Month: March 2022

The Northwest Regional Corrections Center in Crookston made the following arrests.

Jacob Lee Brodigan, 23, or Crookston, for DUI of Alcohol

Desiree Lynn Vacura, 35, of East Grand Forks, for 3rd-Degree DUI

Albert DeLeon Sr., 69, of East Grand Forks, for 2nd Degree Assault with a Dangerous Weapon.

The post ARREST/FIRE REPORT- MARCH 30, 2022 appeared first on KROX.

LEO Club Advisor Linda Morgan will be on Focus on Education this Saturday, discussing the upcoming Annual Senior Brunch event on Thursday, April 7, from 8:30 to 9:15 a.m. in the High School Commons served by the Leo Club Seniors.

She explains that all senior citizens are invited to come to the High School for a buffet of waffles, muffins, breads, yogurt, milk, juice, and coffee and to mingle with the Leo Club seniors. “This year, I have the seniors of the Leo Club help with the Brunch. So, they get a nice little breakfast of goodies there, and they get to visit for about a half-hour.” Leo Club Advisor Linda Morgan explained, “Then, at about 9:15 a.m., they are invited to sit in the auditorium to see the Crookston High School Drama students perform the musical Godspell, directed by Beth Carlson. It’s free to go in, but if you would like to give any donations, you can.” Doors will open around 8:00 a.m. for any early comers, and senior students will be driving burrowed golf carts from the Minakwa Country Club around the parking lot to bring senior citizens to the school.

The Brunch has been an annual event at the Crookston High School, dating back even before Morgan was the Advisor for the Leo Club, with them only missing it recently due to COVID-19 closing schools. Morgan believes it’s a beautiful event at the high school with the interactions between the students and the senior citizens to the recent happenings around the school. “It’s a beautiful event for our seniors coming to the High School to see our High School seniors that will be graduating in a couple of months and just to be in our school.” Morgan explained, “It’s great to have our senior citizens in our school to see what’s going on. It’s kind of a sign of spring when we get to invite them to come to our school.”

Morgan mentioned upcoming events for the Leo Club and the Crookston High School for the spring. Including the High School Drama students who will have their official performance of “Godspell” at 7:30 p.m. April 8 through 10 at the Crookston High School Auditorium. Tickets are available from cast members and at the door. Admission will be $8 for adults and $5 for students. A Prom Fundraiser Breakfast will be held next Saturday, April 9, from 8:00 a.m. to noon at the Masonic Lodge to help cover the prom’s expenses. The breakfast is open to anyone to come, and all donations are freewill. Attendees are free to enjoy waffles, pancakes, French toast, orange juice, and coffee. The school’s prom will be held on Saturday, April 30. “The first letters have been sent out to the students, and I believe the after-prom party letter has been sent out as well.” Morgan explained, “The invitations for it will be going out at the end of the week. So, April 30th is the date for our Juniors and Seniors, so everything is getting planned and done, and hopefully, the weather will be nice for that too.”

The CHS Senior Brunch will be held next Thursday, April 7, from 8:30 to 9:15 a.m. in the High School Commons, with a free showing of the Drama Student’s three-act musical performance “Godspell” after the meal. Doors will open around 8:00 a.m., with senior Leo Club students driving attendees to the school from the parking lot on golf carts. To hear more from Leo Club Advisor Linda Morgan about the Brunch and other upcoming events for Crookston High School, tune in to Focus on Education on Saturday, April 2 at 8:35 a.m. Focus on Education airs every Saturday morning during the school year on KROX.

The post CHS LEO CLUB IS HOLDING ITS ANNUAL SENIOR BRUNCH ON APRIL 7 appeared first on KROX.

This morning, at approximately 4:31 a.m., Officers of the Grand Forks Police Department attempted to stop a vehicle in the 1500 block of South Washington St. for failing to stop at a posted stop sign. A short pursuit ensued, and the vehicle stopped in the 2300 block of South 12th St. The driver fled on foot, and a short foot pursuit ensued. The male suspect was apprehended hiding in a dumpster. The suspect was secured in a squad car, and he attempted to slip his handcuffs off. Officers attempted to resecure the male, and he began to resist the efforts. During the altercation, one of the officers suffered a broken arm. The investigation revealed that the vehicle the male was driving was stolen out of Grand Forks.

The injured officer, Cpl. Luke Wentz is a seven-year veteran of the police department. He was treated for his injuries at Altru ER and was released.

