Up North Report

Plus: Lockdown at Northwest Technical College; downtown Walker evacuated as natural gas line damaged; and a man missing in St. Louis County was found five days later by family.

And: Sen. Amy Klobuchar has raised almost $5 million in the first two months of her gubernatorial campaign; and three Northern Minnesota communities will get planning assistance from MnDOT.

Plus: A complex land dispute in the Cuyuna Country State Recreation Area leads to a developer turning to state lawmakers for a solution.

Plus: State lawmakers are considering bills to address Greater Minnesota housing needs; MnDOT has several road construction projects planned in the Northland; and the Minnesota Public Facilities Authority awarded grants to five Northland communities.

Their schedules are booked solid, and graduation is only a few weeks away, but seniors Maddy and Abby Koivisto are engaged in class every day and always willing to lend a hand.

And: Minnesota-based nonprofit says Big Tech fight reminiscent of Big Tobacco crackdown; and National Weather Service offering free weather spotter classes.

And: Central Lakes College President Hara Charlier is leaving the school; and a new report is concerned with the DNR’s plans for electronic licenses this spring.

Plus: Minnesota to select first youth poet laureate; Beltrami County seeks parks committee members; and Superior National Forest to begin prescribed fires.

And: Experts say AI could have a big impact on Minnesota’s labor force.

Plus: The Minnesota Public Utilities Commission will accept comment on Minnesota Power’s proposed transmission line project; and the Minnesota Department of Health updated its guidelines for eating fish from Arrowhead lakes.

The cross-jurisdictional court includes the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe and is intended to reduce recidivism among participants in a highly intensive, court-supervised treatment program.

Plus: The Grand Rapids Economic Development Agency will use state funds to demolish the former Itasca Farm Co-op.

Plus: St. Louis County to choose between local labor or risking federal funds.

Plus: Ruby’s Pantry will cease operations in Minnesota, Wisconsin and Iowa; Hermantown will accept public comment on a study for the proposed Google data center through April 30; and the Soudan Mine State Park will offer underground mine tours beginning Memorial Day weekend.

Plus: Two local elementary schools meet their fates, with Bemidji’s J.W. Smith set to remain open for at least a year, while Greenhaven in Hibbing will close.

Plus: Minnesotans gathered in the thousands for “No Kings” rallies across the state; Aitkin Public Schools will soon have a new superintendent; Burning restrictions for areas of the state went into effect Monday; and 2 Northland teams placed at the state boys basketball tournament.

Greater Minnesota Housing Fund’s Nate Dorr discusses the next steps after a Beltrami County-specific housing study shows high demand for new housing builds across all categories.

Plus: MnDOT will host an open house Tuesday ahead of its 2026 construction season in Brainerd; and the Bemidji Public Library hosted a send-off Friday as it prepares to cut its staff and reduce its hours.

Plus: Eighth District Congressman Pete Stauber’s bill for Great Lakes restoration funding passed the House with bipartisan support; Minnesota will no longer recognize Cesar Chavez Day; and St. Louis County seeks public input on how to use opioid settlement funds.

And: Bemidji community urges Board to keep J.W. Smith open; and a Cuyuna rec area land dispute prompts road closure confusion, concerns.

Plus: An overnight shelter in Brainerd is again seeking city approval to operate year-round; and Paul Bunyan Communications is expanding in more locations in Aitkin, Hubbard, Itasca and St. Louis counties.

And: Lawmakers move to limit AI use in therapy; Sacred Bundle hosts first event in former Bemidji elementary school; and Grand Itasca redesignated Level III trauma hospital.

And: Bemidji’s Aircorps Aviation receives MN DEED grant; and Beltrami County seeks feedback for safer roads planning.

Plus: Bemidji Public Library to cut hours, staff; a federal judge dismissed a lawsuit by a former Rock Ridge School Board member; Northern Minnesota tribal leaders testified in the nation’s capital; and Minnesota Forest Industries’ Tom Radovich was appointed to the state’s Forest Resources Council.

Plus: Blackduck considers disbanding its police force; spongy moth treatments are proposed in parts of Northern Minnesota; and the Detroit Lakes HS musicians have returned from their unexpected road trip.

