Fertile, MN – Sand Hill River Watershed District (SHRWD) will be hosting presentations and a community discussion on the condition of the Sand Hill River Watershed on Thursday, March 22nd, 2012.
There will be two sessions to accommodate different schedules. The presentations will be identical at both sessions.
The meeting will take place in Fertile, MN at the Community Center from 2:00-4:00 p.m. and 5:30-7:30 p.m.
Reaches of the Sand Hill River do not meet state water quality standards. Areas are impaired for low dissolved oxygen and turbidity. Turbidity is a measure of water clarity.
Coffee and cookies will be available during the 2:00 p.m. session and a light supper will be provided during the 5:30 p.m. session. Fun water activities will be available for children during the evening session. The agenda will include:
- Overview of the Watershed Assessment Process
- Technical Work Progress-to-Date: Watershed Conditions Report
- Existing Cost-share Opportunities
- Community Discussion on the Condition of the Sand Hill River
For more information, please visit the Sand Hill River Watershed District’s website - http://www.sandhillwatershed.org/tmdl.html
Thursday, March 8, 2012
Second ice fishing shelter removal date fast approaching
The deadline for removing fish houses, dark houses, and portable shelters from waters in the northern half of Minnesota is March 19. Fish shelters in the southern half of Minnesota were to be off the ice on March 5.
Dates of removal are determined by an east-west line formed by U.S. Highway 10, east along Highway 34 to Minnesota Highway 200, east along Highway 200 to U.S. Highway 2, and east along Highway 2 to the Minnesota-Wisconsin border.
Shelters located north of this line must be removed no later than midnight, March 19. The only exceptions are Minnesota-Canada border waters (March 31).
Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) officials say if shelters are not removed, owners will be prosecuted and structures may be confiscated and removed, or destroyed by a conservation officer.
After removal dates, shelters may remain on the ice between midnight and one hour before sunrise only when occupied or attended. Storing or leaving shelters on a public access is prohibited.
Conservation officers patrolling the Detroit Lakes area advise fish shelter owners along Highway 10 to pay special attention to the deadlines.
“A line runs down Highway 10 from Fargo/Moorhead to Detroit Lakes; then it's Highway 34 from Detroit Lakes,” said Conservation Officer Joe Stattelman of Detroit Lakes. “Fish shelters located north of that line have to be off the ice no later than midnight, March 19.”
Stattelman also advises anglers to remove shelters earlier if ice conditions warrant.
“I hope most people take heed of the ice that we've had this year and remove them sooner rather than later,” Stattelman said.
He also recommends outdoor enthusiasts check ice thickness by using an auger or spud bar before venturing onto a frozen pond, lake or river.
According to information from the DNR Boat and Water Safety Section a minimum of 4 inches is necessary for ice fishing; snowmobiling or ATV activity requires at least 5 inches; 8 to 12 inches for a car or small pickup; and 12-15 inches for a medium truck.
Conservation Officers are also reminding anglers to keep waterways clean. Litter on lakes tarnishes nature’s beauty, destroys wildlife habitats and ruins many opportunities for recreation.
Dates of removal are determined by an east-west line formed by U.S. Highway 10, east along Highway 34 to Minnesota Highway 200, east along Highway 200 to U.S. Highway 2, and east along Highway 2 to the Minnesota-Wisconsin border.
Shelters located north of this line must be removed no later than midnight, March 19. The only exceptions are Minnesota-Canada border waters (March 31).
Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) officials say if shelters are not removed, owners will be prosecuted and structures may be confiscated and removed, or destroyed by a conservation officer.
After removal dates, shelters may remain on the ice between midnight and one hour before sunrise only when occupied or attended. Storing or leaving shelters on a public access is prohibited.
Conservation officers patrolling the Detroit Lakes area advise fish shelter owners along Highway 10 to pay special attention to the deadlines.
