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Paulette P. Januszewski – Obit

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Paulette P. Januszewski, 78 of Erskine, MN passed away on Friday, October 1, 2021, at Essentia Health in Fargo, ND.

Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11 AM Friday, October 8, 2021, in St. Lawrence Catholic Church with Fr. Larry Delany in Mentor, MN. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service at the church. Burial will be held at St. Lawrence Cemetery near Mentor, MN.

Paulette Pearl Marie Fournier was born October 17, 1942 in Red Lake Falls, MN the daughter of Paul and Ida (Desrosier) Fournier. She was raised in Red Lake Falls and attended country school, graduating in the class of 1962, from Lafayette High School in Red Lake Falls, MN.

On July 20, 1963, Paulette was united in marriage to Stanley Paul Januszewski at St. Anthony Catholic Church in Terrebonne, MN. They settled on a farm near Erskine, MN where they raised seven children, Constance, Stanley Jr., Leon, Jerome, Bernadette, Andrew, and Michael. Paulette felt blessed to live independently on the farm until the summer of 2021 when she moved to Pioneer Memorial Care Center in Erskine.

In her earlier years, Paulette enjoyed knitting, sewing, gardening, canning, and raising her children. In her later years, she especially enjoyed reading and spending time with her family. Paulette was a planner, smart, organized, kind, and caring woman.
She was a member of St. Lawrence Catholic Church in Mentor, MN.

Survivors include her children, Stanley (Patty) Januszewski Jr., Leon Januszewski, Jerome (Teri Brault) Januszewski, Bernadette (Scott) Halmrast, Andrew Januszewski, and Michael Januszewski; several grandchildren and great-grandchildren; brother, Ron (Donna) Fournier; and many other family and friends.

She is preceded in death by her husband, Stanley in 1990; daughter, Constance “Connie” Brekke in 1988; parents, Paul and Ida Fournier; brother, John “Fred” Fournier, and an infant sister, Juliette Fournier.

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Facebook whistleblower testifies in Senate, warns that the platform can “harm children, stoke division and weaken our democracy”

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On Tuesday, Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen testified in front of the Senate, warning that the social media company has long known about misinformation and hate speech on the platform and negative impacts on young users. At the hearing, Haugen explained to a Senate commerce committee panel how she believes Facebook’s Instagram platform affects children negatively, saying during opening remarks: “I am here today because I believe that Facebook’s products harm children, stoke division and weaken our democracy. The company’s leadership knows how to make Facebook and Instagram safer but won’t make the necessary change because they have put their astronomical profits before people. Congressional action is needed. They won’t solve this crisis without your help.”  Haugen called on lawmakers to demand more transparency into the company’s algorithms and internal metrics to guide how to regulate the company, and took aim at Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, which protects platforms from legal liability for content posted by their users.

During her testimony, Haugen said the company’s systems for catching offending content such as hate speech catches “a very tiny minority of offending content.”  She also said the Facebook platform is being used by “authoritarian or terrorist based leaders” around the world, but despite the national security threat, she did not believe Facebook was adequately prepared to monitor and combat this behavior.

Monika Bickert, vice president of content policy at Facebook, said it was “not true” that the platform’s algorithms are designed to push inflammatory content, adding, “We do the opposite, in fact, and if you look in our transparency center, you can actually see that we demote, meaning we reduce the visibility of engagement bait, click bait, and why would we do that? One big reason is for the long-term health of our services, we want people to have a good experience.”

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President Biden hits the road to stump for $1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure plan

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President Joe Biden traveled to Michigan on Tuesday, warning that the United States risks losing its edge in the global economy if Congress doesn’t pass his twin economic packages. Biden hit the road again to stump for the $1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure plan, which has been stalled in the House by Democratic progressives who want to see a separate $3.5 trillion spending plan approved in Congress.

Biden said during remarks in Howell, Mich., after touring the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 324 training facility: “These bills are about competitiveness versus complacency. We risk losing our edge as a nation. Our infrastructure used to be the best in the world, literally, not figuratively. Today, according to the world economic forum, we rank 13th. … All those investments that fueled a strong economy, we’ve taken our foot off the gas. The world has taken notice, by the way, including our adversaries and now they’re closing the gap in a big way.”

