WASHINGTON — U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith wrote letters to Trump administration officials demanding answers about reported closures of federal buildings in Greater Minnesota, according to news releases shared Tuesday, March 4.
According to its website, the Department of Government Efficiency plans to cancel the lease for the Bemidji Indian Health Service office. The senators said the Bemidji Area Office is responsible for health care services for 34 Tribal Nations and 4 urban Indian health programs across five states.
"Thousands of members of federally recognized Tribal Nations receive healthcare within the Bemidji Area Office's purview," they wrote.
"This includes emergency care, substance use disorder treatment, mental healthcare, primary, specialty, and dental care, and much more. Without an operational Area Office, recipients of this care will face immediate disruptions in care and health consequences. It is unconscionable to risk the healthcare of children and families in this way."
Smith and Klobuchar are also concerned with the reported closure and sale of the federal courthouse in Fergus Falls, the only federal court in the state outside of Duluth or the Twin Cities.
The senators said the courthouse also houses law enforcement offices, putting the entire Western Minnesota region at risk.
"The building is home to U.S. Marshals Service and the U.S. Probation Office," they wrote. "Each of the occupants ... provide essential services, including law enforcement and public safety."
The letters demand clarity and transparency and ask what will be done to prevent service disruptions.
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A lifelong Crane Laker shows off the area and reflects on the community's history with Voyageurs National Park just before the Crane Lake Visitor Center opens. -
Lorie Shaull/KAXEA man impersonating a police officer shot Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman and her husband in their Brooklyn Park home. Sen. John Hoffman and his wife were also shot multiple times. -
Contributed/Erin HaefeleWhen the garden or farmers market gives you everything at once, the best way to handle it is to return to the fundamentals: roast, grill, bake, pickle, can, dry, freeze and sauté. These aren’t just methods, they’re survival tools during harvest season. Especially grilling. Because it’s summer. And everything tastes better with a little char and a lot of butter.This week, Amy and Heidi talked to Erin Haefele of Green Scene in Walker, Minnesota, "a charming food haven nestled in the heart of rural northern Minnesota where small-town warmth meets big-city sophistication." Erin inspires us with simple preparations to deliciously fresh garden ingredients. And we hear from Amy's friend Beth Friedrichson from Wisconsin, who gushes about dilly beans and life on the farm with chickens and alpacas.Lots of folks phoned in to talk about their harvests, whether it was peonies in Stillwater, garlic near Detroit Lakes, urban front yard CSAs in Minneapolis, potato varieties in Deer River or stuffed grape leaves in Chicago, you had a story to tell. Share yours! This week's community recipe to cook along with us is Onion Pie: kaxe.org/community-recipe-onion-pie-ham-radio-amy-thielen. Give it a try and send us your reactions and photos at comments@kaxe.org!Ham Radio Features original licensed music — "You Know How I Like It" by Jeremy Messersmith.Made possible by the Minnesota Arts & Culture Heritage Fund. Support KAXE by becoming a member today: https://donate.nprstations.org/kaxe/donate -
And: Brainerd senior Ty Nelson wins a second triple jump title, and Red Lake County will play for a baseball title Saturday.
