Essentia Health

Plus: Attorney General Keith Ellison announced new discussions about the future of academic medicine in the state between Essentia Health, Fairview Health and the University of Minnesota; and the Bemidji High School mock trial team will be honored in a Thursday ceremony with Beltrami County judges.

Plus: Bemidji State University announces a re-envisioned computer science and design program that will launch in Fall 2025.

The new contract comes some five months after the two sides began negotiations. The two sides butted heads on contract length, pay, wage scales, staffing programs and more.

In 2021, about 14% of Minnesota women had no birthing hospital within 30 minutes, according to a report from the nonprofit March of Dimes.

Plus, Minnesota House Republicans carried on with Capitol business Wednesday amid a state Supreme Court challenge over quorum, state transportation crews will begin right-of-way clearing on Highway 200 near the Itasca State Park on Jan. 22, and MnDOT seeks public feedback on its completed Highway 169 project near Aitkin.

Plus, striking workers at Essentia Health Deer River say they will meet Essentia at the negotiating table next week as the strike reaches its 40th day, and Department of Human Services Commissioner Jodi Harpstead announced she would step down from her position on Feb. 3.

The union also announced an informational picket is scheduled outside of Essentia Health-St. Mary's hospital in Duluth on Jan. 15, 2025.

Service Employees International Union members have been on strike for a month and say Essentia Health is at fault for the lack of resolution.

Healthcare systems serving the region shared a wide variety of top names for new babies born last year, including Oliver, Maverick, Lainey and Everly.

KAXE covered pushback on the LGBTQ+ community, changes in rural health care delivery, a coal ash spill at Boswell Energy Center, tribal land back efforts, helium mining and more.