The MN DNR is taking submissions to create a state park license plate highlighting the North Shore

We have a fleet of cars at home and each one of them has a different license plate on it because that's how many choices we have in the state of Minnesota and soon to have another choice as the state is getting submissions for a new plate to honor the state parks. we have one. We've had one for 10 years, a state park plate, but now we're gonna get another one. And that submission period is now open. But it's specifically paying tribute to the North Shore of Minnesota and agates, or agates? I don't know. Let's bring in the guy that knows better than me how to pronounce this, Lars Lieblad, who is really behind this push. How do you say that? Is it agate? Agate. Agate, okay. Like agriculture, agate. That's right. I'll remember that now. First of all, I want to say um-ya-ya, right? Um-ya-ya. Um-ya-ya. You are St. Olaf class of 99? That's right, and I was just going to note, I think you're a fellow somewhere in the 90s, Oli. So um-ya-ya. Yeah, 90, class of 90. So we did not cross paths on the hill, but always good to run into another Oli. And with a name like Lars Leafblad, I don't know what other school you would have gone to. It was not a pen name in the application, but yes, it felt very fitting to be smelling malt-o-meal up on the hill with the name Lars Lieblad. Let's talk about how you got into this. And again, you're not part of the design committee or the selection or whatever, but you were part of pushing to get a plate that honored the North Shore and Agates, these colorful rocks on the shore specifically. How did that happen? Yeah, thanks Rob and thanks to the whole team for the chance to spread the word about an issue that actually brought Minnesotans together in an era when that's a hard thing to do. It started with being a Minnesotan who would go up to Duluth a lot. So my late grandparents called Duluth home from the early 1970s through the second decade of 2010 and beyond. And getting to go up to visit grandma and grandpa and hunt for Lake Superior agates along the North Shore became part of our family tradition and really planted that seed that just, you know, as you noted, the proliferation of beautiful plate options around Minnesota got my kids and I talking to say, how fun would it be to get the state gemstone on a license plate? And our state gemstone is the Lake Superior Agate, which would be a political mystery for your team, Lloyd Olson, Pat Tesler, whomever, to say, how did you, in 1969, go through a legislative process to pick a state gemstone? But it really did happen. And apparently, it was a contentious legislative process to say, we're gonna pick a state gemstone. And they picked the Lake Superior Agate in 1969. You wouldn't think that would be a contentious process, but you never know what's gonna be contentious in politics. Absolutely, Rob, I don't know, but it was. It made our official state gemstone in 1969 and this license plate contest will have a chance to celebrate the North Shore and our state gemstone. So again, the idea to honor these on a license plate and then that sort of got folded into the idea of having another state park plate. I mean, those two kind of just came together. So we were very fortunate and as folks who've been a part of this process, remind me this is very fortuitous or serendipitous or whatever words you want to use to say how things like this came together. The legislature in a previous session had passed legislation asking the DNR to create a second plate. As your team noted, there's the current parks and trails plate. This will be a second plate that will be available for Minnesotans to make an optional purchase for I think it's $60, which will allow you to get the plate and have access to all the state parks and trails across the state. And the legislation that was passed this last session in a bipartisan manner with Republicans, Democrats coming together to say, we'd like that design to celebrate our North Shore and the Lake Superior Agate. So broadly, what it does is just give that design guidance to Minnesotans. Hey, if you have an idea for a plate that celebrates a unique part of our state, a unique part of our state geology history, we'd love to have your application of a design submission by Halloween. And so that's where we are. It's just a general call for Minnesotans to say, hey, regardless of your artistic aptitude or abilities, we'd love for you to come up with an idea of how we might celebrate the North Shore and this state gemstone. Yeah, how does it feel to be, it feels like Schoolhouse Rock here and how a bill becomes a law and that you had this idea and now you see it go through the legislature, gets signed by the governor. And now there's a contest online to design this. It's got to feel weird. It does. It feels really weird. And it's been a real gift. And I think a reminder I've shared with friends and family who've been part of this from day one. It's a toehold of joy in a moment when those are hard to come by. And it's a thing to bring us together. It's something that as I was able to talk to legislators and their staff, the team at the DNR, they've all been, Again, just a completely citizen-driven idea and approach. And along the way, it was really reminded that when you come with an open mind and willingness to do some work together, that folks respond. And it's just been a blast, as you know, to kind of go through a real-world Schoolhouse Rock here in Minnesota and to have it produce this opportunity for Minnesotans to come together and celebrate this part of our state. Yeah, so let's see here. The finalists, so the submissions, if people want to design a plate honoring the North Shore, and a gates um the submissions uh open on the 15th of September they go through October 31st finalists selected in late November to then be voted upon by the public online in December so that's um and i looked at their website all the parameters are there for the design and how to submit so people if you got an idea for a plate um that's how you do it what would you like to see on a license plate? I mean, is there a particular North Shore thing? I mean, beyond Agates that you would like to see, whether it's Split Rock or what have you? You can see, Rob, I'm a conflicted