Month: November 2023

The Northwest Regional Correction Center reported the arrest of the following-

Spence Robert Bilden, 35, of Grand Rapids, for vehicular homicide or operating vehicle with negligence under the influence of alcohol.

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The Crookston Eagles will have a Pre-Thanksgiving Party today. Country artist Terry Mackner will play from 9:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m. with a cover charge of $5.

The Golden Link Senior Center will have Men’s Cards today starting at 8:00 a.m., followed by Cribbage at 10:00 a.m. and Bridge at 12:30 p.m.

The Golden Link Senior Center will be closed on Thursday, November 23, and Friday, November 24, in observance of Thanksgiving.

The Crookston Eagles Club will be closed on Thursday, November 23, in observance of Thanksgiving.

The Fisher American Legion will have Wednesday Burger Night on November 22.

City Hall will be closed on Thursday and Friday, November 23 and 24, in observance of Thanksgiving.

Garbage Collection for Thursday and Friday, November 23 and 24, will be collected on Monday, November 27, in observance of Thanksgiving.

The Polk County Transfer Station will be closed on Thanksgiving day. Normal business hours will resume on Friday, November 24.

The Annual Free Thanksgiving Dinner will be held Thursday, November 23, at the Cathedral Dining Room located at 702 Summit Avenue in Crookston.  Drive-through take-out meals will be from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. In-house buffet-style serving will be from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. Please call 218-281-5727 to reserve your traditional Thanksgiving meal. There is no charge for the meal.

The Freedom Christian Academy will host a Thanksgiving Dinner on Thursday, November 23, from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at 505 Ward Avenue in Erskine. It’s a free-will donation. Please R.S.V.P. at 218-687-3733 or text 218-280-3137.

The Crookston Eagles Club will have Bar Bingo on Friday, November 24, starting at 6:30 p.m. This will be a $1,000 must-go jackpot. There will be horse races and meat raffles between games, and the kitchen will serve baskets.

The Crookston Eagles Club will have Bar Bingo on Saturday, November 25, starting at 2:00 p.m.

The Community Christmas Food Basket Committee is once again helping those Crookston individuals and families who are in need this holiday season. They will be offering a gift card to Hugo’s to purchase food items.   November 27 through December 8, individuals and families can call 218-289-9644 between 10:00 a.m. to 4:30 to register for a Hugo’s gift card. Only 1 gift card per family and address will be given. All gift cards will be mailed out before Christmas.

The E.C.F.E. Grandparents Night will be Monday, November 27, from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at Washington School. Grandparents or special adult friends are invited to join children ages birth to kindergarten entrance for an evening of particular time together.

Crookston Parks and Recreation and the Crookston Wrestling Club are offering a Free Wrestling Clinic on Monday, November 27, and Wednesday, November 29, from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. in the CHS Wrestling room. This clinic is for Pre-K through grade 6.

The Fisher American Legion will have Wednesday Burger Night on Wednesday, November 29.

Historic Crookston’s Winter Wonderland will be on Thursday, November 30. Santa’s Elves will be at Crookston Businesses from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Bring your stockings and get them filled with treats, crafts, and gifts. There will be cookie decorating, Christmas cards, letters to Santa, ornament decorating, S’mores, hot cocoa, and more. From 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., there will be live reindeer at the Synergy Center parking lot, sponsored by Bremer Bank and American Crystal Sugar. The lighting of the tree will be 6:45 p.m. by the Crookston Rotary at the Main Street Courtyard. If you have questions, call or text Hallie at 289-4297 or Brian at 289-4831.

The Ruffed Grouse Society and American Woods Society will host the inaugural Conservation Banquet on Friday, December 1, at the Crookston Eagles Club from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Proceeds will go toward the conservation of forest wildlife and support for the local chapter.

Garden Valley Technologies Customer Appreciation Day will be Saturday, December 2, from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. in Erskine

Bygland Lutheran Church will have a Lutefisk and Meatball Dinner Bazaar and Bake Sale on Sunday, December 3, with serving from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Cost is $20 for adults, and children 12 and under are free. Bygland Lutheran Church is located 8 miles south of East Grand Forks on Highway 220.

Bells of Praise’s 40^th Anniversary Celebration Concert will be held Sunday, December 3, at 3:00 p.m. at the First Presbyterian Church in Crookston. Also performing: Area Women’s Chorus.

The 2023 Canadian Pacific Holiday Train will stop in Plummer at the Main Railway crossing on Central Avenue on December 14 at 6:00 p.m. with a performance by professional musicians at 6:15. The CPKC makes a donation at each stop and encourages attendees to donate cash or a non-perishable food donation if they are able.

