The Crookston Pirate Girls Hockey team wraps up the regular season tonight when they host the Fort Frances (Ontario) Muskies at the Crookston Sports Center on Pirate Hockey Fights Cancer night. Crookston 12-10-1 on the year after a nice 3-1 victory over Bemidji on Tuesday. Fort Frances is 9-7-1 against Minnesota teams this year, including a 2-1 loss to Crookston on November 29 at Thief River Falls. The game is scheduled to start at 7:00 p.m. and can be heard on KROX Radio, or you can watch on KROX TV by clicking the video below.
The Crookston Pirate Boys Hockey team is hosting Greenway tonight in the annual Crookston Hockey Fights Cancer at the Crookston Sports Center. Crookston is 11-7-1 on the year after a 10-0 victory over Park Rapids on Monday. Greenway is 6-11-1 on the year after a 2-0 loss to North Shore. Greenway is in Section 7A. The game is at 5:00 p.m., and KROX Radio and TV will have the pre-game show at 4:30 p.m. You can watch the game by clicking below.
Friday morning, Crookston Schools Superintendant Randall Bergquist posted a video on Crookston Public Schools Facebook page informing the community of the police presence on Crookston High School campus this morning. Bergquist says some suspicious comments were made that led to the police presence. “It was a comment that was made sometime yesterday, but law enforcement was only aware of this last night, probably around 8:00 p.m. maybe,” says Bergquist. “We have a good School Resource Officer, Cody Bannert. The Crookston Police Department is awesome to work with, and Darin Selzler does a great job.”
Bergquist says he was in communication last night with the Crookston Police Department. “It was a comment made, but no specific threat was made. It was just that somebody had overheard something,” says Bergquist. “So we, of course, investigate everything that comes to our attention because the safety and security of our students is of utmost importance to me.”
Bergquist says the investigation continued through the night, and it was determined that law enforcement would be present at the High School this morning even though it ended up not being a credible comment. “We work so closely with the Crookston Police Department that we thought we’d have a little extra coverage here this morning,” says Bergquist. “So, they were here. They were in the hallways and everywhere else.”
Bergquist decided that he would post a video so the community knew what was happening out at the High School this morning. “So, I thought, you know something, Randy Bergquist, you better do a video because I want to be transparent with the community,” says Bergquist. “So I did the video.”
Bergquist says the Crookston Police Department’s protocol is that even though there was no evidence that anything was going to happen, law enforcement would still be present this morning. The Crookston Police Department then stuck around and walked through the hallways until everybody got in their classroom, and then they left.
“No matter what happens, whether it is really credible or just a ridiculous rumor, we are going to take safety and security very seriously here.”
The Crookston Pirate Wrestling team competes at the Tyler Moening Memorial Invitein Walker. The tournament starts at 3:00 p.m.
TEAM RESULTS – 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.
Crookston will only have five wrestlers competing in the varsity competition today. Jose Arriaga at 145, Gavyn Hlucny at 152, Lucas Perala at 160, Paul Thornhill at 172, and Isaiah Reyes at 189 pounds.
Edna Lorencia (Underdahl) Waller was born December 16, 1926, to her Norwegian immigrant parents Ole and Anna Underdahl in Strathcona, MN. The last surviving sibling of seven, Edna waltzed into the presence of Jesus’ arms in the early morning hours of Monday, January 27, 2025. Edna grew up in the Strathcona-Middle River area in close company with her extended family. She started elementary school in a one-room schoolhouse in Strathcona. Her family moved to Grand Forks when she was in 10th grade and she later graduated from Central High School. Following high school, Edna worked various jobs in Grand Forks, she enjoyed retail work in Herberger’s department store and Cooper Photography.
On June 27, 1948, Edna was united in marriage to Harvey Waller and they made their home in Crookston, MN. As Harvey worked for the Park Department, Edna worked part-time at a jewelry store while raising their two children, Scott and Lori. As the children grew, Edna began a 42-year journey with the Eagles Lodge, where she took on many roles–bookkeeping, hiring, bartending, beverage server, and selling pull tabs. The Eagles Lodge became a special place for Edna and Harvey, where they spent countless weekends together, enjoying Saturday night meals, dancing to live music, and playing bingo. Edna’s favorite nights were when Harvey would sing and play guitar with the band.
Edna’s love for people shone through in everything she did. She had an extraordinary ability to make everyone feel welcome and loved, and her face would light up whenever a familiar face entered the room. As her family grew, she treasured the time spent with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren, always expressing her delight and affirming her love for them. In her retirement, she enjoyed volunteering at Tri-Valley as a foster grandparent rocking babies and playing with preschoolers.
Feeding people was one of Edna’s greatest joys. Her meatballs and lefse were family favorites, and her home was a place where no one left hungry. Her homemade buns, donuts, cookies, date bars, and an assortment of breads were a delicious and comforting part of every gathering.
Edna was a dedicated lifelong member of both the VFW and the Eagles Auxiliaries. She was honored with the Patriotic Americans Award (VFW Auxiliary) and was named Eagle of the Year by the Eagles Auxiliary. Edna lived her final years at the Summit Assisted Living and Villa St. Vincent, where she often found singing as she meandered in the hallways. She eagerly joined sing-alongs, church services, bingo, and crafts, and loved playing cards with fellow residents. Edna shared a special bond with Bobbie Jo, one of her favorite care providers. In February 2024, Edna was crowned Queen of Hearts at the Villa Nursing Home.
Edna was very proud of her Norwegian heritage and often spoke in Norwegian. She loved sipping her coffee from a mug that read Jeg elsker deg (I love you). Phrases like Uff Da (No way), Nå men (Well now), and Gud bevare meg (God save me) were commonly heard from Edna, always adding a bit of humor to any situation.
