LOCAL BRIEFS

NISSWA - Hopping into Nisswa is scheduled April 11.

The event will begin at 10 a.m. with the Nisswa American Legion's annual Easter egg hunt for ages 12 and under at the legion. Also planned are a big swamp auger egg hunt for a cash prize, a visit from the Easter Bunny, free refreshments and prizes.

The fun and activities will continue from 1-3 p.m. throughout Nisswa with Easter cookie decorating at Rachel's Bakery, music in the gazebo, special Easter crafts and Easter bunny photographs in Nisswa Square.

Cuyuna Range Women's Club meeting scheduled Monday

The Cuyuna Range Women's Club will meet at 2 p.m. Monday in the meeting room of the Jessie F. Hallett Memorial Library in Crosby.

Following a brief business meeting led by chairman Myrna Nelson, the Crosby-Ironton High School Chamber Singers will entertain.

The program - "Caring for Birds in Your Neighborhood" - will be given by Darrell and Liz Stave of the Northland Arboretum. They will show slides of their experiences working with injured and/or orphaned birds and share information on caring for birds of all kinds.

Refreshments will be served after the program by the committee of Cenith Carlson, Jerry Kester and Myrna Nelson.

All women of the area are welcome to the program and invited to join the women's club.

Minnesota Authors' Weekend set at Grand View

NISSWA - Grand View Lodge is hosting a Minnesota Authors' Weekend April 10-11 in its Norway Center in Nisswa that will feature well-known Minnesota authors Will Weaver, Mary Casanova and Douglas Wood.

The event celebrates National Library Week and is co-sponsored by the Friends of the Brainerd Public Library. All sessions are open to the public at no charge. Families are encouraged to attend.

Wood is an award-winning author of the classic children's book "Old Turtle" and "Grandad's Prayer for the Earth." He's also an illustrator, musician and story-teller.

Weaver's awards include the 2008 Minnesota Book Award for "Defect" and other young adult books on subjects like baseball and stock car racing. His adult books include "A Gravestone Made of Wheat."

Casanova has written more than 20 books for children of all ages, including "One-Dog Canoe," "Dog Watch" "When Eagles Fall" and "Moose Tracks."

The schedule of events:

April 10:

"An Evening with Douglas Wood" at 7 p.m., followed by a reception and book signing at 8 p.m.

On April 11:

• At 9 a.m., Wood will present a session for children - "Earth Songs and Earth Stories."

• At 10:30 a.m., Casanova will present "No Less than Stars." Casanova recounts the individuals who made a difference in her path to becoming a published author.

• At 10:30 a.m., Weaver will present "Pathway to Publication-But First Comes the Writing."

• At 11:30 a.m., Weaver and Casanova will sell and sign books.

• At 1:30 p.m., Weaver will present "Keeping Kids Reading: Tips on Writing for Young Adults."

• At 1:30 p.m., Casanova will present "Writing the Historical Novel."

For more information on the event, visit the Grand View Web site at grandviewlodge.com.