Latest News From Minnesota Daily News Dot Com

September 9, 2026

A man from Bemidji, forty-six-year-old Jerrold Ryan Kemmer, is facing multiple felony charges for sexually abusing two children over several years. He was charged last week in Beltrami County District Court with three counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct, each carrying a maximum of 30 years in prison, a $40,000 fine, or both, with a minimum of 12 years in prison. Kemmer is being held at Beltrami County Jail. The investigation started in August after reports of the abuse were made. Both children revealed the abuse during interviews at a child advocacy center. Kemmer has a criminal history, including a prior sex offense.

Two people were injured in a crash on Highway Thirty-Four in Cass County last Thursday. The Minnesota State Patrol responded to the accident at 11:15A-M A Toyota Camry, driven by 75-year-old Diane Margaret Herbst, collided with a Hummer H3 that pulled onto the highway. Herbst and her 77-year-old passenger, Sorenson Andrew Peter, sustained non-life-threatening injuries.

A new detour of the Highway 197 project started yesterday. The southbound Highway 71 intersection is closed, with the detour from Ann Street, to Hannah, to Highway 197 and back to Highway 71. There are two new temporary small roundabouts that have been installed at Anne and Hannah, and Hannah and 30th. Even though they are smaller than traditional roundabouts, treat them as roundabouts, and do not stop inside of them. More with MNDot and a Roundabout Wednesday, at Paskvan Podcasts on YouTube.

Ryker, a 9-year-old German Shepherd K-9 officer with the Cass County Sheriff's Department, retired with a formal send-off alongside his handler, Deputy Ryan Huston, who will take on his ownership. Ryker was born in Czechia in November 2016 and came to the U.S. in 2019, pairing with Huston after 14 weeks of training. Together, they served Cass County from June 2019, becoming one of the longest-serving K-9 teams in the county's history. Ryker completed eleven-hundred hours of training and had one hundred thirty four deployments, contributing to fifty-six arrests.

Bemidji State University is enhancing access to higher education for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities through the U-Belong-At-Bemidji-State initiative, funded by an Inclusive Higher Education Grant from the Minnesota Office of Higher Education. This program will be the first of its kind at a four-year university in Minnesota, focusing on integrating students into the regular university experience rather than creating a separate path. Students will take inclusive courses and receive tailored support for personal and academic goals. Preparation for the first cohort will begin in the 2026-2027 academic year, along with plans to seek federal funding approval to widen financial aid options.

The Red Cross is urging people to give blood this September to help keep the blood supply stable heading into fall. While supplies have recovered from critically low summer levels, they remain vulnerable as changing routines and busy schedules can lead to fewer donations. Schedule your donation at Red Cross Blood dot org.

September 8, 2026

The Red Lake Department of Public Safety responded to a serious injury incident that occurred during the Labor Day Powwow in Ponemah on Saturday night. Public safety officers, emergency first responders, and event security secured the area promptly. Authorities emphasize that the incident was isolated and there is no ongoing threat to the public or community. Enhanced safety and security measures remained in place as powwow activities continued through the weekend. The investigation remains active, and anyone with info about the incident should call the Red Lake Police Department at 218-679-3313.

Sanford Hospital in Bemidji plans to renovate and expand its Emergency Department. Emily Aitkin Magaurn, a Senior Development Officer, discussed these changes at a Lions Meeting. Lions Club President David Bahr made a donation from the Lions Club to support the Sanford Health Foundation during the meeting. Sanford is also upgrading its intensive care unit in Bemidji, with a partnership from Sanford in Fargo.

ATV Minnesota is a non-profit association representing 73 ATV clubs in the state. This year’s annual convention, Ride and Rally, will take place in Park Rapids from September 18th through the 20th, where enthusiasts will enjoy local ATV trails. The event will be held at the Hubbard County Fairgrounds, featuring vendors, RV camping, guided rides, auctions, and a banquet. Registration is open now. For more information, and to register, logon to ATV MN dot org and click on the Events tab.

The Leech Lake Division of Resource Management Wild Rice Program has announced an updated purchasing price for the season. As of yesterday, the program is paying seven dollars per pound for green wild rice. Purchasing takes place daily from 3P-M to 6P-M at the Leech Lake Division of Resource Management Complex in Cass Lake on days when lakes are open for harvesting. Sellers must bring their Leech Lake Reservation wild rice harvesting permit, and ensure their rice is clean and free of excessive debris or moisture. For more information, call 218-335-7400.

