Hearing on Grand Rapids Walk/Biking Path Monday February 22nd

There will be a Public Hearing Monday February 22 at 6:00pm at the Grand Rapids City Hall!

10-0544 A public hearing on CP 2003-6, 3rd Avenue NE Rail Crossing Improvements/Closure

which includes CP 2004-2, TH 169 Multi-Use Trail, Phase 2.

This Multi-Use Trail will connect from the ending of the trail on the Airport Road, behind the Public Works Building, down the River Road and through Oakland Park to the foot bridge.  It then continues back through Veterans Park, connects with the sidewalk and follows to the lights where users can cross the highway.  It then follows down to the Sports Complex and connects with the Ridgewood Road Trail that was built last year.  This trail section has the potential to connect the southeast and northeast quadrants of town!

We want to make sure the council knows:

·         There currently is not a safe route that averts users from high traffic areas.  Safety is key!

·         That this an important piece in a full non-motorized transportation route.  And, for some Non-motorized transportation is not recreation but their only means of transportation.

·         Studies have shown that the construction of trails increases physical activity in area residents.

·         Healthy, active communities attract new businesses and residents.

For more information:

Meghan Bown

Get Fit Itasca Community Health Coordinator

Minnesota State Health Improvement (SHIP) Coordinator, Itasca County

Itasca County YMCA

400 River Road

Grand Rapids, MN 55744

(218) 327-1161 ext. 240 

2010 Great Decisions Discussion Groups Kick-off Tuesday, January 19, 2010

The Kick-off meeting for the 2010 Great Decisions Discussion Groups is Tuesday, January 19, 2010 from 6-8 pm at the Blandin Foundation Auditorium.

Tom Hanson from the Minnesota International Center (MIC) will discuss the current and recent changes to President Obama's current foreign policy. President Barack Obama begins the second year of his Administration; please join us for an insightful presentation by former Career Foreign Service Officer Tom Hanson. In this annual "State of U.S. Foreign Policy" address, Mr. Hanson will explore and explain current foreign policy development, trends and challenges for the United States in the year ahead. 

Tom will also discuss briefly the 8 topics that the Great Decisions Discussion Groups will be exploring this year.  Great Decisions 2010 will be starting in January and the first discussion will be Global Financial Crisis on January 27, 2010 12-1:30 pm at the Grand Rapids Area Library.

 A Great Decisions Discussion Group is composed of interested individuals who want an opportunity to learn and participate in the foreign policy decision-making process. Participants consider discussion groups a "safe" environment because they provide everyone with the opportunity to speak. Each participant's point of view carries equal weight and everyone is encouraged to share opinions and ideas. Consensus is not a goal. Discussion Group participants do not attempt to "convert" participants, because there is a mutual respect for each member's experiences, value systems and beliefs. The true focus of the Discussion Group is the critical examination of all issues and opinions, each recognized as equally valid. Any individual with an interest in expanding his/her knowledge of international relations as well as engaging in active discussion of crucial global issues is welcome to join. Great Decisions is used by a wide range of people, from high school students to retirees, and participation is not limited to those with an expert knowledge of foreign affairs. Great Decisions discussion groups are centered on the Great Decisions briefing book. This well researched annual publication provides eight timely global topics to be read by group participants. Participants should read the briefing book articles prior to group meetings, in order to guarantee that all discussion group members come together from the same point of reference, with the same facts and basic understanding of the issues to be discussed. Everyone is encouraged to share his or her thoughts and each participant's point of view carries equal weight.

The 8 topics will be discussed at Grand Rapids Area Library on Wednesdays, each month from 12-1:30 pm.  This program is FREE and open to anyone that would like to participate.  We only ask that you register for the series online at www.getlearning.org., this series is under Grand Rapids Adults, Area Adult Opportunities, Great Decisions 2010,  or you can register through ISD 318 Community Education 327-5730. 

The topics are as follows:

Global Financial Crisis – Jan. 27, 2010

Russia and its Neighbors – 2/17/2010

China Security Relations – 3/17/2010

Global Crime – 4/21/2010

Peace Building and Conflict Resolution – May 19, 2010

Special Envoys – June 16, 2010

Persian Gulf Now More than Ever – Oct. 20, 2010

Kenya and R2P Post-Election – Nov. 18, 2010

Thomas Hanson is a former career Foreign Service Officer.  While with the U.S. Department of State his foreign postings included East Germany, France, Norway, the Soviet Union, Sweden, and Georgia.  He also assisted in opening new embassies in Mongolia and Estonia. 

