St. Croix Stories

Drew Spielman has fond memories of his father's time as a firefighter in his hometown of Menomonie, Wis. He also remembers visiting his grandfather, who would also share about his time as a volunteer firefighter. With two generations of firefighters as role models, Drew knew his future was also in the world of firefighting.He attended school to earn a degree in fire protection and landed a job with the Green Bay Fire Department. But eventually, he felt the call back to Western Wisconsin to be closer to family. When the fire chief job opened up in Hudson, he applied and was hired — bringing him closer to home. Now three years into his role as the leader of the volunteer fire department, Chief Spielman has learned a lot about the local community and about the unique challenges that go along with being the chief of a group of volunteer firefighters.On this week's episode of St. Croix Stories, Chief Spielman shares more about his childhood dreams of becoming a firefighter, explains the ins and outs of a volunteer department like Hudson's, talks about discovering a passion for photography while serving as a firefighter in Green Bay, and much more.To learn about the Hudson Fire Department, visit hudsonfd.org.Send a message to the hostFollow St. Croix Stories on Facebook and Instagram, and hear all episodes at stcroixstories.com.

Lindsey Moreland is an author, an artist, and a motivation speaker — all of which have helped her show that people with autism are capable of doing lots of amazing things. When Lindsey was diagnosed with autism at 28 months old, it changed her family's world. But her parents and sister have been her biggest support over the years, and the Morelands have teamed up to become autism advocates together.That has included writing a book about the impacts autism has had on their family, and speaking at galas and events. Lindsey has gone on to write several children's books in a series called "Little Lindsey," helping educate kids and their families about autism. In addition to working at Target in Hudson, Lindsey is an accomplished artist and poet, who recently had some of her work selected in a competition. She shares about her superpowers she's gained from her autism on the latest episode of St. Croix Stories. Plus, she shares her views on the popular TV show "Love on the Spectrum," recalls what it was like when Target CEO Brian Cornell her her inspiring story, and more.Send a message to the hostFollow St. Croix Stories on Facebook and Instagram, and hear all episodes at stcroixstories.com.

Like many kids, Chris Mick had dreams of being an astronaut. He started taking steps toward that goal, including making the drive from California to attend Space Camp in Huntsville, Ala. But some hurdles wound up ending his dream of going into space, including the fact that he grew to be too tall to be an astronaut. Despite that, Chris' love of space never wavered.Fast forward to today, and Chris has been educating the Hudson community about space for many years. He's a regular speaker at classrooms all throughout the Hudson area, sharing his passion for space with kids of all ages. He also has brought space programming to the Hudson Area Public Library, where he now works full-time as a librarian. Chris' love of space has led to some amazing opportunities, including the chance to visit launch sites and the opportunity to interview Buzz Aldrin, Scott and Mark Kelly, and more. He's taken those experiences and brought them back to Hudson, where he's shared them with many others and helped spark curiosity about space for residents young and old. Chris' many years of service as a STEM educator ultimately earned him the Volunteer of the Year award from the Hudson Chamber, and he continues to get locals excited about space.Send a message to the hostFollow St. Croix Stories on Facebook and Instagram, and hear all episodes at stcroixstories.com.

Is The Garage Bikes and Brews a bike shop first, or a brewery first? If you ask co-owner Stephanie Johnson, the answer is: both. Stephanie is a River Falls native who married a fellow River Falls native, Matt. The duo co-own The Garage, which opened in 2020 and is set to celebrate its fifth anniversary. The space offers a unique vibe where visitors can enjoy a beer — brewed by Stephanie and Matt's son Ellis — while also watching bikes get fixed behind the bar. On this episode of St. Croix Stories, Stephanie shares more about how a wrist injury eventually fueled her passion for cycling as an adult, which ultimately became a family business. She also talks about the challenges of opening The Garage during the pandemic, discusses the music scene hosted at The Garage, and shares her favorite places to ride her bike in the St. Croix Valley.The Garage is also participating in the Bluegrass, Bourbon & Brews Festival in River Falls as a host venue, and will be hosting many other musical acts throughout the summer. You can find a full list of events here.Send a message to the hostFollow St. Croix Stories on Facebook and Instagram, and hear all episodes at stcroixstories.com.

Sustainability is becoming an increasingly popular topic, and there's been growing support for sustainability efforts in the St. Croix Valley in particular — and in River Falls specifically, where Earth Fest will be held for the fourth year in a row on April 26th.On this week's episode of St. Croix Stories, we're joined by Mark Klapatch-Mathias, the sustainability coordinator at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls (his alma mater) and the co-chair of Earth Fest. He share more about why sustainability is so important to him, what attendees can expect from Earth Fest this year, and how those listening can practice sustainability in their everyday lives.You can find more information about Earth Fest, including a full lineup for the day, at www.hopeforearth.org/earthfest.Send a message to the hostFollow St. Croix Stories on Facebook and Instagram, and hear all episodes at stcroixstories.com.

