The 17th Annual Veterans Appreciation Snowmobile Ride is Saturday January 31st in Grand Rapids. Roseau County Veteran Service Officer Marty Howes will be attending the event put on by the Minnesota Snowmobile Education and Advancement Fund and the Minnesota Snowmobilers association.

The snowmobile ride offers veterans and active-duty personnel a free day of riding with provided meals and lodging. Pre-registration is required for the event. Howes explains how the event works and how special it is for the Veterans participating.

You can see more about the snowmobile ride at their website at mseaf.org 

More from Marty Howes coming up next week with more of a recap of January for the Roseau County Veterans Service Office.

Congresswoman Michelle Fischbach says more than nine million dollars in federal funding is heading to Northwestern Minnesota, targeting key infrastructure needs across the Seventh Congressional District.

The funding will support eleven projects in multiple counties, with an emphasis on clean water systems, wastewater upgrades, public health protections, and advances in agriculture. Local officials say the investments will help replace aging infrastructure while supporting long-term economic stability in rural communities.

Fischbach said, “From ensuring clean drinking water to modernizing our wastewater systems and investing in the future of our agricultural workforce, these projects are vital to the long-term viability and growth of our rural communities.”

The funding was secured through the federal appropriations process, with Fischbach advocating for the projects to be included in major spending bills covering environmental programs and scientific development.

Her office says the projects were prioritized in both the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies bill, as well as the Commerce, Justice, and Science appropriations package—efforts aimed at returning federal tax dollars to the district and addressing local needs.