Month: June 2022

The Independence Day holiday is just around the corner, which means fireworks take to the skies with sparklers and poppers in everyone’s hand to celebrate the anniversary of our nation’s independence.  But, while the fireworks are a tradition of the country dating back to 1777, they are still dangerous explosives that can be just as harmful to someone or their property as they are beautiful sights in the sky.

Crookston Firefighter Garret Bengtson, Crookston Police Chief Darin Selzler, the Crookston Fire Department, and Police Department wish everyone a safe and legal Independence Day but recommend that everyone knows what fireworks are and are not legal in the State of Minnesota. Fireworks that are permitted include sparklers, tubes that emit sparks, cone or cylindrical fountains, ground spinners, glow snakes and glowworms, smoke devices, and party poppers. Illegal fireworks include firecrackers, bottle rockets, Roman candles, mortars, shells, missile-type rockets, and parachutes. “Kind of the easiest way to remember what’s legal or not is that if it goes in the air or aerial, or if it goes bang they’re illegal,” Crookston Police Chief Darin Selzler explained.
Chief Selzler explained that the laws forbid the use of those fireworks to prevent things from catching on fire when they fall back down like houses and properties and to prevent things like noise complaints. “If many people are lighting off fireworks that are going “Bang!” at the same time, obviously there could be noise issues, but they’re mainly there for safety,” said Selzler. “We don’t want fireworks landing on someone else’s house and starting a house fire or on a person or group of people.”

The Crookston Police and Fire Departments want to remind everyone that while fireworks are a fun way people can celebrate Independence Day, they can still be dangerous to people and animals, even if they are legal in the State of Minnesota. “Use fireworks with close supervision if you are under 18 and choose a safe place to use your fireworks far away from anything that could be damaged by sparks or fire,” Crookston Firefighter Garret Bengtson explained. “Fireworks should only be ignited outdoors and away from animals, buildings, storage tanks, brush, and combustible materials. Anyone acting irresponsible or appearing to be under the influence of alcohol or other drugs should not handle or discharge any fireworks.”

People should store fireworks in a cool and dry location away from any ignition sources like heat or flames, and if your fireworks get wet, do not try to dry them out and use them. They also explained that you should never light fireworks inside a container like a bottle or can, and if a firework device fails to go off even after its ignited, stay away from it as ignition can be delayed and catch people by surprise. The Crookston Fire Department recommends that if there’s a firework that did not go off or is a piece that fell in your yard, to leave it overnight and then pour cold water on it or soak it in water before handling it again. They also say that you should not alter or make your own fireworks as it is against federal law and may kill people or damage others’ property.

If you use any of the illegal fireworks, you can be charged with a misdemeanor that will cost you up to $1,000 in fines, and the police have the authority to seize them. “Likely what would happen if you are using illegal fireworks is that you could potentially get a citation. Typically we try to educate the public, we don’t try to do that, but there’s always a possibility that you could receive a citation, then your fireworks would likely be confiscated,” Chief Selzler explained. If an accident happens from a firework, legal or not, call 911 immediately to have them put out any fires that start or have any burns or injuries treated as quickly as possible.

The Crookston Fire Department and Police Department wish everyone a safe and happy Fourth of July and remind everyone to remember these rules about fireworks to have a memorable Independence Day and keep people and property safe.

The post CROOKSTON POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENTS OFFER REMINDER OF FIREWORK LAWS AND SAFETY TIPS appeared first on KROX.

All Lake Agassiz Regional Library (LARL) branches and LINK sites will be closed on Monday, July 4, in observance of Independence Day, with regular hours of operation resuming Tuesday, July 5.

LARL’s branch libraries are located in Ada, Bagley, Barnesville, Breckenridge, Climax, Crookston, Detroit Lakes, Fertile, Fosston, Hawley, Mahnomen, McIntosh, and Moorhead. LARL’s LINK sites are found in Cormorant, Frazee, Gonvick, Halstad, Hendrum, Lake Park, Rothsay, Twin Valley, and Ulen. 

Lake Agassiz Regional Library is a consolidated public library system comprising 13 branch libraries and nine LINK sites serving the residents of seven counties in northwest Minnesota. More information is available at www.larl.org. 

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Northwest School of Agriculture classmates and friends gathered to reminisce, reconnect and celebrate during their 2022 reunion on June 24 on the University of Minnesota Crookston campus. A highlight of the event was the recognition of this year’s Top Aggies – Eloise Wold Sobtzak (Class of 1957), Keith Miller (Class of 1958), and Gary Pedersen (Class of 1964.)

The reunion was celebrated at multiple locations across the beautifully landscaped campus, including an Aggie Huddle at the Wellness Center, refreshments in the Northern Lights Lounge, Top Aggie Luncheon and Annual Meeting in Bede Ballroom, group photo outside the Sargeant Student Center, class meetings for graduates from the 1940s-1960s in the Minnesota Room, Prairie Room, Alseth NWSA Boardroom, International Lounge, Eagles Nest and classrooms in Dowell Hall, and a Happy Hour Social at the Peterson Gazebo on the Campus Mall.

During the Top Aggie Luncheon, this year’s honorees had the chance to share their experiences while at the NWSA and how that has carried with them through their lives.

Eloise (Wold) Sobtzak – Class of 1957

While at the NWSA, Sobtzak was the 1957 Snow Ball queen, cheerleader, member of the National Honor Society, won the most improved piano student award and graduated in the top ten of her class.

Sobtzak said her time at the school “totally prepared me for life in college, dorm life, and independent study habits” and that she was “never homesick.”

