BEMIDJI — A new city manager will soon take the helm in Bemidji and the City Council selected its top candidate among three Tuesday, Oct. 3.
Rich Spiczka, the current city administrator for Pequot Lakes, was ranked the top candidate by five of the seven council members. The selection comes after six months of the city clerk temporarily serving that role after a tumultuous end to the last manager's tenure.
The vacancy was created when former City Manager Nate Mathews resigned after the council voted to remove him by a 4-2 vote in April, following months of council discussion surrounding his continued employment.
The council will move into negotiations with Spiczka and take another vote to finalize the hire, should an agreement be reached and the finalist accepts the job.
Cocaine trafficking investigation yields Brainerd area arrests
BRAINERD — Two Brainerd lakes area men are facing felony charges as part of an ongoing investigation into cocaine trafficking in the Crow Wing County area.
According to a news release, the Lakes Area Drug Investigative Division seized about 6 ounces of suspected cocaine and more than 1 pound of the hallucinogen DMT. Also seized were packaging materials, electronic devices and a firearm.
Law enforcement conducted multiple search warrants in the city of Brainerd as part of an interstate investigation.
Charged in the case are 39-year-old Ian Davidson Ulrich of Breezy Point and 47-year-old Patrick Joseph Severson of Brainerd. Both have been released from the Crow Wing County Jail after posting bail.
According to probable cause documents filed in both men's cases, law enforcement launched the investigation because of suspicious packages being mailed from Laredo, Texas, to a Brainerd business.
Davidson and Severson are set to appear again in Crow Wing County District Court later this month.
East Gull Lake man faces tax-related felonies
EAST GULL LAKE — An East Gull Lake man is facing six felonies for failing to file or pay income taxes for three years.
The Minnesota Department of Revenue announced the Ramsey County Attorney's Office recently charged Lawrence Kyle Chalupsky.
The complaint alleges Chalupsky earned enough income through his job at IBM and payouts from his 401(k) to be required to file income tax returns and pay income tax.
Chalupsky owes over $25,000 in tax, penalties and interest, according to the charges.
Each tax-related felony charge carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison, a $10,000 fine, or both.
Nationwide emergency alert test
There will be a nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System and Wireless Emergency Alerts at approximately 1:20 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 4.
All consumer cellphones powered on will receive a test message along with a vibration and alert tone, even if it is set to be silent.
This will be the third nationwide wireless emergency alert test, but the second test to all compatible cellular devices.
The purpose of the test is to ensure that the systems continue to be effective means of warning the public about emergencies, particularly those on the national level, federal officials said.
Candidates for judicial vacancy head to Walz for final decision
The Commission on Judicial Selection announced Tuesday it is recommending three candidates for consideration to fill a vacancy in Minnesota’s Sixth Judicial District.
Candidates are Steve Hanke, attorney for the city of Duluth; Molly Hicken, Cook County attorney; and Tyson Smith, managing attorney at Smith Law PLLC in Grand Marais.
The vacancy occurred upon the retirement of Judge Michael J. Cuzzo. The seat will be chambered in Cook and Lake counties.
Hanke practices civil law and prosecutes criminal matters. He is also an adjunct professor in the Human Behavior, Justice and Diversity Department at the University of Wisconsin–Superior.
His community involvement includes volunteering with the Minnesota State Bar Association as a high school mock trial judge, as well as with the Duluth Area Family YMCA and the Duluth Amateur Hockey Association. He also serves as the president of the 11th District Bar Association and as a board member for the Damiano Center.
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Commission on Judicial Selection | 
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Commission on Judicial Selection | 
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Commission on Judicial Selection |
Hicken is Cook County’s chief prosecutor and legal adviser. She was previously an assistant county attorney in the office. She helped found Cook County’s hybrid treatment court and serves on the advisory council for the Cook County Minnesota Restorative Justice program.
She is vice president of the board of directors for the Minnesota County Attorney’s Association and is a member of both the Rural Justice Collaborative and the Beyond Big Cities initiative of the Institute for Innovation in Prosecution.
Smith is a general practitioner and takes cases in most major practice areas. He was previously an associate attorney at Bernick Lifson, P.A., practicing primarily in civil litigation.
His community involvement includes volunteering as an emergency responder for Cook County Search & Rescue and as a member of the Grand Marais Lion’s Club.
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And: Questions about investigation go unanswered at Cass County sheriff candidate forum. -
The new 3-year contract includes wage increases for around 40 nurses serving the Deer River hospital and clinic. -
The project uses aeration and a gravity filter to treat iron and manganese. -
A misconduct complaint and investigation into Cass County Sheriff Bryan Welk were not addressed at a Sept. 8, 2026, forum. His opponent, Deputy Aaron Ammerman, said the office is “fractured from within.” -
Authorities state they believe one adult and four pets died in a Wadena County mobile home fire on Sept. 7, 2026. -
Plus: Essentia Health, nurses' union reach labor agreement for Deer River hospital; DNR finds "gaps" in review for Hermantown data center; and the fall color finder map is now live.
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Cones from the state tree are expected to be particularly prolific this year. -
The trail spans from the Mississippi River in Grand Rapids to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness in Ely. -
Police say the incident at the annual Obaashing Labor Day Celebration was isolated, and there is no threat to the public. -
Aging with Alzheimer’s and dementia in rural communities can be especially hard.
