PODCAST · news
DispatchCast
by Forum Communications Co.
Stories that will reel you in about life in the Brainerd lakes area. Brought to you by the reporters at the Brainerd Dispatch. This podcast is a product of Forum Communications Co.
Episodes
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Introducing the Dispatch's Newest Reporter Tim Speier
Tim Speier joins the Dispatch staff after a windy path on his way here, including two tours in Iraq with the Marines, work in a factory, the oil fields, as a mechanic and then an accidental journalist. Join us for a conversation to get to know Tim.
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Businesses behind the 2021 Progress Edition
The Dispatch reporters discuss the stories about area businesses they covered in this year's Progress Edition. The DispatchCast is a product of Forum Communications Co. and is brought to you by reporters at the Brainerd Dispatch. Find more news throughout the day at BrainerdDispatch.com.
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Introducing 'Ask The Editor'
On Thursday, Aug. 12, 2021, Brainerd Dispatch Editor Matt Erickson and Community Editor Chelsey Perkins hosted an "Ask The Editor" Facebook Live forum. This is the audio of that conversation. The DispatchCast is a product of Forum Communications Co. and is brought to you by reporters at the...
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The State of Lakes Area Hospitals as the Pandemic Surges
For months of relative calm, area hospitals worked to develop complex and ever-adapting plans for how to handle what may lie ahead in the coronavirus pandemic. Now facing more COVID-19 patients than ever before, an influx of people who've delayed care for chronic conditions, and reduced staff due...
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Haunted Brainerd: Last Turn Saloon
The Last Turn Saloon is one of Brainerd's oldest and most iconic businesses, dating back to the early pioneer and railroad days of the city that grew from the banks of the Mississippi River. Its current location on South Eighth Street is not the original — the first Last Turn was located at the...
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How the Spanish flu affected Brainerd 100 years ago
It was 1918 in Brainerd, Minnesota, and residents were focused on the sacrifices they were making for the war effort abroad. Little did they know they would soon face an enemy much closer to home as the Spanish flu made its way to the rural northern reaches of the state. Join former Brainerd...
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Everything You Need to Know About Mail Balloting
Deborah Erickson is not only the elections head in Crow Wing County. She also serves as chair of the elections committee for the Minnesota Association of County Officers, as the Minnesota-designated local representative on the national Elections Assistance Commission Standards Board and on the...
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REBROADCAST: Ethics, Journalism and Public Trust
With this week's epic misinformation on social media, we thought it would be a good time to revisit this 2018 conversation on journalistic ethics. What makes a journalist ethical? How can journalists develop and maintain public trust? Just as in many newsrooms, the reporters and editors of the...
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REBROADCAST: The Faces Behind the Dispatch Cameras
Likely the most recognizable Brainerd Dispatch ambassadors, staff photographers Steve Kohls and Kelly Humphrey capture images of the passions, tragedies, laughter and fun of the lakes area community. They are just as likely to appear at a community picnic as they are a house fire, and each day...
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How the Pandemic Affects Pets, Plus Headlines - April 24, 2020
Many unknowns still surround COVID-19, including its potential effects on household pets. With the lingering uncertainty, pet owners should be prepared to take special precautions to protect their furry family members in the event they themselves get sick, local animal experts told Brainerd...
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REBROADCAST: The Twisted Tale of John Henry Seadlund
We all could use a break from the reality we currently face, right? Here's your chance. We're bringing you a rebroadcast of our most popular DispatchCast episode ever. Ironton native John Henry Seadlund was the central figure in a captivating series of crimes 80 years ago -- crimes that led FBI...
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Brainerd's own Nick Anderson talks MLB shutdown, first year in majors
Nick Anderson is one of the nine rising Major League Baseball stars who should be a household name, according to MLB.com's Richard Justice. The 2008 Brainerd High School graduate had his breakout season in 2019, ending it with the AL Wild Card game-winning Tampa Bay Rays. Anderson talked with...
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This Week in Brainerd - April 3, 2020
Brainerd City Council members have a big decision ahead of them with choosing a new mayor, students and teachers weigh in on the first week of distance learning amid the COVID-19 pandemic, and we catch up on this week's news in the Brainerd lakes area Host/Producer: Theresa Bourke
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How Local Businesses Can Find Help in Today's Economy
Leaders in the Brainerd lakes area business development community join Community Editor Chelsey Perkins to talk developments in federal and state aid to businesses over the week, ways they've seen small business leaders adapt and what makes them proud to be involved in this community....
