Detroit Lakes Tribune · Osage, MN
OSAGE — A 15-year-old boy riding a bicycle was seriously injured Thursday afternoon after being struck by a pickup truck on a rural road in Becker County, according to a news release from the Becker County Sheriff's Office. The sheriff’s office received a 911 call at 4:07 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 12, reporting that a pickup truck had struck a juvenile male on a bicycle on County Road 123, approximately one mile south of Minnesota State Highway 34 in rural Osage. The caller reported that the boy had suffered significant injuries. The boy was flown by helicopter to a hospital in the Fargo area. His current condition is unknown, and his name is being withheld because he is a minor. The driver of the pickup, Kevin Beyer, 56, of Osage, was not injured. Emergency crews from the Becker County Sheriff’s Office, the Minnesota State Patrol, Carsonville Fire and Rescue, Wolf Lake Rescue, and a Life Link III air ambulance responded to the scene. Alcohol is not believed to have been a factor.
Pine and Lakes Echo Journal · Sebeka, MN
Nearby: Sebeka, MNFERGUS FALLS — The back room of Stella’s restaurant in Fergus Falls filled with people on Oct. 28, all there to see musician Ben Ranson play. Ranson, who grew up in Sebeka, Minnesota, and currently lives in Sandstone, is a regular performer at venues across the region, including in Fergus Falls. But Oct. 28 was no ordinary gig. That night, Ranson revealed something he’d been working on for years. It wasn’t a new song or a clever guitar lick, it was an invention called “palmfrets” — something Ranson believes could change the way guitarists use their instrument. It allows players to play new bass lines or melodies using their palm, a special set of frets called palmfrets and a technique called palmfretting. The invention The idea for palmfrets came to Ranson over five years ago.
Post-Bulletin · Perham, MN
Nearby: Perham, MNHoliday craft season is in full swing. Experienced homemade gifters know the making season starts in summer, but the procrastinators among us may be just getting started. These fabric shops are well-stocked with fabrics in patterns for all occasions, from holidays to animals to sports. Whether you're working on an apron, potholders, quilt or something else for your loved ones this holiday season, you'll find the fabric and notions you need at these shops across the Upper Midwest. Bay Window Quilt Shop For quilters across the region, Bay Window Quilt Shop in Perham, Minnesota, is a destination for high-quality cotton in a wide variety of patterns and themes. This shop is perfect for folding into a day of shopping the storefronts in a classic and quaint downtown. If you'd like to try something new, owner Katie Hennagir designs quilt patterns. You'll find unique, new quilt designs in the shop, alongside fabrics thoughtfully arranged to inspire.
Detroit Lakes Tribune · Detroit Lakes, MN
Nearby: Detroit Lakes, MNDETROIT LAKES — Minnesota’s paid family leave program has been hitting some local governments hard. Minnesota Paid Leave is a state-run insurance program that went into effect on Jan. 1 of this year. It provides partial wage replacement and job protection to eligible workers who need time off for medical issues or to care for family members. Beyond medical issues such as cancer, the program also covers pregnancy, family caregiving, new child bonding, military family support, and safety leave. Workers can take up to 12 weeks of medical leave and up to 12 weeks of family leave per year, with a combined maximum of 20 weeks. At the Becker County-owned Sunnyside Nursing Home, about 10% of the 70 employees are out on paid leave for 12 to 20 weeks, mostly on the day shift, according to Executive Director Ashley McNally. The 30-bed nursing home now has 24 patients. “We’re keeping it (patient numbers) down mostly due to paid family leave,” McNally told the Becker County Board recently.
Detroit Lakes Tribune · Detroit Lakes, MN
Nearby: Detroit Lakes, MNDETROIT LAKES — The sound of skates cutting, shots ringing off the post and whistles blowing- hockey is officially back in Detroit Lakes. There’s a new twist this season as Reilly Fawcett takes over as head coach of the girls hockey team. “Sports are about so much more than wins and losses. I think one of the more important parts of coaching is helping prepare these athletes for their next steps in life, both on and off the ice,” Fawcett said. “ I enjoy getting to know each player individually, hearing about their lives outside of hockey, and finding ways to push them to reach their full potential. At the end of the day, I want them to become better hockey players, but more importantly, better people.” Hockey has always been a massive part of Fawcett’s life as she grew up going to Minnesota-Duluth games. Fawcett played four years at Bemidji State, where she made the all-academic team three years in a row.
