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FRIDAY - JULY 30,  2010

MOTORISTS USING HIGHWAY 59 AND 92 IN RED LAKE AND POLK COUNTIES CAN EXPECT DELAYS

Motorists using State Highway 59 and State Highway 92 in Red Lake and Polk Counties can expect some minor traffic delays as maintenance crews begin work on August 2 to improve the road shoulders. Maintenance crews will be working on Highway 59 from Brooks to Plummer and on Highway 92 from the junction with Highway 32 to west of Gully. The work is expected to be complete by August 13, weather permitting.

CANADIAN MOTORCYCLISTS MAKE THERE WAY THROUGH CROOKSTON, EH?

Motorcyclists can be seen traveling through Crookston every day and often they are from Canada. Two couples stopped for breakfast recently at RBJ’s and talked about their journey.  "We are coming from a Wheatley, south of Windsor, Ontario and we are heading for a family reunion in Rose Valley, Saskatchewan where I was born and have not been back since," said George Christianson. "We are hoping about a 100 people will be there, so we are taking the scenic side on the United States side and go back on the Canadian side, 3-4 days in the U.S. and a day longer going home."
Rain slowed them down for a day but otherwise they have had no problems and are enjoying the scenery as they journey for the first time through the states.
Shortly after they left on their way 3 couples pulled up in their motorcycles from Quebec.

BREAST FEEDING AWARENESS MONTH

Polk County WIC promotes a community supportive of breastfeeding during Minnesota Breastfeeding Awareness Month Recent study shows that recommended level of breastfeeding could save $13 billion per year in U.S.  August is Minnesota Breastfeeding Awareness Month, in conjunction with World Breastfeeding Week, Aug. 1-7. In honor of this observance, the Polk County WIC program and other organizations throughout the world are working to increase awareness of and support for breastfeeding.  The importance of breastfeeding for both mother and baby has been well established in numerous studies. One of the latest studies, published in the May 2010 issue of Pediatrics, shows that breastfeeding can also significantly reduce health care costs and prevent deaths.  According to the authors of The Burden of Suboptimal Breastfeeding in the United States, "If 90 percent of U.S. families could comply with medical recommendations to breastfeed exclusively for six months, the United States would save $13 billion per year and prevent an excess 911 deaths, nearly all of which would be infants." 
Women face many barriers that can keep them from breastfeeding to recommended levels. That is why the Polk County WIC program is working to spread the word that everybody has a role in supporting breastfeeding. "It is important for everyone in the community to support breastfeeding," said Tammy Conn, Breastfeeding Coordinator and Certified Lactation Counselor, of the Polk County WIC program. "This includes families, friends, employers, child care providers, the health care system, faith communities and many others." 

"Breastfeeding Just 10 steps! The Baby-Friendly Way" is this year’s worldwide breastfeeding theme. It was chosen to draw attention to the 10 steps that help support breastfeeding in hospitals. These ten steps can be adapted to clinics, public health agencies, and other settings. The ten steps are: 
1. Have a written breastfeeding policy that is routinely communicated to all health care staff. 
2. Train all health care staff in skills necessary to implement this policy. 
3. Inform all pregnant women about the benefits and management of breastfeeding. 
4. Help mothers initiate breastfeeding within a half-hour of birth. 
5. Show mothers how to breastfeed and how to maintain lactation, even if they should be separated from their infants. 
6. Give newborn infants no food or drink other than breast milk unless medically indicated. 
7. Practice rooming-in—allowing mothers and infants to remain together for 24 hours a day. 
8. Encourage breastfeeding on demand. 
9. Give no artificial teats or pacifiers (also called dummies or soothers) to breastfeeding infants.
10. Foster the establishment of breastfeeding support groups and refer mothers to them on discharge from the hospital or clinic. 

"There are many simple things, like these ten steps, that we can do to support breastfeeding women, infants and families in our community," said Sheri Altepeter, Director of Polk County Public Health. "If we all work together, we can improve the health of our babies and mothers and also save health care costs and lives." 

