Podcasts about Ramsey County

If homeless camps were called what they really are.......drug camps.....maybe things would start to change for the better. More state fair deaths that we were unaware of. Politicians in CA, as a sign of there being too much government, intend to dictate to consumers the type of car tires that they can buy. Johnny Heidt with guitar news. Heard On The Show:New data details how Ramsey County allocated $2.25M as Pig's Eye Park camp closure loomedCockfighting operation uncovered in Forest Lake: 3 Minnesota men chargedIran fires on its Gulf neighbors, retaliating for U.S. strikes after a monthlong lullSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Bob Fletcher is the Sheriff of Ramsey County. He joins Chad Hartman under the new WCCO Radio pergola. They start their conversation about the Sheriff Office's effort in tracking and managing gang violence within the Somali community. Sheriff Fletcher emphasizes that these gang members do not represent the Somali community as a whole. Their conversation flows into one about the necessity of accountability and their ideas of effective prosecution. In their second segment, Chad and Sheriff Fletcher talk about the number of officers dedicated to keeping the fairgrounds safe, the necessity for Minneapolis to hire more police officers and new technologies that are changing law enforcement.

We talk about the latest news regarding the passing of the legendary Dolly Parton at the age of 80. We hear from Dolly on here childhood, her Career, her Ambition and Philanthropy. We also her some of our favorite clips and welcome Laurann Kirschner from Bridge to Books a local partner of Dolly's Imagination Library. CLICK HERE for Details.Beth Carreno from Ramsey County join the show to talk about the Recycling Exists campaign. Details found at recyclingexists.com.It's Hot To Go with Tributes to Dolly and the sad news that Tim Curry also passed away. Breaking Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni News and the latest Bond Speculation.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Beth Carreno from Ramsey County joins the show to talk about the Recycling Exists campaign. Details found at recyclingexists.comSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Sheriff Bob Fletcher breaks down the use of Flock Safety license plate reader cameras across Ramsey County, how they've contributed to sharp drops in auto theft and violent crime, the auditing and data practices in place, and why he sees them as a key public-safety tool amid ongoing debates in St. Paul and beyond. Then the conversation turns to the upcoming Minnesota State Fair: the extra security measures, increased staffing (especially after dark on the Midway), warning letters sent to hundreds of young people with possible gang ties, and the overall plans to keep the Great Minnesota Get-Together safe for the expected crowds.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Minnesota State Fair is more than a 12-day event - it is a full-on lifestyle choice for 12 days, and Alex Lodner knows exactly how to make the most of it. Sunday's with Stephanie this week will feature my full State Fair Guide with picks, tops and tricks for making the most of the next 12 days at the Minnesota State Fair.Upgrade my subscription now so I don't miss the State Fair Guide.My goal with this newsletter is to help you discover new recipes and share things I am obsessed with. I also like to create short essays about what I am thinking about from time to time. It's like the miscellaneous drawer in my kitchen: a little bit of everything, some dribs and drabs—recipes, essays, helpful ideas, occasional interviews, restaurant suggestions, and more.What will I get as a free subscriber?As a free subscriber, you'll receive a newsletter in your inbox every week on Wednesday with a free recipe. You will be the first to know about any new classes or live cooking events I'm teaching, podcast episodes I'm releasing, etc.What else would I get if I paid to subscribe?Great question! First and foremost, you'll get my gratitude (I appreciate your support!!). I am a freelance creator, which means I work for everyone but no one full-time, so I pay all my own healthcare, buy my own groceries for recipes and shows, and fund my own podcast.You will also get the Sunday Subscriber email in your inbox each week. You will have access to the entire archive of posts, plus exclusive content like extra recipes only for Subscribers (there are 65 currently like this Corn Shrmp and Basil Risotto perfect for Summer), and access to Stephanie's Dish chat. .This chat lets you join the conversation, comment on posts, and engage with other people and me in the Sunday Subscriber community. I also link all my Taste Buds Episodes, Podcasts and appearance clips on the Jason Show so if you are into what I do - its all here posted each week. Subscribing is $8/month or $60/year.Whether you are a first-time visitor trying not to waste a single bite or a seasoned fairgoer looking to level up your annual plan, this episode will help you experience the fair like an insider. Perfect for anyone counting down to the fair, food lovers chasing the best bites, and Minnesota locals who want to make the most of every precious day on the grounds. Alex reveals the must-try new foods on her list, the classics she returns to every year, and the hidden gems that still make the fair feel magical even after decades of visits. You'll discover:* Why Tuesday and Wednesday are the smartest fair days for shorter lines* How to approach the new foods list before the most popular items get swarmed* The off-the-beaten-path favorites Alex never skips* Where to find the cleanest bathrooms, quietest rest spots, and easiest shortcuts* Which fair traditions are still worth your time, from the parade to the llama spectacle to the church dining hallsOriginal Episode TranscriptStephanie Hansen (00:00.724)Hello everybody and welcome to Dishing with Stephanie's Dish, the podcast where we talk to cool people in the food space. And today I'm talking to my friend Alex Lodner. And Alex is someone that I feel like I owe a public thank you to. She would fill in on my radio show a lot in the times when I started going to the cabin quite a bit more and started the garden.And I have become friends with Alex over the years. And Alex is also someone that whenever we think of the Minnesota State Fair, she is someone that comes to mind. She's a fair aficionado. She really has done a lot to help with the fair foundation. And I just am loving to geek out with a fellow friend that loves the Minnesota State Fair. Thanks to coming on the program, Alex.Alex Lodner (00:37.55)Okay, I'll take that.Anytime, of course. My favorite subject. You knew that. You knew that when you got me.Stephanie Hansen (00:53.756)I did. I did. So let's talk a little bit about your love of the fair and how it all started.Alex Lodner (01:01.5)yeah, so you know, the fair is kind of a crazy thing, right? It's this insane time for twelve days. I always say that I suspend my entire personality during those twelve days because I don't like crowds, I don't like fried foods, barn animals, you know, all those things are not something that I normally r seek out. And it just those twelve days are just magic. You just lean in and if you do it right, I think it's a it's aan amazing experience. I hear a lot from people who are who go once a year with their, you know, family of five and they they can't understand why I go an average of eight times. And I always tell them it's a completely different experience. When you go multiple times, you're not trying to fit everything into one day. You find your secret rest spots. You find your favorite foods that are maybe a little bit off the beaten path. We always had our sec secret little spaces where we put our blanket down and let the toddler run around andSo it's a very different experience when you go multiple times.Stephanie Hansen (02:02.629)Yeah, I think so too. There was a couple of years where Steph, my radio partner on Weekly Dish and I recorded a podcast and we would meet out there every day and record the podcast. We got a lot of cool behind-the-scenes stories, and just the pace feels different. The fair is like it's like a mini city that happens for 12 days in our state. The rest of the state, believe it or not, sort of comes to a silent pause.It has its own police force, it has mm people that sleep out there for weeks. It really is just like this weird microcosm of something that only happens once a year in our state, and it's actually pretty joyful.Alex Lodner (02:48.458)Exactly. And I used to live a mile away. And so when when my daughter was little, there would be a little parade of strollers of us going back and forth from the fair. We'd go back to the house for a nap. We go back to the fair. And so it really again, when you're right there, it's a very different experience. And the only thing I would say is do not try to go to the Target Roseville during the twelve days of the fair. It empties out, there's no produce.But other than that, it's just it was always so fun to live in that neighborhood. You're you're just in the thick of it. It's it's really it's quite a high.Stephanie Hansen (03:24.741)Yeah, yeah. When we think about the fare, one thing that people talk about a lot and I feel like I just want to address up front is expense, particularly in a year where people aren't feeling flush with cash. it is an expense. It is an expense to go with your family of four or five. Tickets are, I think, $20 unless you've bought them in advance.Alex Lodner (03:47.392)At the door, yeah. Mm-hmm.Stephanie Hansen (03:49.002)And you know, food is gonna be expensive because we've seen food costs go up 33% in the last two years. There is a large minimum wage in our state. So yeah, it isn't necessarily a value proposition. There are good values to be had and there are deals to be had. The blue ribbon book is probably the best thing to do.Alex Lodner (04:12.226)Fantastic deal. Mm-hmm.Stephanie Hansen (04:14.811)you get like a lot of discounts. There's two for ones and just going on the right days. Like if you're going on senior day or kids' day. So without not I don't want to lay belabor the costs of the fair because I don't it ruins the experience, but it is a thing.Alex Lodner (04:29.88)But it's a thing. It's a definite it's a definite factor. Yeah, for sure. For sure. Yeah. And again, I say we used to go every day. I understand that that's not an easy task for most. It's because we live so close. There's the cost of parking, there's a cost of just driving there from Elk River or wherever you're coming from. I have talked to the marketing department off and on in the years about doing a a punch card or a a passport of some sort, but it's just never really gone through.Stephanie Hansen (04:58.801)Yeah, it's a great idea. Cause I think it feels like since COVID, the fair has become even more wild because people couldn't go for the COVID times. And so now it's like people realize what a treasure it is and they don't want to miss it. When you plan your state fair, and are you planning yours already for this year?Alex Lodner (05:24.59)Did you really just ask me that? I'm offended. I'm offended. Yes, I'm planning the state fair this year. Well, so here's a side note. I've actually, other than covering the fair for I don't know, almost 20 years, I've also worked off and on for some vendors there. And this year I'm working for a vendor there. It'll she'll go unnamed, but I'm working for a vendor there. A friend of mine owns a a new vendor. So I'm going to be there.Stephanie Hansen (05:25.937)I'm just asking.Yeah.Alex Lodner (05:55.519)Seven shifts, I think. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I I will, I will. Yes.Stephanie Hansen (05:57.519)gosh, I can't wait. Okay, you'll have to tell me off air because I'll make sure to pop by and see you. I over the years, so once we stopped doing the podcast I started doing the garden. And unfortunately for me, garden season in Ely is the end of August and the first week of September. So I basically front-load all my fair experiences. I'll be out there Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday. And then I'll leave Monday evening and head up to Ely. And then that's sort of the end of my fair time and I start harvesting everything.But I do love kind of having it in that condensed window too, because I get all the early excitement.Alex Lodner (06:37.614)You do. And yeah, you go during the busy days, don't you? Tuesday and Wednesday are the quietest days. And one of my tips is always to go on a Tuesday and Wednesday, regardless of what deals you get. You're just gonna have the shorter lines. It's just not as stressful. But yeah, I I would I do all the things. I go throughout the whole thing. I don't go on weekends. That's kind of I believe I have weekend shifts, but I'll go work and get out.We do not go as patrons during the weekend. That's we leave that for people who can't go during the week.Stephanie Hansen (07:13.404)Yes, I think in the restaurant business we would call that the amateurs. I know, because it doesn't sound very nice and sound sort of elite. Yep. Okay, so day one, you're heading to the state fair, day one, and you're there for not reporting, not work, you're just there for fun. What are like some of your top things to do?Alex Lodner (07:18.528)I was gonna say we call it amateur hour, but I was not going to say that but you did. We always call it nope, that's amateur hour. Yeah, yeah.That you like to do on day one.Yeah. Such a good question. Last year was my first year as a regular folk going to the state fair on day one. And actually Smart and I talked about that. Like this is just so weird. She she did do her her report, but it's just very strange to not have the new list and to not make sure you get everything in. I think on day one, I still do try andgo for the new things that I have circled. So you know, the official foods and the non-official foods, if people know that there are some new foods that didn't make the official cut, but they're just as exciting, sometimes even better. And I do make sure that I hit those. And the reason that I do that is because once all of our colleagues have reviewed everything, it blows up. And so an example of that is the Amish donuts, Peach's Amish donuts.We when was that? Twenty twenty-three, I believe was their first year. And all of us rated at number one. So we go as a group. So I go with I went for MSP with Steph, March and you know, Minmo goes and strip goes. And we all including Jason Mathis and we all rated at our number one or in their top three. Well then now you know the lines are an hour long. And so I'm not saying we're so powerful, but if you can if you candecide what you want to try out of the official and new foods and hit those on day