just by my design here. There's a lot of, there's so many aesthetic directions people could take, but the colors, the image, you've got Lake Superior, you have the Split Rock Lighthouse, you have the aerial lift bridge, You have Gooseberry Falls. You have any number of vestiges kind of that I think could speak so well. And so I'm really excited and I would love to see an array of options. As you noted, there'll be a team at the DNR that goes through all of the submissions and narrows it to a smaller group that kind of like the, you know, name a snowplow contest. In my mind, we'll present this group of fun options for Minnesotans to pick on a Web site in December. And I think you'll probably see a mix of those historic landmarks and folks who have a lot more design aptitude than me coming up with how do you reflect the red and whites and different colors that you can see from our state gemstone on a plate. And also, again, within the parameters that you'll see really clearly on the DNR's website about the safety requirements, first and foremost, that a plate needs to convey. So we have some really helpful guidelines, but a very broad aperture for folks to submit their ideas. Are you part of this process now or are you just a spectator? I'm just a cheerleader. It's very fun. I get to be, hey, encourage friends, family, neighbors that you do know that have an artistic bend or just a passion for this part of our state. I get to be just like you, Rob, and say, hey, this is a unique way to give back, to have a plate on the back of cars that you'll see out on the roads with your family, with your kids. And again, just a way to be involved in kind of something that makes Minnesota Minnesota. I'm here in a cheerleader capacity. Yeah, so since you're on the sidelines and not involved in the selection, that means you're eligible to submit a design. Are you going to? I have a couple sketched out in my head that have not made it past crayon and construction paper. That's about the extent of my design. But I have a couple ideas that maybe this conversation will be that prompt, hey, throw my own idea in the hopper and see what comes out the other side. I can't wait to see what it looks like. And I can totally see a plate with the lighthouse on it. That would be great. But then how you work in the agate that's in there, I don't know. That's up to more creative design professionals. But a lot of good options. A lot of great options. And again, it's been such a fun collective effort. And so many volunteers that have taken time. So many great legislators and administrative folks that have taken the time to say that's an interesting idea, let's see where it goes. And a couple of fellow oldies Rob, Representative David Gottfried and Senator John Marty were key in kind of they're my elected representatives and that notion of, hey, reach out for a conversation with someone who is elected to represent you and your ideas and your interests. It can work. And again, that's just been a double bonus to see kind of how legislators and electives that are here to take ideas from all of us. And no matter how big, small, and try to make something happen, and it's just been a blast to see this come to life. And I'm really thankful that Minnesotans are gonna have the chance to participate. Which license plate do you have in your car? I'm gonna be honest, I have the old, I have the standard. The standard plate? So many good ones to choose from? Well, I know you'll be getting this one eventually, but I'm sure, yeah. I have the golf plate on my car, my wife's got the pollinator plate, one son's got the Minnesota Wild plate, the other one's got the blackout plate, and then we have a fun car that's got the loon plate on it, so- I was just gonna say, I think I've heard from many folks that you've ever had the current state parks and trails plate or the loon plate, and now they're saying you're gonna make it art, because we have another option here that you're gonna make us have to- There's so many other good ones, I mean, I love the park plate, I love the moose and the deer and the canoe, and then of course there's all the college plates which i didn't do because i think ultimately they're kind of they're kind of plain um but there is a Saint Olaf plate um along with all the other great colleges and universities in the state so yeah all right uh we had one other question viewer question actually from political consultant Boyce Olson yeah our political consultant Lars just texted Rob and I and he would like to know how many agates you have Let's just say there's a lot in that my family and partner Diana are very patient with the amount of shelf space they take up in my home, which is all incredible, quite a few. You'll have to send me a picture later. I'm curious to see now. Like will do. I would say hundreds. So I'm not up to date on a lot of our rockhounds have entire rooms dedicated to the the state gemstone and I that's aspirational for this point but have quite a few and it's again part of this as your viewers can get involved Google Minnesota Mineral Club there's a ton of ways to connect with fellow rock hounds all across the state all right what did you text me earlier you said you're in your work shed so you know like Lars you take this very seriously yeah you know it's uh I love the colors I love the stories I love the fact that we have a state gemstone that's a billion years old and we can find it along gravel pits and gravel roads and you know landscape rock outside of your local grocery store so it's all around us and something to celebrate about what makes Minnesota Minnesota awesome thanks Lars well this will be fun thank you take care all right Ollie, Ollie, uh Rob I was talking with the DNR yesterday and uh like you said people can submit their designs through the end of the month they're going to be selecting she's expecting them to select the top three and then that's what the public will be able to vote on in early December and then we should know the winner mid-month and you might be able to buy the license plate as soon as mid to end of January so and to point out the winner receives nothing except the pride and joy of seeing your design on Minnesota vehicles yep yep i mean it's a pretty cool brag. Which is cool. I mean, now I want to submit something.