The Senate has already passed the infrastructure bill, but the legislation has been slowed in the House by progressives who are using it as leverage for the larger spending package, which is part of Biden’s social and economic agenda. Democratic and Republican lawmakers in the House and Senate have voiced support for the infrastructure bill, but moderate Democrats such as Rep. Joe Manchin of West Virginia, have balked at the $3.5 trillion cost of the spending blueprint, which calls for the money to be spent on healthcare, education, climate change measures and other social programs.

Editorial credit: YASAMIN JAFARI TEHRANI / Shutterstock.com

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90-year-old William Shatner will launch into space with Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin on Oct. 12

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Jeff Bezos’ space travel company, Blue Origin, announced that “Star Trek” actor William Shatner will blast off from West Texas on Oct. 12. The 90-year-old Shatner tweeted: “Yes, it’s true; I’m going to be a ‘rocket man! It’s never too late to experience new things.” He added: “I’ve heard about space for a long time now. I’m taking the opportunity to see it for myself. What a miracle.”

Bezos, the founder of Amazon, invited Shatner to fly as its guest. At 90-years-old, Shatner will become the oldest person to go to space. He’ll join three others — two of them paying customers — aboard a Blue Origin capsule. The flight will last just 10 minutes and reach no higher than about 66 miles (106 kilometers). The capsule will parachute back to the desert floor, not far from where it took off.

This will be Blue Origin’s second launch of a crew. Bezos was on the debut flight July 20, taking along his brother, an 18-year-old from the Netherlands and 82-year-old aviation pioneer Wally Funk — the youngest and oldest at the time to fly in space.

Shatner played the role of the USS Enterprise’s commander Captain Kirk for three seasons on Star Trek, from 1966 to 1969. He also portrayed Kirk in seven movies. He’s currently the host and executive producer of a History Channel show, “The UnXplained.”

Editorial credit: DFree / Shutterstock.com

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Natalie Morales leaves NBC News after 22 years to join ‘The Talk’ as new co-host

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Natalie Morales is officially joining CBS’ daytime show “The Talk,” after announcing last week she was leaving NBC News after 22 years with the network. Morales will join the “The Talk” alongside hosts Akbar Gbajabiamila, Amanda Kloots, Jerry O’Connell and Sheryl Underwood. The addition of Morales follows several recent departures, including Sharon Osbourne and Elaine Welteroth.

The 49-year-old Morales, the West coast anchor of “Today” and “Dateline NBC” correspondent, said in a note to colleagues last week that she would be leaving the network in order to “pursue a new adventure.” She joined “Today” in 2006 and became the morning show’s news anchor five years later, replacing Ann Curry, who had been named to replace Meredith Vieira as a main anchor. Morales went on to anchor “Access Hollywood” and became West coast anchor for “Today.”

Morales said in a statement: “It’s an extraordinary opportunity to be joining this team at ‘The Talk.’ I love the new energy and direction and couldn’t be more excited to join Sheryl, Amanda, Jerry and Akbar. I’m looking forward to many good times while talking about the days’ topics, and I can’t wait to get going.”

Editorial credit: Kathy Hutchins / Shutterstock.com

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NORTHWEST MINNESOTA ARTS COUNCIL ANNOUNCES NOV. 1 DEADLINE FOR ARTS GRANTS OF UP TO $10,000

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The Northwest Minnesota Arts Council is pleased to announce that applications are open for Arts Legacy and Arts Project grants. Arts Legacy grants of up to $10,000 and Arts Project grants of up to $3,000 have a November 1 deadline. 

Applications funded by the Northwest Minnesota Arts Council, through these important grant opportunities include festivals, community theatre projects, folk music entertainment, sponsorship of visual demonstrations, creative writing workshops, and many other activities that improve the quality of life of people in our communities.

Grants are awarded to nonprofit arts organizations, communities, schools, and other nonprofit organizations. Applications are being accepted from our seven-county Minnesota service areas including Kittson, Marshall, Norman, Pennington, Polk, Red Lake, and Roseau counties.

