Jon Michaels' Forum

A "best of" recording from a few years ago about the very interesting history of the South Dakota Penitentiary.  Mafia type prison breaks to high speed drag nets to Bonnie and Clyde type romance to the Warden killed by friendly fire in a shoot-out. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Public Affairs Director Jon Michaels talks with Sioux Falls Weather Warning Coordination Meteorologist, Peter Rogers, about what we may expect for weather and storms this summer. from their website  Severe Weather Awareness Resources 2025 Looking to learn more about severe weather, and severe weather safety for the upcoming season?  Join us for a virtual, free, and open to the publi...

Public Affairs Director Jon Michaels talks with Lifelight CEO and Evangelist, Josh Brewer, about the Lifelight Youth Center, Gen Z and Gen Alpha, and summer festivals from Rapid City to Sioux Falls. from their website Lifelight.org: What is z8? At LifeLight, we believe Generation Z doesn’t just have an 8-second attention span; they have an 8-second filter—searching for truth, purpose,...

Public Affairs Director Jon Michaels (since 1977) talks with Kingdom Boundaries Business Manager Kelly Schelling and caseworkers Andrea Christianson and "Pam" about the new women's addition. from their website: Our Ministry  Goals  To build a Christian community with men both inside and outside the walls of prison To reinforce Christian boundaries so that men can walk in the freedom of C...

Public Affairs Director Jon Michaels (since 1977) talks with Christy Vastenhout, Chief Development Officer of McCrossan Boys Ranch about their upcoming fundraiser. from their website: April 3, 2025 McCrossan Banquet Auction Join us for an unforgettable evening filled with mesmerizing cirque acts, jaw-dropping magic, and a show-stopping performance by “Elvis” himself. Guests will enjoy...

Public Affairs Director Jon Michaels (since 1977) talks with Todd Smith of the Downtown Lions Club about the upcoming Pancake Days. From their Facebook page: Event by  Sioux Falls Downtown Lions Club   S ioux Falls Convention Center Duration: 2 days Join Us for the 68th Annual Sioux Falls Lions Club Pancake Days! It’s a Family Tradition!   When: April 22 - April 23&n...

Public Affairs Director Jon Michaels (since 1977) talks with Canaries Baseball General Manager, Duell Higbe, about the summer action. From the Canaries website: Sioux Falls Canaries Professional baseball in Sioux Falls traces its roots all the way back to 1902. However, the current professional baseball team in Sioux Falls - The Sioux Falls Canaries - as they currently operate played their first s...

Public Affairs Director Jon Michaels talks with car show extraordinaire Bernie Tyrrell about the upcoming races in the Sioux Falls Arena and a summer of car show fun. from the Automania website: About Automania The largest free to the public Automotive Event in the Midwest is back again in 2025! We plan to have hundreds of vehicles on display, along with quality food, automotive and specialty vend...

Public Affairs Director Jon Michaels (since 1977) talks with Clint Brown, Director of B.A.M. and Institute jof Civic Biodesign, and Jordan Deffenbaughj, a Whittier resident and former city council candidate. From Clint's facebook page The Fence Isn’t the Problem—It’s the SymptomSomething unusual happened in Sioux Falls recently. A city council proposal that seemed, at first, like...

Public Affairs Director Jon Michaels (since 1977) talks with the petition makers to save the stuffed animal exhibit (Brockhouse Collection) presently at the Great Plains Zoo. Mike Zitterch grew up in the family automotive business in the West Sioux neighborhood. Jason and Abby Haack owns Abby Normals Museum of the Strange.  Mike remembers the museum at West Sioux Hardware as a kid growing up...

Public Affairs Director Jon Michaels (since 1977) talks with local music icon Myron Lee about what it was like on Feb. 3rd, 1959 when Buddy Holly, The Big Bopper and Richie Valens died in a small plane crash in Iowa..."the day that the music died" from American Pie. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Public Affairs Director Jon Michaels (since 1977) talks with Minnehaha Sheriff Mike Milstead about ICE, immigration, drugs, Penitentiary and local history.. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Public Director Jon Michaels, since 1977, talks with Sioux Falls Emergency Manager, Regaln Smith. from their website: Preparedness. Response. Recovery. Mitigation. Emergency Management prepares, coordinates, and leads community response and recovery to large-scale disasters. They work to improve the City’s ability to prevent, protect against, respond to, and recover from major emergencies. D...

