Local News Wednesday, March 11, 2026

THE ROSEAU COUNTY BOARD, THIS WEEK, HEARD FROM TIM FINSETH, THE
TRANSPORTATION PLANNING DIRECTOR FOR THE NORTHWEST REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT
COMMISSION.  FINSETH SAID HE WAS THE “BACKUP QUARTERBACK”, AS N.W.R.D.C.
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR DARLA WALDNER WAS IN WASHINGTON, DC,  MEETING WITH
MINNESOTA’S CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION.
THE COMMISSION’S ANNUAL BUDGET FOR LAST YEAR WAS JUST OVER EIGHT MILLION
DOLLARS; THE CURRENT YEAR BUDGET IS LESS, AT ABOUT SEVEN-POINT-ONE
MILLION.  FINSETH SAID THAT’S RELATED TO A REDUCTION IN FEDERAL REVENUE.
IN THE PAST YEAR, THE N.W.R.D.C. AWARDED A TWO HUNDRED FIFTY THREE
THOUSAND DOLLAR GRANT TO THE CITY OF ROSEAU FOR THE ROSEAU RIVER TRAIL
PROJECT,  AND SUPPORTED TWO MATTER-OF-BALANCE CLASSES, AND A ‘SAIL’
CLASS THAT HAD    99 PARTICIPANTS.
THE NORTHWEST REGIONAL REVOLVING LOAN FUND IN ROSEAU COUNTY CURRENTLY
HAS FOUR ACTIVE LOANS, AND HAS PROVIDED TWO-POINT-NINE MILLION DOLLARS
IN LOANS IN ROSEAU COUNTY SINCE IT’S INCEPTION.
THE N.W.R.D.C. IS MADE UP OF SEVEN COUNTIES, INCLUDING ROSEAU.

SOME ATTENTION HAS BEEN BROUGHT TO THE NUMBER OF DEER BEING KILLED BY TRAINS ALONG A STRETCH OF RAILROAD TRACKS FROM THEIF RIVER FALLS, THROUGH KITTSON COUNTY, TO THE CANADIAN BORDER. THE DNR CONFIRMED THAT THERE WAS AN ACCIDETAL SPILLAGE OF CORN FROM A RAIL CAR THAT HAS ATTRACTED DEER TO THE TRACKS. THEY SAID DEER OFTEN TRY TO OUTRUN THE TRAIN DOWN THE TRACKS AS OPPOSED TO DIVING OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE TRACKS. THE DNR STRESSED HOWEVER THATTHIS IS NOT A UNIQUE SITUATION, AND HAPPENS TO AN EXTEND EVERY YEAR, AND DESPTIE THE ATTENTION, THE NUMBER DOES NOT SEEM TO BE HIGHER THAN PREVIOUS YEARS.

THE WARRAOD CITY COUNCIL MET ON MONDAY THIS WEEK. ONE TOPIC WAS PROJECTS FOR THE SUMMER OF 2026. THERE WILL EVENTUALLY BE MORE WORK DONE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE BRIDGE OVER THE WARROAD RIVER, AND A SITUATION SIMILAR TO LAST SUMMER WILL BE REQUIRED. THEY ALSO MENTIONED A MILL AND OVERLAY PROJECT FOR LAKE ST, BETWEEN HIGHWAY 11 AND CEDAR AVENUE.

MORE MINNESOTANS WENT WITHOUT HEALTH CARE COVERAGE IN 2025, THE MINNESOTA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH SAID TUESDAY, MARCH 10.

DATA FROM THE MINNESOTA HEALTH ACCESS SURVEY SHOW THAT 5.8% OF MINNESOTANS WERE UNINSURED IN 2025, UP FROM 3.8% IN 2023, THE STATE’S LOWEST RECORDED UNINSURED RATE. THAT 2-PERCENTAGE-POINT INCREASE REPRESENTS ABOUT 116,000 MINNESOTANS, MDH SAID.

ADDITIONALLY, 4.6% OF MINNESOTA CHILDREN WENT WITHOUT HEALTH CARE COVERAGE IN 2025, UP FROM 2.7% IN 2023.

MICHELLE FISHBACH PROVIDED AN UPDATE ON SOME TOPICS SHE HAS BEEN ATTENDING TO AS A PARTIAL GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN CONTINUES. SHE SENT A THANK YOU TO MEMBERS OF THE MINNESOTA VETERANS OF FOREIGN WARS (VFW) FOR VISITING TO DISCUSS A COMMITMENT TO THOSE WHO SERVED. THEY TALKED ABOUT IMPROVING VA COMMUNITY CARE AND MY SUPPORT FOR THE VETERANS’ ACCESS ACT TO STREAMLINE HEALTH CARE COORDINATION. THEY ALSO REVIEWED THE FY26 MILCON VA APPROPRIATIONS BILL, WHICH FULLY FUNDS VETERAN HEALTH CARE AND MENTAL HEALTH PROGRAMS WHILE PROTECTING OUR VETERANS’ SECOND AMENDMENT RIGHTS.

THE CROOKSTON SCHOOL BOARD HAS NOW SELECTED TWO NEW FINALISTS FOR THEIR SUPERINTENDENT POSITION. ONE WAS UNDER SERIOUS CONSIDERATION THE FIRST GO AROUND, THE OTHER IS A NEWER ENTRY. THE FIRST IS DR. TIM GODFREY, A SUPERINTENDENT WITH RED ROCK CENTRAL IN MINNESOTA. THE OTHER IS ROBERT LUKENS OF ANETA, NORTH DAKOTA. HE IS THE CURRENT SUPERINTENDENT AT HARVEY, NORTH DAKOTA PUBLIC SCHOOLS. INTERVIEWS ARE BEING DONE TODAY.

A PANCAKE BREAKFAST WITH THE WANNASKA LIONS WILL BENEFIT THE VETERAN’S HONOR FLIGHT, HELPING VETERAN’S WITH THE OPPORTUNITY TO VISIT OUR NATION’S CAPITAL. THOSE FLIGHTS GO FROM FARGO A COUPLE OF TIMES PER YEAR. THE MEAL WILL BE SUNDAY, MARCH 22 AT THE WANNASKA COMMUNITY CENTER FROM 8A-1P.

Last modified: 03/11/2026