A New Angle

In part two of our conversation with Penny Ronning, the co-founder of the Yellowstone Human Trafficking Task Force, she speaks with Justin on the realities of child trafficking and online exploitation in the U.S. Ronning describes the signs of trafficking that ordinary people can observe and offers advice on reporting suspected trafficking. She shares the history of her task force and details her path from a CASA advocate to becoming a key player in the fight against human trafficking in Montana, highlighting efforts to address the issue through policy, training, and legislation.Learn more about the Yellowstone Human Trafficking Task Force here: www.yhttf.orgTranscript available here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1wsaUAH-ps4dXociZ1reosFcWV0TAGWRXs6rAh51OvwE/edit?usp=sharing This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.anewanglepodcast.com/subscribe

Penny Ronning, the co-founder of the Yellowstone Human Trafficking Task Force, joins Justin to explore the pervasive but often unseen world of human trafficking in Montana and beyond. She explains how traffickers target vulnerable individuals across industries—from construction to nail salons—and the red flags for spotting exploitation. Ronning also delves into the grooming tactics used on children online and the distinction between consensual sex work and coercive trafficking.This conversation contains sensitive themes regarding sex trafficking, mental illness and suicide. If you or a loved one is considering suicide, call the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988.Stay tuned for part two of our conversation with Penny Ronning next week.Transcript available here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1DjEkoMiBPL0n2eDpKfKV2AnQ5RNnfpzDOqZVABN3Q-Y/edit?usp=sharing This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.anewanglepodcast.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.anewanglepodcast.comIn this month’s installment of Incentives & Instincts, our recurring series with economist Bryce Ward, Justin and Bryce delve into the shifting cultural and social dynamics within the sports industry. They focus on factors like the local connection to sports, the “Moneyball” effect, and the rise of sports gambling, discussing whether these elements are …

It’s pledge week at Montana Public Radio, and in place of our regular programming, we bring you the recording of a live conversation Justin did with two wonderful MTPR colleagues: Lauren Korn of The Write Question and Sarah Aronson, host of Grounding. We share our experiences and approaches to covering climate change on our various programs. If you’re interested in supporting Montana Public Radio, please visit MTPR.org This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.anewanglepodcast.com/subscribe

This week Justin speaks with Pathlabs Chief Executive Officer, Will Lapointe, a former student of his at the University of Montana College of Business. Pathlabs is a Montana-made digital media execution partner. What does that mean? Well, have a listen. Pathlabs was just acquired by MIQ in one of the largest corporate acquisitions in Montana history. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.anewanglepodcast.com/subscribe

University of Montana law professor Craig Cowie returns this week to discuss the shifting the balance of power between regulatory agencies and the judiciary. Cowie explains how recent Supreme Court decisions, such as Loper Bright, are slowing down regulatory processes, creating uncertainty for businesses and agencies alike. He argues that while deregulation is often seen as freeing up the market, judicial involvement can make things more complex, as businesses are unsure about their compliance. Although this creates opportunities for litigation, it raises concerns about the long-term impact on society and the economy. The courts, however, don’t always address these broader trade-offs in their rulings.Transcript available here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/12N-gBGtRGC8nPktk0CINyaM8nowNxq2naC0lmabt44w/edit?usp=sharing This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.anewanglepodcast.com/subscribe

Craig Cowie joins Justin in this week’s episode to discuss the Supreme Court’s recent ruling on presidential immunity and its implications for prosecuting a president for criminal acts. The discussion centers around the tension between protecting a president from legal interference and ensuring accountability for illegal actions, like bribery and even assassination. Cowie critiques the Court’s vague framework, which leaves key questions unanswered about how these issues will be prosecuted in the future. The conversation highlights concerns about a shift of power from Congress and the executive to the judiciary, allowing the courts to play a larger role in determining the criminal culpability of a sitting president. Cowie warns that this ruling could effectively shield a president from prosecution, relying only on impeachment or elections as remedies.Transcript available here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/10pHvxFvbIxAxowREg19P92xee5ITth4u-xTBrKOcXcU/edit?usp=sharing This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.anewanglepodcast.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.anewanglepodcast.comIn this month’s installment of Incentives & Instincts, our recurring series with economist Bryce Ward, Justin and Bryce question the effectiveness of our current election system in helping us to choose the candidates whose policies will best reflect our perception of problems and priorities. Bryce introduces the concept of deliberative polling as a pote…

