THE MINNESOTA DNR ANNOUNCED THAT DIRK PETERSON HAS BEEN NAMED CHIEF OF FISHERIES…PETERSON HAS SERVED AS THE AGENCY’S CENTRAL REGION FISHERIES MANAGER FOR THE PAST NINE YEARS…. A BIOLOGIST, PETERSON HAS WORKED IN AREA, REGION, CENTRAL OFFICE AND COMMISSIONER’S OFFICE POSITIONS DURING A 30-PLUS YEAR DNR CAREER….PETERSON IS A RESIDENT OF NORTHFIELD, AND REPLACES RON PAYER, WHO RETIRED LATE LAST YEAR…

 

A ROSEAU COUNTY DEPUTY HAS BEEN CHARGED WITH TWO MISDEMEANORS FOLLOWING AN INCIDENT THAT HE ACCIDENTALLY SHOT HIS WIFE IN THE LEG LAST FALL….ACCORDING  TO A NEWS RELEASE FROM WARROAD CITY ATTORNEY STEVEN ANDERSON, DEPUTY NATHAN COSSENTINE, OF ROSEAU,  IS CHARGED WITH TRANSPORTING AN UNCASED, LOADED GUN AND RECKLESSLY HANDLING A GUN…. THE MINNESOTA BUREAU OF CRIMINAL APPREHENSION  SAYS THEIR INVESTIGATION FOUND THAT COSSENTINE WAS INSIDE HIS VEHICLE IN THE EARLY MORNING HOURS OF NOV. 8,  HANDLING THE GUN THAT ACCIDENTALLY WENT OFF, INJURING HIS WIFE, MICHELLE, ON THE TOP OF HER THIGH, HITTING ONLY SKIN AND FATTY TISSUE, AS SHE SAT IN THE PASSENGER SEAT…. ACCORDING TO THE ROSEAU SHERIFFS DEPARTMENT, COSSENTINE HAD THE GUN ACROSS HIS LAP AND WAS CHECKING TO SEE IF IT WAS LOADED WHEN HIS PINKY OR PART OF HIS CLOTHING HIT THE TRIGGER…THE DEPARTMENT SAID LAST FALL, THE COUPLE, WHO HAD BEEN DEER HUNTING EARLIER, HAD JUST RETURNED HOME WHEN THE GUN WENT OFF, AND JUST AFTER THE SHOOTING HAPPENED…. STEVEN ANDERSON IS PROSECUTING THE CASE…COSSENTINE IS SET TO APPEAR WEDNESDAY IN STATE DISTRICT COURT…BOTH CHARGES CARRY A MAXIMUM PENALTY OF 90 DAYS IN JAIL AND A 1 THOUSAND DOLLAR FINE…

 

MINNESOTA’S 2010 FISHING LICENSES AND THE STATE’S SECOND-EVER WALLEYE STAMP ARE NOW ON SALE… ANGLERS WHO PURCHASE A LICENSE EARLY IN MARCH CAN FISH FOR 14 MONTHS, SINCE THE LICENSE DOES NOT EXPIRE UNTIL APRIL 30, 2011…THE WALLEYE STAMP, THOUGH NOT NECESSARY TO CATCH AND KEEP WALLEYE, IS AN INNOVATIVE WAY FOR ANGLERS TO VOLUNTARILY DONATE FUNDS FOR WALLEYE STOCKING…PROCEEDS FROM WALLEYE STAMP SALES GO DIRECTLY TO A SPECIAL DNR ACCOUNT FOR WALLEYE STOCKING ACTIVITIES…A WALLEYE STAMP VALIDATION COSTS $5 AND FOR $2 MORE, THE DNR WILL MAIL YOU THE ACTUAL COLLECTOR’S STAMP…THIS YEAR’S WALLEYE STAMP WAS PAINTED BY MINNESOTA ARTIST TIM TURENNE OF RICHFIELD. IT FEATURES TWO WALLEYE, ONE OF WHICH IS PREPARING TO STRIKE AT A LURE….