one before the reporters get there and before we release our reviews. That's your only chance of really getting away from those long lines. We went up to the pizza, to the pickle pizza. We were there when the first year we were there, we walked right up to the to the counter and day two history. Mm-hmm.Stephanie Hansen (09:31.165)Yeah. Now it's hard. I went, well, I have 14 new fair foods lined up for Jason to try on day one. And then day two, I have 14 beverage things, non-alcoholic and alcoholic things. And we try to really load them up for the first two days so that, you know, he is part of that queue of of influencers, as it were, of people thatAnd I have to say I've done a really good job of anticipating, not only because I have to think about like what he's gonna like, but which ones are gonna hit.Alex Lodner (10:03.427)Which ones will hit?And you do you only use the official foods? Official new foods? Yeah.Stephanie Hansen (10:09.896)I do, I do. And I know that there are a lot of great foods that come out that are on the new but not official food list. Cause each vendor has new items that they're introducing every year and not all of them make them to the new list. but I try to, I mean, we only have X amount of time, so I try to just load them up with as much as I can. Are thereAlex Lodner (10:30.105)Fourteen is a lot. Uhhuh.Stephanie Hansen (10:31.708)Yeah, I think so. I mean of the I think there were thirty-six new, so we're getting at least a third of them in one day. are there things on the new list that will you're excited to try?Alex Lodner (10:35.905)Yes. I actually have it written down because there's so many of them. So I like the I tend to no I notice when I look at all the new foods that I liked best over the years that I go for the more refreshing things. So I won't necessarily I rarely go for the heartier, heavier things, although we'll talk about that in a second. But the mango sticky rice refresher at Chan's Eatery. Do you know where Chanse Eatery is? It's it's in the north end, and not to be confused, there'sAlex Lodner (11:13.561)Chan's chicken and a stick in the South. Different, different vendor. So they have that. I think it's like gonna be a drink, but it almost looks like tapioca pudding situation, but with sticky rice. Really excited about that. the the it's on days two. Yes, so you're looking at as a drink. Yeah. The strawberry sundae tart with Ube at Sarah's tipsies. Sarah's tipsies pies is one of my I always have foods that I repeat.Alex Lodner (11:43.192)I try not to repeat foods ‘cause there's so many, but I have a handful that I repeat and that's always her pies. Usually I do her lemon lemon blueberry. But I'm gonna try the strawberry tart with ube. Ube is, you know, that's the hot thing. It's been for a while.Stephanie Hansen (11:58.739)It's very ubiquitous in TikTok land. It's the purple sweet potato ingredient.Alex Lodner (12:04.191)Ube or Pondan, which is the green. and then the the banana butterscotch barn razor at Farmers Union. Farmers Union can do no wrong in my eyes. Every they just hit out of the park every time. So really excited about trying that. And it's strange because these are all sweet things, which is not normally my thing, but Greater Tater, which is is it a new vendor this year? Or it might have been last year.They're sort of blowing up on on the socials as well. And they're over by the animal barns and I'm curious to try them too. We tr no, we tried it two years ago. It was there's the really big tater tots and they were d yeah, and they were delicious. Not really my thing normally, butStephanie Hansen (12:45.054)The square ones. And that booth, too, they have a child that has special needs. And yeah. Yeah, he's great. And they do a good job of employing kids with special needs. So outside of the fact that the taters are good, really good, you know, you have this whole heartwarming story piece that I always like.Yeah, he's very popular on socials right now. He's adorable. I pretty much just want to meet him, let's be real. But I'll buy a potato too.And then another mention I want to say that I'm probably most excited about is the caramel apple iced tea from Loon Lake. Loon Lake has such good drinks and again, huge line. Always a huge line. You guys, it goes so fast. Give it a chance. Get in the back of that line. It will surprise you how fast it goes. They're very efficient. They have two sides. So the caramel apple one sounds intriguing. And as I'm saying all these, none of these are things that I would be attracted to during the year, but.Stephanie Hansen (13:52.764)Yeah, I have them on my list too. the caramel infused cold foam kinda sounded good.Alex Lodner (14:19.043)Yeah. I mean any any place would have me at foam. Be a chance eatery. I love my foam. A chance eatery. Yes, yes, cheers. a chance eatery. They also have an iced coffee that I'm going to try that either has the Ube or the Pantan foam. So just just make sure that I'm staying hip with the 19-year-old crowd. I'm gonna try those as well. Right?Stephanie Hansen (13:52.764)You do you and you do love coffee.Pandon foam. Huh. I had Pandon for the first time with my friends Heather Jans, the curry diva, who made me a Sri Lankan curry with it in there. And yeah.Alex Lodner (14:19.043)Yeah, I know they'reReally? I only think of it as a sweet ingredient. Ooh.Stephanie Hansen (14:27.055)No, she uses it in almost everything savory.Alex Lodner (14:30.667)Speaking of people who can do no wrong, my goodness. Yeah. Mm-hmm. yeah, so that's that's sort of on the on the official foods and then the not official, I'm really so a must-stop for me is the dairy goodness building, which is not to be confused with the dairy barn. AndStephanie Hansen (14:33.49)Yeah, she's an amazing person andStephanie Hansen (14:50.334)Help me understand where dear goodness is.Alex Lodner (14:53.145)Dairy goodness is in the dairy building. So the dairy building is right across from the haunted house. The dairy barn is where the cows live and it's way down over by the an barn animals. And soStephanie Hansen (14:58.684)Got it. Okay.Stephanie Hansen (15:04.392)And dairy goodness is where the butterheads are carved and you get the milkshakes.Alex Lodner (15:07.481)Correct. And you have that long winding line and you get milkshakes and my favorite is actually always get the Sundays. I always get the strawberry rhubarb sundae. This year their Sunday is called Moose Soda Apple Pie Sunday. If it does not have cinnamon in it, I will be trying it. So Nope. It's the only it's the only food item I don't I'm not allergic. I just strongly dislike it.Stephanie Hansen (15:22.195)Yum.Stephanie Hansen (15:26.076)Yeah, are you not a cinnamon person? Yeah, my producer is allergic to it.Yeah. that must make a a pumpkin spice latte not your favorite thing.Alex Lodner (15:42.788)Well, fall is hard on me. S listen, I no sweets for me in the fall because they like to put that cinnamon garnish on everything and sometimes I'll just order innocently order cappuccino and there'll be cinnamon on it. And s no, dude. I know it's October, but no.Stephanie Hansen (15:57.511)Outside Yeah, outside of the new foods, are there some classics that you go back for year after year?Alex Lodner (16:01.711)Yeah, always. I always, always have the corn. The corn roast. I've researched, you know, Brad's stuff to death. I know where those farms are. That is just the best there is. And if you're skipping on that, it's it's just it's a must-have. Must have. They cook it for an hour. It caramelizes, so it's so sweet. the key lime pie on a stick is a little known stand. Do you know where that is? It's underneath the beginning of the Skyride by the food building. It's sort of tucked in under there. And it's a key lime pie on a stick dipped in dark chocolate. Divine. I think it's yeah. And I don't know that if they raise their prices this year, but year after year it's been five dollars. I don't know what they're doing this year. But that's delicious. it's kind of one of those foods my daughter grew up on. So when she was a toddler, there'd be chocolate everywhere. And and now we still get that.Stephanie Hansen (16:43.336)Okay, I'm gonna try that.Alex Lodner (17:01.133)And then for me the grain belt blue beer over at now it's the Pratna Prize is sponsoring that pavilion. And so that's at the West End. And they started out with the blue beer, which is a blueberry beer, and then they top it with a foam again with the foam theme, and they top it with blue foam. Well, now they've they have Sangria beer that they can tap it with. They can tap it with all sorts of foam so you can mix the flavors. I go classic, blue beer, blue foam. AndStephanie Hansen (17:30.132)They have that raspberry beer flavored ice cream.Alex Lodner (17:34.327)The ice cream. They so this year it's it's double flavored and I cannot remember what the flavor of it. Peach, peach and raspberry. That was a surprising hit. We all dreaded getting that, I'll be honest. For the first year, it w we just were not sure what it was delicious. Yeah.Stephanie Hansen (17:38.76)Peach.Stephanie Hansen (17:50.442)I thought so too. And I think peach and you can either have peach, raspberry, or a swirl. I think that's gonna be a home run.Alex Lodner (17:57.092)I think so too. It was it didn't taste like beer. And again, speaking of suspending my personality for twelve days, I don't think you've ever seen me have a beer other when I'm forced to when I'm reviewing. And I just love that one. It's again very refreshing.Stephanie Hansen (18:09.608)I think I did do the we did the specialty beverages one year together and all the beers and you just were not having any of it. And I was like, Alex, this one is good.Alex Lodner (18:18.735)Well I was like I tastes like the last thirty, but sure. I've ran out of words. I no longer know how to describe this the taste of this beer. Combining all the beverages and all the official foods was just that was brutal.Stephanie Hansen (18:34.44)Yeah, it was a big day for everybody. Okay, let's talk about some non-fair things. Like one of the things that I really encourage people to do is to go to the llama parade.It is just such a weird, kitschy, funny, fun, joyful experience to see people leading around their llamas in costume. They're in costume. It's just this cute, fun, weird Americana thing that I love so much. Do you have other like activities that you do at the fair that kind of check this box?Alex Lodner (18:50.937)We always watch the parade. So at two o'clock there's always a parade through the fairgrounds. We sit in front of the Bailey House, which it's is that big, beautiful yellow country house at the south end. We always sit right in front of it in the same spot every year. I bring a blanket. We have a blanket that I only save for the fair. It's very lightweight. We just always, always watch that the bands are especially a treat. And if you sit in that area or in front of the admin building, you're actually sitting by the sp by the announcer.So the marching bands really tear it up in front of the announcer because that's where the judges are. So that's a little tip of that's where you if you really want to see them display their full talents, sit in front of the admin building in the South End and they'll really pull it out for ya. what else?I'm trying to think to just some other in I meanStephanie Hansen (20:05.064)Well, yeah, and like seed art or crop art has really blown up in the last couple of years. I really enjoy it and I have seen some of the entries on threads that like preview, they're just they blow your mind, they're so amazing. so that's something, but also like don't overlook like just going and going through like the vegetable buildings and seeing like the big pumpkins and the beautiful tomatoes. They're just like these weird little moments of joy of just seeing some of the cool stuff that people make.Alex Lodner (20:31.241)Mm-hmm. The giant pumpkins. Mm-hmm.Stephanie Hansen (20:44.594)When I go into the four H building where they do their performances, the kids have plays. That's really fun.Alex Lodner (20:49.687)Right. Yes. And it's a really nice place to rest. It they have nice bathrooms there. They have nice stadium seating and yeah, you're supporting these kids who've planned on this all year. It's in the robotics competitions are in the education building. That's what we always go through the education building. I would say we go through every building, but probably my favorite is International Bazaar. And admittedlyStephanie Hansen (20:44.594)Yeah. What do you like there?Alex Lodner (21:15.831)I just weave. I do all the weaves. I get I'm not wearing it right now, but I get a bracelet from a specific place that's Kitty Corner from Holy Land. I get one every year from there. And I just I've seen it all a thousand times and somehow I just I just still love it. my my daughter used to get the little stuffed animals that that have the little beads in them. So she's got a collection of it's a snake and a dragon and yeah, we justIt's just you know, it becomes really nostalgic after you go for a while. this is maybe food related, but I'd really wanna encourage people to visit one of the dining halls or the Midway Men's Club. It is food, but you know, we used to have ninety some church halls at the state fair from the in started in the eighteen hundreds, of course, that's all there was, but now there's only two left. There's Salem and Hamlin and Hamlin. And Hamlin has been thereStephanie Hansen (22:08.702)Salem and Hamlin. Mm-hmm.Alex Lodner (22:14.091)is since eighteen fifty two or eight fifteen eight or something like that. And so, you know, go sit in there for a minute. It's so lovely to see all the volunteers that work there. Get an un at coffee at Salem, get whatever at Hamlet. It's all good. And just take that moment and sit down at Hamlet. They have the little the red and white picnic tablecloths and you share a table with people and they will often you turn to them and they will tell you how they've you know it's aStephanie Hansen (22:23.092)Get an egg coffee.Alex Lodner (22:42.915)Great grandfather, grandfather, daughter kids, and they will tell you, I've been coming here since I was eight. And so it's just a really take that moment in that you're at the fair, you're experiencing something, whether it's a cup of coffee or whether it's a a llama, you're experiencing it with people who have memories about it. So chatting with with strangers at those community tables is just a favorite of mine. And Midway Men's Club is they've been volunteering.for years those are all volunteers. I don't know how much their burgers are, but they were three twenty five in previous years. Yeah. I mean, I I think maybe. Yeah. And we call them pocket burgers because they wrap them up so nicely that when when we get burgers, we would get one and then or two and get one put in