Podcasts about North High School

I really enjoyed this conversation with Natalie and her mother, Mary, because it reminded me how an unstoppable mindset is often built quietly, over time, through creativity, learning, and persistence. Together, they share what it has been like to navigate life across generations while facing learning disabilities, health challenges, workplace adversity, and the constant need to adapt. We talk about Natalie's journey with attention deficit disorder and anxiety, how creative outlets like baking, art, music, and storytelling helped her find focus and confidence, and why returning to school later in life became an act of self-trust rather than fear. Mary's story adds another powerful layer. She reflects on growing up with low self-esteem, navigating male-dominated workplaces, and dealing with sexual harassment long before there were systems in place to address it. As a mother, artist, and professional, she shares what it means to keep moving forward while supporting her daughter's growth. Throughout our conversation, we explore accessibility, creative entrepreneurship, lifelong learning, and why accommodations and understanding still matter. I believe you will find this episode both honest and encouraging, especially if your own path has been anything but linear. Highlights: 00:00 – Hear how creativity and resilience shaped an unstoppable mindset across two generations.08:35 – Learn how attention deficit disorder and anxiety changed the way focus, learning, and confidence developed.14:33 – Discover why stepping away from a demanding career can open the door to new growth.21:23 – Understand how workplace sexual harassment leaves lasting effects long after it happens.35:16 – See why protecting and celebrating local artists became a personal mission.59:09 – Learn why accessibility, accommodations, and empathy still matter in everyday life. About the Guest: Mary Dunn: Mary was born and raised in Pittsburgh, PA.  She was the only child of Norman and Lucille Rump.  At a young age, she liked to draw and as she grew older she enjoyed painting.  Her first painting was in oil and Mary was eleven years old.  However, because of the expense of art supplies, it was difficult to pursue a continuous endeavor in that particular form of art. While in high school, nothing really exciting happened as Mary was on the shy side.  She didn't belong to any groups and she really just wanted to graduate.  She graduated in the upper third of her class.  The most momentous part of the graduation was that Jeff Goldblum was also a graduate of her class. After graduation, Mary continued her education at The Pittsburgh Beauty Academy.  There she studied cosmetology and acquired a teacher license.  Although she never taught, she did work at a few different shops and also managed a shop.  These experiences helped Mary to become less shy. At that time, she met her first husband and had two children.  The marriage lasted for eleven years, and Mary was left with two small children.  Mary realized that her background in cosmetology would not be sufficient to raise two small children. She decided to go to college. With the support of her parents, she was accepted to attend Carlow College which is now Carlow University.  There she studied business and minored in theology.  She almost minored in art, but she needed one more credit to have that as a minor.  It was important for her to graduate in order to take care of her children.  While in college she belonged to several organizations.  One organization was an honor society called Delta Epsilon Sigma.  There she became an assistant chair of the organization.  The second organization was OASIS.  The organization was for non-tradition students.  She was vice-president during her senior year at Carlow.  She graduated in 1991 cum laude. After Carlow, she found her first employment opportunity working the Equitable Gas Company as a “Technical Fieldman”.  In this position, Mary would draft pipeline installations, work up costs for those installations, and fill in for supervisors when they went on vacations.  The job was difficult as it had usually been filled by men prior to her.  She was thrust into a job that she learned on her own and was subject to sexual harassment.   At that time, sexual harassment was not spoken about.  Mary didn't even realize that her peers were doing these things to her.  When she supervised union personnel, they were nice and valued her expertise.  However, when she returned to the office, more harassment continued. During that period, Mary decided to get a Master's Degree and enrolled in Carnegie Mellon's Heinz school of Public Management.  Her classes were very valuable as she learned about leadership, information systems, and marketing communications.  She graduated in 1996 with distinction.  Even though after she graduated from CMU, she continued to be sexual harassed.  She thought it might be a good idea to document the issues that made her position difficult.  She began to take notes on these incidents.  When she went to Human Resources, Mary was told that she should confront these people and tell them how she was feeling.  Mary couldn't do that because she felt it would make matters worse.  She applied for another position within the company.  In 1997, Mary became Program Manager of Energy Technology. While there, Mary developed and implemented a marketing plan to promote the use of alternative fuels.  As a Program Manager, Mary became a member of Pittsburgh Region Clean Cities which focused on alternative fueled vehicles.  During this time, she became a board member and focused on grants and wrote the Pittsburgh Region Clean Cities Newsletter. In 1999, her position was eliminated at Equitable.  In some ways, Mary was relieved about the elimination, but in other ways, it was the first time this ever happened to her.  She was now remarried and was concerned about her children. It was very scary. Thankfully, Mary was not unemployed for long.  She was hired at Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission as a Transportation Planner.  In this position she implemented a newly designed client tracking system of their products and services that helped to increase revenue. Additionally, she worked on a communication plan to implement branding and crisis communications. Eventually, Mary became a Marketing/Communication Specialist for Southwestern Pennsylvania Communications.  She was responsible for multi-media communications connected with branding. Mary designed logos for special projects, arranged special affairs, open houses and conferences.  She remained a part of Pittsburgh Region Clean Cities.   Mary additionally prepared presentations for executive management to deliver regarding the Joseph A. James Memorial Excellence in Local Government Achievement Award that recognizes a municipal government elected or appointed official in any local government, agency, or Council of Government for a lifetime of exemplary governance or management. Unfortunately, a new Executive was hired to replace the past Executive who had passed away.  Because of this, our whole department was eliminated. After Southwestern, Mary was hired as the Manager of Administration and Human Resources for THE PROGRAM for Female Offenders.  While at THE PROGRAM, Mary was responsible for maintaining the policies and daily operations in THE PROGRAM.  She implemented a cost effective foodservice program, introduced staff ID cards and implemented the Windows NT network server and computer security using a Digital Subscriber Line which is a type of high-speed internet connection that uses existing copper telephone lines to provide internet access to three PROGRAM facilities. Additionally, Mary implemented a human resource database for directors and managers that targeted specific employment information. Mary maintained safety equipment and introduced a safe evacuation plan for her building.. Unfortunately, because THE PROGRAM was grant based and when it was time to acquire grant money much of the previous grants were not renewed and Mary lost her job.  Mary eventually was hired by Roach and Associates, Inc. as a Project Manager. In this position, she negotiated oil and gas leases for exploration and productions of future gas wells in Clearfield County Pennsylvania.  During this time, Mary was responsible for permitting activities with the state, county and federal agencies as well as prepared training seminars to meet pipeline safety regulations as per U.S. Department of Transportation, CFR49, Parts 192-193. Mary authored documentation regarding pipeline regulations for various housing authorities and gas production companies within Pennsylvania, West Virginia and New York.  Besides working at Roach, Mary became part of the Transition Team for Peduto for Mayor of Pittsburgh.  That was such a memorable experience as my team focused on some of the issues facing the newly elected Mayor. It was nice to be a part of change. After working ten years at Roach and Associates, Inc., Mary decided it was time to retire in 2015. While working at Roach, Mary began dabbling in art again.  It had been quite a while since college and painting.  But she began to work in pastels and eventually more in the line of acrylic painting.  She became president of the Pittsburgh Pastel Artist League.  She no longer is president of that group.  Mary now belongs to the Pittsburgh Society of Artists where she was juried into the group.  She has had her work display at The Galaxie in Chicago,  Pittsburgh Technical Institute, Monroeville Library, Gallery Sim, Boxheart Gallery, Southern Allegheny Museum of Art, Saville Gallery in Maryland and various other galleries around Pittsburgh.  Her Study in Pastels won an Award of Excellence from Southern Allegheny Museum of Art.  Mary also came in second place in the Jerry's Artarama Faber Castel Contest. As time went on, Mary decided to focus more on her art work and began teaching students how to paint with Acrylic.  She also began a YouTube channel, Pittsburgh Artist Studio, where she gave free art lessons in acrylic to future artists around the country.  Unfortunately, Mary developed chronic back issues, and she had to give up her teaching.  She has had two back operations to alleviate the pain, but the second operation really didn't help.  It has caused more painful issues.  Therefore, it is difficult for her to paint a long period of time.  Currently, Mary devotes her time to illustrating her oldest daughter's books for children.  The books are a series about a little boy's adventures in his life.  Her books can be found on Amazon under her name “Nicole Leckenby”.  Additionally, she has illustrated a book for her younger daughter, Natalie Sebula, entitled “The Many Colors of Natalie”. In conclusion, now that Mary is retired, she has had more time to work on different art projects a little at a time.  She lives with her husband Steve and two dogs Grumpy and Sally.  She belongs to a group of wonderful women who review Bible Psalms each week. Since my minor in theology, I do enjoy reading various books on different religious subjects.  I am thankful for each day that I have and continue to work on the gifts God has given me. Natalie Belin: I am focusing on the arts. I am a creator with an ambitious attitude. I have no problem thinking BIG and dreaming BIG. While everyone else stays inside the lines, I boldly color outside the lines. Natalie resides near Pittsburgh, PA. She is 40 years old and loves adventures. Within these 40 years Natalie has experienced highs and lows. However, during the low points she was like water: adaptable, resilient, and always finding a way through. At toddler age, it was brought to the attention that she had high pressure in her eyes. However, nothing was really done about it because of her age. Typically, high pressures occur in older adults. After many years, one eye doctor took it seriously.  He prescribed eye drops and finally recommended a laser technique to open the tear ducts.  This alleviated the high pressure and since no eye drops have been needed. In 5 grade, she was diagnosed with attention deficit disorder. Her mother, Mary Dunn advocated for her until someone listened, and her teachers realized it was a real problem. Steps were taken to help Natalie focus more.  As she grew older, it was important to do activities that helped her focus such as cheerleading and possible careers in culinary. Because of the importance of focusing, Natalie decided that culinary arts would be beneficial.  Natalie graduated in October of 2004 from the Pennsylvania Culinary Institute with an associate's degree in Specialized Technology Le Cordon Bleu Program in Patisserie & Baking.  While there, she was elected class president. The Pennsylvania Culinary Institute offered externships to various prestigious areas to hone the craft.  Natalie's externship was at the Greenbrier Resort in White Sulpher Springs where she was ultimately hired. However, Natalie decided to return to Pittsburgh after a car accident. Natalie continued to work as a pastry chef for about five years. After, she decided to further her education, and Natalie graduated in December of 2023 from the University of Pittsburgh with a Bachelor of Arts in Humanities. Some of her academic achievements are National Society of Collegiate Scholars, National Society of Leadership and Success, Alpha Sigma lambda-Alpha Chi Chapter at the University of Pittsburgh, Delta Alpha PI Honor Society. During her academic life, Natalie became an Emmy nominated producer for Pitt to the Point (a class focusing on the news as well as behind the scenes of a news/magazine program that covers the City of Pittsburgh, the University of Pittsburgh regional campuses as well as national and international events.) Currently, Natalie is in a Graduate Certification Program which is also at the University of Pittsburgh. The Certification is in Sports, Entertainment, and Arts Law (SEAL). She hopes to use this program as a steppingstone to complete her master's degree in Sports, Entertainment, and Arts Law. In addition to the SEAL certification, one could say that Natalie is a woman of many colors.  She works full-time as an Administrator for the Rehabilitation Science Program in the School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences at the University of Pittsburgh. This is where she provides administrative support for general program management, advising and faculty. Another aspect of Natalie's many colors is writing.  Several years ago, she wrote a poetry book called The Many Colors of Natalie. This is a book for 18+. There are several illustrations in the book that complement the poems. Mary Dunn, Natalie's mother, created the illustrations. In August of 2020, Natalie launched The Many Colors of Natalie Blog. She started this blog to give a new perspective to Pittsburgh other than being known for sports. This allows individuals the ability to educate themselves on different variations of Pittsburgh's art or artists as well as bringing awareness to the art scene. Natalie's motto is Love Art & Support Your Local Artist! Additionally, Natalie has been a model/actor since 2012. Most of her work consists of being an extra in various music videos and movies. Furthermore, she is an ambassador for Ambassador Sunglasses and Just Strong Clothing. Just Strong Clothing's Mission “We are a clothing brand on a mission to empower those who are not just strong for a girl, they are just strong. Whether you are an experienced lifter, a new starter or have simply overcome great adversaries in your life, the JustStrong community are here to empower and motivate you to never give up.” “Ambassador was formed to extract, refine, and exhibit the marriage between what was and what will be in fashion culture. When wearing Ambassador, you break the mold of the mundane to embrace your unmatched individualism.” Besides being an ambassador, Natalie became a Creative Percussion Artist in 2020. “Creative Percussion is a family-owned business, established in 2018, and run by husband-and-wife team, Kevin and Cheri Feeney.” Her picture is on the site as a CP percussion artist. Not only is Natalie a musician, but she dabbles in various mediums in art. Her mixed media piece Peace, Love, and Woodstock is currently in the Woodstock Museum located in Saugerties, New York. “The purpose for the Woodstock Museum is: To gather, display, disseminate and develop the concept and reality of Woodstock, encompassing the culture and history of a living colony of the arts, with special emphasis placed on the exhibition of self-sustaining ecological technologies. To encourage and increase public awareness of Woodstock by providing information to the general public through cultural events, displays of artifacts, outreach programs, communication media events and personal experiences, and to contribute, as an international attraction, to the cultural life and prosperity of our region; and to engage in all lawful activities in pursuit of the foregoing purposes.” Lastly, Natalie and her mother Mary Dunn started a side hustle several years ago. Mother and Daughter Collaboration (vending show name) is a great opportunity for Natalie to showcase her entrepreneurial skills in addition to her art. Their Etsy name is Maker's Collab Studio. In conclusion, Nat is excited for the future, and to see what is in store. She considers herself to be dynamic and resilient. Even those who know Natalie would say the same.  Regardless of what she has been through, she keeps going. She realizes that the tough times eventually do end. In self-reflection, the “tough time” may have been a life lesson, or a possible steppingstone to what's next in her life. Only time will tell. Natalie will always be a supporter of the arts, and she will always create in some way. As Natalie ages, she sees the importance of advocating for the disabled. At one point in her life, she was embarrassed about sharing her learning disability because she felt that we live in a society where having a disability isn't necessarily welcomed and is frowned upon. Do not fear individuals who need special accommodations.  Instead, educate yourself. Try being that individual who needs certain accommodations, and the accommodations are not provided or easily accessible. Progress has been made in educating the ignorant. However, there is more work that needs to be done. Ways to connect with Natalie & Mary**:** Blog website: Home - The Many Colors of Natalie Personal website: Home | natalie-sebula-belin Book of poetry: The Many Colors of Natalie: Written by: Natalie Belin - Kindle edition by Dunn, Mary, Leckenby, Nicole, Merlin, Grace, Palmieri, David. Literature & Fiction Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com. Facebook: (1) Facebook Instagram: Natalie Sebula (@themanycolorsofnatalie) • Instagram photos and videos Etsy: MakersCollabStudio - Etsy About the Host: Michael Hingson is a New York Times best-selling author, international lecturer, and Chief Vision Officer for accessiBe. Michael, blind since birth, survived the 9/11 attacks with the help of his guide dog Roselle. This story is the subject of his best-selling book, Thunder Dog. Michael gives over 100 presentations around the world each year speaking to influential groups such as Exxon Mobile, AT&T, Federal Express, Scripps College, Rutgers University, Children's Hospital, and the American Red Cross just to name a few. He is Ambassador for the National Braille Literacy Campaign for the National Federation of the Blind and also serves as Ambassador for the American Humane Association's 2012 Hero Dog Awards. https://michaelhingson.com https://www.facebook.com/michael.hingson.author.speaker/ https://twitter.com/mhingson https://www.youtube.com/user/mhingson https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelhingson/ accessiBe Links https://accessibe.com/ https://www.youtube.com/c/accessiBe https://www.linkedin.com/company/accessibe/mycompany/ https://www.facebook.com/accessibe/ Thanks for listening! Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page. Do you have some feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below! Subscribe to the podcast If you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher. You can subscribe in your favorite podcast app. You can also support our podcast through our tip jar https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/unstoppable-mindset . Leave us an Apple Podcasts review Ratings and reviews from our listeners are extremely valuable to us and greatly appreciated. They help our podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you have a minute, please leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts. Transcription Notes: Michael Hingson  00:00 Access Cast and accessiBe Initiative presents Unstoppable Mindset. The podcast where inclusion, diversity and the unexpected meet. Hi, I'm Michael Hingson, Chief Vision Officer for accessiBe and the author of the number one New York Times bestselling book, Thunder dog, the story of a blind man, his guide dog and the triumph of trust. Thanks for joining me on my podcast as we explore our own blinding fears of inclusion unacceptance and our resistance to change. We will discover the idea that no matter the situation, or the people we encounter, our own fears, and prejudices often are our strongest barriers to moving forward. The unstoppable mindset podcast is sponsored by accessiBe, that's a c c e s s i capital B e. Visit www.accessibe.com to learn how you can make your website accessible for persons with disabilities. And to help make the internet fully inclusive by the year 2025. Glad you dropped by we're happy to meet you and to have you here with us. Michael Hingson  01:21 Hi everyone, and welcome to another edition of unstoppable mindset. We're doing something that we've done a few times before, and we get to do it again today. We have two people as guests on unstoppable mindset this time, mother and daughter, and that'll be kind of fun they have, between them, lots of experiences in art, but in all sorts of other kinds of things as well. They live in the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania area, and I'm not going to say a whole lot more, because I want them to tell their stories. So I want you to meet Natalie bellen and her mother, Mary Dunn. So Natalie and Mary, both of you, welcome to unstoppable mindset. We're glad you're here. Natalie Belin & Mary Dunn  02:03 Well, thank you for Natalie Belin & Mary Dunn  02:03 having us. Yes, we're happy to be here. Thank you. Michael Hingson  02:06 Well, let's see. We'll start with mom. Why don't you tell us something about the early Mary growing up, and you know what? What life was like growing up? Natalie Belin & Mary Dunn  02:18 Well, growing up, I was born in Pittsburgh. I was actually born on in the south side of Pittsburgh, and it was called St Joseph Hospital, and now it's an apartment building, but we lived here. I've lived here all my life. I lived in Hazelwood until I was about the age of three. Then we moved to Whitaker, Pennsylvania, and now I'm in West Mifflin, Pennsylvania. So it's like we hopped around a bit. Growing up in my family was a little bit difficult. I had been bullied quite a bit by my cousins, so it kind of like left you know how it does with bullying. You know, it's not like today. Of course, I didn't want to go out and do something terrible to myself. It's just that it left my self esteem very low, and I just kind of stayed and was by myself most of the time. So until I grew up, I graduated from high school, I went to West Midland, North High School, I graduated in the same class as Jeff Goldblum. Although I didn't know him, I knew that he was very talented. I thought he was more talented on a piano than he was with acting, but he is still he's still very good with the piano, with his jazz music, and that's basically it. I've been in West Mifflin now for she's been quite a bit Natalie Belin & Mary Dunn  03:49 since I was in seventh grade, and now I'm 40 years old, so we've been here a long time. Michael Hingson  03:54 Yeah, so it's sort of like 3027 years or so, or 28 years? Yes, well, Natalie, tell us about you when it was like growing up in and all of that. Sure. Natalie Belin & Mary Dunn  04:08 No problem. So I grew up in Whitaker for the most part, my yearly eight years, like until about fifth grade, I guess about like fifth grade, and then we moved, well, we just moved to a different house and whatever. Yeah, that when we moved for the second time, it was more in a neighborhood with kids, so that was, like, a lot more fun. And we played like tag and all that. So that my early years, I remember that like playing tags, swimming, I love, like skiing on the water, jet skis, stuff like that. Definitely. I loved running around. And I loved dance as a kid too, that was a lot of fun. Michael Hingson  05:00 Okay, and so you went to high school? Natalie Belin & Mary Dunn  05:05 Oh, yeah, I went, Yes. I went to West Midland area high school, and I graduated in 2003 in 2004 I graduated from the Pennsylvania Culinary Institute as a pastry chef and part of the things that I had to do to graduate, I had to do, like, about a six month internship where I resided in white sulfur springs, West Virginia, and I got to do my externship at the Greenbrier, and that was pretty exciting, because it has quite the history. There. People love it there for Well, one of the things that sticks in my mind is Dorothy Draper, who decorated that resort. Her taste is very cool, because she went bold, like with flower print and stripes mixed together for wallpaper. There's stories in history behind the sulfur water there. And then most people might know the Greenbrier for their golf courses, for the golf course actually, or in history about the sulfur water Michael Hingson  06:26 now, you had high eye pressure for a while after you were born, right? Natalie Belin & Mary Dunn  06:31 Oh, yes, the eye pressures. That's quite the story, let me tell you so at a very young age, like different doctors and eye doctors that I went to. They knew that I had high pressures, but they didn't seem like it was a big issue. But my mom had the inkling that I needed to go to a different doctor when I was like, I guess you Middle School, Michael Hingson  06:58 yeah, yeah, you were about now, was there a lot of pain because of the pressure. Natalie Belin & Mary Dunn  07:02 I didn't even know was happening, so I wasn't in discomfort or anything. So they said, don't they kind of dismissed it. So I wasn't worried about it, Natalie Belin & Mary Dunn  07:14 Neither was I. But you know, like eventually we did go to a doctor and he said, Oh, my goodness, you have these high pressures. And it's, it could be like glaucoma. We don't ever see that in a young person, you know, they haven't ever seen anything like that. He was just amazed by it. And go ahead, you can finish this. Natalie Belin & Mary Dunn  07:36 Dr Al, I have so much respect for him, because he truly took care of my eyes for a very long time. I started seeing him in middle school, and I saw him up until, like my late 30s, and he I would see him quite frequently, because he would always monitor those pressures, because he knew the importance of that and how they could damage my eyes and I can lose my sight. So he always had me do like fields test eye pressure checks, because your pressures in your eyes can fluctuate throughout the day. So I would come in in like different times of the day to make sure they're not super high and stuff like that. He would prescribe me on different eye pressure medications like eye drops, because the they like the eye drops would help my eyes to it to regulate the pressures to a certain point, and then my eyes would get used to them, it seemed like, so then we would have to go to a different prescription. I caused that doctor a lot of stress, I think, because he was always thinking about my case, because it was so rare. And he went to a conference, actually, and brought that up at a conference, and at that conference, they said for me to get the laser, laser procedure done to Natalie Belin & Mary Dunn  09:10 open the tear ducts. Natalie Belin & Mary Dunn  09:12 Yeah, yeah. And luckily, that solved it. Michael Hingson  09:18 Wow, so you so the the tear ducts were, were small or not draining properly, correct? Natalie Belin & Mary Dunn  09:26 Yeah, it was points where, like, if I wanted to cry, no tears would come Michael Hingson  09:31 out, no tears would come out. Well, yeah, yeah. Then you also discovered, or somehow you you learned about being Attention Deficit Disorder. Natalie Belin & Mary Dunn  09:45 Yeah, so, um, when I was from like one or like, from kindergarten to third grade, I went to a Catholic school, and I didn't seem like there was anything. Being really wrong. But then when I went to a public school, I was really having a hard time grasping the material, and I would get really frustrated when I was at home trying to do the homework and I just wasn't understanding. I believe the educators there said like I was also behind, which could have been part of the issue. But my mom would like try to help me with my homework, and it was like Natalie Belin & Mary Dunn  10:28 it was hard. She would, she would get so frustrated and throw the papers and just, you know it, because it was very difficult for her, and we really couldn't under I couldn't understand why. You know this was happening, because my, my other daughter, I never had issues like that with so we had, I guess we were told to go. Natalie Belin & Mary Dunn  10:53 I think that was Miss Lenz in fifth grade. Yeah, she had me get tested for a learning disability, and with all the testing that was done with that, they said that I had attention deficit disorder. So whenever that diagnosis was made, I was able to get like teacher teaching aids to help me through tests to help me understand the curriculum a little bit better. Tutors did the counselor Natalie Belin & Mary Dunn  11:28 I well they I did take her to get tested outside of school, and that's they actually told me some things that could help her with this. And then I went to the teachers, and the teachers, some of them, didn't, like, actually take this into consideration. They, they didn't really realize attention deficit disorder at that time. It was new. And so they, they kind of said, well, we don't, we don't believe in that or whatever. And I said, Well, can you just have her, like, sit up front, because she would pay attention more and she would focus better, because that's the problem she couldn't focus on. So it took a while, and then finally, the principal in the fifth grade, he had a meeting with the teachers us, and he actually was the one who brought that to their attention, that this is a problem, that attention disorder, you know, does occur, and some of it is hyper, just hyperactive disorder. So it luckily she didn't have that part of it, but it was the focusing, and we just got her more involved in things that she could learn how to focus. They recommended cheerleading, they recommended culinary school, and I think that really helped her to learn more on focusing. But she still has anxieties and things like that. It's still Michael Hingson  13:03 it's still there. So why culinary school? Natalie Belin & Mary Dunn  13:07 So that is such a fun question. When my grandma used to watch me, she was very particular on what I was like watching. She didn't want me to watch anything like super crazy or out there. So I would always watch cooking shows, and I thought he was so unique, the different recipes and everything that these chefs were making. And I love some of their personalities, like emerald, he was always so hyper and loud, so fun. And it was interesting to see the different types of foods that they were creating that, like certain countries make. You know, I love Spanish food. It's so good. Natalie Belin & Mary Dunn  13:55 She decided not to even get into that part. That was the thing. She wanted to be a pastry chef, yeah, Michael Hingson  14:02 something to be said for chocolate chip cookies. But anyway, go ahead. Natalie Belin & Mary Dunn  14:07 Yeah, she makes a good one, too. At Natalie Belin & Mary Dunn  14:10 this point, I don't even know why. What drew me to baking more than culinary I think the two different styles are cooking are very interesting, because like with cooking, you don't have to be so exact with the measurements and everything with certain things like the spices and stuff. If you don't like rosemary, you don't have to put it in there. But with baking, it's definitely more scientific. Have to be more accurate with the measurements of certain ingredients, like baking soda, because it's lavender and like, altitude will totally screw up your baking Yes, so many reasons that elevation is so important. So yeah, so Natalie Belin & Mary Dunn  14:59 mine's to it. Or whatever, you know? Yeah, Michael Hingson  15:01 so you went and did an externship, and then what did you do? Natalie Belin & Mary Dunn  15:06 So with the externship, I was there for a little bit over six months, I was officially hired, and I graduated from culinary school, but, um, I got in a car accident. So that's like, why left? So I was in baking professionally for about a total five years, and then I went back to school. Sorry, that's grumpy. Can you hear him barking? 