Month: November 2021

Today, Governor Tim Walz announced an initial lineup of Minnesota experiences that will be awarded to winners of the weekly drawings for the ‘Kids Deserve a Shot’ vaccine incentives campaign. Minnesota experiences were donated from some of the biggest names in the sports and entertainment industries to encourage Minnesotans ages 12-17 to roll up their sleeves and get fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

“It takes all of us to fight COVID-19, and every shot in the arm is critical to curbing the spread and saving lives,” said Governor Walz. “We need all Minnesotans 12-17 to join us. From first pitch to First Ave, you can win an amazing experience for simply getting fully vaccinated. I am so grateful for our incredible partners in Minnesota’s sports and entertainment industries encouraging kids to roll up their sleeves and support our fight against COVID-19.”

“We are committed to doing everything we can to keep our kids and community safe during this pandemic, and Minnesota’s sports and entertainment industries are stepping up to help us do so,” said Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan. “I hope our kids and young people are as excited about these incentives as I am about making sure they’re protected from COVID. It’s easy: get fully vaccinated and get your shot at one of these incredible rewards.”

All fully vaccinated 12-17-year-olds can enter for a chance to win the drawings below:

• Minnesota Vikings
  • Player Meet & Greet Experience: You and one guest will have the opportunity to meet a Vikings player and tour the Minnesota Vikings Museum. The meet and greet experience will take place within a group setting, and includes the opportunity for a Q&A session, an individual photo with the player, autographed item, and tour of the Vikings museum.
  • Choose Your Autograph: Pick your favorite current Minnesota Vikings players and you can receive a signed authentic NFL football from that player that will be sent directly to your home.
  • Game Day: Receive a pair of tickets to the 12/26 game as the Minnesota Vikings take on the Los Angeles Rams at U.S. Bank Stadium.
  • Training Camp VIP Experience: Join the Minnesota Vikings at Training Camp in Eagan, Minnesota for a VIP experience in the summer of 2022. This package is for four individuals and will include tickets, parking, food & beverage, and a special gift. Get a chance to see the Vikings up-close before the start of the 2022 season!
• Minnesota Twins
  • Ceremonial First Pitch: Opportunity for one person to throw out one of three ceremonial first pitches prior to the start of the game. Also includes an official MLB baseball, four complimentary tickets to stay and watch that day’s game, and a meet and greet/photo moment with Twins Personnel.
  • Pizza Party: Tickets for 20 individuals on one of the exclusive Twins executive office balconies with pizza and non-alcoholic beverages for 20 people.
• Minnesota Wild
  • 4 tickets and 2 Zamboni rides for the Wild game vs. Anaheim on January 14.
  • 4 tickets and 2 Zamboni rides for the Wild game vs. Montreal on January 24.
  • 1 player-signed jersey of winner’s choice.
  • 1 player-signed stick of winner’s choice.
  • 1 hour of ice time at Xcel Energy Center.
• Minnesota Lynx
  • 12-person suite, pregame bench sit to watch warm-ups courtside, and the  opportunity for youth to participate in a post-game free throw.
• Minnesota Timberwolves
  • 12-person suite, pregame bench sit to watch warm-ups courtside, and the  opportunity for youth to participate in a post-game free throw.
• Minnesota United  
  • Training experience for you and one guest that includes watching a 2022 training session, training facility tour, group photo with players, and lunch with the team in the cafeteria. One custom jersey included.
• St. Paul Saints
  • 15-person suite and first pitch prior to game.
• University of Minnesota Golden Gophers
  • 2 tickets to a game of your choice in the 2021-22 season for Gopher Men’s Basketball, Women’s Basketball, Men’s Hockey, or Women’s Hockey (based on availability) as well as a pre-game VIP experience to watch warm-ups from the court/ice level.
• First Avenue
  • 2 tickets to Eric Nam in the Mainroom at First Avenue on 2/11, 2 shirts, and a $25 gift card to The Depot Tavern.
  • 2 tickets to Still Woozy in the Mainroom at First Avenue on 2/22, 2 shirts, and a $25 gift card to The Depot Tavern.
  • 2 tickets to Hippo Campus at the Armory 4/23, and a $25 gift card to The Depot Tavern.
  • 2 tickets to Hippo Campus at the Armory 4/23, and a $25 gift card to The Depot Tavern.
• Como Park Zoo and Conservatory
  • Keeper for the Day: Work alongside a professional zookeeper and participate in the daily duties of caring for the beloved animals from food prep, exhibit cleaning, and animal enrichment.
• Wintergreen Dogsled Lodge
  • Sunday dogsled day trip for 4 in Ely, Minnesota.

