Local News Wednesday, March 4, 2026

THE ROSEAU COUNTY ATTORNEY’S OFFICE PUT OUT A PRESS RELEASE YESTERDAY ACKNOWLEDGING CONCERNS RECENTLY RAISED ABOUT A DEPUTY ASSIGNED TO THE D.A.R.E. PROGRAM. THE MATTER HAS BEEN REFERRED TO A NEIGHBORING COUNTY FOR AN INDEPENDENT REVIEW. ADDITIONALLY, ROSEAU COUNTY WILL CONDUCT AN INTERNAL AFFAIRS EMPLOYMENT INVESTIGATION, CONDUCTED BY AN OUTSIDE FIRM. FOR THE TIME BEING, THAT DEPUTY WILL REMAIN ON REGULAR DUTY WHILE THESE MATTERS PROGRESS.

THE ROSEAU CITY COUNCIL MET ON MONDAY EVENING. ROSEAU LIQUOR STORE MANAGER NIKI JOHNSON RECENTLY HAD THE CHANCE TO VISIT THE STATE CAPITOL AND MEET WITH SOME LEGISLATIVE LEADERS FOR THE MINNESOTA MUNICIPAL BEVERAGE ASSOCIATION’S LEGISLATIVE DAY.

AS FAR AS THE STORE RECENTLY, FEBRUARY WAS SLOWER THAN THE PREVIOUS COUPLE OF MONTHS, AND THEY COULD BE LOOKING AT A FRONT DOOR REPLACEMENT PROJECT IN THE FUTURE.

POLICE CHIEF MARK HODGE ALSO CONFIRMED THAT A RECRUIT HAS ACCEPTED A POSITION AND HIS FIRST DAY ON THE JOB WILL BE MARCH 16. THAT HIRE WILL BRING THE ROSEAU POLICE DEPARTMENT TO FULL STAFF.

YOU CAN HAVE YOUR INPUT ON THE MANAGEMENT PLANS FOR 197 DIFFERENT LAKES ACROSS 52 MINNESOTA COUNITES. LOCAL LAKES WHOSE MANAGEMENT PLANS ARE UNDER CONSIDERITON INCLUDES HAYES LAKE IN ROSEAU COUNTY AND THE RED LAKE RIVER RESEVIOIR IN PENNINGTON COUNTY. “WE’RE INVITING ANYONE INTERESTED IN THE HEALTH AND QUALITY OF MINNESOTA’S FISHERIES TO CONTACT US DURING THIS CRITICAL PART OF THE DNR’S FISHERIES LAKE MANAGEMENT PLANNING PROCESS,” SAID RYAN MAKI, FISHERIES MANAGEMENT CONSULTANT. “THESE PLANS ESTABLISH FISHERIES MANAGEMENT GOALS AND OBJECTIVES FOR EACH LAKE AND DEFINE THE WORK FISHERIES BIOLOGISTS DO EACH YEAR. OBSERVATIONS AND INPUT FROM A LAKE’S STAKEHOLDERS ARE ESSENTIAL TO THE PLANNING EFFORT.”

WARROAD SCHOOL PRINCIPAL BRITA COMSTOCK JOINED THE MRONING SHOW YESTERDAY TO DISCUSS HAPPENINGS WIHTIN THE DISTRICT. PART OF LOOKING AHEAD TO NEXT YEAR FOR FAMILIES WITH YOUNG ONES IS TO GET THEM TO AN EARLY CHILDHOOD SCREENING… THEIR SECOND TRIMESTER ENDS THURSDAY.

THE ROSEAU BAND TOOK FIRST PLACE AT THE RAGING RED BAND FESTIVAL IN FARGO. THIS IS THE SECOND YEAR IN A ROW THE BAND HAS PLACED FIRST AND THIRD TIME OVERALL. THE BAND RECEIVED THEIR HIGHEST AVERAGE SCORE EVER OF 87/100. OUR SAXOPHONE SECTION WAS HONORED WITH AN OUTSTANDING SECTION AWARD.

THERE IS NOW THE CHANCE TO WIN FIRST PLACE OVERALL FOR THE FESTIVAL. THE FESTIVAL IS 3 DAYS LONG, EACH DAY AS A FIRST PLACE BAND. THE BAND WITH THE HIGHEST SCORE OUT OF THOSE THREE BANDS WINS THE BEST BAND OVERALL.