CONTINUING ANNOUNCEMENTS

The RiverView Auxiliary is holding a Mitten Drive in the form of a Mitten Tree now through November 30. The Mitten Tree is located in front of the Limited Addition Gift Shop at RiverView Health. All are invited to “trim” the tree with donations of new children’s winter mittens, gloves, and hats. Please, no scarves. The mittens, gloves, and hats received will be distributed in early December to area schools and given to children who need them. RiverView Health Auxiliary thanks you for your support in warming hearts and hands this season through this important service project.

Cobblestone Hotel and Suites in Crookston will have a Mitten Tree in support of Crookston Family Services through December 30 in loving memory of Kim Samuelson of R.B.J.’s local restaurant. There will be hats, gloves, and scarves for all ages, one item per person.

As the Crookston Care and Share expands, its women’s dormitories are in need of twin bed frames, dressers, lamps, and end tables. Donate: call 218-281-2644.

The Crookston Squadron Civil Air Patrol meets every Sunday at 2:00 p.m. Call 218-281-3954 for more information.

Highland Elementary School is looking for new or used winter gloves and snow pants in sizes 8, 9, and 10. If you are interested in donating or have any questions, call 218-281-5600.

Parents of children are invited to register their children for Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library. The program provides one book every month to your child from when you enroll until they turn five for FREE. The program is managed by Crookston Public School, and you can register at www.ImaginationLibrary.com.

The Crookston Care and Share is now accepting donations of Women’s, Men’s, and children’s clothing, toiletries, and other everyday items. Donations may be dropped off at the Care and Share Center at 220 East Third Street or call 281-2644. The Donation Room is open to the public on Mondays and Wednesdays from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. and Fridays from 3:00 to 6:00 p.m.

RiverView Health Auxiliary will be holding a Mitten Drive in the form of a Mitten Tree through November 30.  The Mitten Tree will be located in front of the Limited Addition Gift Shop at RiverView Health.  The public is invited to “trim” the tree with their donations of new children’s winter mittens, gloves, or hats. Please, no scarves. The mittens, gloves, and hats received will be distributed in early December to the area schools and given to children who need them. RiverView Health Auxiliary thanks you for your support in warming hearts and hands this season through this important service project.

The Crookston Public Library’s Books & Brews Book Club meets on the fourth Tuesday of every other month at 6:30 p.m. at Drafts Sports Bar and Grill. They will discuss books and enjoy beverages. Appetizers are provided by the Friends of the Crookston Public Library; participants are responsible for the cost of their food and drinks. All are welcome.

The Crookston Public Library’s Reading by the Red Book Club meets on the fourth Tuesday of every other month at 6:30 p.m. They will discuss books and enjoy beverages.

The Crookston Public Library will have StoryTime every Thursday from 10:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.

The Golden Link is serving noon lunch Monday through Friday.  All are welcome to dine in between the hours of 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

The Crookston Friends of the Library meet on the third Monday of each month at 7:00 p.m.

The Crookston Library Board meets on the first Wednesday of each month at 5:15 p.m.

The Cove Youth Center in Crookston is open Monday through Friday from 4:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Students and parents should call ahead to check the availability of the youth center at 218-470-0149.

The Crookston Care and Share Center’s Donation and New Hope Food Shelf will be open every Monday and Wednesday from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. and every Friday from 3:00 to 6:00 p.m. For more information or to donate, call 218-277-0000.

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The Polk County Board of Commissioners met on Tuesday at the Polk County Government Center.

The meeting began with Polk County Engineer Richard Sanders seeking the resolution of acknowledging street construction sponsoring the City of Lengby and the City of Fosston.

“The state legislature passed bonding and funded the local road improvement program,” said Sanders, “35% of that account is allocated toward township roads and small city streets.” The city of Lengby is applying for a grant to upgrade its local city streets through the local road improvement program. Since they are a city with a population below 5,000 residents, they cannot receive the funding directly. Polk County now has to sponsor both Lengby and Fosston (Fosston also has a population below 5,000), and the finances will run t through the county.

The board also approved the certificate of performance/final acceptance for the CSAH 17 overlay from Highway 2 to Business 2 and the overlay from Trunk Highway 2 up to CSAH 17. The final cost of the projects is $2,108,059. These projects were bundled into one contract, and the board approved the final price.

The board also approved the Polk County Highway Department to purchase an EZ Liner Stencil Paint Machine due to the current paint machine reaching the end of its useful life. The Highway Department repaints county stop sign notices yearly. The cost of the new device is in the amount of $73,530.52, and money was allocated toward this purchase in the Polk County Highway Department’s preliminary budget.

