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Contributed/MSHSLThe Warriors won their eighth title since the tournament began in 1994. -
Contributed/Grand Rapids Area WrestlingWrestlers from Grand Rapids, Staples-Motley and Badger-Greenbush/Middle River topped the podium at state Feb. 28, 2026, with another 35 Northlanders from 12 teams winning medals. -
Contributed/Gabrielle Nelson / Buffalo’s FireLittle progress has been made despite 40 years of cleanup on Leech Lake Reservation. Locals fear for the health of surrounding lakes and the Mississippi River downstream. -
And: Minnesota lawmakers debate targeting chronic speeders; and Northland wrestlers, swimmers, divers and hockey players brought home some hardware. -
Contributed/East Range Police DepartmentSgt. Cody Siebert of the East Range Police Department also served in the Mesabi East School District. He died Feb. 27, 2026, less than 24 hours after being diagnosed with a brain infection. -
Contributed/Canva Pro graphicCody Teie, 33, died in a crash in Gentilly, east of Crookston, on Feb. 28, 2026. -
Contributed/Karina Kafka / Report for MinnesotaOn Feb. 24, 2026, Gov. Tim Walz announced a 15-point package that includes a ban on assault-style weapons, high-capacity magazines and additional school safety measures. -
Contributed/Karina Kafka / Report for MinnesotaRepublicans in the Minnesota House have been trying to force a vote on a bill that creates a new inspector general to oversee public programs. -
Contributed/Karina Kafka / Report for MinnesotaThe bill would implement an intelligent speed assistance program, or ISA, installed on a repeat offender's vehicle to prohibit driving above the speed limit in a given area. -
Each school district would be in charge of creating, implementing and enforcing a policy that meets these standards for the 2026-27 school year.
Chelsey Perkins became the News Director in early 2023 and was tasked with building a new local newsroom at the station. She is based in Brainerd and leads a team of two reporters covering communities across Northern Minnesota from the KAXE studio in Grand Rapids and the KBXE studio in Bemidji.
Megan Buffington joined the KAXE newsroom in 2024 after graduating from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Originally from Pequot Lakes, she is passionate about educating and empowering communities through local reporting.
Larissa Donovan has been in the Bemidji area's local news scene since 2016, joining the KAXE newsroom in 2023 after several years as the News Director for the stations of Paul Bunyan Broadcasting.
