Month: October 2020

The University of Minnesota Crookston received $1.35 million dollars of High Education Asset Preservation and Replacement (HEAPR) funding in a capital investment bonding bill signed Wednesday by Governor Tim Walz. The bonding bill includes $38.5 million worth of HEAPR improvements to the University of Minnesota system campuses, research and outreach centers and field stations.

UMC will utilize the funding for electrical and water main infrastructure upgrades on campus, exterior facade upgrades, fire suppression and code upgrades to Owen Hall. The commitment by Governor Tim Walz and Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan, the state legislature, and the University of Minnesota to UMC will make a lasting impact and improve iconic campus buildings so they can be available for future generations.

“The HEAPR funding allows us to make those needed improvements to provide our students and faculty with state-of-the art infrastructure that is needed to be world-class and provide our students with access to technologies and tools they need in today’s competitive marketplace,” said Mary Holz-Clause, chancellor of the University of Minnesota Crookston campus.

The capital investment bonding bill was passed during a four-day special session of the Minnesota legislature beginning Monday, October 12. In total, the bill includes over $104 million in funding for the University of Minnesota system. 

HEAPR funding is available to maximize the effectiveness and life of the University of Minnesota’s 29 million square feet of infrastructure. The University of Minnesota allocates HEAPR funding in four categories: health, safety and accessibility; building systems; utility infrastructure; and energy efficiency. 

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) reminds producers that the deadline to submit applications for disaster recovery assistance through the Wildfire and Hurricane Indemnity Program Plus (WHIP+) for 2018 and 2019 losses is Friday, Oct. 30. Additionally, USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) launched a new tool on farmers.gov to help producers with the application process.

“If you’re unsure of your eligibility, check out the new WHIP+ tool. Not only can this online tool help you determine eligibility, but it also connects you with local FSA staff to help you get your application started and submitted,” said FSA Administrator Richard Fordyce. “We know 2018 and 2019 had their share of natural disasters, and we encourage impacted producers to apply.”

The new tool documents information about a producer’s operation and helps USDA identify producers who may need more information about or assistance with the program application process. After the online survey is completed, the local FSA county office will follow up with producers who provide contact information.

The program compensates producers for losses due to hurricanes, floods, snowstorms, tornadoes, typhoons, volcanic activity, drought, excessive moisture, and wildfires occurring in calendar years 2018 and 2019.

Drought and excessive moisture were added as eligible losses for the program in March 2020. To date, FSA has received more than 145,000 applications for WHIP+ disaster assistance.

For more information or application assistance, visit farmers.gov WHIP+ webpage, or contact your local USDA Service Center. To locate your local FSA office, visit farmers.gov/service-center-locator.

In an effort to further prevent and control the spread of COVID-19, Mayor Brandon Bochenski has issued an emergency order requiring masks within buildings and property owned by the City of Grand Forks, to include City-owned busses. This Emergency order will go into effect Monday, October 26, at 6:00 AM.

“Tens of thousands of people will be moving through the Alerus Center with the election and early voting approaching next week. Having this additional safety measure in place to protect our vulnerable populations is necessary, ” said Mayor Bochenski.

“With COVID-19, it has always been my priority to be targeted in my approach and to protect our community’s most vulnerable populations. Since taking office in June I have strongly recommended masks usage and required the City of Grand Forks employees to wear face-coverings – we are now going one step further”, said Mayor Bochenski.

“While businesses and non-profit organizations are not subject to the terms and requirements in this executive order, I would like to see all business owners and nonprofits in Grand Forks adopt policies and procedures consistent with this order to further protect the community of Grand Forks”, said Mayor Bochenski.

“With the continued rise in COVID-19 cases in our county, our mitigation measures are important now more than ever; washing your hands, physical distancing, wearing a mask sanitizing frequently used surfaces, keeping social circles small, and limiting unnecessary exposure is crucial. I want to emphasize the need to be deliberate with our actions. This will help us slow the spread, keep our economy stable, and get us back”, said Mayor Bochenski.

COVID-19 testing, data, and resources information is available at www.grandforksgov.com/covid.

The Veden Center for Rural and Economic Development at the University of Minnesota Crookston is offering a free online class and technical assistance to Latino entrepreneurs and businesses through the Mano Amiga program.

The Mano Amiga program is made possible by a $100,000, one-year grant from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development (RD) agency. The Veden Center for Rural Economic Development works to increase employment and entrepreneurship opportunities among the growing Latino community in greater Minnesota.