Recorded 2000 From Wikipedia: The Nine  are a group of nine  Christians  who authored two books about their experiences as  Hutterites  and how and why they chose to leave the Hutterite religion. [1] [2]  The authors were between the ages of 17 and 25 when they left the communal Hutterite society. [2]  Glenda, Jason, and Titus left a colony in  North Dakota...

Public Affairs Director Jon Michaels talks with long time television news reporter, Tom Rooney, about his career from Mitchell to Sioux Falls and now the KELO News Talk group.  His views of the news of 2024 into 2025. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Public Affairs Director Jon Michaels (since 1977) talks with Becky Rasmussen, CEO and President for Call To Freedom, and McKenzie Huska, Director of Outreach Services and Marissa's House. from their website: Alpine Cares Concert Fundraiser – Johnny Holmes – The District Rock Out and Raise Awareness This National Human Trafficking Awareness Month This January, join us for an unforgettab...

Public Affairs Director Jon Michaels (since 1977) talks with Jack Kolbeck of Sioux Falls about his views of the upcoming 2025 South Dakota Legislature. from Wikipedia : Jack Kolbeck is an American politician serving as a former member of the  South Dakota Senate  from the 13th district. Elected in 2016, he assumed office on January 10, 2017. [1] Background[ edit ] Kolbeck was born in&nbs...

Public Affairs Director,Jon Michaels (since 1977) talks with Bridget Devlin of the Sioux Falls Dep., Steve Fessley of Sioux Falls Fire and Rescue, and Kenneth Versteeg of the Community Blood Bank. from the website Join in to save the lives of community patients while supporting our local heroes, Sioux Falls Fire Rescue and Sioux Falls Police Department. The “Heroes Behind the Badges” i...

Public Affairs Director Jon Michaels talks with Mike Hendriksen about his sports history and Journey Through Life books and his new publication on South Dakota music stories, From Amazon.com books: Everyone's path through their time on earth is different. Their talent. Their decisions. Their successes. Their failures. Their joys. Their sorrows. Everyone has encountered situations that are unique t...

Public Affairs Director, Jon Michaels (since 1977) talks with Eric "Pineapple" Weber, Chief Executive Officer of the Union Gospel Mission in Sioux Falls.  from their website: Who We Are Union Gospel Mission is a nonprofit emergency shelter dedicated to providing essential services to the homeless, needy, and marginalized people of the Sioux Falls community. UGM is a beacon of light for those lost...

Public Affairs Director Jon Michaels (since 1977) talks with Bethany Olson of the Sioux Falls Children's Miracle Network about the Radiothon on KELO-FM and KTWB-FM this Thursday and Friday from 6 AM to 6 PM (Dec. 5 & 6). from their website: Impact Funds raised from the Radiothon support life-saving medical equipment, vital health services, and programs for kids and infants at Sanford Children’...

Public Affairs Director, Jon Michaels (since 1977), talks to Bob Kolbe about his clock business celebrating 50 years. Also about his history collection of post cards of South Dakota. And then there is his archaeological digs in out houses. And don't forget his long run as Minnehaha County Commissioner. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Public Affairs Director Jon Michaels (since 1977) talks with Natasha Letcher, Development Director, and Major Geffory Crowell of the Salvation Army in Sioux Falls about their annual fundraising for families and children in need. You can earn $15.00 an hour as a bell ringer.  Registertoring.com This year's goal is over $350,000   https://give.salvationarmyusa.org/ from their website: https://centra...

From the South Dakota Battleship Memorial: Historic World War II Impact Because of the World War II exploits against the Japanese in the South Pacific, this mighty battleship became a legend before she was a year old. She caught the fancy of the American people when her heroics were reported in newspapers under the titles of “Battleship X” and “Old Nameless”. “Old Incredible” would be an equally a...

Public Affairs Director Jon Michaels talks with Tom Savage Sr. about the beginnings of racing in Sioux Falls. From the Husets Hall of Fame Huset's Champions Outlaw Sprint Cars 1954-No Points Kept 1955-No Points Kept 1958-Bob Lukes 1959-Arnie Nimmerfroh 1960-Arnie Nimmerfroh 1961-Gil Haugan 1962-Arnie Nimmerfroh 1963-Harold Petree 1964-Dave Engebretson 1965-Harold Petree 1966-Roger Swenson 1967-Ear...