The Beltrami County Board learned more about the fentanyl crisis in our community. Beltrami County Sheriff’s Captain and PBTF Agent Joe Kleszyk presented the situation, with its successes and challenges.
Last year in north-central Minnesota, 42 people died from a fatal overdose, with six fatal ODs already reported this year.
Sixty-nine people were charged with first-degree drug crimes, with 16 federal indictments.
Kleszyk emphasized that some challenges include a needed change in statute for first-degree charges of fentanyl which is considered an “other” narcotic, and the importance of reaching out to the community to work together.
The county board also heard about the “Keep it Clean” initiative, which is gaining traction across the state.
As the sport of ice fishing has grown, so has the waste problem of both garbage and human waste left behind.
Robin Dwight from the Upper Red Lake Area Association presented the partnership that includes other big lakes such as Mille Lacs and Lake of the Woods, with a public campaign funded by the Clean Water Legacy.