our pocket. And so we theStephanie Hansen (23:16.522)They're always the cheapest. It doesn't they maybe will have to raise their prices, but I I think they were maybe five bucks, but still the cheapest at the fair.Alex Lodner (23:38.274)Apparently it's the coldest beer at the fair. Again, not a beer drink over here, but that's what they claim. And everything is the least expensive there. And again, you're doing some good. They give all their money to the r to activities in Ramsey County, a lot of kids centered activities. They're all volunteers. So just take a minute and not go for the fancy, the colorful, you know, the hot new thing. But remember those classics because we're gonna lose them. So and I just I just really think they deserve a moment.Stephanie Hansen (23:42.268)And the least expensive. Yeah, that's where Stephanie and I always go first thing after the radio show on Saturday morning. We start at the Midway Men's Club. Yep, we have a beer, we have a burger, we thank them for their service and for being there. And theAlex Lodner (24:10.691)The men's club? Yep.Yeah. Yeah. They're the nicest. They're just the absolute nicest people. They have those fun little bar stools you can sit on. It's yeah. I really just I just really think it's important. If we we all love the state fair and we all talk about it, but then we also complain about it and we have to remember, you know, to give our put our money where to some of those classics as well.Stephanie Hansen (24:37.692)Yeah, I also want to call out Peg's Diner or the Peg. it is a full service restaurant experience and same family has been running it. They have a great egg sandwich. So if you want to start your breakfast.Alex Lodner (24:41.207)Yes. I it's on my list. It's on my list to mention. Yep.Mm-hmm. The only one.Alex Lodner (24:52.685)That I was gonna I have I have that on my list. And this year they're gonna have the dill pickle chicken tender sandwich on an English muffin. Hello. Right? Yep. I wanna say it's I I no, it's not official. It's new but not official. It's the Mr. Peg dill pickle chicken tender sandwich, an English muffin with toppings. And they're also very reasonably priced. The peg is very reasonably priced. They have the outdoor seating.Stephanie Hansen (25:01.738)Okay, you had me there. I did not know about this.Alex Lodner (25:21.247)And it's just it's again, it's one of those times where when I go there, just like when I go to the dining halls, I wanna sit for a minute. I'm not in and out. I wanna take it all in. It's a great place to sit and people watch for a minute.Yeah, taking your time.Stephanie Hansen (25:34.143)Where do you like to shop? You mentioned the bazaar. Do you because I really like shopping in the West End. Yeah, there's a lot of Minnesota makers there that I'm excited about. IAlex Lodner (25:37.185)I don't shop at the fair.Alex Lodner (25:41.635)Do you? You're a bigger shopper than I am. I'm not a very good shopper. I'm a pretty impatient shopper. I look at it and I like you, I go to the I Like You store. And I usually Sarah's stuff is amazing. I have several of her t shirts. I have her hat. I don't know if we're supposed to swear on this show, but it says that okay, it's a sh s**t s**t show on the on the hat. And I like getting the attention from that. People cover their children's eyes. ButStephanie Hansen (25:56.819)Yeah, that's a great one. They have good t shirts.Alex Lodner (26:15.725)So I like that. I do get something from her most years, but I put my money on food. I'll just be honest about that. Yeah.Stephanie Hansen (26:22.514)Yeah. Before we wrap it up, Alex, I wanna know where your secret bathroom is. Cause I feel like everybody has a secret bathroom. Maybe it's one that's not as well traveled as the others.Alex Lodner (26:33.839)Yes.Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. So there are good bathrooms in every quadrant. So I don't know if people know this, but the fair is divided into quadrant. They call it quadrant on the inside. And you'll notice that the benches, the benches that you can buy and name after someone, those are all different colors. Those are your quadrants. So yeah, so in front of, for example, in front of ballpark, it's they're all yellow.Stephanie Hansen (20:44.594)Okay, I did not know that. Good tip.Alex Lodner (27:06.699)And so if people the the bench that that we purchased is for our friend Hanzi, who you know, who passed away in twenty seventeen, and he his bench is in front of ballpark. So you sort of dedicate it to someone and put it in front of their favorite place. I digress. Those are quadrants and every quadrant has a good bathroom. You just have to sort of know where. The best ones, honestly, they're not so hidden, but the very end of West End.has the big so anytime you see a red brick building bathroom, they will also have water stations at the at either end of it. So bring your refillable water bottle. That's where you can refill water as well as other places. As well as other places throughout the fair, but you just always look for the red brick building. Those are somehow always clean. Always. In the grandstand, there are tucked away bathrooms that almost I don't think I've ever seen a line there.Stephanie Hansen (27:45.844)That's a good tip.Alex Lodner (28:03.863)And they're also spotless. There's one on either end of the grandstand. They're inside, so you sort of have to know where you're going.Stephanie Hansen (28:10.078)And they're kinda smaller, but they are nice.Alex Lodner (28:13.463)Yeah, they're they're not tiny. They're there's one that's bigger than the other. But yeah, they're they're always spotless. The cleaning crew do there just does a great job. over over in the north end I would say is your most challenging because that's where the food building is. I'm sorry, the south end. That's where the food building is. And so that gets to be a little bit busier traction there. But yeah.I'm loath to give up my secret spot, but I'm going to for you friends of the pod. And it is behind the giant slide. There is a bank of bathrooms back there that are clean, nice. They're right behind our Fox 9 booth, and a lot of TV station people know to go to those bathrooms. So those are good ones if you're looking.Alex Lodner (28:45.153)Okay.Alex Lodner (29:02.703)Well you you r you ruined you ruin it now. But that's one of my shortcuts. So one of the advantages of having of going so many times is people like going with me, not because I'm such great company, but because I lead them through people, you know, that it's gets so congested in front of the grandstand and there's different places where it pinches and I know all the hidden shortcuts and I will not be giving them away. But that's one of them. Right by those bathrooms. That's one of those shortcuts. Yeah.Stephanie Hansen (29:27.664)It is. There's another shortcut under the glider. Kind of by the i it's a back shortcut where youAlex Lodner (29:39.287)Are you gonna tell my shortcut? Do not wait, stop talking. Which short don't. Don't. That's my shortcut. No.Stephanie Hansen (29:45.34)I'm just gonna say it's a shortcut that takes you from the Colossian up to the north.Alex Lodner (29:52.716)I don't think Yes, Steph. We should have talked about this ahead of time. And they you know what? One year they put one year they put a fence up there and I saw the fence when I was heading towards it and I thought they were gonna cut us off, but they didn't. There's still an opening there.Stephanie Hansen (29:55.111)It I won't I'm just I'm just gonna say a AlexStephanie Hansen (30:09.938)Yeah, it's just smaller. It it's a handy one because the my talk one seven booth is up in that area and it's a handy quick to get up there. All right, well Alex, please.Alex Lodner (30:19.383)Yeah. And the best entrance, can we say the best entrance? The best entrance with no lines is right behind the the my talk. Harder to get to because there's no parking by it. But if you're willing to walk a little bit, there's never a line at that entrance. It's a secret little vendor entrance.Stephanie Hansen (30:34.282)Okay, I didn't know about that one.Alex Lodner (30:36.784)it's right behind your booth. Mm-hmm.Stephanie Hansen (30:38.142)Yeah, okay. So a secret entrance there. I always we always end up coming in where the where you come in where you rent the scooters and that area because we get dropped off. Yeah.Alex Lodner (30:49.335)At the north end. Yeah. Yeah, that's it's kind of a hike from there. But if you didn't want to walk through the crowds, if it was really crowded, especially for you guys on a Saturday morning, you don't go into the fair. You walk around on the outside of the fair and it will lay lead you to that secret. I'm j but we're just gonna have people wondering aimlessly now because of what I've just said. Ignore what I just said. Don't do that. People hundreds of people lost.Stephanie Hansen (31:06.954)Okay. Do you haveStephanie Hansen (31:12.17)No, do it, do it. Do you have yeah, I was gonna ask you one more question and I just totally can't do you have a park and ride location that you think is good?Alex Lodner (31:27.073)No, I have a little bit of a beef with Park and Ride, honestly. I know it's a great program. I know they're doing their best, but I believe this year they took away the suburban ones. Don't quote me on that, but I did not see them on the list. So the West suburbs used to only have one right by Ridgedale, and there were be lines across the highway. So it's across the highway from Trader Joe's. There would literally be lines across the highway. AndStephanie Hansen (31:51.604)Mm-hmm.Alex Lodner (31:54.466)So it they're just we're not enough in the suburbs. So you're I think what they're trying to get us to do, again, I'm not an official representative, but I think what they're trying to get you to do is to drive closer to the fair and then use a park and ride closer to the fair. So those buses aren't on the highway for a half an hour, which makes sense. So you want to drive into Roseville. my favorite is a new life presbyterian.Stephanie Hansen (32:02.281)Sure.Stephanie Hansen (32:19.242)Okay.Alex Lodner (32:20.001)There's it g it's getting more and more popular, but that's always a really good one. The people it's volunteers from that church. It's where Millie went to nursery school. And so that's our soft spot in our hearts.Stephanie Hansen (32:29.183)Okay. Okay, well I'll send people there then. On behalf of you and Millie. Alex said to come here.Alex Lodner (32:35.585)No, don't Great. Sorry, peeps for you know, I mean, you have a lot of listeners to this show. I'm not used to to having such an amplifier.Stephanie Hansen (32:45.542)You're funny. okay, so just on a personal note, since I have you here before we wrap up, what's next for you? I miss your writing.Alex Lodner (32:55.865)Thank you. I don't Steph, I don't know. I don't know. I've I've been in conversations with a few people. If you had asked me this a year ago, I would have said, absolutely not. I am retired. I'm living my best life. I'm gonna sort of pull a Steph Hanson this winter and be gone most of the winter. But I I miss it. Never thought never thought I'd say that. What's that?Stephanie Hansen (33:14.548)Mm-hmm.Well, and you can do remote work. Yeah. I it's when you can retire and choose your own life, it doesn't mean that you might not choose your old life. It just means that maybe yeah, may well, because I think people think you have to like do something completely different, but you gravitated to what you wanted to do for a reason. AndAlex Lodner (33:26.467)Mm-hmm.Alex Lodner (33:31.79)listen to you. Deep thoughts with Stephanie. It's true.Alex Lodner (33:43.887)True.Stephanie Hansen (33:45.066)what you get the flexibility and the privilege to do is to make it in the image of what you would like. Cause you have the flexibility to say no.Alex Lodner (33:55.074)Right. And I'll I'll say this to be clear. When I say retired, I retired from a very part-time job. So I've always had that privilege. I've been extremely fortunate to have created exactly the career I wanted and to be able to do exactly what I wanted. So and to work with you know, I'm really, really mean this, the best people, right? You and I know that. We worked with the best people of theStephanie Hansen (34:06.025)Yeah.Alex Lodner (34:21.993)Our our community is tiny in the Twin Cities. There's maybe 10 of us that do this. And I love every single one of these people that I've worked with. And so going back to that doesn't is not gonna be a you know, it's it's because it's something that I enjoyed all along. I did not leave it because I wasn't enjoying it anymore. I'd left it because of, as you know, some life changes. So things are settling down andStephanie Hansen (34:42.462)Yeah.Alex Lodner (34:49.899)We'll see. We'll see. You and I will talk. W we'll go have a non a non beer. I'll have coffee, you'll have a beer and we'll figure it out.Stephanie Hansen (34:52.326)Yeah, please keep me in the loop. Yeah. Maybe we'll see each other at the fair this year.Alex Lodner (35:01.283)Possibly I don't work on Saturday, but I might just pop in just to wave at you. I love doing that. I love harassing people from the bleachers.Stephanie Hansen (35:04.894)Okay.Yes, we will be live at Weekly Dish. I will be at Fox, yeah, 9 a.m. Saturday, 9 to 11 at Weekly Dish up in the North End, the first. And then I'll be at Fox Thursday and Friday. We have two-hour shows. The first hour is our national show. Our second hour is our local show. It'll be 10 to noon. And then at noon to th 12:30, I'll be doing a book signing at Fox.Alex Lodner (35:11.534)Nine AMAlex Lodner (35:16.291)The first Saturday. There's two Saturdays. So you're there the first Saturday, right? Yeah. Mm-hmm.Alex Lodner (35:25.763)What what time?Stephanie Hansen (35:37.412)on both days. And then Saturday I'll do a book signing after Weekly Dish ends at 11 for a half hour. And then Monday I'll be back and I'll be on Fox in the 10 o'clock hour. And then in the 11 o'clock hour I'm co-hosting with Jason for that day. And then I'll do a book signing after that. So yeah, lots of fun activities planned.Alex Lodner (35:37.485)Goodness.fun.Okay. All right. I'll have you text me that because I am not gonna remember anything you just said. But I'll have you text me my s thank you, and I will pop in. I I know the secret door.Stephanie Hansen (36:03.795)I will text you. Okay. Thanks, Alex. Yeah, and I forgot to tell you this when we started. Give yourself about 20 seconds before you log off just to make sure that the podcast catches up with our voices. Yeah, exactly. Okay. All right. See you.Alex Lodner (36:18.97)So I'm not just out. Peace out. All right. Talk to you, Love.Stephanie Hansen's @StephaniesDish Newsletter is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit stephaniehansen.substack.com/subscribe

