By Mani Souphom – R & J Broadcasting, Inc. | Tuesday, February 17, 2026

Warroad’s annual Yeti-Fest is set for Saturday, March 14, offering a full day of end-of-winter fun and community fundraising. The event features a polar plunge benefiting Warroad Special Olympics, along with a 5K run and a variety of family-friendly activities.

Now in its 13th year, Yeti-Fest continues to draw strong local support. KQ92 and KRWB spoke with Warroad firefighter Damian McMillin about how the Fire Department prepares for the event and how they look forward to helping each year.

McMillin also outlined the department’s top priorities during Yeti-Fest, including safety planning, crowd support, and measures to keep participants comfortable in winter conditions.

For more information, including event details and registration, visit the Warroad Yeti-Fest Facebook page.

Warroad RiverPlace invites the public to a free reception and open house this Thursday, February 19, from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m., celebrating Nikki Besser’s exhibit Portrayals in Paper: Tales of Overcoming.

Through the intricate art form of paper quilling, which involves rolling, shaping, and arranging strips of paper, Besser’s large-scale works offer a unique and awe-inspiring experience. Her detailed portraits, often featuring birds and animals, invite viewers into imagined landscapes where reality and fantasy intertwine.

Guests can meet the artist, browse the exhibit, and enjoy light refreshments at this free event. The exhibit will remain on view through March 21, 2026, and is free to visit Tuesday to Saturday, 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

After the reception, stay for a concert by the acclaimed vocal duo Aria Nouveau at 7:30 p.m. presented by the Northern Lights Concert Association.For more information, visit warroadriverplace.org.

Temperatures are expected to remain in the double digits throughout the week, which means that now would be a good time to get outside, and enjoy the fresh air. If you want to get outside, but don’t know what you want to do, Connie Cox of Itasca State Park says they have plenty of recreational services available. 

Cox says now’s a good time to do some exploring in the park, as some animals are starting to come out for spring. 

You can go to the Itasca State Park Webpage on the Minnesota DNR website at dnr.state.mn.us for more information on park services and amenities.

The February 28 deadline to submit submissions for the Northwest Minnesota Art Council’s (NWMAC) Annual Exhibit is fast approaching, and area artists are encouraged to get their work submitted as soon as possible. NWMAC Executive Director Mara Hanel.

To submit a piece of artwork for the exhibit, go to the Northwest Minnesota Arts Council Website at northwestminnesotaartscouncil.org.

This week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed that they have cancelled about $38 million in public health investments for Minnesota. 

The terminated funding is from the Public Health Infrastructure Grant (PHIG), and is the latest development in the federal government’s ongoing campaign of retribution against Minnesota This five-year grant began in 2022 and was set to expire in 2027. Minnesota has been using the Public Health Infrastructure Grant to support critical public health infrastructure needs. 

Nationwide, 107 health departments across all 50 states received this funding, but only Minnesota and three other states are having these funds cancelled.

Late yesterday Attorney General Ellison joined the attorneys general from the other targeted states of California, Colorado and Illinois in filing a lawsuit.

CDC also cut about $250,000 in funds for the Core State Injury Prevention Program (SIPP), which supports public health infrastructure, data and partnerships to identify and respond to existing and emerging injury threats with data-driven public health actions. 

The Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources is now accepting applications for its Clean Water Fund Competitive Grants Program, with more than 6 million dollars in grants and up to 13 million in loans available to local governments.

Eligible applicants in Lake of the Woods and Roseau counties include soil and water conservation districts, watershed districts, counties and municipalities with approved water management plans.

Funding supports projects that protect or restore lakes, rivers, streams and drinking water sources.

The application window opens February 11 and closes March 25. Award announcements are expected this summer.

Details and the full request for proposals are available at the BWSR website.

Badger High School’s FCCLA program is celebrating a number of students who made it to the State competition for their hard work. Stacey Warne from Badger High School tells us that’s not the final step for the FCCLA program this year. 

Again, it’s the top two competitors in each category who qualify for the National Leadership Conference this July. 

Congratulations to all the Badger students who advanced, and best of luck at the state competitions.