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Reuniting with John Bigelow: Cedar Manor Memories, St. Louis Park, and Life After High School

Hosts Mike Hammer and Carlos Figueroa welcome longtime friend John Bigelow to the “proverbial bench” to reminisce about growing up in St. Louis Park, especially their Cedar Manor and St. Louis Park High School years. John shares his neighborhood roots, family stories about his surname, and memories ranging from movie theater hangouts and concerts to being homecoming king and throwing a huge party. They discuss John’s legal career—moving from family law to estate planning and closing trusts after his late wife’s death—plus thoughts on AI’s impact on the profession. Conversation also covers UMD/Duluth winters and driving on icy hills, changing car safety and self-reliance, appreciation for teachers, Gen X childhood freedom with community supervision, and how neighborliness and community culture have shifted over time.

00:00 Bench Reunion Begins
00:20 Meet John Bigelow
00:48 Cedar Manor Memories
01:18 Names and Old Friends
03:07 Movie Theater Hookups
04:10 Homecoming King Chaos
06:20 Law Career and Estate Work
08:00 Music and First Concerts
11:29 College and Law School Talk
12:49 AI and the Legal Future
14:29 Duluth Winters and Icy Hills
17:15 Big Cars and Roadside Skills
18:50 Invading Cedar Manor Stories
20:23 Teachers We Remember
21:20 Halverson Basketball Showdown
21:36 Growing Respect For Teachers
23:07 Classroom Experiment Gone Wrong
24:51 Gym Class Parachute Days
25:04 Why St Louis Park Ruled
27:17 Gen X Timing Secret Sauce
30:49 Neighbors Then And Now
32:24 Running For Office Jokes
33:52 80s Nostalgia And Going Back
35:09 Music Teachers And Side Jobs
37:08 Wrap Up And Goodbyes

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