15:36 I'm sorry. I'll go. No, no, it's fine. Michael Hingson  15:41 So why did you leave culinary? Natalie Belin & Mary Dunn  15:43 Um, I was just ready for a change. Because I started working professionally when I was like 19, so by my mid 20s, I was just ready to go back. I mean, that is a very demanding field. You're working several hours. Um, you're working with all types of personalities, certain pressures, long days sometimes. And I was just ready to see what else was out there for me. Michael Hingson  16:12 So you went back to school to study, Natalie Belin & Mary Dunn  16:15 yes, so my when I graduated in 2023 with my undergraduate degree, it was in humanities, and it focused on three areas of art, music, studio, arts and theater. The main focus was theater, okay? Michael Hingson  16:39 And so, what did you do with that? Natalie Belin & Mary Dunn  16:42 So with that degree, I did several different things. I wrote a poetry book, which I provided a link so people can access if they would like to purchase it. I created a blog in 2020 called the many colors of Natalie, and I created a blog to help bring a different perspective to Pittsburgh, other than just it being a city for sports, because there's a lot of talented artists out there, and plus, like during a pandemic, that caused a lot of strain on a lot of things, and I was really worried about certain venues that were iconic here closing and completely wiping out the whole art industry here, you know. So, um, with that too, I also, um, I was doing music at the time as a percussionist, and that's when I got introduced to creative percussion products, and I was using that with the different performances that I was doing. And I ended up being one of their artists featured on their page, website or website, yeah. Okay, yeah, and I also volunteered at a local dance studio called Lisa de gorrios dance, and I got to work with the younger kids, and I did that for a couple years. So that was interesting to see what it was like to teach and put on performances. It's a lot of you get to see the behind the scenes and time management and stuff like that. Also, I'm thinking here for a second, sorry. How about, oh, we, my mom and I created an Etsy shop. So we started a few years ago, called Mother Daughter collaboration, a vending that was like our vending show name, and we did that for Natalie Belin & Mary Dunn  18:56 we've been doing that for a while. Yeah, we, we put different products up. I kind of tend to do my artwork, and she puts up some things also in art, we have, we have interesting things like CD, telephone, covers, cases, purses, you know. And we're working on a new product now to to put on to the Etsy shop this year. We didn't do many vending shows. I had surgery last last year on my back, and I had a hard time recovering because it was pretty expensive. So we're hoping to get that going again this year, or towards the end of the year, when the Christmas shows start happening, Natalie Belin & Mary Dunn  19:47 we did, um, create an Etsy shop called makers collab studio, and we were focusing more on that this year. Um, so we do have, like, a variety of different products. Um. Um, which I also provided the link to the Etsy shop. If anybody wants to check out our products and what we have, that'd be great if you stop checked out that. Michael Hingson  20:11 Yeah, my late my late wife, was a quilter and tried to run an Etsy shop, but people didn't want to pay any kind of real prices for handmade quilts, because they just thought that quilts should be, like, 50 or $75 and that just wasn't realistic. Natalie Belin & Mary Dunn  20:30 But, well, that's, that's the trouble. What we're seeing also, yeah, we do, I do, like, we do t shirts and things like that too. But people it. I don't think people realize what's behind the whole process. No, or they don't care. No, you know, I mean, there's a lot involved as far as your equipment. When it was covid, I was, well, I'm retired, but I was working part time, and I was able to, you know, get what is it, you know, workers, whatever, yeah, you know, yes. And with that money, I actually bought like things to do, T shirts, like the heat press and different parts to like a cricket that we can do things with. And so, you know, like the things that you know, you still have to buy supplies, even with my artwork, it's so expensive anymore, when I first started back in, you know, when my kids grew up and they were on their own, where I really focused on it, and I can't believe the expense of it. You know, it's just, it's everything's expensive these days. So, yeah, really watch what you're doing and how you approach it too. You know, you can't spend a lot of money on things. We don't have, like, a whole backlog of products. I mean, we just do a few things and hope that the things that we make are sellers, you know, Michael Hingson  22:05 yeah, well, and I hope it, it can is more successful for you going forward. That's a useful thing. You You've done a lot Mary with with art over the years, but you've also had other, other kinds of jobs where you've worked for some pretty large companies, and you've been reading your bio, you faced some sexual harassment issues and things like that, haven't you? Natalie Belin & Mary Dunn  22:29 Yes, yes, that was difficult boy, and I didn't realize that at the time I went to college late in life because I was getting divorced and I needed a job that I could take care of my family, my girls, and so I decided to go to college and my my mom and dad watched my kids while I went to school, which was nice. And the first job I had was with the gas company here, and I was called a technical Fieldman. And what I would do is, like, I would draw pipeline installations and the and sometimes I would fill in as a supervisor. When I filled in first as a supervisor, it was great. I mean, the guys were decent. We always came to a conclusion. I always trusted what they're you know what they would say about pipeline? Because I knew nothing about pipeline. It was all new to me. But when I would go back to the office, it was, it was just like crazy things that would happen. I mean, I won't go into detail, and I started writing these things down because I thought this just doesn't seem right, that these people are saying these things to me or doing these things to me. I had a nice little book of all these incidents that happened, and I went to the HR department, and they wanted me to confront these people in my office, to tell them how I felt. Well, that, to me, would have made everything worse, because that's just that, you know, kind of work environment. So luckily, I was, I was promoted into a job that lasted two years, and then my job was eliminated. So that was my first, my first thing with that was the only time I really had sexual harassment that was really bad. I went on to another which was the program for female Well, I worked for a university for a while, and then I went into the program for female offenders, which was really interesting work. I enjoyed that it was like people that were out on that needed to, that were like drug addicts and and they were looking for a new way. They had been in jail and this incarcerated, and they came into this. Program they had that was part of their incarceration or parole. They had to do this, this program, and that was so interesting. I mean, it was just heartfelt, because you just saw these people that were trying so hard to make a good life for themselves and not to go back to their original way of living. And unfortunately, that was all grant money. And that job ended also so that, you know, and I was a transportation planner, I did a lot of things, and then I ended up going back into the gas industry. I worked for an engineer, and we were working in the production side of everything. So he had drove to you wells, and we had leases, and I took care of those. And I liked that job for about 10 years. I stayed there, and then I I retired. I was getting tired of it at that point. Michael Hingson  26:02 Yeah. Why was your first why was your first job at the original gas company eliminated? Or when you were promoted and you said it was eliminated, yeah? Natalie Belin & Mary Dunn  26:10 Well, that's what I like to know why it was eliminated. I think sometimes that job was just to keep me quiet. That's how I felt. I mean, I, I they, they knew that I was upset and that I didn't like what was happening. And I think it was just to keep me quiet, and they realized that that job wasn't going to last, but it was a marketing job. We were using different ways to use gas, alternative fuel vehicles, fuel cells, you know. So it was an interesting job, too, but it it didn't really have the supervisor we had was not really a person that pushed the product, you know. So that could have been the reason, too, that they eliminated a lot of that. Yeah, so I wasn't the only one that went I mean, there was another person in that at that time, and eventually that whole department was eliminated. Now that gas company, they sold all that off, and another gas company took it over and equitable. Still is EQT here, and they work, I think at this point, they work with the leases and things like that, and horizontal drilling, they call it. Michael Hingson  27:38 So now that you're retired, what do you do? Natalie Belin & Mary Dunn  27:41 Well, for a while there, Michael Hingson  27:44 in addition to Etsy, yeah, for Natalie Belin & Mary Dunn  27:47 a while, I was actually doing hair. I was my first, my first, I guess, employment type, or whatever. I went to beauty school, and I became a cosmetologist, and I also became a teacher in cosmetology. So when I first became all that the money wasn't so great. I worked my first job. I was so excited I had this job because I thought I was going to be making millions. You know, they they really pump you up in in beauty school that you're going to really succeed and you're going to make this money. Well, my first job, I worked over 40 hours at that job, and I only got $15 in my first pay. It was like we had to stay there the whole time until everyone was finished working. So the girls that had their clientele that they worked the whole day and into the evening, like till eight o'clock. Maybe we had to stay till eight o'clock. Even though I didn't have anybody to do. I might have had one person that day, yeah, so that that wasn't too I just worked at that for a few years, and then I decided to leave and take care of my family. Yeah, well, that that I went back to it when I retired, and it had changed significantly, making pretty good money. I was only working three days a week, and I did pretty well. But then my back. I had the issues with my back, and I couldn't go back to it, which really upset me. I really love that job. Michael Hingson  29:29 Well, things happen. Natalie Belin & Mary Dunn  29:31 Yeah, it does. You know, I'm happy not to stay at home. I figured now that I'm actually 73 years old now, so I think I I should retire Michael Hingson  29:47 and enjoy my life a little. Well. So Natalie, you graduated in 2023 and so then what did you start to do? And what are you doing now? Natalie Belin & Mary Dunn  29:57 So what I'm doing now is I'm. Still focusing on the Etsy shop, but I also got into a graduate certificate program, and this certificate is in sports entertainment and arts law, and I really hope to use this program as a stepping stone to complete my master's degree in the sports entertainment and arts law program. Michael Hingson  30:25 What exactly is a graduate certification program, as opposed to a master's degree? Natalie Belin & Mary Dunn  30:32 So that's a great question. So the certificate program is like a newer program, and it's like the only one in the world, I'm pretty sure, that focuses on sports, entertainment and art. So it's like a newer, more modern type of learning program. And this certificate is a great stepping stone, and for me to check it out before I actually go in to the master's program. This is, like, my second week, and I love it so far, and all these classes that I'm doing, and if I keep my grades up and everything, will apply to the master's program if I get in. Michael Hingson  31:15 Okay, well, so Natalie Belin & Mary Dunn  31:20 less credits than, like, what you would need for a master's program, and it's less I don't need a textbook. I have these things called nutshells, where I'm pretty sure, like, I'll be studying different types of cases or something like that through that. So it's like online stuff. Michael Hingson  31:43 The Okay? And how long do you think it will take you to complete that Natalie Belin & Mary Dunn  31:49 the certification program should be about a year, and it's all online, okay? Michael Hingson  31:55 And how, how long have you been doing it so far? Just two weeks. Oh, so next August, yeah, yeah, yeah. And the hope is then you can use that to go forward and actually work toward getting a master's degree. Which, which sounds pretty cool, yeah, for sure. What do you want to do with it once you get a master's degree? Well, like Natalie Belin & Mary Dunn  32:20 all those points like sports entertainment and arts, I think is Pittsburgh is a great city to represent all of those. And I hope to help represent like clients, maybe do like to protect their works and them as an artist. And I would like to hopefully get into paralegal work. That's what I'm focusing on right now. Michael Hingson  32:47 So is school pretty much full time for you these days? Natalie Belin & Mary Dunn  32:51 No, it's still part time, and that's what I like love about this program, because, like all week, you'll be doing 10 hours outside of so I still work full time as an administrator in the SHRS program, and I am the administrator for Rehabilitation Science. So yeah, it's great to have like, bosses and everything that support me in my educational journey, because that makes my life a lot easier too. Natalie Belin & Mary Dunn  33:26 Yeah, that's some great bosses. Michael Hingson  33:29 Well, it's good to have some people who tend to be a little bit more supportive. It helps the psyche when you get to do that. Yes, yeah. Natalie Belin & Mary Dunn  33:39 Because the one thing that I noticed with this program, it is definitely more manageable, because, like the undergrad program, I did enjoy the process. For most parts, some of it was really challenging. But the undergraduate program, it was really hard for me to get late night classes. Most of those classes that I had to take were I had to be in person, so like late classes were pretty hard to get, but my bosses allowed me to take earlier classes so I could help finish the program faster, but I just had to make up that time. Right? Michael Hingson  34:28 When did you discover that you had artistic talent? Natalie Belin & Mary Dunn  34:32 Um, I don't know if I ever really discovered that I had the talent, but I was very passionate at a young age, like when my mom was going back to school, I always loved watching her paint, because she had like the painting classes. I always thought so I like sit on the floor and watch her paint. And at a very young age, I was in the dance class. Do you remember the name? A France Dance School of Dance, France School of Dance. And I love dance class so much. I remember one time the dance school was closed because of a holiday, and I was, like, so upset, like, I didn't believe, like, the dance school was closed and I didn't understand, like, why I wasn't allowed to go. So they called the school and it went straight to, like, the answering machine so they could prove, like, it was closed and nobody was there. I was like, ready to show up. Natalie Belin & Mary Dunn  35:30 She wanted to go, yeah. She was just about three or four when she was taking the dance classes at that time. Yeah. But then it became on, you know that they both the kids were involved, but I couldn't afford it anymore. Natalie Belin & Mary Dunn  35:45 So dance is very expensive. Yeah? Natalie Belin & Mary Dunn  35:48 Well, you know, like, at that time too, I was going to school, and I didn't have much of a salary, and I was living with my parents, so, I mean, and they were retired, so it was, like, very tight. Yeah, right. Michael Hingson  36:04 Well, it nice to have an enthusiastic student, you know, Natalie Belin & Mary Dunn  36:13 so true. Well, Michael Hingson  36:15 so you've created the many colors of Natalie blog, tell me about that. Natalie Belin & Mary Dunn  36:22 So I reach out to different artists that were that are located in Pittsburgh or at one time, working or living in Pittsburgh. So this is like musicians, photographers, actors and they, I I create questions for them, for them to answer in their own words, like advice that they would give, or funny stories that they had while working in the field. And that's that's the main point of the blog, because I want it to be a resource for people and for them to also see, like, why that genre is cool. And I think another reason that motivated me to create that blog is some people just don't see an importance to art, and I find that so offensive. Like, yeah, so I just wanted it to be as an educational type thing as well. Michael Hingson  37:28 How long has the blog been visible? Natalie Belin & Mary Dunn  37:33 So it's been visible for about five, six years now, five years, yeah, and I did over like 50 some posts. Michael Hingson  37:45 Do you do that with consistency? Or So do you have one, like, every week or every three weeks, or every month, or something like that? Or how does that work? Natalie Belin & Mary Dunn  37:53 So when I first started, I was consistent with the posts I don't ever leave my blog, like, not active for like a year. Like, I always try to post something, but it's a little more challenging to do a post. Like, every month, whenever I'm working, going to school, volunteering for different things, running the Etsy shopper, vending so I had to cut it back a little bit because that is just me running it. Michael Hingson  38:30 So you've also created a mixed media piece. First of all, what is a mixed media piece? Natalie Belin & Mary Dunn  38:35 You want to explain Natalie Belin & Mary Dunn  38:36 the mixed media? Oh, well, a mixed media is like different mediums. It could be paint, it could be pictures, and it's posted on a board, a canvas, or whatever it can be in a journal. You know, you just use various types of mediums. It could be using lace, it could be using fabric, it could be using, like I said, pictures, paper, and they call it mixed media. So she decided she wanted to create a mixed media. I had a huge canvas that was given to me. It was like 36 by 36 giant. It was huge, and I knew I couldn't do anything on that, because I don't paint big. I like to paint on smaller canvas, like an eight and a half by 11, or eight and a half by 14. So she, she decided she wanted to use that Canvas for something. But you go ahead and tell them. Natalie Belin & Mary Dunn  39:38 So, um, whenever Woodstock had their 50th anniversary, and I believe that was around 2019 I had the opportunity to go to yaska's Farm and camp where the original campers from the very first Woodstock would stay in that. Campsite was like, right next to this yaska farms. So I took some pictures of it, like me with the yaska farm house. And so it was very inspirational to go to that because I was doing research on what Woodstock was, the original Woodstock. And what that was about, I talked to Uber drivers that were actually at the original Woodstock. Jimi Hendrix is one of my favorite musicians, and for him to not be there, I was like, so sad. Very sad. So with all the education experience. I needed to release that. And I took my mom, let me have that canvas, and like I created a mixed media giant collage, and I got that into the Woodstock Museum in Socrates, New York. Natalie Belin & Mary Dunn  41:01 Wow, it's actually there now, Michael Hingson  41:04 yep. How long has it been there? Natalie Belin & Mary Dunn  41:07 I believe got that in there? Yeah, about two years. Michael Hingson  41:13 Wow. So it's kind of almost a permanent piece there. Natalie Belin & Mary Dunn  41:17 I hope so. I hope they keep it there for sure. What? Michael Hingson  41:21 What prompted them to be interested in having it there. Natalie Belin & Mary Dunn  41:25 So I that piece was so giant, and I loved how it turned out, and I wanted that more than just in my house, my art pieces are very close to me, because that's like my soul and my work, and I want it out there to somebody who cares about it. So I reached out to Shelly nation, Nathan, because they, I believe, are the owners of the Woodstock Museum, and they were more than happy to have it. I had it shipped out there. And then, whenever the season was to reopen the museum, I went out there and visited it. And it's a very great it's a very cool place. Natalie Belin & Mary Dunn  42:10 Recommend, yeah, she, she was interviewed by them, also, right? Natalie Belin & Mary Dunn  42:14 Oh, yeah, we did go on a radio station. And that was also a cool experience, because I was never on a radio show at that time. Cool. Michael Hingson  42:25 Well, that's pretty exciting. I have not been to the Woodstock Museum, so that might be something to explore at some point when I get get back there next that'd Natalie Belin & Mary Dunn  42:35 be great. Yeah, Natalie Belin & Mary Dunn  42:37 all those things like, you know, like I grew up during that period, of course, I didn't go to the Woodstock. Original Woodstock wouldn't let me do that. I was only 16 at the time, and but I mean, you know, like, like looking back at that and and seeing how all those people were there, and not nothing terrible happened, you know, I mean, hundreds of 1000s of people, and nobody got hurt. Well, they might have passed out, maybe from things, but nobody was, like, shot or killed or and like today. I mean, you can't you're so afraid to do anything today, you don't know what's going to happen. And it just was a different time. And the musicians that were there. I mean, that music was is still good today. You know, it's it, it hasn't faded. And I wonder sometimes about today's music, if it will continue to be popular in years to come, or if it's just going to fade out. You know, we won't know that, and so well I won't be here, probably Michael Hingson  43:44 we won't know for a while anyway, yes, but I did hear on a radio station a rebroadcast of a lot of the Woodstock concerts that was kind of Natalie Belin & Mary Dunn  43:56 fun. Yes, yes. Natalie Belin & Mary Dunn  44:00 Sorry I didn't mean to cut you. Go ahead. Go ahead. When I was talking to like the Uber drivers and stuff like that, and people who were at the original Woodstock, it seems like they were reliving that experience when they were telling the stories. I mean, it was great. Michael Hingson  44:15 Yeah. Well, you play creative percussion. First of all, what is pre creative percussion? Natalie Belin & Mary Dunn  44:23 So I actually have that written in some notes, what it actually is. So do you mind if I read off my notes? Michael Hingson  44:30 You're welcome to however you want to answer, perfect. Natalie Belin & Mary Dunn  44:33 So I was asked to be a creative percussion artist in 2020 and creative percussion is a family owned business established in 2018 and run by husband and wife team, Kevin and Sherry Feeney. They're great. I've had the opportunity to talk to them very much a couple of times, and my pictures also on the site. Um. Uh, under like my stage name now is a Bulla. So if you scroll down spell that it's S, E, B as a boy, u as in unicorn, L, L as in Len and a is an apple. Natalie Belin & Mary Dunn  45:16 Okay, what types of things, kinds Natalie Belin & Mary Dunn  45:18 of there's various types of shakers that I played because of various bands that I was in, I was the percussionist, so I played tambourine and stuff. But like, they have uniquely shaped shakers, like there's the hatch shakers, which I love them. They had a baseball shaker, and these little golf ball shakers, and they all carry different sounds, and they really blended differently with the type of song that I was playing was playing, yeah, so it's cool, Michael Hingson  45:53 yeah, so interesting. So you you play them as part of being with a band, or what Natalie Belin & Mary Dunn  46:01 for the most part, yeah, sometimes there was an acoustic band or just like a full band, and either way, I tried to have those pieces blend into the song. What I didn't learn when I was doing that is and an acoustic you really have to be on your game, because, like, if you mess up, like, people are gonna hear it more than if you're in a full band. So, yeah, right. Michael Hingson  46:38 So you do you still do that? Do you still play Natalie Belin & Mary Dunn  46:42 at this time? I don't, um, just because I wanted to focus on other things, so I took a step back from that. Michael Hingson  46:51 Do you think you'll do more of it in the future, or Natalie Belin & Mary Dunn  46:56 possibly, but like, that's how I am. I kind of just like, experience it, do it until I'm ready to move on to something else. Michael Hingson  47:04 So you flit, you flip from thing to thing, yeah, yeah, yeah. Natalie Belin & Mary Dunn  47:10 So, like, if you ever follow me, you might just see, like, me evolving and just trying other things. Michael Hingson  47:19 Well, you're adventurous. Natalie Belin & Mary Dunn  47:22 Yes, I love adventure. Michael Hingson  47:25 Nothing wrong with having an adventure in the world and getting to really look at things. So what are you doing now if you're not doing creative percussion and so on? Natalie Belin & Mary Dunn  47:38 Well, for the last couple months, I was helping my mom recover from like the back surgery. And then I was I was focusing on my blog, just really paying attention to that, getting certain interviews, and then schooling, getting ready to go into the certificate program. Michael Hingson  48:05 So you think you're gonna go ahead Natalie Belin & Mary Dunn  48:09 and I'm setting up the Etsy shop. Michael Hingson  48:13 So you're pretty excited about seal, the sports entertainment, art and law. Natalie Belin & Mary Dunn  48:19 Yes, I'm very excited about that. I was very excited to get into the program. The professors are great. The whole programs like really good. The people involved in it, they seemed, they seem really organized and let me know what I need to do to get into the program. And they are really nice. If I have a question, they're happy to answer it. I love the curriculum, so I hope you go, Well, Michael Hingson  48:46 do you experience anything any more dealing with like attention deficit? Oh, 100% it still creeps up, huh? Natalie Belin & Mary Dunn  48:55 Well, it's more anxiety than anything. But like this program, I think, is to help calm my anxiety with just different things that are set up. And like, how responsive the professors are and how nice they are. But my goodness, when I was in my undergraduate program, like I was really pushing myself, and I would like, of like, when 2020, came around in the pandemic, I needed to talk to my doctor and get on meds, like I could no longer not do that without meds. Natalie Belin & Mary Dunn  49:29 Yes, she was, she was struggling. It was tough. Yeah. I mean, when I went for my Bachelor's, I I I wasn't working. She was working. When I went for my master's, I was working, but, and I know how hard that is, you know, trying to balance things, especially I was working at equitable at the time, and the things that I was going through and being, you know, filling in for supervisors was I. I was on call, like, 24 hours a day, and it, you know, like that was, I can see how difficult it is to do both. It's just, I know what she was going through there, and she goes through it, but she did well. She graduated sigma, sigma cum laude. Natalie Belin & Mary Dunn  50:17 Yeah, I did get some honorary, like accolades for like, whenever I graduated. So that was pretty exciting, because the hard work did pay off. Michael Hingson  50:29 What do you think about studying and attending classes virtually as opposed to physically being in the room? Hybrid learning? Natalie Belin & Mary Dunn  50:38 Some people may have an issue with that, but I personally, cause I was working full time and it was hard for me to get later classes, I preferred the online learning, but I understand, like some of the classes really did need me to be there, like the theater classes, and I was okay with that. I don't mind either, either or, but it just seems like online learning is more manageable. For me, it Michael Hingson  51:08 takes more discipline to to stick with it and focus on it, as opposed to being in the classroom. Natalie Belin & Mary Dunn  51:14 Um, yeah, I agree, but I think which, which is not a negative thing, by the way. Oh, yeah, no, no, no, I totally understand, but I think, um, I forget what I was going with that. Michael Hingson  51:26 Sorry. Well, we were talking about the fact that more discipline dealing with, Natalie Belin & Mary Dunn  51:33 Oh, yeah. Oh, that's right, thank you. It's just, um, I think if you truly want it, you're gonna put forth the effort in anything. You know, it's may not always be enjoyable, but like, if you want it, you'll put through it. You'll push through it, like with high school, my mom knows, just like from elementary to high school, like that curriculum, I was just not feeling it, but I knew I had to stick it out. I wanted to be a high school dropout. I voiced that many of times, but like, I knew if I wanted to get to culinary school, I had to really focus on my academics through then and just try to push through and just do it, do what I had to do to graduate. Natalie Belin & Mary Dunn  52:19 Yeah, it's such a different environment to high school, I believe, you know, like I found that I really enjoyed college. I enjoyed my subjects. They went fast. The classes went fast. It was fast paced, but it was an I learned more. I you know, I think that slowness of the way that they do things in in the high school, it takes them like three weeks to get through one chapter, you know, and so it, it just, it just made it a big difference. And I, I wished I could continue to go to school. I think I was a really good student. Michael Hingson  52:59 I think one of the things about college is, and I've talked to several people who agree, is, you certainly learn from the courses that you take, but College offers so much more with with with the extracurricular activities, with the interaction with people, with The greater responsibility. College offers so many more life lessons if you take advantage of it, that really makes it cool. And I, I always enjoyed college. I liked it a lot. Natalie Belin & Mary Dunn  53:29 Yeah, yeah, I did too, I think with some of my challenges and frustrations, not only with my learning disability, but like the fact that

