Podcasts about minnesota department

Are you one of those people that freeze up when you need to calculate a 15 percent tip on the restaurant tab? Do you hope a friend will volunteer to figure it out?  You might have a bit of math anxiety.  A lot of adults and kids think they're bad at math and say they don't like it. But learning to be comfortable with numbers and patterns is vital to holding many jobs, being a smart consumer and being a good citizen.   Math educators are thinking these days about how to help students get excited, not anxious, about math. The state of Minnesota is revising its math standards for the first time since 2007 — right in the middle of a math slump caused by the pandemic's disruption to classroom instruction.  MPR News host Angela Davis talked with two math educators about how parents and teachers can kindle success in math.   Guests:  Sara VanDerWerf is a mathematics specialist with the Minnesota Department of Education. She is a former middle and high school math teacher in the Minneapolis Public Schools and past president of the Minnesota Council of Teachers of Mathematics.  Christopher Danielson created the Math On-A-Stick play space at the Minnesota State Fair. He's a former middle school math teacher and college instructor. He currently develops online math lessons for Desmos and blogs about math at talkingmathwithkids.com.   Subscribe to the MPR News with Angela Davis podcast on: Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify or RSS. Use the audio player above to listen to the full conversation.

Are you one of those people that freeze up when you need to calculate a 15 percent tip on the restaurant tab? Do you hope a friend will volunteer to figure it out?  You might have a bit of math anxiety.  A lot of adults and kids think they're bad at math and say they don't like it. But learning to be comfortable with numbers and patterns is vital to holding many jobs, being a smart consumer and being a good citizen.   Math educators are thinking these days about how to help students get excited, not anxious, about math. The state of Minnesota is revising its math standards for the first time since 2007 — right in the middle of a math slump caused by the pandemic's disruption to classroom instruction.  MPR News host Angela Davis talked with two math educators about how parents and teachers can kindle success in math.   Guests:  Sara VanDerWerf is a mathematics specialist with the Minnesota Department of Education. She is a former middle and high school math teacher in the Minneapolis Public Schools and past president of the Minnesota Council of Teachers of Mathematics.  Christopher Danielson created the Math On-A-Stick play space at the Minnesota State Fair. He's a former middle school math teacher and college instructor. He currently develops online math lessons for Desmos and blogs about math at talkingmathwithkids.com.   Subscribe to the MPR News with Angela Davis podcast on: Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify or RSS. Use the audio player above to listen to the full conversation.

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This month's episode of AASHTO's ETAP Podcast will focus on the upcoming 2022 Transportation Research Board's Annual Meeting as well as provide a preview for the TRB Sustainability and Emerging Transportation Technology Conference taking place in March. This year's meeting will be of particular interest to environmental practitioners and is titled: Innovating an Equitable, Resilient, Sustainable, and Safe Transportation System. With over 800 information sessions and meetings, TRB will cover a wide array of topics across all modes within this year's theme. Joining us to discuss the 101st TRB Annual Meeting is Tim Sexton; Chief Sustainability Officer at the Minnesota Department of Transportation and Chair of the Transportation Research Board's Transportation and Sustainability Committee. Tim will also provide a preview of the TRB Sustainability and Emerging Transportation Technology (SETT) Conference taking place in Irvine, California, March 15-18, 2022.

Today's ETAP Podcast will focus on the upcoming 2022 Transportation Research Board's Annual Meeting as well as provide a preview for the TRB Sustainability and Emerging Transportation Technology Conference taking place in March. This year's meeting will be of particular interest to environmental practitioners and is titled: Innovating an Equitable, Resilient, Sustainable, and Safe Transportation System. With over 800 information sessions and meetings, TRB will cover a wide array of topics across all modes within this year's theme. Joining us to discuss the 101st TRB Annual Meeting is Tim Sexton; Chief Sustainability Officer at the Minnesota Department of Transportation and Chair of the Transportation Research Board's Transportation and Sustainability Committee. Tim will also provide a preview of the TRB Sustainability and Emerging Transportation Technology (SETT) Conference taking place in Irvine, California, March 15-18, 2022.

The ice fishing season for trout on inland lakes located entirely within the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness opens Saturday, Jan. 1. Stream trout and lake trout can be caught by anglers willing to brave the cold temperatures expected this weekend in the BWCA. The high temperature for the Mid-Gunflint Trail area on the opening day of the trout season is below zero. Overnight lows on New Year's Eve and Saturday night are expected to be in the high teens below zero or 20-below zero, possibly colder. Wind chill values will make these temperatures feel even colder. Lake trout will be a primary target for many anglers this weekend, though some lakes in the BWCA do hold other species of trout as well. Stream trout are defined as splake, brook, brown and rainbow trout. The possession limit remains unchanged, at five, with not more than three fish longer than 16 inches. The possession limit for lake trout is two. Examples of lakes that open for trout fishing this weekend on the eastern side of the BWCA include Daniels, Ram and Topper. Lakes that are partially inside the BWCA do not open to trout fishing this weekend. Examples of lakes that are not open to trout fishing on Jan. 1 include Clearwater, Seagull and Meditation. WTIP Boundary Waters Podcast host Joe Friedrichs spoke with Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Conversation Officer Kylan Hill about the upcoming trout opener in the BWCA.

Terri Fritsma is the lead healthcare workforce analyst at the Minnesota Department of Health.

The Minnesota Department of Agriculture encourages farmers and ranchers to consider attending one of three free upcoming couples' retreats scheduled for early 2022. Dates and locations are: January 21-22, 2022: Faribault  February 4-5, 2022: Saint Cloud February 11-12, 2022: Thief River Falls     See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

JOanna Dornfeld leads the state's Covid Response unit, and joined Tom Hauser today to answer questions on Omicron, testing and more.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Climate change is reshaping Minnesota's winter. Change is evident in the state's ecosystem, its economy and its collective identity, a climatologist and a climate researcher discussed on MPR News with Angela Davis Tuesday. Average winter temperatures have risen 5 degrees in 50 years in the state, and while last week's wacky winter weather — when at least 16 tornadoes touched down for the first time in the state's history — is tied to the warming of the planet, it is likely an anomaly, they said.  “I think that the real lesson is that now this has happened, we can't go back to believing this kind of thing can't happen,'' said Kenneth Blumenfeld, senior climatologist at the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. “I think it's a stretch to say it's going to be common.” But he and Heidi Roop, the director of the Minnesota Climate Adaptation Partnership and an assistant professor of climate science at the University of Minnesota, said the Dec. 15 storms are symptomatic of climate change. “From a climate science perspective, we know we're in a pivotal decade to make choices about what our future climate looks and feels like — and the extent of these extreme events that we will have to navigate through and survive together as communities,'' Roop said.  Ramifications of climate change have impacts on the state from the types of trees that grow, to earlier infestations of insects (yes, ticks), to larger potholes, to significant economic impacts on winter recreational sports that many depend on for their income, Roop and Blumenfeld said. Several callers to the show discussed being sad over the changes, including a Duluth mother who became emotional talking about raising her children in a different kind of winter than she grew up experiencing.  Roop acknowledged the emotional impacts and a sense of loss as the frigid, snow-packed winters many Minnesotans grew up with give way to milder temperatures, taking with them traditions and culture. “These are the sort of very personal impacts of climate change, right? It may seem small: ‘Oh, well, you're not skiing anymore,''' she said. “But these are really parts of our identity and  represent our health and well-being and our connections to community and to family.” Roop also pointed to damage to the state's infrastructure that many may not think about as the state's freeze-thaw cycles increase. A good snowpack acts as insulation to the ground, she said, and when snow thaws and freezing temperatures return, they penetrate the ground and can cause damage to pipes, water systems and septic systems. And that expanding and contracting also increases potholes in the roads. The impact of climate change can seem emotionally overwhelming, but Roop said there are changes each person can make in their lives to help. Some examples, she said, include: Washing clothes in cold water, transitioning to more efficient or electric or hybrid vehicles, avoiding air travel and moving to a plant-based diet. Blumenfeld said that while Minnesotans may never know the winter of their childhood, they can embrace traditions that are fixed like the winter and summer solstices.  “Even though we will continue being some of the coldest places in the country and have some of the longest, most serious winters in the country,'' he said. “I'd say the character of winter is changing, and we really need to hold on to those memories, because I don't think we're going to see a lot of what we used to know about winter in the future.” Guests:  Heidi Roop is the director of the Minnesota Climate Adaptation Partnership and an assistant professor of climate science at the University of Minnesota Kenneth Blumenfeld is the senior climatologist at the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Use the audio player above to listen to the full conversation. Subscribe to the MPR News with Angela Davis podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify or RSS.

Updated: Dec. 15 | Posted: Dec. 14 As of Wednesday, nearly 10,000 people have died from COVID-19 in Minnesota as the pandemic drags on. No one knows when it will end. But we do know some things that will help control the spread. As new strains appear and guidelines for vaccines, boosters and social behavior are adapting, questions continue to arise. Does improving air filtration in your home or office help prevent the virus? What's the best timing for a booster? How do you protect your young children who cannot get vaccinated? If your young children contract COVID, what can you expect in terms of their level of sickness? What's the safest way to travel over the holidays? If you get a booster and it makes you feel awful, is that a good sign?  MPR News host Angela Davis talked with two infectious disease experts who also answered your questions about the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Guests:  Dr. Priya Sampathkumar is an associate professor of medicine at Mayo Clinic and an infectious disease researcher.  Kris Ehresmann is the Director of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Prevention and Control Division at the Minnesota Department of Health Correction (Dec. 15, 2021): An earlier version of this post misstated the total deaths from COVID-19 in Minnesota. The article has been updated.

