Articles

EERC cuts 8 jobs

Research support positions ended because of funding slowdown

Pungent punch: Thaw of East Grand Forks sewage lagoons makes for stinky spring day

“It’s usually bad for only a few days each spring and you don’t notice it much as long as the wind is not from the north,” said Jason Stordahl, the city’s public works director. Alas, 20 mph winds came from the north Wednesday.

• East Grand Forks sewage lagoons

Big park projects in the works for Grand Forks

Nine Grand Forks Park District projects totaling about $1.4 million are scheduled to be done this year. The most expensive job is a $640,000 repair of Eagles Arena, an ice rink that serves Red River High School hockey, figure skaters and Mites, hockey players ages 7-8.

• Parks
• Eagles Arena

RYAN BAKKEN: Plenty of room to enjoy

Here’s a proposed new North Dakotan slogan: “We have elbow room.” That’s something clearly lacking for Rhode Island residents, who recently were revealed in a national poll to experience the least enjoyment of any state. Rhode Islanders also ranked second — behind only West Virginia and its coal miners — for being stressed out.

• Ryan Bakken

After weeks as a city moose, Crookston creature is shooed out of town

A moose is no longer on the loose in town here. After spending about 10 weeks in the city limits, entertaining residents and frustrating authorities, the moose has moved — or, more accurately, been pushed — out of town.

• Moose lounging by ornament

Thief River Falls' Digi-Key to drive new workers to work

Thief River Falls company recruits in Crookston to the south avoiding competition with nearby firms that are also ramping up hiring.

• Where Digi-Key's workers come from

RYAN BAKKEN: Blue words a golden ticket

Once upon a time, obnoxious behavior was punished. These days, it’s rewarded. The latest example of this cultural U-turn is A.J. Clemente. You likely have heard of him. If you haven’t, he was the news anchor who received acclaim — not scorn — for his two-word, on-air faux pas that rhymes with “ducking fit.”

• Ryan Bakken

Grand Forks woman makes sure kids can afford prom with free gowns

Over the last 11 years, the 56-year-old Sylvia Wolf has secured an estimated 150 free gowns for girls attending school dances, most notably for prom. They go to students who can’t afford the finery that routinely costs in triple figures.

• Sylvia Wolf

Karlstad native gets military honor for help with injured mountain climber

A native of Karlstad recently received the Navy and Marine Corps Medal for his heroism while on leave in Japan in December 2011.

• Former Explosive Ordnance Disposal 1st Class Corey Baughman, right, is awarded the Navy and Marine Corps medal
• Navy and Marine Corps Medal

Park District to decide Springfest's fate at Tuesday meeting

The Grand Forks Park District will decide Tuesday whether to allow Springfest at University Park. By then, park officials should be able to determine if the park will be able to handle the 3,000-plus people who attend the annual, unofficial celebration of the end of the UND school year.

• Springfest 2011

Columns

RYAN BAKKEN: Here's your team to be named later

Recently, some UND athletics department news releases and some Herald sports stories have used “Green and White” to refer to the university’s athletes.

• Ryan Bakken

RYAN BAKKEN: The chaos coordinator will take your call now

Ryan discusses the benefits of getting to create your own title in the workplace.

• Ryan Bakken

Crookston children find happiness in hay bales

The description of the “natural play space” in Crookston seemed like some new-age concept that was mock-worthy. But Bakken found, instead, an almost old-fashioned kind of play that is heavy on imagination and light on fancy equipment.

• Ryan Bakken
• Castle Park's natural play space
• Children celebrate the natural play space
• Children play in the natural play space

RYAN BAKKEN: Expert help on some sweet research

Because the Boss Lady is out of town, I’ve been commissioned to secure the necessary Halloween treats to dispense on Wednesday evening.

• Ryan Bakken

RYAN BAKKEN: 13 Reasons to turn your frown upside-down

Cheer up, things are going from worst to bad temperatures are falling, as are the minutes of daylight. Winter is coming. Soon. But don’t despair. Not all is bleak.

• Ryan Bakken

RYAN BAKKEN: A vote for McGovern

The first presidential candidate I voted for was George McGovern, who died Sunday at age 90. My vote was cast for the most selfish — and best 3 of reasons: I didn’t want to die.

• Ryan Bakken

RYAN BAKKEN: Plastic surgery is wasted on the young

American teens are undergoing more than 200,000 procedures per year, according to an estimate. This is wrong.

• Ryan Bakken

RYAN BAKKEN: Politics ad nauseam

Mercifully, the election is three weeks away. That’s when it will be safe to watch evening television again. I’m referring, of course, to the commercials. It seems as if 90 percent of commercials this month concern political races.

• Ryan Bakken

Thief River Falls worker retires after 60 years at same job

Winton Dahlin was allowed to knock off 30 minutes early from work Friday, his last day on the job. Consensus was that he earned it, since he’s worked the past 60 years for the same company.

• Ryan Bakken
• Winton Dahlin

RYAN BAKKEN: Goals for a life without fries

When I was school age, I ignored the first morning rousing by my mother by rolling over and going back to sleep. But when the second shaking came, I complied because if I didn’t, there was hell to pay. Hopefully, my most recent second wakeup call will be equally successful.

• Ryan Bakken