Detroit Lakes Tribune · Detroit Lakes, MN
Nearby: Detroit Lakes, MNMonday, Nov. 9 7:26 a.m., Officers responded to a report of a person taking several items from a business on Second Street in Audubon, without paying. The person was issued a citation for theft and a trespass order. 5:36 p.m., A caller reported a man in a store on Front Street West in Detroit Lakes making rude comments to customers and staff about the price of products. The caller asked officers to serve the man a trespass notice. 5:45 p.m., A Lake Park caller reported a woman visiting the caller’s bank and attempting to withdraw money. The bank stopped it. 6:24 p.m., Officers responded to a report of an unknown woman attempting to push her way into a home on Migizi Avenue in Ponsford. The woman was reportedly pounding on the door before failing to push her way in. Officers did not locate the woman.
Detroit Lakes Tribune · Detroit Lakes, MN
Nearby: Detroit Lakes, MNFor inclusion in our free Happenings event calendar, please submit items at least one week before the event occurs, to [email protected] or [email protected]. Include date, time, location, contact information and admission cost, if any. Saturday, November 7 Live Music: Kyle Colby at Zorbaz in Detroit Lakes, 9 p.m.-midnight. Sunday, November 8 VFW Auxiliary Breakfast: Come support the local VFW Auxiliary and their veterans programs by attending their monthly breakfast fundraiser at VFW Post 1676, 500 Washington Ave., Detroit Lakes, served from 8 a.m. to noon. Menu is pancakes and sausage or biscuits and sausage gravy, with eggs and a choice of juice or coffee, all for a donation of $9 per person. All are welcome. Wednesday, November 11 HAPPY VETERAN'S DAY! Many city, county and federal offices will be closed in observance of the national holiday, as well as banks, libraries and post offices.
Detroit Lakes Tribune · Detroit Lakes, MN
Nearby: Detroit Lakes, MNDETROIT LAKES — Local officials, educators, healthcare administrators, and community members gathered Thursday night to share impassioned testimony regarding the proposed closure of Minnesota State Community and Technical College's Detroit Lakes campus. The Nov. 5 public hearing, mandated by state law, provided regional stakeholders a formal opportunity to address members of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities Board of Trustees before a final vote on the closure is taken later this month. Board Trustee Roger Moe, a former state legislator who now lives in Detroit Lakes, chaired the hearing. He emphasized that the board has not yet reached a final decision. "The purpose of this hearing is to listen," Moe said, noting that all Thursday's testimony and written submissions will be entered into the official record for board deliberations. "No final decision has been made," he added in his closing remarks. A decision is expected later this month, however.
Detroit Lakes Tribune · Wadena, MN
Nearby: Wadena, MNWADENA — For 39 years, one question has remained unanswered for the family of Carla Beth Anderson: What happened to her? Anderson was just 23 years old when she disappeared from the Greenwood Apartments in Wadena on Nov. 13, 1987. Nearly four decades later, her family is still searching for answers, hoping that someone, somewhere, knows what happened in the days and hours surrounding her disappearance. Dan Anderson, Carla’s eldest brother, still remembers the moment he learned his sister was missing — a phone call from his mother that would change his family’s life forever. “I got a pretty panicked, frantic phone call from my mom,” Dan Anderson recalled during a Nov. 10 phone interview. Back then, Dan was working in Eagan. As soon as he learned what had happened, he and his wife, who worked for the city of Apple Valley, made the drive to Wadena. “So we talked to them for a little bit and then we drove up immediately,” he said.
Pine and Lakes Echo Journal · Backus, MN
Nearby: Backus, MNStudents at Pine River-Backus School are busy preparing for their fall musical, Disney’s "Finding Nemo, Jr." The cast includes 28 students in grades 6-12 with one senior this year, Adelynne Frank. Adelynne is a wonderful mentor to the younger students. It is always nice to have experienced actors in the cast to help introduce the new participants to the world of theater. The multi-grade participation is something that makes the fall musical a truly unique experience. These students have to sing, dance and act. It is a lot of work, but very rewarding in the end. It is a big time commitment as rehearsals are nearly every day after school, but watching all that hard work come to fruition is a lot of fun. The cast includes students who are involved in Knowledge Bowl, football, volleyball, cheerleading, band and choir. Despite the challenge of juggling schedules, it is nice to see so many diverse activities represented in the cast.
Post-Bulletin · Bagley, MN
Nearby: Bagley, MNST. CLOUD — As a puppy, Kiesu was wise beyond her years. The same can still be said at age 17, the number of years the Siberian husky has been St. Cloud resident Paula Fuchs Litterst’s trusty companion. Their symbiotic relationship has seen them nurture each other when they needed it most. “For a long time, Kiesu helped me; then, as we aged together, I’m here to help her," Fuchs Litterst said. "She used to be my eyes, and now I’m her eyes.” Kiesu turns 17½, equal to more than 100 human years, on Saturday, Nov. 14. Two days later, Paula will turn 40. “It’s very remarkable to see 17½," said Kiesu’s former veterinarian, Dr. Sarah Hegman of Mille Lacs Veterinary Group. "It doesn’t matter the breed. We don’t see a lot of that in clinical practice. Maybe with some smaller breeds, but I would say as far as huskies or Siberian huskies go, 12 to 14 is kind of average.” Kiesu’s current vet, Dr. Kaitlyn Howard of Rice Veterinary Clinic, also said she’s never seen such an old husky.