Mr. Hanson has also worked on the Foreign Relations Committees of the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives.  Most recently, he was Director for NATO and European Affairs at the Atlantic Council of the United States in Washington, D.C.  Currently he serves as Program Secretary of the St. Paul-Minneapolis Committee on Foreign Relations and as a lecturer/consultant for the Great Decisions program at the Minnesota International Center.  He is also on the board of the Oslo Center for Peace and Human Rights (U.S. Foundation) and Diplomat in Residence at the University of Minnesota-Duluth.  He is an occasional foreign affairs commentator in local and regional media. 

Mr. Hanson graduated from the University of Minnesota with a B.A. in International Relations.  He holds graduate degrees from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University; the Geneva Institute of Advanced International Studies in Switzerland; and the National School of Administration (ENA) in Paris, France.   

The Great Decisions Discussion Group is co-sponsored by Grand Rapids Area Library, ISD 318 Community Education, and Minnesota International Center and is funded in part by the Blandin Foundation. 
 
 
 
 

Grand Rapids Area Library This Week- Book Sale

Check it out @ your Library™

What's Happening at the Grand Rapids Area Library

December 9   2009

This week at the Library

Book Sale

This Week! "Clear the shelves" sale in the Friends of the Library Bookstore and the Community room!  Everything will be pulled out and put on sale so we can move all donated books from the workroom and the bookstore.

Thursday December 10 9-6

Friday December 11 9-3

We need to clear out the books because the workroom, group study room and Teen Universe will be re-carpeted beginning December 21. We will not be accepting any donated books during December, so please wait until January to bring books in for the Friends of the Library bookstore!!

Teen Activities

Teen Book Discussion: Friday, December 11^th   3:30

 The book is Crusader by Edward Bloor 

 Prizes!  Stop in Teen Universe and answer the question of the month for a chance to win a prize! 

More info and the complete schedule is on the Teen page at:  www.grandrapids.lib.mn.us/teens.htm

 

Kids' events:

Book Times on Mondays at 9:30 and 10:30 through December 14

Have a fun time with books, rhymes and songs, plus a snack and a craft.

 

 Saturday, Story Times @ 10:30 am 

December 12 and 19^th   in December

Mom's Day out

          An opportunity for Mom (or Dad) to go shopping, take a nap, or do something else fun:  A Girl Scout troop is volunteering to provide supervision and activities for children age 3-10 on Saturday December 19^th from 10-2:00

Space is limited. Pre-registration required.  Call the Children's Department at 327-8823 to register.

 

Library open limited hours in late December

Saturday the 19th is also the last day to stop and pick up reading/listening/viewing material until December 28. We will be open only for picking up reserved books and for limited computer use from 2pm -6 pm on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, December 21-23.  We will be closed December 24 –December 27.  We will open at 2 pm on Monday, December 28 and will resume a normal schedule after that. We will be closing at 5 pm on December 31, and remain closed until Monday morning January 4 at 9 am.

 

December 29^th Noon  David Lien on Climbing Mt. Mckinley

Adventurer and Grand Rapids native, David Lien, will present a program at the Grand Rapids Library, Tuesday, December 29 at 12:00 noon. Lien will recount his experiences of climbing Mt. McKinley in Alaska, one of the "coldest mountains on Earth." He will share photos and hair-raising tales of the exhilarating climb up one of the most deadly mountains in North America. The program is open to the public free of charge.

 

Check out the Library's Blog at www.grandrapidsarealibrary.blogspot.com

For more details on any of the programs, go to the Library's Web Site: www.grandrapids.lib.mn.us

News release: Blandin Foundation receives approval from Court following regular review

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

 

 

Blandin Foundation receives approval from Court following regular review

 

GRAND RAPIDS, Minn. (Dec. 1, 2009)–Ramsey County District Court approved on Nov. 20, 2009, the petition of the Charles K. Blandin Residuary Trust for approval of its accounts and also reviewed the Blandin Foundation’s commitments to the Itasca County area for the years 2006-2008.

 

In accordance with Charles K. Blandin’s will, every three years Ramsey County District Court reviews the accounts of the trust created upon his death that funds the Blandin Foundation.  Trust and Foundation leadership reported to the Court that the Trust had provided $56.8 million in funds for the Foundation over the reporting period. 

