Shows / Community Focus
Community Focus
"Community Focus" is the longest-running locally produced, community affairs program in the Brainerd area. Hosted by Tess Taylor and Eric Grant, Community Focus has covered everything from arts and entertainment to issues concerning health, public safety, education, and much more. If it’s happening in the Brainerd Lakes Area, it’s on Community Focus.
Episodes
- Community Focus
1-26-2026 Community Focus- Toward Zero Deaths
Guests are Captain Adam Fulton and LT Karla Beierman from the Minnesota State Patrol with a 2025 year-end review, a look at recent snowplow crashes across the…
- Community Focus
1-23-2025 Community Focus- Crow Wing Soil & Water
Melissa Barrick, District Manager for the Crow Wing Soil & Water Conservation District, joins the podcast to share details on the 2026 Tree and Plant Sale and…
- Community Focus
1-22-2026 Community Focus- LightHouse Beginnings & Open Arms
Guests Kim Strange, Foundation Coordinator and Food Service Manager, and Lanaya Percfield, Open Arms Coordinator and Peer Support Manager, join to discuss the…
- Community Focus
1-21-2026 Community Focus- Crosslake Chamber
Guests Heather Jones and Jess Wide, board members of the Crosslake Winterfest Committee, join us to preview the 24th Annual Crosslake Winterfest, happening…
- Community Focus
01-19-2026 Community Focus- ISD 181
Guests Martha Smithson, Principal of Early Learning, and Jen Lindholm, Early Childhood Program Administrative Assistant, join to share what’s coming up in…
- Community Focus
01-16-2026 Community Focus- Brainerd Public Schools Foundation
Guests Jessica Gangl, Executive Director of the Brainerd Public Schools Foundation, and Amye Miller, Big Event Chair, join to talk about the Foundation’s…
- Community Focus
01-15-2026 Community Focus- Lakes Area Justice Table
Guests Lowell Johnson, a member of the Lakes Area Justice Table, and Rev. Candace Adams from Compassionate Way join the podcast to discuss the upcoming…
- Community Focus
01-15-2026 Community Focus- Camp Ripley
Guest is Tony Housey from Camp Ripley. Housey recaps a very busy 2025 at the Camp, highlights the impact those operations had on the region, and gives us an…
- Community Focus
01-12-2026 Community Focus- City of Brainerd
Brainerd Public Utilities Director Paul Sandy and City Administrator Nick Broyles join to break down the city’s upcoming galvanized water service line…
- Community Focus
01-09-2026-Community Focus - Relationship Safety Alliance
Guests are Alex Dominguez, Programs Manager and Mandy Flitsch, Advocate See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at…
- Community Focus
01-08-2026 Community Focus - Brainerd Family YMCA
Guest is CEO Shane Riffle See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
- Community Focus
01-07-2026 Community Focus - Crow Wing County
Guests are Crow Wing County Administrator Debby Erickson and Crow Wing County Sheriff's Lt. Craig Katzenberger See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy…
- Community Focus
01-06-2026 Community Focus - Lakes Area United Way
Guests are Faith Hamson, Marketing Coordinator of Lakes Area United Way and Jana Shogren, Executive Director of Bridges of Hope See Privacy Policy at…
- Community Focus
01-05-2026 Community Focus - Pillsbury Players Theater - "On Golden Pond"
Guests are Director Andrea Anderson and actors Anne Freelove and Blake Lubinus See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at…
- Community Focus
01-02-2026 Community Focus - Canine Connection Brainerd Kennel Club
Guests were Executive Director Janet Hennis and Board Member Colleen Adrian See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at…
- Community Focus
12-31-2025 Community Focus - Central Lakes College
Guests are Paul Primesberger, Dean of Enrollment Management & Student Success and Nathaniel Warnke, Enrollment Representative See Privacy Policy at…
- Community Focus
12-20-2025 Community Focus - Crow Wing County Historical Society
Guests are Board Members Dr. Nick Bernier and Karl Samp See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at…
- Community Focus
12-29-2025 Community Focus - My Neighbor To Love Coalition
Guest is Vicky Kinney, Executive Director See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at…
- Community Focus
12-22-2025 Community Focus- EEG Epilepsy Advocates
Barb Mack & Loretta Campbell, both EEG Epilepsy Advocate Board Members about Epilepsy, what it is, who it affects and the support groups that are available to…
- Community Focus
12-19-2025 Community Focus- The Outreach Program
