talk, search for the show wherever you get your podcasts or use one of the links below. Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | Pocket Casts | Episode Archive

On Tuesday, February 25, lawmakers in the state House of Representatives worked late into the evening to finish work on the hundreds of bills introduced in that chamber this session so that they could be sent over to the state Senate for consideration. This legislative session has seen a lot of bills introduced — the most since the 1990s — and that's put a strain on the process. So much so that state Rep. Landon Bahl, a Republican from Grand Forks, says it's precluding lawmakers from giving important issues the attention they deserve. Bills get "ramrodded" into up or down votes, Bahl said, with lawmakers sometimes approving bad legislation in the hope that their colleagues in the other legislative chamber will address the flaws. Bahl sponsored House Bill 1408 with an eye toward addressing some of these problems. The bill, which passed the House by a wide margin earlier this month, would move lawmakers to annual sessions, albeit within the same 80-day constitutional limit they already have. Bahl thinks that would allow the Legislature to do a better job of keeping up with North Dakota's needs, but on this episode of Plain Talk, he said more is needed. Like a cap on the number of bills any lawmaker can introduce. Bahl pointed out that some of his colleagues have introduced dozens of bills. He said he started the session with just three introduced. "I guarantee you other lawmakers do not know their 10, 20, 30 bills inside and out. And I think that's poor legislation," he said. Bahl also said he'd support giving the Legislature's interim committees more power to finalize their work on bills so they can be brought immediately to the floor for votes when the legislative session begins. He'd also like committees to be able to kill legislation without it coming to a floor vote. "I think that streamlines government," he said. "It's a better use of our time. The efficiency is going to increase. Our work, the quality of our work is going to increase. The committees have the time to dive in." Also on this episode, co-host Chad Oban and I discuss Rep. Austin Foss's emotional comments against a resolution opposing same-sex marriage which passed the House this week, as well as progress on property tax legislation, a controversial sentencing bill, and the failure of legislation funding school lunches for all North Dakota children. This episode is presented by Dakota Resource Council. For nearly 50 years, DRC has worked across North Dakota to protect our land, water and future. Become a member, volunteer and take action, or donate today at www.DRCinfo.org. If you want to participate in Plain Talk, just give us a call or text at 701-587-3141. It's super easy — leave your message, tell us your name and where you're from, and we might feature it on an upcoming episode. To subscribe to Plain Talk, search for the show wherever you get your podcasts or use one of the links below. Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | Pocket Casts | Episode Archive

In this episode of the Dakota Resource Council Podcast, we sit down with Nicole Donaghy, Executive Director of North Dakota Native Vote, to discuss the challenges and opportunities Indigenous communities face in North Dakota. From her early days as a field organizer with DRC to leading advocacy efforts on voting rights and environmental justice, Nicole shares her journey and the vital role of grassroots organizing in creating systemic change.Tune in to hear how community organizing empowers Native voices, the ongoing fight against corporate and governmental overreach, and how you can get involved in shaping a fairer, more sustainable future.To learn more, get involved, or support the work of Dakota Resource Council, visit DRCinfo.org to connect and donate today!Support the show

Since 2018, Scott Skokos has led the Dakota Resource Council (DRC) in its fight for North Dakota's land, water, and communities. In this episode, host Sean Erickson sits down with Scott to discuss the history of DRC, how it empowers local voices against corporate and government overreach, and its role in shaping policies that protect farmers, ranchers, and the environment. From coal mining reform to tackling oil and gas issues, Scott shares insights into DRC's biggest challenges, victories, and what's next for grassroots advocacy in North Dakota with host Sean Erickson (Communications Coordinator at the Dakota Resource Council). To learn more, get involved, or support the work of Dakota Resource Council, visit DRCinfo.org to connect and donate today!Support the show