To celebrate World Breastfeeding Week, the local Crookston breastfeeding support group, Mama’s Milk Connection, will sponsor a Potluck dinner at Carman Park, in Crookston, Thursday August 5th, 6:00 p.m. All who promote, protect and support breastfeeding are invited. For more information about World Breastfeeding Week, visit http://www.worldbreastfeedingweek.org.  For more information about WIC and/or Breastfeeding, please call Polk County WIC at 218-281-1673

THURSDAY - JULY 29,  2010

WEDNESDAY - JULY 28,  2010

TEN GIRLS TO COMPETE IN THE 2010 MISS CROOKSTON PAGEANT 

Ten girls will be competing in the 2010 Miss Crookston Scholarship Pageant, with the theme of Miss Crookston Celebrates, in the Crookston High School Auditorium on Friday, August 20 at 7:00 p.m.  Ticket for the pageant will go on sale Tuesday, August 17 at Noon.  Tickets will be $8.00 a piece with a limit of six tickets per person.  The contestants, talent and sponsors are listed below.

POLK COUNTY COMMISSIONERS FINALIZE WAYNE HOTEL DEMOLITION AGREEMENT WITH WSN

The Polk County Commissioners met on Tuesday and finalized an agreement with Widseth Smith Nolting  as the engineering firm for the demolition of the Wayne Hotel.  “We made an agreement with WSN as they were the low bidder for the demolition at $14,7000 and the other two from Grand Forks were $18,000 and $18,200,” said Polk County Commissioner Craig Buness.  “We are moving ahead and should see some work starting soon as the goal is get it down this fall and it doesn’t appear to be anything to slow it down.”   

Two county departments have had resignations, one will be filled and the other job is being evaluated before any action will be taken. “We have one who left in the auditor treasurers office for another job so we are going to evaluate that  and discuss it next week,” said Buness.  “We had a public health nurse who left for a job in Grand Forks and we will replace  her as we are already one position short in the public health office.”
Commissioners were asked to replace two county employees who are leaving for other positions.

PIRATE BOYS HOCKEY LOCKER ROOM AT THE CSC IS NEAR COMPLETION

The Pirate boys hockey locker room at the Crookston Sports Center has a new look after many people stepped up with donations for the lockers and locker room.  “It is a tribute to all the alumni, friends, families and coaches families of all the Pirates and Blue Wave so we are calling it the Alumni Blue Wave and Pirate locker room,” said Pirate Boys Hockey Coach Jon Bittner. “People of the past have given their energy and dollars so that the current and future players have a home and sanctuary that will be good for instruction,  storage of equipment, community activities as well as practice and games.”  
Many folks were involved in the locker room project.  “They helped in the electrical side, tore out walls, put in walls, Dale Stainbrook did some painting, Tim Palmer was involved, Dakota TV, H and N Quality Plumbing, Chris Luckow with some flooring, and Mickey Buttenhoff with Gold Star Cleaning and Carpeting,” said Bittner.  “We had an outfit from  Lansing, Michigan do the lockers and we made some friends while they were here and loved what they were doing.” 
Work on the locker room is near completion. “We have some contacts to make and money to collect as it is difficult to collect during the summer when people are not thinking about hockey, we will contact former alums and we are keeping a record of everything of the people involved,” said Bittner. “We will put pictures above the locker that they supported, names on plaques and when they played and the present players when they leave will put their picture inside the locker so we will have a running record of who has sat in those lockers, so we will have the past, present and future.”  An open house is planned for the donors, school board, park and recreation, and city council. 
Tim Persson, Pirate Girls Hockey Coach and owner of Northern Lumber in Crookston, is working on the girls locker room.  “It will be a real home for the kids, because with the many activities, extended ice time, football and soccer practices and the training center with RiverView,” said Bittner. “It will be a very active facility and a good addition to our community.”

