Children First! Events

FREE Children First! events for August and September

August 9, 2011

We have lots of great Children First! events offered at no charge to finish up your summer and welcome in the new school year and Fall.  All of the events are listed below and are also on our website www.getlearning.org under Children First! or find us on Facebook under Children First! Itasca County, Minnesota.  Become our fan and you'll get updates on our events.  Registration is required on some events because of limited availability and requested on other events. You can register online at www.getlearning.org or by calling the event sponsor, which is listed online or on our Facebook page.  

Watch for the Community Education print catalog which will be in your mailboxes the week of August 22, 2011.  Our Children First! events for Sept.-Jan will be listed in this catalog along with all our fun classes and events for our communities.

Saturday, August 20, 2011 FAMILY FUN DAY AT MACROSTIE ART CENTER 10am-3pm, Grand Rapids, MN
WATERCOLORS-Join MacRostie staff and artists in exploring Watercolor painting.  You'll leave with lots of completed paintings and will discover the techniques of watercolor painting.  Register for one of 4 free 1 hr. sessions from 10 am-3 pm. This event is hosted by MacRostie Art Center. Register online at www.getlearning.org or call MacRostie at 218-326-2697.

Wednesday, August 31, 2011, BACK TO SCHOOL BASH 5:30-7:00 pm at Longyear Park in Coleraine, MN
Celebrate back to school with Children First! and Terrence Smith, American Folk Dance Caller and Musician! Terrence performs an interactive show geared towards children ages Pre/K - Elementary and their families. Grab an ice cream cone, have your face painted and take a free book to bring home!!  Hope to see you there!  This is a Free Children First! Event and open to all families! This is event is hosted by ISD 318 Community Education, Step Ahead and ISD 316 Community Education. Registration requested at www.getlearning.org or 218-327-5730

Saturday, September 10, 2011 FAMILY ART WALK  12pm-3:30pm at Forest History Center in Grand Rapids, MN                                                                                                                                               Create environmental art with materials and elements found while on a nature walk. Artist Marie Schrobilgen and MacRostie Art Center Staff will introduce the styles and processes used while creating art with nature. Participants are encouraged to bring a camera to record their finished artwork. The art walk site will be the Forest History Center Hiking Trails. This event is hosted by MacRostie Art Center and Forest History Center and is rescheduled from July 2011. Register online at www.getlearning.org or call 218-326-2697.
Remember these events are FREE and for all ages.  All children under 13 must be accompanied by an adult.  Please register all children and adults that are attending.  Hope to see you at these events.
Respectfully submitted,
Karen Walker-Children First! Coordinator

Itasca County Sheriff Recovers Body of Drowning Victim

On Sunday ~ July 24, 2011, at approximately 6:44 p.m., the Itasca County Sheriff's Office received a call reporting that a hat was floating beside a capsized canoe that was half full of water on Jack the Horse Lake. Itasca County Sheriff's Office personnel, Itasca County Search and Rescue and DNR Conservation Officers responded to the scene. The Bigfork Ambulance was placed on standby.

At the scene it was learned that on Saturday, July 23, 2011, just prior to dark, an adult male was observed leaving the dock in the canoe to go fishing and had not returned. The search continued until dark on July 24, 2011.

Itasca County Sheriff's Office personnel along with Itasca County Search and Rescue, Itasca County Sheriff's Dive Team and Minnesota DNR are continuing search efforts this morning, July 25, 2011.

UPDATED INFORMATION: On July 27, 2011, at 8:00 p.m., The Itasca County Sheriff's Search and Rescue Team, Recovered the body of Mark Daniel Scott, 56 of Burnsville, MN. Scott was not wearing a life jacket at the time of recovery.

Extensive search efforts were conducted by the Itasca County Sheriff's Office, Itasca County Sheriff's Search and Rescue Team, Itasca County Dive Team, Minnesota DNR, (water and air units), St. Louis County Search and Rescue K-9 Unit, and K-9 Emergency Response Team Inc. of Wisconsin.  

