Up North Report

Plus: Blackduck considers disbanding its police force; spongy moth treatments are proposed in parts of Northern Minnesota; and the Detroit Lakes HS musicians have returned from their unexpected road trip.

Plus: Leech Lake Tribal College selects three finalists in president search; and four Northland teams are heading to the boys basketball state tournament.

Plus: the Bemidji City Council rejected Northern Township’s wastewater connection request; and the Brainerd City Council selected its next Chief of Police.

And: A new bill would ban municipalities from signing nondisclosure agreements; Otter Tail Power Co. had above-average profits last two years; Mountain Iron-Buhl is girls basketball runner-up.

Planning and preparation for the 2026 spring wildfire season began shortly after the major blowdown storm in the Bemidji region, which saw an estimated 9 million trees downed or damaged.

And: A new bill in the Minnesota Legislature would allow small school districts to shrink their school board size.

Plus: Some aquatic invasive species prevention efforts to prepare for the impending open water season in Minnesota are already taking place.

Plus: The Cook County Sheriff is resigning in May 2026 to accept an early childhood education role; and Minnesota DEED awarded nearly $2 million to support Youthbuild programs.

Plus: the Minnesota Legislature is considering a ban on cryptocurrency kiosks as the FBI reports these ATMs are connected to $333 million in reported losses to fraud.

And: Park Rapids man faces third charge for threatening lawmakers; former state Sen. Justin Eichorn’s trial pushed to June; Warroad boys win state hockey title, and Kelliher/Northome, Mountain Iron-Buhl and Rock Ridge to compete in girls basketball tourney.

Staples-Motley junior Ronnie Noska is KAXE’s second-ever North Star Student. Noska’s hard work has led to a successful career on the court, and she continues to grow as a leader off of it.

Plus: Townships across Minnesota will host their annual meetings on March 10, 2026; the DNR is seeking input on proposed changes to Itasca State Park; and the Superior National Forest will host a Tofte Ranger District open house on March 12.

News Director Chelsey Perkins catches up on what’s happening in St. Paul with Report for Minnesota student journalists Abbey Mulcahy, Kendra Mobilia, Shay Scanlan and Eleanor Steffen.

Plus: The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources awards Cass Lake conservation officer as 2025 officer of the year; and the high school boys hockey tourney is underway.

Abbey Mulcahy, Kendra Mobilia, Shay Scanlan and Eleanor Steffen are reporting on the Legislature. New this year, intern Karina Kafka is also producing photojournalism.

Plus: The Brainerd Police Chief will retire early due to cancer; a new solar cooperative is forming in north-central MN; and MN DEED recently awarded more than $7 million in housing infrastructure grants.

Plus: Bemidji School Board votes to close J.W. Smith Elementary; Hibbing considers closing Greenhaven Elementary; and Google revealed to be owner of propsed Hermantown data center.

Bemidji Area Boys and Girls Club launched an after-school site at J.W. Smith in 2023, and with the proposed closure of the school, program leaders and parents share their concerns.

And: Walz releases anti-fraud package after Trump administration announces Minnesota Medicaid cuts; Rachel Anthony murder still unsolved after 25 years; Staples-Motley are state wrestling champs.

Plus: Hubbard County man charged with threatening state lawmakers; and Hibbing Public Schools is bracing for a potential strike from the union representing support staff.

Plus: Early voting opens Friday for Aitkin, Staples-Motley referendums; year-round bass season now in place; Beltrami County, Red Lake residents eligible for free well water test kits; boys swimming and diving state meet starts Thursday.

Plus: Stauber introduces legislation to require judges be natural born citizens; and the latest round of names for MnDOT snowplows is released.

Plus: The U.S. Senate is expected to soon vote on whether to allow copper-nickel mining near the Boundary Waters; and the latest in winter high school sports.

Launch North, the new program from the Arrowhead Area Agency on Aging, will host one-day events in Duluth, Grand Rapids, International Falls and Cloquet.

Plus: The AFSCME Local 480 presented a letter of no confidence to the Hibbing School Board Feb. 18, 2026, after months of negotiations without reaching a contract.