Hundreds of Lindsay Clancy supporters, many wearing pink clothing emblazoned with phrases such as “Believe,” “She Needed Help” and “Peace For Lindsay,” gathered Thursday outside the courthouse where she is on trial in the killings of her three children.Several of the 300 women, and a few men, said Clancy's story resonated with them and that they wanted to raise awareness about how the mental health system treats women. Clancy's lawyer does not dispute that she killed the children, but says she should not be held criminally responsible because she was mentally ill.The livestreamed trial has sparked massive discussions online and has brought attention to postpartum psychosis, a rare mental illness Clancy's attorney Kevin Reddington says she had that is linked to the stress, sleep deprivation and hormonal changes that follow childbirth. Reddington said she also has bipolar disorder. After strangling her children, Clancy jumped from a second-story window and remains paralyzed from the waist down.Ramsey County gang lawsuit: 6 members agree to skip Minnesota State FairOn Wednesday, an agreement was reached between Ramsey County and some alleged members of the “Muddy” and “Ville” gangs in connection with a civil lawsuit seeking to prevent gang members from gathering at the Minnesota State Fair this year.RELATED: Ramsey County files lawsuit seeking to keep rival gangs from gathering at Minnesota State FairRamsey County Attorney John Choi and Attorney General Keith Ellison filed the civil lawsuit earlier this month, asking the court to prevent members of the two rival gangs from associating at the fair after law enforcement saw a post on social media by an alleged gang member promoting “The Biggest Battle of the Year” at the fair.In court on Wednesday, six of the 10 listed members agreed not to attend the fair, according to court records.TypeFullRatingSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Hundreds of Lindsay Clancy supporters, many wearing pink clothing emblazoned with phrases such as “Believe,” “She Needed Help” and “Peace For Lindsay,” gathered Thursday outside the courthouse where she is on trial in the killings of her three children.Several of the 300 women, and a few men, said Clancy's story resonated with them and that they wanted to raise awareness about how the mental health system treats women. Clancy's lawyer does not dispute that she killed the children, but says she should not be held criminally responsible because she was mentally ill.The livestreamed trial has sparked massive discussions online and has brought attention to postpartum psychosis, a rare mental illness Clancy's attorney Kevin Reddington says she had that is linked to the stress, sleep deprivation and hormonal changes that follow childbirth. Reddington said she also has bipolar disorder. After strangling her children, Clancy jumped from a second-story window and remains paralyzed from the waist down.Ramsey County gang lawsuit: 6 members agree to skip Minnesota State FairOn Wednesday, an agreement was reached between Ramsey County and some alleged members of the “Muddy” and “Ville” gangs in connection with a civil lawsuit seeking to prevent gang members from gathering at the Minnesota State Fair this year.RELATED: Ramsey County files lawsuit seeking to keep rival gangs from gathering at Minnesota State FairRamsey County Attorney John Choi and Attorney General Keith Ellison filed the civil lawsuit earlier this month, asking the court to prevent members of the two rival gangs from associating at the fair after law enforcement saw a post on social media by an alleged gang member promoting “The Biggest Battle of the Year” at the fair.In court on Wednesday, six of the 10 listed members agreed not to attend the fair, according to court records.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode of the Good Leadership Podcast, Paul Batz sits down with Patience Ferguson, Chief Human Resources Officer of Ramsey County and recipient of the inaugural Empower HR Award. Patience shares her remarkable leadership journey and reflects on how mentors, community, and a commitment to service shaped her career in human resources. Listeners will gain insight into the evolving role of HR leaders as strategic business partners who help organizations navigate uncertainty, strengthen culture, and drive meaningful results. The conversation also explores why recognizing and celebrating HR professionals is more important than ever, especially as organizations face complex workforce challenges. You'll walk away with valuable lessons on leadership, mentorship, employee empowerment, and the power of using your influence to help others thrive.