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How is the Dispatch covering COVID-19? The editors discuss
"Something like this happens and the cynics might say, 'Oh, it takes a crisis for us to actually come together.' And I guess the optimist might look at is as, 'Yeah, in a crisis, we can still come together.' Maybe that's the good way to look at it," said Brainerd Dispatch Editor Matt Erickson....
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This Week in Brainerd - March 12, 2020
Coronavirus concerns are sweeping across the state, a large fire hit Brainerd, new inductees made it into Brainerd Public Schools' Legendary Women Hall of Fame, Second Amendment rights activists want county officials to take action, and new data sheds light on the county's housing situation.…
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This Week in the Brainerd Lakes Area - March 6, 2020
Catch up on all the top Brainerd area headlines of the week, plus step inside to Brainerd High School for a rundown on the Tech Warriors program, connecting students and technology in a new way. Host/Producer: Chelsey Perkins Reporter: Theresa Bourke
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This Week in the Brainerd Lakes Area - Feb. 28, 2020
Who killed Rachel Anthony? On the 19th anniversary of her disappearance, we take a look back at the case. Plus, Dispatch reporters Gabe Lagarde and Theresa Bourke take us inside the grassroots action at the DFL and GOP caucuses this week, and the Brainerd Dispatch's top headlines. Host/Producer:...
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This Week in Brainerd - Feb. 21, 2020
We hear from young voters about their reasons for political activism, get the scoop on the latest in virtual reality technology and catch up on the his week's news in the Brainerd lakes area. Host/Producer: Theresa Bourke Contributing Reporter: Gabe Lagarde
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This Week in Brainerd - Feb. 14, 2020
A children's museum is headed to Brainerd, plus the Dispatch newsroom talks school updates, the upcoming presidential primary, a rape allegation against a former Baxter youth pastor that came to light recently, plus the week's top news and sports headlines. Host/Producer: Chelsey Perkins...
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This Week in Brainerd - Feb. 7, 2020
We talk light pollution in Brainerd, vandalism at Milford Mine Memorial Park and two upcoming theatrical productions you won't want to miss -- plus, catch up on the week's news in the Brainerd lakes area. Host/Producer: Chelsey Perkins Contributing Reporters: Theresa Bourke and Jennifer Kraus
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042: Survivors Talk on 50th Anniversary of Deadly Outing Tornado
Around 5 p.m. on Aug. 6, 1969, a tornado that had intensified to a powerful category F4 with winds of more than 200 mph, barreled toward the northern Minnesota community of Outing. It was one of a series of tornadoes that cut across northern Minnesota and killed a total of 15 people, including 11...
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041: How to Save the Brainerd Water Tower
What are Brainerd residents doing to try to save the city's historic water tower, a landmark towering over the landscape for a century? And how can others help? In this episode of the DispatchCast, reporter Theresa Bourke sits down with water tower committee members Carissa Meyer and Dave Badeaux...
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040: This Week -- Feb. 22, 2019
DispatchCast presents "This Week," a dive into Brainerd lakes area headlines and newsmakers. Feb. 22, 2019 A look at a bill on charitable gambling taxes, by Gabe Lagarde (5:34) Get to know newly elected Aitkin County Sheriff Dan Guida with Jennifer Kraus (8:29) Hear from Brainerd Community...
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039: The Twisted Tale of John Henry Seadlund
Robbery. Kidnapping. Ransom. Murder. Ironton native John Henry Seadlund was the central figure in a captivating series of crimes 80 years ago -- crimes that led FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover himself to visit the Brainerd lakes area. The story of small-town boy turned brash criminal made headlines...
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038: Forget Winter, Let's Talk About Planting Trees
On DispatchCast Episode 038, Melissa Barrick talks about the upcoming native tree and plant sale hosted by the Crow Wing Soil and Water Conservation District, and Frank Lee shares some of his recent interview with Bob Nelson, who plans to retire from the Crow Wing County Veterans Service Office...