Robert Langanki, supervisor of Rochester Maintenance Sub-Area for the Minnesota Department of Transportation joins MnDOT Mike Dougherty in discussing the new technologies and techniques used to clear snow and ice from Minnesota highways.

The Minnesota Department of Agriculture will work with the makers of four dicamba herbicide products and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to implement state-specific use restrictions for Minnesota during the 2022 growing season. The restrictions are aimed at curbing off-site movement of the products. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Minnesota Department of Agriculture invites anyone interested in hemp and hemp production to its 2022 Industrial Hemp Forum. The half-day virtual evert will be held Wednesday, February 9, 2022, from 9 a.m. to noon.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Director at Minnesota Department of Public Safety - Office of Traffic Safety Mike Hanson gives an update on the roads, and answers questions. Plus, Sarah McClellan, who covers the Wild for the Star Tribune, joins the show to preview the Wild in LA tonight.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

CLICK HERE to listen to episode audio (4:36).Sections below are the following: Transcript of Audio Audio Notes and Acknowledgments ImagesA Question about Freezing Water and Animals Sources Related Water Radio Episodes For Virginia Teachers (Relevant SOLs, etc.). Unless otherwise noted, all Web addresses mentioned were functional as of 12-3-21. TRANSCRIPT OF AUDIO From the Cumberland Gap to the Atlantic Ocean, this is Virginia Water Radio for the week of December 6, 2021.  This revised episode from January 2018 is part of a series this year of winter-relatedepisodes. SOUND – ~8 sec That's the sound of ice on Claytor Lake in Pulaski County, Va., during a January day in 2018.  The sounds set the stage for a freezing-water episode written for Virginia science students in early elementary school, that is, about kindergarten to third grade. You're about to hear two kinds of mystery sounds.  When you do, see if you can answer this riddle: How are the two kinds of sounds the same, but also different?  Here are the sounds. SOUNDS – ~10 sec If you guessed that both sounds were water being put into a glass, you're right!  But the first sound was water as a liquid, while the second was ice, or water frozen into a solid. Now here are two more kinds of mystery sounds.  Try again to guess what they are. SOUNDS – ~8 sec Those were sounds of liquid water flowing in a creek, followed by pieces of ice on the creek's edge breaking off and splashing into the flowing water.  Just like a freezer can turn liquid household water into ice cubes, winter weather can often stay below 32 degrees Fahrenheit long enough to freeze some of the water on land or in a pond, creek, river, or even the ocean.  And there are many words for different kinds of ice in those places, like anchor ice, flake ice, needle ice, pancake ice, and sea ice. Let's try one more pair of mystery sounds, this time about ice safety. SOUND – ~7 sec Any guesses about what you heard?  The first was small rocks bouncing on an ice-covered pond, but the second was that pond's ice breaking and sinking.  That's a reminder that thin ice can hold pebbles, but ice has to be solid and at least about four inches thick to hold people, and ice thickness can be different in different spots.  Ice is never 100-percent safe, according to natural resource experts from Minnesota, where they have plenty of experience with ice-covered water.  But even with thin ice, it's safe—and fun—to stand on the bank and see how far a pebble can bounce!SOUND – ~3 sec – Pebbles bouncing on ice-covered pond. We close with about 45 seconds of music for freezing water.  Here's “Ice Dance,” by Torrin Hallett, a student at the Yale School of Music.MUSIC – ~47 sec – instrumental. SHIP'S BELL Virginia Water Radio is produced by the Virginia Water Resources Research Center, part of Virginia Tech's College of Natural Resources and Environment.  For more Virginia water sounds, music, or information, visit us online at virginiawaterradio.org, or call the Water Center at (540) 231-5624.  Thanks to Stewart Scales for his banjo version of Cripple Creek to open and close this episode.  In Blacksburg, I'm Alan Raflo, thanking you for listening, and wishing you health, wisdom, and good water. AUDIO NOTES AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This Virginia Water Radio episode revises and replaces Episode 408, 1-15-18. The Claytor Lake ice sounds were recorded at the Sloan Creek inlet of the lake, near Draper in Pulaski County, Va., on January 6, 2018. The stream ice sounds were recorded at Toms Creek in Heritage Park in Blacksburg, Va., on January 11, 2015. The sounds of pebbles bouncing on an ice-covered pond and the sound of thin ice breaking were recorded at the Heritage Park pond in Blacksburg, Va., on December 28, 2012, and January 13, 2013.  Thanks to passer-by Sam for help in recording the sounds of rocks bouncing on ice. “Ice Dance” is copyright 2020 by Torrin Hallett, used with permission.  Torrin is a 2018 graduate of Oberlin College and Conservatory in Oberlin, Ohio; a 2020 graduate in Horn Performance from Manhattan School of Music in New York; and a 2021 graduate of the Lamont School of Music at the University of Denver.  He is currently a graduate student at the Yale School of Music.  More information about Torrin is available online at https://www.facebook.com/torrin.hallett.  Thanks very much to Torrin for composing the piece especially for Virginia Water Radio.  This music was used previously by Virginia Water Radio in Episode 556, 12-21-20, on how organisms survive freezing temperatures. Following are other music pieces composed by Torrin Hallett for Virginia Water Radio, with episodes featuring the music.“A Little Fright Music” – used in Episode 548, 10-26-20, on water-related passages in fiction and non-fiction, for Halloween; and Episode 601, 10-31-21, connections among Halloween, water, and the human body.“Beetle Ballet” – used in Episode 525, 5-18-20, on aquatic beetles.“Chesapeake Bay Ballad” – used most recently in Episode 604, 11-22-21, on Canvasback ducks.“Corona Cue” – used in Episode 517, 3-23-20, on the coronavirus pandemic.“Flow Stopper” – used in Episode 599, 10-18-21, on “Imagine a Day Without Water.”“Geese Piece” – used most recently in Episode 440, 10-1-18, on E-bird.“Lizard Lied” – used in Episode 514, 3-2-20, on lizards. “New Year's Water” – used in Episode 349, 1-2-17, on the New Year. “Rain Refrain” – used most recently in Episode 559, 1-11-21, on record rainfall in 2020.“Runoff” – in Episode 585, 7-12-21 – on middle schoolers calling out stormwater-related water words.“Spider Strike” – used in Episode 523, 5-4-20, on fishing spiders. “Tropical Tantrum” – used most recently in Episode 580, 6-7-21, on the 2021 Atlantic tropical storm season preview.“Tundra Swan Song – used in Episode 554, 12-7-20, on Tundra Swans.“Turkey Tune” – used in Episode 343, 11-21-16, on the Wild Turkey.  Click here if you'd like to hear the full version (1 min./11 sec.) of the “Cripple Creek” arrangement/performance by Stewart Scales that opens and closes this episode.  More information about Mr. Scales and the group New Standard, with which Mr. Scales plays, is available online at http://newstandardbluegrass.com. IMAGES Ice on Claytor Lake in Pulaski County, Va., January 6, 2018.Patterns in ice formed on a shallow drainage channel in Heritage Park, Blacksburg, Va., January 11, 2015Air pockets under ice on a drainage channel in Heritage Park, Blacksburg, Va., January 11, 2015. A QUESTION ABOUT FREEZING WATER AND ANIMALS All living things have water on their inside.  So, if a wild animal is exposed to freezing temperatures in winter, why doesn't the water inside its body freeze? Here are two possible answers.  For more information, please see references in the Sources section below. 1.  Some animals—birds and mammals—can generate their own heat, and they have fur, feathers, or other coverings to hold in the heat (like people have clothes).  Body fat also helps hold in heat. 2.  In many living things—for example, certain fish and frogs—the water-based fluids inside cells contain biochemicals that act as natural anti-freeze, preventing ice formation and damage to the cells. SOURCES American Museum of Natural History, ‘Three Phases of Water,” online at https://www.amnh.org/exhibitions/water-h2o-life/blue-planet/three-phases-of-water/. Margaret Waring Buck, Where They Go in Winter, Abingdon Press, Nashville, Tenn., 1968. Iowa State University, “How Woody Plants Survive Extreme Cold,” March 1, 1996, online at http://www.ipm.iastate.edu/ipm/hortnews/1996/3-1-1996/brr.html. Lake Superior-Duluth Streams.org, “Ice Terminology,” online at http://www.lakesuperiorstreams.org/understanding/iceterms.html. Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, “Ice Safety,” online at http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/safety/ice/index.html; see particularly “General Ice Thickness Guidelines,” online at https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/safety/ice/thickness.html. Dan Tinker, “These Animals Don't Care That It's Freezing Outside,” December 14, 2013, National Wildlife Federation Blog, online at http://blog.nwf.org/2013/12/these-animals-dont-care-that-its-freezing-outside/. Phys.org, “Living organisms need antifreeze to survive in the cold,” February 18, 2013, online at https://phys.org/news/2013-02-antifreeze-survive-cold.html; and “Why fish don't freeze in the Arctic Ocean,” August 25, 2010, online at https://phys.org/news/2010-08-fish-dont-arctic-ocean.html. Brian Rohrig, “Chilling Out, Warming Up: How Animals Survive Temperature Extremes,” ChemMatters Online Oct.-Nov. 2013 (American Chemical Society), online at http://www.acs.org/content/acs/en/education/resources/highschool/chemmatters/past-issues/archive-2013-2014/animal-survival-in-extreme-temperatures.html. VocabularySpellingCity.com:“Kindergarten Science Vocabulary,” online at https://www.spellingcity.com/kindergarten-science-vocabulary.html;“First Grade Science Vocabulary,” online at http://www.spellingcity.com/first-grade-science-vocabulary.html;“Second Grade Science Vocabulary,” online at https://www.spellingcity.com/second-grade-science-vocabulary.html;  and“Third Grade Science Vocabulary,” online at https://www.spellingcity.com/third-grade-science-vocabulary.html.The site also has vocabulary for other grade levels and other subjects. Sarah Zielinski, “Eight ways that animals survive the winter,” Science News (Society for Science & the Public), January 22, 2014, online at https://www.sciencenews.org/blog/wild-things/eight-ways-animals-survive-winter. For More Information about Ice Sounds NPR's Skunk Bear (science channel on YouTube), “The Star Wars Sound of Singing Ice,” 3 min./3 sec. video online at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OC7_zpyqCrU. RELATED VIRGINIA WATER RADIO EPISODES All Water Radio episodes are listed by category at the Index link above (http://www.virginiawaterradio.org/p/index.html).  See particularly the “Weather/Climate/Natural Disasters” subject categories. Following are links to several other winter-related episodes, including episodes on some birds that reside in Virginia typically only in winter (listed separately).  Please note that some of these episodes are being redone in late 2021 and early 2022; in those cases, the respective links below will have information on the updated episodes. Frost – Episode 597, 10-4-21. Ice on ponds and lakes – Episode 404, 1-22-18 (especially for grades 4-8).Ice on rivers – Episode 406, 2-5-18 (especially for middle school grades).Polar Plunge®for Special Olympics – Episode 356, 2-20-17.Snow physics and chemistry – Episode 407, 2-12-18 (especially for high school grades).Snow, sleet, and freezing rain – Episode 461, 2-25-19.Snow terms – Episode 300, 1-25-16.Surviving freezing – Episode 556, 12-21-20.Winter precipitation and water supplies – Episode 567, 3-8-21.Winter weather preparedness – Episode 605, 11-29-21.Water thermodynamics – Episode 195, 1-6-14. Bird-related Episodes for Winter Audubon Christmas Bird Count – Episode 294, 12-14-15.American Avocet – Episode 543, 9-21-20.Brant (goose) – Episode 502, 12-9-19.Canvasback (duck) – Episode 604, 11-22-21.Common Goldeneye (duck) – Episode 303, 2/15/16.Green-winged Teal (duck) – Episode 398, 12-11-17.Grebes (Horned and Red-necked) – Episode 233, 9-29-14.Loons – Episode 445, 11-5-18.Fall migration –

