PODCASTS

Podcast series looks to connect the dots in girl's 1972 murder

Trisha Taurinskas — Sat, 26 Apr 2025 13:40:00 GMT

It's been nearly 53 years since Joli Truelson was last seen alive by friends on July 3, 1972, when she hitchhiked a ride from Lake Calhoun in Uptown Minneapolis.

The following day, on the Fourth of July, her 16-year-old body was found — with fatal blows to the back of the head — in the shallow waters of Minneapolis' Minnehaha Creek. Her case has never been solved.

However, the case has striking similarities to another case that took investigators five decades to solve.

A new five-part podcast series takes listeners behind the scenes of a live investigation that examines circumstances surrounding Truelson's murder — and homes in on one potential suspect: Jon Keith Miller.

Police arrested Miller, 84, last fall for the 1974 slaying of 25-year-old Mary Schlais, who was also picked up hitchhiking in Uptown Minneapolis. Her body was discovered in a rural Dunn County, Wisconsin, snowbank hours later. She had been stabbed more than a dozen times.

Miller entered a "no contest" plea in March, and the conviction closes the chapter on a crime that went unsolved for more than 50 years.

The series, "Joli Truelson: Connecting the Dots," is the latest release from The Vault, a true-crime investigative podcast from Forum Communication Co.

The series features audio from Miller's Nov. 7, 2024, arrest — and confession — at an Owatonna assisted living facility for the murder of Schlais. Listeners hear that Miller first denied having anything to do with Schlais' murder, before eventually breaking down and confessing.

The podcast also includes audio of Miller being interviewed by a Minneapolis Police Department investigator for Truelson's death, along with audio from Miller's sentencing for the murder of Schlais.

In addition to the live footage, the podcast series takes listeners through Truelson's official Minneapolis Police Department investigative file, along with the corresponding forensics report, prepared by the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension.

Miller's criminal history — and timeline — is also on display in this series.

An interview with one of Miller's survivors — his ex-wife — illustrates the type of violence Miller inflicted in the past. Court documents related to his known crimes, including a 1969 armed robbery, give listeners insight into the mind of Miller, who told one probation agent he believed he should be committed to a psychiatric institution.

Throughout the five-part series, the podcast aims to connect the dots in Truelson's case and Miller's known timeline of events — all while asking the questions: Did Miller have the means, motive and opportunity to kill Truelson?

Truelson's family weighs in on that question, too.

"Joli Truelson: Connecting the Dots" is available on The Vault podcast. It can be found wherever you listen to podcasts.

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New true crime podcast series, 'Joli Truelson: Connecting the Dots,' launched by The Vault

Trisha Taurinskas — Fri, 14 Mar 2025 17:47:11 GMT

MINNEAPOLIS — The Vault podcast has a new series.

“Joli Truelson: Connecting the dots” examines the devastating impact of a flawed investigation by the Minneapolis Police Department into the 1972 slaying of 16-year-old Joli Truelson –- and her family’s renewed fight for answers in the wake of a killer’s confession.

Truelson was picked up on the evening of July 3, 1972 in Uptown Minneapolis by a man driving a newer model, gold-colored, two-door vehicle. Her friend, who watched as she drove away, told authorities the man appeared to be in his mid-30s, with mid-length brown hair.

Truelson’s body was discovered 15 hours later in Minnehaha Creek, four miles away. She died from blunt force trauma to the back of her head, insinuating she was running away from her attacker. There were no signs of sexual assault.

In the months following Truelson’s death, critical evidence was thrown away, including the possible murder weapon.

Instead of a thorough investigation, Truelson’s slaying was used by the Minneapolis Police Department as a public service announcement, warning girls and young women of the dangers of hitchhiking.

Since then, her case has gone cold.

Truelson’s brother, though, always thought her death could be linked to a similar crime: the murder of 25-year-old Mary Schlais in 1974.

On Nov. 7, 2024, Jon K Miller, 84, confessed to picking up Schlais while she was hitchhiking in Minneapolis. When she refused to have sex with him, he stabbed her 15 times. He drove to Dunn County, Wisconsin — roughly 90 miles away — and dumped her body in a ditch before attempting to cover her with snow.

An eyewitness saw it all and called it in to authorities. He described the man as being in his mid-30s with mid-length brown hair. He described the vehicle as a newer model, gold-colored, two-door car.

