St. Croix Stories

In an ideal world, we’d all go about life as our true authentic selves, living how we want and not necessarily caring about how society might define us. But for many people, embracing their authentic self isn’t that simple. That journey of self-discovery can take a long time for some people, including today’s guest, Christina Rose. Christina joins St. Croix Stories to share more about how she came to embrace her true authentic self at 35 years old. After marrying her high school boyfriend and starting a family, Christina eventually realized she needed to live life on her own terms. She came out three years ago and has since rewritten her life’s story. Part of that journey included starting her own business, Christina Rose Coaching, where she helps empower others — including many in the LGBTQIA community — to find their authenticity and overcome challenges similar to the ones she faced. On this episode, Christina she shares tips with anyone listening about how you can take your next step on your self-discovery journey, talks about how she got involved with a former St. Croix Stories guest (Hudson Pride), and how she thinks Hudson can continue to make strides to become a more inclusive community.Send a message to the hostFollow St. Croix Stories on Facebook and Instagram, and hear all episodes at stcroixstories.com.

Sheri Marnell has a passion for helping other companies thrive, and she gets to do that every day in her role as the director of the St. Croix Valley Business Innovation Center. The SCVBIC is an incubator for local companies that are looking to either get their business off the ground or grow their company before eventually graduating to their own space. One of the best parts about the center: almost all of the companies that graduate end up staying in the St. Croix Valley region.On this week's episode of St. Croix Stories, Sheri talks more about what the Business Innovation Center is, the ways in which it helps companies grow and thrive, and discusses some impressive statistics about startups in the St. Croix Valley area. To learn more about the St. Croix Valley Business Innovation Center or to see if it might be a good fit for your young company, visit www.stcroixinnovation.org.Send a message to the hostFollow St. Croix Stories on Facebook and Instagram, and hear all episodes at stcroixstories.com.

At just 90 square feet, there isn’t a lot of room to operate inside of Joe to Go. But while the footprint of what owners Jess and Suzi Higgles affectionately call “the hut” is small, it’s filled with big ideas and big flavors.On this week's episode of St. Croix Stories, hear from Jess and Suzi to learn all about Hudson’s smallest coffee shop — and the big hearts of the married couple that run it. With coffees in hand, Jess and Suzi talk about their venture of owning their own business, share how they come up with the unique and ever-changing drink menu, ponder the challenges of having three people work inside such a confined space, and reflect on the importance of the community they’ve built over the years. Joe to Go is located near Plaza 94, parked in a lot between Coulee Road and Ward Ave. near the Hudson Bowling Center.Send a message to the hostFollow St. Croix Stories on Facebook and Instagram, and hear all episodes at stcroixstories.com.

"Treat others as you want to be treated" is one of the basic interpretations of the Golden Rule, which has other variations throughout different cultures and religions. No matter the translation, the basic principle is the same: be kind to others.Hudson mayor Rich O'Connor fondly remembered learning about the Golden Rule as an elementary school student. Fast forward to 2019, and Mayor O'Connor opted to declare Hudson the Golden Rule City after seeing how our society had become increasingly divided. Along with the help of Pastor Larry Szyman and others, the Golden Rule Initiative has helped spread that message throughout Hudson through yard signs and other work. On this week's episode of St. Croix Stories, Rich O'Connor and Larry Szyman join to share more about the Golden Rule initiative, give their insights on the response from the Hudson community, and share more about the upcoming Booyah event on Oct. 5 that brings people together over food and festivities. Send a message to the hostFollow St. Croix Stories on Facebook and Instagram, and hear all episodes at stcroixstories.com.

The mission of the St. Croix Valley Foundation is simple: to enhance the quality of life in the St. Croix Valley. The foundation does that by offering numerous grants and scholarships to residents in six counties and two states in the St. Croix Valley — and it's based right here in Hudson at the new Alliance Center, a hub for local nonprofits (including former podcast guests Operation HELP and the Hudson Area Backpack and Food Program).On this week's episode, Angie Pilgrim and Heidi Herron from the St. Croix Valley Foundation join the podcast to share more about the foundation's work. They give more detail on the types of scholarships and grants that are offered, talk about why they enjoy working for a nonprofit, and even read a few testimonials of previous scholarship winners whose lives were changed by the St. Croix Valley Foundation.To learn more about the St. Croix Valley Foundation, head to scvfoundation.org.Send a message to the hostFollow St. Croix Stories on Facebook and Instagram, and hear all episodes at stcroixstories.com.