Minnesota has its first reported case of the omicron variant of the coronavirus. The patient is an adult male resident of Hennepin County who recently traveled to New York City. He developed mild symptoms on Nov. 22 and was tested for the coronavirus on Nov. 24. The Minnesota Department of Health has been talking with reporters about the case. MPR News reporter Catherine Richert joined Minnesota Now host Cathy Wurzer to share the latest details. Theme music by Gary Meister. Use the audio player above to listen to their conversation.

Join Nick Estes and Rebecca Nagle for an urgent discussion of the ongoing attack on Indigenous children and Indigenous land. Nick Estes puts into historical context recent headlines surrounding the discovery of mass graves of Native children at Canadian residential schools. The removal of Indigenous children from their communities and families has a long genocidal legacy that persists today, well beyond the boarding school era in Canada and the United States. The attack on Indigenous children is an attack on Indigenous sovereignty and land, and there is urgency to uphold protections that are under assault by the right wing, such as the Indian Child Welfare Act. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Nick Estes is a citizen of the Lower Brule Sioux Tribe. He is the author of Our History Is the Future: Standing Rock Versus the Dakota Access Pipeline, and the Long Tradition of Indigenous Resistance (Verso, 2019), coeditor with Jaskiran Dhillon of Standing with Standing Rock: Voices from the #NoDAPL Movement (University of Minnesota Press, 2019), and coauthor with Melanie K. Yazzie, Jennifer Nez Denetdale, and David Correia of Red Nation Rising: From Bordertown Violence to Native Liberation (PM Press, 2021). In 2014 he cofounded The Red Nation, an Indigenous resistance organization, and he is cohost of The Red Nation podcast. His writing has appeared in the Guardian, Intercept, Jacobin, Indian Country Today, High Country News, and other publications. Estes was an American Democracy Fellow at the Charles Warren Center for Studies in American History at Harvard University (2017–2018) and until 2021 was an assistant professor in the American Studies Department at the University of New Mexico. He joins the faculty of the University of Minnesota Department of American Indian Studies in 2022. Rebecca Nagle is an award-winning journalist and citizen of the Cherokee Nation. Nagle hosted Crooked Media's podcast This Land, telling the story of a Supreme Court case about tribal land in Oklahoma, the small town murder that started the case, and the surprising connection to her own family history. You can find her writing on issues of Native representation and tribal sovereignty in the Atlantic, the Washington Post, the Guardian, USA Today, Teen Vogue, Indian Country Today, and other publications. Nagle was awarded the 2020 American Mosaic Journalism Prize for her reporting. She has also been named to the YBCA 100 and the National Center for American Indian Enterprise Development's Native American 40 under 40. Nagle lives in Tahlequah, Oklahoma. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- This event is a partnership between Lannan Foundation and Haymarket Books. Lannan Foundation's Readings & Conversations series features inspired writers of fiction, nonfiction, and poetry, as well as cultural freedom advocates with a social, political, and environmental justice focus. We are excited to offer these programs online to a global audience. Video and audio recordings of all events are available at lannan.org. Haymarket Books is a radical, independent, nonprofit book publisher based in Chicago. Our mission is to publish books that contribute to struggles for social and economic justice. We strive to make our books a vibrant and organic part of social movements and the education and development of a critical, engaged, international left. Lannan Foundation is a family foundation dedicated to cultural freedom, diversity, and creativity through projects that support exceptional contemporary artists and writers, inspired Native activists in rural communities, and social justice advocates. Watch the live event recording: https://youtu.be/rE52UHthmLM Buy books from Haymarket: www.haymarketbooks.org Follow us on Soundcloud: soundcloud.com/haymarketbooks

The latest episode of On the Evidence focuses on the ways that racism and inequity within human services programs affect fathers and families, and how adopting a more inclusive father engagement strategy can benefit children, fathers, and their families. Today, federal and state governments, as well as foundations and nonprofits, are emphasizing the importance of understanding the role of racism in American institutions and policies. In partnership with the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE) at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Mathematica has been gathering information on what works in engaging fathers across a wide range of human services programs, with the goal of helping fathers and families thrive. On this episode, guests Alan-Michael Graves, Leonard Burton, Shaneen Moore, Jerry Tello, and Armando Yañez discuss how human services programs have historically treated fathers, particularly fathers of color, and strategies for improving the racial equity of these programs as it relates to father engagement. Graves is the senior director of teaching, capacity building, and systems change with the Good+Foundation, a national nonprofit that works to dismantle multi-generational poverty. Burton is a senior fellow at the Center for the Study of Social Policy, a national nonprofit policy organization that connects community action, public system reform, and policy change to create a fair and just society. Moore is the director of the Child Support Division within the Children and Family Services administration of the Minnesota Department of Human Services. Tello is the founder of and director of training and capacity building at the Compadres Network, a national nonprofit that provides a voice for racial equity, healing, training, technical assistance, and systems change. Yañez is a research analyst at Mathematica. Find a full transcript of the episode here: mathematica.org/blogs/advancing-racial-equity-in-fatherhood-programs Learn more about the partnership between ASPE and Mathematica to identify the strategies human services programs use to engage fathers: https://aspe.hhs.gov/father-engagement

The world is wondering what's next with the new coronavirus variant (dubbed “omichron”). Scientists aren't sure if it is more transmissible and dangerous than the delta variant that has spread rapidly around the world. Today, the Minnesota Department of Health reported 4,511 new positive cases of COVID-19 and 44 new deaths in the state. Minnesota's hospitals are still overrun with COVID-19 patients and others who need acute medical care. Dr. Rahul Koranne, president and CEO of the Minnesota Hospital Association, gave Minnesota Now host Cathy Wurzer an update on the situation in Minnesota hospitals. Theme music by Gary Meister.

Verónica Jaralambides knows all of the hot… and cold… spots for outdoor recreation in Minnesota… and she's sharing them with us! As a marketing consultant for the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, she is passionate about encouraging people from all backgrounds to get out into the wilderness. She says a big barrier for many people is lack of knowledge. Find out about the work she's doing to change that, her most favorite places and the transformational moment that put her on the path to a lifetime love of the outdoors.