A judge has ruled that a right to repair ballot initiative must be on the ballot for St. Paul residents. Right to repair would allow renters to take on smaller repairs if their landlord has not, and then get reimbursed. St. Paul city council had voted to reject the ballot initiative citing concerns it may conflict with state law. That led the organization behind the initiative, Safe Homes St. Paul, to file a lawsuit. On Monday, a Ramsey County judge ruled that the city couldn't keep the measure from voters. And Aug. 11 is the deadline for the city to get the measure on November's ballot, and the court is ordering the city to do so. The city of St. Paul filed an appeal with the Minnesota Supreme Court, which denied their request. Joining Minnesota Now host Nina Moini about what's next is Cole Hanson, with Safe Homes St. Paul.

Rival Somali street gangs “Muddy” and “The Ville” just got the boot. Minnesota AG and Ramsey County are suing to keep them off the State Fairgrounds after years of fights, shootings, and threats of the “biggest battle of the summer.” Meanwhile, scooter madness erupts in the Twin Cities as hundreds of Lime riders take over downtown Minneapolis streets… and even roll onto I-35W. And in Poland's legendary Białowieża Forest, a tourist gets a hard lesson in wildlife etiquette when a massive European bison puts him firmly in his place. John Heidt with the news. Common sense still lives in Gumption County. Fire up the garage and tune in.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Sheriff Bob Fletcher joins the Crabby Coffee crew for a no-BS conversation you won't hear anywhere else in Minnesota media. The longtime Ramsey County lawman sits down and lays it out straight: the growing problem of Somali youth gangs fueling violence in the Twin Cities, the hard numbers on the roughly 300 kids driving the chaos, and why pretending it doesn't exist helps no one, especially the Somali community itself.Fletcher talks candidly about what it's like to wear the badge in today's political climate, where telling the truth gets you labeled and common-sense policing takes a backseat to optics.But at the heart of it all? A guy who's spent decades building youth programs, gang intervention, and safe schools because he genuinely wants to do right by the kids and keep families safe. No political agenda, no grandstanding, just a cop who still believes in results over rhetoric. If you're tired of tip-toeing around real problems, this episode is for you and remember: anything that needs figuring out can still be figured out… even when the politicians don't want to hear itSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Ramsey County Sheriff held a community meeting hoping to compile a gameplan to combat the violence that Somali gangs are raging across the Twin Cities. He joined Vineeta to recap the event in Arden Hills on Tuesday night.

The Ramsey County Sheriff held a community meeting hoping to compile a gameplan to combat the violence that Somali gangs are raging across the Twin Cities. He joined Vineeta to recap the event in Arden Hills on Tuesday night.

In this episode, the guys start off with Regional Quirkisms from the Land Down Undah.  They then interview Cindy Cale, DNA expert from DNA Mavens, a consulting and training company in Houston, TX.  Cindy will discuss 3 topics, all related to testimony of the activity level, with respect to DNA, as well as discuss validation issues in DNA. They first discuss a recent DNA testimony case report titled "DNA analyst's refusal to answer an activity level question did not violate the defendant's right to confrontation" from the Journal of Forensic Sciences (2026; 71:1063-1069) by Ted Hunt.  The paper reviews a U.S. Court's reaction to a DNA Analyst who refused to offer any testimony regarding activity level and DNA.  Then they discuss a Minnesota case in which Cindy testified for the defense, where the State lab was attempting to introduce a complex 5+ person mixture of DNA from firearms [MN v. Exavier Porter; 55-CR-22-7394].  Defense was ultimately successful in excluding the evidence from trial.  Finally, they discuss a second Minnesota case, in which Cindy testified, where the State was attempting to introduce another complicated mixture from a firearm, and make inferences about activity level [MN v. Garry Bell; 62-CR-24-1146].  The evidence was suppressed in this case as well.  The guys make parallels to the fingerprint community and why it's important that fingerprint experts pay attention to these issues popping up in DNA. Episode References: DNA Mavens: https://dnamavens.com/ Cindy's email: ccale@dnamavens.com Hunt TR. DNA analyst's refusal to answer an activity level question did not violate the defendant's right to confrontation. J Forensic Sci. 2026; 71: 1063–1069. https://doi.org/10.1111/1556-4029.70266 Minnesota v. Exavier Porter; 55-CR-22-7394 order: https://forensicresources.org/resources/state-v-porter-memorandum-and-order-mn-2025/ Minnesota v. Gerry Bell; 62-CR-24-1146, Ramsey County, St. Paul, MN Minnesota v. Alexander Taylor; 69DU-CR-19-2984, St. Louis County, Duluth, MN USA (EDNY) v. Tyler Scott Johnson; 1:23-cr-00013-NRM, Brooklyn, NY. Samie, Taroni, Champod (2020) Estimating the quantity of transferred DNA in primary and secondary transfers (Sci & Just 60:128-135).  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scijus.2019.09.008 Cale, C.M., et al. (2016) Could Secondary DNA Transfer Falsely Place Someone at the Scene of a Crime?  J For Sci 2016; 61(1): 196-203  doi: 10.1111/1556-4029.12894.

Tue, Jul 14 6:43 AM → 6:53 AM RCSO attempted to stop a motorcycle that fled. Deputy confirmed the MC was fleeing and did not further pursue but tracked the vehicle to an address and took the driver into custody. Radio Systems: - Minnesota ARMER Hennepin East

A small amount of people are committing the vast amount of crimes in that demographic and it's getting worse. Some real talk on the issue with Ramsey County Sheriff, Bob Fletcher, who joined Vineeta on The WCCO Morning News.

A small amount of people are committing the vast amount of crimes in that demographic and it's getting worse. Some real talk on the issue with Ramsey County Sheriff, Bob Fletcher, who joined Vineeta on The WCCO Morning News.

If you've received healthcare in Ramsey County, the place you normally get care for you and your family could have moved. They've got a new location, and Sheletta's going to tell you where, along with the new services they're offering on the latest episode of her podcast.

