Rare Earth Elements in North Dakota ~ Growing Native Plants ~ Author Mona Gable: "Searching for Savanna" ~ Poet Profile: Bruce Roseland

Wednesday, May 24, 2023 - Two UND researchers were recently awarded a grant from the US Department of Energy to study the possibility of recovering rare earth elements from North Dakota's lignite coal. This could lead to a major new industry for the state. From the UND Institute of Energy studies, we visit with senior research manager Nolan Theaker. ~~~ Chuck Lura shares a Natural North Dakota essay about landscaping and gardening with native plants. ~~~ Indigenous women are murdered at 10 times the rate of women from other racial and ethnic groups. In the U-S, four out of five Indigenous women are victimized by violence in their lifetime. In 2017 a pregnant Savanna LaFontaine Greywind was murdered and her baby taken from her womb. Journalist Mona Gable wanted to tell Savanna's story to both highlight the crimes against this minority, and share Savanna's personality with the world. Gable joins us to talk about her book, Searching for Savanna. ~~~ "Poetry from Studio 47" comes to us from Patrick Hicks, writer in residence and a member of the English faculty at Augustana University in Sioux Falls. Today he profiles poet Bruce Roseland.