Plus: Leech Lake Tribal College selects three finalists in president search; and four Northland teams are heading to the boys basketball state tournament.

Plus: the Bemidji City Council rejected Northern Township’s wastewater connection request; and the Brainerd City Council selected its next Chief of Police.

And: A new bill would ban municipalities from signing nondisclosure agreements; Otter Tail Power Co. had above-average profits last two years; Mountain Iron-Buhl is girls basketball runner-up.

Planning and preparation for the 2026 spring wildfire season began shortly after the major blowdown storm in the Bemidji region, which saw an estimated 9 million trees downed or damaged.

And: A new bill in the Minnesota Legislature would allow small school districts to shrink their school board size.

Plus: Some aquatic invasive species prevention efforts to prepare for the impending open water season in Minnesota are already taking place.

Plus: The Cook County Sheriff is resigning in May 2026 to accept an early childhood education role; and Minnesota DEED awarded nearly $2 million to support Youthbuild programs.

Plus: the Minnesota Legislature is considering a ban on cryptocurrency kiosks as the FBI reports these ATMs are connected to $333 million in reported losses to fraud.

And: Park Rapids man faces third charge for threatening lawmakers; former state Sen. Justin Eichorn’s trial pushed to June; Warroad boys win state hockey title, and Kelliher/Northome, Mountain Iron-Buhl and Rock Ridge to compete in girls basketball tourney.

Staples-Motley junior Ronnie Noska is KAXE’s second-ever North Star Student. Noska’s hard work has led to a successful career on the court, and she continues to grow as a leader off of it.

Plus: Townships across Minnesota will host their annual meetings on March 10, 2026; the DNR is seeking input on proposed changes to Itasca State Park; and the Superior National Forest will host a Tofte Ranger District open house on March 12.

News Director Chelsey Perkins catches up on what’s happening in St. Paul with Report for Minnesota student journalists Abbey Mulcahy, Kendra Mobilia, Shay Scanlan and Eleanor Steffen.

Plus: The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources awards Cass Lake conservation officer as 2025 officer of the year; and the high school boys hockey tourney is underway.

Abbey Mulcahy, Kendra Mobilia, Shay Scanlan and Eleanor Steffen are reporting on the Legislature. New this year, intern Karina Kafka is also producing photojournalism.

Plus: Bemidji School Board votes to close J.W. Smith Elementary; Hibbing considers closing Greenhaven Elementary; and Google revealed to be owner of propsed Hermantown data center.

Bemidji Area Boys and Girls Club launched an after-school site at J.W. Smith in 2023, and with the proposed closure of the school, program leaders and parents share their concerns.

And: Walz releases anti-fraud package after Trump administration announces Minnesota Medicaid cuts; Rachel Anthony murder still unsolved after 25 years; Staples-Motley are state wrestling champs.

Plus: Hubbard County man charged with threatening state lawmakers; and Hibbing Public Schools is bracing for a potential strike from the union representing support staff.

Plus: Early voting opens Friday for Aitkin, Staples-Motley referendums; year-round bass season now in place; Beltrami County, Red Lake residents eligible for free well water test kits; boys swimming and diving state meet starts Thursday.

Plus: Stauber introduces legislation to require judges be natural born citizens; and the latest round of names for MnDOT snowplows is released.

Plus: The U.S. Senate is expected to soon vote on whether to allow copper-nickel mining near the Boundary Waters; and the latest in winter high school sports.

Launch North, the new program from the Arrowhead Area Agency on Aging, will host one-day events in Duluth, Grand Rapids, International Falls and Cloquet.

Plus: The AFSCME Local 480 presented a letter of no confidence to the Hibbing School Board Feb. 18, 2026, after months of negotiations without reaching a contract.

Plus: 2142 and Mountain Iron-Buhl select new superintendent; Staples-Motley, Aitkin to host open houses for referendums; MnDOT public transit app expands in Greater Minnesota; and Bemidji girls hockey falls to Edina at state.

Plus: Sheriffs in Hubbard, Lake and Polk counties announce retirement plans; Minnesotans take advantage of deep freeze with lake ice racing; and Northland girl hockey players are so far 1-1 in the state tournament.