Daniel Wanschura
Host and Executive Producer of Points NorthEver since he was young, Dan has been fascinated with audio. From hearing the dulcet tones of John Gordon broadcast Minnesota Twins games, to staying up late listening to radio theater, to creating a podcast when hardly anyone knew what that word meant – he's been captivated by the imaginative medium.
In 2012, Dan graduated from Thomas Edison State University. In 2015, he moved from the Twin Cities to northern Michigan to work at Interlochen Public Radio. After stints as IPR's Arts & Culture reporter, 'Morning Edition' host, and Broadcast Director, Dan took the helm of the 'Points North' podcast in late 2021.
Dan's reporting has garnered numerous awards including a national Edward R. Murrow Award and many PMJA awards. His work has also been featured on top podcasts and radio stations across the country including 'Snap Judgment', 'Science Friday', NPR, 'The Pulse', Michigan Public, Minnesota Public Radio, Ideastream Public Media, and 'BirdNote'.
Dan enjoys going on long walks his wife and three children, road tripping, and bonfires with friends at his favorite Lake Michigan beach. He is also a lover of the Oxford comma — much to the chagrin of his editors.
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On April 3, 1851, a man who escaped slavery to Boston was kidnapped by slave catchers. The Fugitive Slave Act turned cities across the North into hunting grounds. But resistance was growing. In Pennsylvania, William Parker was building a network to fight back. -
Whitefish haven't spawned in rivers in over a century. But that doesn't mean it's not worth a try. -
Hear how Hagerty's return to the office affects local businesses. Plus a conversation with author Parul Kapur. -
Local entrepreneurs use pictures, videos, and audio stories to connect Alzheimer's patients with their past. -
Kevin Shafer is obsessed with rain. As the head of the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District, it’s his job to be. But when a thousand-year storm comes out of nowhere and dumps over a foot of rain, Kevin is faced with a decision: send sewage into people’s basements or into Lake Michigan. -
On this episode, invasive species mitigation and a ride in an intergalactic snowplow. -
Michigan Public's Michelle Jokisch Polo takes us inside the North Lake Processing Center with a retired pastor. -
Over 2000 people gathered in downtown Traverse City on Sunday to protest the killing of 37 year old Alex Pretti by federal agents. IPR's Maxwell Howard was there. Also, hear from Claire Keenan-Kurgan about the Northern Michigan Policy Conference. -
Edmonia Lewis, the first globally-recognized sculptor of African American and Native American descent, achieved critical acclaim for her masterpiece, “The Death of Cleopatra.” But over a hundred years ago, it disappeared. -
Lake Superior can change in a heartbeat; one minute it’s calm ― the next it's a raging storm. When people in the water get caught off-guard, rescuers have to balance being the hero and knowing when to call it quits.
