BEMIDJI — As we look back on the work of 2025, I’m always impressed by how much I’ve gotten done, even though it often feels like I'm barely keeping my head above the surface.
I’ve been covering local news in this region for nine years, and one story that has consistently come up over the years is Bemidji’s blighted rail corridor.
2025 saw a lot of movement on this story in a big way, with Greater Bemidji securing numerous grants to clean up the brownfield site. The nonprofit also worked to market the site to developers, with a property management firm out of Alexandria committing to building a 98-room Marriott Hotel.
This project will be constructed around the same time as a new YMCA wellness center, with the two major projects representing around $57 million in new construction.
Bemidji Mayor Jorge Prince reflected that there hasn’t been a hotel downtown on this scale since the historic Markham.
“Having people staying there and being able to have walkable distance to things like restaurants and shopping and even the community theater, I think it's really going to be a shot in the arm for our downtown businesspeople as well,” he said.
Site preparation work will continue through the spring, with demolition commencing in December.
The city of Bemidji has owned this strip of land for two decades, acquiring it from the BNSF railroad and even buying more of it as the YMCA plans began to take shape. In November, they approved the demolition of three structures in various stages of abandonment and decay.
Contamination in the rail corridor’s soil stems from petroleum products and other chemicals attributed to Bemidji’s industrial past. Over the last several years, the city has contracted with the St. Paul Port Authority for guidance on how to best clean up and market this complicated area.
Living and working around Bemidji’s downtown has always been exciting, and you can rest assured I'll continue to monitor the developments there in 2026.
Many of my fonder memories of covering news always happen when I leave the desk for a while and get out to explore the world around me, and I never know where I might end up.
This year, I headed a bit south to see the annual summer show of the Lake Itasca Pioneer Farmers.
History buffs and curious visitors admired century-old tractors on display, as farmers young and old from across the Midwest took time out of a busy August to bring their prairie and steam engines to the Case Expo.
Ned Mars, while his two young kids split wood to feed the boiler engine, explained his passion for the historic tractors.
"It's an important part of our heritage," Mars said. "I'm from North Dakota. My family originally homesteaded in southern North Dakota, and steam was actually what broke the prairie from where we were at.”
Steam didn’t only power tractors in those days. Inside one of the buildings is the J. Neil’s Redby Sawmill, originally put together around 1900 in Cass Lake.
The Pioneer Farmers attract people of varying ages with varying interests, like machinist Jacob Smith, who has been involved since he was in high school.
"Not to say there aren't any real craftsmen today, but there were real craftsmen back in those days," he said. "You had to be conscientious of everything that was going on around you and not caught up in the little things."
The Lake Itasca Pioneer Farmers meet monthly at their 25-acre showgrounds near the Lake Itasca State Park south entrance.
The most fun and new experience for me this year, though, was the annual Peep Shoot.
Criminal defense attorney Blair Nelson started the event more than 10 years ago with a small group of family and friends in Bemidji, and it has since grown to a full-fledged fundraiser for the Northland Sports Park.
The game is simple: you take aim at aged Easter Bunny Peeps in both the rifle and pistol rounds. Those who strike the most Easter Peeps stand to win prizes for Easter candy, but only for first place shooters.
"There is no second place in a gunfight, especially against an unarmed rabbit,” Nelson said.
The Peep Shoot is absolutely nothing like any other shooting tournament and has developed its own rules and terminology over the years.
The Money Bunny is a more recent addition: “We discovered rimfire Tannerite and figured that if we would go and find some dime bags and that would fit inside a Peep and have them blow up as sort of a bonus round,” Nelson said.
Since Easter Peeps are objectively disgusting, I had to participate, and while nervous handling a rifle for the first time ever, even I managed to hit a few.
As we wrap up 2025, I’m thankful to all who make it possible for me to continue doing what I do. From the editors who polish up my ramblings, to the audience members who pause and listen, and especially the sources who whisper fascinating tidbits into my ear, thank you so much!
If you have quirky story ideas for me to cover in the new year, please do not hesitate to reach out to news@kaxe.org.
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KAXE reporter Megan Buffington foregoes naming a favorite story and instead examines a favorite beat — and how it answers the oft-asked, "Why did you become a journalist?"
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