Month: June 2022

The United Way of Crookston’s annual Hugo’s/United Way Golf Tourney planned for Thursday, June 23, at the Minakwa Golf Course has been canceled. Due to weather delays, a host of unforeseen circumstances, and a short planning time, the United Way announced that they are unable to go forward with the event.

United Way of Crookston Executive Director Libby Boucher reported that after having to cancel the event for the past two years due to COVID, she and the United Way of Crookston were trying to bring the event back bigger and better than ever before. But, the heavy rains and flooding that occurred this spring caused many delays for the organizers, making them unable to complete the event on time. “We’ve always had this huge tournament; a lot of planning goes into it,” United Way Executive Director Libby Boucher explained. “We didn’t have the time. Weather delays caused everyone’s schedule to shift by weeks, so we sat down today and thought, “We’re just not ready to pull off this tournament,” she added. Boucher reported that the event has been in the planning for months to help them reach their fundraising goal of $150,000 and that the event may have pushed them over the goal as they are currently about $3,000 away from reaching their goal. However, Boucher and United Way believe that the following fundraisers they have will help them reach their goal and promise that next year, the Tournament will be bigger and better in 2023.

However, the United Way still has plans to reach their fundraiser goal for the summer, with a Golf Ball Drop scheduled during Ox Cart Days in August. While they haven’t decided what day they will have their fundraiser on yet (though they are looking to have it set for Wednesday), Libby Boucher believes that it will be one they can pull together in a much shorter period of time. For the event, they will sell tickets to people and have them try and drop numbered golf balls from a height onto a green and give prizes to three people who can get the closest to the target or golf hole. The prizes are those that would have been given away at the golf tournament, including a “wheelbarrow of fun” and many other prizes. After the Golf Ball Drop, the United Way has reported that they’ve already begun planning for other annual events later this year, like their Soup and Chili Cookoff in October, to be the kickoff for their campaign next year. “We’re already in the early planning stages of the Cookoff. That’s the kind of lee time that we like, that four to five months to plan something,” Executive Director Libby Boucher said, “Those ideas are percolating and bubbling away, and we’re coming up with hopefully some fun and really interesting things for that. Then our main campaign will start, and we’re also revamping the campaigns so those yellow packets that people love to see, there will not be as many as those going out. We’re looking at pushing more towards an online giving,” she added.

While the Tournament has been canceled, the United Way of Crookston was pleased to learn from their sponsors that they were allowed to keep the donations given to them to help them ensure that they would reach their fundraising goal of $150,000. All of the donations from the fundraising over the year go to many organizations that serve Crookston in various ways, such as Eat United, New Hope Food Shelf, PATCH, North Country Food Bank, the Salvation Army, Energy Assistance, and many others. “The money that we raise goes to organizations that serve this community. We do not send our money off somewhere and hope that we get a percentage of it back. We keep it here and make sure that we know the programs and agencies we’re funding,” Libby Boucher explained. “We go and check up on them and make sure that they are using the money that we give them the way that they said they were going to. We do keep close tabs on the money we raise and give out, and our whole thing is that we want your money that you donate to us to go where it can do the best good,” she added.

The Golf Tournament may be canceled this year, but the United Way of Crookston is still accepting donations to reach its goal of $150,000. If you want to help them reach their goal to help any of the organizations they support, you can go to www.unitedwayofcrookston.org/ and click “Donate Now” on the top right corner of the page. Stay tuned to kroxam.com, and KROX Radio on 105.7 FM and 1260 AM to stay up to date with more news from the United Way of Crookston.

The post UNITED WAY OF CROOKSTON LOOKS TO GOLF BALL DROP EVENT DURING OX CART DAYS TO HELP REACH CAMPAIGN GOAL appeared first on KROX.

On Saturday, June 18, 2022, at approximately 12:00 noon, the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, Oklee Fire Department, and Oklee Ambulance were dispatched to 32125 220th ST SE in Chester Township for a report of a Quonset fire.

The fire was started by a lightning strike to the northwest corner of the Quonset. The fire was extinguished without any damage to the Quonset. The Quonset suffered minor damage due to the lightning strike itself. No one was near the Quonset, and no injuries were reported.

The post POLK COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE AND OKLEE FIRE AND AMBULANCE PUT OUT FIRE CAUSED BY LIGHTNING STRIKE IN CHESTER appeared first on KROX.

