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Brainerd / Baxter

Your Community, More Completely.

Sunday, September 27, 2026

Brainerd Public Utilities Commission Sept. 29 Baxter city job applications Sept. 30 Crossing Arts 8x8 deadline Oct. 1 Great Pumpkin Festival Oct. 3

Today in Brainerd / Baxter

Highway 210: The $46 million reconstruction remains in its 2026 railyard phase.

Brainerd: The preliminary 2027 city levy has been set at a maximum 9.9%, with council members indicating they expect to lower it before final adoption.

Baxter: The city held another 2027 budget work session Sept. 21, with final budget and levy action still ahead.

Schools: Brainerd Public Schools is asking voters to consider a $5 million-per-year operating levy for 10 years.

Community: The Lakes Area Food Shelf's Baxter location and Brainerd meal programs continue serving residents.

Sports: Brainerd football beat Sartell-St. Stephen 35-28 and is 4-0.

City, Roads & Infrastructure

Brainerd / Baxter

Highway 210 reconstruction remains in the 2026 railyard phase

MnDOT's two-year Washington Street/Highway 210 reconstruction is continuing through Brainerd, with work spanning from Baxter Drive to Pine Shores Road.

The $46 million project includes roadway reconstruction or resurfacing, curbs, storm sewer, signals, utility work, pedestrian improvements, trail connections and changes at Highway 25/Mill Avenue.

The 2026 schedule lists the east segment for spring through fall, the mall segment from May 18 to mid-September and the railyard segment from August 10 through fall. Downtown, bridge and west-segment work is scheduled for 2027.

Sources: MnDOT Highway 210 project · Drive 210 business and construction updates

Big number

$46M

MnDOT construction cost for the Highway 210 project

Project timeline

Highway 210

Spring 2026
East work begins

May 18
Mall segment begins

Aug. 10 to fall
Railyard phase

2027
Downtown, bridge and west phases

Baxter

Lower public-transit fares are now in effect for trips starting in Baxter

Brainerd & Crow Wing Public Transit lowered fares for trips originating in Baxter effective September 21.

Advance reservations now cost $3 and same-day reservations cost $5, matching the fare structure for trips originating in Brainerd.

Source: Brainerd & Crow Wing Public Transit notice

Brainerd

Preliminary 2027 city levy set at maximum 9.9%

Brainerd Dispatch reporting says the City Council set the preliminary 2027 levy at a maximum increase of 9.9% during its September 21 meeting.

The report says council members expect the final number to be lower when the levy is adopted at the end of the year. A preliminary levy can be reduced before final adoption.

Source: Brainerd Dispatch reporting by Tim Speier, Sept. 23, summarized on Muck Rack

Brainerd

Public Utilities Commission meets Tuesday

The Brainerd Public Utilities Commission is scheduled to meet Tuesday, September 29 at 9 a.m.

Source: City of Brainerd calendar

Business & Commercial Development

Brainerd

Drive 210 keeps business access visible during construction

The Brainerd Lakes Chamber's Drive 210 project continues to publish construction updates and business-support information during the Highway 210 reconstruction.

The site emphasizes that businesses remain open during construction and offers marketing materials, project contacts and construction-support resources for businesses along the corridor.

Source: Drive 210

Baxter

City-owned industrial land remains available in Baxter Industrial Park

Baxter says city property remains available in Phase III of the Baxter Industrial Park, with lots of varying sizes and dimensions.

The industrial park has full utilities, all-weather nine-ton roads, storm sewer and a signalized connection to Highway 371 through College Road.

Source: City of Baxter Industrial Park

Local jobs

Baxter has public works openings closing September 30

The City of Baxter is accepting applications for a full-time Public Works Maintenance II position through September 30 at 4:30 p.m. The listed pay range is $28.38 to $31.01 per hour.

The city is also accepting applications for seasonal streets and utilities maintenance through September 30.

Source: City of Baxter employment opportunities

Schools

Brainerd Public Schools

District operating-levy question asks for $5 million a year for 10 years

Brainerd Public Schools has scheduled an operating-levy question for the November 3 ballot. The proposal would provide the district with $5 million annually for 10 years.

The district says the levy would support student safety and well-being, lower class sizes, K-6 math and reading instruction and college and career readiness.

The district estimates the tax impact at about $11 per month on a home valued at $375,000. If approved, the first funds would be available for the 2027-28 school year.

Source: Brainerd Public Schools 2026 Operating Referendum

Annual request

$5M

per year for 10 years

District estimate

$11

per month on a $375,000 home

Labor

Teachers and food-service workers reach new contracts

The Brainerd Dispatch reported September 23 that the School Board ratified new contracts with the teachers union and food-service workers at its September 21 meeting.

The contracts cover July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2027. The Dispatch also reported that the board approved a 2026-28 interpreters contract, while educational assistants and nurses remained without a new agreement at the time of the report.

Source: Brainerd Dispatch Minute, Sept. 23

Baxter

Choose Kindness returns to Forestview on October 8

The Choose Kindness community event returns to Forestview Middle School in Baxter for a second year on Thursday, October 8 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.

Brainerd Public Schools says the event is organized with the Lions Club and other local organizations and will include activities focused on physical, mental and social-emotional wellness.

Source: Brainerd Public Schools, Sept. 21 news

Community & Faith

Baxter

Lakes Area Food Shelf serves residents from its new Baxter location

Lakes Area Food Shelf operates its Baxter market at 7837 Excelsior Road, a location that opened in April 2026.

Current hours are Tuesday 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., Wednesday 1 to 6 p.m. and Thursday 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. The Baxter site uses 20-minute shopping appointments and says eligible households do not need to provide documentation to visit.