The past few weeks have been momentous for Margaret Anderson Kelliher and the state department she oversees. In early November, the Minnesota Department of Transportation officially wrapped up its 2021 construction season, which advanced or completed more than 260 projects, including the mammoth $239 million, four-year overhaul of Interstate 35W south of downtown Minneapolis. More recently, the federal government announced the passage of the $1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill, which will deliver billions of dollars to roads, bridges, mass transit and more in Minnesota. In the following interview, Anderson Kelliher speaks with Reporter Brian Johnson about the passage of the federal bill, the newly completed construction season, the future of transportation funding and more.

Mitzi Baum joined the team at Stop Foodborne Illness as the Chief Executive Officer in May 2019. Prior to beginning her tenure at Stop, Mitzi cultivated a 23-year career at Feeding America beginning as a network services representative rising to the senior level position of managing director of food safety. Mitzi holds a Master of Science in Food Safety and a certificate in Food Law from Michigan State University. She earned her Bachelor of Science degree from Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, OH. Steve Mandernach is the executive director of the Association of Food and Drug Officials (AFDO), which unites high-level regulatory officials, industry representatives, trade associations, academia, and consumer organizations. Prior to becoming executive director in 2018, Steve was the bureau chief for food and consumer safety at the Iowa Department of Inspections. He is a past president of AFDO and current co-chair of the Association's Laws and Regulations committee. He has a J.D. from Drake University Law School. Steve is also a member of Food Safety Magazine's Editorial Advisory Board. Jennifer Pierquet joined the Association of Food and Drug Officials (AFDO) in May 2019 as a Project Manager to oversee two support and maintenance contracts for 20 state inspection systems. Jenny leads the recall modernization project and Co-Chairs AFDO's Food Protection and Defense Committee. Formerly, she worked for the Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals, Food and Consumer Safety Bureau as the Manufacturing Foods Regulatory Program Standards Coordinator and was involved in Iowa's Rapid Response Team. Prior to Iowa, she worked for the Minnesota Department of Agriculture. Jenny received a Master's in Public Health from the University of Minnesota, School of Public Health, and is a proud alumnus of the University of Wisconsin–Madison. In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we speak with Mitzi, Steve, and Jennifer [17:41] about: How the recall process has worked for the last 20 years Some of the problems associated with how recalls are currently handled Identifying gaps in the recall process for consumers The complexity of recalls and recall fatigue STOP's working group and their recommendations to FDA AFDO's recommendations to FDA Are recalls happening fast enough – too fast? Priorities for change that could be implemented quickly Training Using consistent language between agencies Viewing recalls as urgent public health issues News Study Examines Role of Dust Particles in Transferring Pathogens to Produce FSIS Releases FY2020 Foodborne Illness Outbreak Investigations Summary Report FDA Releases New Food Fraud Website We Want to Hear from You! Please send us your questions and suggestions to podcast@foodsafetymagazine.com

This week on the Minnesota Native News Health Report, emergency medical teams from the federal government are being sent to the state to support hospitals during the current COVID-19 surge. Also, Dr. Antony Stately with the Native American Community Clinic talks about vaccines for younger children. Plus, an award has been given to two tribal health clinics in northern Minnesota. Here's reporter Cole Premo.   Gov. Tim Walz announced that the federal government accepted his “urgent request” for emergency medical staffing assistance, and now two Department of Defense medical teams are on the way.   The emergency staffing teams, with 22 medical personnel each, will be supporting staff at Hennepin Healthcare in Minneapolis, also known as HCMC, and St. Cloud Hospital. They're expected to arrive the week of Nov. 22.   In Minnesota hospitals as of Nov. 16, there are 1,382 patients being hospitalized for COVID-19, which is the highest figure in 2021. Only 47 intensive care unit beds remain available for Minnesota patients.  Health officials say Minnesotans can support hospitals by getting vaccinated, wearing a mask in indoor public settings, testing as appropriate and social distancing.   Meanwhile, the Food and Drug administration has officially expanded its emergency authorization of Pfizer's and Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine booster shots to all adults. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will need to issue recommendations before its officially greenlit, but many states, including Minnesota, are preparing to give out the shots soon.   ----  In other news, COVID-19 vaccine doses are now available for children ages 5 to 11 years old.   In COVID-19 Community Conversations, Antony Stately, PhD, talked about the importance of vaccination and how the virus can spread through families.   STATELY: 5:18-5:46: I just think folks are just beginning to see the value of having your child vaccinated, so we can all enjoy being close to each other, and not have to repeat what happened last year.   STATELY: 6:36-7:50 I think it's really important that your children are going into schools, they're playing in extra curricular activities. They're petri dishes of infection anyways, even before covid. I think it's important to recognize the danger. Maybe they will be fine, but they could bring it home to a family member. Immunocompromised people are very vulnerable”   Check your local clinic or tribal health clinic for vaccines for more information on pediatric vaccinations. You can also go to mn.gov/vaccine and use the vaccine locator map.   ----   Lastly, two northern Minnesota tribal health systems have received awards for their vaccination efforts.   Recently, the Minnesota Department of Health announced that the 2021 MN Rural Health Team Award has been given to Cass Lake Indian Health Services and Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe, Health Division.   The health department says from January to April of this year, both health systems not only developed and implemented a mass immunization model for eligible Native Americans, but the rural community at large.   In 15 mass vaccine events, over 12,000 vaccine doses were provided, 70% of elders were vaccinated before it was a national goal, and 70% of the Cass Lake Indian Health Services user population was vaccinated before the president's July 4th goal.   The pair of health systems are considered two of the best and fastest vaccine administration teams in the state, and their vaccination model has gotten attention from federal, state and private sector partners across the United States, the health department said.   I'm Cole Premo. 

This week we learn about Task Force Holloman with leadership from the Minnesota Air National Guard, discuss Veterans Day with the Commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs and get an update from the Minnesota Association of County Veterans … Continue reading → The post Task Force Holloman and Veterans Day appeared first on Minnesota Military Radio.

This week on the Minnesota Native News Health Report, health leaders are sounding the alarm as COVID-19 case numbers are among the highest seen in 2021. Also, reminders on vaccine booster shots. Here's reporter Cole Premo.   As the holiday season nears, Minnesota health officials are calling a spike in COVID-19 cases and deaths “scary” and “truly alarming.”   In recent days, the Minnesota Department of Health has been reporting dozens of new deaths every day, along with daily case numbers in the several thousands.   In fact, the health department recently reported a backlog of cases due to the intake of new cases exceeding the processing capacity of staff. If the high case rate continues, MDH may add more staff.   Meanwhile, the state's positivity rate is on an upward trend, with the latest figure being 9.3% -- nearing the state's “high risk” threshold of 10%.    Minnesota Health Commissioner Jan Malcolm says this spike in the pandemic is preventable.   2:02MALCOLM: “Every day now, we're seeing dozens of people dying from an illness they didn't have to get. The tragedy of this current spike in cases is more than ever, we have the tools and knowledge to minimize the pandemic. But a sizable number of people are not using those tools. Because some think it's no big deal… and some because they have fallen victim to misinformation.”  The health commissioner says those tools to minimize the pandemic include vaccination, masking in public, and staying home when sick.  3:26 MALCOLM: “This spike is bad, it's scary. But it could be much more worse, especially with many more hospitalizations and deaths, if it weren't for the fact that most Minnesotans have the protection of the vaccine.”   Jan Malcolm says the state is now working to “decompress” the health system strain from the pandemic by opening up alternative care sites.   ----  In other news, Pfizer is asking for federal approval of it's COVID-19 vaccine booster shot for all adults.   While federal agencies work to determine that, here's what you need to know about booster shot eligibility.   Right now, booster shots are authorized for seniors and adults at high risk who received the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine at least six months ago.   Also eligible for the booster shots are adults ages 18 years old and older who received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine at least 2 months ago.  Officials have authorized "mixing and matching" COVID-19 vaccine boosters, meaning your booster dose does not have to be the same type of vaccine as your primary series.  I'm Cole Premo. 

The Minnesota Department of Corrections reported this week that there are 87 confirmed positive COVID-19 cases among people incarcerated in the St. Cloud prison. The St. Cloud prison typically serves as the intake facility where everyone entering the state corrections system is first admitted. Staff and people incarcerated in all state prisons will be offered booster shots starting next week. This is an MPR News morning update for Friday, November 12, 2021. Hosted by Cathy Wurzer  Our theme music is by Gary Meister.

On Tuesday, state officials, veterans and citizens gathered to announce that 13 counties in central Minnesota have cleared their housing waitlists of military veterans, bringing the state that much closer to ending homelessness among veterans. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, veterans are at higher risk for homelessness and currently are overrepresented in the homeless population.  Ending homelessness among veterans is an ongoing effort. It takes both governmental and nongovernmental agencies working together to succeed. And it takes a deep understanding of military service — what it means, how it plays out and the long-term effects it has on the lives of not just veterans, but also the people who live with them, work with them and love them.   On Veterans Day, host Angela Davis digs into the meaning of the phrase “Thank you for your service” with a veteran of the Iraq War who works as a veterans advocate, a therapist who works with veterans and a representative of the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs.  Guests:  Tom McKenna is a veteran of the Iraq War and a veterans advocate with Every Third Saturday, a nonprofit supporting veterans in Minnesota.  Eli Reding is a licensed clinical psychologist who works with veterans in his practice.  Brad Lindsay is the Deputy Commissioner of Programs & Services at the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs.