Duluth News Tribune · Bemidji, MN
Nearby: Bemidji, MNDULUTH — Players on Minot State’s sideline shouted “it’s over” as Brandon Hines Jr. went streaking down the sideline late in the fourth quarter Saturday. The fifth-year running back’s 44-yard touchdown sealed Minot State’s 45-31 win over Minnesota Duluth, which officially ended UMD’s playoff hopes and its 2026 campaign. UMD head coach Curt Wiese struggled to explain what happened in the final two weeks of the season, when his players still had everything in front of them. The Bulldogs gave up 44 points in a loss to Bemidji a week ago and 45 in their season-ending defeat. “I don’t really know,” Wiese said. “We haven’t tackled well again for the second week, and, I don’t know. It’s a really disappointing loss program-wise, not just season-wise. Program-wise, that was a disappointing loss, I think for us.” If coming up short wasn’t frustrating enough, seeing Grand Valley State get the best of Davenport and Minnesota State Moorhead down Minnesota State Mankato made it even worse.
Pine and Lakes Echo Journal · Bemidji, MN
Nearby: Bemidji, MNBEMIDJI, Minn. — Human remains found by a hunter northwest of Bemidji have been identified as those of Corey Bryant, a man reported missing in December 2025, according to the Beltrami County Sheriff’s Office. The Midwest Medical Examiner’s Office identified the remains, the sheriff’s office said in a Saturday, Nov. 14, update. The case remains under investigation. Bryant was 31 when he was reported missing. His last known location was in Bemidji on Dec. 19, 2025. Authorities said they found his vehicle in February 2026, but there were no signs of him. The discovery follows a Nov. 5th appeal from the sheriff’s office asking hunters returning to their properties to watch for evidence related to Bryant and another missing man, Russell Coyle. Coyle was 68 when he was reported missing. He was last seen at his residence north of Kelliher on April 24, 2025. He is described as white, with blue eyes, 5 feet 7 inches tall and weighing about 200 pounds.
The Bemidji Pioneer · Bemidji, MN
Nearby: Bemidji, MNThe Medica Foundation recently awarded $400,000 in grants to two Bemidji organizations, part of a $3 million statewide investment in mental and chemical health. Bemidji State University and Evergreen Youth and Family Services, Inc. will each receive $200,000. The grants are among 15 awards being made across Minnesota, a release said. “Getting someone the right help means understanding more than a diagnosis. It means understanding the person, their experiences and the community around them,” said Medica Foundation Director Pleasant Radford. “These two Bemidji programs approach mental health in different ways, but both recognize the importance of meeting people where they are and providing support they can trust.” Helping young people find stability A $200,000 grant will help Evergreen Youth and Family Services provide mental health services for youth facing housing instability in northwestern Minnesota.
The Bemidji Pioneer · Bemidji, MN
Nearby: Bemidji, MNBEMIDJI — Mattias Big Bear heals with hoops, sometimes 50 at a time. A world hoop dance competitor at a mere 9 years old — and one of roughly 20 in the state of Minnesota — Mattias shared his talents with students at Bemidji Middle School on Wednesday as part of programming for Native American Heritage Month. Indian Education Home/School Liaison Jari Eller caught sight of Mattias and his grandfather, Joe, last spring at an awards ceremony for the Young Artist/Young Writers Competition in Detroit Lakes, hosted by Detroit Lakes Schools’ American Indian Education Department. “I had some students over there picking up awards, and because of our experience watching them and because it’s Native American Heritage Month, I was looking for something to bring to the middle school,” Eller recalled. “I thought they might be a great fit, reached out and they were more than willing to come.
West Central Tribune · Bemidji, MN
Nearby: Bemidji, MNWILLMAR — The Willmar WarHawks opened their weekend homestand with a shutout win on Friday night. The WarHawks beat the Alexandria Blizzard 2-0 at the Willmar Civic Center Arena. Maddux Domagala scored both goals for the WarHawks. The forward from Luverne scored 15 seconds into the game. He followed that with a third-period goal. Domagala has scored 11 goals this season. In net for Willmar was Tate Metcalf. The goaltender from Bemidji made 32 saves for his first shutout of the season. He is 1-2 with a 4.15 goals against average and a .904 save percentage. Willmar continues its weekend home stand with a 7:10 p.m. game Saturday against the Minnesota Vulcans. Willmar 2, Alexandria 0 Alexandria (5-7-1-0) 0 0 0 — 0 Willmar (6-8-0-0) 1 0 1 — 2 FIRST PERIOD – (1) W: Maddux Domagala (Aiden Hogan), 19:45. PENALTIES: (1) A: Harlan Rehm (cross checking-minor), 15:41 … (2) W: Gavin Montiel-Cline (slashing-minor) SECOND PERIOD – No goals.
