Jennifer Barr

GRAND RAPIDS — It's been a tough year for local libraries. Hours have been cut in Bemidji, Grand Rapids and, most recently, in Virginia. But in Grand Rapids, a recent gift of $50,000 has reportedly blown away Director Amy Dettmer. In early September, Dettmer received a call from family members of Greg Waite, a mural artist who visited the library at least once a week to check out DVDs and chat with staff. Dettmer learned Waite had died, and his family wanted to donate in his memory.

COTTON — When the school in Cotton closed in 2011, a group of people wanted to find a new purpose for the building. Now, it is thriving as the nonprofit Old School Lives. Kate Crispo is the organization's executive director, and she was a recent Bright Spot guest on the KAXE Morning Show. Cotton is located nearly 40 miles north of Duluth and about 30 miles south of Virginia. Old School Lives is a faith based nonprofit that serves a 20-mile radius of rural communities.

ST. PAUL — Mark Klabunde came to the Minnesota State Fair with a few jars and a batch of baked goods, and left with two blue ribbons and a red. The KAXE volunteer entered ketchup, shortbreads, sauerkraut, sweet breads and a cardamom roll in the fair’s Creative Activities competitions. His cardamom roll took first place in a category with 40 entries, while his homemade ketchup also earned a blue ribbon. He stopped by the AMPERS booth, where KAXE was broadcasting live Friday, Aug. 28.