Larissa Donovan is the News Director for the stations of Paul Bunyan Broadcasting and has been, almost without interruption, since Election Day 2016. She covers all the beats in north-central Minnesota, such as local government, crime, education, environment and social issues. She studied communications at Bemidji State University.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office says 21-year-old Brennon Sayers entered guilty pleas to two counts of assault. According to court documents, in May 2021, Sayers was arguing with his girlfriend outside a Ponemah home when one of the victims, “J.L.Z.” came from his house across the street and told Sayers to stop. Another victim, “C.T.G.,” who…
The Paul Bunyan Drug Task Force says that over 2021, more than $1.7 million in illegal narcotics were taken off the streets. According to a release, a combined total of 31.7 pounds of methamphetamine, 3.3 pounds of heroin/fentanyl, 34.8 pounds of marijuana and 1.6 pounds of psilocybin mushrooms were either seized or purchased by task…
The Department of Employment and Economic Development says Minnesota’s unemployment rate dropped two-tenths to 3.1 percent in December. That is the lowest level since 2019. The state’s labor force participation rate has remained steady at 67.7 percent in the last month. The state lost 2,000 jobs last month, but the November numbers were revised upward…
Beltrami County’s COVID website says that due to many residents taking over-the-counter tests, not all cases in the community are being reported accurately. The website also says that the MDH new case data is often at least a week late. As of Thursday afternoon, public health was aware of 270 active cases in the county…
Four people, including a baby, were found frozen to death Wednesday near the U.S.-Canadian border. The U.S. Attorney’s Office says earlier that day, border patrol agents conducted a traffic stop on 47-year-old Steve Shand of Florida. Shand was in a rural area between the ports of entry in Lancaster, Minn., and Pembina, N. Dak. about…
The following is a summary of incidents the Bemidji Police Department and the Beltrami County Sheriff’s Office responded to on Thursday, Jan. 20. BEMIDJI POLICE DEPARTMENT Violations/Court Orders, 9:02 p.m. Officers responded to Itasca Loop NW for a possible domestic. Officers determined that a DANCO violation and a theft had occurred. Officers are attempting to…
The Minnesota Department of Health, in its Wednesday reports for information current from Friday at 4 a.m. through Tuesday at 4 a.m., added nearly 45,000 new cases and 37 new deaths. Two of the deaths were in Cass County, a resident in their early 30s and a resident in their early 60s. Beltrami County added…
Recent graduates from Northwest Technical College’s nursing programs earned 100 percent on their National Council Licensure Examinations for both registered nurses and licensed practical nurses. According to a release, graduates from the RN program that took the test between October and December of 2021 got 100 percent on their first attempt at the NCLEX test….
The Beltrami County Board of Commissioners repealed the OSHA standards they enacted barely two weeks prior. Since the board last met, the Supreme Court stayed the emergency temporary requirement that ordered large employers to obtain COVID vaccination statuses and administer weekly tests for their unvaccinated employees. At the time the board enacted these policies, the…
Great River Rescue will be hosting low-cost spay and neuter clinics through its Pet Fixers again in 2022. Qualified pet owners and caretakers can get their pets spayed or neutered and also receive other low-cost preventative care services at a weekend clinic. Clinics will be once a month starting in April and ending in November….