Bemidji State University has been working on projects to boost participation in science, engineering, technology, and mathematics, or Stem fields, supported by federal grants from the National Science Foundation. Two key programs are the Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program and the NSF Scholarships in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Program. he Noyce program aims to recruit and prepare future K through 12 Stem teachers, particularly for high-need districts. BSU provides scholarships covering full attendance costs and includes additional social-emotional learning training for teachers. This program has been active since 2020, and its first project will conclude in 2026, while a new project has started with support from additional faculty and local colleges. BSU's current grant of one-point-two-six million dollars will fund its Noyce project until September 30th, 2029. Through the program's first three years, nearly ninety percent of participants have remained in their Stem programs, regardless of whether they remain eligible for the scholarship program. Participants also have an average GPA of three-point-five.

September 7, 2026

In observance of the Labor Day holiday, all Beltrami County Offices will be closed today. The Sheriff’s Office Records and Court Divisions will also be closed. Essential twenty-four-seven services will remain operational. All Beltrami County Solid Waste facilities will be closed through tomorrow. All facilities will be open tomorrow.

Crews have shifted traffic onto the new Highway 197 concrete lanes and through the new roundabout at Menards. New temporary roundabouts have been installed on Hannah Avenue at 30th Street, near Walmart, and at Anne Street, near Sanford Health, to accommodate a detour that starts tomorrow. The Highway 71 and Highway 197 intersection will be closed to southbound traffic starting tomorrow after the morning school bus traffic has cleared. That detour will follow Anne Street, to Hannah, to Highway 197, and back to Highway 71. That detour will last a couple of weeks. More work will resume on this project next Spring. For more on this detour, log on to Paskvan Podcast on YouTube.

Last spring, the state Legislature updated the law to require that drivers stop whenever a school bus has its red flashing lights on, not just when the stop arm is out. This action closed a loophole where drivers may have attempted to beat the stop arm and pass just as students were preparing to get on or off the bus. For more on this new law, log on to Paskvan Podcast on YouTube. We were joined by Beltrami County Sheriff Jason Riggs a week ago last Friday.

The League of Women Voters Park Rapids Area is organizing candidate forums before the November 3rd general election. These forums will feature candidates for Hubbard County commissioners, sheriff, Park Rapids mayor, and more. The forums are free, open to the public, and will be live streamed. Voters can submit questions in advance via email or in person during the forums. The League of Women Voters does not support any candidates or parties and encourages citizen participation. For more information, contact Carolynne White or visit relevant election websites.

The Beltrami County Historical Society is having a reading event for the release of "North Country Journal, Volume Two" on Thursday, September 10th, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the History Center. The event is free and copies of the journal will be available for purchase. This new volume features twenty stories about how people arrived in northern Minnesota from the eighteen eighties to the nineteen nineties. Stories include an Acadian family, a Chinese laundry owner, and families from various places such as Qatar and France. Executive Director Emily Thabes notes that these stories are important to the communities. Managing Editor Sue Bruns organized the volume, with contributions mainly from local residents and historians. Copies will be sold for fifteen dollars at the event and the History Center museum store afterward. Several contributors will read their works and answer questions.

Minnesota waterfowl seasons are here, and hunters have a wide variety of opportunities to look forward to in 2026, with seasons starting this past Saturday.

September 4, 2026

An Iowa woman is in critical condition following a crash Wednesday near Bemidji. Sixty-seven-year-old Elaine Cory Bangs, was driving a Subaru Forester when a Dodge Grand Caravan, driven by sixty-year-old Steven Leroy Heller, of Bemidji, collided with her parked vehicle while merging onto Highway 2. Bangs suffered life-threatening injuries and was taken to Sanford in Fargo. Another passenger, and Heller had non-life-threatening injuries.

A man and woman are facing charges for a fatal crash on August 22nd. The accident on U.S. Highway 2 killed 42-year-old Janelle Swenson from Cohasset. Forty-one-year-old Jack Leroy Daniel Drumbeater, has been charged with third-degree murder, second-degree manslaughter, vehicular theft, and drug possession. Thirty-eight-year-old Kerri Ellen Hart, faces a charge of criminal vehicular homicid. The complaint states Hart drove off in a stolen pickup while Drumbeater attempted to get in. They crashed into Swenson’s car, leading to her death. Both suspects were found with meth.