Minnesota experiences will be divided up and drawn across all five drawing weeks from November 19 — December 17. Minnesotans can refer to the official drawing rules online to see which experiences will be drawn each week.

Parents/guardians can enter their children for a chance to win these experiences and a $100,000 Minnesota college scholarship at https://mn.gov/covid19/vaccine/vaccine-rewards/kids-deserve-a-shot/.

Parents/guardians must enter their 12-17-year-old by the entry deadline to be eligible for the following drawing(s). Once a kid is entered, they will be included in all following drawings. The drawings will be conducted by the Minnesota State Lottery. Additional experiences may be announced in the coming weeks.

Como Park Zoo and Conservatory Director Michelle Furrer said, “Como’s core audience is kids and if by providing these unique experiences encourages families to roll up their sleeves, the faster we can get back to providing normal visits to our favorite places like Como Park Zoo and Conservatory. A few lucky teens can see what it’s like to be a zookeeper for a day and learn what it takes to provide daily care and conservation for all the creatures of Como Zoo.”

First Avenue Productions President and CEO Dayna Frank said, “First Avenue encourages everyone eligible for the vaccine to get their shots. Live music should be safe for everyone, and getting vaccinated helps keep live music going. All First Avenue venues require proof of vaccination or a negative test for entry, so each of these ticket packages will let vaccinated winners into the concerts for an incredible night of live music.”

Minnesota Timberwolves and Lynx CEO Ethan Casson said, “In continued partnership with Governor Walz and the Minnesota Department of Health, ‘Kids Deserve a Shot’ is another critical step forward in vaccinating our youth to decrease the spread of COVID-19. We hope our young people are encouraged to get vaccinated and win a unique experience in the process.”

Minnesota Twins Vice President of Community Engagement Nancy O’Brien said, “Helping our kids safely engage in school and play by getting them vaccinated is of critical importance for all Minnesotans. We’re proud to come together with Governor Tim Walz and our fellow sports teams to support this crucial effort against COVID-19.”

Minnesota United CEO Shari Ballard said, “Minnesota United is proud to partner with Governor Walz on the ‘Kids Deserve a Shot’ program. We have been consistent in our view that vaccination is unequivocally the most important step that can be taken to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and avoid significant illness. We are thrilled to be able to offer this fun, one of a kind experience as an incentive for our young Loons fans to become vaccinated.”

Minnesota Wild President Matt Majka said, “We are excited to donate some fun items and experiences from the Minnesota Wild to help encourage children in the State of Hockey to get vaccinated.”

St. Paul Saints Executive Vice President and General Manager Derek Sharrer said, “The St. Paul Saints organization is proud to be a small part of the incredible work that MDH is doing as they get the message out on the importance of vaccinations among children and youth in Minnesota. We have worked closely with the Governor’s task force and MDH since 2020 and will continue to help wherever we can.”

Wintergreen Dogsled Lodge Co-Owners Paul and Sue Schurke said, “Our furry 4-legged friends look forward to gifting you the winter ride of your life in exchange for your gift of good health by getting vaccinated.”