Shawn Hanson, Executive Director of The Outreach Program, joins the show to discuss how the organization provides meals to families locally and across…
- Community Focus
12-18-2025 Community Focus- Crow Wing Energized
Rena Bolt, Community Health Specialist with Crow Wing Energized, and Faith Hamson, Marketing Specialist with CWE, stop by to talk about upcoming community…
- Community Focus
12-17-2025 Community Focus- Bridges of Hope
Tedi Russell, Marketing & Community Engagement Manager at Bridges of Hope visits about their end of year fundraising push to get to $100,000. As well as an…
- Community Focus
12-16-2025 Community Focus- Lakes Proud
Aubrey Koop, Director of the Cuyuna Lakes Chamber, and Ali Beste, Marketing & Young Professionals Coordinator with the Brainerd Lakes Chamber, stop by to talk…
- Community Focus
12-15-2025 Community Focus- ISD 181
Jason Olson, Director of Human Resources for Brainerd Public Schools (ISD 181), joins us to talk about the district as an employer, the wide range of career…
- Community Focus
12-12-2025 Community Focus- Wild and Free Animal Rehabilitation Center
Dr. Katie Baratto, Garrison Animal Hospital, Wild and Free Wildlife Rehabilitation, talking about their new intake facility, the many animals being cared for…
- Community Focus
12-11-2025- Community Focus- Brainerd Family YMCA
Shane Riffle, CEO of the Brainerd Family YMCA, joins us to highlight youth basketball, soccer, and swim lessons now underway at the Y, plus year-end membership…
- Community Focus
12-01-2025 Community Focus- Cass County
Today’s guests are Leslie Bouchonville, Executive Director of Pine River–Backus & Northland Family Center, and Betty Doss, Executive Director of the Pillager…
- Community Focus
11-26-2025 Community Focus- Morrison County Health & Human Services
Cindy Nienaber, Nursing Supervisor with Morrison County Health & Human Services and a member of the Morrison County Family Connections team, joins us to…
- Community Focus
11-25-2025 Community Focus- Brainerd Lakes Welcome Center
Jess Vogt, Welcome Center Manager, stops in to preview their big Black Friday and Small Business Saturday Sale- complete with free gifts, specials, and even a…
- Community Focus
11-24-2025 Community Focus- Stage North Theater
Gary Hirsch, Director, Wendy DeGeest, Choreographer, and Music Director Kennedy Niska from Stage North Theater stop by to preview their upcoming production of…
- Community Focus
11-21-2025 Community Focus- Cuyuna Christmas
Jennifer Lowe, Director of Foundations and Community Relations at Cuyuna Regional Medical Center, and Sarah Smith, Executive Director of Smiles for Jake…
- Community Focus
11-20-2025 Community Focus- CWC Food Access Coalition
Erich Heppner, spokesperson for the Crow Wing County Food Access Coalition, joins us to talk about the ongoing need for donations- both shelf-stable food items…
- Community Focus
11-19-2025 Community Focus- Brainerd Public Schools Foundation
Jessica Gangl, Executive Director of the Brainerd Public Schools Foundation, joins us to share the impact of their fall grant cycle and the many students…
- Community Focus
11-18-2025 Community Focus- Brainerd Chamber
Sue Galligan, Director of Special Events, Brainerd Lakes Chamber, talking about the upcoming Business After Hours event, the Black Friday & Small Business…
- Community Focus
11-17-2025 Community Focus- ISD 181
Dr. Nathan Herfindahl, Brainerd High School Choir Director, joins us to share an inside look at this year’s choral program, featuring five unique choirs. He…
- Community Focus
11-14-2025 Community Focus- Brainerd Turkey Run
Kara Schaefer, Race Director for the Brainerd Turkey Run and Paul Lauer, Treasurer and Member of the Aadzuhman Shriners club of Brainerd about the 16th Annual…
- Community Focus
11-13-2025 Community Focus- Brainerd Family YMCA
Shane Riffle, CEO, Brainerd Family YMCA about the Y Partners Annual Campaign and how the community can help support the Y and its initiatives into 2026. The…
- Community Focus
11-11-2025 Community Focus- City of Baxter
Brad Chapulis, Baxter City Administrator, talks about the budget process and preliminary levy. Brad also reviews the 2025 highlights including parks, business…
- Community Focus
11-10-2025 Community Focus- City of Brainerd
Nick Broyles, Brainerd City Administrator, talks about several street construction projects as well as the city being ready to plow snow. Pond Hockey…
- Community Focus
11-07-2025 Community Focus- Relationship Safety Alliance
Shannon Wussow, Executive Director, Alex Dominguez, Programs Manager, Relationship Safety Alliance, talking about their upcoming Pints for a Purpose event and…
