Local News Thursday, June 18, 2026

HOUSING SHORTAGES ARE A GROWING THEME IN SEEMINGLY EVERY COMMUNITY. IN THIEF RIVER FALLS, THEY’VE BROKEN GROUND ON A NEW COMPLEX THAT WILL FEATURE UNITS FROM STUDIOS UP TO 3-BEDROOMS. THE EDGE WILL HOPE TO BE READY BY NEXT SPRING.

MAYOR MIKE LORENSEN SAID “WITH OUR HOUSING VACANCY RATE AT LESS THAN 1%, OUR CITY IS FACING AN EMERGENCY. EVERY NEW HOUSING OPPORTUNITY IS ESSENTIAL TO ATTRACTING WORKERS, SUPPORTING AND RETAINING FAMILIES, AND SUSTAINING ECONOMIC GROWTH.”

KEYS TO THE PROJECT WAS A $3.5 MILLION CONTRIBUTION FROM DIGIKEY THROUGH THE STATE HOUSING TAX CREDIT AND CONTRIBUTION FUND. THE INCENTIVE, WHICH TOOK EFFECT IN LATE 2023, PROVIDES INDIVIDUALS AND CORPORATIONS WITH AN 85% STATE TAX CREDIT WITH A $2 MILLION PER YEAR CAP ON CONTRIBUTIONS.THE SITE FOR THE PROJECT IS ALSO DUE TO SOME GENEROSITY, AS THE FIVE ACRE PARCEL WAS CONTRIBUTION FROM SANFORD HEALTH, AND IS NEAR THEIR CAMPUS.

AN INTERNATIONAL FALLS MAN IS FACING THREE CHARGES FOR INJURIES CAUSED TO HIS TWO MONTH OLD SON. ON JUNE 14^TH AUTHORITES WERE CALLED TO THE RESIDENCE ON A MEDICAL EMERGENCY. WHEN THEY ARRIVED, THEY FOUND THE CHILD IN THE CRIB WITH SOME BRUSING ON THE CHEST AND DIFFICULTY BREATHING. ROBERT TUPPER, THE FATHER, SAID THE CHILD WAS FUSSY AND HE COULD CALM HIM, AND ADMITTED TO SHAKING THE BABY. DOCTORS SAID THE BABY SUFFERED MULTIPLE BRAIN BLEEDS AND SUFFERED BRAIN DAMAGE.

WE HAD ALREADY MENTIONED IN NEWS THAT AN 80-INCH RECORD LAKE STURGEON HAD BEEN CAUGHT THIS SPRING, AND NOW THE DNR IS SAYING THAT A TOTAL OF NINE RECORD BREAKING FISH HAVE BEEN CAUGHT SO FAR THIS YEAR THROUGHOUT THE STATE. IN A TYPICAL YEAR, THERE WILL ONLY BE FIVE TO SEVEN NEW RECORDS CAUGHT THROUGH THE ENTIRE SUMMER.

AMY KLOBUCHAR CONTINUES TO HOLD A LARGE FUNDRAISING LEAD THE RUN FOR GOVERNOR.

NEW REPORTS SHOW SEN. AMY KLOBUCHAR HAS RAISED $7 MILLION AND HAS $4 MILLION CASH ON HAND, WELL OVER GOP OPPONENTS’ FUNDS IN THE MINNESOTA GOVERNOR’S RACE. LISA DEMUTH, WHO DID NOT EARN THE ENDORSEMENT, LEADS WITH OVER $500,000. KENDALL QUALLS, WHO DID WIN THE ENDORSEMENT, ONLY HAS OVER $30,000 IN CASH ON HAND.

A ROSEAU MARKETPLACE, GAZEBO CONCERT, AND FUNDRAISING MEAL ALL HAPPEN TODAY. THE MARKETPLACE BEGINS AT 3:00, THE MEAL AT 6:00, AND SHOW AT 6:30. IT’S A FAMILY SHOW TONIGHT WITH “THE SOUND PLAYGROUND”.

SATURDAY IS GREENBUSH RUMMAGE SALE DAY. THE GREENBUSH WOMEN OF TODAY FACEBOOK PAGE HAS A LISTING OF THOSE SALES, OR LISTS CAN BE FOUND WITH A NUMBER OF GREENBUSH BUSINESSES.

DO YOU USE TRANSIT IN GREATER MINNESOTA? THE MINNESOTA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM YOU.

MNDOT RECENTLY OPENED A PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR ITS GREATER MINNESOTA TRANSIT PLAN. THIS PLAN WILL UPDATE THE AGENCY’S TRANSIT POLICIES, ASSESS MOBILITY NEEDS, AND ESTABLISH GOALS AND STRATEGIES FOR PUBLIC TRANSIT. THE PLAN BUILDS ON PREVIOUS RELATED PLANS TO CREATE COMPREHENSIVE TRANSIT STRATEGIES AND RECOMMENDATIONS.

MINNESOTA IS ONE OF THE COUNTRY’S BEST STATES FOR TRANSPORTATION, AND TRANSIT ACCESS IS ONE REASON WHY. MNDOT WORKS CLOSELY WITH COMMUNITIES IN GREATER MINNESOTA TO IDENTIFY TRANSIT OPPORTUNITIES, PARTNERING WITH 39 GREATER MINNESOTA PUBLIC TRANSIT SYSTEMS (27 RURAL, 7 URBAN, AND 5 TRIBAL) TO OFFER SCHEDULED TRANSIT SERVICE IN 80 COUNTIES OUTSIDE THE TWIN CITIES.

Last modified: 06/18/2026