Akeley’s Paul Bunyan Historical Museum has been refreshed. Established in 1987, the museum showcases the folklore of the famous lumberjack Paul Bunyan, but over time it became cluttered. According to the Walker Pilot Independent, efforts to reorganize and upgrade the museum happened, with the city funding improvements like new lights and a restored ceiling for over sixty-two-hundred dollars. Donations of historical items, including photos, letters, and old farm equipment, are welcomed. A logging camp kitchen, school classroom, and cheerleading attire are among the new displays. An open house is scheduled for tomorrow from noon to 4 p.m.

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources will conduct a public auction for seized fishing, hunting, and trapping gear on September 28th. Over three hundred items will be auctioned off, including guns, bows, antlers, bear rugs, and traps. Most items were confiscated due to serious wildlife violations. Proceeds support the Game and Fish Fund for wildlife management.

The Bemidji Downtown Alliance and the city’s Public Art Commission will host a reception to recognize the seven artists who created the new public art designs installed on the blue downtown corner kiosks. The public is invited to attend the Downtown Kiosk Artist Reception on Saturday, September 12th, at Watermark Art Center from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Meet the area artists and view their original paintings. Volunteers who initiated the public art project will present a brief history of the project. Refreshments will be served. The original artwork will be on exhibit in Watermark Art Center’s Education Gallery between September 12th to September 30th. Paintings will be for sale and sales made directly with the artist. The BDA received an Arts Access grant from Region Two Arts Council. This activity was made possible by the voters of Minnesota, through a grant from Region Two Arts Council, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund. Watch a podcast about the kiosks at Paskvan Podcasts on YouTube.

September 3, 2026

The Bemidji Police Department is seeking help in locating sixteen year old Leighanna Kree. Kree was reported as a runaway yesterday, and was last seen in the 900 block of 30th Street Northwest. She is five-foot-three-inches, 120 pounds, with black hair that is dyed red in the front. She was last seen wearing a black Nike hoodie, a white t-shirt, black leggings, and black Nike slides. With info, call the Bemidji Police at 218-333-9111 option two.

The United Way of Bemidji Area is hosting the 2026 United Way Trap Tournament on Thursday, September 24th, at the Bemidji Trap and Skeet Club. Teams of five will compete in half-hour flights, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., shooting two rounds of twenty-five clays. Registration costs five hundred dollars, covering fees, ammo, clays, and a meal. A new Flurry Shoot is available for fifty dollars per person. The registration deadline is Monday, September 21st, with proceeds supporting the 2026 United Way Campaign, aiming to raise eight-hundred-thousand dollars for local nonprofits.

Motorists will face traffic changes around the Highway 197 construction project starting today, as work prepares for the final phase projected for 2026. Crews will build two temporary roundabouts on Hannah Avenue at 30th Street and Anne Street to help manage traffic during the upcoming detour. The Highway 71 detour between Highway 197 and Anne Street will start mid-morning next Tuesday, after school traffic clears. The detour will last about two weeks. For more details, visit Paskvan Podcasts on YouTube.

The Hubbard County Highway Department is constructing a new diesel fuel facility at its Nevis shop, accepting a two-hundred-two-thousand dollar from Pump and Meter Services, Inc. Previously, the county used a diesel tank owned by the Nevis School District, which is switching to gas buses. The new facility will have an overground diesel tank with one hose. The county will continue to cooperate with the school for fuel costs, as the school still has three diesel buses. Costs will come from the capital improvement fund.

The Kitchigami Regional Library System's funding issues were discussed during a Beltrami County Board meeting this week. Sherry Warren presented updated funding needs, highlighting a budget cut that reduced the Bemidji and Blackduck libraries' funding from four-hundred-thirty-seven thousand dollars to the state minimum of two-hundred-sixty-five thousand dollars for this year. In a Bemidji Pioneer article, Warren emphasized that this minimum has not changed since 2011. In 2025, the Bemidji Public Library had just shy of sixteen-thousand users and answered over fifteen-thousand reference questions, while Blackduck had one thousand users and offered nine programs. Warren urged commissioners to consider the impact of maintaining library operations at outdated funding levels. The library system is also hiring a new director.

Sarah Blumenshein has been named the Bemidji Education Association Teacher of the Year in Bemidji. The award was handed out last night at the organization's annual ceremony yesterday. She is a Reading Interventionist at Northern Elementary School.