The board also heard from Jacob Snyder of Planning and Zoning. Snyder presented the board with the resolution to submit, adopt, and implement the Sand Hill Watershed comprehensive management plan. “The majority of the watershed is in Polk County; all of the counties will make board resolutions to adopt and push it to the state for approval,” said Snyder, “This replaces our ten-year water plan we used to have a county plan that all of our sheds within our water boundaries and now the state has gone away from that. They’ll do watersheds that don’t follow county boundaries; this is a plan for counties and different partners. You have SWCDs in there and the watersheds themselves.”

The board approved this resolution and will also look to have it approved by the state. Snyder also sought the board’s approval to reappoint Tom Noah for his second term to serve on the Planning Commission Board of Adjustment and appoint Planning Commission board member Paul Jore to his third term. The commissioners approved both appointees.

Polk County Administrator Chuck Whiting discussed with the board the memorandum of understanding regarding the district formation costs for legal and engineering services between Polk, Norman, and Clay counties. This concerns the West Central Regional Water District, where Polk County has contributed ARPA funds.

“Polk County contributed American Rescue Plan Act money toward the extension of a water main coming over from North Dakota into Climax,” said Whiting, “Our share was to upsize the pipe, which would allow water service to be extended throughout the area.”

Legal work and engineering studies will be conducted in this project, and the board ultimately approved Polk County’s share in the cost of the legal work (to not exceed) $135,000.

Whiting also updated the board on the County levy leading up to December, which is still seeing adjustments. The board wants to reduce the levy to a 2.5-2.6% increase. “This is much lower than what we have been doing over the past few years,” said Whiting, “I think we can do it by use of fund balances, which means using funds that we already have, and it can shave the levy a bit more. Otherwise, I think we have a good budget heading into 2024.”

The Polk County levy public hearing will occur on Tuesday, December 12, at the Polk County Government Center at 6:00 p.m.

The consent agenda included the approval of minutes from the November 7 meeting; it also had the approval of bills and disbursements in the amount of $92,749,41.

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Virginia Biddison loves to learn. In her seven years as a registered nurse with RiverView Health’s Inpatient Unit and Emergency Department, she’s trained into positions as lead, preceptor, critical care nurse, second OB nurse, and floor nurse. Virginia’s desire to learn and grow as a professional has benefitted RiverView patients and earned her RiverView’s Employee of the Month honor for October.

“I love working at RiverView because it allows me to continue growing my knowledge and skills in so many various areas that wouldn’t be available in other healthcare settings,” she shared. “I am constantly learning new things and perfecting old things. The people that I work with are amazing, and I love that the goal and focus is on teamwork, supporting each other, and supporting this community.”

Virginia grew up in Niwot, CO, a small suburb of Boulder. She started high school in Colorado but went on to attend two different boarding schools: Dublin Christian Academy in Dublin, NH, and went on to attend and graduate from Cono Christian Boarding Academy in Walker, IA. She earned her Associate of Applied Science in Nursing from Aims College, Greeley, CO.

She and her significant other, Korby, who has a master’s degree in engineering and works in the agricultural design industry, live in Grand Forks with their two boys. Virginia has a 10-year-old son named Elliot, and Korby has a 10-year-old son named Calvin, whom Virginia calls her “bonus son.” She reports that both boys excel at athletics, music, and “being awesome.” Elliot plays guitar, viola, trombone, hockey, and football. Calvin plays trumpet, violin, guitar, baseball, and football.

In their free time, the family spends a lot of time camping and taking their boat out for fishing and recreation. Virginia enjoys reading, playing guitar, crafts, and gardening.

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At approximately 10:19 am on Monday, November 20, the Grand Forks Fire Department was dispatched to 3630 Gateway Dr. for a report of an ammonia leak at Simplot.

Fire crews arrived on the scene and were met by employees who had found a small amount of ammonia leaking around a valve. Simplot employees had already contained the leak before fire crews arrived

. Fire crews ventilated and monitored for air quality inside the building. Employees were able to return to work safely. There were no injuries to employees or fire personnel.

The fire department responded with four engines, one Haz-Mat unit, one command vehicle, and nineteen personnel. The Grand Forks Police Department and Altru Ambulance assisted the fire department.

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On October 11, the Crookston High School FFA Forestry Team competed at Barnesville High School. The team finished first place and is advancing to the state competition in April.
Individually, Crookston’s Tessa Weber finished first place, Kaitlyn Christensen finished second, Leah Johanneck was third, and Taylor Wieland placed 10th.

In the Forestry Career Development Event, members are tested on various areas that are prominent in the Forestry Industry. Members have three identification portions: trees, wood, and tools. Members also completed a compass course, where they had to shoot their azimuth and calculate the degree to a point and the approximate distance to that point. They also complete a timber cruising portion where they use Biltmore Sticks to determine DBH and how many saw longs could come from that tree. Additionally, there are two written exams: Forest Business Management and General Forestry. 

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