  The new carpeting that was recently installed at the locker room     A view of the carpet and lockers in the boys hockey locker room

The big flat screen TV that was recently installed in the locker room

CROOKSTON GUN CLUB TRAP LEAGUE WRAPS UP SEASON WITH THE CITY SHOOT

The Crookston Gun Club Trap League wound up the season with the city shoot on Monday and a steak fry hosted by President T.J. LaPlante,  Secretary Wayne Swanson and Director Bill Amiot.  The 2010 League results are as follows:

Trap League Teams:
First Place….I.C. Muggs (T.J. LaPlante,  Colin Wedwick, Bryce Tiedemann, Blake Royal, Aymie Oliver-Wedwick and Lonnie Greenlee)
Second Place….The Orphans (Al Steinhauer, Dominick Steinhauer, Jason Batko, Ike Harrington, Ken Stromberg and Chris Haugen)
Third Place:   Swanson Law (Wayne Swanson, Mike Schulz, Jake Quern, Justin Jerde, Tom Tester and Bill  Dalrumple)

Individual  Honors:   
High Gun actual First Place:  Colin Wedwick
Second Place:  Mike Schulz
Third Place:  Justin Jerde

High Gun Handicap: 
First Place, Wayne Swanson
Second Place,T.J. LaPlante
Third Place, Jason Batko.

City Shoot:  
First Place Team:  Tie between I. C. Muggs and The Orphans
High Gun Actual:  Colin Wedwick
High Gun Handicap:   Al Steinhauer

ROAD CONSTRUCTION TO START ON HIGHWAY 220 NORTH OF EAST GRAND FORKS TO HIGHWAY 1 AT ALVARADO

Motorists using Highway 220 north of East Grand Forks to Highway 1 at Alvarado will need to take a detour beginning Monday, August 2, as work gets underway to improve the condition and safety of the highway. Northbound traffic will be detoured east to Polk County Road 21 to Highway 75, then north on Highway 75 to Highway 1. Southbound traffic will follow the same detour reverse.
The detour is expected to be in place for approximately two weeks with the remainder of the work to be completed by early September. The 18 mile project consists of culvert replacements, lighting, bituminous milling, resurfacing and additional turn lanes. Access to residences and businesses will be maintained during construction. Local drivers are cautioned to be extremely careful in the construction zone. For more information on road conditions and construction statewide, click on www.511mn.org or call 511.

TUESDAY - JULY 27,  2010

CROOKSTON RECEIVES NINE MILLION DOLLARS FOR FLOOD PROJECT IN JEROME'S ADDITION

The city of Crookston received good news on Monday dealing with another step for their flood projects.  “We were informed that the amendment to our grant agreement for our flood projects today with $9 million to begin work in Jerome’s Addition and we hope to have the contract out later this year,” said Crookston Community Development Coordinator Mike McDonald.  “This will be the last area to be done and work should start late fall or early spring and now we have several houses to be acquired.”  The work will begin on the south side of Highway 2 going through the middle of the former hockey arena down to Washington Avenue. 

Bids will be called for an awarded by the end of the year.  In other council action on Monday, they accepted a bid and awarded a contract for the Raw Water Line Relocation project along the reconstruction of Highway 2 east of Crookston.  “The city will be relocating their main water transmission line on the south side of the highway, we had ten bidders and we got some great numbers,” said Widseth Smith Nolting Engineer Rich Clausen.  “The engineers estimate was around $800,000 and the low bidder Spruce Valley Construction of Middle River came in at $575,653.60, the two low bidders were only $1,200 apart, Spruce Valley should start in 2-3 weeks and be completed by September 15.”

CROOKSTON SCHOOL BOARD TO BORROW 4.1 MILLION DOLLARS AND TABLES TITLE FUNDING UNTIL NEXT MEETING

The Crookston School Board met in special session this morning and approved the sale of General Obligation Aid Anticipation Certificates of Indebtedness for $4.1 million.  “We increased to $4.1 compared to $3.7 last year,” said Superintendent Wayne Gilman.  “They are holding back 30 percent of our money and there is interest to pay so we have to borrow to meet cash flow needs.”

