MOORHEAD

Minnesota conservation efforts interrupted by changes to AmeriCorps

Ingrid Harbo — Sat, 28 Jun 2025 11:00:00 GMT

MOORHEAD — The future of a statewide conservation organization’s work in Minnesota is uncertain due to changes to federal AmeriCorps programs.

Conservation Minnesota, a nonprofit organization that works to protect Minnesota from the effects of pollution and climate change, has been a host site for AmeriCorps Climate Impact Corps members since 2022. This year, it had 11 AmeriCorps members in cities across the state, including Moorhead, Duluth, Bemidji, St. Cloud, Rochester and Winona.

However, due to “changes in federal priorities,” Climate Impact Corps is ending by July, according to Conservation Minnesota. The 11 AmeriCorps members will be out of jobs.

The members living and working in communities organized community conservation efforts, allowing Conservation Minnesota to tailor efforts to each city’s needs and characteristics, according to BreAnna Bemboom, public engagement director for Conservation Minnesota. The organization is still determining how to reach greater Minnesota cities after the program ends.

“With these positions ending, we don’t really know what’s next and how we’re going to fill that need, but we’re still really committed on that local level of work, because that’s really what touches everyone’s day-to-day experience,” Bemboom said.

AmeriCorps is a federal agency that runs stipend and volunteer work programs that address issues like poverty, disaster relief, the environment and education. Climate Impact Corps focuses specifically on environmental efforts.

AmeriCorps has been one of the agencies targeted by cuts during the Trump administration and its Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE. According to a lawsuit filed by attorneys general in dozens of states against the Trump administration in response to the cuts, around $400 million worth of grant funding was terminated and 85% of AmeriCorps staff were laid off.

In early June, states in the lawsuit, which included Minnesota, were granted a preliminary injunction that restored AmeriCorps programs terminated in those states, according to the Minnesota Attorney General’s Office.

Bemboom said the reasons for Climate Impact Corps ending are not clear. Ampact, the organization that manages AmeriCorps programs in Minnesota, told Conservation Minnesota that “federal priorities and the funding landscape” have led to the shutdown of Climate Impact Corps, she said.

“If you asked me, like, exactly what that means, I honestly don’t know,” Bemboom said.

Representatives from Ampact did not return calls or emails requesting comment.

In Moorhead, AmeriCorps members organized events to get community members interested in the outdoors and involved in improving natural areas. Events over the years included fishing and foraging tutorials for children, birdhouse and bird feeder building classes, trash clean-ups and invasive plant removal.

One member organized a glass recycling collection event at Harold’s on Main, a bar in Moorhead, to educate people about how to recycle glass in Moorhead since it cannot be included in mixed recycling.

AmeriCorps members in Moorhead also organized an outdoor recreation table for organizations in the Fargo-Moorhead area doing outdoor recreation work to connect with each other.

“They started a get-together to just be able to collaborate a little bit more, share things that are happening, you know, get help, which just increases access to the outdoors for everyone,” Bemboom said.

AmeriCorps members at Conservation Minnesota declined to comment for this story since they were still a part of the federal government program.

Crystal Rayamajhi, an outreach specialist for the University of Minnesota Extension Northwest Regional Sustainable Development Partnership, collaborated with Conservation Minnesota AmeriCorps members on events in Moorhead. She said the members in Moorhead added capacity for different initiatives — spreading the word about events, tabling and organizing volunteers for activities.

“Communities need folks that can do boots on the ground work, getting things done, and that’s a huge asset that AmeriCorps is able to provide,” Rayamajhi said.

Bemboom expects to see other organizations affected by the end of the Climate Impact Corps program.

“In general, the conservation movement across the state is hurting a little bit,” Bemboom said. “This is just some added pressure to those organizations that are still in the community and doing similar work — they’re already strapped a little thin, and this just kind of makes that worse.”

The city of Moorhead hosts one AmeriCorps member. A spokesperson for the city declined an interview request, instead sending a written statement.

“While the position is hired and funded through AmeriCorps, the City serves as the worksite and provides valuable on-the-job experience,” the statement read. “The role is expected to stay active through the 2024-2025 program year.”

