Morning Edition's favorite conversations of 2023

2023 was a heck of a year. Here are the Morning Edition team’s favorite conversations from it.

'Biking far with friends': Minnesota Randonneurs take 745-mile ride through France

Back in August, 15 members of a Minnesota cycling group flew to France. They pedaled in the Paris-Brest-Paris. Dating back to 1891 and held every four years, it’s the oldest long-distance road cycling event in the world — about 745 miles, and they needed to complete it in under 90 hours. Chris Carlson, president of the Minnesota Randonneurs, joined us from France to talk about that test of endurance right before the race.

A group of bicyclists04 — The Minnesota Randonneurs take a pit stop during the 2023 race.
Courtesy Chris Carlson

U of M med student reflects on 2 months behind the front lines in Ukraine

Also in August, a University of Minnesota medical student and EMT who had spent the last two months behind the front lines as a combat medic in the war in Ukraine arrived back in the state to prepare for his fall classes. This was 24-year-old Sergey Karachenets’ third trip abroad during the war. As he prepared to leave Ukraine, Karachenets reflected on his experience with us.

a group of soldiers pose with the Ukrainian flag — 3rd Assault Brigade in Ukraine.
Courtesy of Sergey Karachenets

Relative of man who died on Lake Superior reacts to news of shipwreck's discovery

The discovery of the wreck of the freighter Henry Steinbrenner in Lake Superior made Madge Alberts teary-eyed and gave her goosebumps. The ship sank in a storm in 1953, killing 17 of its 31 crew members — including Alberts’ great-uncle, Earl Hemmingson.

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A lifeboat carrying survivors of a shipwreck — A lifeboat carrying survivors of the sinking of the freighter Henry Steinbrenner is seen from a rescue ship on Lake Superior on May 11, 1953.
Lake Superior Maritime Collections, UW-Superior

How the Minnesota mystery of 'Bloomfield bridge' was solved by a curious sleuth

Minnesota is full of iconic, beloved landmarks: The Stone Arch Bridge, Split Rock Lighthouse, the State Capitol. But there are lots of other functional landmarks we pass by every day. And the story of how one underused, nearly anonymous piece of architecture came to be was nearly lost to time and fading memories... until August. Tyler Vigen — who’s not a journalist, just a curious individual — sought out the story behind an oddly placed pedestrian bridge over I-494.

A view of a pedestrian bridge. — The Bloomfield pedestrian bridge from the north, outside the Taco Bell.
Courtesy of Tyler Vigen

14-year-old wins 3M Young Scientist Challenge for developing skin cancer-treating soap

Heman Bekele is a ninth grader at W.T. Woodson High School in Fairfax, Va., who in October won the annual 3M Young Scientist Challenge by developing Melanoma Treating Soap. He told us that the goal was to create an affordable and accessible skin cancer treatment. Bekele hopes to get the soap to market by 2025.

two men work on a science project — 14-year-old Heman Bekele (left) developed a soap to treat melanoma, which led him to win the 2023 3M Young Scientist Challenge.
Courtesy photo

Meet the woman who discovered an invasive insect in Minnesota

Citizen scientist Krista Menzel describes herself as a “crazy bug lady” — and she’s the woman who discovered the presence of the Asiatic garden beetle in Minnesota last summer. Now, the Department of Agriculture is asking all Minnesotans to be on the lookout for it along with elm seed bugs.

Three insects and a penny. — Three Asiatic Garden Beetles, native to Japan and China, are shown in a container next to a penny for size comparison. The newly spotted invasive species were first identified by Krista Menzel.
Courtesy of Krista Menzel

The Jewish workout: Prepping for Rosh Hashanah

While not an interview, this intimate visit to a semi-chaotic kitchen in St. Paul introduced us to Becca and Evana Kvasnik preparing traditional Jewish delights for Rosh Hashanah. Becca Kvasnik is the granddaughter of the original Cecil from the iconic Cecil’s Deli in St. Paul. We joined them as they made 500 knishes for their family and a local synagogue.

Three people pose in restaurant — Evana Kvasnik, Becca Kvasnik and Sheila Leventhanl behind the counter at Cecil’s Deli in St. Paul.
Courtesy of Becca Kvasnik

Families flock to Richfield backyard for 'duck encounters'

Another non-interview took us to a Richfield backyard — home to ducks Gilly, Chelan and Lefse. We went along for a “duck encounter” with Craig and Dana Heinen’s friendly fowl in October. Click here for quacks and cuteness.

A duck sits on the ground, facing the camera. — Gilly sits in the Heinen's Richfield backyard during a duck encounter on Oct. 5, 2023. Craig and Dana Heinen host duck encounters in their Richfield backyard. Visitors can meet their flock: Gilly, Lefse and Chelan.
Gracie Stockton | MPR News

Transitioning to full-time caregiver, FOX 9 journalist Tom Lyden reflects on 30-year career

After 30 years on the air, long-time and award-winning investigative journalist Tom Lyden stepped away from news in September to become a full-time caregiver for his elderly mother in California. The care of older adults is falling more and more on the shoulders of family. While emotional, Lyden told us it’s been a wonderful transition.

Person in office talks on the phone — Investigative journalist Tom Lyden.
Courtesy photo