Plus: Bemidji State University celebrates an $8.1M gift from an alum's trust; and 40,000 seedlings are planted in forests burned last year by the Munger Shaw Fire.

Plus: Cougar kittens are captured in footage for the first time ever in Minnesota, first evidence of breeding population in a century; and Bemidji YMCA plans gain steam.

Plus: Cloquet-Esko-Carlton sports co-op to end; state grants to fund workforce development programs with Central Lakes College, Consolidated Equipment Group and Lexington Manufacturing; and Sec. of State Steve Simon to host elections town hall.

Plus: the federal government approved St. Louis County's public labor agreements for road and bridge projects; an additional 5,000 trees will be distributed in the ReForest Bemidji event; and four Northern Minnesota fire departments will host Women Explore Fire Day events on May 2, 2026.

Plus: Local and regional political organizers have been endorsing candidates for state and federal office; and a Hermantown speaker wins category while 22 other Northland speakers earned medals in state tourney.

This is the Up North Lookback, where we’re digging into the local news archives from 50 years ago — the year KAXE was born. It’s the week of April 27.

And: Experts say Minnesota has tools to counter growing wildfire risk.

Plus: Essentia Health recently broke ground on a $12 million expansion of the Fosston hospital's emergency room.

And: Minnesota Outdoors Recreation Industry Partnership will share economic impact report at Brainerd event Tuesday, April 28.

Plus: Bemidji Area Schools approved a 3-year teaching contract along with $2.7 million in staff reductions; Gov. Tim Walz signed the nursing home "happy hour" bill into law; and the Lakes Area Food Shelf opened a new location in Baxter.