At the beginning of this episode of Plain Talk, Attorney General Drew Wrigley took exception to my recent reporting suggesting that he and Gov. Kelly Armstrong are at odds over sentencing legislation and the performance of state prison officials. Based on what would follow, I think the conflict between two of North Dakota's top elected officials is positively overt. According to Wrigely, the North Dakota Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, headed by director Colby Braun, is lying to state lawmakers and the public. He took particular issue with a recent fiscal note issued by the DOCR indicating that so-called "truth in sentencing" legislation he supports, which would mean that inmates serve a larger percentage of their sentences, will cost taxpayers as much as $269 million. "Their quest is to make it extraordinarily expensive to turn people away from the bill," he said. "That is a blatant falsehood," a stormy Wrigley told guest-cost Erin Oban and I. "It is not worth the paper it's written on," he continued about the fiscal note. "It would be a joke if it weren't a matter of serious policy debate," he said. Wrigley also said that DOCR officials have been hiding data from the public and lawmakers, and making misleading statements about rising crime rates. "What an absolute abdication of responsibility," concluded. These are serious accusations -- lying, abdication of responsibility, etc. -- but Braun isn't an independent operator. He has a boss. That's Armstrong, who was also scheduled to appear on this episode to discuss the progress of property tax reform, which he has made his primary focus during this legislative session.  I asked Wrigley if he felt Braun should be fired, and he demured, saying it wasn't his place to advise the governor on personnel issues. As for Armstrong's feelings about Braun? "I have total confidence in Colby," Armstrong told us when I asked him about Wrigley's remarks. "I try not to make things personal," he added. Armstrong said he hadn't yet reviewed the fiscal note issued by DOCR in response to Wrigley's legislation, which is Senate Bill 2128, but expressed some sympathy with its conclusions about cost. "It turns out when you lock people up, it's expensive," he said. Armstrong also said that while he'll take advice from his staff and cabinet into consideration, if he is ultimately asked to sign something like SB2128 into law, the decision will ultimately be based on his consideration of its merits. As for the progress on property taxes, Armstrong said he's pleased with the debate, though he's worried about lawmakers watering down the caps in his bill. House Bill 1176, which was introduced by Rep. Mike Nathe and carries the governor's plan, was amended in policy committees to allow local governments to set aside a 3% cap on spending increases for as much as 10 years if approved by a vote. "The way it was done probably means there aren't really caps," Armstrong said of the change, later arguing that it was a loophole so big "you could drive a grain truck through it." This episode is presented by Dakota Resource Council. For nearly 50 years, DRC has worked across North Dakota to protect our land, water and future. Become a member, volunteer and take action, or donate today at www.DRCinfo.org. If you want to participate in Plain Talk, just give us a call or text at 701-587-3141. It's super easy — leave your message, tell us your name and where you're from, and we might feature it on an upcoming episode. To subscribe to Plain Talk, search for the show wherever you get your podcasts or use one of the links below. Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | Pocket Casts | Episode Archive

In our promotions for this episode of Plain Talk, we had indicated that state Rep. Nico Rios would be joining us. Rios has made some fairly ugly headlines over the past year or so. He derated two law enforcement officers with bigoted and homophobic comments during an arrest for DUI. More recently, with regard to Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo, he wondered in an X post "if the CIA would help Trump overthrow and kick this Jew out of power in Mexico." He's also introduced a resolution, in the current legislative session in Bismarck, which would have the State of North Dakota "acknowledge the Kingship of Jesus Christ over all the world," something that likely violates the state constitution, the U.S. constitution, and would not be in keeping with what many North Dakotans -- those of the Jewish faith, or Islamic, etc. -- believe to be true. Me and my co-host, Chad Oban, were looking forward to a respectful interview with Rios about these words and actions. Unfortunately, just minutes before the agreed-upon time for the interview, Rios backed out. "Ay dude I'm not going on your boring little show," he told me in a text. "When I initially agreed to come on Sunday afternoon I thought it was just to promote my Christ is King Resolution, but you seem to be focusing on my social media. NOT NEWS. Got more important things to do than chat Capitol gossip." We did have a very good interview with state Rep. Mike Nathe, who spoke about his property tax bill (which carries Gov. Kelly Armstrong's plan for reform) as well as legislation he's backing that would require all candidates seeking a political party's nomination to collect signatures to appear on the primary ballot. Currently, candidates endorsed at party conventions do not have to collect signatures. "I'm just glad they got this one out so everyone can see it," he said of his property tax bill, which just emerged from the policy committee with a "do-pass" recommendation and some amendments. The committee added the option for local voters to approve a 10-year exemption from the budget caps promoted by Gov. Armstrong. It also lowered the amount of the primary residence tax credit by roughly $100, and added an income tax cut. "If it was my desire that would have been in a separate bill," he said of the income tax portion. Nathe also responded to some of the controversy around Rep. Rios. "I don't agree with it," he said of Rios's words and actions. "My colleagues don't agree with it." Asked if he felt his party should remove Rios from the caucus, and strip him of committee assignments, Nathe deferred to House Majority Leader Mike Lefor, though he did have this message for the people who elected Rios: "The people of Williston have got to stand up." This episode is presented by Dakota Resource Council. For nearly 50 years, DRC has worked across North Dakota to protect our land, water, and future. Become a member; volunteer and take action; or donate today at www.DRCinfo.org. If you want to participate in Plain Talk, just give us a call or text at 701-587-3141. It's super easy — leave your message, tell us your name and where you're from, and we might feature it on an upcoming episode. To subscribe to Plain Talk, search for the show wherever you get your podcasts or use one of the links below. Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | Pocket Casts | Episode Archive  