 

LIFECARE MEDICAL CENTER  IS PRESENTING A COMMUNITY PRESENTATION ABOUT  SUICIDE PREVENTION  THIS SATURDAY IN ROSEAU…THE EVENT WILL BE PRESENTED BY DOCTOR PATRICIA HUNTER FROM  LIFECARE MEDICAL CENTER…THE PRESENTATION BEGINS SATURDAY MORNING AT 11AM AND RUNS UNTIL NOON AT THE LIBRARY CONFERENCE ROOM AT THE ROSEAU CITY CENTER …THE PUBLIC IS INVITED TO ATTEND WITH NO PRE REGISTRATION  REQUIRED….A QUESTION AND ANSWER SESSION WILL FOLLOW THE PRESENTATION…..

 

THE PUBLIC AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS ARE INVITED TO PROVIDE INPUT ON THE MINNESOTA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION’S AREA TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM PLAN… THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR THE ATIP IS ON NOW THRU  MARCH 31ST…THE ATIP IS A FOUR-YEAR PROGRAM FOR STATE AND FEDERALLY FUNDED TRANSPORTATION INVESTMENTS OF SIGNIFICANCE FOR THE NORTHWESTERN REGION OF THE STATE… TO VIEW AND PROVIDE COMMENT ON ATIP ONLINE, GO TO dot.state.mn.us…..OR CONTACT   MN/DOT DISTRICT 2 PLANNING ENGINEER  JOE MCKINNON AT 218-755-6554 ….

 

THE NEWEST MEMBER OF THE NORTHWEST MINNESOTA WOMEN’S HALL OF FAME WAS INDUCTED OVER THE WEEKEND…LADDIE ELWELL,  EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF HEADWATERS SCIENCE CENTER AND A FORMER FACULTY MEMBER AT BEMIDJI STATE UNIVERSITY, WAS INDUCTED INTO THE HALL OF FAME DURING A PROGRAM AT THE AMERICAN INDIAN RESOURCE CENTER AT BSU….AREA WOMEN IN THE HALL OF FAME, INCLUDE HAZEL WAHLBERG OF ROSEAU, INDUCTED IN 1999…MARGARET MARVIN, OF WARROAD, INDUCTED IN 2001…AND NANCY BURGRAFF, INDUCTED IN 2004….

 

ROGER FALK IS THE NEW ROSEAU COUNTY DISTRICT THREE COMMISSIONER OVER BRYAN ERICKSON,  FOLLOWING THE SPECIAL ELECTION HELD YESTERDAY….UNOFFICIALLY, DISTRICT THREE VOTERS  CHOSE FALK WITH 431 VOTES, TO 194 FOR ERICKSON…. THE ROSEAU COUNTY CANVASSING BOARD WILL MEET TODAY TO CERTIFY THE RESULTS….FALK WILL FILL THE UNEXPIRED TERM OF THIRD DISTRICT COMMISSIONER ORRIS RASMUSSEN, WHO WAS FORCED TO RESIGN AFTER PLEADING GUILTY TO TAX EVASION…DISTRICT 3 ENCOMPASSES 11 TOWNSHIPS IN CENTRAL ROSEAU COUNTY… THE UNEXPIRED TERM ENDS JAN. 3, 2011... THAT SEAT, PLUS THOSE OF DISTRICT 1 COMMISSIONER ALAN JOHNSTON AND DISTRICT 5 COMMISSIONER MARK FOLDESI, WILL BE UP FOR ELECTION IN NOVEMBER… 

THE WARROAD SCHOOL BOARD WILL HOLD THEIR REGULAR MARCH BOARD MEETING AT 6:00 P.M. ON MARCH 8TH…. THE MEETING WILL BE HELD IN THE HIGH SCHOOL LIBRARY… THE MEETING TIME HAS BEEN MOVED UP FROM 7:00 P.M. TO AVOID CONFLICT WITH THE HIGH SCHOOL BAND AND CHOIR CONCERT AT 7:30 P.M….