New money is available to Minnesota livestock producers to help prevent wolf attacks. A total of $60,000 will be awarded by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture through the Wolf-Livestock Conflict Prevention Grants. Applications are due January 24, 2022. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

MPR News host Cathy Wurzer on Tuesday interviewed the Minnesota Department of Health's Kris Ehresmann on Minnesota Now. On Monday, the Minnesota Department of Health reported more than 4,200 new infections. Overall case numbers were as high as they were back in December of last year.

This week on the Minnesota Native News Health Report, 5 to 11 year olds can officially get the COVID-19 vaccine, Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan is highlighting the importance of vaccination after contracting the virus herself, and a vaccination event is being held at a Native American clinic in the Twin Cities. Here's reporter Cole Premo.   It's official: 5 to 11 year olds in Minnesota can now receive COVID-19 vaccination.   It comes after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued formal recommendations for children as young as 5 years old to start receiving the Pfizer vaccine. For this age group, it's a smaller dose and will come from smaller needles.  According to Gov. Tim Walz, this means 94% of Minnesota's population is now eligible for the vaccine.  The governor's office says more than 1,100 providers in Minnesota are prepared to begin administering vaccines to younger children. A community vaccination site at the Mall of America will triple its capacity to allow more children to get vaccinated.  Places like Walmart, Walgreens, Hy-Vee and others are also offering the vaccine for kids.   Medical experts shared their thoughts on the importance of children getting the vaccine in a video from the Minnesota Department of Health, including Twin Cities pediatrician Dr. Andrea Singh. Here she is.   SINGH: “Im a pediatrician and a mother of two kids. Sometimes it's hard as a parent to know what to do to protect your kids' futures. Getting them COVID vaccine helps. It decreases transmission of COVID in your household. It also protects them from serious illness. If you have any questions, talk to your pediatrician, family doctor. We can do this, Minnesota. Let's get the vaccine.”  Families are advised to check with their pediatricians or family medicine clinic about appointments. They can also visit mn.gov/vaccine to use the vaccine locator map.  Minnesota has administered more than 7 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccination, including nearly 500,000 booster shots. About 74% of the state's 12+ population has received at least one dose.  ------  In other news, Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan is highlighting the importance of vaccination after her family recently contracted the virus.   Flanagan, who says she's fully vaccinated, says her 8-year-old daughter tested positive for COVID-19 in later October, and experienced fever and sniffles. Later, Flanagan said she tested positive.   In a tweet, she said the pandemic is not over and getting vaccinated not only helps you but little kids who are not yet eligible, or who haven't gotten, the vaccine. At the time, she said her daughter is looking forward to getting the first dose of the vaccine when she feels better. Flanagan will also be getting the booster shot.   ----  Lastly, the Native American Community Clinic in south Minneapolis is holding a vaccination event on Friday, Nov. 13.   From 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. that day, those who attend can get vaccinated for both COVID-19 and the flu. COVID-19 booster shots will also be available.   Shots for 5-11 year olds will not yet be available at this event, but the clinic will have that ability starting the week of Nov. 15.   The clinic is located at 1213 East Franklin Avenue in Minneapolis.   I'm Cole Premo. 

Raul Velaquez joins us to share his immigration story. Originally from Columbia, he came to Minnesota to study engineering. He now works for the Minnesota Department of Transportation to design better roads. Hear how his connections to the land influenced his choices. A special thank you to Green Card Voices for connecting us with Dr. Raul Velaquez.

This week on the Minnesota Native News Health Report… state leaders announce plans to start vaccinating 5 to 11 year olds as soon as early November. Minnesota's health commissioner details why this is such an important step in the pandemic. Here's reporter Cole Premo. State leaders, including health commissioner Jan Malcolm, recently unveiled plans to vaccinate 5 to 11 year olds.  It comes after the US Food and Drug Administration voted to recommend the use of Pfizer's vaccine in the age group. The official green light to start vaccinating the youngest age group so far could come in the first week of November.  In order to prepare for the new vaccination push, state officials say they built a network of 1,100 providers, including health care systems, pharmacies, clinics, local public and tribal health agencies and state-run community clinics.  Also, Health Commissioner Jan Malcolm says schools will be involved. Here she is.  Malcolm: "In order to ensure equitable access to the vaccine… the administration has partnered with schools and charter schools to get kids vaccinated at or near schools."  Jan Malcolm says the upcoming ability to vaccinate 5 to 11 year olds is an important step in the pandemic.  MALCOLM: “It comes at a crucial moment. We are definitely seeing a high transmission rate…and very high levels of health care pressure. Since Jan. 1, there have been more than 45,000 pediatric cases and more than 300 child hospitalizations for COVID-19 just in our state. As of yesterday (Oct. 26),  all but 17 pediatric ICU beds in the state were full, occupied by children not only with COVID-19, but otherwise with grave illnesses.”  Malcolm says COVID-19 can also have long-term consequences, and thousands of children in the country have been diagnosed with COVID-19-linked multisystem inflammatory syndrome. Almost 100 cases have been discovered in Minnesota. Some of these children need intensive care treatment.  MALCOLM: “Getting your child vaccinated gives you reassurance that your child is protected.. Getting your child vaccinated also protects your family members and neighbors.. And they can focus on being kids again.”  The network of providers in Minnesota cannot vaccinate 5 to 11 year olds until the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has given its final approval. Once that happens, families are advised to check with their pediatricians or family medicine clinic about appointments. They can also visit mn.gov/vaccine to use the vaccine locator map.  Minnesota Department of Health COVID-19 community coordinators will also host clinics offering vaccines to the whole family.  -----  In other news, the health department is now offering even more COVID-19 rapid tests for people who are showing symptoms.  The free tests are being done at sites in St. Paul, Crookston, Hutchinson, Moorhead and Stillwater, along with Brooklyn Park, Duluth, Inver Grove Heights, Wadena and Hibbing.  Gov. Tim Walz launched the new sites to meet increasing demand due to the Delta variant.  All of the locations are free and you get results within a few hours after the nasal swab. 

MnDOT Mike, aka Mike Dougherty with the Minnesota Department of Transportation, announces the schedule for a long-awaited highway project a Rochester and plans for celebrating the grand opening of Highway 14 west of Dodge Center.