Sheletta chats with her friends from Ramsey County about how important it is to test for lead in soil, in your homes, and in your children. https://www.ramseycountymn.gov/residents/health-medical/healthy-homes/lead-home https://www.health.state.mn.us/communities/environment/lead/home/testlead.html https://www.epa.gov/lead/learn-about-lead#resources-and-more-information

Can Star House make a home away from home for kids? They have found a new home and Vineeta found out all about it from Chris Aerts, the President, Star House board of directors

Can Star House make a home away from home for kids? They have found a new home and Vineeta found out all about it from Chris Aerts, the President, Star House board of directors

Jason is joined by John Choi, Ramsey County Attorney, to talk about their program that has drastically reduced shooting crimes, something he thinks Minnesota should try statewide.

On Tuesday's Drivetime with DeRusha... 3pm Hour: Jason starts the show HOT! He can't believe the PWHL postponed a playoff game because some players got sick. Did they drop the ball? ...er, puck? Then he talks with Ramsey County Attorney John Choi about his request that the state fund and copy their program to reduce shooting crimes. 4pm Hour: Jason talks to financial writer Patrick Rehkamp about today's inflation numbers. Will they keep spiking as long as the war with Iran continues? Then on DeRusha Eats he talks to 20-year-old Ethan Sorenson about the sandwich shop he just opened in Stillwater. 5pm Hour: Jason talks about the Vikings putting Adrian Peterson into their Ring of Honor - can you honor him as a player, and still be turned off by his legal troubles? Then he's joined by internet guru Greg Swan to talk about influencers and the State Fair - are they a good mix? And would you buy a ChatGPT phone?

Tuesday 3pm Hour: Jason starts the show HOT! He can't believe the PWHL postponed a playoff game because some players got sick. Did they drop the ball? ...er, puck? Then he talks with Ramsey County Attorney John Choi about his request that the state fund and copy their program to reduce shooting crimes.

On "The Lead" ... Spring Lake Park schools had a cyber attack... the retired St. Paul Fire Chief has a new job... why is @joshlilj banned from St Paul Parks... and more. Then Jason goes "In Depth" with attorney Joe Tamburino on a couple of stories - can Ramsey County investigate ICE for kidnapping? And can the Minneapolis Mayor "veto" the Council disapproving a commissioner pick?

Jason talks about some negative news for Minneapolis, and positive news for St. Paul and Ramsey County. Do we need to take bigger swings in revitalizing the downtowns?

Tuesday 5pm Hour: Jason talks about some negative news for Minneapolis, and positive news for St. Paul and Ramsey County. Do we need to take bigger swings in revitalizing the downtowns?

On Tuesday's Drivetime with DeRusha.... 3pm: Jason talks about the rash of infidelity stories in the news - is cheating more common now? Or are we just getting caught more often? Then he talks with the new anchor at KARE 11 who debuts tonight, Kevin Holmes! 4pm: Jason talks to his favorite advice columnist, Adrienne Lee, about a host of relationship questions. Then on DeRusha Eats, Rachel Ingber joins the show with an awesome idea to create a family heirloom. 5pm: Jason talks about some negative news for Minneapolis, and positive news for St. Paul and Ramsey County. Do we need to take bigger swings in revitalizing the downtowns?

A Minnesota man was violently tortured and killed in New York in 2024. We heard from his family as the suspects in his death head to court. Plus, Ramsey County attorneys are investigating a federal immigration arrest as a possible kidnapping. In Minneapolis, a group of former diplomats gathered for a conference on nuclear proliferation in a tense global environment. And St. Paul's negotiating a new contract with its largest supplier of electricity. We also got the latest on the Minnesota Lynx after Monday's WNBA draft. And the movie Fargo turns 30 this year. We heard from the actor from an iconic scene involving a woodchipper.The Minnesota Music Minute was “The Lake” by Bunny Blood. The Song of the Day was “Feral Eyes” by Garden Tigers.

Brett was joined by the editor in chief of the Minnesota Reformer, Patrick Coolican. They talked about Michelle Griffith’s write up on Rep. Walter Hudson, an update on the Burnsville woman still being held in ICE custody in Texas despite some serious medical issues, and Ramsey County potentially charging federal agents who committed wrongdoing during… The post Brett Johnson with Patrick Coolican (4/14/26) first appeared on AM 950.

On "The Lead"... the latest Medicare fraud story... more protesters outside Whipple... and St. Paul property tax relief? Then Jason goes "In Depth" with Ramsey County Attorney John Choi who announced an investigation into the detention of a St. Paul resident during Metro Surge

Ramsey County officials announced an investigation into federal officers on allegations of kidnapping, burglary and false imprisonment. Attorney Chris Madel gives great info on the case, what it takes to prosecute a federal officer and more.

Susie Jones joins Chad and Dave for fun with Overrated, Underrated or Properly Rated before a conversation with attorney Chris Madel on politics and a Ramsey County investigation into alleged inappropriate conduct from federal officers during Operation Metro Surge.

If you're looking for an opportunity to help victims of sexual violence, Ramsey County is training volunteers to staff its crisis line. Sheletta chats with Liz De La Torre to find out more about the program.

Ramsey County is changing how it responds to young people who commit crimes — and early results show their new approach is working. In the past, young offenders were charged much like adults. They were sent to court and often placed on probation or assigned community service. The new approach, sometimes called restorative justice, goes deeper. It pulls in members of the community, considers why the crime happened and helps young people understand the harm they caused while also holding them accountable. MPR News host Angela Davis talks about why more communities across Minnesota are using restorative justice and about a new a study in Ramsey County that shows it dramatically reduces repeat offenses.

MPR News host Angela Davis talks with former St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter about his eight years in City Hall, the lessons he's learned and what's next.Guest:Melvin Carter III served as mayor of St. Paul for eight years. Elected in 2017 and reelected in 2021, he was the city's first African American mayor. Prior to his election as mayor, he served as St. Paul City Council member for Ward 1, representing the neighborhood he grew up in. He is the founding board chair of the St. Paul Promise Neighborhood and served as the director of the Minnesota Office of Early Learning. He has roots that go back four generations in St. Paul. His father was a St. Paul police officer and his mother was a teacher and Ramsey County commissioner.

The Trump administration is vowing to continue with what it's calling a major immigration enforcement effort in Minnesota. The Department of Homeland Security said agents have arrested 3,000 people since last month — a claim that MPR News has not been able to verify. Now, the Trump administration is asking state and local governments to hand over records that relate to federal immigration activity in Minnesota. That includes the offices of Governor Tim Walz, Attorney General Keith Ellison, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, St. Paul Mayor Kaohly Her, Hennepin County and Ramsey County. Frey will appear before a U.S. District Court in a hearing on Feb. 3. MPR News host Nina Moini also spoke with Mark Osler, a law professor at the University of St. Thomas, to make sense of it all.

Today, Hunter was joined by Greg Egan and John Choi. For the first time on the show, a Public Defender and the District Attorney join the show at the same time to describe how their collaborative efforts have improved public safety without mass incarceration.   Guest: Greg Egan, Public Defender, Ramsey County, Minnesota John Choi, Elected District Attorney, Ramsey County, Minnesota   Resources: Contact John https://www.ramseycountymn.gov/your-government/leadership/county-attorneys-office/meet-john-j-choi https://www.ramseycountymn.gov/your-government/leadership/county-attorneys-office john.choi@co.ramsey.mn.us https://www.ramseycountymn.gov/your-government/projects-initiatives/transforming-systems-together/youth-justice-transformation Contact Greg linkedin.com/in/greg-egan-2a5a5359 greg.egan@pubdef.state.mn.us   We Resolve https://weresolve-mn.com/about-us/         Contact Hunter Parnell:                                 Publicdefenseless@gmail.com  Instagram @PublicDefenselessPodcast Twitter                                                                 @PDefenselessPod www.publicdefenseless.com  Subscribe to the Patreon www.patreon.com/PublicDefenselessPodcast  Donate on PayPal https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=5KW7WMJWEXTAJ Donate on Stripe https://donate.stripe.com/7sI01tb2v3dwaM8cMN Trying to find a specific part of an episode? Use this link to search transcripts of every episode of the show! https://app.reduct.video/o/eca54fbf9f/p/d543070e6a/share/c34e85194394723d4131/home  

Just east of downtown St. Paul, near Pig's Eye Park along the river, people at a homeless encampment are facing this winter's first subzero temperatures. Recent reports say the camp has grown in the last six months and comes at a time when several St. Paul shelters say they're at capacity. It's a site that's far away from many homeless support services and organizations. Volunteers and the city's homeless response team have been regularly coming to the camp to provide supplies and support. Minnesota Now host Nina Moini spoke with St. Paul's director of safety and inspections, Angie Wiese, to learn more about the situation.For more information on warming spaces available in Ramsey County, visit the county's website.

Send us a textSebastian Stoss uncovered some shocking numbers in Ramsey County. On top of high property taxes—and a proposed 9.75% increase—Stoss found that the county spent $38.4 million on 213 NGOs (non-governmental organizations).Support the show

Veterans and their families in Minnesota who are experiencing hunger will get food support from the state. And a Ramsey County judge won't let Minnesota keep a binary trigger ban in effect as a case challenging goes through appeals.Those stories and more in today's evening from MPR News. Hosted by Emily Reese. Music by Gary Meister.

On today's Drivetime with DeRusha: 3pm - It's Election Day! Will Jason commit voter fraud? And Blois Olson highlights the key results to look for. 4pm - You'd be surprised who's getting brotox these days. Plus actor Ryan Reynolds talks about his new wine brand "Ugly Estates" on DeRusha Eats! 5pm - What's Ramsey County doing to help fill the gap in food benefits left by the federal government shutdown? Find out on the DeRush-Hour. Then - are you as annoyed by 6 7 as so many teachers are? It's time for Greg Swan Explains the Internet!