 

A NEW FEDERAL LAW ALLOWING GUNS IN NATIONAL PARKS WILL HAVE A LIMITED IMPACT IN VOYAGEURS NATIONAL PARK - EAST OF INTERNATIONAL FALLS...THE NEW LAW TOOK EFFECT MONDAY...IT ALLOWS PEOPLE WHO CAN LEGALLY POSSESS FIREARMS TO HAVE THEM IN VOYAGEURS NATIONAL PARK, BUT THERE'S A CATCH....IT MAKES POSSESSION OF FIREARMS IN NATIONAL PARKS SUBJECT TO THE FIREARMS LAWS OF THE STATES WHERE THE PARKS ARE LOCATED.... THE PARK NOTES THAT MINNESOTA STILL BANS RIFLES, SHOTGUNS OR BB GUNS IN PUBLIC PLACES SUCH AS VOYAGEURS, UNLESS THEY ARE UNLOADED, CASED AND PUT AWAY IN A MOTOR VEHICLE. BUT PEOPLE WHO WISH TO TAKE HANDGUNS INTO VOYAGEURS CAN NOW DO SO AS LONG AS THEY COMPLY WITH ALL APPLICABLE MINNESOTA LAWS...     VOYAGEURS SUPERINTENDENT MIKE WARD SAYS VISITORS SHOULD DO THEIR RESEARCH AHEAD OF TIME...HUNTING REMAINS ILLEGAL IN VOYAGEURS....

 

 

U.S. CUSTOMS OFFICIALS CAUGHT A SUNDOWN, MANITOBA MAN WITH OUTSTANDING WARRANTS ATTEMPTING TO CROSS INTO THE U.S. AT THE WARROAD PORT OF ENTRY…A SPOKESMAN FOR U.S. CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION SAID A 38-YEAR-OLD SUNDOWN RESIDENT ARRIVED AT THE WARROAD ENTRY AT 2 A.M. FRIDAY  WHEN OFFICERS RAN HIS NAME ON THE CANADIAN POLICE INFORMATION CENTRE  -- A CANADIAN POLICE DATABASE -- IT SHOWED THERE WERE TWO OUTSTANDING ARREST WARRANTS FOR BREACHING COURT ORDERS…THE MAN WAS REFUSED ENTRY INTO THE U.S. AND ESCORTED BACK TO THE CANADIAN BORDER SERVICES OFFICE, WHICH HELD HIM FOR THE RCMP WHO THEN TOOK HIM INTO CUSTODY…

 

THE ROSEAU AREA FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY IS REPORTING OVER 4 THOUSAND DOLLARS IN DONATIONS IN 2009….THE TOTAL WAS 4 THOUSAND 213 DOLLARS…MORE THAN HALF OF THE DONATIONS RECEIVED WERE DESIGNATED FOR THE ROSEAU AREA FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY’S ENDOWMENT FUND IN MEMORY OF 31 MEN AND WOMEN….

 

THE NORTHWEST MINNESOTA FOUNDATION HAS RECEIVED A 40 THOUSAND DOLLAR GRANT AWARD FROM THE SOUTHWEST INITIATIVE FOUNDATION TO CONDUCT A RURAL ENERGY DEVELOPMENT INSTITUTE CATALYST/TRANSITION GRANT PROGRAM IN NORTHWEST MINNESOTA….THE FOUNDATION, IN COOPERATION WITH THE NORTHWEST REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION AND THE HEADWATERS REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION, HAS DEVELOPED THE NORTHWEST MINNESOTA RENEWABLE ENERGY COALITION…THIS PROJECT WILL EXPAND OUTREACH AND EDUCATION EFFORTS TO PROMOTE NEW RENEWABLE ENERGY AND ENERGY CONSERVATION PROJECTS THROUGHOUT NMF’S 12-COUNTY SERVICE AREA….THE PARTNERS WILL ALSO SEEK GRANT PROPOSALS FOR ELIGIBLE PROJECTS FROM PUBLIC ENTITIES AND NONPROFIT COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS…. BOTH WILL PROVIDE PUBLIC OUTREACH AND EDUCATION FOR THE PROJECTS… NMF WILL HELP TO ORGANIZE, REVIEW AND AWARD THE GRANTS FOR ELIGIBLE PROJECTS….