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One Last Sit-Down with Mike Bialka -- DispatchCast Episode 037
Mike Bialka spent the last four decades covering high school sports in the Brainerd lakes area. The retiring sports editor sat down recently to reflect on his career -- and those who've been impacted by Bialka's dedication to the craft shared some memories, too. Listen in as one of the...
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Just Say No to Holiday Stress with 'Her Voice' Columnist Cynthia Ransom -- DispatchCast Episode 036
The holidays are fast approaching, and with them comes elevated stress levels. But it doesn't have to be that way! Local naturopath and author of "The Blue Sheep Movement," Cynthia Ransom, shares her tips for alleviating stress naturally in this week's episode of the DispatchCast. Ransom recently...
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A Conversation with the 'In The Dark' Creators -- DispatchCast Episode 035
"In The Dark" lead reporter Madeleine Baran and senior producer Samara Freemark offered a behind-the-scenes look at their investigative journalism at an event Thursday night at Arrowwood Lodge at Brainerd Lakes in Baxter. Before the event, they sat down with me and talked about the cases they've...
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Behind the Progress Edition -- DispatchCast Episode 034
One of the Brainerd Dispatch's most ambitious annual projects, the Progress Edition, recently hit the stands. It tells the stories of people and businesses undertaking interesting and inspiring pursuits in the Brainerd lakes area. In this episode of the DispatchCast, Dispatch reporters share…
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Advocate, Politician, Woman: A Conversation with Quinn Nystrom -- DispatchCast Episode 033
Quinn Nystrom grew up knocking on her neighbors' doors, asking for donations for Type 1 diabetes research after first her brother and later she was diagnosed with the chronic condition. She apparently liked door knocking so much, she did it again as a candidate for the Baxter City Council and…
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Planning to Protect Watersheds -- DispatchCast Episode 032
How much does the quality of water in Minnesota's lakes, streams and rivers mean to you? And how do you think leaders should use the state's resources to keep the waters of the Brainerd lakes area healthy? Melissa Barrick of the Crow Wing Soil and Water Conservation District joins the…
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Say What's On Your Heart: Grandparents Grieve Loss of Grandson to Suicide -- DispatchCast Episode 031
Kind-hearted and charming, Levi Siekas loved to catch frogs as a boy and do flips off the dock. Described as a boy in motion, he was active in sports, excelled in school and enjoyed many friends. He took his life on Nov. 7, 2017, at his home. He was 15. His family, his friends, his grandparents…
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Teens, Tech and Mental Health - DispatchCast Episode 030
The ills of social media and smartphone use have been harped upon ad nauseum -- often in some kind of anecdote picturing a bunch of teens around a table, noses firmly pressed into their phones, ignoring each other and oblivious to the world around them. It can be a little disingenuous, but there…
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The Crisis Line: A Community Resource - DispatchCast Episode 029
Those dealing with depression or who have suicidal thoughts often feel alone, unhappy and hopeless, but Mary Marana wants them to know help is just a phone call away. Marana is the executive director of the Baxter-based Crisis Line and Referral Service, a 24-hour community lifeline allowing the...
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Turning Loss into Love: The Lighthouse Project - DispatchCast Episode 028
"I think that God put Noah and I on this earth and he made us friends to impact as many lives as possible." - Noah Ebinger As part of its Stop Suicide series, the Brainerd Dispatch sat down with Brainerd High School juniors Noah Sundberg and Noah Ebinger to discuss their newly formed nonprofit…
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Stop Suicide: A Brainerd Dispatch Series on Prevention
It's a topic no one wants to talk about until they are forced to. Perhaps now is the time to change that. The Brainerd lakes area has been no stranger to deaths by suicides recently. The victims are young children, teenagers, sons, daughters, husbands, fathers, neighbors. The deaths leave…
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15 Years of 'Her Voice' -- DispatchCast Episode 027
Most Brainerd Dispatch readers are likely familiar with "Her Voice," the quarterly magazine accompanying the newspaper for 15 years. The magazine for women, by women, celebrates its anniversary with fresh vision and a brand new look in 2018. Formed in the wake of magazine editor Meg Douglas'...