The Arts Legacy Grants is a main category for funding artistic activity within the seven-county service region. Funding for the grants comes from the Minnesota State Legislature through the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund of the Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment. These grants are a maximum of $10,000 with a required cash match. To apply, complete the Arts Legacy regular application.

Schools in our seven-county region can apply for an Artist Residency grant of $2,600 plus an additional $400 if the residency needs supplies. This application is streamlined and easy to complete especially if you use an artist from our teaching artist roster online. Our roster is a great resource to view artists available to teach in our area. To apply, complete the Arts Legacy school residency application.  

Arts Project Grants are used primarily for small budget arts projects and the sponsorship of performances of touring companies and artists. These grants are a maximum of $3,000 with a required cash match. These grants have substantially fewer reporting requirements than Legacy grants.

November 1 is also the yearly deadline for our Arts Project grant called Arts Equipment for Schools. This special grant allows schools to purchase artistic equipment for their art room, theater, band room, etc. Equipment that is used solely for the pursuit of arts like a kiln or theater lights, or a band instrument has a better chance of being funded. Grants of up to $3,000 are awarded a 25% cash match requirement.

To learn more about these grant programs and start an application visit www.NorthwestMinnesotaArtsCouncil.org. The grant application process is conveniently online and NWMAC’s Executive Director Mara Hanel can help walk you through the process of using the grants portal. You can also request a paper application or come, with an appointment, to our office in Warren, MN to fill out the paperwork at our grant writing station. Contact her at 218-745-8886 or director@nwartscouncil.org to learn more.

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UMC ENROLLMENT NUMBERS DOWN SLIGHTLY, PLANS IN PLACE TO INCREASE FUTURE ENROLLMENT

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The University of Minnesota Crookston released their official enrollment numbers for the 2021 Fall Semester. As of October 1, there are 621 students currently on campus, and 952 students enrolled with online programs. That is a total of 1,573 degree-seeking students.

On-campus enrollment for the fall is essentially the same as last year, as the number only dropped from 622 students to 621 students. Online enrollment, however, dropped by 160 students from 1,112 to 952 for this year. A big reason online enrollment is down, is because last year, UMC recorded the most online enrollments in the school’s history.

UMC Chancellor Mary Holz-Clause discussed why online enrollment may be down and said on-campus enrollment for the fall is also a little lower than UMC’s projections. “Last year was our all-time high for online students, and we think that’s because of COVID-19 and people deciding to go online instead of coming in person,” said Holz-Clause. “So, we’re down a little bit because of that, and then we’re also a little bit down with our projections for on-campus. It’s not necessarily that different from other places, and a lot of students have decided to go off into the workforce, and others are just Covid weary and our taking this year off.”

Holz-Clause also mentioned that UMC has already begun its strategy for recruitment next year and that the school is excited about getting it ramped up. “Our recruiters are working with the University of Minnesota Morris because we don’t compete with them for students,” said Holz-Clause. “By doing this, it has extended our reach into Wisconsin as well as into Iowa more because those are areas that Morris recruits pretty hard. Likewise, we are extended their reach into North Dakota and South Dakota, which are bigger markets for us. So, it’s really a great partnership.”

Holz-Clause says the admission fee during October is waived to encourage students to sign-up, and workshops regarding the 2022 FAFSA will also be held.

Holz-Clause also discussed that both on-campus students and online students are expected to have a COVID-19 Vaccination to attend UMC. “All these decisions that are being made are guided by science and medicine,” said Holz-Clause. “We ask all of our students by October 8 to let us know if they’ve received the vaccine or if they have a religious or medical reason not to.”

For a medical exemption, the student will need to have a signature from a medical provider. For a religious exemption, the student will need to fill out a form and have it notarized.

Holz-Clause also explained the decision to have all students (including online students) get vaccinated comes from the University of Minnesota and says science and medicine are the key factors in making the decision. “The decision was made at the University of Minnesota that regardless of what kind of student you are, that this was the best health advice,” said Holz-Clause. “So, all of our students are required to get the vaccine unless they have an exemption that would qualify.”

