Latest News From Minnesota Daily News Dot Com

April 16, 2026

At 10:40am yesterday, the Bemidji Police Department responded to an upset student at Northwest Technical College who said, “I need a gun” and asked someone to “bring me a gun” while entering a classroom. Officers quickly found the student and used crisis intervention techniques to de-escalate the situation, confirming there was no physical threat. They secured the building and ended the lock-down. The student was taken to Sanford Bemidji Medical Center for a psychiatric evaluation. The incident is under active investigation with no further details available. The police were assisted by the Beltrami County Sheriff’s Office, Minnesota State Patrol, and Bemidji State Public Safety.

Minnesota's severe weather season is approaching, and emergency agencies urge residents to prepare. This week is Severe Weather Awareness Week, focusing on daily themes to raise awareness about summer weather hazards and family safety. Today is Tornado Drill Day. Beltrami County will hold two state-wide tornado drills today, at 1:45pm and 6:45pm. Outdoor warning sirens will be activated during these drills. Sirens are used for tornado warnings and severe thunderstorms with winds over 70mph. They sound for about three minutes without an "all clear. " If the sirens keep sounding, a threat remains.

The Minnesota Department of Transportation is advising residents in northwestern Minnesota not to disturb aerial photography targets as aerial mapping begins. Landowners with targets on or near their property will be contacted directly. The mapping work is set to start in mid-April and is expected to finish by late May, focusing on Highway 1 from Busy Corner to Highway 71. This process requires clear observations after the spring thaw and before trees have leaves. Crews will mark reference points with large white "X" targets on paved areas and place temporary plastic or fabric "X" targets on unpaved areas. MnDOT asks landowners to avoid disturbing these targets and to call the District 2 survey office at 218-755-6509 if they need to be moved.

The Red Lake Band will hold another candidate forum tonight at the Little Rock Community Center for Chairmen and Secretary candidates. The public is welcome to attend and ask questions. A light meal will be served. The event starts at 6pm tonight.

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency fined West Fraser Forest Products $24,750 for exceeding hazardous air pollutants at its Solway facility from January 2024 to January 2025. The company must submit a new permit application and a plan to comply with the current limits. In January 2026, West Fraser was fined $15,250 for late test submissions and exceeding pollution limits from March 2023 to November 2023.

Big Bog State Recreation Area will hold a "Wonders of the Night Sky" event on Saturday, April 18, from 9 to 10:30 p.m. Participants will explore constellations and learn how the night sky has guided people and animals for centuries. The event starts with a presentation at the Visitor Center, followed by a walk or drive to the beach for stargazing through telescopes. Light refreshments and a campfire for roasting marshmallows will be available. Attendees should dress for the weather and bring a chair and blanket. A valid Minnesota State Park vehicle permit is required to enter the park, costing $7 for a day or $35 for a year.

April 15, 2026

Minnesota's severe weather season is approaching, and emergency agencies urge residents to prepare. This week is Severe Weather Awareness Week, focusing on daily themes to raise awareness about summer weather hazards and family safety. Today's theme is flooding. Flooding can occur when heavy rain falls quickly on sandy soils near lakes and rivers. It can be hazardous; six inches of water can knock down a person, and a foot can lift vehicles. Never drive through flooded areas; "turn around, don't drown."

A Level 3 sex offender, Anthony James Wittner, 29, is moving to the Cass Lake area on Friday, as reported by the Cass County Sheriff's Office. Wittner has completed his sentence and is not wanted by the police. He previously held an adult male and female against their will, using force and severe harm to control them. The sheriff’s office is sharing this information under Minnesota law to enhance public safety. They cannot dictate Wittner's residency, work, or education. The release of information aims to prevent offenders from exploiting secrecy, but misuse of this information may lead to criminal charges.

A few recent donations to spotlight: The Hackensack Auxiliary Unit 202 donated $600 to Hackensack Fire and Rescue, and the Hackensack American Legion Post donated $1,000 to Cass County Sheriff’s Chief Deputy Eric Alger to attend the FBI Academy in Quantico, VA. Also, the In Country Motorcycle Club donated two checks of $1,000 each to local veterans. One check was for Middle River Veterans Outdoors, which offers hunting and fishing trips for veterans. The other went to Don Roberts of the Honor Flight of North Dakota, which takes veterans to see memorials in Washington, D. C.

The Bemidji Area Chamber of Commerce will host a free presentation on the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development Unemployment Insurance Program tomorrow, from 8 to 9:30 a.m. at 102 First Street W, Suite 105. The presentation will cover program updates and allow for questions to a DEED representative.

Target Bemidji will take part in the Car Seat Trade-In event starting Sunday, and running through to May 2. Community members can exchange any car seat for a 20% Target Circle bonus. The event has recycled over 58 million pounds of materials. Target will have in-store giveaways on April 25 and 26.

The Minnesota Department of Transportation awarded grants to nine Minnesota cities to improve walking and bicycling safety in their areas. MnDOT Commissioner Nancy Daubenberger stated that the program aims to enhance transportation safety, boost economic activity, and improve health. Recipients include Clearwater County for a Multi-community Active Transportation Plan. The program provides about $100,000 for technical assistance, including action plans.

The Beltrami County Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party will host its monthly Pizza and Programs event on Thursday, April 16, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the DFL office located at 1510 Bemidji Ave. N. The session will feature Emily Thabes, candidate for Minnesota House 2B, who will discuss her mutual aid work. The event is public and organized by a volunteer team. More information is available at www.beltramidfl.org.

The Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe Housing Authority will have 4 positions open for the 2026 Election. District I has one 4-year and one 2-year position; District II has one 4-year position; District III has one 4-year position. Elections will take place on June 9, 2026, from 8:00 am to 8:00 pm. Sign up is from April 14 to May 8, 2026, at the Election Board Office in Cass Lake.