“A line runs down Highway 10 from Fargo/Moorhead to Detroit Lakes; then it's Highway 34 from Detroit Lakes,” said Conservation Officer Joe Stattelman of Detroit Lakes. “Fish shelters located north of that line have to be off the ice no later than midnight, March 19.”
Stattelman also advises anglers to remove shelters earlier if ice conditions warrant.
“I hope most people take heed of the ice that we've had this year and remove them sooner rather than later,” Stattelman said.
He also recommends outdoor enthusiasts check ice thickness by using an auger or spud bar before venturing onto a frozen pond, lake or river.
According to information from the DNR Boat and Water Safety Section a minimum of 4 inches is necessary for ice fishing; snowmobiling or ATV activity requires at least 5 inches; 8 to 12 inches for a car or small pickup; and 12-15 inches for a medium truck.
Conservation Officers are also reminding anglers to keep waterways clean. Litter on lakes tarnishes nature’s beauty, destroys wildlife habitats and ruins many opportunities for recreation.
Detour on Highway 11 near Clementson set for March 12 – 17
BEMIDJI, Minn. – Motorists traveling on Highway 11 in northern Minnesota will encounter a week-long detour from March 12 – 17 as crews replace a box culvert near Clementson in Lake of the Woods County.
Westbound traffic will be detoured just west of the Clementson Bridge, onto County Road 18, then west on County Road 94, then north on County Road 90 to Highway 11. All eastbound traffic will follow the same detour in reverse.
The detour will be posted the same as Highway 11 for weight restrictions unless road conditions require load limits to be reduced to permit passenger vehicles only.
MnDOT would like to thank the public for their patience and cooperation as we work to improve the condition of this important corridor to all northern travelers.
For more information on road conditions and construction, click on www.511mn.org or call 5-1-1.
Westbound traffic will be detoured just west of the Clementson Bridge, onto County Road 18, then west on County Road 94, then north on County Road 90 to Highway 11. All eastbound traffic will follow the same detour in reverse.
The detour will be posted the same as Highway 11 for weight restrictions unless road conditions require load limits to be reduced to permit passenger vehicles only.
MnDOT would like to thank the public for their patience and cooperation as we work to improve the condition of this important corridor to all northern travelers.
For more information on road conditions and construction, click on www.511mn.org or call 5-1-1.
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
Cover Crop Workshop Set
Cover crops are the focus of a workshop the North Dakota State University Extension Service is co-sponsoring March 28 in Bismarck.
"Cover Crops: The Science Behind the Numbers" will be held from 9:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Burleigh County Extension office.
Workshop topics are beef production and annual forages, the agronomic and economic value of cover crops for late-season grazing in the central and eastern Dakotas, crop response after cover crops, soil fertility and cover crops, a report on the Southwest North Dakota Soil Health Demonstration Project, challenges of growing cover crops in dryland farming systems in southwestern North Dakota, cover crop impact on corn productivity and soil health in no-till production, interseeding cover crops into corn, bio strip till at the Conservation Cropping Systems Project and an update on northwestern North Dakota cover crops.
Speakers include NDSU and South Dakota State University researchers, NDSU Extension specialists, and Natural Resources Conservation Service and Soil Conservation District representatives.
Lunch will be provided.
The workshop is free of charge, but anyone wanting to attend should register by contacting Linda Schuster at the NDSU Carrington Research Extension Center at (701) 652-2951 or linda.schuster@ndsu.edu.
Pulse USA and Agassiz Seed also are sponsoring the workshop.
(NDSU Ag Communications)
"Cover Crops: The Science Behind the Numbers" will be held from 9:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Burleigh County Extension office.
Workshop topics are beef production and annual forages, the agronomic and economic value of cover crops for late-season grazing in the central and eastern Dakotas, crop response after cover crops, soil fertility and cover crops, a report on the Southwest North Dakota Soil Health Demonstration Project, challenges of growing cover crops in dryland farming systems in southwestern North Dakota, cover crop impact on corn productivity and soil health in no-till production, interseeding cover crops into corn, bio strip till at the Conservation Cropping Systems Project and an update on northwestern North Dakota cover crops.
