Monday, May 18, 2009

Grand Rapids Herald-Review - Daily Updates

Greenway students take top honors at state/section music contest
Greenway musicians traveled to Mesabi College in Virginia on Thursday, April 23 for the 7A State/Section Music Contest. Choirs and bands (large groups) were critiqued by three judges, and small groups and solos by one judge. The ratings are superior, excellent, good, and fair. Large groups must receive at least two superiors to earn a trophy.

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

Herald-Review - Daily Updates

Public Safety bill includes fee increases; prisons are held harmless
ST. PAUL While state hospitals and nursing homes are facing tough funding cuts, prisons will be running smoothly.

Google girl
A seven-year-old girl from Grand Rapids is a finalist in the national Doodle 4 Google contest.

Save the park!
If former Riverview Elementary School Principal Robert Petcha were alive today, he would find a new friend in Meghan Bown.

Funding shift would help with some LGA funding cuts
ST. PAUL Part of the yearly taconite production tax is funneled directly into Iron Range schools in cities across the Taconite Tax Area.

Residents can expect lower assessments
Residents affected by the road construction projects planned for the Ridgewood Road area and the Don-Al Addition this summer will not be as pinched when it comes to special assessments to pay for those projects.

A day to remember fallen heroes
This Friday, May 15, will be a day to remember Itasca Countys fallen peace officers and their families.

Itasca Viking softball second in region
Itasca Community College Vikings knew they had their work cut out for them as then entered the second day of the Region 13 women's softball tournament Saturday at Portage Park. They had to win three straight to win the tournament and advance to the national tournament. They nearly did it.

Warrior baseball team splits for the week
The Deer River Warrior baseball split a pair of games this past week losing to Chisholm 9-3 on the road Tuesday, May 5 and then traveled to Hill City where they defeated the Hornets 17-4 in a Northern Lakes Conference game on Thursday, May 7.

THawks fly past HHS
Hibbing Daily Tribune The Grand Rapids High School softball team is going through some growing pains with some young players, but hopefully, they grew a little Saturday.

GR girls golf continues winning streak
The Grand Rapids Thunderhawk girls golf team has been on quite the roll.

Rapids baseball drops two of three
The Grand Rapids Thunderhawk baseball team concluded a busy weekend with a win over Grafton, North Dakota, however, suffered losses to Brainerd and Hatton, North Dakota.

The Outdoorsman
John Steinbeck once said, It has always been my private conviction that any man who pits his intelligence against a fish and loses, has it coming. This quote may best summarize the opening weekend for many.

Grand Rapids boys golf completes busy week
The Grand Rapids Thunderhawk boys golf team has been quite busy since the start of May.

Wednesday, May 6, 2009

Herald-Review - Daily Updates - Wednesday May 6

Bovey man killed in one-vehicle rollover
Herald-Review staff report A rural Bovey man was killed Tuesday night as the result of a one-vehicle rollover accident.

Walleye ready
The official kick-off to the tourist season in Itasca County will happen this Friday as visitors and locals alike flock to Central School to celebrate the end of winter, a boost to local economy and good fishing.

Jobs bill passes; however it pleases no one
ST. PAUL Tourism, housing, labor and industry, arts and the historical society will see sharp cuts under the conference version of the economic development bill that had passed both houses of the state legislature by Tuesday afternoon.

Minnesota Legislature aiming at May 7 for budget bills
ST. PAUL The Legislature is seeking the governors input as Thursdays deadline to pass budget bills out of conference committee approaches.

Transportation, environment bills approved
ST. PAUL The first major funding bills of the session were approved on Monday by the state House and Senate after a long weekend.

Academic programs expand at ISD 318 with MAEF funding
Academic clubs arent just for math and science buffs anymore.

Cohasset sets animal control work session
At last Tuesdays regular, yet brief, city council meeting, the Cohasset City Council has set a work session to discuss the citys animal control issues and ordinance at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, May 12.

What's in a name?
ST. PAUL A clause in the Minnesota House state government omnibus bill explicitly calls for the names of three former legislators, including two from northeast Minnesota, to be stricken from laws that were named in their honor.

Itasca Vikings claim state softball championship
A superb Itasca Community College softball season became even sweeter as the Vikings, 29-3, rolled to four straight wins and the state tournament championship Friday and Saturday in St. Cloud.

