Local News Tuesday, March 24, 2026

THE NORTHWEST MINNESOTA ARTS COUNCIL IS PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE “OF THE YEAR” AWARD WINNERS FOR 2026.

SAMANTHA HARRILL OF WARROAD IS THE NORTHWEST ARTIST OF THE YEAR FOR VISUAL ART. SHE WORKS IN CERAMICS.

JANE ANDERSON OF THIEF RIVER FALLS WILL BE AWARDED THE NORTHWEST ARTS ADVOCATE OF THE YEAR AWARD FOR PERFORMING ARTS. JANE IS A THEATER ARTIST – ACTOR, SINGER, DIRECTOR, COSTUMER — AND FORMER EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND FOUNDING MEMBER OF THE THIEF RIVER FALLS AREA COMMUNITY THEATER.

REBECCA ROSENKRANS OF ROSEAU WILL RECEIVE THE NORTHWEST STAR AWARD. REBECCA (OR BECKY) HAS BEEN CREATING ONE-OF-A-KIND JEWELRY FOR OVER 30 YEARS. SHE IS THE OWNER OF BEAD GYPSY IN ROSEAU.

THESE AWARDS WILL BE PRESENTED ON SATURDAY, APRIL 25 AT WARROAD RIVERPLACE.

U.S. SENATORS AMY KLOBUCHAR (D-MN), JOHN THUNE (R-SD), AND ROGER MARSHALL (R-KS) INTRODUCED BIPARTISAN BILLS TO ADDRESS HIGH FERTILIZER COSTS IN THE WAKE OF THE WAR IN IRAN, TARIFF THREATS ON FERTILIZER IMPORTS, AND FERTILIZER MARKET CONSOLIDATION.

SHE SAID, “THESE BIPARTISAN BILLS WILL HELP STABILIZE FERTILIZER PRICING, REDUCE SUPPLY CHAIN DISRUPTIONS, AND ENSURE FARMERS CAN ACCESS AFFORDABLE FERTILIZER TO KEEP FEEDING AND FUELING THE WORLD.”

IN 2025 AND 2026, HIGH INPUT COSTS AND LOW COMMODITY PRICES CREATED SIGNIFICANT ECONOMIC CHALLENGES FOR FARMERS. AS FARMERS PREPARE FOR THE SPRING PLANTING SEASON, A SHARP SPIKE IN FERTILIZER PRICES HAS CREATED SUPPLY CHALLENGES AND LEFT PRODUCERS IN A FINANCIAL BIND. SINCE THE END OF FEBRUARY, FERTILIZER COMPONENTS LIKE UREA HAVE RISEN IN PRICE BY 25 PERCENT. AMMONIA, PHOSPHATE, SULFUR, AND POTASSIUM HAVE ALSO RISEN SHARPLY.

THERE ARE TWO SEPARATE BILLS, ONE ADDRESSING PRICE TRANSPARENCY AND THE OTHER AT AIMED AT DOMESTIC PRODUCTION.

THE MOST RECENT MINNESOTA MOOSE POPULATION ESTIMATE IS APPROXIMATELY 4,470 ANIMALS, ACCORDING TO THE MINNESOTA DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES’ 2026 POPULATION SURVEY.

RESULTS SUGGEST THAT AFTER A STEEP DECLINE FROM A POPULATION ESTIMATE OF 8,000 IN 2009, MINNESOTA’S MOOSE POPULATION APPEARS TO HAVE SOMEWHAT LEVELED,

MINNESOTA DNR RESEARCHERS POINT OUT THAT MINNESOTA MOOSE REMAIN AT RISK. CLIMATE CHANGE, PARASITES, HABITAT LOSS AND PREDATOR IMPACTS ON CALF SURVIVAL ALL PLAY A PART IN THE LONG-TERM SURVIVAL OF THE MOOSE POPULATION.