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'For all the lost warriors': Area veterans share what Memorial Day means to them

Wendy Reuer — Mon, 26 May 2025 09:53:00 GMT

WEST FARGO — For 157 years, the last Monday in May has been a day set aside to honor and remember U.S. military personnel who died while serving their country.

"Memorial Day is for all the lost warriors, those who died for our freedom," said Tom A. Reinhart. "Veterans Day is a little different; that's more for everyone who served."

Traditionally, many Americans mark the day by visiting cemeteries and laying out flowers or other mementos of remembrance on the graves of those who served, as well as other friends and relatives. In the Fargo-Moorhead area, the tradition is well observed, as is the spirit of what the day was meant to be, one for honoring those who gave the "ultimate sacrifice" for their country.

For veterans Rhonda Zaragoza and Donna Olson, members of the Women's Veterans Network, or WoVeN, the day is very personal.

"We're veterans, so it's different," Zaragoza, of Moorhead, said. She grew up in the Fargo-Moorhead area and served in the U.S. Air Force for 28 years, from 1983 to 2020.

For her, the day is a somber reminder of comrades she lost in battle.

"Memorial Day is hard for me," she said.

Zaragoza said several airmen assigned to her unit were lost in one incident, and Memorial Day is a special day to take the time and remember them.

"They weren't able to come back and continue life like I have," she said.

Olson, who also served in the U.S. Air Force, joined the military after graduating from high school in 1976. She followed in the footsteps of her family and friends and saw the military as a way to provide a future for herself.

"That's why I went into the service. My mom couldn't afford to send me to university," Olson said.

While she did not lose crew members, she knew many men and women who served during the Vietnam War.

"Several of my classmates did not come home," Olson said.

She takes the time to honor all those who served on Memorial Day, as well as her brother, David Olson, who also served his country during the Vietnam War.

Olson and Zaragoza continue to serve their country as members of WoVeN, a community for women veterans, inclusive of all service branches, that aims to empower them through mental health assistance and awareness, education, networking, business help and other programs. The national organization has peer advocates in the region.

Ron DuRand, who served in the U.S. Army during Vietnam from 1968 to 1969, emphasized the day is also about those who are no longer here.

"It's remembering all those who have gone before us; that's what it is all about. It's not about us who are still here," DuRand said.

"It's kind of a sad day," said Joyce Remmick, who is close to many veterans, including her husband, Robert. Joyce Remmick said she will likely visit the graves of her parents and brother on Monday, who are buried in a rural North Dakota cemetery.

Robert Remmick, a U.S. Navy veteran who served from 1966 to 1970, including a tour during Vietnam from 1968 to 1969, said the day is a reminder of the sacrifices of service members.

"It's a good time to remember the veterans and put flowers out for them," he said.

Like the Remmicks, U.S. Navy veteran Mike Nelson, who served from 1971 to 1975, will spend Memorial Day visiting family. He plans to visit his daughter, who lives in Fargo.

For Barry Simpson, Memorial Day is a good reminder to stop and think about what veterans have given to their fellow Americans. Although Simpson did not serve, he grew up as a military child as his father was in the military, and Simpson's daughter now serves in the U.S. Navy.

"When I take the time to really stop and think about it, I'm thankful to them," Simpson said. "I respect the men and women who have given their service, I really do. We have to stop and remember what they've given us. We don't take the time enough to really appreciate what they did to give us our freedom."

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Minnesota’s first off-reservation tribal cannabis shop opens in Moorhead

Robin Huebner — Sat, 24 May 2025 22:33:07 GMT

MOORHEAD — The first tribal cannabis shop in Minnesota not located on a reservation opened in Moorhead over the Memorial Day weekend.

With a Bob Marley & The Wailers tune playing on the speakers, people stood outside the Waabigwan Mashkiki dispensary along Highway 10 on Moorhead’s east side for the 10 a.m. grand opening on Saturday, May 24.

CEO Zach Wilson said the line was there for hours, as people streamed in to buy cannabis flower, pre-rolled cannabis cigarettes and whole-flower beverages.

Other products, including infused THC gummies, vape cartridges and concentrates will be available soon, once quality control tests are complete.