With the help of Truelson’s family, this series digs deep into the life and criminal history of Miller, attempting to answer the question: Is there a connection to Truelson's murder?

Miller has been questioned by the Minneapolis Police Department in Truelson’s murder investigation, but has not been charged with any crimes related to her death.

The Vault podcast is available on all major platforms. Episodes in this series will be released on Fridays. Find more cold case and true crime stories at The Vault page.

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Is there a cult in North Dakota? The Vault explores the possibility in new 3-part series

Trisha Taurinskas — Fri, 24 Jan 2025 14:45:00 GMT

NORTH DAKOTA — Forum Communications reporting on an alleged cult in northern North Dakota is at the forefront of the new 3-part podcast series on The Vault podcast.

The podcast highlights the 5-part print series, written by C.S. Hagen, and the 2-part documentary, produced by Drew Trafton, which investigated the hidden movements of the Plymouth Brethren Christian Church, which has a strong foundation in tiny Neche, North Dakota.

The Vault podcast series takes listeners behind-the-scenes of the reporting process, with Hagen and Trafton giving insight into the investigation: the resistance they faced and the people they met.

"This was such an important story for Chris and Drew to report. Just hearing them talk about it adds so much dimension to the story, and you get a sense of how professionally they treated it and how it affected them at a human level," Forum Communications Podcast Network Director Kris Kerzman, who produced the series, said. "There's never enough room to tell stories of this magnitude, but audio gives us a great way to share at least some of that additional context."

Intertwined in the conversation with Hagen and Trafton are excerpts from those who have left the PBCC, who tell listeners their stories of alleged sexual assault, financial control, deeply misogynistic policies and the overall fear instilled within members.

In heartbreaking dialogue, ex-members describe what happens when someone leaves the PBCC — or is banned: That person, even if that individual is a child, is considered by the PBCC to be deceased. They no longer exist in the eyes of the group’s members.

That policy has created a domino of grief felt around the globe, as the PBCC operates in 17 countries. The podcast series dives into those stories.

Part three of The Vault series includes a conversation with Carmen Drever, an ex-member who has devoted her life to providing a safe haven for those who wish to leave the PBCC.

Leaving is often considered to be a nearly impossible feat.

The PBCC leadership controls each family’s finances and employs their male members. Married women with children are not permitted to work outside of the home.

On top of that, members are born into the PBCC.

That means they’ve spent their whole lives inside a bubble, unaware of how the outside world operates.

Drever and others interviewed in this series aim to educate the public of what is happening in the small North Dakota town, which was once the PBCC’s global headquarters – and give hope to those facing the possibility of departure.

The Vault series, "Is there a cult in North Dakota?," can be found on all major podcast platforms.

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The Vault podcast series: Was Refugio Rodriguez murdered? Forum News Service investigates

Trisha Taurinskas — Thu, 04 Jan 2024 13:31:00 GMT

MONTEVIDEO, Minn. — Refugio Rodriguez was found dead on a Montevideo, Minnesota, walking path on Sept. 20, 2020. The initial incident report indicated Rodriguez was found hanging from a tree by a passerby.

His death was deemed a suicide, and the case was closed by the Montevideo Police Department.

But, what his death a suicide?

This 4-part podcast series from The Vault podcast, hosted by reporter Trisha Taurinskas, follows along as she investigates Rodriguez's death and uncovers new information that leads to a review of the case by the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA).

The BCA review of Rodriguez's case is ongoing. This 4-part podcast series will be updated when the BCA's review is complete.

Discover the accompanying 4-part article series here:

Part 1: Police claim Refugio Rodriguez killed himself. His family fears it was a hitjob, with evidence ignored Part 2: Investigator into Refugio Rodriguez’s death had other case thrown out due to bad police work Part 3: Police deemed Refugio Rodriguez's death a suicide, not a murder. Now Minnesota BCA will review the case Part 4: National expert weighs in on Refugio Rodriguez’s death investigation as new image of body surfaces ]]>

The Vault podcast investigates: The Holly Spangler Murder

Trisha Taurinskas — Tue, 24 Oct 2023 16:36:00 GMT

BLOOMINGTON, Minnesota — In 1992, the body of 19-year-old Holly Spangler was discovered in a park in Bloomington, Minnesota.

The young college student had been stabbed to death and left to die alongside a walking path.

