
42 episodes

River Radio Jim Maher & Gayle Knutson
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- News
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5.0 • 5 Ratings
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News and information featuring interviews with prominent newsmakers from Minnesota, across the U.S. and the St. Croix Valley of Minnesota and Wisconsin. Hosted by Jim Maher and Gayle Knutson, with technical director Matt Quast.
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May 7, 2022 – Being good stewards of our land and water; combatting library book bans.
Jim Maher and Gayle Knutson talk to Angie Hong of the Washington Conservation District on good land use strategies and preserving our water resources (4:00), and Deborah Caldwell-Stone, director of the American Library Association's Office of Intellectual Freedom on the recent surge in book banning efforts (29:00). Also included is an update of local news (23:00). Matt Quast is technical director.
This Week’s Guests
Angie Hong, Washington Conservation District
http://www.mnwcd.org/angie-hong
Deborah Caldwell-Stone, American Library Association
https://www.ala.org/aboutala/offices/oif
Ten most challenged books of 2021
https://www.ala.org/advocacy/bbooks/frequentlychallengedbooks/top10
Unite Against Book Bans
https://uniteagainstbookbans.org
Government Links:
City of Marine on St. Croix
https://www.marineonstcroix.org
City of Scandia
https://www.cityofscandia.com
May Township:
https://www.townofmay.org
Washington County
https://www.co.washington.mn.us/
Business/Organization Links:
Marine Community Library
https://marinecommunitylibrary.org
Washington County Heritage Center
https://www.wchsmn.org/home/heritagecenter/
Plant Trade in Marine
Laurel Smith – 651-433-2485 or email: laurelsmith361@gmail.com
Christ Lutheran Church
https://www.clcmarine.org
Scandia Farmer’s Market Plant Sale
https://scandiafarmersmarket.squarespace.com/
Red Cross Blood Drive in Scandia
https://www.redcrossblood.org/give.html/find-drive
Hazardous Waste Collection in Stillwater
https://www.co.washington.mn.us/DocumentCenter/View/50965/Stillwater_Collection-2021
Tropical Wings
https://tropicalwings.org -
April 23, 2022 – Life coach Richard Leider on finding purpose; Cameron Hewitt of Rick Steves' Europe
Hosts Jim Maher and Gayle Knutson have in-depth discussions with world-renowned executive life coach Richard Leider, author of "Who Do You Want To Be When You Grow Old – The Path of Purposeful Aging," (6:00); and Cameron Hewitt, travel writer with Rick Steves' Europe and author of "The Temporary European: Lessons And Confessions of a Professional Traveler," (36:30). Also included is a rundown of local news (28:00). Matt Quast is technical director.
This Week’s Guests
Richard Leider, Executive Life Coach
https://richardleider.com
Richard’s April 28th event – “An evening of purpose”
https://cbo.io/tickets/endinmindproject/tix
Cameron Hewitt, Rick Steves’ Europe
http://blog.ricksteves.com/cameron/
Government Links:
City of Marine on St. Croix
https://www.marineonstcroix.org
City of Scandia
https://www.cityofscandia.com
May Township:
https://www.townofmay.org
Washington County
https://www.co.washington.mn.us/
Washington County update on Manning Interchange
https://www.co.washington.mn.us/2662/TH-36-and-Manning-Avenue-Interchange
Event Links
Scandia/Mellerud, Sweden Sister City Signing Ceremony (video)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=apajyC3P8_E
Christ Lutheran Church Giving Day of Service – April 30
Contact Jody Nyenhuis – 651-308-6051 or email) jodynyenhuis@icloud.com
The Big Read
https://www.stcroixsplash.org/categories/bigreadscv/
Business/Organization Links:
Marine Community Library
https://marinecommunitylibrary.org
Brookside Bar & Grill, Marine
https://www.facebook.com/brooksidebarandgrill
Scandia Cleaning Week
https://www.mytrashservice.com
Franconia Sculpture Park
https://www.franconia.org -
April 9, 2022 – Where the Russia-Ukraine conflict is headed with Prof. Nick Hayes; Poets-of-Place Heidi Barr and Rosie Peters
Co-host Jim Maher talks with Prof. Nick Hayes of St. John's University about the tragic developments in Eastern Europe (5:30) and co-host Gayle Knutson explores the world of poetry with two of the St. Croix Big Read program's Poets of Place, Heidi Barr of Lindstrom and Rosie Peters of Marine on St. Croix (34:00). Also included is Gayle's news update (28:00). Matt Quast is technical director.