CLICK HERE to listen to episode audio (4:50).Sections below are the following: Transcript of Audio Audio Notes and Acknowledgments Images Sources Related Water Radio Episodes For Virginia Teachers (Relevant SOLs, etc.). Unless otherwise noted, all Web addresses mentioned were functional as of 10-22-21. TRANSCRIPT OF AUDIO From the Cumberland Gap to the Atlantic Ocean, this is Virginia Water Radio for the week of October 25, 2021.  This episode is part of a series this fall about water connections to the human body and human biology.  We start this week with three mystery sounds, all related to a very numerous group of disease-causing, or pathogenic, microbes that have enormous impacts on human health.  Have a listen for about 20 seconds, and see if know this microbial group.  And here's a hint: big hits on social media are said to spread like this group. SOUNDS – ~19 sec If you guessed viruses, you're right!  You heard a person coughing due to a viral disease; handwashing, an important method of reducing viral transmission; and a spray bottle of isopropyl alcohol, an effective disinfectant against many kinds of viruses.  With attention focused this fall both on the COVID-19 coronavirus and the annual influenza virus season, we explore in this episode some basic information about viruses and some viral connections to water.  Here are 10 key points about viruses. 1.  Viruses are one of four groups of microbes responsible for human disease, along with bacteria, fungi, and protozoa, which are single-celled animals.  As a group, viruses are the smallest of these microbes, although some are larger than some bacteria. 2.  Viruses aren't made up of cells, but instead exist as particles composed primarily of molecules of protein and nucleic acids, that is, DNA or RNA.  They require a cellular host for reproduction, called replication. 3.  Viruses are more abundant than all of the cellular-based living things on earth. 4.  All living things are infected by viruses. 5.  Viruses don't always cause disease in infected hosts, but many kinds do cause significant diseases in humans, other animals, and plants. 6.  Viral disease can result from viruses taking over or inhibiting their host's cellular biochemical processes, or by cell destruction as new virus particles exit cells after replication. 7.  Depending on their type, viruses can be spread through air, in water, from surfaces, by animal vectors, or through exchange of blood or other body substances. 8.  Water-related spread of viruses can occur through water contaminated with human waste, and through animal vectors connected to water, particularly mosquitoes. 9.  Significant human diseases from water-borne viruses include intestinal disease, particularly diarrhea; hepatitis, or liver inflammation; inflammations of the brain, spinal cord, or heart; and possibly cancer.  Viral diseases spread by mosquitoes include Yellow Fever, Dengue, West Nile, and others. And last, but not least, handwashing with clean water and soap is important for reducing the spread of viruses through objects and surfaces—collectively called fomites—with which humans come into contact. Thanks to Freesound.org user n__audioman for making the coughing sound available for public use.  Here's hoping we all hear less of that sound and more of the handwashing and other preventative measures that keep viruses—water-borne and otherwise—somewhat at bay. SHIP'S BELL Virginia Water Radio is produced by the Virginia Water Resources Research Center, part of Virginia Tech's College of Natural Resources and Environment.  For more Virginia water sounds, music, or information, visit us online at virginiawaterradio.org, or call the Water Center at (540) 231-5624.  Thanks to Stewart Scales for his banjo version of Cripple Creek to open and close this show.  In Blacksburg, I'm Alan Raflo, thanking you for listening, and wishing you health, wisdom, and good water. AUDIO NOTES AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Thanks to Dr. Sally Paulson, Virginia Tech Department of Entomology, for her help with this article. The coughing sound was recorded by user n__audioman (dated December 14, 2015), and made available for public use by Freesound.org, online at https://freesound.org/people/n_audioman/sounds/331068/, under the Creative Commons Attribution License 3.0  For more information on Creative Commons licenses, please see https://creativecommons.org/licenses/; information on the Attribution License specifically is online at https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/. The handwashing and alcohol spraying sounds were recorded by Virginia Water Radio on October 21, 2021. Click here if you'd like to hear the full version (1 min./11 sec.) of the “Cripple Creek” arrangement/performance by Stewart Scales that opens and closes this episode.  More information about Mr. Scales and the group New Standard, with which Mr. Scales plays, is available online at http://newstandardbluegrass.com. IMAGES Female Aedes japonicus mosquito (also known as Ochlerotatus japonicas), photographed from a colony at Notre Dame University.  Photo by Frank Collins, accessed from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Public Health Image Library, online at https://phil.cdc.gov/default.aspx; specific URL for this photo was https://phil.cdc.gov/Details.aspx?pid=7886, as of 10-25-21.  According to CDC caption for this photo, this Asian mosquito, first collected in the United States in New York and New Jersey in 1998, is a suspected transmitter for West Nile virus. “Wash Your Hands in 24 Languages” poster from the Minnesota Department of Health, online at https://www.health.state.mn.us/people/handhygiene/wash/washyourhands.html. SOURCES Used for Audio John B. Carter and Venetia A. Saunders, Virology: Principles and Applications, Second Edition, John Wiley & Sons Ltd., Chichester, United Kingdom, 2013. Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, “Tracking the COVID-19 Economy's Effects on Food, Housing, and Employment Hardships,” updated October 13, 2021, online at https://www.cbpp.org/research/poverty-and-inequality/tracking-the-covid-19-economys-effects-on-food-housing-and. Dorothy H. Crawford, Viruses: A Very Short Introduction, Second Edition, Oxford University Press, Oxford, United Kingdom, 2018. Aimee M. Gall et al., “Waterborne Viruses: A Barrier to Safe Drinking Water,” PLOS Pathogens Vol. 11, No. 6 (June 25, 2015), online at https://journals.plos.org/plospathogens/article/authors?id=10.1371/journal.ppat.1004867. Johns Hopkins University & Medicine/Coronavirus Resource Center, “Global Map,” online at https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/map.html. Microbiology Society, “Microbes and Disease,” online at https://microbiologysociety.org/why-microbiology-matters/what-is-microbiology/microbes-and-the-human-body/microbes-and-disease.html. Minnesota Department of Health, “Waterborne Illness,” online at https://www.health.state.mn.us/diseases/waterborne/index.html. Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), “Global economic recovery continues but remains uneven, says OECD,” News Release, September 21, 2021. University of New Hampshire/Casey School of Public Policy, “COVID-19 Economic Crisis: By State,” by Michael Ettlinger and Jordan Hensley, October 1, 2021, online at https://carsey.unh.edu/publication/COVID-19-Economic-Impact-By-State. U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), “Chemical Disinfectants,” online at https://www.cdc.gov/infectioncontrol/guidelines/disinfection/disinfection-methods/chemical.html. U.S. CDC, “Mosquito-Borne Diseases,” online at https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/outdoor/mosquito-borne/default.html.  U.S. CDC, Principles of Epidemiology in Public Health Practice, Third Edition: An Introduction to Applied Epidemiology and Biostatistics, November 2011, “Glossary,” online at https://www.cdc.gov/csels/dsepd/ss1978/glossary.html. U.S. CDC, “Water-related Diseases and Contaminants in Public Water Systems,” online at https://www.cdc.gov/healthywater/drinking/public/water_diseases.html. Virginia Department of Health, “Waterborne Hazards Control Programs,” online at https://www.vdh.virginia.gov/waterborne-hazards-control/. Water Quality Association, “Bacteria and Virus Issues,” online at https://www.wqa.org/learn-about-water/common-contaminants/bacteria-viruses. World Health Organization (WHO), “Waterborne Pathogens and Their Significance in Water Supplies” (table), online (as a PDF) at https://www.who.int/water_sanitation_health/gdwqrevision/watpathogens.pdf. WHO, “Emerging Issues in Water and Infectious Disease,” 2003, online (as a PDF) at https://www.who.int/water_sanitation_health/emerging/emerging.pdf. WHO, “Microbial Fact Sheets,” online (as a PDF) at https://www.who.int/water_sanitation_health/dwq/GDW11rev1and2.pdf. For More Information about Water and the Human Body Isabel Lorenzo et al., “The Role of Water Homeostasis in Muscle Function and Frailty: A Review,” Nutrients, Vol. 11, No. 8 (August 2019, accessed online at https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6723611/(subscription may be required for access). Mayo Clinic Health System, “Water: Essential to your body,” online at https://www.mayoclinichealthsystem.org/hometown-health/speaking-of-health/water-essential-to-your-body. U.S. Geological Survey, “The Water in You: Water and the Human Body,” https://www.usgs.gov/special-topic/water-science-school/science/water-you-water-and-human-body?qt-science_center_objects=0#qt-science_center_objects. RELATED VIRGINIA WATER RADIO EPISODES All Water Radio episodes are listed by category at the Index link above (http://www.virginiawaterradio.org/p/index.html).  See particularly the “Science” subject category. Following are links to other episodes on connections of water to human biology.  Please note that some of these episodes are being redone in fall 2021; in those cases, the respective links below will have information on the updated episodes. Overview of water's roles in the body – Episode 592, 8-30-21.Disease: COVID-19 – Episode 517, 3-23-20 and Episode 519, 4-6-20.Disease: influenza – Episode 598, 10-11-21.Circulatory system connections to water – Episode 593, 9-6-21.Muscular system connections to water – Episode 596, 9-27-21,Neurological system connections to water – Episode 594, 9-13-21.Skeleton system connections to water – Episode 595, 9-20-21.Water intake and exercise – Episode 466, 4-1-19.Water thermodynamics – Episode 195, 1-6-14. FOR VIRGINIA TEACHERS – RELATED STANDARDS OF LEARNING (SOLs) AND OTHER INFORMATION Following are some Virginia Standards of Learning (SOLs) that may be supported by this episode's audio/transcript, sources, or other information included in this post. 2018 Science SOLs Grades K-4: Living Systems and Processes 4.3 – Organisms, including humans, interact with one another and with the nonliving components in the ecosystem. Grade 6 6.6 – Water has unique physical properties and has a role in the natural and human-made environment, including that water is important for agriculture, power generation, and public health.6.9 – Humans impact the environment and individuals can influence public policy decisions related to energy and the environment, including that major health and safety issues are associated with air and water quality, Life ScienceLS.2 – All living things are composed of one or more cells that support life processes, as described by the cell theory, including that cell structure and organelles support life processes.LS.3     – There are levels of structural organization in living things, including that similar characteristics determine the classification of organisms.LS.10 – Organisms reproduce and transmit genetic information to new generations. BiologyBIO.4 – Bacteria and viruses have an effect on living systems. 2015 Social Studies SOLs United States History: 1865-to-Present CourseUSII.9 – Domestic and international issues during the second half of the 20th Century and the early 21st Century. Civics and Economics CourseCE.10 – Public policy at local, state, and national levels. World Geography CourseWG.2 – How selected physical and ecological processes shape the Earth's surface, including climate, weather, and how humans influence their environment and are influenced by it. Virginia and United States History CourseVUS.14 – Political and social conditions in the 21st Century. Government CourseGOVT.9 – Public policy process at local, state, and national levels.Virginia's SOLs are available from the Virginia Department of Education, online at http://www.doe.virginia.gov/testing/. Following are links to Water Radio episodes (various topics) designed especially for certain K-12 grade levels. Episode 250, 1-26-15 – on boiling, for kindergarten through 3rdgrade.Episode 255, 3-2-15 – on density, for 5th and 6th grade.Episode 282, 9-21-15 – on living vs. non-living, for kindergarten.Episode 309, 3-28-16 – on temperature regulation in animals, for kindergarten through 12th grade.Episode 333, 9-12-16 – on dissolved gases, especially dissolved oxygen in aquatic habitats, for 5thgrade.Episode 403, 1-15-18 – on freezing and ice, for kindergarten through 3rd grade.Episode 404, 1-22-18 – on ice on ponds and lakes, for 4ththrough 8th grade.Episode 406, 2-5-18 – on ice on rivers, for middle school.Episode 407, 2-12-18 – on snow chemistry and physics, for high school.Episode 483, 7-29-19 – on buoyancy and drag, for middle school and high school.Episode 524, 5-11-20 – on sounds by water-related animals, for elementary school through high school.Episode 531, 6-29-20 – on various ways that animals get water, for 3rd and 4th gradeEpisode 539, 8-24-20 – on basic numbers and facts about Virginia's water resources, for 4th and 6th grade.CLICK HERE to listen to episode audio (4:50).