Rapids eases way to Duluth Invitational
The Grand Rapids Thunderhawk girls track and field team continued its domination over local teams with a convincing victory at the Duluth Invitational on Friday afternoon.

Thawks stride to title in Duluth
The Grand Rapids Thunderhawk boys track and field team cruised to a victory at Public Schools Stadium in the Duluth Invitational on Friday afternoon.

Eagles edge Greenway Raiders
The Greenway Raiders and the Northland-Remer Eagles squared off in a close Northern Lakes Conference battle on Tuesday afternoon in Marble.

Rapids hosts Lacrosse Shootout
The Grand Rapids Area Lacrosse Association played host to 16 teams throughout the state in the First Annual Grand Rapids LAX Shootout.

Greenway Raider softball comes from behind to edge Hibbing
Another indication that the Hibbing High School fastpitch softball team is no longer a pushover was seen Tuesday afternoon in Coleraine.

Duluth East narrowly edges Rapids-Greenway in key dual meet
The Grand Rapids-Greenway boys tennis team continues to inch its way forward but fell just short on Monday afternoon against the Duluth East Greyhounds at the Robert J. Elkington Middle School Tennis Courts.

Vikings fourth in state baseball
Itasca Community College went 2-2 in the state baseball tournament in St. Cloud over the weekend to end another fine season with a fourth place tournament finish and a 26-20 overall record.

The Outdoorsman
It doesnt seem all that long ago, we were the young guys in camp. We would act as gophers for Big Nick as he worked on various projects around the cabin. We would sit and listen as Nick and Dubis dad would swap stories about the mines, duck hunting and fishing.

AINSWORTH PLEDGES MONEY TO HELP FIND NEW TENANTS


May 5, 2009

 

AINSWORTH PLEDGES MONEY TO HELP FIND NEW TENANTS

 

ST. PAUL--The city of Grand Rapids might be one step closer to finding a new tenant for the closed Ainsworth OSB Plant, which is good news for the entire Iron Range, said Rep. Loren Solberg (DFL-Grand Rapids.)

 

Ainsworth closed plants in Grand Rapids, Cook and Bemidji as a result of the downturn in home construction. The company recently pledged to maintain and help market the closed sites for at least two years, including the facility in Grand Rapids.

 

"This is good news. It's going to be easier to get a new tenant in there with Ainsworth's cooperation. A maintained building is more attractive to potential clients," Solberg said. "My hope is that we can get someone in there soon and get the people who lost their jobs back to work. We will continue to partner with the local leaders and Ainsworth to get something done."

 

Under the new agreement, Ainsworth will provide $150,000 to be split among the three sites for the purpose of determining feasible alternative uses for the facilities. After this feasibility study, Ainsworth has agreed to work with the State of Minnesota, the IRRB and legislators to enhance the solicitation of buyers for the three sites.

 

"I am pleased that Ainsworth stepped up to the plate," Solberg said. "The recession will end and when it does we will need sites like this to employ workers and meet demand."


Saturday, May 2, 2009

Herald-Review - Daily Updates Sunday May 3

Rapids runs to victory at Old River
The Grand Rapids Thunderhawk boys track and field teams closed out its home portion of the schedule by winning the annual Old River Invitational at the Webb LaBeau Track in Grand Rapids.

Thawks breeze past competition
The Grand Rapids Thunderhawk girls Track and Field team hosted the annual Old River Invitational at the Webb LaBeau Track on Tuesday afternoon.

Brynn Joki named Player of the Year
At 6-feet, 1-inches tall, Brynn Joki allowed the Grand Rapids High School girls basketball team to do a lot of things the past two years.

Parizek headed to North Dakota
The goal of the Minnesota Crunch junior womens hockey team was to help prepare players for the next level in amateur hockey.

Grand Rapids - Greenway picks up victory over Aiktin
The Grand Rapids-Greenway boys tennis team earned a 4-3 victory over the Aitkin Gobblers on Thursday afternoon at the Robert J. Elkington Middle School Tennis Courts.

Jason's view
Last weekend, I was able to have the opportunity to join some old friends up north on the Rainy River as we went sturgeon fishing.