The St. Croix Valley Food Bank has an ambitious goal for 2025: to provide over five million pounds of food to the four-county region in Western Wisconsin that it serves. That number might seem like a lot, but it's what is needed to help address the growing issue of food insecurity in the region.On this week's episode of St. Croix Stories, Lee Kroll and Jim Dahl of the St. Croix Valley Food Bank join to share more about the organization's mission to help end hunger. As a longtime nonprofit leader, Lee joined the food bank in November of last year and is quickly learning about the rise of food insecurity. Jim has worked in the food insecurity space for a long time and helped start the St. Croix Valley Food Bank. The duo offer their insights on the issue of hunger, and share how others in the community can help the St. Croix Valley Food Bank reach its goal for 2025 and beyond.To learn about the upcoming Empty Bowls fundraiser or to secure your tickets, click here. Send a message to the hostFollow St. Croix Stories on Facebook and Instagram, and hear all episodes at stcroixstories.com.

When his mother suffered a stroke in 2018, Matthew Stepaniak wanted to find a way to keep her active both physically and mentally. As an avid cyclist himself, Matthew had the idea to bring cycling to those who couldn't otherwise enjoy it themselves. So he teamed up with Darren Dobier and the two co-founded Limitless Cycling, which helps individuals of all abilities enjoy the outdoors through the power of a bike ride.On this week's episode of St. Croix Stories, learn more about the origins of Limitless Cycling, hear about Matthew's knack for taking care of others (both as the primary caregiver for his 91-year-old mother and through his work with Limitless Cycling), and learn about the impressive bikes and other vehicles that Limitless Cycling is bringing to riders all throughout the St. Croix Valley and beyond.If you'd like to learn more about Limitless Cycling or want to get involved as a volunteer or donor, visit limitlesscycling.org.Send a message to the hostFollow St. Croix Stories on Facebook and Instagram, and hear all episodes at stcroixstories.com.

After growing up on a farm in Lancaster, Wisconsin, Dave Knoke ventured to River Falls for college — and ended up never leaving the area. He eventually opened Knoke's Chocolates and Nuts in Hudson in 2000 and the store has been a staple of the community ever since.Knoke's has outgrown two different spaces over the years but has remained a fixture on Locust Street, just around the corner from the main street of downtown Hudson. The growth included a production facility that has helped the store continue to churn out delicious treats like caramels, truffles, and more. On this episode of St. Croix Stories, Dave shares more about how the work ethic he learned from farming has helped him as a successful business owner, shares more about his favorite sweets he sells at the store, and recalls his encounter with Martha Stewart when she stopped into Knoke's during a trip to the area.Send a message to the hostFollow St. Croix Stories on Facebook and Instagram, and hear all episodes at stcroixstories.com.

Guy Whitehead grew up in a small town in North Dakota — his graduating class had 14 kids — and has an affinity for small-town living. He and his wife eventually settled with their kids in Stillwater, but he ultimately chose Hudson when he decided to open up Lucky Guys Distillery in 2022.Guy credits his grandfather as the genesis for his passion of cocktails. Family runs deep for Guy in the business as well, as his wife Michelle is also involved — and the name of the distillery is actually a reference to their three sons, not to Guy himself.On this week's episode of St. Croix Stories, we record from the upper level of Lucky Guys Distillery downtown Hudson (101 2nd St S) with views of the St. Croix River. During the conversation, Guy shares more about his passion for spirits and cocktails, discusses the challenges and lessons learned in opening a distillery, and dives into his affinity for Wisconsin and the small-town charm of Hudson.If you haven't checked out Lucky Guys yet, be sure to stop in and explore their cocktail menu of over 200 drinks.Send a message to the hostFollow St. Croix Stories on Facebook and Instagram, and hear all episodes at stcroixstories.com.

We sometimes don't realize when others in our community — our neighbors — might need a little extra help, whether it's financially, finding housing, or other challenges. Shelly Smith and her team at Our Neighbors' Place in River Falls see these examples every day, and the small-but-mighty staff works hard to provide community members with the help they need to get back on their feet.On this week's episode of St. Croix Stories, Shelly joins to share about the five types of services Our Neighbors' Place offers: the Day Center, the Closet thrift store, the new Helping Hands program, transitional housing assistance, and the backpack program in River Falls schools. She also shares more about some upcoming fundraisers for those looking to support Our Neighbors' Place, including a Casino Night on Feb. 1.For those who may be interested in utilizing the services Our Neighbors' Place offers — including the thrift store, which is open to the general public — stop in at 122 West Johnson Street in River Falls.Send a message to the hostFollow St. Croix Stories on Facebook and Instagram, and hear all episodes at stcroixstories.com.