Nestled into the woods in a quiet part of Hudson is the beautiful new building of the Carpenter Nature Center, which also has a location in Hastings, Minn. The center's two campuses are home to animals, hiking trails, and education materials for kids and adults alike. Each of the two locations boasts hundreds of acres of land that provide a great escape right in our own backyard.On this week's episode of St. Croix Stories, we're joined by Jen Vieth, Carpenter Nature Center's executive director, and Abbey Holden, the center's outreach coordinator and animal care coordinator. The two share more about the history of the Carpenter Nature Center, talk about how each of them fell in love with animals at young ages, discuss many of the free activities and opportunities available through the CNC, and much more. The Carpenter Nature Center's Hudson campus can be found at 279 South Cove Road. The Hastings campus is located at 12805 St. Croix Trail South.Send a message to the hostFollow St. Croix Stories on Facebook and Instagram, and hear all episodes at stcroixstories.com.

The Hudson School District has faced challenges in recent years. From the debate over a new high school to the COVID-19 pandemic that forced schools to go remote, tough decisions had to be made in order to do what was best for the Hudson students. Making those tough decisions isn't always easy, but it's something Jamie Johnson has learned to do as the president of the Hudson School Board.On this week's episode of St. Croix Stories, Jamie joins to talk about his time on the board, how his longtime career as an attorney helped prepare him to be school board president, and shares about what the next five years might look like for the Hudson School District. He also talks about the additional volunteering he does in the local community, and offers some words of advice for parents as the 2024-25 school year approaches.Send a message to the hostFollow St. Croix Stories on Facebook and Instagram, and hear all episodes at stcroixstories.com.

Seven years ago, Melissa Abdouch had to pivot her career after losing her job in the corporate world. She decided to open Mei Mei's Cookies and Creamery in downtown River Falls, and the store has been a hit in the community ever since.On this week's episode of St. Croix Stories, Mei Mei joins to share more about the origins of her store, the lessons she's learned along the way, and her vision for the future of Mei Mei's Cookies and Creamery. Mei Mei also gives an update on her recent battle with cancer — she was diagnosed with breast cancer in May — and explains why she said her cancer diagnosis was "annoying." All of that and more on St. Croix Stories.Send a message to the hostFollow St. Croix Stories on Facebook and Instagram, and hear all episodes at stcroixstories.com.

The North Hudson Pepper Fest has grown into a weekend-long celebration filled with food, music, a parade, and much more. But it started with humble roots: residents of North Hudson wanted to find a way to raise money to build a new school. That was 70 years ago in 1954, and the philanthropic mindset of Pepper Fest still exists today, with the nonprofit giving back money to the local community. Other parts of the festival has changed as the organizers continue to add new ideas to the event.On this week's episode of St. Croix Stories, we're joined by Tim Zais, the longtime president of Pepper Fest, to talk all about the event's history, its evolution, and its future. Tim shares his earliest memories of attending Pepper Fest, discusses the exciting recent developments with the festival's location, and shares what people can expect to see at this year's event, which runs August 16-18.Send a message to the hostFollow St. Croix Stories on Facebook and Instagram, and hear all episodes at stcroixstories.com.

Before he even graduated high school, Art Doyle had made a business out of repairing bikes. A modest bike repair business outside of Stillwater High School eventually led Art to opening his own bike shop downtown Hudson. Forty years later, Art Doyle's Spokes and Pedals remains an integral part of the Hudson community — and cycling remains a big part of Art's life. On this week's episode of St. Croix Stories, Art shares more about his earliest memories of riding and repairing bikes, discusses some of his favorite places to bike in the St. Croix Valley area, and talks about the transformation of both the cycling world and of Hudson since he first opened his shop in town in 1984.Art Doyle's Spokes and Pedals is located at 607 2nd Street in downtown Hudson, Wis.Send a message to the hostFollow St. Croix Stories on Facebook and Instagram, and hear all episodes at stcroixstories.com.