April 14, 2026

Minnesota's severe weather season is approaching, and emergency agencies urge residents to prepare. This week is Severe Weather Awareness Week, focusing on daily themes to raise awareness about summer weather hazards and family safety. Today's theme is lightning and hail. Severe storms, lightning, and hail have greatly affected Beltrami County. In 2025, winds reached 120-130 mph, and baseball-sized hail caused major damage. Thunderstorms are severe with hail over one inch or winds over 58 mph. Hearing thunder means lightning is a risk.

Nominations are now open for the 21st Annual Awards of Excellence on Tuesday, May 19th, at the SouthShore Hotel on Lake Bemidji. The event celebrates Chamber member businesses and individuals who enhance the community. Categories for nominations include Business of the Year, Entrepreneur of the Year, New Business of the Year, Healthy Workplace, and Community Impact. More info at bemidji.org.

This week is Public Safety Telecommunicator's Week. The Beltrami County Sheriff's Communications / 911 dispatch center operates one of the busiest 911 centers in the state outside of urban areas, averaging nearly 90 emergency 911 calls per day. This daily average suggests approximately 32,850 emergency 911 calls annually, not including hundreds of additional non-emergency or administrative calls managed by the center.

Robots are simplifying food waste recycling in six Minnesota counties: Beltrami, Clearwater, Hubbard, Mahnomen, Norman, and Polk. This program, which is free for residents who sign up, collects organic waste like food scraps, food-soiled paper, and BPI-certified compostable products. At the Polk County Resource Recovery Facility in Fosston, robots are specially trained to identify and grab green organics bags from household waste. According to the Park Rapids Enterprise, Chris Haar, an education specialist for Hubbard County, notes that up to 40% of landfill waste is organic, with 20% to 30% being food waste from homes, which, when mixed with regular trash, becomes unrecoverable and emits harmful gases like methane. Acceptable items include food, paper towels, egg cartons, and BPI-certified compostable containers. Hubbard County's organics program has been active since 2019. If you live in these six counties, call your local solid waste department to sign up.

The Nevis School Board is facing challenges with aging facilities, as the school, built in 1985, is now 41 years old. A $41.55 million referendum was rejected in 2025, which would have funded renovations and expansions. Current repair costs are estimated at $25,652,174, reflecting increases due to inflation and expanded project scopes. If a bond referendum is held in November, which the School Board has yet to decide on, three questions may be presented to voters, covering renovations, a gym, and a bus garage. Interest rates are currently at 1% for a 20-year term bond. The cost per square foot for construction last year would have been $50, while costs now are at $100 a square foot.

The Red Lake Nation Youth Council is hosting a Walleye Dinner Fundraiser on Thursday. The meal includes walleye fillet, frybread, potato salad, wild rice, dessert, and a drink for $20 per tray. Proceeds support their attendance at the 50th National UNITY Conference in Oklahoma City this summer. Pick-up is at 11:30 am, with delivery for orders of 5 or more trays. Pre-orders can be made by calling or texting 218-556-1847.

April 13, 2026

Everbridge has been chosen as the emergency notification system for Beltrami County. The system, which replaces the CodeRED system, will alert residents about emergencies, including wildfires, hazardous materials, severe weather, and other dangers. Notifications will be sent via text messages, phone calls, emails, smart device apps, and FEMA’s IPAWS. The service is free, but residents must enroll their contact information on Everbridge’s Community Enrollment page: https://member. everbridge.net/index/88752814817449. Automated weather alerts will also be included. The previous CodeRED system was decommissioned at the end of 2025, and former users must register with Everbridge. For assistance, contact Christopher Muller 218-333-8386.

Several candidate forums are planned for the upcoming Red Lake Election. Once candidate forum is set for next Monday at 6pm at Seven Clans Casino Red Lake. Another will be held for Tribal Officer and Secretary candidates only on April 22 at the Events Center in Redby.

A Bemidji man was in Beltrami County Court last week, after being charged with stealing nearly $4000 from his employer. Jeffrey Alan Lindseth is charge with one felony count of theft. He was in court Friday. The theft occurred from last July through this January.

The Bemidji Senior Center will hold a driver safety class at 1pm Wednesday. Interested participants can call 218-751-8836 for details. Joan Miller will also present MediCare 101 at the same time, both of which are free and open to the public.

A driver, 77-year-old Thomas Schwartz, became trapped in his vehicle after a crash in Hubbard County. The incident occurred when Schwartz's 2020 Ford F-150 lost control on a snowy road, went into a ditch, and knocked down two signs. He was uninjured except for a cut on his finger and refused medical assistance. Schwartz was cited for careless driving, and a driver’s evaluation was submitted due to vision issues.

Red Lake College will host an Earth Day clean-up event on April 22. The competition will pay out $300 for first place, $250 for second place, all the way down to $100 for fifth place. Places will be determined based on the most trash collected. You're also asked to submit photos of the event to 218-542-6397.

The Countryside Co-op in Hackensack donated $25,000 to local food shelves in March, thanks to the efforts of volunteers. Interested individuals can volunteer by visiting the co-op to sign up. Food Shelves in Walker, Hackensack, Longville, Pine River-Backus and Akeley received funding. In Bemidji, Senior Hockey recently also donated $1000 to the Bemidji Food Shelf.

A new grocery and convenience store is being built for the Inger community, and input is needed from residents. The community is asked what products and services the store should offer, including fresh meats, produce, a deli, a coffee bar, delivery, and gas pumps. Feedback will influence products, pricing, layout, and services. A 5-minute survey is available at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/JWPFF2C and closes on April 30th. Community members are encouraged to share the post so that the number of responses can reflect the public's thoughts.