The case has landed on the desks of many detectives over the years, yet a new investigator is hoping advanced DNA technology will finally lead to a crack in the case.

Listen to The Vault podcast's 2-episode miniseries below or read the full story here.

Interviews with Detective Kristen Boomer, the new investigator on the case, gives listeners an inside look into the process of investigating a cold case.

This series also explores why investigators still haven't ruled out Donald Blom for Spangler's murder. Blom was convicted in 1999 for the murder and abduction of 19-year-old Katie Poirier.

Blom abducted Poirier from a gas station in Moose Lake, Minnesota, where she was working. Remnants of her teeth were found in a burn pit on Blom's nearby property.

Prior to his conviction, Blom had already established a sorted past, which included multiple felony convictions related to sexual assault and abduction of young girls and women.

At the time of Spangler's murder, Blom lived nearby — under an alias.

Could Blom be connected to Spangler's death?

Listen to Episode 1:

Listen to Episode 2:

You can find episodes of The Vault and subscribe to it on any podcast app.

Have a story you want The Vault podcast to cover? Let us know in the comments at Apple Podcasts.

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'Murder in Room 30': Defending William Gummer against case that was 'a house built on sand'

Tracy Briggs — Fri, 13 Oct 2023 12:32:00 GMT

Editor's note: This is is part 2 of the "Murder in Room 30" series. If you haven't read or listened to

part 1

, go here.

FARGO — Who was William Gummer? Depends on who you ask.

In 1921, some claimed he was a boy in a man’s body, an unsophisticated farm kid from Mayville, North Dakota, the naive youngest of eight children who was inexperienced in the ways of the world.

But ask others and he was a lothario, a slick and promiscuous lady's man who preyed on women for sport. Gummer, they claimed, was prone to dangerous outbursts, which erupted only after he flashed a smile — his almost wicked grin.

Listen to the podcast here:

Get The Vault podcast on your favorite podcast app

: Apple | Spotify | Google

This week in "Murder in Room 30: The Killing of Marie Wick," Forum Communications combs through the archives and evidence into how a young farmgirl from Grygla, Minnesota, ended up dead during her first trip to "the big city."

Part 1 looked into how 18-year-old Marie Wick left her family farm on June 6, 1921, to board a train to Fargo for an overnight stay before visiting relatives in Pettibone, North Dakota — but she never made the second part of her journey.

Her dead body, brutally beaten, was discovered in downtown Fargo’s Prescott Hotel the following morning. After ruling out others, police arrested Prescott Hotel clerk William Gummer for the murder.

In Part 2, we’ll look at what led investigators to believe Gummer was the culprit and how Gummer proclaimed his innocence while pointing his finger at a mystery man — a hotel guest who signed in the night Wick was killed, but was never heard from again.

A key figure from the start

Right away, 22-year-old William Gummer was a key figure when Fargo Police officers and Cass County Sheriff Fred Kraemer showed up to investigate Wick's murder.

Gummer was among the first people Wick met after arriving in Fargo. It was he who checked Marie into her room at the hotel that evening, and him who discovered her lifeless body in the morning. Was he so close for comfort that he had to be involved, or was he a victim of circumstance?

Sheriff Kraemer said they arrested Gummer after thoroughly ruling everyone else out. They ruled out Wick’s hometown friend, Arnold Rasmussen, whom she went sightseeing with the night she came to Fargo. They also ruled out a man who was supposedly paying attention to her on the train from Crookston. Authorities say they were able to check out and verify the movements and alibis of every other guest in the Prescott Hotel that night.

The prosecution claimed there was simply no one else who could have done it. They laid out their reasons in William Gummer’s trial in Valley City, N.D., in February 1922. The trial had been moved from Cass County to Barnes County because of the sensational nature of the crime and the fear that a fair and impartial jury could not be found in Cass.

The prosecution states its case

Cass County State's Attorney William C. Green made several points as he pointed a finger at Gummer.

Green speculated that the murder had to have been done by someone familiar with the hotel — the layout and routine of the place

This person would have had to have known there was a single woman alone in Room 30 when he broke in to commit the crime after midnight. Gummer would know that because he checked her into the hotel.

Green said not only would Gummer have known that Wick was in Room 30, but also that at least until about 1 a.m. the room next door was unoccupied, so there would be less chance to be heard sneaking into her room.