The male suspect was identified as Bugwuji Hill, 19 years old, of Grand Forks. Hill was charged with Aggravated Assault, Simple Assault, Unauthorized Use of a Motor Vehicle, Fleeing on Foot, Fleeing in a Motor Vehicle, and Resisting Arrest. He was confined at the Grand Forks County Correctional Center.

The post GRAND FORKS POLICE CHASE ENDS WITH SUSPECT IN CUSTODY AND AN INJURED OFFICER appeared first on KROX.

Within the last few weeks of winter, Sustainability Coordinator and Associate Professor of the University of Minnesota Crookston Katy Chapman, along with Lindsay Peace (NW Research & Outreach Center), wrote and secured a grant from the Minnesota Department of Agriculture. With the help of farm cooperators Craig and Brian LaPlante, their efforts were rewarded as they secured the grant with their project titled Farming Practices for Improved Soil Health. With the bulk of the research taking place on the LaPlante farms near Fisher, Minn., the scope of Chapman’s project was to find more sustainable agricultural practices while improving soil health and longevity.

With the abundance of nutrient-rich lands in the Midwest, healthy soil has been taken for granted. Luckily, Chapman and Peace did not overlook the outlying issues awaiting farm-to-table foods’ future. “Ever since the invention of the plow, soil health has been declining. If we continue to let it decline, our ability to feed future generations will disappear. Preserving soil health is a really important thing to be working on,” said Chapman. With the help of a couple of outside perspectives, the research process will be focusing on tillage, herbicide applications, fertilizer use, and evaluating their impact on yield. Not only will this make soil more viable, says Chapman, but it will also improve the food being harvested and provided. 

When asked about how this project came about, the future of agriculture was the main concern of the project team. Of course, the long-term quality of soil was the centerpiece, but what was also mentioned was the technological advancements that are already among us. Autonomous tractors, for instance, that are powered by solar energy that doesn’t require manual operation, use shallow-tilling methods to avoid herbicide application. Which, of course, leaves healthier soil and, in part, more efficient agricultural operations. This project aims to figure out how to utilize this new technology when it becomes available and how we can implement these changes in traditional agriculture in a sustainable way to protect soil, says Chapman.

Starting this summer, with the help of a few on-campus students, Farming Practices and Improved Soil Health will be a 2-year funded project. Entering her 14th year with the Crookston campus, Chapman is more than eager to put her knowledge and experience to the task. Raised by biologists, Chapman has had a long, drawn-out career in plants and sustainability before gracing U of M Crookston with her expertise. Chapman found her niche while in her undergraduate program doing a number of projects and experiments. Phytoremediation being the gateway to her field of study (the process of using plants to clean up contaminated environments, how fitting.)

From water conservation efforts during graduate school at Umass Amherst to learning about greenhouse gas emissions at the Agriculture Research Service in Auburn, Alabama, Chapman highlights the framework for sustainability across the University of Minnesota and the world. It all falls under the United Nations 17 Sustainable Development Goals, in which the Farming Practices and Improved Soil Health project addresses quite a few. Zero hunger, good health and well-being, quality education, and responsible consumption and production, to name a few. Chapman states, “This is the guiding framework to achieve maximum sustainability. If we can tie our project to these, it’s a win.”

Among the many classes Chapman teaches, Sustainable You, Sustainable World stands out the most. A course where students of any major can apply their field of study to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and find their own ways to create a more sustainable community. 

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The post UMC WILL BEGIN 2-YEAR FUNDED PROJECT GRANTED BY DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE THIS SUMMER appeared first on KROX.

Minnesotans can now place orders for free at-home rapid COVID-19 tests as part of the administration’s efforts to make it easier to access testing.

Minnesotans can order two test kits per home (for a total of four tests) at Order your free at-home rapid tests. The website includes information on at-home rapid testing, a video demonstration and FAQ on how to use the iHealth COVID-19 Antigen Rapid Test, and a link to place orders with the state’s fulfillment partner, Care Evolution.

Minnesotans can also place orders through the Minnesota Department of Health COVID-19 Public Hotline at 1-833-431-2053 Monday – Friday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Language assistance is available.

The Minnesota Department of Administration has secured 500,000 test kits (for a total of 1 million at-home tests), and the program will be available until all the test kits are ordered. If the program proves successful and valuable, Minnesota will use this program as a model for providing more access to COVID-19 rapid testing in the months ahead.

