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Contributed/Andrea Zupancich for SenateThe mayor of Babbitt — a Republican — lost to DFLer Sen. Grant Hauschild in Senate District 3 by 703 votes in 2022. -
Contributed/Minnesota Governor's OfficeHe was especially heated about Trump amplifying a conspiracy theory that the governor was involved in the assassination of former House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband. -
Plus: Bridge to Health Survey seeks more Northland respondents to survey collecting anonymous health information; and local hospitals list top baby names of 2025. -
The long-running Bridge to Health Survey aims to collect local data from northeastern Minnesota for health systems, schools and nonprofits. -
From Ada to Winnie and Anders to Wylder, Northern Minnesotans' 2025 baby names range from one-of-a-kind to one-of-many. -
And: Former Iron Range teacher sentenced to 18 years for criminal sexual conduct; 8 Northern MN housing projects awarded state funds; and MN awarded $193 million in federal rural health dollars.
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Ekaterina Bolovtsova via PexelsFormer Mesabi East and Northeast Range teacher Ryan Ross Denzer-Johnson, 44, received the maximum sentence Jan. 5, 2026, after pleading guilty to assaulting an adolescent relative. -
Contributed/Minnesota HousingThe state funding will help create or preserve housing in Hibbing, Mahnomen, Bemidji, Warren, Grand Rapids and other communities in the region. -
Contributed/Nicole Neri / Minnesota ReformerAs Gov. Tim Walz withdraws from the race, there's already speculation that U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar may launch a campaign as the DFL candidate for governor. -
Contributed/Minnesota DNR EnforcementConservation officers stationed in Bemidji, Benson, Blackduck, Brainerd, Karlstad, Staples and Warroad were recognized for recent lifesaving efforts in Northern Minnesota.
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.