The first online Mano Amiga Educational program is set to begin November 2. The cohort will include 10 people. It will provide an overview of business principles and will explore pathways toward starting a business or considering a career in business. The program will also focus on business development. The cohort will run for six weeks with future cohorts planned. To register for the Mano Amiga Educational program visit https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScb-q-XnKcEtYN8-ha2EO5-JNLuUT_Be-5PT9_n0bpX1kb9uA/viewform

Additionally, the Veden Center is offering the following no-cost technical assistance to Latino entrepreneurs and small businesses to help launch and grow their business.

Feasibility Analysis and Business Plan Development which includes analyzing the feasibility of a potential venture and creating a working business plan.

Computer, Software, and Point of Sale Assistance including basic assistance with computer software programs and guidance in identifying and implementing accounting and point of sale software.

Digital Marketing including search engine optimization (i.e. coming up first on Google), website development, and social media marketing.

Marketing Planning and Research which includes identifying target audiences/customers, researching competitors, developing an initial marketing strategy, and creating a long-term marketing plan.

Communication and Public Relations which includes translating materials from Spanish to English, and the initial creation of business and marketing materials such as flyers, brochures, etc.  

To inquire about technical assistance from the Veden Center visit https://docs.google.com/forms/d/10l5it_qae3EnFSr2nG5f-Cq_ukaVuGs0FE6j9r1zvcA/edit?ts=5f88596c&gxids=7757

The Veden Center for Rural Economic Development is a think tank dedicated to creating prosperity through innovative partnerships and the development of opportunities for the region.  Ongoing work includes thought leadership with a focus on rural America post COVID-19, bridging urban and rural business opportunities, incubation and acceleration services for veterans, new Americans, and economically disadvantaged populations, and creating new pathways for student success following their higher education experience.

For more information on the Veden Center and the Mano Amiga program visit here.

Crookston High School homecoming is tonight at 6 p.m. against Otter Tail Schedule. This afternoon the homecoming royalty and football players who had in-person learning today had a small parade. A video is below – 

The Casey’s General Store in Crookston is temporarily closed after a staff member tested positive for COVID-19.  The store closed Thursday and hasn’t scheduled a reopening date yet.  KROX reached out to Casey’s Corporate office and Katie Petru gave us the following information – 

At Casey’s, the health and wellbeing of team members and guests is our top priority. When we learned that a team member at this store tested positive for COVID-19, we immediately activated our response plan including temporarily closing the store and initiating a deep clean with a third-party cleaning provider. This was also the recommended guidance from the Department of Health and consistent with CDC guidelines. The store is temporarily closed and will reopen once the necessary cleaning is complete and we can ensure the safety and availability of Casey’s team members to support daily operations.

The Minnesota Department of Health is reporting 1,721 new cases of COVID-19, including 28 probable cases from antigen testing. The state is also reporting 13 additional deaths. There were 40 new cases in Polk County, a single-day high. The 1,693 confirmed cases were found in 26,343 completed tests for a positive rate of 6.4 percent. The 28 probable cases from the antigen tests were found in 399 completed tests for a positive rate of 7 percent.

Updated October 23, 2020
Updated daily at 11 a.m., with data current as of 4 p.m. the previous day.

Data is for cases that were tested and returned positive. All data is preliminary and may change as cases are investigated. Many data points are collected during case interviews. Data presented below is for all cases, regardless of interview status. Data for cases pending interview may be listed as “unknown/missing.”

The COVID-19 case definition was recently updated to include antigen testing. Previously, cases were only reported through polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing. Positive PCR test results are considered confirmed cases. Positive antigen test results are considered probable cases. Confirmed and probable cases are reported separately in the following areas:

• Newly reported cases
• Total approximate completed tests
• Total positive cases
• Total cases by county of residence

Death, hospitalization, demographic (age, gender, race), likely exposure, and residence type data combine PCR (confirmed) and antigen (probable) cases for an overall total.

All probable cases get the same public health follow up and recommendations as cases confirmed by PCR tests.

Other Statistics

• Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome In Children (MIS-C) Statistics
• Minnesota COVID-19 Public Dashboard
• Minnesota’s COVID-19 Response and Preparation Capacity
• Dial Back Dashboard
• CDC: Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Cases in the U.S.
• Minnesota COVID-19 Modeling

Data in the data tables is correct as of 11 a.m. daily. Dynamic images and maps will update shortly after 11 a.m. daily and will not work if your browser is in compatibility mode.