BRAINERD — A fantasy novel challenged by a community member in the Brainerd School District will remain in the high school library.
The Brainerd Dispatch reported a committee established for the purpose of reviewing the Sarah J. Maas novel Empire of Storms unanimously agreed the book should remain as choice reading material available to high school students.
The challenge raised concerns about sexual content in the book, which is the fifth in a series. Committee members were tasked with reading the book and walking through a series of questions about its value as a resource for students. Children's Book Review, the book publisher Bloomsbury and Common Sense Media all rated the book for ages 14 and up.
As part of the examination, district officials shared that the book has been checked out just three times in its history in the high school library.
The committee decided to apply its ruling to all of the books in Maas' "Throne of Glass" series, some of which are facing separate complaints.
Challenger Shirley Yeager has a right to appeal the committee's decision to the full school board. She told the Dispatch she doesn't know whether she'll appeal this decision, but said she intends to fight the recommendation about the rest of the series.
Read the full Brainerd Dispatch story for more.
IM Care-Lakeview contract woes
As the contract termination between Itasca County's public health insurance provider and Lakeview Behavioral Health will be effective at the end of this year, about 700 IM Care patients at Lakeview Behavioral will be affected.
Lakeview Behavioral Health issued a call-to-action regarding this contract termination decision by IM-Care, Itasca County's agency that handles insurance coverage for those who qualify for Medical Assistance or Minnesota Care.
In an interview with KAXE/KBXE, Itasca County Commissioner Terry Snyder said the contract termination is a legal issue, being contemplated by attorneys on both sides of the arrangement.
IM Care Director Sarah Anderson wrote in an email that the agency has a plan in place to make sure all enrollees have continuity of care with other providers, and enrollees are encouraged to contact IM Care Member Services for assistance.
Snyder acknowledged disparities in access to mental health care in Northern Minnesota and said the county is continuing to work toward improving that access.
Lakeview Behavioral Health offers out-patient mental health and substance abuse disorder services in their offices in Grand Rapids, Hibbing and Brainerd. Lakeview also operates Reflections Recovery Residences, an in-patient type of facility that promotes recovery with co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders.
KAXE/KBXE News is following this story and will continue to provide updates.
New drug use dashboard
The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension launched a new dashboard today to help inform efforts to prevent and respond to drug overdoses, drug-related deaths and drug-related crimes in Minnesota.
In a news release, BCA Superintendent Drew Evans said the agency is hopeful collecting data on arrests, overdoses and deaths in a single location will be helpful to law enforcement, medical service providers and others working to understand illicit drug use and its impacts.
The BCA developed the dashboard in partnership with the Minnesota Department of Health and the Emergency Medical Services Regulatory Board, both of which contribute data to the dashboard.
This program is part of the BCA’s Drug Monitoring Initiative, an effort funded through a federal Opioid Abuse Program Grant.
Find the dashboard at the BCA's website.
Oak wilt treatment research
Trained tree climbers in the Superior National Forest are testing a new technique to improve forest health against oak wilt disease, one of the deadliest diseases to red oaks in the Eastern U.S.
Oak wilt can spread in two ways: above the ground through the movement of fungal spores by sap-feeding beetles to wounds in oak trees, or below ground through the grafted roots of neighboring oaks.
Treatments for oak wilt disease are often costly and damaging. They involve cutting and removing trees with the disease, including many nearby uninfected trees and disrupting the root systems using heavy equipment.
To test the oak wilt rapid response treatment, researchers need to infect oaks with the disease. To accomplish this, climbers drill into the branch and add the fungal disease to mimic a natural infection.
Following artificial infection, forest health managers girdle the trees at predetermined times to prevent the oak wilt infection from advancing down from the crown into the roots and spreading throughout the root systems to other trees.
Girdling is when bark and some wood materials are removed from a ring around the tree’s trunk.
It has been shown in recent testing to be an effective means in stopping the spread of oak wilt into the tree’s roots and protecting other trees in that area.
The project includes several state and federal partners and is in effect in Michigan's Huron-Manistee National Forest and Wisconsin's Octonto River Seed Orchard as well.
The group will conduct one more summer of treatment, then monitor the select trees for five years for effectiveness.
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Bemidji Fire Chief Justin Sherwood is the first recipient of the new Northwest Technical College IMPACT Award and will speak at NTC's commencement on Friday, May 9, 2025. -
Plus: the National Weather Service issued a Red Flag Warning for six counties in far northwest Minnesota; Greenway Schools join other districts in region making staff cuts; a coalition is working to end forced labor in the state's prisons; and thousands of students are expected to participate in Bike to School Day on May 7, 2025. -
Fire danger remains very high to high in most of northern Minnesota, with a Red Flag Warning issued for six counties on May 5, 2025. -
Reform advocates say people in America's prisons are often forced to work, and if they refuse or say they can't handle the working conditions, they can be punished. -
The utility is planning a 3-mile, 115-kV transmission line and a new substation to add needed redundancy and links to the grid. A landowner-specific meeting is planned for May 7, 2025. -
People like William, George and Jeffery don't know where they'll live over the summer in the wake of a camping ban and the City Council's rejection of a plan to keep the shelter open year-round.
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Plus: Drivers on Highway 371 in Hackensack can expect daily lane closures beginning May 5; Hibbing Public Utilities will host a landowner-specific information meeting May 7 on its planned new overhead transmission line; and a shooting contest of Easter bunny Peeps draws new and old friends to the Northland Sports Park each year in Bemidji.
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The Peep Shoot is an annual fundraiser for the Bemidji Area Shooters Association and Northland Sports Park. KAXE's Larissa Donovan participated and shares her experience. -
The project, beginning May 5, 2025, is expected to be completed in mid-October. -
While the federal government reversed the termination of hundreds of student visas, Bemidji State leaders demonstrate commitment to foreign-born students and faculty.
