St. Croix Stories
St. Croix Stories aims to highlight the people and places that make the riverside town of Hudson, Wisconsin unique. Hear from local business owners, leaders, and others who contribute to this community in a variety of ways. Whether you're a longtime Hudson resident or someone simply interested in learning more about what this town has to offer, this podcast is for you.
Episodes
40 episodes
Mayor Rich O'Connor and Larry Szyman, The Golden Rule Initiative
"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 othe...
•
26:20
Angie Pilgrim and Heidi Herron, St. Croix Valley Foundation
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...
•
23:42
Jen Vieth and Abbey Holden, Carpenter Nature Center
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 a...
•
37:02
Jamie Johnson, Hudson School Board
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 studen...
•
27:41
Melissa "Mei Mei" Abdouch, Mei Mei's Cookies and Creamery
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.O...
•
25:24
Tim Zais, North Hudson Pepper Fest
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 ...
•
26:23
Art Doyle, Art Doyle's Spokes and Pedals
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,
•
28:42
Farmer Greg and Farmer Andrew, White Pine Berry Farm
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, w...
•
25:24
Amy Thurston, Historic Hudson, WI
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 Hu...
•
24:35
Val Aune, The Bees Knees
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...
•
26:27
Derek Hom, Wilder Waffle Co.
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
•
28:15
Hudson Area Backpack & Food Program and Operation HELP
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...
•
21:39
Matt Darnold, Hudson Pride Co.
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
•
22:44
Ben and Hannah Jung, Hudco To Go
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,...
•
20:32
Tera Busker
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 h...
•
21:14
Hudson Community Expo 2024
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...
•
30:23
Kelsa Wirth, High Acuity Foster Care
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 i...
•
14:38
Pete Foster, Barker's Bar & Grill/San Pedro Cafe/Pedro's Pizza Lounge
As a kid growing up in Hudson, Pete Foster recalls the food scene in town being good, but not great. Fast forward many years later, and Pete's three restaurants — Barker's Bar & Grill,
•
35:15
Jess and Jonathan Pressley, Ember and Bean Roasting Co
Jess and Jonathan Pressley, owners of Ember and Bean Roasting Co, have a slogan they abide by at their shop: great coffee takes time. The coffee sold at Ember and Bean is indeed great, and an orde...
•
37:41
Angel Duratti, Angel's Pet World
Throughout her life, Angel Duratti has had plenty of pets. But she wasn't allowed to have any as a kid, even though she loved animals. Once she and her husband Al got their first dog together, Angel's love of pets grew to a new level — and the ...
•
24:12
Rick Reams, RJ's Meats
Rick Reams' life came full circle when he and his wife purchased what eventually became known as RJ's Meats in 1987. It not only brought Rick back to Hudson after spending four years in the Air Force, but he was taking over the store he worked ...
•
27:17
Jill McNamee, McNamee Real Estate Team
Jill McNamee became a realtor at an interesting time in the real estate world — during the 2008 housing crisis. But while many realtors were leaving the industry, Jill was just getting started. She knew that making connections would be val...
•
31:10
Nichole and Rick Frazer, Black Rooster Bistro
The already impressive food scene in Hudson was made even stronger with Rick and Nichole Frazer opened Black Rooster Bistro in the old Winter Stube space in 2022. The timing was right for Rick — ...
•
39:59
Rita Thofern, Friends of Willow River & Kinnickinnic State Parks
Willow River State Park has been a vital part of the Hudson community since it officially opened in 1971. Friends of Willow River & Kinnickinnic State Parks was established as a non-profit in 1990 and has helped maintain the park, offered e...
•
41:36
Renee Frey, Power of 100+ | Women of St. Croix Valley
Sometimes, there is power in numbers. That's certainly the case when more than 100 local women from the Hudson area get together and all contribute $100 that goes towards helping a local non-profit. The group is called Power of 100+ | Women of ...
•
21:21