The Weekend Whassup for Thanksgiving Weekend 2025! The Point keeps you connected to the top 18 things happening around Sheboygan this weekend powered by Pleasant View Realty’s Kelly Killian! Sheboygan’s Lakers Ice Center hosts a Thanksgiving Day Skate from Noon-3. Bring a nonperishable food item for free admission! https://allevents.in/sheboygan/thanksgiving-day-skate/200029179951554 Warped Dance Company Presents: The Grinch on stage with showtimes Saturday at 1 and 7 at The Weill Center For The Performing Arts in downtown Sheboygan. https://www.weillcenter.com/events/grinch-2025/ “Set the Season Aglow” is Friday evening at 5:30 with a Tree Lighting at The Shops At Woodlake in Kohler. Santa, reindeer, horse-drawn wagon rides and more! https://www.kohlerwisconsin.com/explore-more/activities-and-events/set-the-season-aglow The S.C.I.O. Sheboygan Winter Farmers Market happens the 1st and 3rd Saturdays November-April at First Congregational Church in Sheboygan. https://www.sheboygancountyinterfaith.org/farmers-market/ The Small Business Saturday Craft Show is Saturday from 9-3 at Generations in Plymouth. Something for everyone! Sweet treats and more too! https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=1487743456689309&set=a.639687964828200 The Kohler Foundation Presents the 29th Annual Gingerbread Festival now through the end of the year at the Waelderhaus in Kohler. https://kohlerfoundation.org/waelderhaus/annual-gingerbread-festival/ 3 Sheeps Brewing Company in Sheboygan hosts a holiday market with area small businesses and vendors 11-5 Friday and Saturday! https://3sheepsbrewing.com/event-detail/3-sheeps-holiday-market-2/2025-11-28/ Celebrate Hmong New Year Friday and Saturday at Sheboygan’s North High School. Fashion, dance, volleyball, live music and more! https://www.sheboyganhmaa.org/hmong-new-year Enjoy Holiday Memories 2025 at the Sheboygan County Historical Museum through Christmas! H.C. Prange Company & Boston store animations, chats with Bruce the Spruce & more! https://sheboyganmuseum.org/event/holiday-memories-2025/ The downtown Plymouth Holiday Gathering and Christmas Parade is this weekend! The parade starts at 7:00pm on Friday! Come early for the Chili Cook-off! https://plymouthwisconsin.com/events/holiday-gathering-christmas-parade/ It’s the “Turkey Bowl” at Lakeshore Lanes in Sheboygan this weekend. $3 games both Saturday and Sunday! https://wxerfm.com/events/516838/ It’s Double the Fun at The Osthoff Resort in Elkhart Lake this weekend with NEW Dueling Pianos Friday night at 7! https://osthoff.com/double-the-fun/ The 14th anniversary of Making Spirits Bright at Sheboygan’s Evergreen Park from 5-9pm each night through the end of the year. Drive through the mile long holiday lights display. Admission is a non-perishable food item for the food bank. Nearby Quarryview Center hosts entertainment, concessions and Santa on Fridays and Saturdays! https://makingspiritsbright.com/ Sheboygan’s Harbor Centre-Downtown, Riverfront & South Pier shops encourage you to shop Small business Saturday. Be one of the first 400 shoppers and receive a free swag bag loaded with samples and gifts from local businesses! https://www.harborcentre.com/fall-into-the-holidays/ Visit Santa’s Village and Christmas in the Square in Elkhart Lake, Saturday from 2-6. Crafts, games and visits with Santa. The Elkhart Lake Chamber will also host their Christmas in the Square and Village Tree Lighting from 4-6:30pm. https://www.elkhartlake.com/event/christmas-in-the-square-with-santas-village/ There’s a Benefit Brat Fry for Bob Meyer and family, Sunday from 11-5 at The Village at 170. Bob is fighting pancreatic cancer and could use some support. https://www.facebook.com/events/708834938892920/ Sunday Skates + Smiles Public Skate is Sunday from 1:30-3 at Sheboygan’s Laker’s Ice Center in Sheboygan! https://www.facebook.com/events/1800333103992013/1800333123992011/?active_tab=about The Sheboygan Jaycees present the 32nd annual Holiday Parade, Sunday at 5pm in Downtown Sheboygan! North on 7th Street to Erie Avenue, goes west on Erie Avenue to 8th Street, goes south on 8th Street, and ends at Mead Public Library for the Tree Lighting Ceremony. Bring your letters for Santa! https://sheboyganjaycees.com/HolidayParade/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Weekend Whassup for Friday, 11/14/2025! The Point keeps you connected to the top 20 things happening around Sheboygan this weekend powered by Pleasant View Realty’s Kelly Killian! Illusionist Blagg will take you on a magical journey you’ll never forget tonight (Friday) at 7 on stage at The Weill Center For The Performing Arts in Downtown Sheboygan! https://wxerfm.com/events/494594/ The Kiel Municipal Bands presents their annual fall scholarship concert tonight (Friday) at 7 at Kiel High School. https://cur8.com/schedule/item/22567/342531 Celebrate the season with the “Light Up the Night Art Show” at 3 Sheeps Brewing! Hosted by Sheboygan Visual Artists tonight (Friday) from 4-9pm. https://wxerfm.com/events/514195/ Howards Grove and Kohler Schools present The Sound Of Music on stage at The Kohler Memorial Theater with showtimes through this weekend! https://www.facebook.com/events/1179726780670496 Sheboygan Evangelical Free Church hosts a Christmas Marketplace tonight (Friday) and tomorrow. Unique, handcrafted items, home decor, and a selection of baked goods. FREE admission! https://www.facebook.com/events/1526825795302212 Sheboygan’s Lakers Ice Center invites you to open public skating tonight (Friday) at 8:00 and Sunday afternoon at 2! https://www.sheboyganlakershockey.com/page/show/76849-calendar The HUGE Sheboygan South High Booster Club Fall Craft and Vendor Fair is tomorrow (Saturday) from 9-2 at South High School! https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=10106749600355778&set=gm.24548291574820070 Dare To Dream Theater presents Disney Descendants on stage at Sheboygan Area Lutheran High School with showtimes through this weekend! https://www.facebook.com/events/1054919552471041/1054923402470656 The S.C.I.O. Sheboygan Winter Market happens the 1st and 3rd Saturdays November-April at First Congregational Church in Sheboygan. Support local farmers by buying direct! https://www.sheboygancountyinterfaith.org/farmers-market/ The Sheboygan Theater Company invites you to their “Embodying Creativity” workshops tomorrow from 10:30-2. Learn all about the magical world of acting, theater and behind the scenes production! https://wxerfm.com/events/515269/ Sheboygan Lutheran High School presents their fall sage production of The Magician’s Nephew with showtimes tonight (Friday) and tomorrow at the PAC. https://www.lutheranhigh.com/pac.html M&T's Gibbsville Orchard invites you to their Christmas Open House both days this weekend! Samples of goodies, gifts and FRESH HOT APPLE CIDER! https://gibbsvilleorchard.com/events Sheboygan’s North and South High Schools present the fall musical “The Lightning Thief” with showtimes through this weekend at Sheboygan’s North High School. https://www.sheboygan.k12.wi.us/news-details/~board/district-news/post/northsouth-drama-presents-the-lightning-thief The 250th Marine Corps Birthday Ball is tomorrow (Saturday) from 5-10 at The Osthoff Resort in Elkhart Lake. Come hungry and bring your dancing shoes! https://wxerfm.com/events/514667/ Turkey Bingo is back from 1-4 tomorrow (Saturday) afternoon at Racer’s Hall in Plymouth! Fifty cents per card! Play as many cards as you want! It’s to benefit the Plymouth Food Pantry! https://www.facebook.com/events/w4408-cr-c-plymouth-wi/turkey-bingo-2025/1714982672520280/ Thielmann's Athletic Club’s Annual Brat Fry and Mini Bowling Tournament is tomorrow (Saturday) after 10am at Butch and Anne’s Pine Grove. https://www.facebook.com/events/732480406321537 Sheboygan Service Club invites you to their Enchanted Evening Charity Gala tomorrow (Saturday) night at The American Club in Kohler. Dinner, auction items, entertainment and more! https://www.sheboyganserviceclub.org/copy-of-charity-ball Project Pink is North America’s premier Pink Floyd tribute band performing their greatest hits tomorrow (Saturday) at 7:30 on stage at The Weill Center For The Performing Arts in Downtown Sheboygan. https://wxerfm.com/events/482778/ See Sherlock Jr. with the Carthage Wind Orchestra Sunday at 2pm at The Weill Center For The Performing Arts in Downtown Sheboygan. See this famous silent film with music from a live orchestra! https://wxerfm.com/events/494593/ Pet Photos With Santa at Healthy Paws Vet Clinic in Sheboygan Falls happens SUNDAY from 10-1 at the clinic in Falls. Donations for the humane society! https://www.facebook.com/events/787265894204768 An Afternoon With Psychic Medium Mollie Morning Star, Sunday from 3-5 at The Manor at The Bull At Pinehurst Farms. https://www.molliemorningstar.com/events/2025/6/23/sheboyganfalls-tsyhh-rep5c-zm8bf-e986z See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on the Bober Academy Football Podcast we are joined by Line Coach Shane Henderson from Elkhorn North High School to talk about the Wolves 2-0 start to the 2025 season and Elkhorn North's upcoming battle with Ralston High School on their quest to Memorial Stadium. We are also joined by Senior Lineman Shane Heida, & Ben Hanson who were nominated as their Linemen of the Week.The Bober Academy was founded in 2019 by 8 year NFL Veteran Chris Bober with the Mission to train and develop athletes to maximize their potential and succeed on the gridiron by coaching the fundamentals of offensive line technique. The Bober Academy believes in laying the the building blocks of O-Line Success first then repeating over and over until mastered. The Bober Academy offers O-Line instruction for all ages and skill levels through camps, clinics, & one to one learning. Chris Bober went from a walk-on at Division II UNO to NFL starter by hard work, determination, & becoming a master of Offensive Line technique. After graduating from Omaha South High School Chris redshirted then became a 4 year starter helping his team win NCC Conference Champions in 1996 & 1998. He was a team captain and named to All America Team after his Junior & Senior seasons. Chris went undrafted in the 2000 NFL Draft & signed with the NY Giants. He was cut after his rookie training camp, signed to the Practice Squad & finally to the active roster for the 2000 NFC Champion Giants. Chris stayed with Giants 4 seasons becoming the starting Center in 2002-2003. In 2004 Chris signed a free agent contract with the Kansas City Chiefs where he played 4 seasons starting games at Guard & Tackle. Chris retired in 2008 after multiple hip surgeries. This description may contain affiliate links to products we enjoy using ourselves. Should you choose to use these links, this channel may earn affiliate commissions at no additional cost to you. We appreciate your support!

