Curiouser

If you or anyone you know is walking around with a pacemaker or other implantable medical device inside their bodies, it may be thanks in part to Curt. Though he's retired, he's been keeping active in the work of setting standards for devices - it's serious work, but as we learned, Curt doesn't take himself too seriously. A great and interesting conversation!

This was a lot of fun - interviewing local radio legend and entertainer Jim King (a.k.a. Jim Schulz). Why a career in radio? It was a way to be an entertainer without winding up dead in the gutter! Lot's of funny and interesting stuff.

Had a blast interviewing Gordon and Carol about moving from Milwaukee to Scandinavia to start a couple of businesses - Odin & Freja's, and The Runestick. Very interesting and funny people.  

Why does Laura Colbert love her job as Director of the City of Waupaca Parks and Recreation Department? Because - as you'll hear in our interview - each day provides her the opportunity to be her best self and to help people in our community?   Where does that sort of approach to life come from? From her advanced degrees in Educational Leadership and Experience-Based Education? Her service as an M...

Scott Neumann is owner of Waupaca's Piggly Wiggly (a.k.a., The Pig). We talk with Scott about growing up in Waupaca, how he realized his long-held ambition to own a grocery store, and what it takes to run a store with so many moving parts. Fun and educational.

Our guest this week is Joe Udoni, owner of Udoni & Salan Realty Group & Auction Services . We had a great time talking with Joe about his childhood in Chicago, his career, how he ended up in Waupaca, and the dynamics of our local real estate market.

Our guest this week is Bruce Ceranske, co-founder of Legacy Seeds who - in his retirement - is finding ways to give back, including as a member of the Board of the Waupaca Area Community Foundation. We learn about his interesting and inspiring life, about the Community Foundation, and about the organization's upcoming "Evening of Gratitude" celebration and fundraiser. If interested in learning mor...

What a fun and interesting conversation we had with Brian Smith, Mayor of the City of Waupaca. Conversation flowed from his youth growing up as one of ten children in Waupaca, to the years he spent teaching, to starting his own tax and accounting business, to public service - first on the City Council, then as Mayor for over two decades.

A fun interview with a great guy, Dean Sondrol - Clinic Director for Advanced Physical Therapy and recipient of the Waupaca Chamber’s inaugural Community Impact Award – an award that recognized Dean for his contributions to our community as a volunteer. We had fun talking with Dean and know you'll enjoy listening to the conversation.

In this episode, we talk with Kelly about growing up in Waupaca, how he got an early start in the construction business, and how he moved from building houses to running a restaurant. We had a great time interviewing Kelly, and expect you'll enjoy listening. 

On this episode, we chat with Tammy Rae Wolter , owner of A Touch of Glass studio. Tammy's journey is inspiring - the sort of thing that happens when a strong need to create meets opportunities and obstacles. A wonderful conversation that we think you'll enjoy.

Over the past couple of years The Indian Crossing Casino (a.k.a., ICC) has transformed into a destination for food, music, celebration, and just hanging out. Andrew Jordan, General Manager has played a key role in that transformation and is our guest on this week's Curiouser. Great guy with an interesting story.

Another week, another great interview. Laura Brackley is the Director of Camp Elsewhere , and man is she a hoot! A great life story that begins acting in community theater in Sheridan Wyoming, makes stops in Seattle and along the Hudson in New York, and winds up in Waupaca, married to Todd Jones , who's been on our show before. Fun to learn about Laura and of course about Camp Elsewhere, which is...

As a bartender and owner of the Grand National Lounge, Jenn Beland is more accustomed to listening than to talking, but we got her to tell her story, and it's fascinating.

Smile and say "cheese;" our next guest is teacher-turned-award-winning-photographer Tim Koll. Tune in to hear about Tim's active youth, the two criteria that led him to choose Waupaca after being downsized out of a teaching job in Minnesota, how he met his lovely wife and business partner Adriana, and what it takes to capture great photographs.

Saturday's guest grew up on a farm outside of New London and experienced first grade in a one-room schoolhouse. She had a career in video production, working in television and doing corporate video work before moving to Waupaca, where she decided to become involved in education. These days you might see her in a community theater production or singing in a choir. She's interesting, she's funny, sh...

Question: What do these things have in common: Tides, Storms, and Sue Krasniewski Abrahamson? Answer: They are all forces of nature.   Listen to our interview and learn about the roots of Sue's predilection for fighting a good fight, how she ended up in Waupaca, and what she's doing now that she's no longer leading children's programs at the Waupaca Area Public Library .

This man was born in East Chicago, but spent his formative years on a resort property near Eagle River. He took on rowdy college students as a bouncer at the same bar where he met his wife, Mary. He intended to pursue paper science when he entered college, but instead, he chose to major in math and earn his teaching certificate. The lives of those he has taught, as well as our community, are bette...

Some people are just special. Kate Drury is one of those people. Her well of experience, knowledge, compassion, and wisdom is extraordinarily deep, perfectly equipping her to be what she is - a lawyer helping defendants seek justice. Such a pleasure to interview Kate.

As a teenager, Marty Milner would visit his father in California, and while there, would visit record stores, looking for New Wave and HipHop music. He would buy CDs and bring them back to Wisconsin, introducing his friends to music that hadn't yet made it to the Midwest.   Years later, Marty opened Back to the Vinyl - Waupaca , where he continues to introduce people to music they've not heard and...

Speak with Larry Thomas and you get a sense that he is like a spring loaded with energy made up of thoughts, experiences, and stories ready to be told. The result is an interesting conversation that probably could have gone on another hour.

This week's guest was born on a homestead that could have been the set for Little House on the Prarie, was a Division 1 Pole Vaulter for the University of Minnesota, once raised animals for school science classes, built two of the homes his family has lived in, including his current residence, and so much more.

This, from our introduction to this week's guest: "...if she were a car, she’d be an old Jaguar E-Type convertible. She’s long, lean, full of charisma, and has needed more than her share of repairs along the way."   We had a gas interviewing Ali from Iola (a.k.a. Ali from Iola, ofthe Iola Car Show ), and you'll have fun listening. Two options:

If you live within 50 miles of Waupaca, chances are you have a friend or relative who was helped into this world by this week's guest. Jane Crawford-Peterson is more than a midwife; she is a legend among midwives, having played a role in training, certification, and legislation in Wisconsin and beyond.   Such an interesting and wonderful person, and a great and inspiring interview.

She is fluent in Russian, has worked to promote international trade for Wisconsin busnesses, to reduce homelessness in Wisconsin, and to promote democracy in countries around the world. Now she's the Director of Community and Economic Development for the City of Waupaca. She's Julianna Stohs, and she's our next guest on Curiouser.