THE MINNESOTA DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES IS ENCOURAGING HOMEOWNERS TO REMOVE BIRDFEEDERS NOW AND CHECK THEIR PROPERTY FOR FOOD SOURCES THAT COULD ATTRACT BEARS. WHILE MOST FEMALE BEARS WITH CUBS AND YEARLINGS ARE STILL NEAR THEIR DENNING AREAS, SOME FULL-GROWN BEARS ARE STARTING TO EMERGE FROM THEIR DENS IN SEARCH OF EASY FOOD SOURCES.

THEY CALL IT BEING “BEARWISE”, AND SOME OF THE BASIC PRACTICES INCLUDE:

• REMOVE BIRD FEEDERS WHEN BEARS ARE ACTIVE
• SECURE FOOD, GARBAGE AND RECYCLING
• NEVER FEED OR APPROACH A BEAR
• NEVER LEAVE PET FOOD OUTDOORS
• CLEAN AND STORE GRILLS AND SMOKERS

THE ROSEAU PUBLIC LIBRARY ALONG WITH THE ROSEAU WOMEN OF TODAY ARE HOSTING YEAR 3 OF HARRY POTTER NIGHT. THIS FREE EVENT IS GEARED TOWARDS TEENS AND ADULTS (YOUNGER CHILDREN MUST BE ACCOMPANIED BY AN ADULT/FAMILIES WELCOME). ENJOY AN EVENING OF HARRY POTTER THEMED CRAFTS, HOGWARTS CLASSES (MINUTE TO WIN IT GAMES), TRIVIA AND PIZZA AND BUTTERBEER FOR A MEAL! OVER 20 PRIZES UP FOR GRABS TO BE WON BY THE END OF THE NIGHT. THIS EVENT IS THIS THURSDAY, MARCH 26TH FROM 5:30PM-7:30PM AT THE ROSEAU PUBLIC LIBRARY.

APPLICATIONS ARE BEING ACCEPTED FOR THE 2026 SPRING GRANT ROUND FROM THE WARROAD AREA COMMUNITY FUND. GRANTS CAN RANGE FROM $500 TO $5000 AND ARE OPEN TO PROGRAMS AND ENTITIES THAT IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR AREA RESIDENTS. ELIGIBEL APPLICANTS NEED TO BE WITHIN THE WARROAD SCHOOL DISTRICT. VISIT NWMF.ORG FOR MORE.

NINE INDIVIDUALS WILL BE HONORED WITH SERVICE AWARDS BY THE MINNESOTA STATE HIGH SCHOOL LEAGUE FOR THEIR DECADES OF SERVICE AND COMMITMENT TO OFFICIATING.

STEVE PHILION, WHO HAS OFFICIATED LOCALLY FOR 50 YEARS AND IS THE HEAD COACH OF RED LAKE COUNTY CENTRAL BOYS BASKETBALL, IS ONE OF THE NINE.

THESE DISTINGUISHED OFFICIALS WILL BE HONORED DURING THE BOYS BASKETBALL STATE TOURNAMENT DURING THE HALFTIME INTERMISSION OF THE CLASS AA CHAMPIONSHIP GAME ON MARCH 28 AT WILLIAMS ARENA IN MINNEAPOLIS.

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

THE MINNESOTA DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY’S BUREAU OF CRIMINAL APPREHENSION (BCA) RELEASED THE 2025 PERMIT TO CARRY REPORT, WHICH CONTAINS DATA SUBMITTED BY MINNESOTA LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES REGARDING APPLICATIONS MADE FOR HANDGUN CARRY PERMITS AS WELL AS DATA ABOUT PERMIT HOLDERS. THE ANNUAL REPORT IS REQUIRED BY MINNESOTA LAW. MINNESOTA SAW MORE FIREARMS PERMITS ISSUED IN 2025 THAN IN 2024. MINNESOTA SHERIFFS REPORTED TO THE BCA THAT 75,782 PERMITS WERE APPLIED FOR AND THAT THEY ISSUED 65,961 PER MITS IN 2025.

Last modified: 03/24/2026