"We live in an age where people can say whatever they want without consequence," says Steve Hunegs, executive director of the Jewish Community Relations Council of Minnesota and the Dakotas. Hunegs appeared on this episode of Plain Talk to discuss the anti-Semitic comments made recently by state Rep. Nico Rios, who referred to Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo as "this Jew." "There's nothing new under the sun with anti-Semitism," Hunegs told me and co-host Chad Oban, noting that hateful tropes and conspiracy theories focused on the Jewish people are often centuries old and dusted off for modern contexts. He said he hopes to have a "respectful" and "intelligent" conversation with Rep. Rios at some point. He wants to "try to have good speech drive out the bad speech." Also on this episode, Cody Schuler, advocacy manager for the ACLU of North Dakota, joined to talk about how some communities in North Dakota are trying to balance the principles of free speech with the desire some in public have to use open meetings as stages for at times hateful and bigoted language. He also spoke to legislation mandating the 10 commandments and Pledge of Allegiance in classrooms, as well as a Republican-backed bill that would expand legal access to abortion in the state. This episode is presented by Dakota Resource Council. For nearly 50 years, DRC has worked across North Dakota to protect our land, water, and future. Become a member; volunteer and take action; or donate today at www.DRCinfo.org. If you want to participate in Plain Talk, just give us a call or text at 701-587-3141. It's super easy — leave your message, tell us your name and where you're from, and we might feature it on an upcoming episode. To subscribe to Plain Talk, search for the show wherever you get your podcasts or use one of the links below. Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | Pocket Casts | Episode Archive

In this premiere episode, host Sean Arithson (Communications Coordinator at Dakota Resource Council) catches up with Don Morrison, former Executive Director of DRC (2012–2018). Don reflects on the organization's deep roots in grassroots organizing, from pushing for responsible oil regulations to safeguarding farmland and ranching communities across North Dakota. To learn more, get involved, or support the work of Dakota Resource Council, visit DRCinfo.org to connect and donate today!Support the show

In an effort to understand the changes brought by the removal of Chevron Deference, Afternoons Live with Tyler Axness is talking to experts on both sides of the issue. Scott Skokos, Dakota Resource Council, is on to explain what has been lost with the removal of Chevron Deference.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Dakota Resource Council will host a "Conversation about Ranching" on Tuesday, June 4th at the Kennedy Center in Bismarck, ND.  Rusty Halvorson talked with DRC's Ag and Food Field Organizer Sam Wagner and cow/calf operator Cory Hart of Chaseley, ND, about the event.  Topics will include electronic ID tag requirements for cattle, country of origin labeling of beef, North Dakota's beef checkoff program, and programs within farm bill.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

