Local sounds, voices and haikus: celebrating one year of Minnesota Now

CATHY WURZER: Well, one year ago today, Minnesota Now went on the air. In that time we've had more than 700 conversations about what's happening in Minnesota now. Wow. So the producers and I wanted to take just a few minutes to highlight a few of our favorite moments, not all 700, of course, but just a few laughs and some heartfelt moments.

[MUSIC - NUR-D, "TAKE MY PICTURE"]

(SINGING) Yeah, I don't got a catchphrase yet. Don't-- still don't this is what they're talking 'bout. I don't-- still don't, I don't.

Oh, you recognize that song, don't you? It's one of Minneapolis-based hip hop artist Nur-D's most famous tracks called Take My Picture.

Are you still listening to '80s hair metal bands?

NUR-D: Oh, you know I am. You know I got stuff. I throw on Sister Christian at least once a week, once every two days.

[MUSIC - SISTER CHRISTIAN, "NIGHT RANGER"]

(SINGING) You're motoring. What's your price for flight.

NUR-D: That's the best song in the world. I don't care what anybody says. Sister Christian, you can mark me on this, is the best song that's ever been written.

CATHY WURZER: And you're one of the only people who understands, really, the allure of professional wrestling because I am a pro-wrestling fan myself. I'll admit that.

NUR-D: Did you see that MJF promo just the other day?

CATHY WURZER: Yes. What did you think?

NUR-D: Hm-hmm.

CATHY WURZER: As you know, there are 100 of competitions at the Minnesota State Fair. For bakers the one big one is being named the Supreme Baker of the Fair. That's the person who wins the most top-prize ribbons in the 94 different baking competitions. That's a lot of dessert. This year, there was a tie for Supreme Baker, or so they thought.

Chad O'Leary and Kimberly Mayes, both were named the Supreme Bakers for this year. But then in a sad twist, competition organizers realized they made a mistake. Here with more on that is Chad O'Leary. Welcome to Minnesota Now, Chad.

CHAD O'LEARY: Thanks, Cathy. Here's what happened. There was a missed counting of points. And I ended up losing by one yellow ribbon.

CATHY WURZER: Oh, you are kidding.

CHAD O'LEARY: Yes. And so I am second best. I am the runner-up.

CATHY WURZER: So what? You are the runner-up. You are runner-up to Supreme Baker of Minnesota. I still think that that's a good thing.

CHAD O'LEARY: Oh, definitely.

CATHY WURZER: What's the highest compliment you've ever been paid for something you've made?

CHAD O'LEARY: Oh, you know, I think that the highest compliment came when my grandmother was still alive. I made a carrot cake for Easter. And it was before she started to go downhill mentally. And she had commented that this is the best cake she's ever had. And so that to me means far more than any title at the state fairs.

CATHY WURZER: Oh, I love that. I love that. OK. I'm going to be hoping then that next year, I'll get to talk to you as the Supreme Baker of the State Fair. That's my hope for you.

CHAD O'LEARY: Pressure's on. But I'll take that challenge, Cathy.

CATHY WURZER: You know, I mentioned that you are a healer. What perspective did you have on this time in our history in the healing that we need to move forward?

SUBJECT 1: Ah. Cathy, really great question. Before I even answer it, it reminds me to just take a pause, right? So many heavy things that have happened. And it's like, whoa, I could go into like regurgitating a whole bunch of stuff. But I'm like, let me just take a minute and pause.

So what I'm going to invite you to do is to take your right hand and just place it over your heart.

CATHY WURZER: Mm-hmm.

SUBJECT 1: You just pause for a moment. You begin to feel your entire central nervous system start to calm down. Just feel that.

[MUSIC PLAYING]

SUBJECT 2: I have a lot of different ranges of depth. Some deaf people can hear. Some deaf people can hear out of one ear. Some people can hear a lot of different levels. So a lot of people love music.

CATHY WURZER: Now is it true that as a youngster you were jamming to national public radio?

SUBJECT 2: When I was young, again, I'm from Duluth. And we drive. And I'd always ask my mom, can you turn up the music? Turn it all the way up, so I can feel the music. And my mom would turn it all the way up, but it was hard. It hurt her ears. She was like, OK, I'm going to buy a better sound system.

So she installed a nice sound system in the car with a subwoofer. And sure enough, I could feel the bass. And I wasn't bothering my mom. And the windows were shaking. And I had a blast. It felt good. So one day, we went to a store. And we parked.

And I wasn't interested in going in the store, so I stayed in the car. And my mom went into the store. And I was bored. And I realized we just got this new sound system. So I turned it on. And I turned it up. And I turned it louder.