On Tuesday's DeRush-Hour: Jason talks about the Twins introducing their new manager, and how many steps can help slow Alzheimer's? Then he's joined by Ramsey County Manager Ling Becker to talk about how the county is stepping up to fill the gap in food benefits left by the government shutdown.

Ramsey County Attorney John Choi joins Chad to share about the success St. Paul has recorded in solving non-fatal shootings, how their approach to investigating those crimes has changed, and how it's all led to lower levels of violent crime altogether.

Final hour of our final show of the season at Target Field - we break down both the latest in the Mangione case as well as the update with the Charlie Kirk case as well Then we dive into higher Saint Paul taxes, the wait for 911 in Ramsey County and dumping goldfish into a lake! Then we take the Temp of the Twins! Then we debate is it PeCAN or Pecan?

Bob Fletcher is the Sheriff of Ramsey County. They kick things off talking about State Fair safety, Sheriff Fletcher says this is the safest place in America for the twelve days duration of the festivities. They touch on their growing drone usage and how officers are set up across the grounds to keep everyone safe. They then wade into Capitol security and the progress that Sheriff Fletcher has worked alongside so many others to make. Chad plays devil's advocate and asks if the push for heightened security is an overreaction. Other topics include Governor Walz potential third term and who could throw their names in their ring, whether he wants help from the National Guard to help clean up crime at this time and who he thinks should be the next County Attorney of Hennepin County.

The Chad Hartman Show is LIVE at the WCCO Radio Booth at the Minnesota State Fair! Stop by and see us near the intersection of Carnes and Underwood. Chad polls the live crowd what their max wait time at the fair is because he is seeing some long lines for a Monday at the Fair. Dave says that he would wait an hour (without kids) and chides Chad for his upper class lack of patience. They also discuss (the lack of) spatial awareness and list some of the worst types of offenders. Chad is also joined by Sheriff Bob Fletcher of Ramsey County. They kick things off talking about State Fair safety, Sheriff Fletcher says this is the safest place in America for the twelve days duration of the festivities. They touch on their growing drone usage and how officers are set up across the grounds to keep everyone safe.