 

THIS WEEK, GOVERNOR TIM PAWLENTY RELEASED HIS PROPOSAL TO BALANCE THE STATE'S IMMEDIATE  1.2 BILLION BUDGET SHORTFALL… AND STATE DFLers HAVE BEEN QUICK TO POINT OUT THEIR VERSION OF THE AMOUNT OF STATE AID THAT WOULD BE SHORTED TO AREA CITIES AND COUNTIES…DFL-SENATOR LEROY STUMPF,  OF PLUMMER,  SAYS PART OF THE BUDGET PROPOSAL RELIES ON $250 MILLION IN CUTS TO AIDS TO LOCAL UNITS OF GOVERNMENT THIS YEAR, AND A HALF-BILLION DOLLARS OF CUTS NEXT YEAR…ACCORDING TO STUMPF, LOCALLY, THE GOVERNOR'S STATE AID CUTS WOULD MEAN THIS YEAR:

126 THOUSAND DOLLAR CUT TO WARROAD AND NEARLY A 143 THOUSAND DOLLAR CUT TO ROSEAU…ALSO, A  12 THOUSAND DOLLAR CUT COULD BE EXPECTED IN MIDDLE RIVER….66 THOUSAND IN CUTS TO HALLOCK AND OVER 25 THOUSAND IN ARGYLE…REGIONAL CITIES CUTS INCLUDE

 A 409 THOUSAND DOLLAR  CUT TO CROOKSTON;  AND 465 THOUSAND  CUT TO EAST GRAND FORKS…MEANWHILE, STUMPF SAYS  ROSEAU COUNTY,  WOULD SEE A  321 THOUSAND DOLLAR CUT THIS YEAR…KITTSON COUNTY, A 129 THOUSAND DOLLAR CUT… MARSHALL COUNTY,  249 THOUSAND … RED LAKE COUNTY JUST UNDER 108 THOUSAND ….PENNINGTON COUNTY,  A CUT IN AID OF NEARLY 326 THOUSAND AND  POLK COUNTY WOULD SEE A  CUT OF JUST UNDER 894 THOUSAND DOLLARS… IN ADDITION TO CUTTING STATE AID TO LOCAL GOVERNMENTS, STUMPF SAYS THE GOVERNOR'S BUDGET RELIES UPON: CUTS TO HEALTH CARE PROGRAMS….AND  HIGHER EDUCATION…

   

BORDER OFFICIALS IN PEMBINA SAY  IN RECENT MONTHS, THEY   HAVE CONFISCATED DISEASED CITRUS FRUIT FROM CANADIAN TRAVELERS HEADED FOR THE SUN BELT, POTENTIALLY AVOIDING INFESTATIONS OF THE AMERICAN CITRUS CROP… ACCORDING TO U.S. CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION, IN DECEMBER AND JANUARY, AGRICULTURAL SPECIALISTS WITH THE AGENCY STOPPED TRAVELERS FROM BRINGING IN MANDARIN ORANGES WITH CITRUS BLACK SPOT, AN INVASIVE FUNGUS, AND ARROWHEAD SCALE, A PEST…NEITHER BLACK SPOT NOR SCALE HAS ESTABLISHED ITSELF IN THE U.S., BUT THE INTRODUCTION OF EITHER COULD DEVASTATE THE COUNTRY’S CITRUS INDUSTRY… ACCORDING TO THE CBP, BLACK SPOT PRODUCES LESIONS ON FRUIT AND CAUSES FRUIT TO DROP OFF TREES PREMATURELY, WHILE SCALE PESTS SUCK THE JUICE FROM CITRUS PLANTS, KILLING TREES AND MAKING FRUIT UNSELLABLE…BORDER OFFICIALS URGE TRAVELERS TO CHECK RESTRICTIONS ON AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS — LIKE FRUIT, MEAT, DAIRY OR FIREWOOD — BEFORE TRYING TO BRING THEM INTO THE U.S…. TO CHECK RESTRICTIONS ON SUCH PRODUCTS, CALL THE CBP IN PEMBINA AT (701) 825-6551….EXT. 324.