This Week’s Guests
Nick Hayes, Chair in Critical Thinking, St. John’s University
https://www.csbsju.edu/critical-thinking
Heidi Barr and Rosie Peters, “Poets of Place”
https://artreachstcroix.org/bigread/
Government Links:
City of Marine on St. Croix
https://www.marineonstcroix.org
City of Scandia
https://www.cityofscandia.com
May Township:
https://www.townofmay.org
Washington County
https://www.co.washington.mn.us/
Event Links
The Big Read
https://www.stcroixsplash.org/categories/bigreadscv/
Business/Organization Links:
Marine Community Library
https://marinecommunitylibrary.org
Christ Lutheran Church, Marine
https://www.clcmarine.org
Elim Lutheran Church, Scandia
https://www.elimscandia.org -
March 26, 2022 – Jane Brody on her long career as Personal Health columnist for the New York Times; an update on invasive species in the St. Croix River
Hosts Jim Maher and Gayle Knutson talk to longtime (and just retired) New York Times Personal Health columnist Jane Brody about her career, her thoughts on health and nutrition matters and her time in the St. Croix Valley (4:00); and Katie Sickmann, invasive species coordinator for the Wild Rivers Conservancy on where things stand with invasives in and along the river (44:30). Also, an update of local news (38:30). Matt Quast is technical director.
Show Links
This Week’s Guests
Jane Brody, Personal Health Columnist, The New York Times
https://www.nytimes.com/by/jane-e-brody
Katie Sickmann, Wild Rivers Conservancy
https://wildriversconservancy.org
Article Links
Jane Brody’s final column for The New York Times
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/21/well/health-advice-diet-smoking.html
An ode to Jane by columnist Tara Parker Pope
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/24/well/live/jane-brody-personal-health-retires.html
Wrap-up of Emily Ford’s journey in the Boundary Waters
https://www.twincities.com/2022/03/23/mother-nature-cuts-short-duluth-adventurers-wintertime-trek-across-bwca/
Star Tribune story on solar gardens in Scandia
https://www.startribune.com/solar-garden-beauty-in-eye-of-beholder/600157619/?refresh=true&fbclid=IwAR3SKOjlqpZcxIExgZhStk8Ej0_GUFVgkq7ZAhO8U_PZuiPj2AldYBm2eVI
Government Links:
City of Marine on St. Croix
https://www.marineonstcroix.org
City of Scandia
https://www.cityofscandia.com
May Township:
https://www.townofmay.org
Washington County
https://www.co.washington.mn.us/
William O’Brien State Park on prescribed burns
651-539-4981
Event Links
Scandia Marine Lions Service Project Sampler Day
https://www.scandiamarinelions.org/event/service-project-sampler-day-2022/
The Big Read
https://www.stcroixsplash.org/categories/bigreadscv/
Business/Organization Links:
Marine Community Library
https://marinecommunitylibrary.org
Marine Village School
https://www.marinevillageschool.org
Scandia Fire and Rescue Squad Application
Call 651-433-4383
National Park Service Osceola Landing Project
https://www.nps.gov/sacn/getinvolved/osceola-plan.htm -
March 12, 2022 – Journalist Casey Michel on Oligarchs, Dirty Money and the War in Ukraine; Polar Explorer Ann Bancroft
Hosts Jim Maher and Gayle Knutson talk to investigative journalist and author Casey Michel about Russian oligarchs, how the U.S. helps them launder their money and the impact of the Russia-Ukraine war (3:00); and polar explorer and educator Ann Bancroft on the world of expeditions and what it takes to make them work (34:00). Also included is an update of local news (28:30). Matt Quast is technical director. (Note - due to Internet issues, there are occasional sound distortions.)
