Latest news with #BeltramiCounty
Yahoo
4 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Stormwater infiltration basin project underway at Bemidji State
May 30—BEMIDJI — Anyone driving along Bemidji Avenue the past few days has been sure to notice the large-scale project underway near Bemidji State's John Glas Fieldhouse. In 2023, the Minnesota Board of Soil and Water Resources awarded the Beltrami County Soil and Water Conservation District a Clean Water Fund grant for $228,300 to support a stormwater project that would further protect Lake Bemidji. Now, the project is in the construction stage, and the field adjacent to the John Glas is the backdrop. The project is a joint effort between the city of Bemidji, BSU and Beltrami County's SWCD to improve the area's water basin. This improved water basin, situated under BSU's intramural ballfields along Bemidji Avenue, will filter and treat stormwater before it enters Lake Bemidji. It should also help alleviate flooding. "(The project will) keep an estimated 58 pounds of phosphorus and 22,841 pounds of total suspended solids out of the lake each year," according to the BSWR. "The planned subsurface stormwater treatment system will help the watershed partnership — comprised of Beltrami, Cass, Clearwater, Hubbard and Itasca Counties and SWCDs — accomplish 25% of its 224-pounds-a-year phosphorus reduction goal for Lake Bemidji." The SWCD also made $68,000 in Enbridge funds available to the BSU Sustainability Office for two related projects on campus — a stormwater retention basin on the site of a solar array, and a rain garden along Bemidji Avenue — which were both completed in 2024. The project utilizes space absorbed from the Oak Hall parking lot, from which 27 asphalt spaces were removed. The basin is designed to handle roughly 25% of the stormwater runoff from the lot. Even with the loss of spaces, Oak Hill remains the largest lot on campus, with 455 available parking spaces. According to the agreement approved by all sides, BSU will monitor and maintain the water basin and rain garden for 10 years.
Yahoo
10-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Beltrami County Historical Society joins 2025 Blue Star Museums program
May 9—BEMIDJI — The Beltrami County Historical Society recently announced that it has joined the 2025 Blue Star Museums program, offering free admission to active-duty military personnel and families this summer. The program will start on Armed Forces Day on May 17 and end on Labor Day on Sept. 1. Blue Star Museums is a collaboration among the National Endowment for the Arts, Blue Star Families, the Department of Defense and more than 2,000 museums nationwide. The program honors the service and sacrifice of active-duty military families by providing meaningful opportunities to connect with cultural institutions during the summer, a release said. Although federal funding for the NEA has been discontinued, the Beltrami County Historical Society Board of Directors voted unanimously to continue forward with the program. Their decision reflects a strong local commitment to accessibility, cultural enrichment and honoring military families. "As the stewards of Beltrami County's stories, we are honored to welcome military families to explore the region's history through our exhibits and collections," Emily Thabes, executive director of the Beltrami County Historical Society, said in the release. "Our participation in the Blue Star Museums program is one way we can express our gratitude to those who serve and their families." To receive free admission, active-duty military personnel and up to five family members should present a valid military ID upon entry. Eligibility includes those currently serving in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard, as well as members of the National Guard, Reserves, the U.S. Public Health Commissioned Corps and the NOAA Commissioned Corps. For more information and a complete list of participating museums, visit Located in the historic 1912 Great Northern Depot in downtown Bemidji, the Beltrami County History Museum features exhibits spanning the area's history from its earliest natural and cultural beginnings to the present day. For local museum hours, current exhibits, and upcoming events, visit or call (218) 444-3376.