 

A NEW LONDON-SPICER AREA PSYCHIATRIST HAS ANNOUNCED HER CANDIDACY AS A REPUBLICAN FOR MINNESOTA’S 7TH DISTRICT CONGRESSIONAL SEAT, CURRENTLY HELD BY COLLIN PETERSON…

KAREN NELSON, WHO SERVED EIGHT YEARS ON THE NEW LONDON-SPICER SCHOOL BOARD, ISSUED A STATEMENT  ON THE 7TH DISTRICT REPUBLICAN WEB SITE….IN HER STATEMENT, NELSON SAID HER TRAINING AS A PHYSICIAN HAS TAUGHT HER TO “LISTEN, EVALUATE, AND SOLVE PROBLEMS.” HER TIME ON THE SCHOOL BOARD TAUGHT HER ABOUT BALANCING BUDGETS, NEGOTIATING WITH UNIONS AND WORKING WITH MANY TYPES OF PEOPLE…NELSON SAID SHE IS OPPOSED TO ABORTION, ALLOWING GAY MARRIAGE, GUN CONTROL AND CAP-AND-TRADE LEGISLATION… SHE IS ALSO OPPOSED TO CURRENT HEALTH REFORM PROPOSALS…THREE OTHER REPUBLICAN CANDIDATES ARE RUNNING FOR THE SEAT AS WELL, INCLUDING MELVA LARSON OF BAGLEY, GLEN MENZE OF STARBUCK AND LEE BYBERG OF WILLMAR…

 

THE KENORA DETACHMENT OF THE O.P.P. SAYS THEY ARE INVESTIGATING A NUMBER OF BREAK AND ENTERS TO CAMPS AND FISH HOUSES ON THE NORTH SIDE OF LAKE OF THE WOODS…POLICE SAY THE BREAK – INS HAPPENED LAST WEEKEND…OFFICERS ATTENDED A NUMBER OF CAMPS ON SURVEY, KIPLING AND QUARRY ISLAND WHERE SUSPECTS FORCED THEIR WAY IN…ONCE INSIDE POLICE SAY THE CAMPS WERE TRASHED INCLUDING EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO FURNITURE AND OTHER PROPERTY…AND A NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS WERE RECEIVED THAT ICE HOUSES IN THE AREA OF THESE ISLANDS WERE ENTERED AS WELL…OPP ARE ASKING ANYONE WHO MAY HAVE ANY INFO TO CONTACT LOCAL POLICE OR CRIMESTOPPERS…

 

ROSEAU COUNTY AUTHORITIES HAVE RELEASED THE NAMES OF THE TWO PEOPLE KILLED IN A HOUSE FIRE EARLIER THIS WEEK….AND THEY SAY THEY RECEIVED THE PROVISIONAL REPORT FROM THE RAMSEY COUNTY MEDICAL EXAMINER…AUTHORITIES SAY 92 YEAR OLD JOHN ULVIN, AND HIS 88 YEAR OLD WIFE, EDNA ULVIN, DIED IN THE BLAZE THAT HAPPENED MONDAY  MORNING….AUTHORITIES SAY A PASSERBY NOTICED THE FIRE AROUND 10:30AM AND REPORTED IN TO THE ROSEAU COUNTY SHERIFFS DEPARTMENT…THE CAUSE OF DEATH OF BOTH ULVIN’S WAS DETERMINED TO BE ACUTE CARBON MONOXIDE POISONING FROM THE FIRE AND MANNER OF DEATH RULED AN ACCIDENT….ROSEAU COUNTY SHERIFF JULE HANSON SAYS THE FIRE INITIALY APPEARS TO HAVE STARTED IN THE BASEMENT NEAR THE FURNACE…HOWEVER,THE STATE FIRE MARSHALL CONTINUES ITS INVESTIGATION INTO THE  CAUSE….THE B.C.A. HAS FINISHED THEIR INVESTIGATION….

