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Plus: Minnesotans gathered in the thousands for "No Kings" rallies across the state; Aitkin Public Schools will soon have a new superintendent; Burning restrictions for areas of the state went into effect Monday; and 2 Northland teams placed at the state boys basketball tournament. -
Megan Buffington/KAXEThe district estimates closing the school, which serves second and third grade, will save it at least $516,000 as it works to address a $2 million budget shortfall. -
Megan Buffington/KAXEThe approvals mark the resolution of months of back-and-forth that nearly resulted in a strike. The union's focus was on time off and wording changes, rather than wage increases. -
Contributed/Karina Kafka / Report for MinnesotaThe rally highlighted the importance of budgetary decisions this session that would affect providers and disabled people in their ability to get the care they need. -
Contributed/Karina Kafka / Report for MinnesotaThirteen states, including Minnesota, cover weight loss medications for obesity treatments through Medicaid, according to Kaiser's 2025 Medicaid budget survey. -
Contributed/Nicole Neri / Minnesota ReformerOrganizers of the event estimated that as many as 200,000 people gathered, making it the largest protest in Minnesota history. -
Contributed/Karina Kafka / Report for MinnesotaA flaw in last year’s language allowed organic reduction facilities to hold a non-enbalmed body for only 24 hours, which makes it hard for them to offer the reduction service. -
Contributed/Report for MinnesotaThe bill would establish an advisory board to study the impacts of autonomous vehicles, create a state permitting process and require a human operator while policy is still developing. -
Contributed/Karina Kafka / Report for MinnesotaBusinesses with fewer than 50 employees that operate a physical location, including licensed home businesses and small farms, would be eligible for aid. -
Contributed/Pequot Lakes High School via FacebookThe Patriots beat conference rivals Albany in the third-place game, and the Rebels lost to Henning to finish fourth.
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.