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Improving Coach-Parent Relations in High School Sports -- DispatchCast Episode 026
In January, Brainerd High School basketball coach Scott Stanfield and his entire staff announced their intentions to resign at the end of the basketball season. The coach cited ongoing tension with some parents over play time and other coaching decisions as the reason he intended to leave the…
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Ethics, Journalism and Public Trust -- DispatchCast Episode 025
What makes a journalist ethical? How can journalists develop and maintain public trust? In today's political climate, these questions might be more important than ever. Just as in many newsrooms, the reporters and editors of the Brainerd Dispatch must regularly grapple with ethical decisions...
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Jumpstart Your Goals with Help from Inspiring Area Women -- DispatchCast Episode 024
With New Year's Eve already a month behind us, now's the time to get inspired to keep moving on your resolutions -- or get them restarted. Who better to help with that than three women who managed to run every day for a year, or two others leading the charge in a community-wide health improvement...
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Destination Downtown Business Challenge - The Finalists -- DispatchCast Episode 023
And then there were three. Three entrepreneurs remain in the Destination Downtown Business Challenge, each dreaming of a different business to add to downtown Brainerd. Meet the minds behind an artisan bath and body boutique with a crafty twist, an event center/microbrewery/cafe/might be missing...
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Lakes Area Athletes Head to State - DispatchCast Episode 022
To find some of the premier prep athletes in the state, one need look no further than Brainerd and its neighbors. Four area football teams and two volleyball teams have earned their ways into this weekend and next weekend's state tournaments. Who better to talk their strengths, surprises and...
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What To Read This Winter -- DispatchCast Episode 021
Winter is coming, and the cozy book nook is calling. But what should you read? Two local book nerds and Brainerd Public Library advocates Laurel Hall and Sheila DeChantal have you covered with all the best titles they've come across lately. Also learn about the hippest book club in town, Books,...
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Reselling, Recycling and Reconstructing: Three Lakes Area Businesses Profiled -- DispatchCast Episode 020
The life cycle of stuff: it's created, it's resold to others or it finds new life in a recycled product. In this Progress Edition episode of the DispatchCast, reporters Jennifer Stockinger and Spenser Bickett explore Brainerd lakes area businesses responsible for refreshing roadways, rehoming...
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Clarity, Empathy and the Interview: Dispatch Reporters Talk Technique -- DispatchCast Episode 019
Essential to the craft, interviewing can be one of the most difficult tasks a journalist and an interviewee must undergo. Sometimes emotional, sometimes prickly or stilted or effortless, interviews range from those acquiring basic information to delving deep into some of the more painful moments…
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Building in the Brainerd Lakes -- DispatchCast Episode 018
One company's materials are new. The other relies on those created in centuries past. In another Progress Edition episode of the DispatchCast, reporters Spenser Bickett and Chelsey Perkins bring the stories of Big Wood Timber Frames near Brainerd and Esser Construction of Merrifield. Dave LePage…
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14 Lakes Joins Six-Pack of Area Breweries -- DispatchCast Episode 017
The newcomer to the craft brewery scene in the Brainerd lakes area is 14 Lakes Craft Brewing Co., opening up shop in Crosslake. The company takes its name from the nearby Whitefish Chain of Lakes, which has -- you guessed it -- 14 lakes. Reporter Spenser Bickett learns more about the brewer and…
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Progress in the Lakes Area -- DispatchCast Episode 016
Progress. Movement forward. Development. The Brainerd lakes area has undergone changes in the past year -- changes in the economy, the landscape, the business environment, the housing market and elected representation. In our once-a-year Progress Edition, released on Labor Day, the Brainerd...
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How and Who to Draft in Fantasy Football This Year -- DispatchCast Episode 015
Fantasy football draft coming up? Who better to help you make your team the best it can be than Brainerd Dispatch sports writers Mike Bialka and Jeremy Millsop, joined by former sports writer and fantasy sports enthusiast, publisher Pete Mohs? Listen in as these great minds of sports give up…
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does DispatchCast have?
DispatchCast currently has 64 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is DispatchCast about?
Stories that will reel you in about life in the Brainerd lakes area. Brought to you by the reporters at the Brainerd Dispatch. This podcast is a product of Forum Communications Co.
How often does DispatchCast release new episodes?
DispatchCast has 64 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to DispatchCast?
You can listen to DispatchCast on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts DispatchCast?
DispatchCast is created and hosted by Forum Communications Co..
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