Following graduation from the NWSA, Eloise (Wold) Sobtzak went on to receive her Bachelor of Science degree in elementary education from Bemidji State College (Bemidji State University.) She taught children for 30 years in Duluth, Minn., Fargo, N.D., Barnesville, Minn., and the children of U.S. service members in Germany before retiring in 2000. Additionally, Sobtzak helped teach preschool for children of migrant farm workers through Tri-Valley Opportunity Council. Throughout her career, Sobtzak has been president of Madison School PTA in Fargo, the secretary of the Barnesville Education Association, and was eventually selected as director of the preschool program, where she worked until the 1990s when the program closed in Barnesville.

She resides in Barnesville with her husband, Dennis, and they have been married for 59 years. The pair have five adult children – Renee, Page, Kelly, Lane, and Jim.

Keith Miller – Class of 1958

Miller said the classes he took while at the NWSA “offered training in many of the trades” and that he gained practical skills in school that he used his entire life and at the fire department. “Those skills proved invaluable.”

After graduating from the NWSA, Miller served as a radio man on a U.S. destroyer warship in the Vietnam War, followed by 32 years as a paramedic and engineer for the Los Angeles County Fire Department. During his career as a firefighter, Miller fought numerous brush fires, took on destruction during the L.A. riots, and traveled to New York to work at Ground Zero following 9/11, where first responders attended memorials during the day and dug through rubble at night. He also helped launch the county’s paramedic program and was named Palmdale City Firefighter of the Year.

Miller resides in Leona Valley, California, and has two sons, Mark and Mike. Mark has followed in his father’s footsteps serving as a Los Angeles firefighter and paramedic. Sadly, Keith’s wife, Sandy, passed away in 2020.

Gary Pedersen – Class of 1964

Pedersen said the value of his education from the NWSA led him to get his master’s degree rather than just a bachelor’s degree and, throughout his career, he would often think about a few of his teachers – Ralph Titus, Lynn Tharaldson, and Conrad Kvamme. “They all gave me the incentive to reach higher.”

Following graduation from the NWSA, Pedersen served in the U.S. Navy Reserve from 1968-1974 and was on active duty from 1968-1970. He obtained a Bachelor of Science degree from North Dakota State University in business economics in 1972 and a master of science degree in economics in 1973. Pedersen worked as a loan officer in Luverne, Minn., and Cloquet, Minn. before putting in 43+ years at Dacotah Paper Co. in Fargo, N.D. During his time at Dacotah Paper, he worked as a human resources manager, credit manager, and safety manager and has served as vice president, secretary, and treasurer on the board of directors. Pedersen is a senior certified professional through the Society of Human Resources Management and the HR Certification Institute and is a certified business associate through the National Association of Credit Management. He was honored with the Melvin Jones Award from the Fargo Gateway Lions Club in 1971.

Pedersen and his wife, Jan, have been married for 46 years, and, in 2016, they moved back to his childhood home in Grandin, N.D., where they have a 55-acre ranch. They have two adult children, Nicholas and Jodie, and five grandchildren.

NWSA Top Aggie Award

The Top Aggie Award is the highest honor given to the Northwest School of Agriculture alumni by the alumni association. This award recognizes alumni who have displayed exemplary commitment and service to the community, church, education, family, or professional field. The first Top Aggie Award was presented in 1970 to Herschel Lysaker, and, since then, 75 total Top Aggies have been added to the list of honorees.

History of the NWSA

The Northwest School of Agriculture was established in 1905 following a legislature appropriation for a regional, residential, agricultural high school. In 1906, the NWSA officially opened with 31 students registered for its three-year course that provided training in the many aspects of agriculture as well as training in the skills necessary to run a home. The school year began in October and ended in March to accommodate spring planting and the fall harvest. As the need for residential, agricultural high schools diminished, the University of Minnesota Bureau of Field Studies recommended the phase-out of the NWSA with the possibility of launching a college-level technical institute in its stead. In 1965, the University of Minnesota Technical Institute, a two-year associate degree-granting institution, was established and opened its doors in the fall of 1966 to 185 students. The final NWSA class graduated in spring 1968 in the 60th commencement ceremony. In all, 5,433 students graduated from the NWSA.

Photos of the reunion can be found below. Photos by Britton Fuglseth-

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The post NORTHWEST SCHOOL OF AGRICULTURE HELD ITS 2022 REUNION ON JUNE 24 AT UMC appeared first on KROX.

The City of Crookston has announced that City Hall will be closed on Monday, July 4, in observance of Independence Day.

Crookston Public Works Director Brandon Carlson also announced that Garbage & Recycling Collection for Monday, July 4, will be collected on Tuesday, July 5. Tuesday’s garbage & recycling collection will remain the same.

The post CITY ANNOUNCES CHANGES TO GARBAGE & RECYCLING COLLECTION FOR JULY 4TH appeared first on KROX.

On June 27, 2022, at approximately 7:00 p.m., officers from the Grand Forks Police Department were dispatched to the apartment building at 2100 36th Ave. So.

A 29-year-old driver had driven their 2015 Kia into their patio door. The driver had parked at an angle, and they went to correct this. The vehicle was still in drive when the driver pushed on the gas pedal. The Kia hit the curb and ran into the patio door, stopping about 6” inside the apartment.

No one was injured in this crash, and no one was inside the apartment. The driver was cited for Unqualified Operator and Care Required.

The Grand Forks Police CART was on the scene, and the Grand Forks Fire Department assisted with this incident. If anybody has any further information regarding this incident, they are encouraged to contact the Grand Forks Police Department at 701-787-8000.

The Grand Forks Police Department would like to remind all drivers to operate their vehicles in a safe manner at all times.

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