 

The Blandin Foundation also reported to the Court that over the past six years 76% of the Foundation’s grant-making had been in the Grand Rapids and Itasca County area, exceeding the Foundation’s commitment of a 55% average.  Over the next year, the Trust and Foundation will continue to discuss with the Court ways to ensure stable grant-making in the Grand Rapids area in times of exceptionally bad or good economic conditions.

 

--END--

 

 

 

Blandin Foundation, Minnesota’s largest rural-based private foundation is located in Grand Rapids, Minn.  Its mission is to strengthen rural Minnesota communities, especially the Grand Rapids area, through grants, leadership development programs and public policy initiatives. www.blandinfoundation.org.

 

For additional information, contact:

Allison Rajala Ahcan

Director of Communications, Blandin Foundation

arahcan@blandinfoundation.org, direct: 218-327-8717, cell: 218-259-2893

www.blandinfoundation.org

 

 

What’s Happening at the Grand Rapids Area Library - November 15 2009

Check it out @ your Library™

What's Happening at the Grand Rapids Area Library

November 15  2009

Monday, November 16, 3:30. Kid's Art Workshop with the Creativity Tank
Create Paper Collage similar to Lois Ehlert's  colorful books:     This is another fun art workshop for kids in grades K-4.  Pre-registration is required.  Call 327-8823

Tuesday, November  17   3:30-4:30   Teen Book Talk

          Fever, 1793, by Laurie Halse Anderson

         Stop at the Reference Desk to pick up a copy of the book.

 

November 18^th 12:00 -1:30 pm   The Arctic  Opportunities, Governance and Environmental Impacts   Great Decisions Discussion Series

Briefing books available at the Library to check out or read in the Library.

More background info on the Foreign Policy Association Website

 

November 19^th    Tellabration  4^th Annual Celebration of Storytelling

          Morning events for kids at the Library

          10 am – Community room:  Stories for Kids

          10 am – Story Circle:  Stories for Preschoolers

          Evening at the Forest History Center

          7 pm - Tall Tales, Folk Tales and Your Tales,

  Storyteller Anne Dunn plus Story Swap for everyone!

 

Going Online Class Series

We are collaborating with Northern Community Internet to provide a series of workshops on using internet tools.

Continues Tuesdays at 5:30  through early December. 

This Week: Creating and using an account on  Myspace    

Next Week: Creating and using a  Twitter account

Register through Community Education at www.getlearning.org.  You can register for one class or the remainder of the series.  327-5730

 

 More Teen Activities

Prizes!  Stop in Teen Universe and answer the question of the month for a chance to win a prize! 

Tuesday, November  24, 4:00 -5:00 Teen Advisory Board Meeting.

 More info and the complete schedule is on the Teen page at:  www.grandrapids.lib.mn.us/teens.htm

 

Kids' events:

Book Times on Mondays at 9:30 and 10:30

Have a fun time with books, rhymes and songs, plus a snack and a craft.

 

 Saturday, Story Times @ 10:30 am 

This week: Dad & Me storytime. 

Special invitation to Dads, granddads, uncles, or best buddies

We will close at 5 pm on Wednesday, November 25 and be closed on Thursday, November 26 for Thanksgiving.

 We will be open on Friday and Saturday November 27 and 28, and there will be a Family Story time on Saturday, November 28.  Stop by and pick up some reading, listening or viewing material or just hang out and relax for awhile!

 

Check out the Library's Blog at www.grandrapidsarealibrary.blogspot.com

For more details on any of the programs, go to the Library's Web Site: www.grandrapids.lib.mn.us

 

 

 

Marcia L. Anderson
Director
Grand Rapids Area Library
Grand Rapids, MN 55744
218-326-7640

www.grandrapids.lib.mn.us

 

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LOREN SOLBERG SEEKS INPUT OF LOCAL BUSINESS OWNERS

Small Business Caucus compiles online survey asking key questions on business challenges and opportunities

 

ST. PAUL, MN – A bipartisan coalition of state legislators has organized a new Small Business Caucus focused on addressing the challenges and opportunities facing small businesses in Minnesota. The new caucus is seeking the input and partnership of small business owners across the state to help make Minnesota a better, more competitive place to do business. As part of that effort, State Rep. Loren Solberg is asking for the input of local business owners in a new online small business survey.

"There is no one group of Minnesotans who understand our economy's current challenges more than small business.  Any effort to restore Minnesota's struggling economy must address the unique challenges facing our small business community. "

The small business survey asks business owners a series of targeted questions that will help legislators better understand the challenges and opportunities facing small business in Minnesota today. The survey can be found on the Minnesota House of Representatives website at www.house.mn   Rep. Solberg encourages all small business owners in District 3B to participate. 