REMINDER: The deadline for 12-17-year-olds to get their first shot and be eligible for the $200 Visa gift card is Tuesday, November 9. Minnesotans 12-17 years old who start and complete their two-dose COVID-19 vaccine series between October 18 and November 30 are eligible to receive a $200 Visa gift card. Minnesotans can learn more at the Kids Deserve a Shot webpage.

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The East Central Regional Water District (ECRWD) out of North Dakota is looking to move forward with a long-term water supply project throughout Polk, Norman, and Clay County in Northwest Minnesota. The project would bring clean water to an estimated 5,328 Rural Minnesotans while limiting maintenance repairs and fixes for smaller towns.

The two cities that would benefit from the project in Polk County are Climax and Nielsville. Regardless of the decisions made in Norman and Clay County, Polk County can proceed forward with their portion of the project, and decisions for Climax and Nielsville are not contingent on what Norman and Clay County decide to do. The ECRWD and community members from Climax and Nielsville visited the Polk County Board of Commissioners earlier today, seeking American Relief Program Funding (ARP) to help cover the costs. The Project portion in Polk County would be to construct pipelines from one of the Water District’s plants, across the river to Climax and then down to Nielsville to reduce the need to maintain the city’s water towers and bring safe, clean water to those residents.

In total, Polk County has roughly $6.1 million in ARP Funding that it can use before the end of 2024. The ECRWD is asking the board of commissioners for roughly $1.9 million to cover 75% of the project cost. The communities of Climax and Nielsville would then have a local share of roughly $700,000 to cover the overall cost of the project portion in Polk County that is estimated to be around $2.6 million.

With many unknowns in Norman and Clay County, and the Polk County Board of Commissioners unsure how much money they’d like to dedicate to the project, they have tabled the matter until more discussion can be had.

Polk County Administrator Chuck Whiting discussed why the board isn’t quite ready to give ARP Funding for the project. “The communities have now met a couple of times with the board seeking almost $2 million in ARP Funds to assist in the project,” said Whiting. “The project certainly seems to have merits, but to what degree of help the board wants to pursue is the big question at this point. We have a limited amount of ARP Funds that we can use, so I will be working with some of the staff people on the project to better understand the financials and what an appropriate dollar amount would be from the county. The project certainly has merit, and it could lead to improvements in the future with water supply to that area of Polk County.”

General Manager of the ECRWD Neil Breidenbach discussed the benefits of having rural water and why he’d like to see the project move forward. “We have sixteen cities that have gone this route with us over the years, and it’s been a great benefit to them,” said Breidenbach. “The need here is very extreme, especially for the rural customers and the quality of water they currently have. By doing this, they’ll have fewer troubles with their appliances, and it’s just a great benefit for people. Water is a necessity, and if you have harsh water, it’s not good for anyone.”

As of now, the city of Climax is planning on moving forward with the project regardless of what the county decides. Climax has received some funding for the project and feels they need to make the change for the sake of the town. The water bill for Climax residents if the project is completed is estimated at $85 a month without the county’s help and $60 with the county’s help. It is estimated that both those options would be cheaper for the residents in Climax than the alternative, which is constant maintenance on the city’s water tower and wells in the years to come.

In Climax and Nielsville, an estimated 356 people would benefit from clean and rural water from this project. Breidenbach said it would be an excellent time to conduct the project, and he is hopeful to hear back from Polk County sooner rather than later. “As soon as possible would be good, but we’re thrilled to get any assistance on it whenever,” said Breidenbach. “This is a great time to do it because everyone is looking at these small towns and infrastructure projects, and the ARP money can help get these done. It would be a good thing for all the communities up and down the valley.”

Whiting said the board would review different factors and continue to communicate with the ECRWD about moving forward with the project. The board believes in the project; it is just a matter of determining how much money they can give.

The post POLK COUNTY DISCUSSING POSSIBLE USE OF ARP FUNDS FOR LONG-TERM WATER SUPPLY PROJECT appeared first on KROX.