Speakers include NDSU and South Dakota State University researchers, NDSU Extension specialists, and Natural Resources Conservation Service and Soil Conservation District representatives.
Lunch will be provided.
The workshop is free of charge, but anyone wanting to attend should register by contacting Linda Schuster at the NDSU Carrington Research Extension Center at (701) 652-2951 or linda.schuster@ndsu.edu.
Pulse USA and Agassiz Seed also are sponsoring the workshop.
(NDSU Ag Communications)
Senate District 20 Special Election to be Held April 10, 2012
St. Paul, Minn.—March 7, 2012—Minnesota Secretary of State Mark Ritchie today received a writ from Governor Mark Dayton ordering a special election to be held on Tuesday, April 10, 2012. The special election is being held to fill the vacancy in Senate District 20 caused by the death of Senator Gary Kubly. A special primary election, if necessary, will be held on Tuesday, March 27, 2012.
The candidate filing period for the Senate District 20 seat begins Thursday, March 8 and ends Tuesday, March 13, 2012 at 5 p.m. Candidates may file with either county auditor of the county in which the candidate resides or the Office of the Minnesota Secretary of State in St. Paul. The candidate withdrawal period ends at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, March 14, 2012.
Candidate and special election information will be posted on the Office of the Minnesota Secretary of State website at: www.sos.state.mn.us.
The candidate filing period for the Senate District 20 seat begins Thursday, March 8 and ends Tuesday, March 13, 2012 at 5 p.m. Candidates may file with either county auditor of the county in which the candidate resides or the Office of the Minnesota Secretary of State in St. Paul. The candidate withdrawal period ends at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, March 14, 2012.
Candidate and special election information will be posted on the Office of the Minnesota Secretary of State website at: www.sos.state.mn.us.
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
BBB Advice for Spring (Drain) Cleaning
Saint Paul, MN – March 6, 2012 – As spring draws near, many homeowners begin the process of spring cleaning, which often includes getting their drains cleaned. Drain cleaning rids your home of unwanted odors, and helps avoid clogged sinks, overflowing toilets, and laundry room floods. The Better Business Bureau of Minnesota and North Dakota (BBB) advises consumers to prepare themselves and do preliminary research before hiring someone to clean their drains this spring. Consumers should be aware that not all drain cleaners are licensed plumbers. However, many plumbers do perform drain cleaning services.
Drain clogs have many different causes, with the most common causes involving weather, remnants of materials that are flushed down toilets or sinks, or tree roots growing through breaks in the pipes. Homeowners are responsible for the section of pipe running from the home to its connection with the city pipe, which is usually found under the street. Your local water and sewer department can tell you what your responsibility is and consumers should check with them before having any work performed.
Because regular home maintenance may not take care of drain issues completely, many homeowners look to professional drain cleaning and plumbing businesses to solve these problems.
“It’s important for consumers to know what questions to ask their prospective drain cleaners so they can avoid misunderstandings and potential complications” says Dana Badgerow, President and CEO of the BBB of Minnesota and North Dakota.
The BBB recommends following these tips to help ensure a painless drain-cleaning experience:
Get references from friends and relatives and contact the Better Business Bureau to obtain free Business Reviews on any companies you consider hiring. Visit www.bbb.org or call 651-699-1111, toll-free at 1-800-646-6222.
Explore a variety of options. Shop around and get more than one estimate. Homeowners can expect different companies to suggest different options for solving problems, which also means varying price points. Some of the different options may include taking a video of the line, which helps to determine the best course of treatment to solve the drain back-up issues, as well as any possible collapse of the pipe. It’s also a good idea to ask companies what they charge for this service upfront.
Call before you dig. Homeowners should also have 'call before you dig' services out before any digging is started. Many drain cleaning companies will include this call as part of their service package, but ask ahead of time. Let the drain cleaner know if any other utility work has been performed in the past few years.
