Today, Leech Lake is warning about an online ad that’s too good to be true. Then, what does it mean for a northern community to keep a local manufacturer? And, Minnesota schools set a new record, according to a newly released report.
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HOST: You're listening to North Star Stories: Voices from Where We Live, a daily newscast about what it means to live in Minnesota.
ANCHOR: Today, Leech Lake is warning about an online ad that's too good to be true. Then, what does it mean for a northern community to keep a local manufacturer? And, State schools set a new record, according to a newly released report. I'm Gracie J.
Fake advertisements claim Northern Lights Casino is offering $1,500 bonuses to Minnesota residents through a mobile app. The Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe says the social media ads are not real and have no connection to their casino or gaming operations. The Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe wants Minnesotans to know it doesn't offer online gambling through its Northern Lights casino. Residents are urged not to click suspicious links or download unknown apps.
Next, just months ago, Arctic Cat was bracing for deep cuts, with nearly 400 jobs on the line in May. Now, a familiar face is back at the helm, and the future is looking different. Xan Holston has more.
Xan Holston: The past couple of winters have brought little snow. The company's owner wanted a way out, and jobs, a lot of jobs were on the line. But in a radical turnaround, a rallying cry from the early 1980s is on people's lips again.
Randy Adamson: I know the whole community is glad to say the cat is back.
Xan Holston: Randy Adamson is a long time Arctic Cat aficionado. His father opened a dealership in the early 60s, which he took over and ran until a few years ago. He even worked at Arctic Cat straight out of college, but was laid off when the cat went away for a couple of years. The company filed for bankruptcy in 1981 before being revived in 1983. Now, like many in Thief River Falls, he's watching the company's fortunes turn once again.
Randy Adamson: We're glad that it's going to come back. I think we feel a little more security and a little more wanted.
Xan Holston: Arctic Cat, known for its snowmobiles and off-road vehicles, had been owned by Textron since 2017. But Adamson said the company never really connected with the Cat's culture.
Randy Adamson: Textron was not committed to the snowmobile line like the previous company was.
Xan Holston: Late last year, Textron laid off 65 workers, citing a downturn in sales worse. In February, it announced it would cease production at its Thief River Falls facility and lay off nearly 400 employees by the end of May. In late April, Textron sold Arctic Cat to a group led by Brad Darling, a former executive with deep ties to the brand. Darling is now serving as president and CEO, and he's wasting no time. Arctic Cat announced a 2026 line of snowmobiles, and the leadership says they're rehiring over 300 of those laid off employees.
Randy Adamson: I was using cautious optimism before this final ding, and now I'm very optimistic on the return of Arctic Cat.
Xan Holston: Thief River Falls Mayor Mike Lorenson says the town is breathing a little easier.
Mike Lorenson: It's tough to see an iconic name like that potentially disappear.
Xan Holston: Still, there are mixed emotions. Layoffs are still happening, and not everyone who lost jobs will be hired back. North Star Stories reached out to some long-time employees who declined to comment, citing non-disclosure agreements tied to their severance. Even so, Mayor Lorenson says the scale of reversal can't be ignored.
Mike Lorenson: It's significantly better than three, four hundred employees.
Xan Holston: Arctic Cat is just one of a handful of major employers in Thief River Falls, and when any of them waver, the entire community feels it.
Mike Lorenson: We treat them as one of our own, because they are. I mean, it's devastating if, if, who, if we lose a company of that size.
Xan Holston: Adamson agrees, Arctic Cat isn't just a business, it's part of the local identity, and with experienced hands back on the controls, he feels like the Cat is getting another life.
Randy Adamson: Walking down the street, everybody's a little more cheery there than they were two weeks ago. I tell you, for Arctic Cat enthusiasts, it's a great thing.
Xan Holston: For North Star Stories, I'm Xan Holston.
Anchor: You are listening to North Star Stories.
Minnesota is celebrating the largest high school graduation rate on record. Slightly more than 84 percent of the 2024 graduating class earned their diplomas. The newly released information from the state's Department of Education also shows the education gap is shrinking. Graduation rates increased for just about every racial and ethnic category. English language learners, low-income families, and special education students saw an increase in graduation rates as well. Nearly 60-thousand students graduated from Minnesota high schools last year.
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HOST: North Star Stories is produced by AMPERS, diverse radio for Minnesota's communities, with support from the McKnight Foundation and the State of Minnesota. Online at ampers dot org.