Greg Nichols is part of the Sawtooth Mountain Maple Syrup Company in Lutsen--currently the largest sugarbush in Minnesota. He sat down with Dave Seaton recently to explain the intricacies of organic maple syrup production. You can see their Facebook page to learn more.

Local explorer Lonnie Dupre stopped by Studio A April 8 to chat with Dave about his next adventure--climbing Begguya, the steepest and most technical of the three great peaks in Denali National Park. He talked about his team, the challenges involved, and much more. You can follow his journey, which begins April 22, here.

Gordon Thorne stopped by The Roadhouse April 1 to play a few tunes and chat. The main topic of conversation was the sixth annual Fingerstyle Masters Weekend, coming up April 8 & 9 at Bluefin Bay in Tofte, and featuring guitarist Pat Donohue, along with fiddler Tom Schaefer. You can learn more here.

In the wake of the Silver Bay City Council  ban of Bent Paddle beer, we wondered...how effective are boycotts anyway? Brayden King is professor of managment and organizations at the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University in Chicago. He talked with Ann Possis about why and when boycotts work, and explained how modern communications have changed the playing field.

The MN Aquatic Invasive Species Research Center has a new lab at the U of MN, St. Paul campus. Dave chatted with Sue Galatowitsch, director of the center, about why this research is so important to Minnesota waters, and what we as individuals can do to protect them.

Duluth/Superior-based Black River Revue dropped by The Roadhouse on a recent visit to Grand Marais. They chatted with Dave and Ann and played some great high-energy tunes. Black River Revue is: Adam Stariha, guitar/vocals/harmonica; Ian Kvale, bass/vocals; Tim Leutgeb, banjo/guitar/vocals; and Joe Berg, spoons/washboard/vocals. You can learn more about the band and their upcoming performances here.

Duluth's shipping season just opened, and it's big business. Adele Yorde, PR director for the Duluth Seaway Port Authority, chatted with Dave recently about shipping in Duluth-Superior and what it means to the area. You can go to www.duluthboats.com for ship arrivals and departures--it's updated several times a day. 

Severe myopia (nearsightedness) is on the rise among youth everywhere, and scientists think they know why. And it's likely not, as might seem obvious, from kids and teens staring at their phones. Dr. Joshua Hou of the department of opthalmology and visual neurosciences at the U of MN talked with Ann Possis recently about this epidemic and the leading theories about it.

Singer-songwriter Boyd Blomberg stopped by Studio A March 18 to chat and play some great original tunes. You can learn more about Boyd, his music, and his upcoming shows here.

Following the recent crash of a driverless car, there's been a lot of talk about these vehicles. Frank Douma is a transportation policy expert and director of the state and local policy program at the Humphrey School of Public Affairs at the U of MN. He chatted with Dave recently about the challenges and advantages of driverless cars, and what the future might hold for this technology.