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Plus: Businesses in drought disaster area eligible for fed assistance, Bemidji tells a tale of two homecomings. -
Lorie Shaull/Special to KAXESmall businesses and private nonprofits may apply for up to $2 million in low-interest loan funding from the U.S. Small Business Administration before April 26, 2027. -
Contributed/Hennepin CountyJustin Eichorn’s sentencing comes a year-and-a-half after his arrest as part of an undercover law enforcement sting operation during the 2025 legislative session. -
Larissa Donovan/KAXEAlumni and community members are welcome to join in as Bemidji High School and Bemidji State University celebrate overlapping homecomings through Sept. 27, 2026. -
And: An economist says census poverty data masks expected blows of Medicaid changes.
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Contributed/Itasca WatersThe Clean Water Legacy Partners Grants Program funds projects proposed by tribal entities, tribal governments and nonprofit organizations through the program. -
Megan Buffington/KAXEThe Minnesota Court of Appeals heard oral arguments at Pequot Lakes High School on Sept. 22, 2026, in front of 300 upperclassmen. -
Contributed/Adobe Stock via Minnesota News ConnectionFederal safety net program cuts are on the minds of economists with new data on last year's median incomes, official poverty rate and holistic poverty rate. -
Plus: Early voting opened Sept. 18, 2026, for all eligible voters Minnesota; and Northern Minnesota tribes are among groups receiving Clean Water Legacy grants.
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Contributed/Bemidji Fire DepartmentThe Bemidji Fire Department responded to a mobile home fire in Northern Township on Sept. 20, 2026. One occupant had escaped while another was unaccounted for at the time of the report.
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 four reporters covering communities across Northern Minnesota from the KAXE studio in Grand Rapids and the KBXE studio in Bemidji.
Megan Buffington covers North-Central Minnesota from the Brainerd lakes area. Originally from Pequot Lakes, she joined the KAXE newsroom in 2024. Megan previously covered the Arrowhead for KAXE. She is passionate about amplifying Northern Minnesota voices and educating communities through local reporting.