A group of FDA advisers were meeting Tuesday to review data on the safety and effectiveness of the Pfizer vaccine for children ages 5 through 11. To talk more about the anticipated decision and what it means, host Cathy Wurzer talked to Dr. Nathan Chomilo, a pediatrician at Park Nicollet Brookdale and senior equity adviser to the Commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Health. Theme music is by Gary Meister.

This week on the Minnesota Native News Health Report… state leaders announce a COVID-19 vaccine incentive program that aims to get more young Minnesotans vaccinated … also, there are new COVID-19 rapid testing sites popping up across Minnesota. Here's reporter Cole Premo.   Here's reporter Cole Premo.   Minnesotans between the ages 12 and 17 years old who start and complete their vaccine series before the end of November will get a $200 Visa gift card -- and a shot at a $100,000 college scholarship.   Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz recently announced the new vaccine incentive program for youth at a press conference outside Gordan Parks High School In St. Paul. The vaccine program is called Kids Deserve A Shot. Here's Gov. Walz.   WALZ: “Being in school has a positive impact. So, we're here today to show that one of the biggest pieces of that is getting 12 to 17 year olds vaccinated. We're really gonna highlight this group because if these outbreaks happen, we'll have distance learning happen and spread in communities.” In order to get the $200 Visa gift card, 12 to 17 year olds will need to start their vaccine series over the coming weeks, and complete it by November 30.   Youth who have already completed the vaccine series before this announcement won't be eligible for the $200. However, all Mnnesotans ages 12 to 17 years old who have completed their vaccine series at any point will be entered for a chance to win a $100,000 Minnesota College Scholarship.   The state will hold five drawings of $100,000 for five students to attend any public or private non-profit higher educational institution in Minnesota.   The funds for the incentive program come from $12.2 million dollars in federal American Rescue Plan funds.   According to the latest data, only about 50% of Minnesotans ages 12 to 17 years old have been fully vaccinated. Less than 60% of Minnesota 16 to 17 years old are fully vaccinated.   More information on the incentive and how to register, visit the state's website at mn.gov. From there, you can search for the program by typing in “Kids Deserve A Shot.”  ---   In other news, there are more options for COVID-19 rapid testing across Minnesota.   State leaders recently announced an expansion of rapid testing availability at community sites across Minnesota.   Recently launched sites include the cities of Brooklyn Park, Duluth, Stillwater, Crookston and Hutchinson.   New rapid testing sites will also soon launch in Inver Grove Heights, Wadena, Hibbing, and Albert Lea.  Additionally, the state is offering rapid testing at the existing community saliva testing locations in Moorhead and at St. Paul's Roy Wilkins Auditorium.  More information on rapid testing can be found on the Minnesota Department of Health's website. 

Script:  MNN Health Report: High Positivity Rate Among Native Population | Monoclonal Antibody Treatment Expansion   This week on the Minnesota Native News Health Report… tribal leaders are calling on their community to continue safe health practices as the COVID-19 positivity rate among Native people in the state remains higher than all other groups. Also, life saving treatments for COVID19 are expanding in the state. That, and more.  Here's reporter Cole Premo.   Recent data from the Minnesota Department of Health shows that the Native American population in Minnesota faces a higher risk of contracting COVID-19.  According to a 7-day moving average positivity case rate per 100,000 population by race, the native population has about double the positivity rate when compared to Asian, Black, Hispanic and White populations.   The native population began outpacing the other groups in the positivity rate starting in late summer and has increased rapidly since.   For clarity, the white population in Minnesota has far more total cases of COVID-19, with more than 500,000 cases confirmed amongst that group. However, for the native people, the percentage of the population contracting COVID-19 is far higher. Over 8,200 cases have been discovered among the population that identifies as Native American or Alaskan Native.   The health department also says that Native Americans in Minnesota have the highest proportion of positive cases that have been required hospitalization or intensive care units.   Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe Chief Executive Melanie Benjamin addressed this data recently in a update and offered some reminders.  BENJAMIN: Here in Minnesota, in the American Indian community. We have the highest positivity rate in Minnesota. The best defense is masks, stay home if you're ill, and keep a 6-feet distance. It's kinda scary that as we move forward these cases are increasing at a rapid rate.   Health officials are recommending a COVID-19 vaccine booster shot for those who are eligible. Pfizer's booster shot is the only one given emergency approval, but Moderna and Johnson & Johnson are seeking the greenlight to give boosters for their vaccines, too.   Expansion of Monoclonal Antibody Treatment  In other news, A new clinic has opened in St. Paul to expand access to monoclonal antibody COVID-19 treatment in the metro area.  The Minnesota Department of Health announced the expansion Tuesday. The outpatient treatment is for COVID-19 patients with mild to moderate symptoms that started within the past 10 days, and who are at high risk of their illness leading to hospitalization or death.  State Health Commissioner Jan Malcolm says the clinic will strengthen the existing capacity of providers in the metro area to give the life-saving treatment.   The new clinic, located near Interstate 35E and Arlington Avenue West, is not for walk-in appointments.  Malcolm says patients and their providers seeking monoclonal antibody treatments can make an appointment at this clinic and other locations by using the state's online tool, the Minnesota Resource Allocation Platform. People who test positive for COVID-19 can request an appointment, among some other requirements.   The health care provider who gives the drug will decide if it is safe to give to those who qualify to get it. Their decision is final.  Visit the Minnesota Department of Health's website for more information.   Eviction Moratorium   Lastly, an update about the eviction moratorium that was set in place to prevent evictions during the pandemic. It has now ended in Minnesota and landlords are now able to file evictions for any renters who are behind on rent.   However, according to a release from the Minnesota House of Representatives, renters who are behind on their rent will remain protected from eviction if they have an open rental assistance application at RentHelpMN.org.   While there is no deadline to apply, renters should apply as soon as possible if they are behind on rent.   Renters who have an open application for rental assistance will have protection from evictions until June 1 of 2022.   Again, rental assistance applications can be submitted at RentHelpMN.org.   For Minnesota Native News Health Report, I'm Cole Premo.  On Thu, Oct 14, 2021 at 2:48 PM Cole Premo wrote:Attached.. Lemme know if that ending makes sense.. PSA before the funder credit... thanks   It's in my health report file as a .wav just in case it's good to go: https://ampers.box.com/s/cs5s58tm2hw7s0x0smh25bobicpxot1p -- Cole PremoWCCO-TV | CBS Minnesota - Web ProducerMinnesota Native News - Contributor/ReporterWork #: 612-330-2598Cell: 763-742-5232Follow me on Twitter: @ColePremoMusic  -- Cole PremoWCCO-TV | CBS Minnesota - Web ProducerMinnesota Native News - Contributor/ReporterWork #: 612-330-2598Cell: 763-742-5232Follow me on Twitter: @ColePremoMusic

Ron Schara has a chat with Minnesota Department of Resources' Forest Habitat Supervisor Ted Dick about everything Ruffed Grouse. Supported by: Thousand Hills Lifetime Grazed – (https://thousandhillslifetimegrazed.com/,) North Dakota Tourism (https://www.legendarynd.com/,) Kinetico (https://www.kinetico.com/,) Voyageur Saunas (https://www.voyageursaunas.com/) & Minnesota Propane Association (https://propane.com/) - “Clean American Energy” 

We do a lot of listening while we go about our technologically connected lives — we listen to music, to podcasts, to the news, to traffic, teachers, politicians and, sometimes, to each other. But what does it mean to listen and really hear what we are listening to, particularly when it involves our partners, our friends and our adversaries? On Wednesday, MPR News host Angela Davis explored the art of listening with three experts — one who facilitates compassionate listening sessions between political foes, another who helps couples hear each other and a third who brokers understanding between divided parties on behalf of the state of Minnesota. Plus, Dianne Haulcy, host of the Early Risers podcast joins Angela to talk about what she's learned from listening to children. Guests:  Will Osmun is a facilitator with The Compassionate Listening Project in Muskegon, Mich. Mariah Levison is the director of the Office of Collaboration and Dispute Resolution at the Minnesota Department of Administration Emily Jordan Jensen is a resident faculty member in the Master of Professional Studies in Integrated Behavioral Health and the Master of Professional Studies in Addictions Counseling programs at the University of Minnesota Dianne Haulcy is the host of the Early Risers podcast