03/29/22 : Scott Skokos is the Executive Director of the Dakota Resource Council. Prior to becoming DRC's Executive Director, Scott worked as a Regional Organizer for the Western Organization of Resource Councils where he was responsible for WORC's regional oil and gas campaign. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Afternoons Live with Tyler Axness welcomes Scott Skokos, Dakota Resource Council, to talk about a potential pipeline proposed to transport captured carbon dioxide for underground storage in North Dakota. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dakota Resource Council will be having a landowner meeting on Tuesday, March 8th from 6-8pm at the Oakes Community Center in Oakes, ND. DRC has received many calls from area landowners in the area about the proposed Summit Carbon Pipeline. DRC will be discussing legal options, safety concerns and a collective strategy. For more information, call Eliot at DRC (701) 997-5181.Support the show (http://drcinfo.org/join-renew/)

01/24/22 : Joel is joined by representatives from the Dakota Resource Council and the Independent Beef Association of North Dakota. David Schwalbe is a Dakota Resource Council member and leader of their Ag. team. Kerry Dockter is the President of Independent Beef Association of North Dakota (I-BAND). See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dennis says his Excel bill increased by 300%. Dennis and Scott Skokos, from Dakota Resource Council, join Amy & JJ.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dakota Resource Council has a new affiliate group! CLEAN in the F/M area has joined DRC and we have CLEAN's chairperson, Ed Gruchalla to talk about it.Support the show (http://drcinfo.org/join-renew/)

Cecilia Montesdeoca is graduate Applied Community and Economic Development fellow at Illinois State University studying anthropology. Her previous service work experience includes working as a project manager for a non-profit in Peru, and serving terms with AmeriCorps through Illinois Public Health Association AmeriCorps and AmeriCorps NCCC in Denver, CO as a Team Leader. Cecilia is currently in her second year of her graduate studies completing her field practicum in North Dakota. Her 11-month field placement is with Dakota Resource Council where she is a community organizer with communities impacted by oil and gas extraction to help shape public opinion and influence public policy.

We talk to the director of the documentary film, Right to Harm, Matt Wechsler.You’re invited a screening of the documentary film RIGHT TO HARM, hosted by the Dakota Resource Council and the Barnes County Historical Society. RIGHT TO HARM exposes the devastating public health impact factory farming has on many rural communities throughout the United States. Filmed across the country, the documentary chronicles the failures of state agencies to protect communities against the harms of industrial animal agriculture. Known formally as Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations –or CAFOs –these facilities produce millions of gallons of untreated waste that destroys the quality of life for nearby neighbors. Fed up with the lack of safeguards, these citizens band together to demand justice from their legislators. At the screening, North Dakota citizens will host a Q&A session talking about how CAFOs affected their communities. The screening is free and open to the public! Please help us spread the word! For information on the film, please visit righttoharm.film The first showing will be Thursday, February 20, 2020 from 7 PM – 9 PM at the Barnes County Historical Society 315 Central Ave N, Valley City, North Dakota 58072.The second showing will be Sunday, February 23, 2020 from 2 PM – 4 PM at the Dr. James Carlson Fargo Public Library 2801 32nd Ave. S., Fargo, North Dakota 58103.Support the show (http://drcinfo.org/join-renew/)

Speaker or Performer: Don Morrison and Waylon Hedegaard Date of Delivery: November 5, 2017 When blue collar workers and advocates for green, earth-friendly practices come together, many of our world's most needed changes become possible. When blue and green are pitted against each other, no one wins. Join Don Morrison of Dakota Resource Council and Waylon Hedegaard of the AFL-CIO for an engaging, rigorous conversation about how blue and green can work together for the good of all.Video version:https://youtu.be/JP0x0CuQIu0

Speaker or Performer: Don Morrison and Janis Cheney Date of Delivery: April 9, 2017 UU members Don Morrison and Janis Cheneywill share their spiritual journeys and how they live our UU principles alongside stories of family and epiphanies under the open skies.Don Morrison –member of the Fellowship since 1987—is Executive Director of Dakota Resource Council. He and his wife Karen raised their children Alex and Nicole in the Fellowship.Janis Cheney attended for the first time in November 1982 and never left. Retired from a varied and occasionally challenging career, Janis’ greatest joy is her family—husband Stephen with whom she raised their daughters Barbara and Johanna –also raised in this Fellowship and best buds with Alex and Nicole.Video version: https://youtu.be/sRSKmGy3Dks

