KAXE-FM (Grand Rapids, MN)

KAXE (91.7 FM) is a public radio station that is community licensed and serves various towns in Northern Minnesota, including Grand Rapids, Brainerd, Bemidji, Virginia, Chisholm, and Hibbing. The station features a variety of locally produced programs that include news, discussions, and music. KAXE is part of Ampers, a network of independent public radio stations in Minnesota, and is also affiliated with National Public Radio (NPR). Notably, it is the only full NPR member in Minnesota that does not belong to Minnesota Public Radio. In May 2005, KAXE relocated to a more spacious studio along the Mississippi River in Grand Rapids, having previously operated from Itasca Community College. The station also has two translators: one in Brainerd (K210DR 89.9 FM) and another in Ely (K280AT 103.9 FM). Since March 2012, KAXE has had a sister station, KBXE, which is licensed to Bagley. KBXE operates from studios located at 305 America Ave NW in Bemidji and broadcasts on 90.5 FM with a powerful 50,000 watt transmitter. Its broadcast tower is situated west of Bemidji, near Shevlin.

Local

English

Radio

Outlet metrics

Domain Authority

Ranking

Global

#724427

United States

#167225

Law and Government

#4934

Traffic sources

Monthly visitors

Articles

Air traffic overhaul obstacles

1 day ago | kaxe.org | Joel Rose

The fragile state of the U.S. air traffic control system was easy to see during the recent outages in Newark. But it will be a lot harder to make up for decades of underinvestment and other mistakes. Copyright 2025 NPR
Bemidji and Northern likely to face off in court over sewering lake

5 days ago | kaxe.org | Larissa Donovan
More Time Than Money: Resourcefulness and Creativity in the Kitchen

1 week ago | kaxe.org | Amy Thielen |Heidi Holtan

This week, Amy and Heidi meditate on the theme of "More Time Than Money" — a show about making do with resourcefulness and creativity. They'll talk about incredible recipes that take time and skill, but not necessarily a lot of money. Joining the dynamic duo is Amy's neighbor Bruce Engebretsen, who throws the best parties in the neighborhood, boasts an amazing backyard oven and is a master weaver.
2 dead after head-on crash south of Leech Lake; No bonding bill this year

1 week ago | kaxe.org | Chelsey Perkins |Megan Buffington |Larissa Donovan

Smart North offers no-cost, paid training with industry certifications for youth 16 and older and adult women, with additional support like child care and transportation. Canadian wildfire smoke began impacting Northeastern Minnesota Thursday morning, moving west over time. It will be joined by additional smoke from the northwest Saturday.
Cloquet PD asks public help in finding missing couple; Prosecutors drop assault and kidnapping charges against Iron Range Hells Angels

1 week ago | kaxe.org | Chelsey Perkins |Megan Buffington |Larissa Donovan
Engelmans restore family legacy at Kitchi Landing Resort in Pennington

1 week ago | kaxe.org | Larissa Donovan

PENNINGTON — On the banks of Kitchi Lake, the Engelmans have been hard at work restoring a family legacy. Val Engelman’s great-grandfather operated Hagen’s Resort in the 1940s, but over the generations, the resort changed ownership and names. That is until eight years ago, when the Engelmans stopped at the Kitchi Landing Resort, about 15 miles south of Blackduck, on a rainy day and found the former owners were looking to put it on the market. There was a picture of Val's great-grandpa on the wall.
Downtown Bemidji evacuated for gas leak; Wildfire burns in Boundary Waters

1 week ago | kaxe.org | Megan Buffington |Larissa Donovan

Wastewater and drinking water projects in Aitkin, Detroit Lakes, Eveleth, Crosby and Tower will protect public health and improve water quality. The Horse River Fire was estimated at 20-25 acres. Crews continue mop-up and repair work on the Brimson Complex fires, which are both nearly contained.
MN lawmakers agree on 2 new state symbols

1 week ago | kaxe.org | Larissa Donovan

ST. PAUL — State lawmakers may be seemingly deadlocked on the budget, but a bill proclaiming some new official state symbols is on its way to the Governor’s desk. Minnesota now officially has a state fossil in the giant beaver, which used to live in North American lakes and rivers during the last Ice Age. Science Museum of Minnesota paleontologist Nicole Dzenowski visited a Bemidji State University Beaver hockey game last year as part of the lobbying effort for the prehistoric rodent.
In a county that backed Trump, people depend on Medicaid and are conflicted about cuts

1 week ago | kaxe.org | Noam Levey

GLOBE, Ariz. — Like many residents of this copper-mining town in the mountains east of Phoenix, Debbie Cox knows plenty of people on Medicaid. Cox, who is a property manager at a real estate company in Globe, has tenants who rely on the safety-net program. And at the domestic violence shelter where she volunteers as president of the board, Cox said, staff always look to enroll women and their children if possible. But Cox, who is 65, has mixed feelings about Medicaid.
Bemidji Planned Parenthood clinic to close by July; USA Today readers rank Devil's Kettle Trail No. 1

1 week ago | kaxe.org | Larissa Donovan