There's something special about being able to pick and eat your own farm-grown fruit. That's exactly the experience you'll get if you head east of Hudson just a bit to visit White Pine Berry Farm, where Greg and Andrew Zwald (known to regulars as Farmer Greg and Farmer Andrew) have continued to grow their U-pick operation since opening in 2012.On this week's episode of St. Croix Stories, we're heading to the farm to sample some fruits and learn all about the history of White Pine Berry Farm — which was started by Greg after he wrapped up a 40-year run as a dairy farmer. These days, Greg and Andrew work together as a father-son duo to run White Pine Berry Farm, offering plenty for families to enjoy when they come visit. Send a message to the hostFollow St. Croix Stories on Facebook and Instagram, and hear all episodes at stcroixstories.com.

At the height of the pandemic, Amy Thurston started going a bit stir crazy and decided to do something with the Hudson history books she had at home. Amy launched the Historic Hudson, WI Facebook page to share about the town's history — the people, places, and events that shaped the town over the past 150-plus years. Four years later, the page continues to be a big hit as the daily posts get hundreds of interactions and dozens of comments from both Hudson natives and those who more recently moved to the city.On this week's episode of St. Croix Stories, we hear more from Amy about what she enjoys most about Hudson's history, the time it takes to maintain daily posts on the Historic Hudson page, and what she thinks were the most impactful moments of the town's history.Send a message to the hostFollow St. Croix Stories on Facebook and Instagram, and hear all episodes at stcroixstories.com.

For five years, Val Aune owned and operated not one but two successful stores downtown Hudson. She became the owner of La Rue Marche in 2012, and five years later opened The Bees Knees, a gift shop that sells something for just about everybody. Val eventually sold La Rue Marche in 2022 to focus on The Bees Knees, and she has become a leader among the downtown business owners.On this week's episode of St. Croix Stories, Val joins to share about what it was like to first take over La Rue Marche, the inspiration for both the name of The Bees Knees and the items she sells in the shop, and she discusses what it was like to watch La Rue Marche be prominently featured in the Roku Channel movie "A Christmas Wish in Hudson."Send a message to the hostFollow St. Croix Stories on Facebook and Instagram, and hear all episodes at stcroixstories.com.

If you were going to start your own food truck, what would you serve? For Hudson resident Derek Hom, the choice was simple: waffles. After the birth of his son, Derek quit his job to launch Wilder Waffle Co., a food truck serving delicious waffles  in Hudson and the surrounding area. Since taking the leap of leaving his corporate job, Derek hasn't looked back. His schedule now allows for more flexibility with his family, and his waffle truck remains in demand in the community.On this week's episode of St. Croix Stories, hear from Derek about why he chose waffles, what exactly a liege style waffle is, and the lessons he's learned about owning and operating a food truck now that he's in his second year with Wilder Waffle Co.Send a message to the hostFollow St. Croix Stories on Facebook and Instagram, and hear all episodes at stcroixstories.com.

There are several great non-profits in the Hudson area helping residents with various challenges, and two of them will soon be under the same roof to better serve their clients. The Hudson Area Backpack & Food Program will be joining Operation HELP in the same facility as the two long-standing organizations will now have more space to operate.The Hudson Area Backpack & Food Program began in 2007 as a way to ensure kids at Hudson schools had enough food to eat, and has since grown to serve an even wider group. Operation HELP has served the St. Croix County area for more than 30 years, offering financial assistance for things such as rent, utilities, car repairs and more.On this week's episode of St. Croix Stories, we hear from Kris Knott of the Hudson Area Backpack and Food Program and Tim Puffer of Operation HELP to hear more about their respective organizations and learn what this move to a shared space will mean to both groups.Send a message to the hostFollow St. Croix Stories on Facebook and Instagram, and hear all episodes at stcroixstories.com.