Itasca County Sheriff's Office

440 1st Avenue NE Grand Rapids, MN  55744 Phone (218) 326-3477 Fax (218) 326-4663

Saxhaug's Update on Final Budget Agreement

Government Shutdown Ended

The Government Shutdown ended Wednesday.  Governor Dayton called a Special Session on Tuesday and signed the bills into law after a 12 hour session that went past 3a.m. Wednesday morning.  There are still things to do to get our state back up and running but the stalemate between the Governor and Republican leadership has ended.  I am not happy with the final solution but I recognized the need to get our state back to work.
The final agreement that closed the $1.4 billion gap shifted another $700 million, for a total of $2.1 billion, from our schools and sold $700 million in tobacco bonds.  While there is additional revenue it will be years before we pay off that debt.  We are using a proposal that Tim Pawlenty suggested when he was Governor that was a bad idea then and is still a bad idea today.  This agreement does nothing to fix the problems we have in our state budget.
It is the responsibility of the Legislature to pass a total budget package that the Governor will agree to sign.  The Governor said from the beginning that he would not agree to a cuts-only budget and wanted new revenue along with substantial cuts and reforms.  The budget passed by the Republicans increased property taxes on all Minnesotans by $1 billion, cut 140,000 of our vulnerable citizens off of their health care, reduced special education by $56.5 million, made the biggest cuts to colleges and universities in our state's history.  It hurt the shrinking middle class just to protect the 7,700 millionaires in the state from paying the same share of taxes you and I pay.
I thank the Governor for standing up to an additional $1.4 billion in cuts that were proposed by the Republican Legislature.  The Governor already cut $2.2 billion in his budget and any further cuts would have decimated the education and health care systems that we pride ourselves on as Minnesotans.  
We passed 12 bills in the special session ranging from K-12 Education to a Bonding bill which will fund projects to get people back to work.  The final Environment and Natural Resources Budget Bill kept the forest industry competitive and I voted for it.  It does use a substantial amount of one time funding which just creates the same problem for us in the next budget cycle.  The Economic Development Bill is critical for promoting job growth and that was another bill that I voted for.
We are all in this together and I have always worked for a balanced approach to solving our continuing budget problems.  We have to stop using shifts, gimmicks and borrowing to help us generate a more stable state economy.  My hope is that in the next budget cycle we can have true tax reform like a lower sales tax rate that covers more goods and services and income tax reform that relies less on exemptions and deductions.
I am glad that a budget agreement was reached.  But in the next biennium, we will once again be staring at the same problems.  I would like to see the solutions, like the tax reform I mentioned above, before a catastrophe like the shutdown we just endured ever happens again.
Best Regards,
Tom

PUBLIC FORUM TO CREATE CITIZEN BUDGET SOLUTIONS - Grand Rapids July 19

Forums planned for Grand Rapids, Rochester and Twin Cities July 19-21

Saint Paul, Minn. (July 13, 2011) –The Bush Foundation, in collaboration with InCommons, will host a series of three citizen

forums in Grand Rapids, the Twin Cities and Rochester, Minn. from Jul. 19 to Jul. 21. At the events, citizens will work in

small groups to identify potential budget solutions. Citizen-participants will be selected for the greatest possible diversity in

ideologies and perspectives from those who register online at www.InCommons.org/citizensolutions. Participation will be

limited to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to fully engage in the conversation. 

Once the forums are complete, the Bush Foundation and InCommons will compile lessons from these forums to share with

Governor Dayton and legislators, and to inform future citizen engagement efforts.   

"Unfiltered, nonpartisan citizens' voices need to be a part of whatever budget decisions Minnesota's leaders make in 2011

and in the years to come," noted C. Scott Cooper, Director of Communications and Engagement for the Bush Foundation.

"These forums are intended to give interested citizens from diverse ideologies and perspectives a neutral space and good

information so they can come together and reach consensus about our state's budget future." 

WHO: Citizens of diverse backgrounds and perspectives

WHAT: Citizen Solutions forums to engage Minnesotans in offering real solutions to

the state's budget stalemates

WHEN: 5:30 to 9:00 p.m.

WHERE: Grand Rapids, July 19

Twin Cities, July 20

Rochester, July 21

NOTE:Dinner and childcare will be provided to selected participants at each Citizens Solutions venue

Hwy 65 closed from Nashwauk to Togo in Itasca County

Hwy 65 closed from Nashwauk to Togo in Itasca County

 

DULUTH, Minn. — MnDOT has closed Highway 65 from Nashwauk to Togo due to flooding. Motorists are encouraged to use Highway 73 or Highway 38 as alternate routes.

 

Local traffic may enter the closed area to access their properties, but are advised not to drive through the flood waters covering Highway 65.

 

Highway 65 will be reopened when the water recedes and MnDOT repairs any damage to the roadway.

 

Please check 511mn.org or dial 511 for updated information.