Speaker or Performer: Liz Loos and Dennis Lyon Date of Delivery: January 15, 2017 As UUs, we hold a belief in 7 Principles and the sentiment that what we do while here on Earth matters. In this popular service format, Liz and Dennis will share their spiritual journeys and how they live our UU principles.Liz Loos moved from Louisiana to Bismarck in July of 2013 with her husband Frank and son Gus. She spent 7 years in social work, and with her PhD in Environmental and Evolutionary Biology, later worked as Research Director for Delta Waterfowl Foundation and taught at Louisiana State University. Liz now works for Dakota Resource Council. Dennis Lyon has worked as a fry cook at the AW Drive-In, a sailor, the doorman at Minot’s American Legion Club, a jailor, a prison guard, and then 38 years in human services with the last 15 years as a client advocate for clients of Vocational Rehabilitation. Dennis is married to Susan and they have 2 adult children and one grandson.

Speaker or Performer: Cecilia Montesdeoca Date of Delivery: November 20, 2016 As the world becomes ever more connected through new forms of transparency brought on by the internet, we have a unique opportunity to reflect on how things have come to be. Anthropology is the study and practice of recognizing other cultures in their own context. Recognition is the first step in creating understanding and solidarity among the world.Cecilia Montesdeoca is from Bloomington, Illinois and graduated from Illinois State with a degree in cultural anthropology and community health education. Cecilia is a Stevenson Center for Community and Economic Development Fellow from Illinois State University and works as a Field Organizer at Dakota Resource Council as part of her practicum for her Master's degree program. Cecilia has served in AmeriCorps and has led multiple environmental stewardship projects across the southwest, worked as a project coordinator for a nonprofit in Peru and interned with U.S. Senator Tom Harkin. She enjoys traveling, photography, hiking, reading, listening to podcasts and spending time outside, preferably near a river, lake or ocean.Video Version: youtu.be/fR-TI2XJVv4

Over the last year, the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe in North Dakota has waged a battle against a proposed pipeline near their reservation. The tribe fears that the pipeline could endanger their water supply and several of their sacred sites. The battle has brought other indigenous tribes and supporters from all across the country to their defense, culminating in an order from the federal government to temporarily halt the pipeline’s construction. During our show, we gave background on how this battle started, how the North Dakotas officials have responded, and what’s next for these brave activists, featuring, Nicole Donaghy, an organizer for the Dakota Resource Council and member of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe.

Speaker or Performer: Don Morrison Date of Delivery: January 10, 2016 INSPIRATIONAL ATHEISMDon MorrisonInspiration, meaning, and much more are to be found in the world as it is. From a secular view,Don will aim to help us appreciate the common values we may share.Don is executive director of the Dakota Resource Council. Don and his wife, Karen,have been members since 1987 and their two adult chidren grew up in this fellowship.Facilitator: Dale PittmanVideo version: https://youtu.be/cCblaEc5P_k

Speaker or Performer: Don Morrison Date of Delivery: February 1, 2015 Conflict and UnderstandingDon MorrisonFollowing January’s programs focused on justice, we’re moving into the February theme of love. Don will bridge the two months with some thoughts about how disagreement can lead to a deeper understanding of each other and community. Don works as the Executive Director at the Dakota Resource Council.

Ted Nace is the author of Gangs of America: The Rise of Corporate Power and the Disabling of Democracy. Nace is the founder of Peachpit Press, the world's leading publisher of books on computer graphics and desktop publishing. Prior to that he worked as a freelance writer and served as staff director of the Dakota Resource Council, helping rural communities deal with the impact of strip mines and power plants. In this interview Nace speaks about how the corporation has become the core institution of the modern world. He describes where it came from, how it got more rights than a person has, where it is going and what we can do to stop it from greater and greater control of our lives and well being.