- Community Focus
11-06-2025 Community Focus- Central Lakes College
Dr. Hara Charlier, President, Central Lakes College, and Nathaniel Warnke, Enrollment Representative with CLC join to promote spring enrollment as well as…
- Community Focus
11-05-2025 Community Focus- Crow Wing County
Debby Erickson, Crow Wing County Administrator visits about the updates SNAP Food Benefits, the revisions to county land use ordinances while asking for public…
- Community Focus
11-04-2025 Community Focus- Lakes Area United Way
Tracy Wallin, Marketing Coordinator, Lakes Area United Way stops in recap the United Way Chili Cook-Off and preview their next pop-up food pantry. Tracy also…
- Community Focus
11-03-2025 Community Focus- Epilepsy Advocates
Jennifer Williams, Executive Director of the Equilibrium Epilepsy Group talks about November being Epilepsy Awareness Month in addition to several events…
- Community Focus
10-31-2025 Community Focus- Stage North Theatre Company
Gary Hirsch - Co-Director and Kennedy Niska - Musical Director for the upcoming stage performance by Stage North Theatre of "10 November" that will be taking…
- Community Focus
10-30-2025 Community Focus- Salvation Army
Salvation Army Captains Joyce and Jeff Curran and Brian Lehmen, Co-Chair of the Red Kettle Campaign discuss the 2025 drive including locations, volunteer…
- Community Focus
10-29-2025 Community Focus- Legacy Chorale
Kennedy Niska, Executive Director and Youth Chorale Coordinator and Brian Stubbs, Legacy Chorale Coordinator visit about their upcoming Songs for the Ages…
- Community Focus
10-28-2025 Community Focus- WAVE Young Professionals Network
Mata Agre and Halie Majerus, WAVE anchor board members discuss what WAVE Young Professionals Network is about as well as some of their upcoming events…
- Community Focus
10-27-2025 Community Focus- Brainerd VFW & DAV
Mark Persons, Vietnam Veteran and Jeff McArthur, veteran of Iraqi Freedom join with an overview of all the upcoming events in the Brainerd Lakes area for…
- Community Focus
10-24-2025 Community Focus- CLC Performing Arts
Joey Yow, Director of Central Lakes College Preforming Arts highlights the current performances of Dracula as well as their upcoming Prince tribute show as…
- Community Focus
10-23-2025 Community Focus- Brainerd Catholic
Kevin Denny, Director of Advancement discusses their upcoming Speaker Series at the Gichi Ziibi Center for the Arts on 10/29 as well as recapping last month's…
- Community Focus
10-22-2025 Community Focus- CRMC
Jennifer Lowe, Director of Foundation and Community Relations, and Allison Baker, Oncology Operations Coordinator at Cuyuna Regional Medical Center, join the…
- Community Focus
10-20-2025 Community Focus- ISD 181- Garfield Elementary
Jodi Kennedy, Principal at Garfield Elementary chats about their Parent Teacher Organization at Garfield as well as the activities they use title funds for…
- Community Focus
10-17-2025 Community Focus- Brainerd American Legion Post #255
Commander Wayne Harting and Second Vice/Gambling Manager Billy Lowe share mis-conceptions about the current American Legion as well as recruit people to become…
- Community Focus
10-16-2025 Community Focus- BLADE Coalition/Know The Truth
Talia Brodhead and Josh Nelson from the MN Recovery and Prevention Alliance share some information on their Know The Truth prevention program as well as…
- Community Focus
10-15-2025 Community Focus- Women Who Care Brainerd Lakes
Denise Laudenbach and Shawn Hansen visit about the history of Women Who Care as well as educate listeners on the history of the movement in addition to how…
- Community Focus
10-14-2025 Community Focus- Brainerd Public Schools Archives
John Erickson, Brainerd Public Schools Archivist visits about the new exhibits that opened at Brainerd High School along with the current and future exhibits…
- Community Focus
10-13-2025 Community Focus- City of Brainerd
Mike Habighorst, Public Works Director for the City of Brainerd stops in to discuss the ongoing construction projects and their timelines, reminder on fall…
- Community Focus
10-10-2025 Community Focus- Bridges of Hope
Jana Shogren, Executive Director and Tedi Russell, Marketing and Community Engagement Manager at Bridges of Hope discuss Operation Sandwich for MEA break as…
- Community Focus
10-09-2025 Community Focus- Brainerd Family YMCA
Shane Riffle, CEO of the Brainerd Family YMCA about current happenings at the YMCA, including Youth Sports, Adult Activities and a number of Healthy Living…