News from Minnesota's Nature

Visit Grand Rapids June e-News News from Minnesota's Nature  What's in Your Nature? Love spending time outdoors in the summer? Want to learn more about what happens in Minnesota's nature? While vacationing in the Grand Rapids area, you can participate in a number of naturalist programs designed to entertain, educate, and inspire appreciation for Minnesota's environment. From wild edibles to phenology, the programs feature a broad range of topics that connect you with the natural environment around you. The Forest History Center offers a series of outdoor educational programs combined with a day pass to visit the interpretive museum and turn-of-the-century lumberjack camp with costumed interpreters. The Chippewa National Forest also offers a summer series of free naturalist programs. For dates and course information, visit the Grand Rapids calendar of events. New Eats Visitors have two more choices for eats during their Grand Rapids vacation. The Harbor Grand Restaurant & Sports Bar is now open on Pokegama Lake. They brought back some old favorites like the deep-fried cauliflower from the original Harbor, along with some new ideas like the monstrous 5-pound "Dirty McNasty" burger. Also new, is Daylight Donuts, in downtown Grand Rapids, serving the odd, but intriguing, combination of donuts and gourmet hot dogs. You'll find contacts for these businesses and our favorite restaurants on the Visit Grand Rapids website. Fishing Reports After the long Minnesota winter, the cool start to the summer isn't pleasing most Minnesotans; however, it has been good for the anglers. The cooler than normal weather has extended the usual good spring fishing on most area lakes. Anglers are reporting a good walleye bite and slightly delayed spawning of sought-after pan fish species. If you need help finding a guide, or just want an update on the current fishing conditions, be sure to check out our Grand Rapids fishing reports page. Good luck and great fishing. "Like Us" on Facebook We are having fun on our Facebook page and invite you to join us. Join the conversation, see visitors' photos, and laugh at the insider fun you can't get on our website when you "like" us on Facebook. June 2011 Hot Deals Fishing Report Grand Rapids Golf Courses Motorcycle Touring Calendar Highlights June Event Highlights 23-25 Blues Fest 24 Sam Miltich Trio 24-25 Be a Lumberjack 25-26 MN Mounted Shooters 30 Bird Song Identification More June Events July Event Highlights 4 Fireworks & Parades 8-10 Wild Rice Festival 10 Birding for Beginners 14-16 Showboat! 16 Riverfront Music Festival 29-31 Northstar Stampede 30-31 Car Show, Swap & Flea More July Events August Event Highlights 5-7 Tall Timber Days 5-7 White Oak Rendezvous 13 Fish-A-Rama 13-14 Threshing Show 19-21 Grand Slam Golf Tourny More August Events (View the Full Calendar of Events) Request A Brochure Contact Us

Visit Grand Rapids | 501 South Pokegama Avenue | Suite 3 | Grand Rapids | MN | 55744

12th ANNUAL MARY SANDSTROM MEMORIAL TENNIS TOURNAMENT

12th ANNUAL
MARY SANDSTROM  MEMORIAL TENNIS TOURNAMENT

Join us to compete and play great tennis!  Tennis matches will be at Eagle Ridge, Bovey, LaPrairie, Marble, Grand Rapids, Crystal Springs, Wendigo, and Grussendorf Parks. Everyone is guaranteed 2 matches. There will be a championship and consolation bracket.  Great prizes, trophies, goody bags and lunch provided.
Wednesday, July 13 2011
Boys & Girls 8, 10 and 12 Singles
Thursday, July 14, 2011(Friday, if necessary)
Boys & Girls 14, 16 and 18 Singles, Doubles and Mixed

Entries must be called into Lew Smiley at 218-256-0400.  All entries close at 4:00 pm on Sunday, July 10, 2011.  All players must register and pay fees the morning of the tournament per the following schedule:  
Registration is:
Wednesday, July 13 8:00-8:30 am at Eagle Ridge, Coleraine for 8, 10, 12 year olds & under.
Thursday, July 14 8:00-8:30 am at Eagle Ridge, Coleraine 14, 16 and 18 year olds  for singles, doubles & mixed.
EVENTS to register for: Singles (Boys & Girls) 8 & under, 10 & under, 12 & under, 14 & under, 16 & under, 18 & under
Doubles 15 & under, 18 & under
Mixed Doubles 18 & under

Press Release June 21, 2011
From IASC Community Education
Karen Walker
Marketing Coordinator
IASC Community Education
kwalker@isd318.org
218-327-5799