Access To Democracy

Who’s taking care of “our portion” of the Mississippi River? Why and how are they doing it? Alex Roth, Conservation Director for Friends of the Mississippi River (FMR) talks with host Bill Raker about FMR’s mission and its projects to help answer those questions.

What is so special about the River, and why is it so important to “befriend” it? The Mississippi is one of the world’s major river systems in size, habitat diversity and biological productivity; and it’s one of the world’s most important commercial waterways.

Alex explains some of the threats and challenges to the sustainability and health of the river and how friends of the Mississippi are working to protect this great asset.

Professor Richard Logan, joins host Steve Francisco in this episode for an engaging and thought-provoking conversation about the state of civil society in America and the tension between individualism and individual rights versus the recognition of responsibilities we owe each other as members of a community.

Richard describes himself as a social anthropologist who sees a growing imbalance between assertions of rights and a declining sense of responsibilities. He traces his concern for promoting communitarian values back to early American history in his native New England, where the town hall became a model of small-scale democracy at work.

The discussion also touches upon Richard’s time in Kenya and his observations about the cultural contrasts with advanced industrial societies, such as the US.

Why and how is MN preparing to address the pressing issues that come from a rapidly aging population? Guest Rep. Ginny Klevorn (DFL 42B), Chair of Minnesota’s Legislative Task Force on Aging, talks with host Bill Raker about the origins and mission of the Task Force.

She notes some of the gaps in MN’s current policies on aging and explains a number of key findings and recommendations that are emerging from the work being done by the Task Force.

Viewers can get additional information and provide their own input to the Task Force at lcc.mn.gov/aging/

Holly Jenkins, of Carrousel Travel discusses with host Steve Francisco how the travel industry is recovering from the disruptions of the Covid 19 pandemic and and reveals some of the hottest destinations for international travel in 2025.

Holly also shares information and photos from her recent travels to the Faroe Islands and Italy, France and Spain, including Rome, Naples, Pompeii, Florence, Barcelona, and Provence in southern France.

Foreign travel may be more affordable than you realize if you plan early to get the best air fares and hotel rates and if you use airline or hotel affinity credit cards where you can earn points for every dollar spent. Having a strategy and working with a travel agent can help speed you on your way to your trip of a lifetime.

Three-term Member of Congress in MN’s 2nd District, Rep. Angie Craig, took time to congratulate our show on the upcoming 25th anniversary, and sat for an in-depth interview with Alan.

Rep, Craig discussed the 2024 election, patriotism, her close to 70 Town Hall meetings throughout the district in the last two years, her legislative achievements, many of which were bi-partisan, and the critical importance of the vote this year, with issues such as Abortion, the Supreme Court conduct, and the future of democracy at stake.