In Deuteronomy 8, God tells the people of Israel that they need to keep an attitude of humility when they enter the promised land and all things are going well for them. Our students should be equally grateful and humble as they think about all their successes and failures.

Jesus tells the church at Thyatira that they are in grave danger for following an evil woman in the church who called herself a spokesperson for God. Our students need to guard their lives and their doctrine to stay faithful to Christ, no matter who else is turning their back on him.

On this episode, Coach Bandstra returns to the show! He is now the head football coach at Tri-County High School. He is also the host of the Gap Down Backer podcast. Twitter: CoachBandstra Please like, subscribe, review, and share out! https://linktr.ee/thecoachsteveshow Check out belly up sports podcast network! https://bellyupsports.com/ Head to www.guardiansports.com/guardian-caps and use the code: “15OFF” – good for 15% off Guardian Caps to help the impact for football players Get back to the basics with Coach Stone: https://www.coachstonefootball.com/ Get the best sunglasses in the game today! Use for any activity! Go to https://www.yeetzofficial.com/ use the code CSS for 10% off Looking for the cleanest nutrition drink? Looking for the cleanest drink to give you energy without the crash? Head to https://www.swiftlifestyles.com/ and use the code: coachsteveshow to get 15% off! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode, Coach Bandstra returns to the show! He is now the head football coach at Tri-County High School. He is also the host of the Gap Down Backer podcast. Twitter: CoachBandstra Please like, subscribe, review, and share out! https://linktr.ee/thecoachsteveshow Check out belly up sports podcast network! https://bellyupsports.com/ Head to www.guardiansports.com/guardian-caps and use the code: “15OFF” – good for 15% off Guardian Caps to help the impact for football players Get back to the basics with Coach Stone: https://www.coachstonefootball.com/ Get the best sunglasses in the game today! Use for any activity! Go to https://www.yeetzofficial.com/ use the code CSS for 10% off Looking for the cleanest nutrition drink? Looking for the cleanest drink to give you energy without the crash? Head to https://www.swiftlifestyles.com/ and use the code: coachsteveshow to get 15% off! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Great Lakes Valley Conference had successful tournaments in Evansville in 2023 and 24, so they're coming back... A North High School track coach faces charges after allegedly trying to seduce a 15-year-old student... A Henderson man is in jail on 10,000 cash bond after allegedly threatening a city employee... See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Olathe North High School Boy's Basketball Coach, Adam Olerich, joins the podcast. Details:- Recapping 2024-25 season- Coaching at his high school alma mater- Basketball talent in Olathe- Favorite coaching styles

Our next text discusses two brothers who respond in opposite ways when tempted by sexual sin. Judah runs into it and Joseph runs away from it. We need to order our lives by insights we gain from Judah and Joseph's examples.

