Access To Democracy

Dakota County Commissioner Joe Atkins has been a frequent guest of our show for over a decade. He was previously a city Mayor and a member of the MN Legislature. This interview with Alan Miller covered a wide range of topics, everything from the debt-free status of Dakota County under the aegis of the Commission, to the current reconstruction of Diffley Road in Eagan and a survey of other dangerous crossings near schools. He and Alan also discussed the removal of many trash receptacles in Eagan as an environmental measure, and its impact on pet owners. They also spent time discussing the necessity of protecting groundwater and its future impact as water and water tables diminish.

Dr. Judy Rabinor is a psychologist, author, and lecturer who has appeared on Access to democracy before. Dr. Rabinor talked about her newest book, “The Girl in the Red Boots: Making Peace with My Mother” which has received rave reviews from professionals and the general reading audience. The book is deeply personal, introspective, and both painful and joyful as Judy reviews her life with her late mother. Guest host Holly Jenkins brought out an entirely different perspective to the talk, one which both women could relate to in a very personal way.

Eagan Police Chief Roger New is a special guest host on this interview of Access to Democracy. The guest in this episode is Dakota County Sheriff Tim Leslie, a guest on our show on numerous previous occasions. Chief New and Sheriff Leslie discuss some of the strategic responses by law enforcement across the county (and the state) to improve the quality of the work and training of the officers and the repsonsiveness to the people they serve. They also explain the relationship between their respective departments and jurisdictions.

Jerri Neddermeyer is one of the most fascinating people in Eagan. She is an artist, a potter, a writer, a poet, a musician, a teacher, an entrepreneur, and the co-founder of Eagan’s newest arts nonprofit – Art Works.

In this interview with Mike Supina (also a council member of City of Eagan) we discuss the value of the arts in our community, and how artists sometimes have to push back against attempts to devalue their work. We also learn how an artist reconciles the expression of their creative spirit with producing art as a marketable commodity. Lastly, we talk about the progression of Art Works from the dream stage to an institution that today occupies a prominent build right here in the heart of Eagan, filled with beautiful art and creative people. 

Will Phillips, AARP Minnesota State Director, is interviewed by guest host Bill Raker. AARP is a non-profit, non-partisan social impact organization with nearly 640,000 Minnesotan members. Phillips explains the “Age-Friendly Minnesota” program and how it positively impacts citizens of all ages in many ways, while primarily focusing on the needs of the increasing number of aging Minnesotans, noting that in 2020 the number of adults older than 65 outnumbered the school-age children in the state. He describes an “age-friendly community” naming the nine such communities currently in MN, and explains how an interested community can join that group. AARP and other organizations are working towards having the legislature make permanent and independent with dedicated funding the “Governor’s Council on Age Friendly Minnesota.”