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by Trinity Gruenberg trinity@inhnews.com The Wadena County Commissioners held their regular meeting on May 19. Comprehensive Plan Update Wadena County is updating its 2013 comprehensive plan, with early work highlighting concerns about taxes, land use, housing, and an aging population. Consultant Ben Oelson of Hometown Planning reported on initial public input and new data. Three meetings have been held so far: a joint session of the County Board and Planning Commission, a

The Wadena County Sheriff’s Office announced the deployment of a new Mobile Alert System in partnership with RAVE Mobile Safety to enhance emergency communication with residents. Residents of Wadena County are encouraged to sign up for emergency alerts through Smart911 by visiting: https://www.smart911.com/smart911/ref/login.action?pa=wadenaalerts. You can also search “Smart911/Wadena County” on any internet search engine. This new system will be used to deliver important

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According to court documents, several charges against Father Aaron Kuhn were recently upgraded to felonies. Kuhn served as pastor of St. John the Baptist, Bluffton; St. Ann, Wadena; St. Joseph, Bertha; St. Hubert, Blue Grass; Assumption of Our Lady, Menahga; St. Michael, Motley; and Sacred Heart, Staples. On March 11, 2026, Kuhn was charged with stalking, which allegedly occurred from September 2019 to October 2022. However, the specific details of the stalking incidents r

According to court documents, several charges against Father Aaron Kuhn were recently upgraded to felonies. He served as pastor of St. John the Baptist, Bluffton; St. Ann, Wadena; St. Joseph, Bertha; St. Hubert, Blue Grass; Assumption of Our Lady, Menahga; St. Michael, Motley; and Sacred Heart, Staples. On March 11, 2026, Kuhn was charged with stalking, which allegedly occurred from September 2019 to October 2022. However, the specific details of the stalking incidents rem

by Trinity Gruenberg trinity@inhnews.com The Wadena County Commissioners held their regular meeting on Tuesday, April 7. Zoom was shut down approximately 30 minutes into the meeting due to another hack of a pornographic nature. Jailer/Dispatchers Needed The Wadena County Commissioners decided to hire two more full-time jailer/dispatchers after a long discussion about problems with staffing, overtime costs, and safety at the county jail and dispatch center. Jail Administra

MnDOT hosted an open house on Tuesday, April 7, to inform the public about the upcoming construction scheduled for 2026 in Wadena. Crews plan to resume work on the east end of Highway 10 starting the week of Monday, April 13, weather permitting. As in the previous year, significant changes are expected throughout Wadena. Generally, each work zone will have one lane open in each direction, except during detours. Residents and travelers should be prepared for narrow lanes, la

The Minnesota Department of Transportation will host a project open house on Tuesday, April 7, from 4-6 p.m., to learn about 2026 construction on Highways 10, 29 and 71. The drop-in-style event will be held at the Maslowski Wellness and Research Center, 17 Fifth St. SW, Wadena. A formal presentation will not be given; guests stop by at their convenience. The MnDOT project team, along with the prime contractor, Mathiowetz Construction, will be available to answer questions a

by Trinity Gruenberg trinity@inhnews.com The Wadena County Commissioners held their regular meeting on March 17 at the Menahga Senior Center. The commissioners gave the go-ahead for Friendly Rider to start looking for bids on a new transit building. This is a big step in a project that has been talked about for a long time. Transit Director Randy Jahnke updated the commissioners on the project’s progress. The planning and designing stage is almost done, and a detailed plan

by Trinity Gruenberg trinity@inhnews.com The Wadena County Commissioners held their regular meeting on March 10. Commissioner Murlyn Kreklau attended via Zoom. Right-To-Farm Declaration Farm Bureau Representative Brian Roth told the board that commercial deer farms in Minnesota have sharply declined over the past decade, in part due to stricter rules tied to chronic wasting disease (CWD), including requirements for double fencing and limits on who farms can sell to. He argu