Local and Regional News, Tuesday 2/24/2026
Heather Cox Richardson, the acclaimed author of the widely read newsletter Letters from an American, highlighted the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness in a major piece this week, reaching more than 2.8 million readers.
Richardson spotlighted a rare joint letter from descendants of President Theodore Roosevelt urging U.S. Senators to reject House Joint Resolution 140, which would allow copper-sulfide mining near the Boundary Waters. The Roosevelts wrote the project would rely on foreign ownership and Chinese smelters, and warned it could deal what they called a crushing blow to a great rural American economy.
The Boundary Waters spans more than a million acres of lakes and forest in northeastern Minnesota and draws about a quarter-million visitors each year.
The Senate is expected to vote soon on the measure, which would overturn federal protections currently in place for the watershed.
The Koochiching County Board of Commissioners will meet Tuesday, February 24th at 3:30 p.m. in the Historic Third Floor Courtroom at the courthouse in International Falls.
Commissioners are scheduled to approve claims and financial business, consider a resolution requesting state and federal funding assistance for local water districts, and review an application for federal funding for a proposed emergency services garage and facility.
The board will also consider sponsorship of the Voyageurs Snowmobile Club grant application and a Midco grant application under the Koochiching Technology Initiative.
A public hearing to establish an Ambulance Subordinate District is set for 5:30 p.m., with public comment to follow.
The meeting will also be available via teleconference through a link posted on the county website.
School District 361 is preparing for the next school year with kindergarten registration set for early March.
Families will have a chance to tour classrooms, meet teachers, and learn about the district’s early learning programs. The same evening will also feature a family engagement event with hands-on activities and community partners.
District leaders also say construction projects funded by the school referendum are about halfway complete, with improvements underway at several district facilities.
More information about kindergarten registration and upcoming school events will be available through School District 361.
The Backus Community Center is launching its latest Artist Spotlight event this week, featuring local artist Bruce Trask.
The public is invited to stop by the Backus Community Center Art Gallery in Room 101 to view a collection of Trask’s artwork and meet the artist in person. The exhibit runs weekdays through February 27th from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Organizers say the Artist Spotlight Series celebrates local creativity and gives community members a chance to learn about the inspiration and stories behind the artwork.
Admission is free, and everyone is welcome to attend.
Voyageurs National Park has released a Floodplain Statement of Findings for a proposed project to replace an aging underwater power line serving the Kettle Falls area.
The project would replace about 13 miles of electrical cable and transformer equipment that connects the mainland to facilities at Kettle Falls. Installed in 1987, the current system is reaching the end of its service life and has raised reliability and safety concerns. The line provides electricity to the historic Kettle Falls Hotel and other visitor facilities.
The National Park Service says the project would move electrical components out of the floodplain to improve safety, reduce outages, and better protect park infrastructure.
The statement is available for public review through March 10th on the National Park Service planning website. Officials say the project is funded through the Great American Outdoors Act Legacy Restoration Fund and is intended to improve electrical service and the visitor experience at Kettle Falls.