If a student fails to apply for an exemption or doesn’t get the COVID-19 vaccine by October 8, a hold will be put on their registration for next semester. Holz-Clause says there will be an extra month for students who intend to get vaccinated or apply for an exemption and missed the deadline because it’s essential for students to continue their education. “We know the value of a degree,” said Holz-Clause. “A bachelor’s degree is going to garner $2.8 million more than someone who doesn’t have one. Over two-thirds of job openings in the United States now require more than a High School Diploma. So, we’re there for our students and want to ensure they’re successful in completing their degrees.”

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Marne Thompson – Obit

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Marne Thompson of Red Lake Falls, MN passed away on Saturday, October 2, 2021 surrounded by his loving family at his Red Lake Falls home.

Memorial service will be held on Friday, October 8, 2021 at 11:00 AM at Bethany Lutheran Church in Red Lake Falls, MN with Reverend Jonathan Dodson officiating. Burial will be held at Oak Grove Cemetery, Red Lake Falls, MN. Visitation will be held on Thursday, 5 -8 PM with a 7:00 PM prayer service at Johnson Funeral Service in Red Lake Falls and also one hour prior to the service on Friday at the church.

Marne Theodore Thompson was born February 10, 1941, at Rainy River Ontario Canada son of Howard and Marion (Kolser) Thompson. He was raised there and attended school in Morson, Ontario until the age of 12 when he moved to Winnipeg where he finished high school. He attended 2 years of Manitoba University receiving a degree in architecture. During the two years at the University he played football. Marne walked the horses at the Assiniboia Downs horse track. He moved back to the Morson area where he worked at Dalseg Hardware Store and became manager.

On November 16, 1962 Marne was united in marriage to Shirley Nordin at the Little Village of Bergland. The first event held at the Trinity Lutheran Church was their wedding. The couple moved to Red Lake Falls in 1966 and purchased the Hunt Hardware which they owned and operated until their retirement in 2010. The 44 years they owned Thompson Hardware he was involved in the Volunteer Fire Department as volunteer and chief for many years, Oak Knolls Golf Course, the Red Lake Falls Sportsman, the Red Lake Falls Flying Club, Boy Scouts, Inter-County Board, was a member of Bethany Lutheran Church.

Marne enjoyed fishing, hunting, golfing, playing cards, cooking. Most of all he loved and cherished the time spent with his family.

Marne is survived by his loving wife of 58 years Shirley Thompson of Red Lake Falls, MN; children Deb Gagner of Red Lake Falls, MN and Jeff (Colleen) Thompson of Lynd, MN; grandchildren Aaron (Ashley) Gagner of Red Lake Falls, MN, Grant (Ashley) Gagner of Fargo, ND, Kristin (JJ) Hamre of Beltrami, MN, Jill (Aaron) Thibert of Red Lake Falls, MN, Jenna (Paul) Davenport of Madison, WI, Matthew Thompson of Lynd, MN, Zachary (Teegan) Thompson of Lynd, MN, Alexander Thompson of Lynd, MN: great-grandchildren Aadin, Adley, Ames, Lainey, Brooks, Nora, Harper, Lucy, Jackson, Sawyer, William, Ava, Harvey: sister Doris Mykatowich of Winnipeg, Canada.

Marne is preceded in death by his parents, brother Emmette, sister Ruth, Shirley’s parents Harry and Mabel, brother-in-law Larry, and sister-in-law JoAnn.

In Lieu of flowers memorials are suggested to the charity of your choice. Condolences may be sent at www.johnsonfuneralservice.com.

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Cynthia Jo Ross – Time of Service Announcement

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Cynthia Jo (Andringa) Ross, age 64, of Crookston, Minnesota, passed away peacefully at her home on Monday, October 4, 2021. 

A memorial service will be at 1:00 PM on Saturday, October 9, 2021, at the Wesley United Methodist Church in Crookston, with a time of gathering an hour prior.  Stenshoel Houske Funeral Home is assisting the family with arrangements.  

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