“We know the importance of being able to deliver tests quickly and efficiently,” said Department of Administration Commissioner Alice Roberts-Davis. “The easy online ordering site developed in partnership with Care Evolution is proven and scalable to meet the needs of Minnesotans who are experiencing symptoms and want to ensure the health of themselves and those around them.”

When to get tested

Even though fewer Minnesotans are getting sick with COVID-19, testing continues to be essential for preventing the spread of the virus.

To keep COVID-19 from spreading, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommends people should use testing if:

• They have symptoms of the virus.
• They have had close contact with someone who tested positive for COVID-19.
• They are returning from international or domestic travel.
• They attended a high-risk event.
• They work in a setting that has regular, close contact with many people.

Minnesotans can find up-to-date guidance on when to get tested at COVID-19 Testing.

Other ways to get a test

Minnesotans have other options to access COVID-19 testing.

Minnesotans can order free rapid at-home tests through the federal government at CovidTests.gov. Food banks, local public health agencies, community groups, and other community health organizations may also have free tests available.

Costs for over-the-counter at-home COVID-19 tests are now required to be covered by health plans offered by insurance companies, employers, and groups under actions taken by the Biden Administration. In some circumstances, Minnesotans can receive free tests by showing their insurance card at a store. Minnesotans should check with their health plan prior to purchasing at-home tests to ensure they are following the steps necessary to have costs covered.

Anyone can walk in or schedule an appointment for a test at one of the state’s free COVID-19 Community Testing sites or find a testing option near them through the state’s Find Testing Locations map.

The post ONLINE PROGRAM TO ORDER AT-HOME RAPID COVID-19 TESTS NOW OPEN appeared first on KROX.

In December, ONEOK, Inc. provided the East Grand Forks Police Department with an Emergency Responder Grant of $2,100 to purchase two BolaWrap devices for the Department’s Patrol staff. These devices have been received and will be deployed for the use of the East Grand Forks officers as soon as training with them has been completed.

The BolaWrap is a restraint device that can be used with non-compliant subjects and can help to limit the amount of force that law enforcement may have to use when taking a non-compliant person into custody. The BolaWrap discharges a Kevlar cord that wraps around the subject, limiting their movement, and allowing the officers to more safely (for the officers and the subject) approach the subject and take them into custody.

The makers of BolaWrap, Wrap Technologies, suggests that the BolaWrap may be effective in a variety of law enforcement situations including:

• Emotionally Disturbed Persons (EDP)
• Passively resistant and non-compliant subjects
• Mildly aggressive, non-compliant subjects
• Mentally ill subjects
• Suicidal subjects/Persons in crisis
• Subjects under the influence of alcohol and drugs

While BolaWrap cannot be used in all situations, the Department believes it can be an effective tool for their officers as they seek to better protect the community and their officers. The EGFPD sincerely thanks ONEOK and the ONEOK Foundations for their support of the Police Department.

The post EGF POLICE DEPARTMENT RECEIVES NEW BOLAWRAP DEVICES TO HELP MAKE ARRESTS appeared first on KROX.

April 25 through April 29 is Spring Clean-Up Week in Crookston. Clean-up items will be picked up only on your regular garbage pickup day and must be placed on the street boulevard. Please note: Compost material – grass clippings, lawn, or garden waste – WILL NOT have to be in City compost bags for this week only. Cleanup items should be separated into the following piles: garbage, clothing, cardboard, etc.; appliances; branches and yard waste; furniture, metal items, demolition, etc., and tires. Placing these items out in separate piles will help speed the clean-up process. In awareness of clean-up week in Crookston, Polk County Public Health advises not to bring furniture, mattresses, box springs, or bed frames found on the street into your home in order to prevent the spread of bed bugs. http://www.bedbugs.umn.edu/

Due to State Law, all video display devices (TVs, computer monitors, etc.) cannot be landfilled. Therefore, these items will not be collected during clean-up. These devices may be disposed of at Polk County Environmental Services (Transfer Station) free of charge. Video display devices left on the boulevard for more than 48 hours are subject to a $25 penalty surcharge.

Concrete, batteries, partially full paint cans, other chemicals, or large amounts of demolition debris will not be accepted. Branches must be cut in four-foot lengths and bundled.

Items should be placed on boulevards no more than 72 hours prior to your collection day. Only those with residential water/garbage rates are on clean-up week. Remember, Spring Clean-Up Week is April 25th – April 29th in Crookston.

The post CROOKSTON SPRING CLEAN-UP WEEK IS APRIL 25-29, 2022 appeared first on KROX.