By: Graham Scher | R&J Broadcasting Inc.

Warroad, Minn — The Warroad Robotics team will be heading to the World Championships next week, where students will compete against top programs from around the world. Their robot — built, and programmed entirely by the team — has already proven itself through able to compete on the highest level of competition.

FRED Team Instructor Jeremy Culleton spoke with us about their bot named Baljeet and what changes the team has made to it since their last competition in St. Cloud.

For these students, months of problem-solving, late nights, and teamwork has paid off. Mentors say the experience builds skills that go far beyond the competition floor, and Culleton thinks the bot will have a team role at the World Championships

The FRED team heads to Texas next Monday for the World Championships, where they’ll face some of the best competition in the world. No matter how they place, they say the goal is to bring home something just as valuable — experience, lessons learned, and inspiration for the seasons ahead.

Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar is co-sponsoring bipartisan legislation to protect the state’s growing hemp industry from a possible federal crackdown. The Hemp Safety Enforcement Act, introduced with Kentucky Senator Rand Paul, would give states and Tribal governments the power to regulate hemp and hemp-derived products.

Klobuchar says Minnesota is a national leader in hemp and warns a federal ban could hurt farmers, brewers and small businesses. The bill would require states to set age limits and safety standards while banning synthetic cannabinoids and protecting interstate sales. Supporters say the measure would preserve consumer access and safeguard jobs tied to the multi-billion-dollar hemp market.