Also, Green said the person who broke into the room and attacked Wick while she slept would have had to have known the layout of the room since the shades were drawn and it was dark.

No one heard Wick scream out before she was attacked, so whoever choked her did so quickly without having to fumble his way through the room waking her up.

But Green said the light did come on at one point during the attack as there was blood on the lightbulb. He contends that if an outsider had committed the murder, they would have been too afraid to turn the light on because it would attract the attention of the hotel clerk on duty.

Because Gummer was the clerk on duty, he knew no one else would notice a light going on in Room 30 in the middle of the night.

Green said the murderer had to have been familiar with the murder weapon, the brass nozzle of a fire hose taken from the hallway. He said as an employee of the hotel, he would have known exactly where to find that hose and how to unfasten the nozzle.

Green said Gummer had a clear motive to sexually assault Wick and to eventually kill her. Green claimed that Gummer was angry after Wick rebuffed his sexual advances shortly after she checked in.

Gummer admitted talking to his friend Andy Brown around 10 p.m. and telling him there was “a good-looking girl in Room 30” and also that he had called her on the phone to “find out if she was sporty or not.” However, Gummer said when she rejected him, he “gave the matter no further thought.”

"He told his friend there was 'a good looking girl in Room 30' and also that he had called her on the phone to 'find out if she was sporty or not.'" - Cass County Prosecutor W.C. Green pointing out Gummer made sexual advances on Wick

In the testimony, Gummer admitted on two previous occasions he had been intimate with women who came to the hotel alone, but explained that they consented to his advances.

Attorney Green went on to say that Gummer had motive to kill Wick after the attack as she would have been able to identify him since she had met him earlier. If an outsider had broken into the hotel, Green said, he might not have killed her after the rape because she wouldn’t have been able to identify him later to police.

Green showed the jury bloody trousers — probably the best piece of evidence that law enforcement had. A pair of bloody trousers were found at the foot of the basement stairs of the hotel, but not until June 13, almost a week after the murder.

The pants were not found in earlier searches of the hotel in the days following the murder, so Green speculated Gummer, while on duty in the days after the crime, ditched them down the stairs.

Green said it was simple: Gummer had the means, motive and opportunity to commit the crime. He claimed Gummer was cold and calculating and that the only law he lived by was “the law of his own desires.”

In his closing argument, the state's attorney pointed out that Gummer was his own worst witness, getting flustered and angry on the witness stand when questioning wasn't going his way.

It’s interesting to note that Green’s closing argument was being made in front of an all-male jury. Women in North Dakota weren't allowed to serve on a jury until 1923 — the year after the trial — and then only if they went down to the courthouse and petitioned to be on a jury.

But the lack of women on the jury perhaps played into Green’s final pitch to the jury members as fathers.

The defense fights back

Gummer, his lead attorney W.H. Barnett and attorney Hjalmer Swenson (also Gummer's brother-in-law) answered back. They claimed the prosecution’s case was “like a house built upon the sand" — weak and full of circumstantial evidence.

The defense pointed out that the crime could have easily been committed by an outsider or hotel guest as at least four guests were out of their rooms and in the lobby during the time of the murder, which had now been narrowed down by police to between midnight and 1 a.m.

The defense said police failed to locate and rule out a man named James Farrell of Willmar, Minnesota, who had signed the hotel registry that evening but, for some reason, doesn't show up as occupying a room in later accounts. And unlike all of the other people who signed the registry, Farrell was never interviewed or even found.

Barnett pointed out that Gummer saw Farrell at the front desk and his description of him matched a man named James Farrell who had lived in Willmar at least in 1918. But there is no record of police going to Willmar to investigate it.

However, the prosecution argued that there was no James Farrell — he was made up to help cover Gummer’s crime. They argued that once Gummer killed Wick, he knew he needed to point the finger at someone else, so he had his friend and roommate, Andy Brown, write James Farrell’s name in the hotel registry.

The prosecution brought in a handwriting expert from Minneapolis who testified that it appeared Brown’s handwriting matched Farrell’s signature.

The defense also had another explanation for the prosecution's argument that the murder had to have been committed by someone familiar with the hotel. They pointed out that Fred Lawrence was a longtime guest who would have known the hotel, as would Andy Brown, a friend of Gummer's who was also hanging out at the hotel a lot.

Defense attorneys argued they weren't trying to pin the blame on anyone, just that reasonable doubt existed about Gummer's guilt.