Scaling Montana works to accelerate Montana’s technology innovation community, and we are joined in this episode by Jenni Graff, the executive director, and Philip Brittan, who chairs the board. They discuss Montana’s emerging tech and entrepreneurial landscape and the upcoming Scaling Montana summit, which will be held on October 23rd and 24th in Bozeman. The conversation touches on the unique challenges of scaling businesses in Montana’s rural setting, the rise of various tech clusters across the state, and the value of networking and knowledge sharing in fostering innovation.Learn more about Scaling Montana here: https://scalingmt.org/Transcript available here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1mP_HSz-gQHJFzJT1IE3W98le4dRB-w86AcGh6hiUagA/edit?usp=sharing This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.anewanglepodcast.com/subscribe

Mark Kreider is a recent Ph.D. graduate in forestry from the University of Montana whose research focuses on wildfire suppression and its unintended consequences on forest ecosystems. In this episode, he explains the concept of “suppression bias,” where the easier-to-control fires are successfully suppressed, leaving the more severe and dangerous wildfires to dominate. Mark discusses how this bias, along with climate change and fuel accumulation, contributes to the growing severity of wildfires in the western U.S. In addition to his academic work, Mark is a talented science communicator who uses music, film, and photography to engage broader audiences, and he shares insights into how art and science can intersect to inspire deeper conversations about environmental issues.Transcript available here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1vqrYQycF1QrE3nbc94kJk8C6Jf_a2yX1RcPVWriuN3s/edit?usp=sharing This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.anewanglepodcast.com/subscribe

Zach Green is the president of BeAlive Studios in Bozeman, Montana, and the co-founder of Rivers are Life. He began his career on CBS’s Survivor and oversaw production of the hugely successful survival series Alone. In this episode, Zach shares his experiences navigating the entertainment industry, emphasizing the importance of persistence, risk-taking, and passion-driven work. He also discusses the importance of storytelling in conservation and how multimedia can inspire outdoor adventure and environmental stewardship, highlighting his projects’ focus on brand-funded content and partnerships with organizations to protect and preserve global river systems.Transcript available here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1QhJODqZD4Kb3pOYnY53ML8rAhn28KzcidY66dMzpJV0/edit?usp=sharing This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.anewanglepodcast.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.anewanglepodcast.comIn this month’s installment of Incentives & Instincts, our recurring series with economist Bryce Ward, Justin and Bryce dive into the changing perceptions of the teaching profession over the last 50 years. They explore how the status, prestige, and public perception of K-12 teachers have shifted, focusing on the decline since the Great Recession. The co…

This week we’re re-airing a conversation with John Adams, executive director at Montana Free Press. With Adams as its founder, Montana Free Press launched in 2016 as an independent nonprofit. In this episode Justin and John talk about the Montana Free Press model, the state of journalism in general, and its future here in Montana. Justin asks John how the rise of Facebook and Google changed the business model for online newspapers.Transcript here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1KWQkKNw2tQI_7y596hVCR3mIIfyH6RyFjHSpqgCX-MA/edit?usp=sharing This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.anewanglepodcast.com/subscribe