Beware of additional fees. Ask about trip fees and other additional fees. Understand that most companies cannot give a true and accurate price quote without seeing the extent of the problem in your home.
Keep the company informed. Before the drain cleaners begin any work, inform them if you (or someone else) have recently tried a chemical or other treatment to clean your drains. Several chemical treatments do work but may need additional time to take full effect. In addition, some of the chemicals a homeowner may use might have harmful effects on the people working to clear the drain or may react badly with treatments performed by the drain cleaning company.
Make sure you understand the process. Get information from the company about what kind of techniques they’ll use to clean your drains. If they use che micals, make sure to verify that they will not cause problems for the pipes you have and that they are compatible with other drain cleaning products you might buy and use in the future. Oftentimes, drain cleaners will offer to sell you some of the same product they use so you can maintain your drains after their work is completed.
Ask about the company’s warranty. Make sure to find out all the details about follow-up and potential issues that could arise in the future. Some companies will offer a one year warranty, while others offer a six month warranty.
Do your research. Find out what caused the problem and how often it may occur in the future. Consider main line repairs, which can be expensive, but will often resolve the problems for many years to come.
For more tips you can trust, visit www.bbb.org/us/bbb-news.
Drain clogs have many different causes, with the most common causes involving weather, remnants of materials that are flushed down toilets or sinks, or tree roots growing through breaks in the pipes. Homeowners are responsible for the section of pipe running from the home to its connection with the city pipe, which is usually found under the street. Your local water and sewer department can tell you what your responsibility is and consumers should check with them before having any work performed.
Because regular home maintenance may not take care of drain issues completely, many homeowners look to professional drain cleaning and plumbing businesses to solve these problems.
“It’s important for consumers to know what questions to ask their prospective drain cleaners so they can avoid misunderstandings and potential complications” says Dana Badgerow, President and CEO of the BBB of Minnesota and North Dakota.
The BBB recommends following these tips to help ensure a painless drain-cleaning experience:
Get references from friends and relatives and contact the Better Business Bureau to obtain free Business Reviews on any companies you consider hiring. Visit www.bbb.org or call 651-699-1111, toll-free at 1-800-646-6222.
Explore a variety of options. Shop around and get more than one estimate. Homeowners can expect different companies to suggest different options for solving problems, which also means varying price points. Some of the different options may include taking a video of the line, which helps to determine the best course of treatment to solve the drain back-up issues, as well as any possible collapse of the pipe. It’s also a good idea to ask companies what they charge for this service upfront.
Call before you dig. Homeowners should also have 'call before you dig' services out before any digging is started. Many drain cleaning companies will include this call as part of their service package, but ask ahead of time. Let the drain cleaner know if any other utility work has been performed in the past few years.
Beware of additional fees. Ask about trip fees and other additional fees. Understand that most companies cannot give a true and accurate price quote without seeing the extent of the problem in your home.
Keep the company informed. Before the drain cleaners begin any work, inform them if you (or someone else) have recently tried a chemical or other treatment to clean your drains. Several chemical treatments do work but may need additional time to take full effect. In addition, some of the chemicals a homeowner may use might have harmful effects on the people working to clear the drain or may react badly with treatments performed by the drain cleaning company.
Make sure you understand the process. Get information from the company about what kind of techniques they’ll use to clean your drains. If they use che micals, make sure to verify that they will not cause problems for the pipes you have and that they are compatible with other drain cleaning products you might buy and use in the future. Oftentimes, drain cleaners will offer to sell you some of the same product they use so you can maintain your drains after their work is completed.
Ask about the company’s warranty. Make sure to find out all the details about follow-up and potential issues that could arise in the future. Some companies will offer a one year warranty, while others offer a six month warranty.
Do your research. Find out what caused the problem and how often it may occur in the future. Consider main line repairs, which can be expensive, but will often resolve the problems for many years to come.
For more tips you can trust, visit www.bbb.org/us/bbb-news.