As usual to start the MN State Fair we talk to Marjorie Johnson, now 106 years old. George Floyd Square will always be not what it was meant to be. AI hits Amy Klobuchar. Johnny Heidt with guitar news. Heard On The Show:SPPS working to fill teacher vacancies before new school year startsSuspect in Ramsey County gas station robberies found hiding under stairwell; 3 chargedRussia bombs US factory in one of war's largest attacksSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Greetings!You're likely in the thick of it with back-to-school activities. But back-to-school isn't just about packing lunches and adjusting to new schedules. It's also a time when kids begin to hear harmful messages about food and bodies. In this episode of Sunny Side Up Nutrition Podcast, we're joined by Denise Hamburger, JD, founder and executive director of BE REAL USA, and Selena Salfen, MPH, RD, a public health dietitian working to shift systems toward size-inclusive, weight-neutral models of care. Together, they share insights on BE REAL's Let's Eat curriculum, a nutrition program for middle and high school students that focuses on tuned-in eating teaching students to consider their body cues, nutritional needs, food preferences, and past eating experiences. The lessons are designed to be inclusive across cultures, neurodiverse learners, and varying economic backgrounds.Click here to visit BE REAL USA, Let's EatKey Takeaways * Let's Eat is a new curriculum aimed at teaching nutrition without the influence of diet culture.* The curriculum is free and accessible to all students and educators. * Let's Eat encourages students to trust their bodies and make informed food choices.* The curriculum includes cultural sensitivity and celebrates diverse food practices.* A panel of 42 experts contributed to the development of Let's Eat.* Educators can access Let's Eat through professional development training.* BE REAL USA has ambassadors who are trained to deliver th.e curriculum* Denise and Selena chat about their favorite foods.Links to Resources Mentioned:* BE REAL's Let's Eat Middle and High School Nutrition Curriculum* BE REAL's Body Kind High School Body Image Curriculum* BE REAL's Ambassador Program* BE REAL's Body Kind Peer-Led College Body Confidence Seminar* National Alliance for Eating Disorders* Lutz, Alexander & Associates Nutrition Therapy* Pinney Davenport Nutrition, PLLCMore about Denise and SelenaDenise Hamburger, JDDenise Hamburger, JD, is the founder and executive director of BE REAL USA, a nonprofit that imagines a world where every child can grow up with a healthy relationship to food and their body. In 2016, Denise created a professional development workshop for teachers called Body Confident Schools and has delivered this training to over 10,000 educators around the world. With over 250 conference, keynote, and school presentations, Denise has presented at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health to the National Association of School Psychologists; at the Center for Disease Control to their Healthy Schools Division; at the United States Department of Agriculture to their Food and Nutrition Services Group; and to Amazon's Body Positive Peers Employee Resource Group.Denise co-developed Be Real's BodyKind high school, body image curriculum with a team of international body image academics, psychologists and teachers. BodyKind is the first body image curriculum developed for all students. It includes the body image experiences of people of different races, ethnicities, sexualities, gender identities, physical and mental abilities, and body sizes. BodyKind was tested in an 1150-student Randomized Control Trial in Ireland in 2024, and the program has proven to increase to student Body Appreciation, Self-Compassion and Body Appreciation. These aspects are associated with better self-esteem and better mental health.In 2025, Denise--with Ramsey County, MN Public Health--co-developed and launched a weight-neutral nutrition curriculum called Be Real's Let's Eat for middle school and high school students. Let's Eat focuses on Tuned-in Eating, which teaches students to integrate their own body cues, day's nutritional needs, food preferences and eating experiences into their eating patterns. Let's Eat lessons are relevant across cultures, neurodiversity, and economic status.Denise has a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Michigan Law School and was an environmental attorney in her first career. She co-wrote the legal treatise Pollution in the United Kingdom. Denise is an Anti-Bias, Antiracist Certified curriculum writer. She has spent the last 25 years involved in education nonprofits, including Chicago's After School Matters.Instagram: @berealusaWebsite: www.berealusa.orgSelena Salfen, MPH, RDSelena Salfen, MPH, RD (she/her) works on chronic disease prevention in local public health, focusing on sustainable policy, systems and environmental change. Much of her work involves transitioning public health and healthcare systems from weight-focused to size inclusive, weight neutral models of practice. She also presents to educators and school-based health clinics on why weight neutral, eating disorder-aware education is vital to improving and protecting student health.TranscriptElizabeth: Welcome to Sunny Side Up Nutrition, a podcast created by three moms striving to bring you evidence-based information to help support you and the children in your life.Your hosts are Anna Lutz and me, Elizabeth Davenport, both registered dietitians, and Anna McKay, a dietitian-to-be and certified personal trainer.Anna Lutz co-owns Lutz Alexander and Associates Nutrition Therapy in Raleigh, North Carolina, and I co-own Pinney Davenport Nutrition in the D.C. metro area. And Anna McKay is in the process of completing her dietetic internship.Just a note that this podcast is for informational and educational purposes only. Thanks for being here.In this episode, we're joined by two of the co-creators of the Be Real Let's Eat curriculum: Denise Hamburger and Selena Salfen.Elizabeth: Denise Hamburger, JD, is the founder and executive director of Be Real USA, a nonprofit that imagines a world where every child can grow up with a healthy relationship to food and their body.In 2025, Denise—with Ramsey County, Minnesota Public Health—co-developed and launched a weight-neutral curriculum called Be Real's Let's Eat for middle school and high school students.Elizabeth: Selena Salfen, MPH, RD (she/her), is a registered dietitian in public health. Much of her work involves transitioning public health and healthcare systems from weight-focused to size-inclusive, weight-neutral models of practice.Denise and Selena are two of the many experts who came together to create the curriculum. It focuses on Tuned-in Eating, which teaches students to integrate their own body cues, nutritional needs, food preferences, and eating experiences into their eating patterns. Lessons are relevant across cultures, neurodiversity, and economic status.Anna: Denise and Selena, we are so happy you're here. Welcome.Multiple speakers: Great to be here. Thank you, thank you.Anna: Let's jump in. To start us off, can you each tell us a bit about yourself and the work you do?Denise: Thank you. I guess I'll start. I'm Denise Hamburger. I'm the founder and executive director of Be Real USA, a nonprofit that focuses on providing the highest quality resources on body image and eating disorder prevention for schools.I've been talking to educators and parents for almost ten years now about how to create body-confident environments in schools and in homes. We have a presentation I've been giving for ten years called Body Confident Schools, which helps the adults in young people's lives develop language and understanding that supports raising kids with body confidence.This language and understanding is very different from what we get in diet culture. In the last five years, Be Real added a new piece to its mission: curriculum development. Teachers had been asking us for better resources on body image and nutrition, and we felt compelled to develop them ourselves.Our high school body image curriculum, BodyKind, was developed by a team of academics and tested in schools. We've tested it three times, and we've had four published papers on its feasibility, accessibility, and effectiveness.We're starting that same kind of testing now with our new curriculum, Let's Eat. We also have 150 ambassadors across the country who present our workshops and share our curriculum.Anna: Wow. We certainly need new curricula, so we're so glad you're doing this work and that you're in this space.Elizabeth: I want to hear more about the ambassadors, but we'll leave that for later.Selena: I'm Selena Salfen. I'm a registered dietitian, but I work in public health, so I don't see clients one-on-one. I focus more on macro-level policy, systems, and environmental change.I work on a chronic disease prevention grant, where we support schools in areas like food access, nutrition, and mental health. That's how I ended up working on Let's Eat.I'm also very committed to bringing size-inclusive, weight-neutral work into public health and undoing some of the harm done since the 1990s, when public health began to hyper-focus on weight, weight control, and BMI.I've done a lot of work with WIC, integrating weight-inclusive practices, and expanded that work into other community-based health programs.I'm also a parent to a child with sensory needs around food, which shapes my perspective. And I'm a Be Real ambassador—that's how Denise and I met.Anna: That's wonderful. I really appreciate the work you're doing. I imagine it sometimes feels like swimming upstream in public health.Selena: You know what? It's been better than I expected—and actually really exciting.Elizabeth: That's great to hear.Anna: We're recording this episode just as school is starting across the country, and we're excited to talk about this new curriculum. Denise, can you tell us more about Let's Eat and what inspired you to create it?Denise: Sure. I mentioned earlier that I've been speaking with teachers for the last ten years. They'd often ask me what curriculum they should be using—specifically one that doesn't harm students' body image.We know from research that what's typically being taught reflects diet culture and can be harmful. For example, a few studies have asked eating disorder patients what triggered their eating disorder, and 14% in both studies mentioned their “healthy eating curriculum” in school.So at Be Real, we decided to develop a curriculum that focuses on body cues and interoceptive awareness—helping students learn to eat based on what their bodies are telling them.Selena was reviewing our BodyKind curriculum when we started talking, and she mentioned she was looking for a weight-neutral curriculum for Minneapolis. A lightbulb went off, and we decided to create one together.It's been an amazing collaboration. I come from one angle, Selena comes from another, and we always land in the same place. I focus on making sure lessons are engaging and accessible, while Selena makes sure they reflect the needs of neurodiverse kids, immigrant kids, and food-insecure kids.The result is a free, two-day curriculum for both middle and high school students. It aligns with the HECAT standards, comes in a 42-page toolkit with lesson plans, slides, and worksheets, and includes required professional development for teachers so they can shift away from diet culture before teaching it.We were able to create this thanks to funders like the National Alliance for Eating Disorders, Ramsey County Public Health, and the Minnesota Department of Health.Anna: Wow. That's fabulous. We're so excited that Let's Eat exists. And I love that it's a two-day lesson plan—not something overwhelming. Teachers often worry about how curricula fit with state standards, but as you said, this aligns well.Elizabeth: Selena, what concerns do you have about how nutrition is typically taught to children?Selena: First, I want to acknowledge that educators who teach “good and bad” foods mean well. They've been enlisted in what's been called the “war on obesity” since the 2000s.Good people want children to avoid chronic disease, but they've been told the way to do this is through weight control, calorie tracking, and restrictive eating. We now know this approach is harmful, not evidence-based, and doesn't actually make kids physically or mentally healthier—or smaller.Many existing nutrition education tools encourage weight or body fat measurements, food logs, calorie counting, or labeling foods as good/bad. This can trigger disordered eating, poor body image, and food obsession.With Let's Eat, we focus instead on helping students learn about food in a way that builds trust in their bodies and avoids shame, guilt, or fear.Elizabeth: Denise, how does Let's Eat differ from other nutrition curricula?Denise: Great question. First, we don't use body size as a proxy for health. Instead, we empower students to be the experts on their own eating.We avoid shame-based language, rules, or fear around food. Instead, we use guidelines that leave room for nuance. We also encourage reflection on past eating experiences—like noticing how your body felt after eating—and using that information for the future.Another big difference is the diversity of input. Thanks to Selena, we had 42 experts review the curriculum, including dietitians, doctors, teachers, researchers, body image experts, and students.We're proud of how inclusive it is, and how it focuses on empowerment, curiosity, and calmness around food.Anna: I really enjoyed lending a little part to the project. What I love most is how you've taken weight out of it. Weight is woven through so much of nutrition curricula, but kids are supposed to be gaining weight. Their bodies are supposed to be changing. Let's Eat acknowledges this and empowers students to tune in and trust that they are the experts of their own bodies.Denise: Exactly. What we teach is Tuned-in Eating. It's about helping students feel capable and confident when it comes to food. We encourage them to be curious about past eating experiences—what worked and what didn't—and use that to guide future choices.Instead of rules, we provide guidelines. Rules can encourage black-and-white thinking, but guidelines leave room for flexibility.Selena: One big difference is how we approach foods that students are often taught to fear. For example, ultra-processed foods or sugar. Educators often feel pressure to talk about these, but fear-based teaching isn't helpful.Instead, we explain concepts like whole vs. refined grains in a way that avoids shame. If you prefer white rice, you can pair it with protein, fat, and fiber to balance the meal. We also celebrate cultural foods like rice and tortillas, which are often unfairly stigmatized.We're also committed to making Let's Eat neurodivergent-friendly and trauma-informed. Not every student can rely on hunger cues, and that's okay. Instead of insisting on “no distractions at meals,” we encourage students to experiment with what works for them—whether that includes a tablet or not.We also acknowledge food access and insecurity. Not all students have choices, so we avoid presenting nutrition in a way that assumes unlimited access.I'm also proud that we brought in such diverse perspectives. Reviewers included Dr. Whitney Trotter and Angela Goens, co-founders of the BIPOC Eating Disorder Conference, as well as Anna (you!) and many others.Anna: It really shows. The diversity of expertise and voices makes Let's Eat so much stronger.Creating a curriculum like this must have been a challenge. It's so much easier to be black and white—this is good, this is bad. But you've created something inclusive and nuanced.Denise: Yes, that was one of the challenges. We had to decide how much detail was actually helpful. Thanks to Selena, we avoided going too far down rabbit holes and instead kept lessons high-level and practical.We focus on the basics—carbohydrates, fats, protein—with a nod to vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Just enough to help students fuel their day without overwhelming them.Selena: And credit goes to Allie Latvala, who did a beautiful job writing for the age range. It's a big responsibility to protect young people, and while no curriculum will be perfect, we've done our best to make it safe and inclusive.Selena: Yes, and we'll continue to make adjustments as we receive feedback. We listened to students and teachers during evaluation, and we'll keep listening if improvements are needed.Anna: That's so important. What did students and teachers say during the pilot?Denise: We tested it with 250 students. Their feedback was invaluable—everything from whether the images felt too young or too old, to what activities were engaging.One teacher, Sarah, had her students list reasons we eat, beyond hunger. They filled the board with 100 reasons—celebrations, traditions, comfort, fun. We added that activity to the curriculum, because it gets students thinking about eating as a multi-dimensional experience, not just fuel.Anna: I love that. So many nutrition classes reduce eating to just nutrients or body size. Asking students to reflect on the many reasons we eat helps them appreciate the full picture.Elizabeth: Denise, for parents and educators who want to bring Let's Eat into schools, how can they access it?Denise: There are two main ways. First, it's free. At conferences, we hand out postcards with QR codes. Scanning the code takes you to our professional development training. After completing the training and a short test, teachers gain access to the full toolkit, slides, and worksheets.Second, educators can become Be Real Ambassadors. Ambassadors get access to our presentations and resources, and they bring them into their communities. Right now, we have about 150 ambassadors around the world—teachers, dietitians, public health educators, and more.We provide them with templates, letters, agendas, slides, and other materials so they can succeed in sharing this work locally.Anna: That's incredible. You're not only creating a curriculum—you're creating a movement.Anna: What challenges did you face in creating a curriculum that's both helpful and impactful without causing harm?Selena: It was definitely tricky. We could have created a “masterpiece” that said exactly what we wanted, but it might not have been usable in schools. Teachers often have to align with CDC HECAT standards.We worked hard to meet most of the knowledge expectations, but we were intentional about skipping some. For example, one standard asks students to “analyze healthy and risky approaches to weight management.” We didn't include that, because it would reinforce harmful weight-focused thinking.Another standard says to “avoid sugary drinks.” Instead, we reframed it around hydration—water, milk, and other options—while acknowledging that sugary drinks exist without making them forbidden.Denise: Teachers don't expect every curriculum to meet every single standard, but we wanted to cover most. And it was important that Let's Eat still teach the core of nutrition—like macronutrients and hydration—just in a less fear-based way.Selena: Exactly. We frame carbohydrates as “short energy” and protein and fat as “long energy.” It helps students contextualize food in ways that feel supportive, not restrictive.Anna: That's such a refreshing approach. All right, let's move into our last question. We love to ask our guests: what's one of your favorite foods right now? It doesn't have to be forever, just what you're enjoying at the moment and why.Denise: I just made a summer fruit buttermilk cake with Michigan cherries, blackberries, peaches, and blueberries. We had four cups of fruit in it. My kids were visiting, and we finished the whole cake in under an hour. It was so good I've been waking up thinking about when I can make it again.Anna: That sounds amazing. And you may not know this, but Elizabeth used to be a professional baker.Denise: Oh, then I'll have to send you the recipe!Elizabeth: Please do. Selena, what about you?Selena: I had to think about this. I love all foods, so nothing stood out at first. But then I realized I've been cooking a lot from the cookbook Curry Every Day by Atul Kochhar. It's full of curries from around the world. I know it's summer, but I still love making them.Elizabeth: That sounds wonderful. I'm going to have to check that out.Anna: Thank you both so much for joining us and for sharing your work. Let's Eat is such an important resource, and we'll link everything in the show notes so parents and teachers can access the training and curriculum.Denise: Thank you—it was a pleasure.Selena: Thank you so much.Anna: And thank you to our listeners. If you enjoyed this episode, please take a moment to rate and review us in your podcast app. Just scroll down to the stars in Sunny Side Up Nutrition Podcast and leave a review.We'd also love for you to join our 12-module membership, Take the Frenzy Out of Feeding. Visit our website and look for the Membership tab to join today. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit snutrition.substack.com