The defense also said the timing just didn't add up. They said Gummer was in the hotel office for all but 15 minutes of the midnight hour when the murder was thought to have taken place. He was found sleeping at his desk when the banker H.J. Hagen arrived at the hotel around 1 a.m.

Hagen's name came up in another point made by Barnett and Swenson about how police treated a man of high status like Hagen differently than they'd treat a simple "boy" like Gummer.

Barnett said the state had based their claim of Gummer's guilt on his past life (and sexual history). But if Hagen had been arrested, would they have taken his past into account or given him the benefit of the doubt

Gummer's defense argued that prosecutors were "overly enthusiastic," caring less about who they'd convict and just that they'd convict someone, to help them maintain their reputations as "good prosecutors."

What about his fingerprints?

While newspapers wrote at least one story about how the fingerprints of another man suspected earlier in the case, the former banker Hagen, did not match the evidence found in Room 30, there is no mention of whether Gummer’s fingerprints matched the evidence in the room or not.

In the accounts obtained by Forum Communications, there is no mention of the suspect's fingerprints by either the prosecution or defense. If they matched, you'd think the prosecution would have used that as evidence. If they didn't match, the defense would have used it.

Whatever the evidence, circumstantial or not, it only took the jury of 12 men just six hours to render a verdict of guilty of first-degree murder for Gummer. He was later sentenced to life at the State Penitentiary in Bismarck. But this story is far from over.

Next time on "Murder in Room 30: The Killing of Marie Wick," Gummer grants an interview from prison the day he arrives to start his life sentence. He insists he is innocent and does so for years. Someone was listening.

Editor's note: This archival story was first posted June 2, 2021.
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Minnesota's Jenna Kutcher grows fanbase with popular podcast, New York Times bestseller

Brielle Bredsten — Sat, 06 Aug 2022 12:09:00 GMT

HERMANTOWN, Minn. — A snap decision to purchase a $300 Craigslist camera was the turning point for how Jenna Kutcher, then 22, pictured success.

Kutcher was raised in a rural setting on five acres in Esko, Minnesota, with her father, mother, older brother and younger sister, as well as a family dog and a couple rabbits. Her parents held traditional jobs: Her father worked at the paper mill and her mother was a nursing instructor.

An entrepreneurial spirit was forged from childhood through driveway lemonade stands and face painting at Grandma's Marathon Whipper Snapper race when Kutcher and her siblings wanted new bikes.

"We thought it would mean more to them if they earned the money," said Sue Shelerud, Kutcher’s mother and close friend. "Values we worked hard to instill in all our children included kindness, compassion, respect, work ethic and faith. We worked to instill these by the way we lived our life, as well as opportunities we sought out for them, including academics, sports, camps and family time."

Throughout early teenage years, Kutcher worked as a nanny and at a golf shop, cleaned limousines and was a tour guide at the local paper mill. In school, Kutcher was involved in diving and gymnastics. The entire family did remodeling at the Gymnastics Academy in Duluth as a trade for Kutcher's gymnastics tuition, Shelerud recalled, adding that each of her children also paid their own way through college.

After graduating from Esko High ��, Kutcher moved to Wisconsin to attend the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. As a freshman and captain of the college swim team, her hair was tinted green from the chlorine at the time she met her future husband, Drew Kutcher. She received a bachelor's degree in business administration and management.

Then in 2012, she took a chance by quitting her 9-to-5 corporate job in a windowless office to capture life through the lens of a wedding photographer.

"Honestly, my greatest fear was that I was a fool for walking away from security and into uncertainty, both of which are valid concerns," Kutcher said. "I remember sitting down and creating an action plan surrounding what exact steps I would take if things didn’t work out. That exercise gave me the feeling of flipping the light switch on when you’re worried there’s a monster under the bed."

By 2014, that camera led to a six-figure income — an accomplishment that came just two years after taking the leap to starting a wedding photography business. By that time, Kutcher had shot more than 80 weddings. The journey was fully funded on her own without any investors or partners, all while paying student loans, funding a wedding and working a 9-5 job to get it all off the ground, she said.

Kutcher remembers the day vividly, as well as the feeling that accompanied it.