 

MINNESOTA’S COUNTIES WILL BE INCLUDED IN A REPORT  IS A RANKING THE HEALTH OF COUNTIES IN ALL 50 STATES. ..HE COUNTY HEALTH RANKINGS, PREPARED BY THE ROBERT WOOD JOHNSON FOUNDATION AND UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN POPULATION HEALTH INSTITUTE, IS THE FIRST REPORT TO RANK THE OVERALL HEALTH OF COUNTIES BY USING A STANDARD FORMULA TO MEASURE HOW HEALTHY PEOPLE ARE AND HOW LONG THEY LIVE…COUNTIES WERE  RANKED IN TWO CATEGORIES: HEALTH OUTCOMES AND HEALTH FACTORS ….HEALTH OUTCOMES INCLUDE THE RATE OF PEOPLE DYING BEFORE AGE 75, THE PERCENTAGE OF PEOPLE WHO REPORT BEING IN FAIR OR POOR HEALTH, AND THE RATE OF LOW-BIRTH WEIGHT INFANTS…. HEALTH FACTORS INCLUDE HEALTH BEHAVIOR, CLINICAL CARE, SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC FACTORS AND PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT. …THE RANKINGS ARE DESIGNED TO COMPARE THE HEALTH OF COUNTIES WITHIN EACH STATE; THEY WILL NOT COMPARE COUNTIES IN ONE STATE WITH COUNTIES IN ANOTHER STATE… THE RANKINGS IN AREA COUNTIES IN THE STATE’S  85 TOTAL, RANGED FROM MARSHALL COUNTY, RANKED 5TH IN THE STATE TO BELTRAMI COUNTY, WHICH RANKED 84TH….ROSEAU COUNTY RANKED 41ST….LAKE OF THE WOODS 70TH….KOOCHICHING COUNTY 73…KITTSON 58TH….AND PENNINGTON 39TH….IN MINNESOTA, COMMISSIONER OF HEALTH DR. SANNE MAGNAN SAYS THE COUNTY HEALTH RANKINGS ARE AN ADDITIONAL TOOL THAT COUNTIES CAN USE TO EXAMINE THEIR HEALTH…

 

HOME REMODELING IS A BRIGHT SPOT IN THE TROUBLED U.S. CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY -THAT WORD FROM MARVIN WINDOWS AND DOORS…YEAR-END FIGURES FROM THE U.S. COMMERCE DEPARTMENT SHOW THAT 2009 SPENDING ON PRIVATE, RESIDENTIAL REMODELING TOTALED 125.6 BILLION -- UP 8.2 PERCENT FROM 2008…MEANWHILE, NEW RESIDENTIAL CONSTRUCTION SPENDING CAME IN AT 134.8 BILLION -- A DROP OF 23.5 PERCENT FROM THE PREVIOUS YEAR….MARVIN SPOKESMAN JOHN KIRCHNER SAID IN THE PUBLICATION “MARKETWIRE” THAT HOMEOWNERS ARE ELECTING TO RENOVATE EXISTING PROPERTIES FOR GREATER COMFORT, EFFICIENCY AND STYLE, RATHER THAN  TRADING UP TO LARGER HOMES OR FLIPPING PROPERTIES FOR A QUICK PROFIT…..REFLECTING THE SHIFT, REMODELING GRABBED A MUCH BIGGER SHARE OF THE OVERALL RESIDENTIAL CONSTRUCTION DOLLAR…FOR ALL OF 2009, NEW CONSTRUCTION ACCOUNTED FOR 51.8 PERCENT OF RESIDENTIAL CONSTRUCTION SPENDING, WITH REMODELING AT 48.2 PERCENT….KIRCHNER SAID, BY CONTRAST, NEW CONSTRUCTION ACCOUNTED FOR 60.3 PERCENT OF RESIDENTIAL CONSTRUCTION SPENDING IN 2008 AND REMODELING FOR ONLY 39.7 PERCENT….HE SAID THE FEDERAL TAX CREDIT FOR ENERGY-EFFICIENT HOME IMPROVEMENTS IS ALSO GIVING A BOOST TO REMODELING…

