The Tribune

Community Focus

More Than Just a Hunt: Making Memories During Minnesota's Youth...

October 13, 2026

By: Samantha Alme There's something special about fall in northwest Minnesota. The leaves are changing colors, the mornings have a familiar chill, the combines are busy in...

Massive tanks, as they were parked in Williams over the weekend. The huge tanks were only to travel overnight and had to be parked during the day.

Massive Tanks Make Their Way Through Northwest Minnesota on Journey...

October 13, 2026

Massive Tanks Make Their Way Through Northwest Minnesota on Journey to ArgentinaBy: Samantha Alme It's not every day that something traveling down...

Small Acts of Respect: Remembering Those Who Serve

October 8, 2026

In a small community, traditions have a way of bringing people together.They can be as simple as wearing a certain color on Friday, removing a cap before a football game or...

FALL TURKEY AND PHEASANT SEASONS BEGIN SOON

October 7, 2026

Minnesota upland bird hunters have two seasons to look forward to: fallturkey and pheasant.Fall turkey hunting season, open Saturday, Oct. 3 through Sunday, Nov.1, offers...

2026 Badger School Homecoming Court: Junior Attendants Ava Warne & Asher Clark, Senior Candidates Avearah Hanson & Keegan VonEnde, Queen Katelyn Gust & King Payton Gust, Senior Candidates Adysen Gregerson & Austin Przekwas, Sophomore Attendants Kiley Streich (not pictured Wyatt Peterson), and Freshman Attendants Briar Williams and Ameerah Church.

School Spirit Shines as Badger and GMR Celebrate Homecoming

October 6, 2026

Samantha Almesamantha.tribunepaper@gmail.comThere was plenty of school spirit in the air last week as Badger and Greenbush-Middle River Schools...

Members of the Karlstad Lions Club celebrated 75 anniversary.

Karlstad Milestone Offers Reminder of the Power of Community Service

September 30, 2026

By: Samantha Alme When members of the Greenbush-Badger Lions recently joined the Karlstad Lions in celebrating their 75th anniversary, it was an...

Avearah Hanson & Charlotte Lane survey drivers for FCCLA seatbelt safety day.

Badger FCCLA Puts Seatbelt Safety in the Spotlight

September 30, 2026

Samantha Almesamantha.tribunepaper@gmail.comBadger FCCLA members are once again doing their part to remind their classmates and community members...

Badger FCCLA Puts Seatbelt Safety in the Spotlight

September 30, 2026

By: Samantha Alme Badger FCCLA members are once again doing their part to remind their classmates and community members that one simple click can make a big difference.The...

Don’t Skip This Question on Your November Ballot

September 24, 2026

By: Samantha AlmeWhen local voters head to the polls on Tuesday, Nov. 3, they will have plenty of choices to make.There will be candidates for federal, state and local...

Progress on the Lil Chompers Childcare Center.

From Dream to Doorways: Lil’ Chompers Takes Shape in Greenbush

September 23, 2026

By: Samantha AlmeFor years, Lil’ Chompers Child Care existed largely as an idea—a need recognized by local families, a collection of plans,...

That means the impact of the project could reach far beyond the children who walk through its doors each morning.
Reliable child care allows parents to work, helps local businesses retain employees and gives young families another reason to put down roots in a rural community. LifeCare Medical Center President and CEO Keith Okeson highlighted that connection when LifeCare contributed $25,000 to the project in 2025, pointing to reliable child care as important to both families and the economic stability of the community.
Lil’ Chompers leaders have also envisioned the facility as something more than a place where children spend the day.
Its location near LifeCare Greenbush Manor opens the door for intergenerational programming that will bring some of the community’s youngest and oldest residents together.
“We are taking an intergenerational approach,” Lil’ Chompers President Karen Dvergsten told the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development, explaining that the neighboring facilities will allow children and Greenbush Manor residents to learn and interact together.
Those interactions could ultimately become one of the most special pieces of the project—giving children additional adults to learn from and build relationships with while giving Manor residents regular opportunities to connect with little ones growing up in their community.
Lil’ Chompers has already demonstrated that its vision extends beyond the walls of the future center. This summer, the organization hosted a free Dollipops children’s concert at Legion Park, an event made possible through Northwest Minnesota Arts Council funding and open to families throughout the community.
Getting to this point, however, has taken years of persistence.
The project has been supported through a combination of government funding, grants, donations, fundraising and community support. Earlier this year, Lil’ Chompers reported securing $1 million in congressional funding and $240,000 through the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development, in addition to private donations and grants.
In February, the project reached another major milestone when construction bids were opened. Months later, construction equipment is on site and what once existed on architectural drawings is becoming something families can actually see.
There is still work ahead. Roof trusses, sheathing, roofing, windows and exterior finishes remain among the work underway or approaching. The Sept. 15 construction report also notes preparations for mechanical and electrical work, exterior lighting and the eventual installation of the facility’s propane tank.
But for a project that began years ago with a group of people recognizing a need, each new wall represents progress.
Child care may happen inside a classroom, but its effects ripple throughout an entire community. It can mean a parent accepting a job instead of turning one down because care isn’t available. It can mean a family deciding they can stay in their hometown. It can mean children beginning school already connected to their community—and, through Lil’ Chompers’ plans for intergenerational programming, perhaps making a few unlikely friends along the way.
For Greenbush, the wooden framework rising from the construction site represents more than another new building.
It represents an investment in the people who will fill it—and in the future of the community they will call home.

A Final Salute: AJ Pulczinski’s Honor Flight Experience Inspires...

September 22, 2026

By: Samantha AlmeFor Adrian Joseph “AJ” Pulczinski, service to country was more than a chapter in his life story. It was something he carried with...

Low water levels create challenges for boat launching, retrieval

September 10, 2026

Minnesota DNRThe Minnesota Department of Natural Resources advises boaters to take extra care at public water access sites throughout Minnesota, where ongoing drought...

Aric Berg and Troy Hanson were among those who took part in the Prayer Zone Tour, traveling across Minnesota to pray over schools, students and staff.

Miles, Motorcycles and Prayer: Local riders take part in statewide...

September 9, 2026

A motorcycle, an open road and a simple mission brought together more than 30 riders from across Minnesota this summer as they set out to offer...

Red River Watershed Management Board Celebrates 50 Years Of Water...

September 9, 2026

The Red River Watershed Management Board (RRWMB) is celebrating its 50th Anniversary this month. The RRWMB was formed by the Minnesota legislature in 1976, and the...

Help Minnesota’s state tree grow

September 6, 2026

Minnesota DNRDNR seeks red pine cone collectors ahead of anticipated bumper cropThe Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is asking the public for help collecting red...

Harry's House

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