Month: June 2025

The Northwest Regional Corrections Center reported the arrest of the following–

Corvonte Angel Davis, 20, of Crookston, for tampering with a motor vehicle without owner’s permission

Ashana Rae Young, 25, of Crookston, for Disorderly Conduct

Seldon Stuart Jackson, 24, of Crookston, for Disorderly Conduct

Richard David Rodrigues, 41, of St. Paul, for Public Nuisance

Nothing to report from Tuesday.

On Tuesday, June 3, during the Polk County Commissioners Meeting, County Engineer Richard Sanders was presented with the 2023 Rural County Engineer of the Year Award from the National Association of County Engineers (NACE). On hand to present the award to Sanders were Wayne Sandberg, Public Works Director/County Engineer of Washington County, MN, and NACE Secretary Treasurer, and Lyndon Robjent, Public Works Division Director/County Engineer of Carver County, MN, and Minnesota County Engineers Association President.

NACE gives out four awards yearly.  The Rural County Engineer of the Year, the Urban County Engineer of the Year, a Project Manager of the Year Award, and the David P. Brand Safety Award. These awards are the highest honor given out by NACE. The Rural County Engineer and the Urban County Engineer of the Year awards have been given out since 1965.

When did Sanders find out he was the recipient of this National award? “Our annual conference was in Schaumburg, Illinois, which is a Northwest Suburb of Chicago,” says Sanders. “On Thursday night at the banquet, they have the awards ceremony, and I was honored enough to win the Rural County Engineer of the Year Award.” The annual conference Sanders spoke of took place in April.

Sanders has served as Polk County Engineer since 2002.  Prior to that, he was the Assistant Polk County Engineer from 1991 to 2002. Under his direction, Polk County has accomplished quite a list of projects. Those projects, along with some professional positions he has held, were part of why he was chosen this year. “Being President of NACE in 2018 and 2019, being a regional Vice President before that from 2013-2016, gave me points towards the award,” says Sanders. “Work that we’ve done with our county. The roundabout work that we did over the last couple of years, and other projects that we’ve done, were all part of the applications submittal.” Even though Sanders is the one who received the award, he says that it is an indicator of what the County is accomplishing and how that is benefiting people.

Another part of the application submittal is to find out what Sanders does when he is not at work for the County. “They have on there what I do in my personal life. What have I done to help the community?” says Sanders. “My work as the Blue Line President, and being on the Blue Line Club Board for many years. My work helping my wife with her church work has been part of it. My background being on different church boards was part of the application as well.”

Sanders explained that it is a very well-rounded award and not solely based on what you do as an engineer. “It’s based on how you live your life and on what you have done to benefit your community, and your county’s residents. So, I am just honored that I received it.”

This is the second award that has been presented to Sanders this year. In January, the Minnesota County Engineers Association presented Polk County with a safety award. “Winning the Safety Award from the Minnesota County Engineers Association in January for the Roundabout was an honor as well,” says Sanders. “You win these awards, and it’s because, to me, it’s sort of weird because I just do my job. I try to be the best person I can be. I try to do the best thing for the residents of Polk County, and I have been blessed twice this year now for doing my job well.”

Lyndyn Robjent (Washington County), Wayne Sandberg (Carver County), Richard Sanders (Polk County), Taylor Amiot (Red Lake County), Mike Flaagan (Pennington County)

Polk County Commissioners with Richard Sanders, Lyndyn Robjent, and Wayne Sandberg

The 2025 Safety Town Program is underway this week with lots of great things for the young kids of Crookston to have fun with while learning about safety.  On Tuesday, the kids heard from Safe Kids of Grand Forks, BNSF Railway, the Minnesota DNR, the Polk County Sheriff’s office, and the Crookston Police Department. Luckily, today the weather is cooperating, and the smoke has blown out of town for the most part.

The children meet at Washington School from 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Tuesday through Friday. Participants’ families can attend the Safety Town Graduation and Reception on Friday, June 6, from 9:45 a.m. to 10:40 a.m.

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Forage pests, the status of the forage crop, and pasture management were topics of discussion on the May 28 University of Minnesota Extension Strategic Farming: Field Notes program.

Alfalfa stands and alfalfa weevil management

 Although there was enough snow cover in parts of northern MN this past winter to protect forage stands, there wasn’t much snow cover elsewhere across the state. Times of little snow cover often correlated to our coldest spells, resulting in some alfalfa winter kill, especially with older stands. Considering these factors, some fields might be looking a little rough this spring. Be sure to evaluate stands to make sure there is enough to meet your needs.

Alfalfa weevil, a key pest in alfalfa, overwinters as an adult in plant debris. Overwintering mortality should have been higher than normal where we didn’t have much snow cover, but there is a greater risk of alfalfa weevil pressure where snow cover provided protection to overwintering adults. Although adult beetles will feed for a short time, they do not cause economic damage – the larvae are the primary cause of damage. Treating adults in a field is not likely to give a return on investment or prevent infestations the next year.

Forecast maps indicate that alfalfa weevil should have reached the pupae stage, which does not cause injury, by around the last week of May across central Minnesota. Forecast models are for the eastern strain of alfalfa weevil, while the western strain tends to have a 1-to-2-week lag in development. As a result, alfalfa weevil scouting should continue until at least mid-June this year.

You can scout for alfalfa weevil by using a 5-gallon bucket and collecting 5 plants in 5 locations in a field, for a total of 30 plants. Shake the plants into the bucket to dislodge any weevils from the plants to get a count. When to treat should be based on crop height, price and the number of larvae present per plant. If treatment thresholds are met, there are not very many pesticide options for use in alfalfa. Existing stocks of chlorpyrifos products registered for this year can be used on alfalfa until June 30. Old chlorpyrifos products with expired registrations cannot be used this year.

Pyrethroids are another option for use in alfalfa, but resistance to these products is a concern. If you suspect pyrethroid resistance in a field, let us know. The U of MN is hoping to do some screening for pyrethroid resistance in insect pests and is interested in collecting samples to test from suspect populations. Contact Anthony Hanson (hans4022@umn.edu) if you suspect you had a field with a pyrethroid failure.

Further details on scouting tips, treatment thresholds, and insecticide options can be found on the UMN Extension forage website at www.extension.umn.edu/forages/forage-pest-management.

Forage grasses and pasture

This season, pastures have been slow to regrow, particularly in southeastern MN. Pale, light- green plants are an indication of a shortage of N, so a timely application of N may help rejuvenate pastures in some areas. If your pasture species aren’t aggressively and actively growing, weeds can become a problem. Fertilizing can help regenerate growth, as well as managing the plants with timely harvesting. Using a burn-down herbicide to kill weeds and then seeding a species you want can help with productivity. Consider a nurse crop, like oats, to allow for some grazing, while protecting new seedlings.

Listen to the full program through your preferred podcasting platform or at z.umn.edu/strategic- Farming Thanks to the Minnesota Soybean Research and Promotion Council and the Minnesota Corn Research and Promotion Council for their support of this program.

For more news from U of M Extension, visit www.extension.umn.edu/news or contact Extension

Communications at extdigest@umn.edu. University of Minnesota Extension is an equal opportunity educator and employer.