Wrestling state finals

River Way Stories - January 25th 2025

Downers Grove North High School Chamber Choir In Studio 12/20/24 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Downers Grove North High School Chamber Choir In Studio 12/20/24 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

John Tinker - Free SpeechDec 12, 2023In 1965, five students from Des Moines wore black arm bands to school to protest America's involvement in the Vietnam War. Those strips of cloth became the subject of a case that went all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court. Because of those Iowa students, the right of all American students to express their political opinions was strengthened.In the 1960s, the United States began sending troops to Southeast Asia. The nation of Vietnam had been divided into two parts, with North Vietnam friendly to Communist China on its northern border while South Vietnam looked to the United States for support. The United States feared that if communists from North Vietnam took control of South Vietnam, communism would soon overrun all of Southeast Asia.Some Americans opposed sending American soldiers to Vietnam. In their opinion, the war cost too many American lives and too much money. In 1965, a group of Des Moines high school and junior high students met at the home of Christopher Eckhardt to make plans to protest the United States' participation in the Vietnam War. The students agreed to wear black armbands the following week to protest the deaths of American soldiers in the war.Word of the planned protest spread. School principals were afraid that student protests would disrupt classrooms and school activities. They passed a ruling prohibiting armbands. They said that any students wearing them would be sent home and not allowed back to classes until the armbands were gone.On December 16, five students wore armbands to school despite the principals' rule. Three of students, Christopher Eckhardt, Christine Singer and Bruce Clark, were from Roosevelt High School. John Tinker attended North High School and his sister, Mary Beth, went to Harding Junior High.Christopher Eckhardt recalled that several students threatened him, "I wore the black armband over a camel-colored jacket. The captain of the football team attempted to rip it off. I turned myself in to the principal's office where the vice principal asked if 'I wanted a busted nose.' He said seniors wouldn't like the armband." A school counselor told Christopher that colleges would not accept him if he was a war protestor and might need to find a new high school if he did not remove the arm band.When the five students refused to remove the armbands, they were expelled from school. They returned after Christmas break without the armbands but wearing all black clothes.The Des Moines School Board met to review the principals' rule. They supported the ruling because they decided that principals needed the authority to keep order in the schools. The Vietnam War was becoming a very emotional issue across the country, and school officials were afraid that there could be disturbances at school if protest symbols showed up in class.The case did not end there, however. In March 1966, John Tinker, Mary Beth Tinker, Chris Eckhardt and their parents filed a formal complaint in U.S. District Court arguing that the students' rights had been violated. The District Court dismissed the case, as did a Federal Appeals Court. The case finally reached all the way to the United States Supreme Court on Nov. 12, 1968.The First Amendment to the Constitution guarantees the right of all American citizens to freedom of speech. But does that freedom apply to high school and middle school students in Des Moines, Iowa? The Supreme Court said it does! The Supreme Court ruled in Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School District that students and teachers continue to have the right of free speech and expression when they are at school. They do not "shed their constitutional rights at the school house gate," Judge Abe Fortas wrote in the Court's ruling.Does this mean that school officials do not have the right to maintain order in the schools or to prevent things that disrupt classes? No, the Court said. Schools can still restrict students' actions or expressions when there is enough reason to believe those actions would disrupt the school or invade the rights of other students. However, just because an opinion is unpopular or makes other students or teachers uncomfortable, school officials cannot prevent students from sharing their views. In the Tinker case, the Court ruled, school officials had not proved that the students' armbands would significantly disrupt classroom or school activities.The Tinker case is a very important decision protecting student rights. Because five Des Moines students were brave enough to stand up for an unpopular position, all American students enjoy greater freedom to express their opinions.SourceBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-opperman-report--1198501/support.

Jahmai Brown is a painter, photographer and Hot Shops Art Center resident.  An Omaha native, Brown attended North High School and graduated from the Kansas City Art Institute. His paintings are often works of bright colors, bold patterns and less traditional materials like glitter and magazine clippings.  Brown was also among the artists who created the “Black Skies” mural in 2018 at 24th and Grant Streets, which highlights the experiences of the Tuskegee Airmen. Brown was only 17 when the mural was unveiled to the public. In this episode, Brown and Michael Griffin are talking about the inspiration behind his work, and his hope for viewers to interact with it. They're also talking about the skills he thinks are important for a young artist to develop, and how those artists can find support in Omaha. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/riversidechats/support

This week on the Bober Academy Football Podcast we are joined by OL/DL Coach Justin Carraher from Elkhorn North High School to talk about the Wolves 3-0 start to the 2024 season and upcoming battle with Gretna. We are also joined by Offensive Linemen Mason Murphy & AJ Paladino who were nominated as their Linemen of the Week.The Bober Academy was founded in 2019 by 8 year NFL Veteran Chris Bober with the Mission to train and develop athletes to maximize their potential and succeed on the gridiron by coaching the fundamentals of offensive line technique. The Bober Academy believes in laying the the building blocks of O-Line Success first then repeating over and over until mastered. The Bober Academy offers O-Line instruction for all ages and skill levels through camps, clinics, & one to one learning. Go to https://boberacademy.com/ for more info

A solar garden at North High School provides electricity to the school, the city, and residential subscribers.  Learn more at https://www.yaleclimateconnections.org/  

John Tinker - Free SpeechIn 1965, five students from Des Moines  wore black arm bands to school to protest America's involvement in the  Vietnam War. Those strips of cloth became the subject of a case that  went all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court. Because of those Iowa  students, the right of all American students to express their political  opinions was strengthened.In the 1960s, the United States began sending troops to Southeast  Asia. The nation of Vietnam had been divided into two parts, with North  Vietnam friendly to Communist China on its northern border while South  Vietnam looked to the United States for support. The United States  feared that if communists from North Vietnam took control of South  Vietnam, communism would soon overrun all of Southeast Asia.Some Americans opposed sending American soldiers to Vietnam. In their  opinion, the war cost too many American lives and too much money. In  1965, a group of Des Moines high school and junior high students met at  the home of Christopher Eckhardt to make plans to protest the United  States' participation in the Vietnam War. The students agreed to wear  black armbands the following week to protest the deaths of American  soldiers in the war.Word of the planned protest spread. School principals were afraid  that student protests would disrupt classrooms and school activities.  They passed a ruling prohibiting armbands. They said that any students  wearing them would be sent home and not allowed back to classes until  the armbands were gone.On December 16, five students wore armbands to school despite the  principals' rule. Three of students, Christopher Eckhardt, Christine  Singer and Bruce Clark, were from Roosevelt High School. John Tinker  attended North High School and his sister, Mary Beth, went to Harding  Junior High.Christopher Eckhardt recalled that several students threatened him,  "I wore the black armband over a camel-colored jacket. The captain of  the football team attempted to rip it off. I turned myself in to the  principal's office where the vice principal asked if 'I wanted a busted  nose.' He said seniors wouldn't like the armband." A school counselor  told Christopher that colleges would not accept him if he was a war  protestor and might need to find a new high school if he did not remove  the arm band.When the five students refused to remove the armbands, they were  expelled from school. They returned after Christmas break without the  armbands but wearing all black clothes.The Des Moines School Board met to review the principals' rule. They  supported the ruling because they decided that principals needed the  authority to keep order in the schools. The Vietnam War was becoming a  very emotional issue across the country, and school officials were  afraid that there could be disturbances at school if protest symbols  showed up in class.The case did not end there, however. In March 1966, John Tinker, Mary  Beth Tinker, Chris Eckhardt and their parents filed a formal complaint  in U.S. District Court arguing that the students' rights had been  violated. The District Court dismissed the case, as did a Federal  Appeals Court. The case finally reached all the way to the United States  Supreme Court on Nov. 12, 1968.The First Amendment to the Constitution guarantees the right of all  American citizens to freedom of speech. But does that freedom apply to  high school and middle school students in Des Moines, Iowa? The Supreme  Court said it does! The Supreme Court ruled in Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School District that students and teachers continue to have the right of free speech  and expression when they are at school. They do not "shed their  constitutional rights at the school house gate," Judge Abe Fortas wrote  in the Court's ruling.Does this mean that school officials do not have the right to  maintain order in the schools or to prevent things that disrupt classes?  No, the Court said. Schools can still restrict students' actions or  expressions when there is enough reason to believe those actions would  disrupt the school or invade the rights of other students. However, just  because an opinion is unpopular or makes other students or teachers  uncomfortable, school officials cannot prevent students from sharing  their views. In the Tinker case, the Court ruled, school officials had  not proved that the students' armbands would significantly disrupt  classroom or school activities.The Tinker case is a very important decision protecting student  rights. Because five Des Moines students were brave enough to stand up  for an unpopular position, all American students enjoy greater freedom  to express their opinions.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-opperman-report--1198501/support.

William “Bill” Drilling is a 1979 graduate of North High School in Sioux City, Iowa and a 1985 graduate of the University of Iowa College of Pharmacy.  Following graduation, Bill joined his father and brother as a staff pharmacist at Drilling Morningside Pharmacy.  Bill and his brother, Don purchased Drilling Pharmacy from their parents, Don and Virginia Drilling in January, 1986.  Bill's daughter, Sarah Sorensen joined the pharmacy staff in 2018 as a third-generation pharmacist at Drilling Pharmacy. Bill's highlights: • President and Pharmacist in Charge at Drilling Pharmacy 1996-current • Member of the Iowa Pharmacists Association Board of Trustees 1996-1998. • Siouxland Star Award from the Siouxland Chamber of Commerce for the store façade changes -2010 • Parade Marshall at the Morningside Days Parade – 2013 and 2022 • Featured in the Siouxland Design for the restoration of the façade and unique design of the Drilling Pharmacy façade -2013 • IPPE Preceptor Excellence Award from the University of Iowa College of Pharmacy -2019 • Member of the Iowa Pharmacy Association Platinum Level • Member of CPESN • Preceptor for University of Iowa College of Pharmacy, Drake, Creighton University and South Dakota State University • Serves as a resource for local media on pharmacy related issues • Served on the University of Iowa College of Pharmacy Building Committee • Served as an IPA Delegate, IPA Champion Advocate, IPA Legislative Committee, IPA Public Affairs Committee • Collaborated with IPA, University of Iowa, and Iowa Department of Public Health on the 1815 Project. • Reached 1,000,000 prescriptions in 2000 • Reached 2,000,000 prescriptions in 2013 • Reached 3,000,000 prescriptions in 2020 • During the COVID pandemic, Drilling Pharmacy responded to the Siouxland community by giving over 20,000 vaccinations as well as over 1,000 flu shots at both on site and in store clinics. Bill is an extremely strong believer in innovation and always looking for the next opportunity. Services we currently offer include Lipid panels, A1C test, Blood Glucose Screening, Blood Pressure Screenings, Test to Treat (COVID-19, Influenza, and Group A Strep), a wide variety of immunizations, Script Talk, Medication Synchronization, and MTM Services. OTC hearing aids are on the way! Bill enjoys getting the opportunity to work with the Iowa Department of Public Health, Iowa Pharmacy Association and the University of Iowa College of Pharmacy with various projects and grants. Ashton Maaraba has over 24 years of healthcare industry experience, he is credited with transforming several start-up healthcare brands into consumer staples. Ashton's leadership expertise stems from a prominent career in healthcare, with specialties in Health IT, Enterprise Solutions that drive value-based care and healthy patient outcomes and Direct-to-Consumer brands. Ashton was responsible for the inception-to- commercialization and the deployment of various products and services and Digital Health services across an impressive 50,000+ pharmacies, retail stores, managed care, local and national businesses, and eCommerce in the U.S, Canada, Australia, and Great Britain. He is recognized as a current expert in the architecture, commercialization, operations and revenue growth for diverse telehealth and digital healthcare assets, solutions, and products into multiple business, medical, retail and patient verticals. Ashton holds a J.D with a specialty in Health Law, has an MSc. From Nova Southeastern University and earned his BSc. from Michigan State University. He is a long-standing supporter and proponent of IPC Membership group, NCPA, APHA, NACDS, HIMMS and MEDICA and other leading organizations. Ashton started his career in pharmacy services by working with FLAVORx, a pediatric compliance-driven medication flavoring staple. He trained inside a leading independent pharmacy, Center Pharmacy, at the hands of Harold Kramm a leading independent pharmacy owner and advocate. He has been recognized for his relentless energy in pharmacy advocacy on Capitol Hill through the Rx Impact leadership group, Independent Pharmacy Cooperative and is a leading member of NY State pharmacy lobby.   Ashton has transitioned each company and product that he served to become national powerhouses. And is often credited for accelerating his company's mission and impressive growth trajectory through many of the most complex industry verticals.  Ashton has been a member of many corporate advisory boards and councils, notably, Rx Sense and InfinityRx. He has served on both the National Association of Chain Drug Stores Advisory Committee and Canada's leading community pharmacy conference committee. Ashton's top corporate highlights underscore his business acumen and passion for transcending business objectives into game-changing outcomes. At Bonum Health, he led the development, commercialization, compliance, and nationwide adoption for a national telehealth brand. He was credited with leading eRx Network (now Change Healthcare – digital healthcare network company) product and account management division. PharmaSmart (Medical Device and Data Company) & FLAVORx (Medicinal Flavoring Company). As the President and CEO at AshHEALTH, LLC. a Healthcare and Digital Health IT Market Advisory Company, Ashton advised and consulted many start-up companies operating in healthcare with a mission to advance medication adherence programs across pharmacy and physician collaboratives. Presently, Ashton is the President of IPC Digital Health, an Independent Pharmacy Cooperative company. As the head of the company's digital and virtual healthcare strategy, and Pharmacy team, Ashton is leading the development and commercialization of iCare+ a unique digital health ecosystem of virtual products and services designed to future-ready independent pharmacies.

Send us a Text Message.As a former student-athlete turned head coach, Shawn Dodd's story is more than just a professional arc—it's a heartfelt journey back to the roots that shaped him. In our latest conversation, we're thrilled to host Coach Dodd, who takes us along on his nostalgic trip from North High School in Eastlake, Ohio, to the football fields of Europe, and back again. His tale is one of full-circle moments, where past and present connections with Nick Tomba and Jason Bickel illuminate the profound impact of community and family on his life and career.Coaching isn't just about calling plays and running drills; it's a life that demands balance with personal well-being. In this heart-to-heart, we reveal the lessons learned in our coaching careers about keeping burnout at bay. Drawing on the experiences and unwavering dedication of legends like Tom Thibodeau, we unpack the strategies that help maintain equilibrium between the sidelines and home life. Join us for candid insights that resonate with both fresh-faced coaches and seasoned tacticians.Finally, we gear up for the 2024 football season, discussing everything from the North-South game rivalry that electrifies Lake County to the meticulous training plans for the team. Between reflections on high school sports and our fitness endeavors (including a cheeky 5K with a winery waiting at the finish line), this episode is as much a playbook for coaching as it is a guide for staying motivated in competitive sports and life. Don't miss these personal stories and practical tips, especially if you're looking to spice up your routine or your meal prep game.Stupid Should Hurt Link to my Merch store the Stupid Should Hurt Line!Reaper Apparel Reaper Apparel Co was built for those who refuse to die slowly! Reaper isn't just clothing it's a lifestyle!Subscribe for exclusive content: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1530455/support Tactical BrotherhoodThe Tactical Brotherhood is a movement to support America.ShankitgolfOur goal here at Shankitgolf is for everyone to have a great time on and off the golf courseDubby EnergyFROM GAMERS TO GYM JUNKIES TO ENTREPRENEURS, OUR PRODUCT IS FOR ANYONE WHO WANTS TO BE BETTER.Sweet Hands SportsElevate your game with Sweet Hands Sports! Our sports gloves are designed for champions,Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the Show.

MY GUEST ON EPISODE 17 OF ATHCASTMUSIC IS MONTU MILLER.Montu Miller hails from Minneapolis, MN, and is a proud alumnus of North High School. His journey led him to Georgia, initially to Morris Brown College in Atlanta. However, fate intervened when he discovered Athens, a city he instantly fell in love with, prompting him to transfer to the University of Georgia. While at UGA, Montu delved into his passion for music, embarking on tours alongside iconic figures like KRS-One and Ishues.Despite the allure of life on the road, Montu felt a calling to continue his education and pursue endeavors that would positively impact Athens. This drive led him to earn a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Black Studies from the University of Georgia. His educational journey didn't end there; he furthered his studies by pursuing a Masters in the Art of Teaching Secondary Education at Piedmont University's Athens Campus.Currently, Montu serves as a dedicated educator at Cedar Shoals High School, teaching Peer Leadership, Ethnic Studies, and AP Black Studies. Beyond the classroom, he promotes the local hip hop scene, contributing to AthFactor-Liberty Entertainment, a collective aimed at empowering musicians to achieve greater success. Montu also collaborates with Seth Hendershot to host a biweekly open mic event at Hendershots, providing a platform for aspiring artists in Athens.Community engagement is at the heart of Montu's endeavors, as he actively participates in various organizing efforts to connect people with essential resources. At home, he shares his life with his wife, Ymmilia, and their five children: Brayana, Sekayi, Brandon, Gyasi, and Liam, residing in the vibrant North Side of Athens.My conversation with Montu was insiteful, funny, emotional and yet another reason that Athens Ga is a very special place. I impress upon anyone reading this, to listen to Monty, we need 100, 000 more of him. Remember, If you don't listen you can't hear!Show AthCastMusic (©) with Marlene Sokol StewartFrequency Weekly on ThursdayLength: 44:10Instagram: @montumillerFaceBook: https://www.facebook.com/william.miller.aka.montuATHFactor-Liberty Entertainment (ALE)

Five students from North High School in Des Moines have been spending most of their free time for the last two months developing an app to aid a lunar expedition.