On August 13, 2020, a 911 call summoned first responders to an apartment in Elk River, Minnesota, where 8-year-old Autumn Hallow was pronounced dead at the scene. Her father, Brett Hallow, and her stepmother, Sarah Hallow, told police they found Autumn partially submerged in the bathtub, but their story fell apart immediately. The little girl was emaciated and frail, covered in injuries, and missing patches of hair, and she had clearly been dead for at least several hours before the 911 call was placed. The following day, both Brett and Sarah were arrested.In this episode, I will tell you a story of parental alienation, a mother's desperate attempts to save her children from their father's abusive household, and the failure of CPS and the Elk River Police Department to intervene in a dire situation that culminated in the death of a child. I will also tell you the story of a beautiful, bright little girl with unmatched joy for life who was known for her kindness, creativity, thoughtfulness, and determination and whose life was slowly and agonizingly stolen by two people who should have protected her but chose instead to torture her to death.This is part one of the heartbreaking story of Autumn Hallow.My sources for this episode were the Minneapolis Star Tribune, PEOPLE, KSTP 5 Eyewitness News, CBS Local - Minnesota, Bring Me the News, Dare's Funeral & Cremation Services, the Mirror, the Scottish Sun, KARE11, Facebook, KNSI radio, Lakeland PBS, the Elk River Star-News, Kelsey Kruse, and the Minnesota Department of Corrections website.Photos related to today's episode can be viewed on Facebook and Instagram:Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sufferthelittlechildrenpodInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/sufferthelittlechildrenpodYou can also follow the podcast on: Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/sufferthelittlechildrenpodcast Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/STLCpodTumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/sufferthelittlechildrenpodPinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/sufferthelittlechildrenpodTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@STLCpod My Linktree is available here: https://linktr.ee/stlcpod Visit the podcast's web page at https://www.sufferthelittlechildrenpod.com. Please help make the show my full-time gig to keep the weekly episodes coming! By supporting me on Patreon, you'll also access rewards, including a shout-out by name on the podcast and exclusive gifts. Pledges of $10 a month or more access a small but growing collection of Patreon-exclusive bonus minisodes! Visit www.patreon.com/STLCpod. (www.patreon.com/STLCpod) This podcast is researched, written, hosted, edited, and produced by Laine. For more stories like this one, visit https://sufferthelittlechildrenblog.com.Music for this episode is from https://audiojungle.net. Subscribe to Suffer the Little Children:Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/suffer-the-little-children/id1499010711Google Podcasts: https://playmusic.app.goo.gl/?ibi=com.google.PlayMusic&isi=691797987&ius=googleplaymusic&apn=com.google.android.music&link=https://play.google.com/music/m/I5mx3lacxpdkhssmk2n22csf32u?t%3DSuffer_the_Little_Children%26pcampaignid%3DMKT-na-all-co-pr-mu-pod-16Stitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/suffer-the-little-childrenSpreaker: https://www.spreaker.com/show/suffer-the-little-children Pandora: https://www.pandora.com/podcast/suffer-the-little-children/PC:61848?part=PC:61848&corr=podcast_organic_external_site&TID=Brand:POC:PC61848:podcast_organic_external_siteSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0w98Tpd3710BZ0u036T1KEiHeartRadio: https://iheart.com/podcast/77891101/ ...or on your favorite podcast listening platform.

Minnesota farmers who want to improve safety on their farms can now apply for funding through two programs from the Minnesota Department of Agriculture that help with the cost of buying, shipping, and installing eligible safety equipment. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Emergency Preparedness...Where are we now? Dr. David Hilden is joined by Dr. John Hick, faculty emergency physician at Hennepin Healthcare and professor of emergency medicine at the University of Minnesota Medical School. Dr. Hick has also been a special advisor to the Minnesota Department of Health managing the healthcare coordination center during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nancy Riestenberg has thirty years of experience in the fields of violence prevention education, child sexual abuse prevention and restorative measures in schools.  She has worked with school districts in Minnesota and 20 other states, from Cass Lake-Bena to the Chicago Public Schools, and speaks nationally on restorative measures at conferences and through trainings, and through the Minnesota Department of Education.You will meet Nancy (1:45), learn how she got started in this work (6:19), her journey as an educator (16:10) and her transition into restorative justice (24:44). She shares her experience in the Minnesota Department of Education and her involvement in policy work (41:45). She talks about relationship building (55:40) and the importance of equity (1:00:44). Finally, she answers the closing questions (1:22:22).Make sure to subscribe, rate, review, and share!Get your copy of “Circle in the Square”https://livingjusticepress.org/product/circle-in-the-square/ See all our workshops and courses at http://amplifyrj.com/learn Future Ancestor Collective (Community Gatherings): http://tiny.cc/ARJcommunity Rep Amplify RJ Gear at http://amplifyrj.threadless.com Watch clips of the podcast: http://youtube.com/c/amplifyrjFollow us on TikTok: https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMRAQd2VM/You can connect with Amplify RJ:Email list: http://tiny.cc/ARJemailInstagram: http://instagram.com/amplify.rjLinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/restorative-justiceFacebook: http://facebook.com/amplifyrjTwitter: http://twitter.com/amplifyrjWebsite: http://amplifyrj.comReading list: http://amplifyrj.com/reading-list

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is beginning a court-ordered process to determine whether its mining rules are adequate to protect the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. The agency will take public comments from Nov. 9 through Dec. 8. It will issue an initial order by September of next year. This is an MPR News morning update for Tuesday, October 5, 2021. Hosted by Cathy Wurzer. Our theme music is by Gary Meister.

Enbridge plans to start pumping oil through its new Line 3 pipeline today. The Canadian-based company announced earlier this week that after nine months of construction, the replacement pipeline is essentially complete. In other news, the Minnesota Department of Health is reporting a new daily high number of active COVID-19 cases for this year. This is an MPR News evening update for Oct 1, 2021. Hosted by Kirsti Marohn. Our theme music is by Gary Meister.

Harvest season is underway. The Minnesota Department of Transportation is reminding drivers to watch for large, slow moving farm equipment. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mike Dougherty with the Minnesota Department of Transportation (aka MnDOT Mike) joins Andy to talk about transportation projects in SE Minnesota.

Megan Benage, a Regional Ecologist for the Minnesota DNR, brings her passion for the prairie to 32 counties in southern Minnesota--and to thousands of listeners on the Prairie Pod, which she hosts with fellow scientists. And today, she brings it to Dirt Rich!  Once covering a full third of the state, Minnesota's tallgrass prairie is now 235,000 acres of remnant reference prairie. Megan shares what the day in the life of an ecologist is like, and how her work intersects with agriculture. In fact, she describes the balanced prairie ecosystem function that she works towards as incredibly relevant to the farmer: “Every regenerative agriculture model that we have is based on how a prairie is just living its life.” There's a lot to be learned from the prairie, especially in a changing climate. Megan distills it down to diversity, connection, and community. “When we put our natural resources first, we are putting ourselves first, because we all need the same basic things to live.” Additional Resources: Prairie Pod Xerces Society USDA NRCS Minnesota DNR ‘Beyond Your Backyard' archive   Katie Feterl, SFA Communications Director Megan Benage, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Regional Ecologist The viewpoints of the speakers expressed within or outside of this episode do not necessarily reflect the goals and mission of SFA. Dirt Rich is produced by the Sustainable Farming Association. Thoughts? Comments? Ideas? Leave us a review, or drop us a line on our Virtual Comment Box.

Without enough water to feed livestock or keep soil moist, Minnesota farmers have been hit hard by the summer's hot, dry conditions. Seventy-eight percent of the state is currently experiencing extreme drought conditions, and small farmers are weathering the drought with virtually no safety net. Help is on the way: Earlier this month, Minnesota received $17.5 million in federal aid to mitigate the impact of climate change. Gov. Tim Walz says some of that will go to support farmers and ranchers. But Thom Peterson, Minnesota Department of Agriculture Commissioner, told guest host Chris Farrell that the state knows this aid package alone isn't enough to keep farmers afloat and is considering any and all potential solutions. “We're looking at all of the above. Whether that's a special session coming up here in September, whether it's American Rescue Plan dollars, where can we get the dollars from to help these farmers, and what are some of the things that we can do to help move this situation?” Petersen said. Petersen advised farmers to keep receipts and document losses so that they can be reimbursed if aid comes from the federal or state government. Small farmers are pushing for more streamlined ways to get a piece of that pie. “This year's been incredibly hard on our smaller farmers, just because it was frost and drought and then the heat,” said Kathy Zeman, executive director of the Minnesota Farmers' Market Association and the owner of Simple Harvest Farm Organics. “Many of our farmers are not going to farmers' markets because of lack of produce,” said Janssen Hang, executive director and co-founder of the Hmong American Farmers Association. Many aid programs for farmers are targeted at large, traditional crop and livestock farms. But there's less infrastructure to support small farmers, especially those who rent the land they farm. When small farmers do apply for aid, they often face documentation requirements that don't make sense when compared to the realities of their operations, and they are sometimes treated like they aren't “real” farmers, Zeman and Hang said. “There's no safety nets for micro-farmers,” Hang said. “The only safety nets that we have are our neighbors,” Zeman added, highlighting how small farmers and other agriculture professionals in Minnesota have come together in the Local Food Producer Resilience Working Group to push for systemic change. “The system doesn't fit us, and it needs to shift — and shift rapidly.” Fifty percent of the vendors in the main farmers' markets in the Twin Cities are Hmong farmers, Hang said. Zeman called for dollars to be shifted away from legacy aid programs to the younger, more diverse “future of Minnesota farming.” What would such changes look like? Hang would like to see simplified support programs, along with greater diversity in government agencies to help overcome language barriers and other barriers to understanding for farmers. Petersen recognized the need for greater flexibility in government programs, especially with climate change exacerbating the challenges faced by all farmers. “Two years ago, we were in an extreme flood situation in the same areas we're in an extreme drought … right now,” Petersen said. “We have to have programs that are more nimble, can adjust quickly.” Guests: Thom Petersen is the Minnesota Department of Agriculture Commissioner Kathy Zeman is the executive director of the Minnesota Farmers' Market Association and the owner of Simple Harvest Farm Organics Janssen Hang is the executive director and co-founder of the Hmong American Farmers Association Use the audio player above to listen to the full conversation. Subscribe to the MPR News with Angela Davis podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify or RSS.