A Celebration of National Travel and Tourism Week in Northern Minnesota

This year MN Governor Mark Dayton is celebrating the tradition of hunting in Grand Rapids.  Hunting is a great tradition and an economic boost in Grand Rapids and Itasca County and Executive Director Megan Christenson from Visit Grand Rapids and Craig Engwall from MN Deer Hunters Association joined us this morning. 

Brainerd and Bemidji, MN both have some great opportunities in February for people to experience art, meet other creative folks and express themselves.  Area Voices producer Katie Carter broke it down for us on the morning show.   She told us about the February shows at the Crossing Arts Alliance in Brainerd, what's happening at the Watermark Art Center, then she tipped us off to some of the exhibits on the First Friday Art Walk in Bemidji.  Click on the link for the full report! 

*Dig Deep – Where Is the White Knight in our Small Towns of Minnesota? Pt. 1

Heidi:  You're listening to Dig Deep on Northern Community Radio it's where we pair conservative commentator Chuck Marohn with our liberal commentator Aaron Brown. Thanks for being back you guys. I'm Heidi Holtan.

Close to Home visited the Ely Winter Festival to talk with some of the snow carvers on a frigid day.

Close to Home host Grant Frashier talks with Effie Cafe owner Kathy Powell and tells why a particular breakfast there is one of his most memorable meals.

Hundreds of book lovers converged on the Hibbing Armory last week for the annual AAUW book sale.  There were over 60,000 books in over 40 categories with everything from cookbooks, history, biography, novels, nature and much more.  Close to Home host Grant Frashier was there to talk with other book lovers about the event - as well as doing some shopping of his own.

We visit with Allyse Freeman, Curator of the Minnesota Discovery Center in Chisholm to learn about their new exhibit - Underground, Hostory Beneath Your Feet.  Did dinosaurs once roam Northern Minnesota?