Grace Schmidt, with the Spartan Scroll, joins Amy & JJ says her teacher was considering selling some of their cameras to try to keep the newspaper afloat. With a lack of funding and advertising, the Spartan Scroll is worried it could mean the end... Visit their website to help: https://fnhscroll.org/3553/showcase/school-board-slashes-journalism-budget-leaving-the-scroll-staff-desperate/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Senator Bobby Joe Champion attended North High School and graduated with degrees in Political Science and Law from Macalester College and William Mitchell College of Law. Champion is now a practicing attorney with skill sets in negotiation, extensive legal and business analysis, and advocacy. Champion is a lifelong resident of North Minneapolis and currently lives…

On this fantastic Friday, Carole Caine joins the show as the gang discusses the future of North High School, what it'll take for The Badgers to win and Andy Guss from Grassroots Menomonee Falls returns to give an update on the book ban taking place at Menomonee Falls High School.

Bussy Adam joins the show, he of 457 wins as head coach at Newton (Mass.) North High School.

Over the summer, Don't Touch My Podcast says, "Don't Touch my Politics" as we sit down with political candidates running for the Worcester City Council and School Committee seats.  About Robert: Robert Bilotta, is a lifelong Worcester resident. Disability rights advocate and candidate for District 2 City Council. Robert graduated from North High School in 2004, and Worcester State University in 2010, with a bachelor's degree in Communications and Urban Studies. For the past decade, Robert has worked as a disability advocate and caseworker at Center for Living and Working, and Easter Seals Massachusetts. He's served on two Worcester commissions, the Access Advisory Commission for five years, and currently serves on the Human Right Commission. Robert is dedicated to improving quality of life for Worcester residents and improving equity and inclusion for the disability community.  --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/donttouchmypodcast/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/donttouchmypodcast/support

The high school football game between the Dayton Christian Warriors and the Tri-County North Panthers is now available on demand at no charge!

Colorado teachers' union sues school district over gag policy | Arizona's state Democratic Party has raised 7x more money than AZ Republicans this year | Cecelia Espinoza, Rochelle Galindo, and Tim Hernandez seek vacant Colorado House seat representing Denver-based 4th district | Power shutoffs could prove deadly as Nevadans brace for continued extreme heatSong playsIntro by hostWelcome to High Country - politics in the American West. My name is Sean Diller; regular listeners might know me from Heartland Pod's Talking Politics, every Monday.Support this show and all the work in the Heartland POD universe by going to heartlandpod.com and clicking the link for Patreon, or go to Patreon.com/HeartlandPod to sign up. Membership starts at $1/month, with even more extra shows and special access at the higher levels. No matter the level you choose, your membership helps us create these independent shows as we work together to change the conversation.Alright! Let's get into it: COLORADO NEWSLINE:A Colorado teachers union filed a federal lawsuit against the Woodland Park School District and its board of education over a policy that they say prevents teachers from publicly speaking about school concerns.The Woodland Park Education Association and its president, Nate Owen, filed the lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Denver this week. The school board and district in Woodland Park, outside Colorado Springs in Teller County, has become increasingly conservative in recent years and the schools have become a frequent flashpoint of controversy over a number of issues including curriculum, personnel, transparency, etc.The lawsuit alleges that a district policy known as KDDA, is an unconstitutional prior restraint on speech that goes against the First Amendment.That policy, revised twice this year, states that the superintendent is the official spokesperson for the district and employees cannot talk to the media or even post on social media about district decisions without approval. Violation of the policy is considered insubordination.The lawsuit says “Prior restraints on speech are the most serious and least tolerable infringement of an individual's First Amendment rights. The Supreme Court has routinely held that prior restraints on protected speech are presumed to be constitutionally invalid,”There are examples of courts striking down policies that prevent public employees, like teachers, from speaking to the media without prior approval. attorney Steve Zansberg, who works on cases pertaining to media and the First Amendment said “It is my understanding that policies like this have previously been challenged in other school districts and have been found by courts to be unconstitutional restrictions on free speech rights of school employees.” Because of Owen's standing as president of the local teachers union, he often makes public comments to the school board about working conditions and matters of public concern, as well as comments to the media. The district's policy, however, puts his teaching job in jeopardy if he speaks out.The lawsuit also alleges that the way the policy was revised in February and March violates Colorado's Open Meetings Law. There are no posted minutes or agendas that show the school board publicly discussing the issue.Woodland Park School District Superintendent Ken Witt called the lawsuit a “coordinated political attack” by groups seeking to intimidate him, but of course offered no support for that claim. ARIZONA MIRROR:Arizona Republican Party's fundraising abysmal in run up to pivotal 2024 electionBY: CAITLIN SIEVERS - AUGUST 11, 2023 7:00 AMThe Arizona Republican Party's fundraising efforts so far this year are embarrassing, with Democrats outpacing them seven to one, leaving political operatives wondering if the party's new chairman can right the ship in time to mount any sort of meaningful campaign in 2024. The party took in only $165,000 in contributions so far in 2023, as compared to the Arizona Democratic Party's more than $1,150,000. And the state Republican Party's federal account, which is vital to fund operations during a presidential election year, was in a sad state as of the end of June, with less than $24,000 in cash on hand, compared to the state Democratic Party's nearly $714,000.Because of campaign finance laws, the parties must operate separate accounts for money spent to help elect federal candidates and funds used to bolster state and local hopefuls. Robert Graham, a former Arizona Republican Party chairman from 2013-2017, told the Arizona Mirror, “If this were me, I would be sweating a little bit.” He went on to say that the last party chairman Kelli Ward's extravagant spending and far-right fringe politics have left some big donors hesitant to give.Ward, who chaired the state GOP for four years beginning in January 2019, was part of the group of fake electors from Arizona that hoped to overturn former President Donald Trump's loss to President Joe Biden in 2020. She bought into election conspiracy theories and spent more than $500,000 on an election night party and statewide bus tour in 2022, angering fellow Republicans who would have rather seen that money used to help GOP candidates who lost extremely tight statewide races.In that election, Arizona Republicans suffered losses in the race for governor, secretary of state and attorney general and the U.S. Senate.One former AZ Democratic Party executive director said“Functionally, they're running an operation right now that wouldn't be capable of running one Dairy Queen franchise, much less a state operation to hopefully elect a senator or a president,” “I would be shocked, I think, just given where they are right now, if this time next year they're running any sort of impactful campaign or effort out of the state Republican Party.”DENVER WESTWORD:Firebrand Teacher Tim Hernández seeks seat in Colorado HouseHouse District 4 had been represented by Serena Gonzales-Gutierrez, who won an at-large seat on Denver City Council.By Michael RobertsAugust 9, 2023Tim Hernández is a teacher best known for fighting on behalf of diversity, equity and inclusion related to both students and educators. Now he hopes to bring his passion to the Colorado Legislature as a representative for House District 4.Hernandez has been a controversial figure, making headlines last year when students at North High School protested the decision not to keep him on the staff.Colorado's House District 4 stretches roughly from Regis University south to Morrison Road, and from Sheridan Boulevard east to Zuni Street. However, the District's voters as a whole won't be making the selection — at least not yet. On August 26 "appointed leadership of the Democratic Party within the House district, an estimated 69 individuals, will decide who fills out the rest of the term.  Two other hopefuls with significant Democratic connections are also vying for the spot. Cecelia Espenoza previously worked as a counsel for the U.S. Department of Justice and an appellate immigration judge. She is also a former professor at the University of Denver and St. Mary's University School of Law, and a former chair of the board at the National Hispana Leadership Institute in Washington, D.C., as well.Also in the race is Rochelle Galindo, who in 2015 became the first openly gay person to be elected to the Greeley, Colorado City Council. She followed this win by besting Republican rival Michael Thuener to become the state representative for Weld County's District 50 in 2018. She resigned the next year after being accused of sexual assault and providing alcohol to a minor and was cleared of the charges in 2021. Since she left the legislature, Galindo has worked in various roles at advocacy organizations Colorado People's Alliance, Colorado People's Action, and Emerge.NEVADA CURRENT:NV households struggle to pay summer power bills, and it's getting worseBY: JENIFFER SOLIS - AUGUST 15, 2023 5:34 AMRecord heat in Southern Nevada throughout July drove scores of residents to take refuge in air-conditioned homes, but the cost of fighting off summer temperatures will likely leave an alarming number of Nevadans unable to pay their bills. Last month was the hottest July ever recorded in Las Vegas, with a daily average high of 109 degrees. The last two weeks of July were the hottest 14-day stretch on ever record, with an average high of 112 degrees. Nevada residents living in a single-family home saw an average 22% increase — from about $337 per month fo $407 per month - in their energy bills.Electricity rates in July were set to be even higher before NV Energy agreed to temporarily reduce costs for customers.For many Nevada households, an extra $60 to $70 dollars won't completely break the bank, but for low-income households or those on a fixed income, higher utility bills mean choosing between keeping the A/C running or addressing other essential needs like food and medication. In the worst-case scenario, lack of payment may lead to a power shut-off, leaving families scrambling to find enough money to restore service, often only to face disconnection again.Further, Nevada does not require utilities to disclose the number of customers they disconnect, leaving little transparency of the magnitude of the problem. NV Energy, a monopoly with more than a million captive customers, has shown little interest in publicly sharing the number of disconnected customers. An NV Energy spokesperson said in an email that “NV Energy does not share this type of data publicly, though the company works diligently with customers and makes every effort to avoid disconnecting power.”Data that is public reveals that more and more households are struggling to pay utility bills in Nevada. Applications for state utility assistance over the last three months of available data reveal a sharp 37% increase compared to the same period last year. Public health officials anticipate the high demand will continue as temperatures remain high throughout August. The state program, called the Energy Assistance Program, provides a supplement for qualifying low-income Nevadans with the cost of home energy. Eligible households receive an annual, one-time per year benefit paid directly to their energy provider.But the cost of that assistance ultimately falls on NV Energy customers. Part of the program's funding is subsidized by ratepayers through NV Energy's Universal Energy Charge, which adds 46 cents a month to the typical residential power bill.Unpaid bills that can't be recovered by NV Energy are eventually paid by customers too. Nevada law does protect utility customers from power shut-offs during periods of extreme heat, when a lack of air conditioning can result in waves of hospitalizations or even death. According to state statute, a utility company can't terminate service for a non-paying customer if the National Weather Service has forecast a period of extreme heat within the next 24 hours within the customer's geographical area. For most residents in Southern Nevada, extreme heat is defined as 105 degrees. So if it won't be 105 in the course of the next day, service can be terminated. NV Energy must also notify elderly customers at least 48 hours before termination of power.For all other residents in Southern Nevada, a forecast of 105 degrees or higher within a 24 hour period is considered extreme heat. Utilities also can't terminate service to a customer for nonpayment if the outstanding amount owed is $50 or less. But more than $50, it could be lights out. COLORADO SUN:Colorado's Copper Mountain resort starts seeding to spark a huge biodiversity effortJason Blevins3:50 AM MDT on Aug 15, 2023This story first appeared in The Outsider, the premium outdoor newsletter by Jason Blevins.In it, he covers the industry from the inside out, plus the fun side of being outdoors in our beautiful state.SUBSCRIBECopper Mountain has identified 558 acres on the front side of its ski area where soil work can help restore ecosystems and improve biodiversity to help lessen the impacts of climate change. Last year the resort announced a 10-year carbon sequestration plan to plant carbon-storing plants and grasses on its ski slopes. The resort has tapped researchers at Southwestern University in Texas in the effort, with student scientists staking out test plots on five ski runs where they can monitor vegetation growth using native seeds, compost and biochar.The ski area hosted several resort leaders at its second-annual conservation summit earlier this month in an effort to share their research, strategies and projects. A large focus was restoring biological vibrancy on ski slopes, which too often are simply treated pretty much like lawns instead of critical components of mountain ecosystems. Last year sustainability workers at Copper Mountain started collecting seeds from 27 native species and replanting them across the resort's north-facing ski runs.Jeff Grasser, head of sustainability at Copper Mountain said “We are experimenting. We are trying to figure out how to make all this work at a landscape level,” as he sifted through charred wood chips in a 50-gallon drum that he will carefully spread across plots of ski slopes to see how the porous, lightweight biochar might help native grasses thrive. The aptly named Grasser has big plans. What if he could create “tons and tons” of biochar in massive kilns, not just little drums? What if Copper Mountain's corporate owner deploys its fleet of helicopters for heli-skiing in Utah to spread biochar across all the ski slopes at the company's 10 mountain resorts?“We want to do this in ways that can be done on a very large scale and we can't wait to share these results with you,” Grasser told a group of sustainability leaders at a recent conservation summit.The program included a presentation from folks from another Colorado ski area, Arapahoe Basin, detailing how crews replaced vegetation by hand and preserved topsoil when installing new chairlift towers. The crew from Eldora Mountain Resort offered details of a project with the Town of Nederland to build a wetland to replace a trailhead parking lot. Sunlight ski area took a page from Copper Mountain's biodiversity playbook and began collecting native seeds for replanting on ski runs. The Copper Mountain project will build a dataset of more than 100 locations across the ski area, with 10 years of science showing how native grasses, compost and biochar can help resort operators regain a more diverse, balanced ecosystem on ski slopes.“We want to have the data to be able to say,‘Hey this works really well. Don't just take my word for it. We have scientific evidence that supports these methods. These are the first steps in delivering resilience so bio-diversity can grow.'”And your unsolicited concert pick of the week, Ha Ha TonkaThu., Aug. 24, 9 p.m. at the Skylark Lounge in Denver (Bobcat Club) $12-$15An indie / southern rock band originally formed in West Plains, MO, Ha Ha Tonka's "dark view of the realities of socio-economic hardship, backwoods prejudices and drug abuse is leavened by wry humor and a deep appreciation for regional storytelling traditions. New album Blood Red Moon will be released on October 23.After Denver, Ha Ha Tonka will play a slate of shows throughout California, then Columbia, Missouri on November 2nd, West Plains on November 3rd, and Springfield, Missouri on November 4th. hahatonkamusic.comWelp, that's it for me! From Denver I'm Sean Diller. Original reporting for the stories in today's show comes from Colorado Sun, The Outsider, Colorado Newsline, Arizona Mirror, and Denver's Westword.Thank you for listening! See you next time.

