FOSSTON — The Minnesota Department of Health will host a public hearing Tuesday, Jan. 30, on Essentia Health’s closure of its labor and delivery unit in Fosston.
According to the submission filed by Essentia Health, these services have been diverted to St. Mary’s Regional Health Center, an Essentia facility in Detroit Lakes. Essentia Health will continue to provide prenatal and postpartum obstetrics services in Fosston.
The virtual hearing will be 6 p.m. Tuesday. The city of Fosston will open its city hall that night and will play the hearing on a big screen, according to a news release. People may also participate in the hearing at home by logging into Microsoft Teams, or by submitting comments on the health department’s website.
Fosston is in a dispute with Essentia Health over the health care provider’s decision to end OB care in June 2022. City officials say the decision to stop a core service breaches the city’s contract with Essentia to manage its nonprofit hospital.
The parties were in mediation late last year, but mediators agreed the dispute reached an impasse. The matter is now expected to go to arbitration. If Fosston were to withdraw from its contract with Essentia Health, the provider would have a year to leave the hospital.
Essentia Health spokesperson Anthony Matt told the Star Tribune in a written statement that recruiting health care workers in the region has become more challenging, while births are declining and pregnancies are more likely to be risky. He said shared maternity services between facilities is becoming increasingly common and provides safe care.
-
Larissa Donovan/KAXEThe Blackduck Police Department has a budget for a full-time chief and a full-time patrol officer, but lately, the positions have been filled part-time by Beltrami County deputies. -
Contributed/Carlton CountyManagement would occur by using a mating disruption product that stops males from finding females. A virtual informational public meeting will be 6-7 p.m. March 24, 2026. -
Contributed/Minnesota StateJessalyn Sabin currently serves as the academic dean for career and technical education and the campus director at the Eveleth campus, positions she has held since 2021. -
Contributed/AFSCME Council 65 via FacebookThe strike will begin March 24, 2026, unless the School Board votes on a tentative agreement on March 23, as the union says the two sides agreed. -
Lorie ShaullThese include bills related to small resorts, wine transfers, special liquor laws in Brainerd and Baudette, and happy hours at assisted living facilities and nursing homes. -
Plus: Leech Lake Tribal College selects three finalists in president search; and four Northland teams are heading to the boys basketball state tournament. -
Larissa Donovan/KAXEParents and community members gathered at the J.W. Smith Elementary gymnasium for the Q&A session. The School Board will host a public hearing on March 24, 2026. -
Contributed/Leech Lake Tribal CollegeLane Azure, Margaret "Maggie" Ross and Beatrice Bridglall will visit the college March 30-April 1, 2026, with a public forum for each candidate. -
Contributed/Pequot Lakes High School via FacebookCherry, Pequot Lakes and Red Lake County are repeat qualifiers to the boys basketball state tournament. Grand Rapids is making its first appearance since 2017. -
Plus: the Bemidji City Council rejected Northern Township's wastewater connection request; and the Brainerd City Council selected its next Chief of Police.