UMC Granted Full-Continuing Approval for MN Teacher Licensure in Early Childhood
CROOKSTON, Minn. – The University of Minnesota, Crookston has been granted full-continuing approval from the Minnesota Board of Teaching to prepare individuals for Minnesota teacher licensure through June 30, 2019. UMC currently offers a licensure program in Early Childhood Education and is seeking to add a licensure program for Elementary Education beginning in the fall 2012 semester. The Board took the action during their February meeting and also commended campus leadership for their expeditious response to the findings report and for evidencing full compliance to the required standards. Full-continuing approval has a seven-year interval and is determined by the Board of Teaching.
The approval follows a visit by an assessment team in October 2011, when the campus hosted a three-day visit to review data gathered since 2007 related to the 54 standards established by the Board. These standards are meant to ensure that teacher candidates have the opportunity to learn, develop, and demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and dispositions required for teacher licensure. The evaluation team, chaired by Teacher Education Specialist JoAnn Van Aernum, delivered a report to the campus in early December 2011, and a recommendation by the team was sent to the Board for consideration in their final decision.
“This current action taken by the Board of Teaching to provide UMC its full 7-year continuing approval clearly affirms the quality of our faculty and curriculum,” noted Jack Geller, Ph.D., head of the Liberal Arts and Education Department. “Equally important, it sets the stage for the addition and growth of the Elementary Education licensure program here at UMC,” he added.
The Board of Teaching, created in 1973, provides leadership for improvements in teacher education programs in order to assure that the state has well-qualified, professional teachers. The Governor appoints eleven members to the Board of Teaching: six classroom teachers, one higher education faculty member, one school administrator, and three members of the public, two of whom must have spent some time on a local school board. The Board determines the standards and practices that will serve the state's teachers and teacher preparation institutions. For more information, visit http://education.state.mn.us/mde/index.html.
Today the University of Minnesota, Crookston delivers 26 bachelor’s degree programs, 18 minors, and 36 concentrations, including 10 online degrees, in the areas of agriculture and natural resources; business; liberal arts and education; and math, science and technology. With an enrollment of 1,600 undergraduates from 25 countries and 40 states, the Crookston campus offers a supportive, close-knit atmosphere that leads to a prestigious University of Minnesota degree. “Small Campus. Big Degree.” To learn more, visit www.umcrookston.edu.
The approval follows a visit by an assessment team in October 2011, when the campus hosted a three-day visit to review data gathered since 2007 related to the 54 standards established by the Board. These standards are meant to ensure that teacher candidates have the opportunity to learn, develop, and demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and dispositions required for teacher licensure. The evaluation team, chaired by Teacher Education Specialist JoAnn Van Aernum, delivered a report to the campus in early December 2011, and a recommendation by the team was sent to the Board for consideration in their final decision.
“This current action taken by the Board of Teaching to provide UMC its full 7-year continuing approval clearly affirms the quality of our faculty and curriculum,” noted Jack Geller, Ph.D., head of the Liberal Arts and Education Department. “Equally important, it sets the stage for the addition and growth of the Elementary Education licensure program here at UMC,” he added.
The Board of Teaching, created in 1973, provides leadership for improvements in teacher education programs in order to assure that the state has well-qualified, professional teachers. The Governor appoints eleven members to the Board of Teaching: six classroom teachers, one higher education faculty member, one school administrator, and three members of the public, two of whom must have spent some time on a local school board. The Board determines the standards and practices that will serve the state's teachers and teacher preparation institutions. For more information, visit http://education.state.mn.us/mde/index.html.
Today the University of Minnesota, Crookston delivers 26 bachelor’s degree programs, 18 minors, and 36 concentrations, including 10 online degrees, in the areas of agriculture and natural resources; business; liberal arts and education; and math, science and technology. With an enrollment of 1,600 undergraduates from 25 countries and 40 states, the Crookston campus offers a supportive, close-knit atmosphere that leads to a prestigious University of Minnesota degree. “Small Campus. Big Degree.” To learn more, visit www.umcrookston.edu.
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