A lightbulb clicked for Matt Darnold when the Hudson native attended a Pride Festival in Hastings, Minnesota: why couldn’t something like this take place in his hometown? So Matt set out to create Hudson Pride Co., which last year hosted the first annual Valley Wide Pride Fest at Lakefront Park. The goal was to offer a safe space to members of the LGBTQ+ community in the St. Croix Valley area and to promote inclusiveness and acceptance. The event is back for a second year, and Matt joins this week’s episode of St. Croix Stories to kick off Pride Month with an important conversation about what it was like for him to grow up in Hudson and how the Valley Wide Pride Fest is helping him strengthen his ties to his hometown. Send a message to the hostFollow St. Croix Stories on Facebook and Instagram, and hear all episodes at stcroixstories.com.

If you're like me, you sometimes don't feel like cooking dinner (or don't have time) but you still want a home-cooked meal. That's where Hudco To Go comes in. As a newer arrival to the Hudson food scene, Hudco To Go offers home-cooked meals that you can bring home and heat up. Chef Ben Jung and his wife Hannah opened Hudco to Go downtown Hudson earlier this year, serving up sandwiches and salads in addition to freezers full of take-and-bake items. On this episode of St. Croix Stories, Ben and Hannah share more about the inspiration for Hudco To Go. Ben also shares more about his experience cooking in various Twin Cities restaurants and for kids at Camp St. Croix, and they both discuss what it meant to have support from other restaurant owners in town as they launched their new venture. All of that and more on the latest episode of St. Croix Stories.Send a message to the hostFollow St. Croix Stories on Facebook and Instagram, and hear all episodes at stcroixstories.com.

Four years ago, Tera Busker suffered a boating accident that caused her to be hospitalized for more than a week. While celebrating the 4th of July on her family's pontoon,  a boat sped through a no-wake zone and ended up causing Tera and her niece to get pulled under the pontoon. Tera suffered multiple injuries when the propeller hit her under the water, causing her to eventually be airlifted to a nearby hospital.In the four years since her accident, Tera has become an advocate for boater safety and joins this week's episode of St. Croix Stories to share more about her incident. As Memorial Day Weekend approaches, Tera shares some safety tips that anyone heading out on the water should consider. Plus, she talks about what it's like to own a business in Hudson with her husband, what she enjoyed most about growing up in nearby Roberts, and more.Send a message to the hostFollow St. Croix Stories on Facebook and Instagram, and hear all episodes at stcroixstories.com.

Every year for the past 21 years, the Hudson Community Expo has brought together local businesses and organizations under one roof, giving residents a chance to learn more about these groups and network with others in the community. This year's event was held on May 5th at Hudson High School and featured dozens of businesses, non-profits, and craft vendors. This special episode of the St. Croix Stories podcast features short conversations with 10 different groups at this year's Hudson Community Expo. On this episode, you'll hear from:Hudson Area Chamber of Commerce and Tourism BureauBRIDGE for Community LifeSt. Croix Bike & Pedestrian Trails CoalitionBeth Immanuel Messianic SynagogueHudson Home & Garden ClubSt. Croix Valley Business Innovation CenterHudson Hometown Music FestSt. Croix Valley Food BankJunior Achievement HudsonHave a Heart, Inc.Send a message to the hostFollow St. Croix Stories on Facebook and Instagram, and hear all episodes at stcroixstories.com.

May is National Foster Care Month, so on this week's episode of St. Croix Stories, we hear from foster care advocates on why this service is so important. First, Kelsa Wirth, a community support coordinator for high acuity foster care in several counties in western Wisconsin (including St. Croix County) shares more about the high acuity foster care program and the need for homes for youth in the program. She also details the support that families who participate in the program receive.We then hear from Jenny, whose family has provided both traditional and high acuity foster care. Jenny discusses the impact that being a foster parent has had on her and outlines why others should consider participating.To learn more about the High Acuity Foster Care program in St. Croix County, click here.Send a message to the hostFollow St. Croix Stories on Facebook and Instagram, and hear all episodes at stcroixstories.com.