THE ROSEAU BAND PRESIDENT IS AUSTIN WISKOW, BAND VICE PRESIDENT IS JULIA MOBERG, AND SAXOPHONE SECTION LEADER IS OWEN CUMMINGS.

MANY AREA KNOWLEDGE BOWL TEAMS, INCLUDING FROM ROSEAU, ARE IN CROOKSTON TODAY FOR SUB-REGIONAL COMPETITION.

AT RECENT LAKE OF THE WOODS SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS THEY HEARD ABOUT A $36,000 UPGRADE TO THE DISTRICTS COMPUTER SYSTEMS. THE DISTRICT IS PAYING ABOUT ONE-THIRD OF THAT AMOUNT. THE SCHOOL WILL BE UNDERGOING A NUMBER OF UPGRADES, THEY HEARD INFORMATION ON VARIOUS WINDOW GLAZING OPTIONS FOR NEW WINDOWS. APPROVED SALE OF $5,000,000 IN GENERAL OBLIGA TION SCHOOL FUNDING BONDS, SERIES 2026A, AND DIRECTED THEIR EXECUTION, DELIVERY, AND PROVIDED FOR THEIR REPAYMENT.

THE MINNESOTA TURF SEED COUNCIL HAS A PRODUCTION MEETING NEXT THURSDAY IN ROSEAU. THE MORNING BEGINS AT 8:30 WITH A COFFEE HOUR AND THEN A WELCOME FROM RICHARD MAGNUSSON WITH THE COUNCIL. THEY’LL HAVE INDUSTRY SPEAKERS AND THE DAY ENDS WITH LUNCH.

ZIPPEL BAY STATE PARK WILL HOST A CANDLELIGHT SKI AND SNOWSHOE EVENT ON SATURDAY, MARCH 7TH, FROM 5 P.M. TO 8 P.M. ​ THE EVENT WILL FEATURE A CANDLELIT TRAIL, A CAMPFIRE, HOT COCOA, AND LIGHT REFRESHMENTS. ​ ATTENDEES CAN ENJOY THE WINTER SCENERY WHILE SKIING OR SNOWSHOEING. A LIMITED NUMBER OF SKIS AND SNOWSHOES WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR FREE CHECKOUT. ​
PARTICIPANTS ARE ADVISED TO BEGIN AT THE PARK OFFICE, LOCATED BEHIND THE RANGER STATION. ​ FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, CONTACT KATIE AT 218-635-0412

SENATE REPUBLICANS ARE PROPOSING PROPERTY TAX CAPS, NO TAX ON TIPS AND OVERTIME, AND LOWERING LICENSE TAB FEES AS PART OF A “TAX RELIEF” PACKAGE INTRODUCED MONDAY, MARCH 2, AT THE STATE CAPITOL.

A BUDGET FORECAST ON FRIDAY SHOWED IMPROVEMENTS AND MORE LEEWAY FOR THE STATE TO POTENTIALLY EAT SOME COSTS FROM CHANGES IN TAXES, WITH A $3.7 BILLION BUDGET SURPLUS TO WORK WITH IN 2026-27, AND A $377 MILLION SURPLUS FOR 2028-29 THAT WAS ONCE A $6 BILLION BUDGET DEFICIT.

ONLY ONE PROPOSAL IS IN BILL FORM — SF3669 FROM SEN. JOHN JASINSKI, R-FARIBAULT, WHICH WOULD PUT LICENSE TAB FEES BACK TO THEIR PRE-2023 VALUES.

IT’S NOT CLEAR YET WHETHER THE PROPOSALS WOULD HAVE BIPARTISAN SUPPORT. ON FRIDAY, HOUSE LEADER ZACK STEPHENSON, DFL-COON RAPIDS, SAID

“WE’RE GOING TO BE ASSESSING WHO ARE THE WINNERS AND LOSERS IN THAT FEDERAL BILL [HR 1], AND THEN WE’RE GOING TO THINK ABOUT, WHAT SHOULD WE DO WITH OUR LIMITED RESOURCES?

Last modified: 03/04/2026