The Bemidji Pioneer · Bemidji, MN
Nearby: Bemidji, MNBEMIDJI — If Bailey Rupp had it her way, she would’ve fast-forwarded through the summer. “The offseason took forever,” she said. “Just counting down the days, honestly.” The Bemidji High School senior has waited for Saturday to come around for months. The BHS girls hockey team opens its season with a 2 p.m. home game against East Grand Forks at Bemidji Community Arena. Rupp, the Lumberjacks’ top returning forward and a preseason candidate for Minnesota’s Ms. Hockey Award, has had a lot of time to think. On Feb. 19, Bemidji lost its Class AA state quarterfinal matchup against Edina by a score of 6-4. She had a goal and an assist in that game, along with eight shots on goal. However, after the Hornets found an empty-net goal in the waning moments at Grand Casino Arena in St. Paul, the Jacks’ hopes for the program's first state title vanished. “I’ve thought about it a ton. Ugh,” Rupp scoffed.
The Bemidji Pioneer · Bemidji, MN
Nearby: Bemidji, MNBEMIDJI — On Oct. 10, the Bemidji State football team walked out of Chet Anderson Stadium suffering its worst loss of the season, a deflating 45-13 defeat to Wayne State, falling to 2-5 entering the bye week. Twenty-eight days later, that same team was singing the fight song to fans after knocking off No. 21/17 Minnesota Duluth 44-26, an upset that brought its record back to .500. It's amazing what a difference four weeks can make. But what really changed for the team between Oct. 10 and Nov. 7? “I think it all starts back with making the change at quarterback,” head coach Brent Bolte said. After relying on quarterbacks Bart McAninch and Mack Molander, the Beavers turned to Connor Carver, who was used as a utility man throughout the season. He got his first start in 2026 out of the bye against Jamestown, which still looking for its first conference win after joining the NSIC last season. Carver and the offense clicked.
The Bemidji Pioneer · Bemidji, MN
Nearby: Bemidji, MNBEMIDJI — Beverly Everett has conducted Edvard Grieg’s beloved Piano Concerto several times throughout her career, but never with a featured Norwegian artist. That’s about to change as pianist Oda Voltersvik will join the Bemidji Symphony Orchestra for its upcoming concert, "Nordic Adventures," at 3 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 15, in the Bemidji High School auditorium. As a celebration of Scandinavian heritage, the concert theme is a result of Everett meeting Voltersvik at an international music festival in North Dakota a couple of years ago. Voltersvik has appeared as a soloist with orchestras internationally, and as solo and chamber musician for concert societies in Europe and in the United States. “We started corresponding about having her perform with the orchestra,” Everett said, “and we decided that it would be wonderful to celebrate her heritage as well as the heritage of many of our community members.” In addition to Grieg’s Piano Concerto, Everett added Howard Hanson’s Symphony No.
The Bemidji Pioneer · Bemidji, MN
Nearby: Bemidji, MNThe holiday season is just around the corner, and these spots in the Bemidji area are perfect for entertaining the whole family. From dazzling displays to festive events, don't miss out on these annual community staples. Night We Light What: The epitome of Christmas cheer in Bemidji, the Night We Light ceremony and parade is a sparkling show of twinkling lights. The parade is loaded with beautifully lit floats, and the holiday lights downtown will be turned on to bring the holiday spirit to life. The event culminates with a fireworks display, so stick around until the end for the most explosive part of the night. When: Friday, Nov. 27, at 6 p.m. Where: Downtown Bemidji Learn more: firstcityoflights.org RRXS What: The Rock & Roll Xmas Spectacular is a show like no other. This show brings together classic rock hits with Christmas favorites for a musical experience like no other. When: Sunday, Dec. 13, at 7 p.m.
The Bemidji Pioneer · Bemidji, MN
Nearby: Bemidji, MNBEMIDJI — Bemidji Special Olympics is hosting a fundraiser at Pizza Ranch in an effort to raise money for new bowling shirts. From 5-8 p.m. on Nov. 18, Pizza Ranch will donate 10% of all sales to Bemidji Special Olympics. Donations are also encouraged. ]]>