"Six figures felt like this elusive goal and the day I hit it, I thought my life would suddenly change. I waited for the angels to sing or balloons to drop and they never did. In fact, on that day, I remember thinking to myself, 'I thought this would feel different,'" she said. "While it was an incredible milestone, the means of getting there had led me to burnout, and I knew I had to change something.

"From that day forward, I started looking at time, rather than money, as my most real currency."

"It has been amazing to watch her entrepreneurial business evolve, and I know I may be biased, but she is honestly so gifted and visionary in her work," said Shelerud. "I also have worked for her business in the past as a mastermind event coordinator and have traveled with her to different speaking and work engagements. This has given me even deeper insights into her business and her positive impact on the world."

As her popularity grew, Kutcher reached 10,000 followers on Instagram, launched her "Jenna Kutcher Course" and was recognized with the Wisconsin Bride Best of Weddings Award for three years in a row.

In 2016, Kutcher launched "The Goal Digger Podcast" — now with 500 episodes and over 50 million downloads worldwide. The podcast covers digital marketing topics; how to market your business; how to obtain a successful Instagram following; leaving your 9-5 job and following your dreams; content creation; and SEO.

Most recently, in 2022, the online marketing guru appeared on the "Today Show" after publishing a New York Times bestselling book, "How Are You, Really?"

"I will honestly say that hitting the New York Times bestseller list for my book, 'How Are You, Really?' feels incredible," she said. "Stepping into the writing space and working on a project for two years was a big departure from my online work, and choosing to write about life, rather than business, and how to live out your truth felt incredibly vulnerable."

Meanwhile, she got married, traveled the world, purchased a lake home and came into her own. How does she make having it all seem so easy? That wasn't exactly the case. In her book, she speaks from experience.

"There’s a good chance that if you’re reading this profile, you might be someone who hasn’t checked in with yourself in a while," she said. "When is the last time you paused long enough to determine if you’re happy, if you’re faking the enjoyment of your life, or if you are on a path that lights you up? A lot of times we avoid the answers and shield ourselves from having to even ask the questions with the busyness of our lives."

In the midst of the ups, there were downs that were cause for a step back to reevaluate her goals and priorities. In 2016 and 2017, Kutcher and her husband experienced two miscarriages prior to welcoming their children, Coco in 2018 and Quinn in 2021. Kutcher shares more on her shift in perspective in her book.

"Loss has been my greatest teacher and my three-year season of waiting was just as important as what I was waiting for," she said. "Often, when we’re stuck in a waiting season, our tendency is to waste it but looking back I can see how I thoughtfully, slowly and intentionally worked through the waiting to build the type of life that would allow me to relish and enjoy the miracle I was waiting for.

"Motherhood has changed me in a million ways: from the way I perceive time, to the boundaries I set, to the way I show up in the world."

Helping women harness the power to take control of their lives is the driving goal for Kutcher. Her inspiration is drawn from within, and her small town upbringing sticks with her regardless of heights reached, she said. The confidence, kindness, empathy, respect she was taught are what carry her forward, no matter where she goes.

"I have a deep knowing that the work I am doing is a direct answer to the call I’ve been given," she said. "There’s no other way to describe it, but it’s this innate desire to try, fail, experiment, share and teach."

In her youth and today, Shelerud describes her daughter as confident and vibrant — someone who can carry on a conversation with anyone and has always been comfortable expressing her opinions.

"I have always described her as an old soul with her innate wisdom," Shelerud said. "I would say she was surrounded by love and support. Not only from us, but from grandparents, teachers, coaches, friends and church."

Kutcher added: "My deepest desire is to be around people who aren’t afraid of the idea of change, who usher in the notion of evolving, who love to learn, who welcome being stretched, and who are eager to meet the next version of themselves. In a world that loves to categorize people or measure worth based off of accolades and titles, I want to surround myself with students of life."

In 2018, Kutcher shot her last wedding ever, moved to Minnesota, and was named "Aerie Real Role Model," with the campaign photos appearing in Times Square.

"I would say we have become closer since she began her business and even more so since she moved back home and became a mom," Shelerud said. "My husband and I have loved seeing her joy in being a mom. She truly puts that as a priority in her life and is thriving in the role. All three of our children are entrepreneurial and most important, good humans and we are so thankful for our children, their spouses and our grand-kids!"

Kutcher's family splits their time between two homes: one in Hermantown and one in Grand Marais. Having spent over a decade away from the Northland and returning just a few years ago, Kutcher said she is constantly inspired by the entrepreneurial spirit present in the city.

