WALKER — The third tribal nation in Minnesota recently opened its own cannabis dispensary in Walker.
The Leech Lake Cannabis Co.’s Sweetest Grass dispensary opened to the general public Thursday, June 6, after a soft launch for band members earlier that week.
The Leech Lake Cannabis Co. is a venture established by the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe, which, according to a news release, “aims to promote economic growth and self-sufficiency for the Band while offering a safe, welcoming and educational environment for all customers.”
Red Lake and White Earth opened tribal dispensaries last August, when recreational cannabis use for adults was officially legal in Minnesota. Those two tribal nations already had medical cannabis facilities in place ahead of recreational legalization, unlike Leech Lake.
The Leech Lake Tribal Council adopted a new ordinance last August to establish a regulatory framework for cannabis sales and consumption, which will eventually allow individual band members to also explore business opportunities in the cannabis industry.
-
Plus: National Weather Service provides winter outlook.
-
Chairman Darrell Seki Sr. said Oct. 16, 2026, he is not retiring or stepping down after shocking allegations came to light in Red Lake Nation’s child welfare program.
-
The 2026-27 winter is likely to see the strongest El Niño since the 1950s, but its day-to-day impacts are yet to be determined.
-
In this contributed essay, Majority in the Middle Executive Director Shannon Watson explores political divides, after the election season.
-
Charlie Mitchell listens to Sandhill Cranes, ponders Bald Eagle courtship, and learns about cold hardiness in plants.Send us a voice memo through SpeakPipe!
-
Bee’n Happy Farms is among the awardees of a Minnesota Department of Agriculture grant that helps beginner farming businesses grow.
-
Plus: Brainerd Schools working on bullying action plan after independent review; and Google ditches tax abatement in Hermantown.
-
The proposed data center in Hermantown would pay over $240 million over the next 20 years. The City Council will consider some project agreements on Oct. 26, 2026.
-
The Minnesota Department of Health is encouraging people to get vaccinated to prevent measles, which is highly contagious and can create serious health complications, including death.
-
Funding for public schools comprises nearly 40% of the state budget and is the single biggest line item. It accounts for about two-thirds of all spending on public schools in Minnesota.