This Week’s Guests
Casey Michel, investigative journalist
http://www.caseymichel.com
Casey’s Twitter account
https://twitter.com/cjcmichel?lang=en
Ann Bancroft, explorer and educator
https://www.annbancroftfoundation.org
Article Links
Casey Michel article in The Atlantic on oligarchs and sanctions
https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2022/03/russia-oligarchs-evade-sanctions-anonymous/626968/
Government Links:
City of Marine on St. Croix
https://www.marineonstcroix.org
City of Scandia
https://www.cityofscandia.com
May Township:
https://www.townofmay.org
Washington County
https://www.co.washington.mn.us/
Redistricting information
https://www.co.washington.mn.us/3367/Redistricting
Business/Organization Links:
Marine Community Library
https://marinecommunitylibrary.org
Marine Village School
https://www.marinevillageschool.org
Event Links:
Washington County Historical Society annual meeting
https://www.wchsmn.org/event/washington-county-historical-society-annual-meeting/ -
February 26, 2022 – What makes Olympic champion Jessie Diggins tick; How the "infodemic" of misinformation harms society;
Hosts Jim Maher and Gayle Knutson discuss the flow of misinformation that is affecting everything from the war in Ukraine to the pandemic, with Stephen Maher of Maclean's Magazine (5:30); and the keys to Jessie Diggins remarkable Olympic success in Nordic skiing with Jessie's high school coach from Stillwater, Kris Hansen (36:30). Also included is an update of local news (28:30). Matt Quast is technical director.
This Week’s Guests
Stephen Maher, Maclean’s Magazine
https://www.macleans.ca/author/stephen-maher/
Kris Hansen, former ski coach for Jessie Diggins
Article Links
Stephen Maher essay in Maclean’s on misinformation
https://www.macleans.ca/society/health/misinformation-from-the-u-s-is-the-next-virus-and-its-spreading-fast/
Slate writer Justin Peters on Jessie Diggins
https://slate.com/culture/2022/02/why-olympics-matter-jessie-diggins-pain-cave-beijing.html
…and Justin Peters again on Chad Salmela
https://slate.com/culture/2022/02/winter-olympics-nbc-announcers-chad-salmela-promote-him.html
Government Links:
City of Marine on St. Croix
https://www.marineonstcroix.org
City of Scandia
https://www.cityofscandia.com
May Township:
https://www.townofmay.org
Washington County
https://www.co.washington.mn.us/
Events
Marine Ice-Out Contest – Ice-out dates for recent years:
2021 – March 11, 12:00 pm
2020 – March 12, 4:03 am
2019 – March 24, 5:02 pm
2018 – March 28, 3:30 pm
2017 – Feb. 22, 2:58 pm
2016 – March 7, 2:01 am
American Birkebeiner
https://www.birkie.com
Business/Organization Links:
Marine Community Library
https://marinecommunitylibrary.org
Marine Village School
https://www.marinevillageschool.org
Dunrovin Retreat Center
Contact Emily – Guest Services Director – 651-433-2486, ext. 301
Customer Reviews
The Podcast that Punches Above its Weight
For a show that is ostensibly about local matters in the St. Croix Valley, River Radio consistently brings in a broad range of guests (often with high profiles) and thoughtfully ties local and state concerns to those of the nation and the world. Listening live via the Marine Community Library’s site is a great way to spend an hour on a Saturday morning — that way, you can participate in their live polls — but having it available in podcast form is a welcome option!
Informative and down to earth
Gayle and Jim are marvelous show hosts. I very much enjoy the mix of global scale stories and small town charm. They always invite very engaging guests to speak about a variety of topics. Love being able to hear this show during my Saturday afternoons.