The title funding was tabled at the request of school board member Robin Brekken.  “The problem is that title funding did not come through at budgeting time and we did not have a motion to make changes," said Brekken.  It will remain as it until the next meeting, this would be an added expense and we cannot afford it.” Title funding will remain at $21,031.00 for 2010-2011 compared to over $80,000 for 2009-2010. 

A policy committee meeting was held after the school board meeting to discuss a transportation policy change.  “This is a safety concern as parents change arrangements on where their children will be dropped off after school, like at Washington alone there were 2,000 calls for changes last year on a daily or weekly basis,” said Gilman.  “We will have one pick up and drop off point with ten days notice,  this is for safety so the drivers know where the students are to go, this policy will be reviewed at the next school board meeting and put in the student handbook.”
Keith Bakken, school board member, said the school district bus system was a customized delivery service so changes are necessary.

WORLD FAMOUS BUDWEISER CLYDESDALES MAKE A STOP IN CROOKSTON

One of the three trailers used to transport the Clydesdales around the country parked in the back of the Red River Valley Shows Building

The World Famous Budweiser Clydesdale horses spent the night at the Red River Valley Shows on Monday evening.  The Clydesdales were on tour in Canada and were making their way back to their home in St. Louis, Missouri. The three trailers rolled in about 6 p.m. Monday and were unloaded.  There were ten horses and a Dalmatian.  “We are overnighting after a tour of Canada.  We have three trailers filled with the ten horses and the dog King,” said Mark Fisher, member of the Budweiser team.  “They have done well in the heat as there are windows in the trailers.  We get them unloaded fast so they can be fed and watered.”    The horses were reloaded early Tuesday morning and will continue their tour.  Lannis Bergsgaard, manager of the Red River Valley Shows facility was called about six weeks ago and informed that they were coming through, so he made arrangements for their stay.  Bergsgaard said the Budweiser team looked on an equine website and saw that Crookston had facilities to host their team and after talking to Bergsgaard they decided to stay in Crookston.  The hope in the future is that the Clydesdales will be able to come back to Crookston as they now know they have a place to stay, at the Valley Winter Shows Building.

      A Clydesdale gets a drink of water Monday evening      Another Clydesdale resting in his pen at the RRV Shows Building

One of the biggest Clydesdales enjoys the attention he received Monday night

TOM EMMER, REPUBLICAN CANDIDATE FOR GOVERNOR, MAKES A STOP IN CROOKSTON

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency was the hot topic at the listening session held by Republican candidate for Governor Tom Emmer in Crookston Monday afternoon.
Farmers and others complained about the long time it takes to get permits and the many agencies they have to deal with.  Farmers find duplication and believe the government gets in the way.  Emmer said  rules and mandates on such things as septic systems and closures for the transfer station and incinerator will be costly for local governments.  “This is mostly rules propagated from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and I do not agree with them.  I sat on a city council when we had the rule 7080 that applied to the septic systems in the state and then we had experimental systems where we had people show us through science that the system they were providing could work.  Now we have to  have the state approve the system,” said Emmer.  “They actually want authority to come on our property without permission and that is trespassing, government forget they work for the taxpayers, instead of the other way around.  I don’t like all the regulations for transfer stations and incinerators  which do nothing more than add cost to doing  business with the county.”
Emmer kept repeating that government was meant to serve the people and not to rule them.  Emmer said Local Government Aid (LGA) is not doing what it was supposed to do and there is a need to reform it.  “I want LGA reformed as when it was created it was for police, fire and essential services like infrastructure, not like in St. Paul where they used LGA to etch a poem in the sidewalk,” said Emmer.  “Most towns are not doing what it was intended to do.  I offered a bill earlier which would put LGA in a pool for the county and let them distribute back to the communities that need it and eventually let the local government keep the tax money instead of all taxes going to the state.”      
K-12 education is the biggest area to target according to Emmer who said it needs more than revamped funding.  “Greater Minnesota takes a hit in funding for schools.  Minneapolis gets $19,000 per child and Crookston gets $5,100 and that is wrong as all children should be treated equally,” said Emmer.  “That is wrong.  Crookston is doing better with the $5,100 as the drop-out rate in Minneapolis is almost 60 percent.  We must look at the delivery system and do it better.”
Emmer wants to resize government, spend less and eliminate duplication and added there are to many agencies when six cabinet type agencies could do the work.   Providing customer service should be the main idea for residents in developing relationships with the government.