“We’ve had people steady all day come through here. We've had 200-300 people already come through the doors,” he said, as of 1 p.m.

The opening was made possible when Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz signed a compact earlier in the week . The compact outlines how the state and the White Earth Nation will work together to regulate the sale of cannabis.

Wilson said it’s been a labor of love working through those negotiations over the past year.

“Yeah, it’s taken a minute, but just a lot of prep and, you know, foresight,” he said.

Wilson said 25 to 30 employees have been hired at the Moorhead location, most of whom were on hand Saturday. The company expects to open another dispensary in St. Cloud.

The cannabis sold at Waabigwan Mashkiki is grown at a cultivation facility in Mahnomen, on the White Earth Reservation, and transported to dispensaries on the reservation and now, off-reservation.

A visible security presence on opening day directed traffic, checked IDs to ensure customers are 21 or older, and generally kept an eye on things.

Shaun Hoffart, security manager for Waabigwan Mashkiki, said security employees will be on hand whenever the dispensary is open.

“It’s just important to make sure that we keep the customer safe, as well as maintaining the security of the product and making sure it’s getting to the customer’s hands appropriately,” Hoffart said.

Customer Jeff Weyland of Fargo said he has a medical marijuana card in North Dakota but wanted to try something different.

A cancer survivor, he said he believes cannabis can prevent his cancer from coming back.

“They took a kidney out of me with a 5-pound tumor on it. Yeah, it’s been working ever since,” Weyland said, describing the cannabis flower, oils and vapes he uses.

Most other customers approached did not want to be interviewed or have their names published, but two women spoke on condition that only their first names be used.

Cindi said she’s been a pot smoker since age 16, and feels better getting it at a place that is “safe, secure, and you know it was grown and processed by people who know what they’re doing,” she said.

She smokes cannabis every night before bed, saying it helps her sleep “without nightmares.”

Emily also uses cannabis to help her sleep and to relax.

“I’m sure prices will probably be high to start, but should go down,” she said.

With the dispensary opening, Clay County Sheriff Mark Empting has reminded people they still “cannot drive high.”

To people who say making cannabis available this way might cause more crime or crashes in the community, Wilson said data doesn’t support that.

“If you look at alcohol and other types of drugs, almost 99% of the time, alcohol is going to be more of a leading cause of death of some sort than anything else,” he said.

He said he may be “biased” because he’s a cannabis user, but he’s passionate about the plant and the business.

“This is about creating revenue for the tribe and the community, and being able to have a brand that lasts, for longer than any of us,” he said.

Waabigwan Mashkiki is open seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. each day, he said.

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Man sentenced to 20 years for Moorhead toddler's murder

Tasha Carvell — Thu, 15 May 2025 22:53:01 GMT

MOORHEAD — A Clay County judge on Thursday accepted the terms of a plea agreement between Clay County prosecutors and defense attorneys in handing down a 20 year sentence for Mason Garza, the man accused in the child-abuse related death of 3-year-old Eastyn Deronjic, of Moorhead, last year.

Judge Tammy Merkins acknowledged the sentence would not be "justice for the horrific and intentional acts done in this case."

"There is nothing this court could order that is going to make anyone in this room whole or be adequate," she said, offering her condolences to the family and adding that she was required to follow the sentencing guidelines and restrictions under Minnesota law.

Garza, 25, pleaded guilty to second degree murder in the case earlier this year, and faced aggravated factors in the case due to the "particular cruelty" of the nature of his crime, Deronjic's vulnerability and "Defendants' use of a position of trust or authority to facilitate the commission of the offense."

Garza and Shiann Erickson, 22, had been caring for Deronjic and his infant sibling for more than six months when Deronjic died March 18, 2024, according to court documents.

A statement read in court by Deronjic's grandmother but written by Allandra Arechigo, the boy's mother, said Arechigo had known Garza for 12 years and trusted him to care for her children while she was battling addiction and trying to escape an abusive relationship with a partner, but that Garza had betrayed her.

"If I had known for a second the horrible monster you were, I would have taken them (her children) back immediately," she said.

"He (Deronjic) suffered for days and then you left him to die," Arechigo's statement said. "You could have saved him but you were worried about a child abuse charge if you brought him in. