All Beltrami County Solid Waste Facilities and all Beltrami County Offices and Services, including Sheriff’s Office Records and Court Divisions, will be closed Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. Essential 24/7 operations will remain operational. Bemidji residents should note
City residential refuse customers that are normally picked up on Mondays will have pickup on Tuesdays through January 2nd, and Bemidji City Hall will also be closed Christmas and New Year’s Day.
(Bemidji) Kev Jackson talked with Bemidji Mayor Jorge Prince as we near the year end and discussed the Sanford Center operating deficit and other pressing issues before the Bemidji City Council. You can hear the conversation on our Chatabout Podcast available at any of our PaulBunyan Broadcasting websites, and BemidjiNow.com, powered by Sanford Health.
>>Itasca County Sheriff’s Office Seeking Man In Connection With Disappearance
(Itasca County, MN) — The Itasca County Sheriff’s Office is asking for help locating a man wanted for questioning in the disappearance of a 45-year-old woman. The sheriff’s office says Gene “Geno” Carter was seen with Eleanore “Ellie” Halverson when she disappeared early last month. The sheriff’s office says Carter is also wanted on felony-level warrants. Carter is thought to be driving a brown, early-2000s model Toyota Camry with Minnesota license plates. (24/7 News Source)
>>Minnesota Continues To See Job Growth
(St. Paul, MN) — Minnesota is continuing to see job growth. The state’s Department of Employment and Economic Development says Minnesota gained more than nine-thousand jobs from October to November. The sectors that gained the most jobs include education and health services and trade, transportation and utilities. This is the fifth month in a row that the state has seen job growth.(24/7 News Source)
>>General Manager At Northern MN Golf Course Accused Of Theft
(Tower, MN) — The general manager of an
Iron Range golf course has been placed on leave after being accused of theft. Joseph Wisocki was hired by the Bois Fort Tribal Council to manage The Wilderness at Fortune Bay golf course earlier this year. But a criminal complaint filed December 14th accuses Wisocki of theft by swindle connected to his previous job at a golf club in Willmar. Investigators say Wisocki allegedly took 28-thousand dollars for expenses unrelated to his job. His first appearance on the charges is scheduled for next month.(24/7 News Source)
>>Wastewater Data Shows COVID-19 In MN Increasing
(Minneapolis, MN) — A statewide monitoring platform shows that COVID-19 cases in Minnesota have climbed steadily this month. The University of Minnesota’s wastewater tracking dashboard monitors 38 treatment facilities in the state. Many have seen increases in virus detection between ten and 120-percent in the last two weeks. Health officials say that usually an indicator that more people will seek treatment for COVID-19 in the next few weeks. Those officials say holiday travel, a lack of updated vaccinations and waning immunity will also lead to more cases of the virus.(24/7 News Source)
>>State Appeals Court Hears Arguments In Contraception Pill Case
(St. Paul, MN) — The Minnesota Court of Appeals is considering the case of a woman who claims discrimination because a pharmacist declined to fill a prescription for an emergency contraceptive pill. A three-judge panel heard arguments in the case yesterday in St. Paul. The woman claims pharmacist George Badeaux discriminated against her based on her sex when he declined to fill her prescription in Aitkin County in 2019. A county jury decided last year that the pharmacist did not discriminate, though it awarded the woman 25-thousand dollars for emotional harm. A ruling from the appeals court is expected early next year.(24/7 News Source)
>>Walz Says MN Public Safety Funding To Be Announced Next Week
(Lino Lakes, MN) — Governor Walz says local governments will begin seeing millions of dollars in new public safety funding next week. The governor said yesterday that 300-million in funding approved by state lawmakers will be sent to counties, cities, townships and tribal governments. Walz said the structure of the funding will allow each community to decide how they want to spend the money. That will allow local governments the flexibility to buy new equipment, hire new employees or fund other public safety priorities.(24/7 News Source)
>>Missing Minnesota Woman Found
(Stearns County, MN) — The Stearns County Sheriff’s Office says a woman reported missing from the Eden Valley area last summer has been found. The sheriff’s office asked for help locating Kaitlyn Hohman last week. The 21-year-old had not been in touch with her family since late July. Hohman was located on Wednesday, though the sheriff’s office did not say where she was found.(24/7 News Source)
>>Organization Is Continuing To Challenge Restore The Vote Act
(St. Paul, MN) — An organization is still challenging a ruling that allows some felons to vote. The Minnesota Voters Alliance filed a lawsuit earlier this year alleging that the Restore the Vote Act violates the Minnesota Constitution. The group claims the law overlooks probation, work release and supervised release as active criminal sentences. A judge dismissed the challenge last week, but a notice of appeal was filed on Wednesday. (24/7 News Source)
>>””Rough” Fish To Get Protections
The state Department of Natural Resources (DNR) this week gave lawmakers recommendations on how to better protect and understand 23 native species that have been considered “rough fish”.
The population of white suckers may have fallen by as much as half since the 1970s. Freshwater drum are among the only creatures in Minnesota’s waters that will eat invasive zebra mussels, which are infesting lakes throughout the state.
The Star Tribune reports that the DNR also asked lawmakers to expedite the rule-making process to allow the agency to quickly set bag limits and fishing seasons where appropriate.The DNR says 22 state laws need to be addressed to differentiate the native fish from invasive ones, such as common, grass and bighead carp that the state is actively trying to eliminate.
Lawmakers ordered the DNR to come up with the recommendations last year. The Legislature’s next session begins in February. (Star Tribune)
>>Candidates For MN Court Of Appeals Opening Announced
(St. Paul, MN) — A special panel appointed by the governor has recommended three candidates for an opening on the Minnesota Court of Appeals. The panel announced this week that Rachel Bond, JaPaul Harris and Sarah Hennesy are finalists for the appointment. Bond serves as managing attorney for the Office of the Minnesota Appellate Public Defender. Harris is a judge in the Second Judicial District in Ramsey County. Hennesy is the chief judge of the Seventh Judicial District and is based in St. Cloud. The opening was created when Jeffery Bryan was selected by President Biden to fill an opening on Minnesota’s U.S. District Court.(24/7 News Source)
>>MDA Says Holiday Greenery Should Be Disposed Of Properly
(St. Paul, MN) — The Minnesota Department of Agriculture is giving tips about properly disposing of holiday greenery. The agency says holiday trees, plants and wreaths shouldn’t be used for compost, as they could spread disease and invasive species. Trees should left at curbside for collection or taken to a designated drop-off site. Wreaths and other decorative items can be dropped in the trash. The agency says some items can be burned, but that it should only be done as a last resort.(24/7 News Source)
>>Minnesota Resident Will Be In New Season Of The Bachelor
(Becker, MN) — A woman who grew up on a Minnesota Christmas tree farm is one of the next contestants on the new season of the Bachelor. ABC TV reports 25-year-old Daisy Kent is an account executive from Becker, Minnesota. Her Bachelor show bio says she had a storybook childhood, wants to become a bestselling author, and likes singing in her car at the top of her lungs. The new season begins January 22.(24/7 News Source)