POLK COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE LOOKING FOR ASSISTANCE IN IDENTIFYING A BURGLARY SUSPECT

The Polk County Sheriff's Office (PCSO) is requesting assistance in identifying a burglary suspect.  The burglary occurred at approximately 3:18 a.m. on July 12 at the Office Bar in McIntosh with approximately $900 in money and cigarettes stolen along with property damage was reported.  The suspect is a while male with a thin build, facial hair and has an earring in his left ear.  The suspect was caught on video surveillance, but hasn't been identified at this time.  The PCSO is asking the public to contact them if they have any information on the burglary or know the identity of the suspect by calling 218-281-0431.

The PCSO is investigating a second burglary that occurred at the Cenex in McIntosh on July 18 at 3:35 a.m.  Approximately $1,350 in money and cigarettes stolen along with property damage was reported.
It is not known at this time if the burglaries are related.

 

2010 SUMMIT CONNECTING AG TO BE IN CROOKSTON WEDNESDAY, JULY 28

Listening sessions related to the 2010 Summit Connecting Ag have been scheduled across Minnesota including one to be held at the University of Minnesota, Crookston (UMC). With job creation a priority for the state, these sessions will help design, develop, and create the future direction of agriculture. The session at UMC is scheduled from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday, July 28, 2010, in the Kiehle Auditorium.  Lunch will be provided, and the public is welcome. Attendees should register for the session online at www.2010summit.umn.edu/rsvp.htm. Participants will include representatives from all levels in education, agriculture, and related fields.
According to research completed by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, the agricultural, food, and renewable natural resources sectors of the U.S. economy will generate an estimated 54,400 annual openings for people with baccalaureate or higher degrees in food, renewable energy, and environmental specialties between 2010 and 2015. Session participants will discuss how Minnesota can take best advantage of this opportunity by discussing the following topics: who will fill these jobs, how can agriculture education best prepare students to compete for these jobs, and is Minnesota’s agriculture education community prepared to provide the necessary training.
Results of the eight listening sessions will be shared at a state-wide summit scheduled for December 2010 titled, "Connecting the Growth Opportunities in Agriculture."

RYDELL NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE TO SHOW A VIDEO ABOUT HUMMINGBIRDS ON SUNDAY

The public is invited to the Rydell National Wildlife Refuge to watch a video about hummingbirds on Sunday, August 1 at 2:00 p.m. Learn about these tiny birds and watch baby hummers grow and prepare to leave the nest. There will also be a demonstration about how to make your very own bird feeder and hummingbird food from scratch. Friends of Rydell Refuge gift shop will also be open; they have note pads, bird identification books, and bird houses available. For more information contact the Refuge at 800-841-0172.
The Rydell National Wildlife Refuge Visitor’s Center and Gift Shop are now open 10:00am- 6:00pm Wednesday through Sunday and 7:30am-4:00pm Monday and Tuesday. The refuge naturalist is available on site for interpretation, education, and refuge tours Wednesday through Sunday. The seven mile trail system is open sunrise to sunset each day. Rydell NWR is located 3 miles east of Mentor on U.S. highway 2, then south 2.5 miles on Polk County 210.

MONDAY - JULY 26,  2010