"From the revival of West Duluth to the genius curation of the shops up the shore, I love this city and the creative minds who are ushering it forward. There is something so grounding about living where we live and while I have changed and grown, my feet are firmly planted on this Minnesota soil," Kutcher said.

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Despite high water, there's still great fishing at Lake of the Woods

Northland Outdoors — Wed, 22 Jun 2022 21:32:00 GMT

In this episode of the Northland Outdoors Podcast, Joe Henry, executive director of Lake of the Woods Tourism who earlier this year earned “Tourism Professional of the Year” in Minnesota, joins host Chad Koel to discuss access issues, flooding, COVID-19 protocols at the border, and of course, fishing on Lake of the Woods.

Lake of the Woods is considered one of the best walleye fisheries in North America and there’s a good reason for that, Henry said. “The thing about Lake of the Woods is that truly, we do catch fish 12 months a year on Lake of the Woods.”

Henry breaks down COVID protocols for access to Canada and says using the ArriveCAN app before your trip can help expedite you at the border crossing.

Time stamps:

Open / Introduction 2:10 / Joe Henry talks about the lake, the walleye slot limit and the water system 11:20 / Reasons for the high water 14:00 / Quality fishing, guides, charter boats 17:36 / How are people accessing the Northwest Angle and Canada 23:12 / How to fish Ontario waters 24:40 / How COVID has changed LOW resorts, businesses 28:20 / What’s coming up in LOW

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Science instructor explains his bout with Lyme disease, tick prevention

Northland Outdoors — Wed, 08 Jun 2022 16:27:51 GMT

They’re small but their effects on the human body can be devastating.

In this episode of the Northland Outdoors Podcast, Ryan Saulsbury, a science instructor and outdoorsman, joins host Chad Koel to talk about ticks.

In 2001, Saulsbury suffered a bout with Lyme disease and how multiple tests finally narrowed down his diagnosis. He shares his experiences, talks about how a tick works, offers tips to avoid ticks when you’re outdoors and the best methods on how to extract ticks from your skin and clothing.

“One of the things that makes Lyme so difficult is Lyme has a nickname called the Great Imitator, where it imitates so many other diseases, which is part of the reason why it takes so long for people to get diagnosed,” Saulsbury said.

Time stamps:

Open / Introduction 2:30 / Ryan Saulsbury’s background and why he’s interested in tick research 6:30 / What is Lyme disease and why is it so difficult to diagnose 11:30 / How an infection works and how the disease affected him 16:45 / Co-infections that come along for the ride 22:35 / How a tick works and how does Lyme disease transfer to humans 32:55 / Where ticks are most likely to be found on the body 34:45 / What’s the best application to avoid ticks and how to treat your clothing coming in from the outdoors 41:32 / What to do if you spot a tick on your skin? 47:30 / Why a quick response is important 50:30 / Where you can find more information Listen to the Northland Outdoors podcasts, and other

Forum Communications' podcasts

on Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts and Spotify.]]>

Annual fishing tournament isn't about winning, its about helping

Northland Outdoors — Thu, 26 May 2022 00:00:00 GMT

Hunting journalist Bernie Barringer and Minnesota Hall of Fame angler and communicator Steve Pennaz join host Chad Koel to talk about the Minnesota Fishing Challenge on the second episode of this podcast.

It's not your ordinary tournament. Yes, there's a rules meeting and raffle June 4 with fishing on June 5 at Cragun's Resort on Gull Lake in Brainerd. But there's more to it, the panel explains.

"It's a really unique tournament because its a fundraising event and the focus really isn't on winning the tournament, the focus is on helping people in need," said Barringer, who is one of the organizers. "So its a fundraising tournament for Minnesota Adult and Teen Challenge.

The fishing tournament helps to provide funds for people to go through the program.

Pennaz will serve as the honorary tournament director.

The meeting on Saturday, June 4 is for the anglers and their families. The public is welcome to come to the weigh-in on Sunday.

Timestamps:

0:00 Open / What is the Minnesota Fishing Challenge? 8:00 / How the Minnesota Teen Challenge has changed lives 12:00 / How the tournament works 14:50 / Weigh-in and the stories from those recovering from addiction 18:50 / How you can help 26:00 / Talking about fishing legend Al Linder]]>