Colorado teachers' union sues school district over gag policy | Arizona's state Democratic Party has raised 7x more money than AZ Republicans this year | Cecelia Espinoza, Rochelle Galindo, and Tim Hernandez seek vacant Colorado House seat representing Denver-based 4th district | Power shutoffs could prove deadly as Nevadans brace for continued extreme heatSong playsIntro by hostWelcome to High Country - politics in the American West. My name is Sean Diller; regular listeners might know me from Heartland Pod's Talking Politics, every Monday.Support this show and all the work in the Heartland POD universe by going to heartlandpod.com and clicking the link for Patreon, or go to Patreon.com/HeartlandPod to sign up. Membership starts at $1/month, with even more extra shows and special access at the higher levels. No matter the level you choose, your membership helps us create these independent shows as we work together to change the conversation.Alright! Let's get into it: COLORADO NEWSLINE:A Colorado teachers union filed a federal lawsuit against the Woodland Park School District and its board of education over a policy that they say prevents teachers from publicly speaking about school concerns.The Woodland Park Education Association and its president, Nate Owen, filed the lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Denver this week. The school board and district in Woodland Park, outside Colorado Springs in Teller County, has become increasingly conservative in recent years and the schools have become a frequent flashpoint of controversy over a number of issues including curriculum, personnel, transparency, etc.The lawsuit alleges that a district policy known as KDDA, is an unconstitutional prior restraint on speech that goes against the First Amendment.That policy, revised twice this year, states that the superintendent is the official spokesperson for the district and employees cannot talk to the media or even post on social media about district decisions without approval. Violation of the policy is considered insubordination.The lawsuit says “Prior restraints on speech are the most serious and least tolerable infringement of an individual's First Amendment rights. The Supreme Court has routinely held that prior restraints on protected speech are presumed to be constitutionally invalid,”There are examples of courts striking down policies that prevent public employees, like teachers, from speaking to the media without prior approval. attorney Steve Zansberg, who works on cases pertaining to media and the First Amendment said “It is my understanding that policies like this have previously been challenged in other school districts and have been found by courts to be unconstitutional restrictions on free speech rights of school employees.” Because of Owen's standing as president of the local teachers union, he often makes public comments to the school board about working conditions and matters of public concern, as well as comments to the media. The district's policy, however, puts his teaching job in jeopardy if he speaks out.The lawsuit also alleges that the way the policy was revised in February and March violates Colorado's Open Meetings Law. There are no posted minutes or agendas that show the school board publicly discussing the issue.Woodland Park School District Superintendent Ken Witt called the lawsuit a “coordinated political attack” by groups seeking to intimidate him, but of course offered no support for that claim. ARIZONA MIRROR:Arizona Republican Party's fundraising abysmal in run up to pivotal 2024 electionBY: CAITLIN SIEVERS - AUGUST 11, 2023 7:00 AMThe Arizona Republican Party's fundraising efforts so far this year are embarrassing, with Democrats outpacing them seven to one, leaving political operatives wondering if the party's new chairman can right the ship in time to mount any sort of meaningful campaign in 2024. The party took in only $165,000 in contributions so far in 2023, as compared to the Arizona Democratic Party's more than $1,150,000. And the state Republican Party's federal account, which is vital to fund operations during a presidential election year, was in a sad state as of the end of June, with less than $24,000 in cash on hand, compared to the state Democratic Party's nearly $714,000.Because of campaign finance laws, the parties must operate separate accounts for money spent to help elect federal candidates and funds used to bolster state and local hopefuls. Robert Graham, a former Arizona Republican Party chairman from 2013-2017, told the Arizona Mirror, “If this were me, I would be sweating a little bit.” He went on to say that the last party chairman Kelli Ward's extravagant spending and far-right fringe politics have left some big donors hesitant to give.Ward, who chaired the state GOP for four years beginning in January 2019, was part of the group of fake electors from Arizona that hoped to overturn former President Donald Trump's loss to President Joe Biden in 2020. She bought into election conspiracy theories and spent more than $500,000 on an election night party and statewide bus tour in 2022, angering fellow Republicans who would have rather seen that money used to help GOP candidates who lost extremely tight statewide races.In that election, Arizona Republicans suffered losses in the race for governor, secretary of state and attorney general and the U.S. Senate.One former AZ Democratic Party executive director said“Functionally, they're running an operation right now that wouldn't be capable of running one Dairy Queen franchise, much less a state operation to hopefully elect a senator or a president,” “I would be shocked, I think, just given where they are right now, if this time next year they're running any sort of impactful campaign or effort out of the state Republican Party.”DENVER WESTWORD:Firebrand Teacher Tim Hernández seeks seat in Colorado HouseHouse District 4 had been represented by Serena Gonzales-Gutierrez, who won an at-large seat on Denver City Council.By Michael RobertsAugust 9, 2023Tim Hernández is a teacher best known for fighting on behalf of diversity, equity and inclusion related to both students and educators. Now he hopes to bring his passion to the Colorado Legislature as a representative for House District 4.Hernandez has been a controversial figure, making headlines last year when students at North High School protested the decision not to keep him on the staff.Colorado's House District 4 stretches roughly from Regis University south to Morrison Road, and from Sheridan Boulevard east to Zuni Street. However, the District's voters as a whole won't be making the selection — at least not yet. On August 26 "appointed leadership of the Democratic Party within the House district, an estimated 69 individuals, will decide who fills out the rest of the term.  Two other hopefuls with significant Democratic connections are also vying for the spot. Cecelia Espenoza previously worked as a counsel for the U.S. Department of Justice and an appellate immigration judge. She is also a former professor at the University of Denver and St. Mary's University School of Law, and a former chair of the board at the National Hispana Leadership Institute in Washington, D.C., as well.Also in the race is Rochelle Galindo, who in 2015 became the first openly gay person to be elected to the Greeley, Colorado City Council. She followed this win by besting Republican rival Michael Thuener to become the state representative for Weld County's District 50 in 2018. She resigned the next year after being accused of sexual assault and providing alcohol to a minor and was cleared of the charges in 2021. Since she left the legislature, Galindo has worked in various roles at advocacy organizations Colorado People's Alliance, Colorado People's Action, and Emerge.NEVADA CURRENT:NV households struggle to pay summer power bills, and it's getting worseBY: JENIFFER SOLIS - AUGUST 15, 2023 5:34 AMRecord heat in Southern Nevada throughout July drove scores of residents to take refuge in air-conditioned homes, but the cost of fighting off summer temperatures will likely leave an alarming number of Nevadans unable to pay their bills. Last month was the hottest July ever recorded in Las Vegas, with a daily average high of 109 degrees. The last two weeks of July were the hottest 14-day stretch on ever record, with an average high of 112 degrees. Nevada residents living in a single-family home saw an average 22% increase — from about $337 per month fo $407 per month - in their energy bills.Electricity rates in July were set to be even higher before NV Energy agreed to temporarily reduce costs for customers.For many Nevada households, an extra $60 to $70 dollars won't completely break the bank, but for low-income households or those on a fixed income, higher utility bills mean choosing between keeping the A/C running or addressing other essential needs like food and medication. In the worst-case scenario, lack of payment may lead to a power shut-off, leaving families scrambling to find enough money to restore service, often only to face disconnection again.Further, Nevada does not require utilities to disclose the number of customers they disconnect, leaving little transparency of the magnitude of the problem. NV Energy, a monopoly with more than a million captive customers, has shown little interest in publicly sharing the number of disconnected customers. An NV Energy spokesperson said in an email that “NV Energy does not share this type of data publicly, though the company works diligently with customers and makes every effort to avoid disconnecting power.”Data that is public reveals that more and more households are struggling to pay utility bills in Nevada. Applications for state utility assistance over the last three months of available data reveal a sharp 37% increase compared to the same period last year. Public health officials anticipate the high demand will continue as temperatures remain high throughout August. The state program, called the Energy Assistance Program, provides a supplement for qualifying low-income Nevadans with the cost of home energy. Eligible households receive an annual, one-time per year benefit paid directly to their energy provider.But the cost of that assistance ultimately falls on NV Energy customers. Part of the program's funding is subsidized by ratepayers through NV Energy's Universal Energy Charge, which adds 46 cents a month to the typical residential power bill.Unpaid bills that can't be recovered by NV Energy are eventually paid by customers too. Nevada law does protect utility customers from power shut-offs during periods of extreme heat, when a lack of air conditioning can result in waves of hospitalizations or even death. According to state statute, a utility company can't terminate service for a non-paying customer if the National Weather Service has forecast a period of extreme heat within the next 24 hours within the customer's geographical area. For most residents in Southern Nevada, extreme heat is defined as 105 degrees. So if it won't be 105 in the course of the next day, service can be terminated. NV Energy must also notify elderly customers at least 48 hours before termination of power.For all other residents in Southern Nevada, a forecast of 105 degrees or higher within a 24 hour period is considered extreme heat. Utilities also can't terminate service to a customer for nonpayment if the outstanding amount owed is $50 or less. But more than $50, it could be lights out. COLORADO SUN:Colorado's Copper Mountain resort starts seeding to spark a huge biodiversity effortJason Blevins3:50 AM MDT on Aug 15, 2023This story first appeared in The Outsider, the premium outdoor newsletter by Jason Blevins.In it, he covers the industry from the inside out, plus the fun side of being outdoors in our beautiful state.SUBSCRIBECopper Mountain has identified 558 acres on the front side of its ski area where soil work can help restore ecosystems and improve biodiversity to help lessen the impacts of climate change. Last year the resort announced a 10-year carbon sequestration plan to plant carbon-storing plants and grasses on its ski slopes. The resort has tapped researchers at Southwestern University in Texas in the effort, with student scientists staking out test plots on five ski runs where they can monitor vegetation growth using native seeds, compost and biochar.The ski area hosted several resort leaders at its second-annual conservation summit earlier this month in an effort to share their research, strategies and projects. A large focus was restoring biological vibrancy on ski slopes, which too often are simply treated pretty much like lawns instead of critical components of mountain ecosystems. Last year sustainability workers at Copper Mountain started collecting seeds from 27 native species and replanting them across the resort's north-facing ski runs.Jeff Grasser, head of sustainability at Copper Mountain said “We are experimenting. We are trying to figure out how to make all this work at a landscape level,” as he sifted through charred wood chips in a 50-gallon drum that he will carefully spread across plots of ski slopes to see how the porous, lightweight biochar might help native grasses thrive. The aptly named Grasser has big plans. What if he could create “tons and tons” of biochar in massive kilns, not just little drums? What if Copper Mountain's corporate owner deploys its fleet of helicopters for heli-skiing in Utah to spread biochar across all the ski slopes at the company's 10 mountain resorts?“We want to do this in ways that can be done on a very large scale and we can't wait to share these results with you,” Grasser told a group of sustainability leaders at a recent conservation summit.The program included a presentation from folks from another Colorado ski area, Arapahoe Basin, detailing how crews replaced vegetation by hand and preserved topsoil when installing new chairlift towers. The crew from Eldora Mountain Resort offered details of a project with the Town of Nederland to build a wetland to replace a trailhead parking lot. Sunlight ski area took a page from Copper Mountain's biodiversity playbook and began collecting native seeds for replanting on ski runs. The Copper Mountain project will build a dataset of more than 100 locations across the ski area, with 10 years of science showing how native grasses, compost and biochar can help resort operators regain a more diverse, balanced ecosystem on ski slopes.“We want to have the data to be able to say,‘Hey this works really well. Don't just take my word for it. We have scientific evidence that supports these methods. These are the first steps in delivering resilience so bio-diversity can grow.'”And your unsolicited concert pick of the week, Ha Ha TonkaThu., Aug. 24, 9 p.m. at the Skylark Lounge in Denver (Bobcat Club) $12-$15An indie / southern rock band originally formed in West Plains, MO, Ha Ha Tonka's "dark view of the realities of socio-economic hardship, backwoods prejudices and drug abuse is leavened by wry humor and a deep appreciation for regional storytelling traditions. New album Blood Red Moon will be released on October 23.After Denver, Ha Ha Tonka will play a slate of shows throughout California, then Columbia, Missouri on November 2nd, West Plains on November 3rd, and Springfield, Missouri on November 4th. hahatonkamusic.comWelp, that's it for me! From Denver I'm Sean Diller. Original reporting for the stories in today's show comes from Colorado Sun, The Outsider, Colorado Newsline, Arizona Mirror, and Denver's Westword.Thank you for listening! See you next time.

Kaelyn Hamilton has Got Next!!! Welcome to the SLT “You Got Next” series. This series is dedicated to the athlete/actor/entrepreneur who doesn't ask for any recognition but continues to push themselves to limits that many didn't think they had. We see you and we want to let the world know who you are... we present to you the SLT next series and Kaelyn Hamilton has "Got Next" Make sure you subscribe, like and follow us on IG, Twitter and Facebook @sportlifetalk. You can watch the live streamed show on our Sportslifetalk Facebook page and on our YouTube channel. Want

Seniors at Glenbard North High School and Teen Ambassadors for Mental Health Hailey Noll, Shannon Thomas, and Sofi Sandoval join Lisa Dent to discuss what the Teen Ambassador Program and the DuPage County Health Department are doing to help promote mental health wellness. Follow The Lisa Dent Show on Twitter:Follow @LisaDentSpeaksFollow @SteveBertrand Follow @kpowell720 Follow […]

Comedian / comedy club owner Dave Boelman joins Haley and Aloe in The Green Room for a fun chat about becoming an owner of TeeHee's Comedy Club, coaching at North High School and other stuff.

Welcome to TAB Storytellers' 11th episode! Join Jen and Abi as they chat with D. J. Osmack, a visual art teacher at North High School in Denver, Colorado and the Past-President of the Colorado Art Education Association. Together, they discuss the impact of play and experimentation on our artistic processes, the role of the teacher in the art room and the curriculum, and the impactful practice of visual journaling. For more information about TAB, please visit the TAB website: www.teachingforartisticbehavior.org. Also, you are invited to join us on Mighty Networks (https://teaching-for-artistic-behavior-inc.mn.com/), an online platform dedicated to everything TAB! Here is a link to the unedited transcript of this episode: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1QA4-hOhckUm97TVJ5x7SuIa4Z99--Ttt1bgACZVu9EE/edit?usp=sharing. We recognize that there are probably errors and grammatical issues. If anyone with the time or inclination to edit this wants to do so, please email us at storytellers@teachingforartisticbehavior.org.

Kevin is the Physics teacher and coach of the Science team from Naperville North, he and the competitors Kai, Andrew, and Claire tell Steve and Jane the inner workings of how they prepare for the competition.  These are graduate level questions that the students must answer within seconds and do so consistently. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Rundown -   Intro with Troubadour Dave Gunders - 00:36   "Do What I Say" by Dave Gunders - 19:13   Paul Pazen - 24:38   Paul Pazen is a Denver cop, through and through. Born and raised in Denver in the shadow of District One, Pazen attended North High School and then joined the Marines where he served in the first Gulf War. He returned to join the Denver Police Department in January 1995.   Pazen took on one top assignment after another. He rose through the ranks to become Denver's police chief from 2018 through 2022. Retiring last October, Pazen is poised at age 52 for his next public service challenge. We discuss what's next.   Public service was instilled in Pazen at an early age by his grandmother Lola Trujillo. Pazen only wants to succeed in Colorado and has no plans to move. Although he seriously considered a run for Denver mayor, listen as he explains his family reasons for not running now.   Pazen initiated successful law enforcement programs and had crime going down pre-pandemic. This former Denver police chief created and implemented the STAR (Support Team Assisted Response) program which sends mental health professionals, not cops, to certain non-violent calls.   Pazen responds to controversies occurring during his tenure. There was a $14 million judgment in federal court for DPD civil rights violations responding in 2020 to George Floyd protests. Former Chief Pazen brings up that 81 police officers were injured in that terrible week of downtown violence. We also discuss the Lodo shooting incident in which a DPD officer is now indicted.   Chief Pazen explains his fear of mass murder and preparation therefor. We review horrific crime sprees that went down on his watch. We remember the tattoo parlor victims and others in Lakewood and Denver, slain by a gunman who wrote it all down. Could DPD have stopped him? Could prosecutors? We discuss.   We also discussed the tragic murder of Shmuel Silverberg at Yeshivah Toras Chaim in August of 2021 and how his five assailants have still not been arraigned in Denver's congested criminal court system. Chief Pazen showed up at that murder scene and countless others.   Pazen provides behind the scenes details, including how these crimes affected him personally. Discussed also is the tragic murder of Isabella Thallas and the critical wounding of Darian Simon on June 10, 2020. We try to further solve the mystery of the AK-47 murder weapon which belonged to DPD Sgt. Dan Politica.   We talk about Denver and Colorado's crime problems and their solutions, including how to combat car thefts and fentanyl deaths. Murder is not at record levels in Denver, but Colorado is setting murder records. What is going on? Pazen has wisdom.   Troubadour Dave Gunders has abundant wisdom, as displayed in his magnificent song, "Do What I Say." Dave Gunders contributes to a lively introduction, discussing current events, including the Biden classified documents investigation, Governor Jared Polis' inaugural and possible run for president, as well as guitar greats, the late George Harrison and Jeff Beck. GoGo's Belinda Carlisle talk too.

This is the first installment of our special addition, "Coaches Lounge". In this episode we are joined by Zach Gutierrez. Zach is a coach, business owner, an professional poker player, avid fisherman and most importantly a father. Zach is the head wrestling coach for the Jr Vikings wrestling club who will host the WSWL Denver North Banger Wrestling Tournament at North High School in Denver January 15, 2023. Zach is also the owner of Anytime Flood Restoration, visit their website for a list of services provided, https://www.anytimefloodrestoration.com/. Catch Zach at a poker table near you, but first hear what he has to say on the DNA Sports Podcast. As usual, hit up https://dnasportsdenver.com/ and stay up to date with we got going. Hit the mail bag,https://dnasportsdenver.com/askdna, and provide any questions you have for our coaches or provide feedback.

