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Plus: Cloquet-Esko-Carlton sports co-op to end; state grants to fund workforce development programs with Central Lakes College, Consolidated Equipment Group and Lexington Manufacturing; and Sec. of State Steve Simon to host elections town hall. -
Contributed/Nicole Neri / Minnesota ReformerGov. Tim Walz commended Minnesotans’ compassion during tragedy and praised their resilience after a federal immigration crackdown, political assassination and school shooting. -
Contributed/Adobe Stock Image via Minnesota News ConnectionExtra dollars in the state will fund the public input process ahead of possible changes to the state's financial aid program. -
Plus: the federal government approved St. Louis County's public labor agreements for road and bridge projects; an additional 5,000 trees will be distributed in the ReForest Bemidji event; and four Northern Minnesota fire departments will host Women Explore Fire Day events on May 2, 2026.
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Lorie Shaull/KAXEResearch indicates that in the coming decades, the state is likely to see more risk days of wildfires starting on the ground due to more extreme droughts connected to climate change. -
Matt C/UnsplashWomen Explore Fire Day in Minnesota offers hands-on opportunities to learn more about volunteer, paid on-call and full-time positions in local fire departments in all regions. -
Contributed/Minnesota Department of Natural ResourcesAfter 10,000 tree seedlings were claimed within 48 hours, the ReForest Bemidji program secured an additional 5,000 trees for its distribution May 17, 2026. -
Lorie ShaullA recent national study found an increasing number of federal environmental impact statements are receiving significant contributions from citizen science data. -
The multi-bill omnibus signed April 21, 2026, allows happy hours for nursing home residents without a license and expands local authority in some Northern MN communities. -
The bill would define e-bikes as having output of no more than 750 watts, and motorized bicycles, 750-1,500 watts. Anything with higher power is defined as an electric motorcycle.
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.