Nick Mott is an award-winning journalist and host of a new podcast The Wide Open. The first season, Threatened, explores the complex legacy of the Endangered Species Act and new episodes are dropping weekly right now. Mott discusses the Act’s history, its powerful legal teeth, and the social and political challenges surrounding species protection, particularly with predators like grizzly bears in Montana. He shares insights into the ethical and practical debates about wildlife conservation, the social question of what constitutes species recovery, and how the Act has become such a contentious issue in modern politics.Listen to The Wide Open here: https://www.npr.org/podcasts/1254361510/the-wide-openTranscript available here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1qUoJLIlgD0hjwDrXz3ndxLu7-X7Xr1EyAYTQDBmXgkw/edit?usp=sharing This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.anewanglepodcast.com/subscribe

Mallory Phillips and Nathan Dugan co-founded Shelter WF, a nonprofit organization dedicated to creating housing options for low to middle-income earners, in 2022. In this episode, they discuss the housing challenges in the Flathead Valley, the history of zoning and its implications on class and race, the state of housing legislation in Montana, and the barriers to affordable housing development.Learn more about Shelter WF here: www.shelterwf.orgTranscript available here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1-jMxFSdZXgFFNU409lH0p84e6M9OBxlEBNfl_bkQuj0/edit?usp=sharing This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.anewanglepodcast.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.anewanglepodcast.comIn a previous episode of Incentives & Instincts, Justin and economist Bryce Ward discussed a concerning rise in the need for chaos — a mentality in which individuals across the ideological spectrum, feeling disaffected by the system, seek its destruction. This week, they attempt to square that trend with the rise of a productive form of centrism in Wash…

Here’s part two of our conversation with Heidi Wallace and Rajiem Seabrook of EmpowerMT, an organization dedicated to creating a more just and inclusive world through leadership development and education. Heidi serves as executive director and Rajiem is director of equity and impact. In this episode, they discuss the challenges of systemic oppression, the impact of social media on youth, and grapple with whether or not our society is actually making progress.Learn more about EmpowerMT here: https://www.empowermt.org/Transcript available here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/13baFFSE4sXeFS6gtuzdY-mrUdY9y6UaHvCdKJqPkNTg/edit?usp=sharing This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.anewanglepodcast.com/subscribe

This week we’re bringing you an encore presentation of Justin’s conversation with Mara Silvers about Shared State, a collaborative reporting effort between the Montana Free Press, Montana Public Radio, and Yellowstone Public Radio. Shared State explores the strange political moment we’re living through, and as we approach this next election, this conversation seems like a good reminder that truth – whatever version of it we can find – usually lies in the middle.Access the Shared State archive here: https://www.mtpr.org/podcast/shared-stateEpisode transcript available here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1O8G3b6912AvHufml849rfc9YJ5HnZD4DMwk2LrU0SS4/edit?usp=sharing This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.anewanglepodcast.com/subscribe

Today Justin interviews Heidi Wallace and Rajiem Seabrook of EmpowerMT, an organization dedicated to creating a more just and inclusive world through leadership development and education. Heidi serves as executive director and Rajiem is director of equity and impact. They delve into the work they do to build more cohesive communities, the power of self-reflection, and the critical role of curiosity in understanding diverse experiences. Tune in for part two of this conversation next week.Learn more about EmpowerMT here: https://www.empowermt.org/Episode transcript available here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1POLikCEkwPNljPNf_Krc4v8fNveCuNeqhh5xNdrgprk/edit?usp=sharing This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.anewanglepodcast.com/subscribe

On Independence Day, Justin sits down with Anne Fogel of Missoula, Montana, to discuss the plight of her brother, Marc Fogel, who has been imprisoned in a Russian labor camp since 2021 for attempting to enter the country with 14 grams of medical cannabis. Justin and Anne discuss Marc’s love of teaching history in classrooms across the world, the details of his arrest at a Russian airport and the frustrations of trying to obtain action from the Biden administration to designate Marc as wrongfully detained.Send a message to the White House here: https://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/Transcript available here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/11vY8NM8Wr19zxRp4kPlTV9OcCUa11BJajjnKvgTTcoE/edit?usp=sharing This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.anewanglepodcast.com/subscribe