A new documentary series is putting a national spotlight on a Minneapolis football team. The series “Boys in Blue,” premiers on Friday, Jan. 6 on Showtime. The series follows the North High School football team during the 2021 season. Charles Adams III is coach of the Polars and he's featured prominently in the documentary. MPR News host Cathy Wurzer spoke with him about the team. Use the audio player above to listen to the full conversation. Subscribe to the Minnesota Now podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.   We attempt to make transcripts for Minnesota Now available the next business day after a broadcast. When ready they will appear here.

We'll get the latest weather news from meteorologist Paul Huttner on what's going on with this week's storm and what to expect next. It's a tough day to get out and about due to snow. We'll find out how public transit for folks with special needs is managing to get people where they need to go. A Minnesota start up is connecting moms with jobs that have flexible schedules and remote work options. Cathy spoke with the founder about how it works. The Red Lake nation continues to grapple with blood quantum policies and expanding its population. The North High School football team in North Minneapolis is the focus of a new series on Showtime available to stream this weekend. We'll talk with the head coach about being in the spotlight. Use the audio player above to listen to the full conversation. Subscribe to the Minnesota Now podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.  

Coach Chris Arthurs joins the podcast! Coach Arthurs is the Defensive Coordinator and Head Boys track coach at Naperville North High school. Coach discuss why they run the 4-2-5. What they first install with their players. How offenses have changed. And strength training. Coach Arthurs Twitter: @Coach_Arthurs90 Please like, subscribe, review, and share out! https://linktr.ee/thecoachsteveshow Check out belly up sports podcast network! https://bellyupsports.com/ Head to www.guardiansports.com/guardian-caps and use the code: “15OFF” – good for 15% off Guardian Caps to help the impact for football players Get back to the basics with Coach Stone: https://www.coachstonefootball.com/ Get the best sunglasses in the game today! Use for any activity! Go to https://www.yeetzofficial.com/ use the code CSS for 10% off Looking for the cleanest nutrition drink? Looking for the cleanest drink to give you energy without the crash? Head to https://www.swiftlifestyles.com/ and use the code: coachsteveshow to get 15% off! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Coach Chris Arthurs joins the podcast! Coach Arthurs is the Defensive Coordinator and Head Boys track coach at Naperville North High school. Coach discuss why they run the 4-2-5. What they first install with their players. How offenses have changed. And strength training. Coach Arthurs Twitter: @Coach_Arthurs90 Please like, subscribe, review, and share out! https://linktr.ee/thecoachsteveshow Check out belly up sports podcast network! https://bellyupsports.com/ Head to www.guardiansports.com/guardian-caps and use the code: “15OFF” – good for 15% off Guardian Caps to help the impact for football players Get back to the basics with Coach Stone: https://www.coachstonefootball.com/ Get the best sunglasses in the game today! Use for any activity! Go to https://www.yeetzofficial.com/ use the code CSS for 10% off Looking for the cleanest nutrition drink? Looking for the cleanest drink to give you energy without the crash? Head to https://www.swiftlifestyles.com/ and use the code: coachsteveshow to get 15% off! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Big announcements this week from IRONMAN and Tour de France. We've been talking for weeks about the 2 Day IMWC dilemma. IM's answer- 2 different locations, 1 month apart and on opposite sides of the globe for women and men. We knew the women were racing in Kona in October '23. It looks like the men will be racing in Nice France in September. We'll talk about this in the news and more.   Show Sponsor: UCAN Generation UCAN has a full line of nutrition products to fuel your sport. UCAN uses SuperStarch instead of simple sugars and stimulants to fuel athletes.  UCAN keeps blood sugar steady compared to the energy spikes and crashes of sugar-based products. UCAN also has hydration products focused on giving you the sodium you need when hydrating, including several clean and light flavors. Steady energy equals sustained performance and a faster finish line!   Use UCAN in your training and racing to fuel the healthy way, finish stronger and recover more quickly!  Use the code 303UCAN for 20% off at ucan.co/discount/303UCAN/ or ucan.co   In Today's Show Endurance News Dual Hosts for 2023+ IRONMAN World Championship Tour de France will skip Paris finale in 2024 Chloe Dygert undergoes surgery to treat tachycardia What's new in the 303 Meet the East HS MTB Team TriDot Pre Season Project Video of the Week Danny MacAskill's Postcard from San Francisco   News Sponsor Buddy Insurance: Buddy Insurance gives you peace of mind to enjoy your training and racing to the fullest. Buddy's mission is simple, to help people fearlessly enjoy an active and outdoor lifestyle.    Get on-demand accident insurance just in case the unexpected happens. Buddy ensures you have cash for bills fast.  Go to buddyinsurance.com and create an account.  There's no commitment or charge to create one.  Once you have an account created, it's a snap to open your phone and in a couple clicks have coverage for the day.  Check it out!   Endurance News: IRONMAN Announces Plan for Dual Hosts for VinFast IRONMAN World Championship TAMPA, Fla. (Nov. 30, 2022) /ENDURANCE SPORTSWIRE/ – Following the first-ever two-day IRONMAN World Championship and a continued commitment to providing women and men their own dedicated day of racing, IRONMAN announced today that the 2023 VinFast IRONMAN® World Championship triathlon will move forward with two different host venues. To ensure that both professional and amateur women and men have a focused IRONMAN World Championship race experience, the women will race in Kailua-Kona, Hawai`i on October 14, 2023, with the men's race date and location outside of Hawai`i currently being evaluated and expected to be announced in January 2023. For 2024, the men and women would exchange locations.   The 2022 VinFast IRONMAN World Championship was held this past October in Kailua-Kona, Hawai`i over two days for the first time in the history of the event, showcasing the very best women and men in the sport while giving both their deserved spotlight. With the future dual host locations and separation of race weeks, the women's and men's races will each garner further attention with all eyes focused on the race week activities and lead up to their respective IRONMAN World Championship race days.   While the 2022 VinFast IRONMAN World Championship two-day format was a success in many areas and the two-day format in Kailua-Kona for 2023 had already been announced, IRONMAN and the County of Hawai'i concluded together that the impact of two days of racing in Kona is not currently in the best interest of the local community.   “We are reinforcing our commitment for a dedicated world championship race experience for women and men to each receive an exclusive spotlight on their race. Hawai`i is in our DNA and we look forward to the first-ever exclusively women's world championship race week in Kona. At the same time, we are looking forward to announcing a co-host location for the men's race that will be worthy of an IRONMAN World Championship and will capture the imagination of our athletes and fans,” said Andrew Messick, President & Chief Executive Officer for The IRONMAN Group.   Hawai`i is the proud birthplace of IRONMAN and despite not being able to undertake a two-day world championship event at this time, it will continue to be an important part in the shared history of IRONMAN, with Kona continuing as a co-host of the IRONMAN World Championship.   “Hawai`i County has long enjoyed partnering with IRONMAN and this year's epic races were another example of world-class athletic competition held on the traditional Kona-Kohala world championship course,” said Hawai`i County Mayor Mitch Roth. We learned, however, that more than one race day during IRONMAN week is too many for the community to manage. We are pleased that IRONMAN plans to return to Kailua-Kona as a co-host of the 2023 VinFast IRONMAN World Championship and look forward to more exciting events in the future.”   With this major move to ensure dedicated IRONMAN World Championship racing for both women's and men's fields, the qualifying cycle and slot allocations will be slightly adjusted. Allocations may be viewed here, www.ironman.com/im-world-championship-2023-slot with further adjustments to occur in line with the Men's Championship race location announcement, expected to occur in January. Additionally, all athletes who have previously qualified and registered for the 2023 VinFast IRONMAN World Championship will be contacted directly with additional information.     Tour de France will skip Paris finale in 2024 For the first time in race history, the Tour de France will not conclude in Paris in 2024. That's according to La Gazzetta dello Sport, which reports that Nice will be the host of the final stage in two years.   Why? With the Olympic Games set for Paris from late July into mid-August, officials do not want the logistical and security issues overlapping between the Games and the Tour.   The final stage of the Tour has always been in Paris (or in nearby suburbs), and since 1975 the final stage has ended on the Champs-Élysées.   The 2024 edition of the Tour is expected to start in Italy for the first time, with stages in Tuscany and the Piemonte regions before dipping into France.   The race would then embark on its traditional “grande boucle” around France, but instead of heading to Paris, it will loop back toward Nice for the finale.   Nice recently hosted the “grand départ” of the 2020 edition of the Tour that was rescheduled for September in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.   Details of the 2023 edition are already revealed, with the race starting in Spain's Basque Country, and the final stage, as always, in Paris.     Chloe Dygert undergoes surgery to treat tachycardia Chloé Dygert has undergone surgery to treat supraventricular tachycardia (SVT), a condition which causes episodes where the heart beats much faster than usual.   The North American rider revealed the information in a post on Instagram accompanied by video clips of herself lying in a hospital bed.   "My SVT was annoying but not life-threatening, (as long as I stopped immediately if I was training)," Dygert, who is set to embark on her third season with Canyon-Sram next year, wrote.   "My most recent episode happened while I was out on an easy basic endurance ride, my heart rate peaked at 219, then sat at 205 for five minutes and 195 for another ten minutes.   "It would jump between 180 to 205 in the remainder of the episode lasting 35 minutes. I stopped and sat on the side of the road to wait for my heart rate to slow back down below 150."   Dygert explained that she had been suffering from the condition for nearly a decade, though the frequency of the SVT episodes had increased in recent months.   "It started for the first time back in 2015, only happening once or twice a year until this year," she wrote of the condition, which is rarely life-threatening but may cause a cardiac arrest or unconsciousness.   "But just the past two months it has triggered five times. My fear is having one during a race and needing to stop so we made the decision to go in and get it fixed with the frequency increase."   Dygert has endured a hard two years after suffering a brutal crash during the Road World Championships time trial in 2020. She was away from racing for nine months following the devastating knee injury suffered after colliding with a guard rail during the Imola time trial.   Last year she took part in the Olympic Games road race and time trial, though her 2022 season was once again ruined thanks to a bout of the Epstein-Barr virus.   Her SVT surgery seems to only be a minor blip in her recovery, however, as Dygert revealed that she is already back on the bike and training.   "I was awake and lightly sedated during the procedure," she wrote. "Definitely one of the most unique kinds of pains I've ever felt. In the recovery, I wasn't allowed to move for 4 hours, giving the artery time to heal from the catheter ablation. I was back on my bike within 5 days after the procedure with only one minor hiccup happening on day 5."     What's New in the 303: Meet the East High School Mountain Bike Team East is one of several teams in the league made up of kids that attend different high schools. East and South are the only Denver Public School teams in the league. 96 teams make up the league with schools as far north as Spearfish, South Dakota, and south into Northern New Mexico.   How many different schools are represented on the East Team?   Denver Online HS, Denver School of Arts HS, DSST: Byers HS, DSST: Cole HS, DSST: Conservatory Green HS, DSST: Montview HS, East High School, George Washington High School, Hill Campus of Arts and Sciences, Morey Middle School, North High School, Northfield High School.   Describe the growth of the team over the years.   The team was founded in 2010 by Steve Bussey, an employee in the District's Office of Technology. Over the next ten years, the team grew and sometimes shrank before reaching a high point of over 50 riders. However, the team shrank significantly during the pandemic and subsequent cancellation of the racing season. Coming out of the pandemic, we expected the team to be approximately 30 riders, but were pleasantly surprised to field 42 riders and racers by the end of the season. Many are girls and/or high school seniors who joined the team for the first time.   In general, how experienced are kids on the team at racing, does the team attract never-before riders as much as experienced riders?   Most of our riders have some experience riding trails and some already have experience racing mountain, road, or cyclocross. However, the majority of our riders have never raced before joining the team. More interestingly, being a city-based team, some of our new team members have never owned or ridden a mountain bike before, We love attracting those new to the sport. So, while the learning curve can be steep, it is incredibly rewarding. Some of our favorite stories involve our new riders and the improvement they see over the course of a season.   Favorite practice rides and how often do they practice?   We practice Monday and Wednesday evenings on the Front Range trails. To avoid the heat in the early part of the season, Three Sisters and Lair ‘O The Bear are favorites. As the days get shorter and cooler, we frequent Green Mtn, North Table, Chimney Gulch, and Erie Bike Park. On non-race weekends, we try to organize rides a little further afield at places like Buffalo Creek or Trestle Bike Park. The biggest hurdle for the team is getting to the trails. Every practice will have a drive 30 minutes or more just to get to the trails. We rely on riders and parents to organize transportation for those unable to drive themselves. It's not easy.   Invitation to TriDot Pre Season Project The Preseason Project® is a triathlon research initiative that helps TriDot quantify and enhance the performance gains that TriDot's Optimized Training™ delivers over training alternatives. Welcome to the 2023 TriDot Preseason Project (PSP) application.      Submit this 2-minute app to qualify for 2 FREE months of optimized triathlon training with the TriDot Mark Allen Edition.   PSP is an annual R&D initiative that helps triathletes reach their true performance potential through optimized preseason training. It also quantifies the substantial performance gains that TriDot's Optimized Training delivers over training alternatives.   You qualify for the FREE training if you meet the following criteria: Planning an Olympic, Half, or Full triathlon for 2023 season Train using a device with GPS and/or power Have not used TriDot in the last 6 months Not a professional triathlete Enthusiastic and motivated to get a jump start on your season! * Applications are reviewed and accepted on a first-come basis and must be fully completed to be considered.    Register For Free https://app.tridot.com/onboard/sign-up/richsoares   Video of the week: Danny MacAskill's Postcard from San Francisco   Closing: Thanks again for listening in this week.  Please be sure to follow us @303endurance and of course go to iTunes and give us a rating and a comment.  We'd really appreciate it! Stay tuned, train informed, and enjoy the endurance journey!

Be inspired by the five teacher leaders on today's episode of 3Ps in a Pod. The five semifinalists from the Arizona Educational Foundation's 2023 Teacher of the Year consideration join us to share about their teaching journeys, the affirmation they've received through this recognition, and what they hope to do with their platform. The 2023 Teacher of the Year semifinalists are Jaime Camero, who teaches at Douglas Elementary in Flowing Wells Unified School District; Zel Fowler, who teaches at Emerson Elementary in Phoenix Elementary School District; Erin Henderson, who teaches at North High School in Phoenix Union High School District; Christina Musselman, who teaches at Starline Elementary in Lake Havasu Unified School District, and Robyn Yewell, who teaches at Winifred Harelson Elementary in Amphitheater Public Schools. These five outstanding Arizona teachers share about the unique vision they bring to their practice and how the Teacher of the Year process has helped them feel affirmed and celebrated for the work they do. They also share what they hope to do with their new platform as Arizona Teacher of the Year Semifinalists and how they want to elevate the teaching profession. Learn more about the Arizona Educational Foundation's Teacher of the Year program at azedfoundation.org, and look forward to hearing from the Teacher of the Year Finalists and the 2023 Teacher of the Year in upcoming episodes! Learn more about the Arizona K12 Center at azk12.org.

Top Stories- An Amber Alert is currently active in Kern County for a missing 15-year old girl out of Fontana- There's growing outrage from parents and student walkouts at North High School as they accuse school officials and the Kern High School District of trying to cover up the overdoses happening at the campus- The fentanyl overdose crisis continues to escalate in Kern County, where more than 600 people have died over the past three years

Earlier this year, North High School teacher Tim Hernández came on the show to talk about his experience teaching in a pandemic. But he also spoke passionately about the cultural significance of the work he does as a Chicano teacher on the Northside, and the importance of teaching Chicano and Latino history to his mostly Latino classes. So last week when Tim posted online that he was being let go from his beloved Northside school, we knew there was more to the story. Today on the show, Bree talks with Tim about his impending departure from North High School, and why — in a city with a supposed teacher shortage — a devoted, community-centered educator like him would be let go. On the show today, Bree also mentioned “Denver's Decade of Doom,” a term some housing and unhoused community activists are using to mark the 10-year anniversary of Denver's urban camping ban this week. See their event page for more details about the planned week of “grievance and action.”  Read and subscribe to the City Cast Denver newsletter: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/ Say hi on Twitter: @citycastdenver Looking to advertise on City Cast Denver? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices