Culture & Community

photo of sunset across body of water

Paddling the Mississippi River is a Grand Adventure!

Mississippi River expedition will be canoeing past southeastern Minnesota; details from the Mississippi River Basin Ag & Water Desk.

A young man wearing a bike helmet and a green and black one-piece biking uniform splattered in mud stands behind his bike with his hand on the seat and handlebars.

Gravel-Cycling Bikers Crisscross Root River Valley in Competition

Greg Lovell reports on the USA Cycling Gravel National Championships held in September 2025 in La Crescent, Minn.

Model A cars and people at shelter

Enjoying the Driftless in Century-Old ‘A’

Photographers/videographers capture members of an Iowa Model A Ford club touring through southeastern Minnesota.

From left to right: two women and a man hold shovels in a grassy area in front of a wooden deck attached to a metal building wall.

New Court will Brighten Up Downtown Spring Valley

David Phillips reports on the newest Spring Valley project to create a gathering space in the hole left in the business district by the 2017 fire.

A woman with blonde-brown hair in a loose bun wearing a black sweat set, blue skirt, and white cotton gloves gestures toward an ornately carved 8 foot tall wooden clock.

Bily Brothers Clocks: “They Truly Loved It.”

John Weiss discovers an incredible collection of large scale wooden carved clocks at the unique Bily Clocks Museum in Spillville, Iowa.

photo of woolly mammoth exhibit and people viewing

Woolly Mammoths Once Roamed our Driftless Area

Mower County exhibition features gigantic tooth, evidence of prehistoric creatures in southeastern Minnesota.

Pairs of dancers practicing square dancing on a wooden dance floor.

Swing Your Partner, Do-Si-Do

John Torgrimson takes to the Barn Dance floor and meets up with square dance caller Sue Hulsether.

A large group of women along the bottom in front of a graphics which include multiple red lines extending diagonally in many directions. With a headline of white letters on a dark blue background covering the top third of the page. Headline says: Public voices fellowship on advancing the rights of women and girls. Also shown is the OpEd logo in the lower-middle right space.

A Life Lived, A Challenge Faced, A Story Told

Steve Harris profiles regional artist and writer Renée Bergstrom, selected as one of 20 participants in a national op-ed fellowship program.

Two red brick historic buildings -- on is two story on the right, the other is one story and stretches out to the left. Windows and doors are trimmed in white wood. Behind the building is a hillside with leaves in yellow and orange against a bright blue sky.

Bypassed, Threatened and Still Here: The Resilient Heart of Forestville

Laney Smith reports on the remarkable story of Historic Forestville, Minn., its uncertain future, 2025 budget cuts and closure of the Meighen Store.

In the foreground a native grass field, in the background a multi-level building with a three story wall of windows. Building is covered in weathered cedar shakes.

Minnesota Marine Art Museum Showcases Global and Local Visions of Life on the Water

Laura Armstrong walks us through unique exhibits, outdoor art and more at Winona’s Minnesota Marine Art Museum.

four youth musicians standing with instruments in outdoor setting

Classical Music Echoes Through the Valley

The Stringwood Chamber Music Festival returns to the Root River Valley for its 25th year of concerts and education; John Gaddo takes a closer look.

An old women with gray hair is shown on a large jumbotron screen waving at the crowd.

Grand Meadow Maintains its Place in History

David Phillips tells the nearly forgotten story of the 1930s-era Grand Meadow girls’ basketball team that still holds the state record for straight wins.

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