Smaller Communities

Becida

In Becida, the deer are so plentiful in the fall it is a favorite place for hunters. The Becida Community Church is only about three miles away. The small community is located in the northwestern part of the county at the junction of CSAHs 9 and 3.

Benedict

Benedict is an unincorporated community in Lakeport Township with several local businesses. The Paul Bunyan Snowmobile Trail skirts Benedict bringing winter business. Benedict is located on State Hwy. 200, southeast of Laporte.

DORSET

Dorset is home to several gift shops and restaurants. Dorset is also the home of First English Lutheran Church. The Heartland Trail is an attraction with horse stalls for public use, a park with a picnic area and shelter and a nature walk hiking trail. Dorset is located about a mile north of Hwy. 34 between Park Rapids and Nevis.

Emmaville

Emmaville, with a booming population in single digits, is welcoming clientele at the Emmaville Store. Emmaville is located on CSAH 4 northeast of Park Rapids.

Guthrie

A community center in Guthrie is located on the old school grounds. This center serves as a gathering place for community groups. Guthrie is located on CSAH 16 on the boundary between Guthrie and Hart Lake townships.

HUBBARD

The community of Hubbard is mostly residential, except for a fine eating establishment where those attending a play at the

Long Lake Theater can dine before taking in a play. Long Lake Theater draws in summer visitors from miles around. Hubbard is located at the south end of Long Lake on Hwy. 87.

Kabekona

Kabekona is located at the junction of state Highways 71 and 200 along the Kabekona River.

Lake George

Lake George is in a natural outdoor recreation area with two lakes on its doorstep. Unique seasonal and year-round businesses make up this active community, which has its own senior citizens group and garden club. Lake George has a post office, Senior Citizens Center, fire hall and a township hall. Many acres of stateowned forest land make Lake George a prime blueberry picking spot. Lake George is located on U.S. Hwy. 71, east of Itasca State Park.

LAPORTE

Laporte has a celebration on 4th of July weekend. Laporte is home to the Lakeport Fire Department and First Responders. Service organizations in Laporte include the Laporte-Benedict Lions Club, Laporte Book Club, Northwoods Writers and Laporte Comets 4-H Club. Laporte is located on Garfield Lake on State Hwy. 200.

NARY

Nary’s pride and joy is its community center, an old school complete with the original stage. The Helga Town Board renovated the building for residents to use, but the center has its own board in charge of scheduling and raising money to maintain the facility. It has kitchen facilities and houses a library. Nary is located in northeastern Hubbard County on CSAH 9.

Lakeport Fire and Rescue serves Laporte and rural area

Lakeport Fire and Rescue is dedicated to providing the best possible emergency response to rural communities in northeastern Hubbard County.

Beyond structural and wildland firefighting, they also provide ice rescue, vehicle extrication, search and rescue and hazmat services. They partner with Lakeport Emergency Medical Responders and work with Laporte’s school and community groups to provide fire prevention education.

The department serves a population of approximately 2,396 in Lakeport, Hart Lake, Guthrie and Hendrickson townships and the northern portion of Steamboat River Township in Hubbard County.

With a coverage area of 156 square miles, the department’s main fire hall is in Laporte with a substation in Hart Lake. They average about 50 calls per year and have mutual aid agreements with all the fire departments in Hubbard County, as well as the Bemidji, Cass Lake and Walker fire departments.

Kevin Day has served as Lakeport Fire Chief for five years, starting Jan. 1, 2018. The department’s 27 active firefighters are active in a number of community outreach programs. Officers include Assistant Chief Jim Day, five captains and five lieutenants, training officer Kasey Kampfer and secretary Jessica Howg.

This is a big year in Akeley with the State Hwy. 34 project scheduled to begin in mid-July and end in mid-October, as long as there aren’t any significant impacts to construction like extended periods of severe weather.

Three Stages

TJ Melcher is the communications and engagement spokesperson for Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) in Bemidji. He said that to lessen the overall impacts on motorists and businesses, the project will be constructed in three stages.

► Stage 1: Pleasant Ave. to Franklin Ave. closed for about 4-5 weeks for pave- ment replacement from Franklin Ave. to east of Scherer Ave.

► Stage 2: Graceson Ave. to Pleasant Ave. closed for about 5-6 weeks.

► Stage 3: Hillside Ave. to Graceson Ave. closed for about 5-6 weeks.

Once the project is underway, updates will be available at www.mndot.gov/d2/ projects/hwy34-akeley.

Safety Improvements

Melcher said the pavement width on Hwy. 34 will be reduced by approximately 30 feet.

“What we find with wide roads is that drivers typically drive faster than the posted speeds,” he said. “It also requires more time, effort and funding for things like construction, plowing and maintenance. Reducing the width of the road will not only help get motorists to drive slower through town, but it will also reduce costs, increase maintenance efficiencies and increase safety.

“Reducing the width also allows for the inclusion of boulevard spacing, which will move the sidewalks away from the driving surface and increase safety for pedestrians and bicyclists.”

In the two blocks between Hulet Ave. and Marie Ave./State Hwy. 64, the boulevards will include colored, decorative concrete. The rest will be grass.

Turning improvements will be made at the intersection with Hwy. 64.

Other Features

The project will also include resurfacing and sidewalk replacement between Hillside Ave. and Franklin Ave., resurfacing and sidewalk replacement.

“Along with replacing the sidewalks, we will install new sidewalks east of Marie Ave. to about Franklin Avenue,” he said.

The project also will include new highway lighting. Parking will be changed from diagonal to parallel parking.

Trees will be planted in the boulevard along the corridor in 2024.