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 events and issues in north central Minnesota, which include local government, crime, courts, education, environment and social issues. She studied communications at Bemidji State University and received her degree in 2018. Larissa, native to the great state of New York, grew up in Bemidji, and enjoys spending her spare time with her family and pet cat. She also loves Star Trek, punk rock music and the theater.
The Minnesota Department of Health confirmed 1,068 new cases of COVID-19 and 14 probable cases, for a total of 126,262 confirmed COVID cases and 329 probable cases as of Wednesday. Thirty-five deaths were reported in the state today, bringing the death toll to 2,281. Of those deaths, 1,608 were residents of long-term care or assisted…
Three Bemidji State University students enrolled in the Department of Social Work have received child welfare stipends for their interest in providing care for children who have been placed in out-of-home care as a result of maltreatment or other circumstances. Seniors Corey Maras, from Lamberton, Minn., Katie Northbird, from Red Lake, Minn., and junior Makinsey…
The Wadena County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a vandalism incident at the Blueberry Pines Golf Course. According to a release, deputies responded to the report of damaged golf carts around 8 a.m. Sunday. Six golf carts were driven out onto the course and damaged, and there was also damage to the course itself, including the…
Gov. Tim Walz announced he will sign the “Local Jobs and Projects Plan” into law this afternoon. The plan includes what is commonly referred to as the bonding bill, and grants the City of Bemidji over $10.1 million for a water treatment plant already under construction. The bonding package also includes dollars for the Northwest…
Four were arrested after a drug bust in Cass Lake Monday. According to a release from the Leech Lake Tribal Police Department, they, the Cass County Sheriff’s Office and agents with the Paul Bunyan Drug Task Force executed a search warrant for illegal drugs just south of Cass Lake. Officers located heroin, prescription pills, methamphetamine…
The film Neither Wolf Nor Dog ,based on Minnesota author Kent Nerburn’s book of the same name, will return to the Bemidji Theaters Friday, Oct. 30, for a special encore screening. According to a release, the film’s journey began at Bemidji’s CEC Theaters almost four years ago. Based on the best-selling Native American novel, written…
The following is a summary of incidents the Bemidji Police Department and the Beltrami County Sheriff’s Office responded to on Tuesday, Oct. 20. BEMIDJI POLICE DEPARTMENT Accident, 9:05 p.m. Reportedly driverless car crashed at intersection of 11th St. and Mississippi Ave. NW. Several cited for minor consume. Medical, 2:22 p.m. Officers responded to a possible…
The Minnesota Department of Health confirmed 1,108 new COVID cases by PCR tests and 12 new probable cases by antigen testing, bringing the state’s confirmed case total to 125,215 and probable case total to 316. Seven new deaths were reported today, bringing the state’s death toll to 2,246. Of those deaths, 1,583 were residents of…
The Beltrami County Historical Society recently received a Minnesota Cultural & Heritage Grant in support of revising and republishing “A Brief History of Beltrami County.” The original book, written by Charles Vandersluis and published in 1963, traced the early events of the area, including settlements, treaties, logging, the building of railroads, farming, the formation of…
The Red Lake Tribal Council say they believe it is important to “nip this behavior in the bud.” A $5,000 reward is being offered for information that leads to a conviction for the vandals who damaged a boundary sign near Ponemah. Officials say “Trump 2020” was spray-painted on the sign, along with a Nazi swastika. …
