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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Cheryl Steele didn’t want sleep. She once stayed up for 26 hours, just to avoid it. Because every time she drifted off, she dreamed she was in the middle of a storm on Lake Huron, clinging to a canoe with three of her friends. The reason she was having these nightmares was because she had lived them. -
In 1860, the steamship Lady Elgin was struck by a small schooner in Lake Michigan. Around 300 people drowned in the disaster, making it the deadliest shipwreck in Great Lakes history. The tragedy would have a major influence on maritime safety in the Great Lakes. -
When eight Bigfoot sightings were reported in just five days, northeast Ohio had the country’s attention. What was it like for these small rural communities to be at the center of the Bigfoot universe? And did it change what the people there believed? -
Owls are elusive birds of the night – part of this mysterious world we rarely encounter. Researchers are learning just how complex an owl’s communication is. We go into the woods to try to experience these birds for ourselves. -
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. -
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. -
For almost seven years, Bugsy Sailor has been on a mission to watch every sunrise. But now, he wonders if the inspiration that started this project will also be the thing that ends it. -
Buildings and light pollution are taking a heavy toll on migrating birds. Some cities in the Midwest and Great Plains are working to fix that. -
Ron Reimink knew how uncomfortable and annoying swimmer’s itch could be. He spent much of his adult life trying to eradicate it in lakes across northern Michigan. Then one day, he realized he was completely wrong.