Edna’s legacy lives on through her son, Scott (Kay) Waller of Crookston, and daughter, Lori (Peter) Jensen of Breckenridge; her grandchildren, Jodi (Tony) Ramberg, Becky (Red) Smith, and Marcie (Shawn) Haugen, all of Crookston, Kelsey Olson (fiancé Matt LaCoursiere) of Grand Forks, Hunter (Rebeccah) Jensen of Illinois, and Tanner (Jennifer) Jensen of Horace, ND; her great-grandchildren, Jace and Jaden Ramberg, Payden (Jaqala), AnnaBelle, Carson, Kyla, and Treyven Smith, Adama Herrin, Aurelia Jensen, and Spencer and Kara Jensen; and her great-great-grandson, Enzo. She is also remembered by her sister-in-law, Harriet Underdahl, as well as many nieces, nephews, and their families. She was united in eternal peace with her husband of 50 years, Harvey, her parents, and her siblings, Lennie, Obert, Ollie, Cora, Aggie, and Arnie. She was also reunited with her favorite Mito Warriors, Lars and Tina, and many other cherished family members and friends.
A celebration of Edna’s life will take place at Trinity Lutheran Church on Saturday, February 15th. A light lunch and visitation will take place from 12:00- 2:00 with a Celebration of Life at 2:00. Burial will follow at Oakdale Cemetery followed by a gathering at the Eagles Lodge to celebrate her love of gathering with family and friends.
Roxanne (Dufault) Stordahl, age 66, of McIntosh, MN, passed away on Tuesday, January 28th, as a result of an automobile accident near Hutchinson, MN. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, February 8th, at the Win-E-Mac High School in Erskine with the Rev. Rene Mehlberg officiating. Interment will be in Our Savior’s Lutheran Cemetery, McIntosh. Visitation will be held from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. with a 6:30 p.m. prayer service on Friday, February 7th, in Win-E-Mac Arts and Events Center on the north end of the Win-E-Mac School. Family will also greet friends for one hour prior to the service on Saturday morning at the school. Arrangements are with Carlin Family Funeral Service of McIntosh and messages of condolence may be shared at www.carlinfuneral.com.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., President Trump’s pick for Secretary of Health and Human Services, was back on Capitol Hill on Thursday for a hearing before the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions committee.
Kennedy, a Democrat who ran as an independent but ended up supporting Trump in the 2024 presidential campaign, faced confirmation grillings over his controversial views, facing sharp questioning from Democrats on the Senate Finance Committee.
Day 2 of Kennedy’s hearing wrapped around 1 p.m., with top senators of both parties still expressing questions and concerns. Kennedy will likely need 51 votes to become the next HHS secretary. If a vote in the Senate is tied, Vice President JD Vance would break the tie. (per CBS News).
For a detailed synopsis and updates from Kennedy’s heading, head to news outlets: ABC NEWS; CBS NEWS or NBC NEWS.
American Eagle Flight 5342 from Wichita, Kansas – which was carrying 60 passengers and four crew members – collided midair with a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter (carrying three people) when the chopper entered the airliner’s landing path as it approached Ronald Reagan National Airport about 9 p.m. local time Wednesday. Among the passengers on board Flight 5342 include figure skaters, coaches and family members who had been at a camp in Wichita; additionally, Russian state media confirmed that Russian figure skaters and coaches were also on board.
Washington, D.C. Fire and EMS Chief John Donnelly said during a press conference Thursday there were no survivors in the crash: Donnelly said several local and state agencies responded in addition to Washington first responders and the Department of Defense, working in harsh conditions, heavy wind, ice on the water. Donnelly said responders will continue to work to find all the bodies from the crash:
Newly-appointed Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said: “We have located the two aircrafts. The fuselage of the American Airlines plane was inverted. It’s been located in three different sections. It’s in about waist-deep water,” adding that the government will not rest until it gets answers for the families and for the flying public about what caused an airliner to collide with a military helicopter.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said in video statement Thursday the military helicopter was on an annual proficiency training flight: “it was a fairly experienced crew that was doing the required annual night evaluation. They did have night vision goggles. We anticipate that the investigation will quickly be able to determine whether the aircraft was in the corridor at the right altitude at the time of the incident .. It’s a tragedy, a horrible loss of life for those 64 souls on that civilian airliner and of course the three soldiers in that Blackhawk. They’re in our prayers. We are actively investigating to find out what happened and why.”
In a briefing from the White House, President Trump said the FAA, the NTSB and the U.S. military will be carrying out a systematic and comprehensive investigation, and expressed condolences for the victims: “I speak to you this morning in an hour of anguish for a nation…Sadly there are no survivors. This was a dark and excruciating night in our nation’s capital and in our nation’s history and a tragedy of terrible proportions. As one nation we grieve for every precious soul that has been taken from us so suddenly … our hearts are shattered. In moments like this the differences between Americans fade to nothing compared to the bonds of affection and loyalty that unite us all, both as Americans and even as nations. We are one family and today we are all heartbroken. We’re all searching for answers.”
Trump later said that the crash was a ‘tragedy that didn’t have to happen,’ and heavily criticism of diversity in the FAA and attacked the Biden and Obama administrations for what he claimed were bad administrative decisions at the FAA and DOT.
American Airlines CEO Robert Isom said in a statement: “I want to express my sincere condolences for the accident that happened at DCA last night. We’re absolutely heartbroken for the family and loved ones of the passengers and crew members and also for those that were on the military aircraft. Our focus right now is to doing everything that we can to support all of those involved and also the PSA Airlines team. This is devastating. We are all hurting incredibly.”