And I was having a blast. It felt so good. I was dancing. And then a stranger pulled up next to me. And it was a man. And he rolled down the window. And he looked at me really weird. And I just thought, he must be impressed. He must be thinking I have a great sound system in the car. And it's a great song.

And I was just like, yes. And I danced to this man. It felt so good. And I wondered what is this song. And when my mother came out of the store, she looked at me and started laughing. And she sat down next to me. And I was like, what is the music I'm listening to? She said, you're listening to NPR pop radio.

CATHY WURZER: [LAUGHS] That is a great story.

The first wave of runners in the 126th Boston Marathon crossed the starting line at 9:02 this morning. And among the runners is St. Cloud resident Val Rogoshesky. Val first ran this race in 1972. That was the first year that women could officially enter the race.

VAL ROGOSHESKY: And so I thought, wow, the only race I've ever heard of is the Boston Marathon. And I know that women have been hiding in the bushes and jumping out and then running the race. And, boy, that sounds like fun. I think I'll do that too.

CATHY WURZER: Not jumping out of the bushes and running, but actually being at the start line and running.

VAL ROGOSHESKY: No, I wanted to jump out of the bushes and run.

CATHY WURZER: [LAUGHS]

Jorge Sanchez joins us right now to share the details of the event. He is the President of the Northstar Gay Rodeo Association. Welcome to the program.

JORGE SANCHEZ: Hi, Cathy.

CATHY WURZER: You know, Jorge, the mainstream rodeo world is thought of as pretty conservative, macho, homophobic perhaps. Tell me about the queer rodeo world.

JORGE SANCHEZ: The great thing about us is we accept everybody. You can compete at anything. So the straight rodeo, women can only do horse events. At ours, if you want to be a bull rider, you go ahead and you get on that bull. And you're a bull rider.

CATHY WURZER: What are you most looking forward to this weekend?

JORGE SANCHEZ: Goat dressing, so you put underwear on a goat. Whoever can do it as best, the fastest time-- so you got two teams coming down. You run down. Whoever throws it on the run and runs back the fastest, you win.

[MUSIC PLAYING]

CATHY WURZER: The 2022 John Beargrease Sled Dog Marathon is officially over.

[CHEERING]

To talk about this year's race and the trail conditions, I'm joined by Colleen Wallin, a musher from the Two Harbors area who came in third at this year's marathon, which is a very respectable finish. Colleen, congratulations.

COLLING WALLIN: Oh, hi, Cathy. Thanks for having me on. And thanks for the congrats.

CATHY WURZER: Your 19-year-old son, Ero, competed this year which is great. And last night, he crossed the finish line shortly after you did. He finished in fourth.

COLLING WALLIN: Yeah. Ero has been working really hard. He was on Christmas break from St. Cloud State University where he's playing baseball, carrying an 18-credit load. And he came home and he trained dogs. He has a bond with those dogs like no other.

And so when we left each other at 19 seconds apart from Mineral Center to the finish line, you know, several people asked, are you going to let him pass you and let him finish ahead of you? And I'm like, no, this is a life lesson? And incidentally, when he was five, I never let him win at Candyland. So I'm not going to start now.

CATHY WURZER: [LAUGHS]

Dick, welcome to Minnesota Now. How are the fish biting?

DICK: Well, not too bad in fact. One of my guide clients, Mark Knisley, from Pine City, Minnesota, just had a fish on. I'll tell you a quick story here. But hold on here. I just got a-- I got a fish on.

CATHY WURZER: Oh, no. [LAUGHS]

DICK: I had my rod sitting down. And honest to gosh, it about pulled it.

CATHY WURZER: I know. I heard your rod in the background.

DICK: Yeah. It's a nice-sized northern pike.

CATHY WURZER: Do you want to just put the phone down and try to get the fish in the boat? Would that be helpful?

DICK: No, Mark did it for me.

[MUSIC PLAYING]

CATHY WURZER: From mushers to musicians to meditation, it's been one heck of a year. And of course, we had all the conversations with newsmakers where we try to get to the bottom of important events and issues of the day. It's been quite a ride.

We asked you to share in the celebration with us. We asked you to write a haiku about the show, three lines, of course, you responded in fine fashion. Amy Clark in Maple Grove, she wrote one called Mid-day Pause, stories unfolded, tales of bright joy told in sound, gifs shared with Cathy. Oh, I love that. I like that an awful lot.

Valerie Argenbright, Val says Minnesota Now not on the well-trodden path becomes a heartbeat. And one from our favorite pendling pastor, Travis Norvell, who was a guest on the show, noontime news and wit, Cathy shares north star stories, catch your breath and smile.

Thanks, everybody, for listening to Minnesota Now.