Local News Tuesday, May 5, 2026

THE ROSEAU CITY COUNCIL HELD A PUBLIC HEARING ON IT’S PROPOSED GOLF CART
ORDINANCE, WITH NO RESOLUTION OF THE ISSUE.  THE DISCUSSION WAS TABLED
TO THE COUNCIL’S JUNE MEETING.  MINNESOTA LAW REQUIRES GOLF CARTS BE
PERMITTED IN ORDER TO OPERATE ON CITY STREETS.  THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE
STATES THE GOLF CART OPERATOR MUST BE AT LEAST SIXTEEN YEARS OLD, WITH A
VALID DRIVER’S LICENSE;  AND INCLUDES A PROOF OF INSURANCE REQUIREMENT.

THE ROSEAU CITY COUNCIL, AFTER A PUBLIC HEARING ON THE MATTER, APPROVED
MOVING FORWARD WITH BUILDING A FRONTAGE ROAD SOUTH OF HIGHWAY ELEVEN,
BETWEEN 12TH AVENUE NORTHWEST AND 15TH AVENUE NORTHWEST.  THAT FRONTAGE
ROAD WOULD BE EXTENDED FROM ACE HARDWARE TO THE ROSEAU EVENT CENTER.
TWO WEST ACRES BUSINESS OWNERS SPOKE IN FAVOR OF THE PROJECT.  CITY
OFFICIALS WERE SOMEWHAT SURPRISED TO RECEIVE A 750 THOUSAND DOLLAR LOCAL
ROAD IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM GRANT TO PAY FOR THE PROJECT.

MYLES HOGENSON, WITH THE ROSEAU COUNTY TRAILBLAZERS, MET RECENTLY WITH
THE ROSEAU COUNTY BOARD.  HOGENSON SAID THE TRAILBLAZERS ARE CONSIDERING
SHIFTING SOME GRANT-IN-AID TRAIL MILES FROM THE WESTERN END OF THE
COUNTY TO BELTRAMI ISLAND STATE FOREST.  THAT’S DUE TO THE DIFFICULTY OF
MAINTAINING GROOMED TRAILS IN OPEN COUNTRY.  THAT TRANSFER OF
GRANT-IN-AID MILES WOULD REQUIRE DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES
APPROVAL, AND IS LIKELY SEVERAL YEARS AWAY.

THE 27-MILE WILDLIFE DRIVE WITHIN THE ROSEAU RIVER WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT AREA WILL BE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC ON SATURDAY, MAY 16, AND SUNDAY, MAY 17, WEATHER AND DIKE CONDITIONS ALLOWING. THE WEEKEND WILL OFFER UNIQUE WILDLIFE VIEWING AND PHOTOGRAPHY OPPORTUNITIES DURING THE SPRING BIRD MIGRATION, AS WELL AS PROVIDING ADDITIONAL FISHING ACCESS TO THE WMA POOLS.

THE WILDLIFE DRIVE CAN BE EASILY ACCESSED AT THE MAIN DIKE ROAD, LOCATED ONE AND THREE-QUARTER MILES SOUTH OF THE WMA HEADQUARTERS ON ROSEAU COUNTY ROAD 3.

AGRICULTURAL EMPLOYERS ACROSS THE STATE ARE WORKING TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE PAID LEAVE LAW MEANS FOR THEIR FARMS, SEASONAL LABOR AND REPORTING REQUIREMENTS. WHILE MANY PRODUCERS ARE EXEMPT FROM UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE, THEY ARE NOT EXEMPT FROM MINNESOTA PAID LEAVE, AND THAT DISTINCTION IS CATCHING SOME BY SURPRISE THIS SPRING.

THE PROGRAM, WHICH LAUNCHED JAN. 1, 2026, REQUIRES ANY EMPLOYER WITH W‑2 WORKERS TO REGISTER FOR A PAID LEAVE ACCOUNT AND BEGIN QUARTERLY WAGE REPORTING. THAT INCLUDES FARMS WITH ONLY A FEW SEASONAL EMPLOYEES, FAMILY MEMBERS ON PAYROLL, OR TOWNSHIP SUPERVISORS PAID THROUGH THE FARM BUSINESS.

REGISTRATION REQUIRES BASIC BUSINESS INFORMATION AND TAKES ONLY A FEW MINUTES ONCE EMPLOYERS KNOW WHICH SELECTIONS TO MAKE.

THE PAID LEAVE PROGRAM PROVIDES UP TO 12 WEEKS OF MEDICAL LEAVE AND 12 WEEKS OF FAMILY LEAVE FOR ELIGIBLE WORKERS.

THE MINNESOTA DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES HAS CERTIFIED A NEW CATCH-AND-RELEASE STATE RECORD LAKE STURGEON, AN 80-INCH FISH CAUGHT BY TRAVIS KEATING APRIL 18 ON THE RAINY RIVER IN LAKE OF THE WOODS COUNTY.

ON APRIL 18, A BITTER COLD FRONT HAD MOVED IN OVERNIGHT, BRINGING 40-PLUS MPH WIND GUSTS AND WIND CHILLS HOVERING AROUND 5 BELOW ZERO. ANCHORED IN FOUR MILE BAY FOR NEARLY EIGHT HOURS, THE CREW MANAGED SEVEN SMALLER STURGEON.

BY EVENING, THEY MOVED TOWARD THE MOUTH OF THE RIVER, KEATING DESCRIBED WHAT FOLLOWED AS “OVER AN HOUR OF PURE CHAOS.”

WHEN THE FISH FINALLY SURFACED, A FRIEND MANAGED TO HOIST THE MASSIVE STURGEON OVER THE BOAT RAIL AND INTO THE BOAT.

THE ROSEAU PUBLIC LIBRARY HAS TWO EVENTS FOR NEXT WEEK, GEARED TOWARDS BOTH ADULTS AND KIDS. BOTH EVENTS ARE FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.

AUTHOR MEET AND GREET AND SPECIAL STORYTIME WITH BARBARA LINERT, “TALES OF A DOG NAMED KITTY”; TUESDAY, MAY 12TH AT 10:30AM

AUTHOR MEET AND GREET AND SPECIAL STORYTIME WITH KATHY MAGNUSSON, “LUNA’S LIGHT”; THURSDAY, MAY 14TH AT 6PM

THE MINNESOTA SENATE PASSES AN ASSAULT WEAPONS BAN IN BROADER GUN VIOLENCE PACKAGE.

THE MEASURE PASSED 34-33 IN THE SENATE, BUT ITS ODDS IN A TIED HOUSE ARE SLIM. DFL LEADERS SAID THE VOTE IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR GUN CONTROL ADVOCATES TO SEE WHERE LAWMAKERS STAND ON THE ISSUE.

THE BILL IS ALSO WRAPPED UP WITH A LOT OF LANGUAGE REGARDING SCHOOL SAFETY MEASURES.

Last modified: 05/05/2026