December 1, 2023 - MPR’s Dan Kraker travels to Deer Yard Lake in northeastern Minnesota, where cold temperatures have combined with a lack of snow to create ideal conditions for the formation of what some call ‘wild ice’ — black, glassy, smooth ice that can make for miles of epic ice skating on some remote lakes. Kraker meets a die-hard group of skaters that drop everything in search of perfect ice, and the feeling of gliding across the mirror-like surface.
May 23, 2023 - On this episode of MPR News with Angela Davis, guest host Dan Kraker takes a ‘deep dive’ into the wonder of Lake Superior. Kraker speaks with a scientist who studies Lake Superior and two artists — a photographer and a writer — about the lake’s significance and healing presence.
November 29, 2022 - MPR’s Dan Kraker visits Dubh Linn's, an Irish pub in downtown Duluth, to talk with soccer fans watching the World Cup. There is a growing passion for football in northern Minnesota.
November 10, 2022 - As a powerful storm hits Duluth on the anniversary of the Edmund Fitzgerald tragedy, MPR’s Dan Kraker looks at what makes the gales of November on Lake Superior so memorable.
August 23, 2022 - MPR’s Dan Kraker reports on a rare breed that has adapted to the forests along the Minnesota-Canadian border. It's called the Lac la Croix Pony, or the Ojibwe horse. A few decades ago there were only four of them left. Kraker interviews those dedicated to reviving the population and help Ojibwe people to reconnect with the horses.
July 29, 2022 - On this segment of North Star Journey, MPR’s Dan Kraker profiles individuals that identify as both of Native American and Scandinavian descent. They share how they are finding connections and surprising parallels between the cultures.
June 21, 2022 - MPR’s Dan Kraker visits residents along Rainy Lake, as they battle extreme local flooding. Kraker talks with individuals about the monthslong emotional grind of battling the rising floodwaters.
June 3, 2022 - MPR’s Dan Kraker reports on record water levels on Rainy Lake, where homes are flooding, docks are under 5 to 6 feet of water, and roads and campsites are closed along the Canadian border as residents continue to battle rising floodwaters.
February 25, 2022 - MPR’s Dan Kraker reports on Lake Superior research known as the “Winter Grab.” Scientists have a pretty good understanding of what goes on in the Great Lakes during the summer. But they don't know nearly as much about Lake Superior and the other lakes during winter. That's significant because winter is when the lakes are experiencing their most dramatic impacts from climate change.
September 16, 2021 - MPR’s Dan Kraker reports on the efforts in Duluth to address a problem known as the ‘Adventure Gap.’ Various groups in the city are trying to provide BIPOC children oppurtiunities to experience and enjoy outdoor sports in the area.