The organization also continues to recruit volunteers for stocking, unloading food and assisting shoppers.

Sources: Lakes Area Food Shelf, get food · Volunteer information

Brainerd

Food assistance includes Salvation Army shelf and daily Sharing Bread meals

Lakes Area United Way's current resource list identifies two Brainerd food-access programs available during the week.

The Salvation Army food shelf at 208 South 5th Street is listed for Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 9 to 11:30 a.m. and 1 to 3 p.m. Sharing Bread Soup Kitchen at 923 Oak Street serves meals Monday through Saturday from 5 to 6 p.m. and Sundays from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m.

Source: Lakes Area United Way food resources, updated May 2026

Faith & community

St. Francis of Assisi celebration runs October 2 through 4

Brainerd Catholic has scheduled a three-day St. Francis of Assisi feast celebration beginning Friday, October 2.

Saturday includes a free-admission Oktoberfest celebration from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. with food, games, live music and fellowship, followed by a Transitus service. Sunday includes the Feast Day Mass and coffee and fellowship.

Source: Brainerd Catholic events

Arts & Community

Downtown Brainerd

Crossing Arts 8x8 fundraiser deadline arrives October 1

Artwork for The Crossing Arts Alliance's 8x8 Art Auction & Fundraiser is due back by October 1.

The work will be displayed October 13 through November 7, with online bidding scheduled to begin October 18. Proceeds support Crossing Arts programming in the Brainerd Lakes Area.

Source: The Crossing Arts Alliance

Youth arts

Teen and tween studio nights are back for the school year

The Crossing Arts has resumed its donation-based Teen/Tween Studio Nights for students in grades 5 through 12.

The program began September 17 and is scheduled to continue on school nights through May 2027, generally with arrival and snacks from 3:30 to 4 p.m. and art projects from 4 to 5:30 p.m.

Source: The Crossing Arts youth education

Brainerd

Great Pumpkin Festival returns to Memorial Park October 3

Brainerd Parks and Recreation has scheduled the Great Pumpkin Festival for Saturday, October 3 from 1 to 4 p.m. at Memorial Park.

Activities include races, pumpkin painting, a coloring contest, pie eating, a bouncy house, a hayride and petting zoo. More than 300 donated pumpkins will be sold as a fundraiser for the Brainerd High School band.

Source: City of Brainerd Great Pumpkin Festival

This Week in Brainerd / Baxter

Tue. Sept. 29

Brainerd Public Utilities Commission

9 a.m.

Wed. Sept. 30

Baxter Public Works job application deadline

4:30 p.m.

Wed. Sept. 30

CLC volleyball vs. St. Cloud Technical & Community College

6:30 p.m.

Thu. Oct. 1

Crossing Arts 8x8 artwork due

Deadline

Fri. Oct. 2

Brainerd football vs. Bemidji

7 p.m.

Fri. Oct. 2

St. Francis of Assisi celebration begins

7 p.m.

Sat. Oct. 3

Great Pumpkin Festival, Memorial Park

1 to 4 p.m.

Sat. Oct. 3

St. Francis Oktoberfest celebration

4:30 to 6:30 p.m.

Public Safety & Weather

Brainerd

New weather radar fills a low-level coverage gap

A new Climavision weather radar was installed in Brainerd in mid-September through a partnership that includes Brainerd Public Utilities.

MPR News reported that the system is intended to supplement the National Weather Service radar network by improving visibility into lower levels of the atmosphere where distance and the Earth's curvature can limit traditional radar coverage.

Grant County later reported that National Weather Service offices now have access to data from the new Brainerd X-band radar.

Sources: MPR News · Grant County radar update

Courts

Brainerd man faces felony charges after September 9 bar incident

Brainerd Dispatch reporting says a 39-year-old Brainerd man was arrested after an alleged fight at CC's Bar on September 9.

He was charged in Crow Wing County District Court with felony assault, domestic assault and threats of violence, along with other counts. The charges are allegations and have not been adjudicated.

Source: Brainerd Dispatch reporting by Tim Speier, summarized on Muck Rack

Sports

Football · Final · Sept. 25

Brainerd35

Sartell-St. Stephen28

Warriors football

Overall record4-0

NextBemidji, Oct. 2

Source: MaxPreps Brainerd football schedule

Still Developing

Open stories stay visible until the unresolved question is answered.

Open

Highway 210 reconstruction

Current phase: 2026 railyard work

Construction remains active through Brainerd, with the next major set of downtown, bridge and west-segment work scheduled for 2027.

Still unresolved: Ongoing traffic changes, business-access impacts and completion of the 2026 work segments.

MnDOT · Drive 210

Pending decision

Brainerd 2027 city levy

Last confirmed movement: Sept. 21

The City Council set the preliminary levy at a maximum 9.9% increase.

Still unresolved: The final levy amount to be adopted at year end.

Brainerd Dispatch reporting

Awaiting records

Baxter 2027 budget and levy

Last confirmed movement: Sept. 21 special budget meeting

Baxter held special budget meetings September 9 and September 21 as part of its annual budget process.

Still unresolved: The city's published preliminary 2027 budget and levy figures and subsequent final action.

Baxter meeting calendar · Baxter budget process

Open

Remaining Brainerd school labor agreements

Last confirmed movement: Sept. 21

The School Board ratified teacher, food-service and interpreter agreements.

Still unresolved: Agreements for educational assistants and nurses, which Brainerd Dispatch reported were still unsettled at the time.

Brainerd Dispatch Minute

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