Between You & Me

Spring is in the air and the phenological signs are all around us! We heard from kids and grown ups all across the listening area this week! From as far north as Baudette and as far south as Crosby-Ironton , our listeners are observing the subtle changes in nature and we are loving it! Thanks to everyone who contributed to the talkback show this week. Red wing black birds, tundra swans, fox, cougars, buffleheads , wolves and coyotes are just a few natural wonders our local phenologists took note

David Housewright's latest Rushmore McKenzie mystery "Stealing the Countess" was nominated for the 2016 MN Book Award in genre fiction. We talked whodunnits vs. whydunnits and how he puts together his mysteries. Let us know what you are reading - join our What We're Reading page on Facebook!

A radio series produced by historian Don Boese. Don is the author of eight books dealing with local history in Itasca County, including "John C. Greenway and the Opening of the Western Mesabi", and the main source for this series, "Papermakers: the Blandin Paper Company and Grand Rapids, Minnesota". The series begins with the arrival of the first Euro-Americans to the forested wilderness of Itasca County in the 1870s. In those early days the site that became the town of Grand Rapids was at the

Area Voices tells the arts, culture and history stories of northern Minnesota. In this segment of Area Voices, we learn about a native northern Minnesotan who is making history. Anne McKeig is a descendent of the White Earth Nation . She grew up in Federal Dam, MN , became a lawyer and went on to become a family court judge for Hennepin County, advocating for native children. She’s now a MN State Supreme Court Justice - the first one of Native American descent. In addition her work at the MN

This week we had a chance to check in with MN Senator Al Franken (D) . He told us about a new bill that he and Senator Amy Klobuchar are sponsoring that amends the Affordable Care Act to bring down pricing of prescription drugs. You can read more here . Contact Senator Al Franken here.

Senator Amy Klobuchar (D) joined us this week to talk about jobs. In other countries apprenticeship is more widely used. She told us about the American Apprenticeship Act she has introduced. Read more here. You can contact Senator Klobuchar here .

The snow is melting! All of this exposed ground inspires visions of gardens in the minds of many northern Minnesotans. Tracey Srock of Deerwood is a master gardener who doesn't let the season of winter interfere with her garden crop production. She's been growing lettuce all winter, indoors! She's teaching two classes, "Growing Lettuce and Salad Greens" and "New Adventures in Vegetable Gardening" at the Ready, Set Grow! Garden Exp o in Brainerd this Saturday. Tracey spoke with us about the

Stained glass artists Kellie and Jordan Lindquist envisioned a life nestled in the woods and infused with creativity. After living on the west coast for several years, they returned to northern Minnesota to make their dream a reality. Their home near Pennington, MN is also home to Leaning Cedars Studios where they focus their energy on stained glass art along with other forms of artistic expression. In this Area Voices segment, we learn how their dream became a reality and the process of stained

The Verse Like Water program started by Central Lakes College instructor Jeff Johnson has been bringing world class American poets to the Brainerd Lakes region for the past five years. U.S. Poet Laureates , Pulitzer Prize Winners and National Book Award recipients are all included in the impressive list of Verse Like Water visiting poets. In this segment of Area Voices, Jeff Johnson tells of the colorful life and intense history of poet Luis J. Rodriguez . Living proof that a person can pull

Phenology is the rhythmic, biological nature of events as they relate to climate. Our resident phenologist John Latimer has been keeping phenology notes for 33 years, documenting the subtle and not so subtle changes he notices in the natural world. Every week, he gives our listeners a full report of what he's noticing as well as what others have reported. This week's report is full of hints of spring! Horned larks, red fox, bluebirds and even the very early wound of a wood frog all make it into