By listening directly to the concerns of small business owners, and weighing the input of economic experts, Rep. Solberg and the Small Business Caucus plan to pursue a pro-business agenda that will make small businesses more competitive, create jobs, and help speed Minnesota's economic recovery.

Survey input will be collected online until November 30, 2009. Rep. Solberg encourages constituents to contact him with any other questions.

 

-30-

 

State Rep. LOREN SOLBERG

NEWS RELEASE

Minnesota House of Representatives                                                                                                                   

 

 

                                                                                                                                Contact: Sandy Connolly

District 3B  (651) 296-2365                                                                                       (651) 297-8406

443 State Office Building, St. Paul, MN 55155                                                          sandy.connolly@house.mn

 

                                                                                                                                                  November 5, 2009

 

What’s Happening at the Grand Rapids Area Library

What's Happening at the Grand Rapids Area Library

November 2  2009

November 3^rd 7 pm    Let's Talk Turkey,

Steve Arbour and Dennis Brown will share cooking secrets about preparing turkey and trimmings. See how to cook turkey upside down and carve it with ease.  Taste testing allowed!

 

November 7^th 12:30-2:00 pm Celebrate National Gaming Day (all ages)

Play a board game, a videogame or a Wii game.  Bring your own game or use one of ours.  Games for all ages!

 

November 10^th 7 pm     Warrior Traditions: An Honor of Service,

Members of the Leech Lake Tribal Honor Guard will discuss their experiences as military vets and how Native American Traditions influence their respect for service.  They will also share a bit about the Code Talkers of WWII.

 

Library Closed Wednesday November 11^th in honor of Veterans Day

 

November 18^th 12:00 -1:30 pm   The Arctic  Opportunities, Governance and Environmental Impacts   Great Decisions Discussion Series

Briefing books available at the Library to check out or read in the Library.

More background info on the Foreign Policy Association Website

 

November 19^th    Tellabration  4^th Annual Celebration of Storytelling

          Morning events for kids at the Library

          10 am – Community room:  Stories for Kids

          10 am – Story Circle:  Stories for Preschoolers

          Evening at the Forest History Center

          7 pm - Tall Tales, Folk Tales and Your Tales,   Storyteller Anne Dunn plus Story Swap for everyone!

 

 Sign up for Computer Classes

We are collaborating with Northern Community Internet to provide a series of workshops on using internet tools.

Going Online Class Series

Continues Tuesdays at 5:30  through November and covers using online social networking tools such as Facebook, Myspace and Twitter, and doing online searching. 

 

For Businesses:

Online Advertising: Options, cost and measuring your success when your market is local, not international  Tuesday,  November 10   7:30 am

 

Register through Community Education at www.getlearning.org.  You can register for one class or the remainder of the series.  327-5730

 

 Teen Activities

Prizes!  Stop in Teen Universe and answer the question of the month for a chance to win a prize! 

Tuesday, November  17 3:30-4:30 Teen Book Talk

          Fever, 1793, by Laurie Halse Anderson

         Stop at the Reference Desk to pick up a copy of the book.

Tuesday, November  24, 4:00 -5:00 Teen Advisory Board Meeting.

 More info and the complete schedule is on the Teen page at:  www.grandrapids.lib.mn.us/teens.htm

 

Kids' events:

Book Times on Mondays at 9:30 and 10:30

(none on November 9)

Have a fun time with books, rhymes and songs, plus a snack and a craft.

 

 Saturday, Story Times @ 10:30 am 

Stop by every Saturday morning for a fun time for kids and families

 

Monday, November 16, 3:30. Kid's Art Workshop with the Creativity Tank    Create Paper Collage similar to Lois Ehlert's books:  . 

This is another fun art workshop for kids in grades K-4.  Pre-registration is required.  Call 327-8823

November 19^th, 10 am   Tellabration: Stories for Kids  (see above)

 

New in the Book Store:

Stop in and check out the newly reorganized bookstore in the lobby of the Library.  The bookstore is a project of the Friends of the Grand Rapids Area Library, and all proceeds go to support the Library's programs and collections.  There are books for children and adults, as well as magazines, videos, a home school section, and occasional odd things!

 

Check out the Library's Blog at www.grandrapidsarealibrary.blogspot.com

For more details on any of the programs, go to the Library's Web Site: www.grandrapids.lib.mn.us