Local News Friday, March 20, 2026

ROAD RESTRICTIONS FOR THE LOST RIVER AND BELTRAMI ISLAND STATE FOREST ROADS WILL COINCIDE WITH STATE RESTRICTIONS EFFECTIVE 12:01 AM FRIDAY MORNING MARCH 20. THE STATE HAS ANNOUNCED THAT WINTER LOAD INCREASES WILL END, AND SPRING LOAD LIMITS BEGIN ON MARCH 20.

GATES MAY BE CLOSED TO SOME SECONDARY ROADS STARTING ON WEDNESDAY MARCH 18.

RED LAKE COUNTY SHERIFF MITCH BERNSTEIN HAS ANNOUNCED HIS PLANS TO RETIRE AT THE END OF HIS CURRENT TERM IN JANUARY 2027. BERNSTEIN HAS SERVED AS SHERIFF FOR MORE THAN 20 YEARS.

“I AM DEEPLY GRATEFUL TO THE CITIZENS OF RED LAKE COUNTY FOR THE TRUST AND SUPPORT YOU HAVE SHOWN ME THROUGHOUT MY CAREER. I AM ALSO THANKFUL TO THE DEPUTIES, STAFF MEMBERS, COMMUNITY LEADERS AND PARTNER AGENCIES THAT HAVE STOOD BESIDE ME IN SERVICE TO OUR RESIDENTS.”

THE WARROD SCHOOL WAS PUT INTO A LOCKDOWN STATUS FOR A PORTION OF YESTERDAY MORNING AFTER A 911 CALL REPORTED A POTENTIAL THREAT. AFTER AN INVESTIGATION, THEY WERE GIVEN THE ALL CLEAR WITH NO REPORTED ACTS OF VIOLENCE OCCURRING. TWO JUVENILES WERE LATER IDENTIFIED AS MAKING A PRANK PHONE CALL, AND A PHONE WAS SEIZED AS EVIDENCE. THE LOCKDOWN LASTED FROM ROUGHLY 8:45-10:15.

SOUTHBOUND TRAFFIC FROM CANADA AT THE PEMBINA CROSSING CONTINUES TO SLIDE. FOR BUSINESSES ON THIS SIDE OF THE BORDER THAT HAVE SEEN SIGNIFICANT CANADIAN TRAFFIC IN THE PAST, THE TREND COMES WITH UNCERTAINTY.

PEMBINA BORDER-CROSSING PASSENGERS TOOK A SIGNIFICANT HIT IN 2025. THE PORT OF ENTRY SAW A 202,077 PASSENGER DECREASE COMPARED TO 2024. THE 376,905 PASSENGER TOTAL WAS THE LOWEST THE PORT HAD SEEN SINCE 2022. IN DECEMBER, NORTH DAKOTA TOURISM AND MARKETING REPORTED THAT AS OF OCTOBER 2025, THE STATE HAD LOST AN ESTIMATED $41.3 MILLION IN LOST VISITOR SPENDING DUE TO THE DECLINE.

WHEN IT COMES TO THE EXCHANGE RATE, OFFICIALS SAID THAT “IF YOU GET UNDER 85, 80 CENTS ON THE DOLLAR, YOU REALLY SEE IT START TO IMPACT TRAFFIC FROM MANITOBA.

A SURVEY FROM NANOS RESEARCH FOUND 43% OF CANADIANS SAID THEY ARE LESS LIKELY TO COME BACK TO THE U.S.

AS OF MARCH 15, NEARLY 34,000 MINNESOTANS HAVE BEEN APPROVED FOR LEAVE SINCE MINNESOTA’S PAID LEAVE PROGRAM BEGAN, ACCORDING TO NEW DATA RELEASE TODAY BY THE MINNESOTA DEPARTMENT OF EMPLOYMENT AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT (DEED).

TWO-THIRDS OF ALL APPLICATIONS ARE BEING APPROVED OR DENIED WITHIN THREE WEEKS. SO FAR, MINNESOTA PAID LEAVE HAS PROCESSED NEARLY 50,000 APPLICATIONS.

TONIGHT AT GARDENS ARENA IN WARROAD, MARVIN AND POLARIS EMPLOYEES WILL PLAY TWO FRIENDLY RIVALRY HOCKEY GAMES. THEY SERVE AS A FUNDRAISER FOR THE ROSEAU/WARROAD AREA FOOD SHELVES. LAST YEAR’S EVENT AT MEMORIAL ARENA IN ROSEAU WAS DEEMED A BIG SUCCESS. THE TWO COMPANIES HAVE BROUGH IN EMPLOYEES FROM SITES ACROSS THE STATE, REGION, AND COUNTRY. THE FIRST GAME BEGINS AT 5:00.

ON SUNDAY, THE WANNASKA LIONS WILL SERVE A PANCAKE BREAKFAST AT THE WANNASKA COMMUNITY CENTER FROM 8:00-1:00. IT IS A FUNDRAISWER FOR THE VETERANS HONOR FLIGHTS OF MINNESOTA AND NORTH DAKOTA. THAT OPPORTUNITY TAKES VETERANS TO WASHINGTON DC FOR EVENTS AND TOURS. FOR MORE DETAILS AND AN APPLICATION TO BE PART OF THOSE FLIGHTS, YOU CAN VISIT THEIR WEBSITE OR FACEBOOK PAGE.

THE MOST RECENT FLOOD OUTLOOK FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WAS RELEASED ON MARCH 12. THERE WAS A GREATER THAN 50% CHANCE OF MODERATE FLOODING AT OSLO, PEMBINA AND HALLOCK. THERE WAS THAT CHANCE OF MINOR FLOOD STAGE AT DRAYTON, AND LESS AND A 50% CHANCE OF FLOODING OF ANY LEVEL AT ROSEAU.

Last modified: 03/20/2026