Prepare to be amazed by BRANDEN & JAMES, a powerhouse cello and vocal duo.  Branden & James reinvent pop music in classical form with powerful vocals and soulful cello.  Branden James is known from being a finalist in Season 8 of America’s Got Talent.  James Clark is a featured cellist for Idina Menzel, Olivia Newton John, Shoshana Bean, and Scott Evan Davis in multiple concerts.  Together they have toured the globe performing their popular productions of “At the Corner of Symphony and Soul,” “From Bach to Bieber,” and “The Broadway Covers Project.” This fun, entertaining evening will take place on Tuesday, November 9, 2021, at 7 p.m. at the Crookston High School Auditorium.

If you are a music lover of any age in the Crookston area, be sure to get your membership in the Crookston Civic Music League Concert Association or buy a ticket at the door by calling Elaine Metzger at 218-281-2681, Alvern Wentzel at 218-281-7873 or Emily Luckow at 218-281-5907. Concert admission is by season ticket only. For rides, call T.H.E. Bus at 218-281-0700.

Concertgoers are reminded to practice safety recommendations. Wearing masks is recommended.

The post BRANDEN & JAMES PERFORMING NOVEMBER 9 AT CROOKSTON HIGH SCHOOL FOR CCM LEAGUE appeared first on KROX.

Ahead of the Winter season, the Polk County Highway Department is informing all residents of Polk County that in accordance with Minnesota Statute 160.27, it is illegal to place snow (by plowing blowing or shoveling etc.) onto County Highways. Violation of this Statute is considered a misdemeanor. Polk County also cautions that the act of placing snow onto a County Highway can subject a person to a civil liability if a road hazard occurs and causes a traffic accident. The civil liability can extend to both the property owner and the person who placed the snow on the roadway. All citizens are asked to obey these rules, which are designed to keep our highways safe during the winter months.

The post POLK COUNTY HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT REMINDING RESIDENTS TO AVOID PLACING SNOW ON COUNTY HIGHWAYS appeared first on KROX.

The City of Crookston announced that City Hall will be closed on Thursday, November 11, in observance of Veterans Day. The garbage collection for that day will be collected on Friday, November 12. Friday’s garbage collection will remain the same.

The post CROOKSTON CITY HALL TO BE CLOSED NOVEMBER 11 IN OBSERVANCE OF VETERANS DAY appeared first on KROX.

The Crookston Rotary Club recently honored their September and October Students of the Month both from Crookston High School and the University of Minnesota Crookston. Marina Wiley was the October UMC Student of the Month, Mason Owens was the September CHS Student of the Month, and Hayden Winjum was the October CHS Student of the Month.

Mason Owens – Mason’s parents are Brad and Angie Owens and he has two older brothers and one young brother in 5th grade. He is involved at CHS with tennis and the Leo Club, and some of the community service projects he’s helped with include home-delivered meals, treats for Summit/Villa residents at Bingo, visiting with students at Highland Elementary, and helping people with chores at their homes. He helps his parents and brothers on the farm with corn, wheat, and beans, plus he loves woodworking and is enrolled in woods classes at the high school. Besides work and school, he likes to work with his hands, hunt, and fish.

Hayden Winjum – Hayden’s parents are Chris and Leah, and she has three siblings: Walker, Halle, and Reggie. Her grandparents are Chuck, Deb, Francine, and Rodd, and they live in Crookston as well. She is involved in basketball, tennis, and track and recently went to the state tournament both as an individual (doubles with her sister) and as a team. Hayden plays band in school and this year is the drum major which means she gets to help lead when the instructor is gone. She’s also involved in the Leo Club and Student Council and likes working with students at Highland, delivering meals to older residents in Crookston, and helping at large events in the community. Outside of school she is active with her church Trinity Lutheran and is a Sunday School teacher there. She also works at RBJ’s Restaurant and enjoys playing with her two dogs, being active outside, taking naps, hanging out with her friends and family, and shopping. Hayden was crowned Miss Crookston this year and her platform was to encourage children and youth to be involved in their community.

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