Lake Agassiz Regional Library invites children and their families to visit the library for an interactive music and storytelling experience, offered free of charge and ideal for young children and their families! “Music with Siama and Dallas” will be held Thursday, June 23 at 2:00 p.m. at the Climax Public Library, 104 W. Broadway.

In Africa, Siama made his name recording hundreds of soukous hits. Now he and Dallas bring feel-good music to kids across Minnesota. Siama takes audiences on a musical journey to Africa with his intricate guitar, catchy songs, spirited vocals, and traditional African instruments like Balafon, Mbira, and Lokole while Dallas Johnson encourages everyone to sing along. This event is made possible thanks to funding from the Minnesota Arts & Cultural Heritage Fund. More information can be found at larl.org/legacy.

The post CLIMAX PUBLIC LIBRARY TO HOST MUSIC PROGRAM FOR YOUTH ON JUNE 23 appeared first on KROX.

Summer is here, and forecasted higher-than-average temperatures may lead to increased energy demand. “Otter Tail Power has enough resources to serve our customers, though expected summer weather challenges could mean we’ll need to take additional steps to help maintain the reliability of the energy grid,” said Otter Tail Power Asset Management Vice President JoAnn Thompson. “I am confident in our preparedness. Our employees are well trained and ready for any type of energy grid event, and we have solid plans in place to respond to grid and market fluctuations.”

Understanding the energy grid

Otter Tail Power is part of the Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO), which oversees energy delivery from utilities across the Central U.S., including 15 states and the Canadian province of Manitoba. “MISO acts as the air traffic controller for the energy grid, ensuring the right amount of electricity for over 42 million people,” said Thompson. “If demand across the MISO footprint outweighs available energy, short-term service interruptions may impact our customers as we work together to conserve energy. Our job is to be ready for potential energy grid events, and there are several energy-conservation steps we would take before customers experience an interruption to service.”

What this means for customers

If summer temperatures continue to rise, utilities and customers likely will need to work together to help ensure grid stability. Otter Tail Power may ask customers to conserve energy more frequently. In extreme instances, if MISO calls upon Otter Tail Power to conduct controlled service interruptions, the company expects they’ll last about an hour or so at a time. If needed, these short-term interruptions help eliminate or reduce the likelihood of longer, larger-scale impacts.

How customers can partner with electric utilities and neighbors

Here are a few things customers can do to help:

– Use only necessary lights and turn them off when leaving a room.

– Turn off and unplug electronics not in use.

– Use fewer electrical appliances.

– Turn air-conditioning thermostats up a few degrees.

– Keep window coverings closed during the day.

– Delay unnecessary laundry and dishwashing, and only run full loads.

– Consider serving cold sandwiches or a salad for evening meals.

– Postpone taking a shower until later in the evening.

Otter Tail Power will keep customers updated at otpco.com and share announcements and energy-saving tips on its Facebook page, facebook.com/OtterTailPowerCo. If customers participate in energy control, the company encourages them to sign up for anticipated and actual energy-control notices at otpco.com/EnergyControl.

The post OTTERTAIL TELLS ABOUT WHAT EXTREME SUMMER TEMPERATURES COULD MEAN FOR YOU appeared first on KROX.

Beginning Monday, June 20, 2022, Belmont Rd. will be closed to all through traffic during working hours from 47th Ave S. to Rivers Edge Drive. There will be flaggers in place to allow access for local traffic. At the end of each workday the contractor will remove barricades and reopen to all traffic.

Detour signs will be posted. This will remain until further notice.

The post GRAND FORKS WILL CLOSE BELMONT RD. DURING WORKING HOURS STARTING ON MONDAY appeared first on KROX.

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

Blossom Renee Contreras, 32, of Manvel, for Possessing Schedule 5 Drugs

Michelle Louise Cavanaugh, 37, of Belcourt, ND, for being a Fugitive from Justice from Another State

Rose A’Delle Neadeau, 19, of Bemidji, for Failure to Appear in Court

Matthew Christian Wambach, 44, no address provided, for Drug Possession

Summer Rai Leslie, 31, no address provided, for 5th-Degree Drug Possession

Uriah Wade Liebl, 39, of Twin Valley, for 2nd-Degree Marijuana Sale

The post ARREST/FIRE REPORT- JUNE 18, 2022 appeared first on KROX.