WARROAD SCHOOL DISTRICT SUPERINTENDENT CRAIG OFTEDAHL HAS BEEN NAMED THE 2010 REGION 8 ADMINSTRATOR OF THE YEAR BY THE MINNESOTA ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS…ROSEAU SCHOOL DISTRICT SUPERINTENDENT LARRY GUGGISBERG, WHO IS ALSO A MEMBER OF THE ASSOCIATION’S BOARD OF DIRECTORS, MADE THE ANNOUNCEMENT THIS WEEK AND SAYS OFTEDAHL WILL RECEIVE A PLAQUE IN RECOGNITION OF THE ACHIEVEMENT AT THE REGION MEETING IN MARCH IN THIEF RIVER FALLS…THE MINNESOTA ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS HAS AN ANNUAL ADMINISTRATOR OF THE YEAR PROGRAM TO RECOGNIZE SCHOOL LEADERSHIP…

  

THE  WARROAD SCHOOL HAS PLACED A TEACHER ADMINISTRATIVE LEAVE WHILE THE SCHOOL DISTRICT CONDUCTS AN INTERNAL  INVESTIGATION  INVOLVING HER…. WARROAD SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT CRAIG OFTEDAHL, SAYS HIGH SCHOOL SCIENCE TEACHER AMY HAATAJA  HAS BEEN ON PAID LEAVE SINCE JANUARY 15 WHILE THE DISTRICT CONDUCTS AN INTERNAL INVESTIGATION OF AN ALLEGATION OF AN INAPPROPRIATE RELATIONSHIP WITH A STUDENT…. OFTEDAHL TOLD THE GRAND FORKS HERALD THAT LAW  ENFORCEMENT IS NOT INVOLVED IN THE INVESTIGATION… HAATAJA WAS PUT ON LEAVE…THE INVESTIGATION IS EXPECTED  TO BE COMPLETED IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS…HAATAJA  IS IN HER FIRST YEAR AT WARROAD SCHOOL…NO OTHER DETAILS ARE AVAILABLE…

 

THE AGRICULTURAL UTILIZATION RESEARCH INSTITUTE IN CROOKSTON HAS BEEN SELECTED TO RECEIVE A 99 THOUSAND DOLLAR GRANT TO PROVIDE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO SMALL AND EMERGING BUSINESSES IN THE BIOMASS PROCESSING INDUSTRY IN SEVEN RURAL MINNESOTA COUNTIES,  INCLUDING   MARSHALL COUNTY….THE FUNDING IS ADMINISTERED THROUGH USDA RURAL DEVELOPMENT’S RURAL BUSINESS ENTERPRISE GRANT PROGRAM...THE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PROVIDED WILL HELP MEET THE DEMANDS OF THE GROWING BIOMASS PROCESSING INDUSTRY IN ITASCA, AITKIN, STEARNS, MARSHALL, WINONA, CROW WING AND CHISAGO COUNTIES….ESTIMATES SUGGEST THE GRANT WILL SAVE AND CREATE MORE THAN 25 JOBS IN THESE COUNTIES…

 

CENTRAL BOILER NEAR GREENBUSH  HAS ANNOUNCED THAT IT WILL SHARE 1.2 MILLION DOLLARS WITH ITS 220 EMPLOYEES AS PART OF ITS ANNUAL PROFIT-SHARING PROGRAM…. THE AVERAGE TOTAL BONUS WOULD BE 5 THOUSAND 455 DOLLARS PER EMPLOYEE… CENTRAL BOILER WAS STARTED IN 1984 AND MANUFACTURERS  OUTDOOR WOOD, WOOD PELLET AND CORN FURNACES AT ITS FACILITY SOUTHEAST OF GREENBUSH…