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.
Local health officials are monitoring a growing number of COVID-19 cases. According to Beltrami County Public Health Director Megan Heuer, as of this morning, there were 314 active cases of COVID within the county. COVID patients are occupying 16 hospital beds within the county, with 10 of those patients being Beltrami County residents. On Monday,…
Bagley Superintendent Erich Heiss announced today that after a special meeting this morning, the Bagley School Board voted to continue in-person learning. On Monday, Heiss announced that the Bagley School Board would meet today to consider a recommendation from the Clearwater County Nursing Service to switch to distance learning for two weeks. The recommendation came…
The U.S. Drought Monitor is reporting improving conditions across northern Minnesota. Last week, portions of Beltrami and Clearwater counties were still in exceptional drought, but this week, most of Beltrami and Clearwater counties were upgraded to extreme drought. Beltrami County Emergency Management says some areas reported between 2 and 5 inches of rain over the…
Child care providers may be eligible for grants through the third round of federal stimulus plans. According to a release from Gov. Walz, $300 million from the American Rescue Plan will be used to support child care providers and improve child care access for families. The program will last through June 2023 and will include…
Sanford Bemidji will offer four vaccine events for both COVID and flu shots. According to a release, patients must make an appointment through their online Sanford Chart or by calling 877-701-0779. The clinics will be Saturdays Sept. 25 and Oct. 2, and Thursdays Sept. 28 and Oct. 5. The nasal mist flu vaccine will not…
The DNR will hold two public meetings next week to discuss Chronic Wasting Disease in Beltrami County. According to a release, officials from the DNR, the Board of Animal Health, and the U of M Center for Prion Research and Outreach will be on hand to present information and answer questions on CWD. The always-fatal…
The Bemidji City Council will hear a presentation from Minnesotans for Fair Lending. According to city documents, the group is requesting the council to create and pass an ordinance that would protect consumers from the high-interest rates of payday loans. According to the group’s data, more than $1 million dollars in these types of high-interest,…
MnDOT will begin work at the Kabekona corner next week. According to a release, drivers on Highway 71 from Kabekona to Highway 200 can expect maintenance operations on Oct. 1 for a two-week project. The maintenance is expected to be complete by mid-October, weather permitting. Drivers are reminded to slow down, avoid distractions, and follow…
A Deer River man was sentenced to more than 13 years in prison for seriously injuring people when he ran them over with his car on the White Earth Reservation. According to the US Attorney’s Office, 35-year-old Kevin Doerr was driving a Chevy Monte Carlo erratically through the Elbow Lake Village in April 2020, with…
The following is a summary of incidents the Bemidji Police Department and Beltrami County Sheriff’s Office responded to on Wednesday, Sept. 22, and Thursday, Sept. 23. BEMIDJI POLICE DEPARTMENT THURSDAY, SEPT. 23 Disorderly Conduct, 9:16 p.m. Officer responded to a request to remove a belligerent female from a residence on the 600 block of 4th…
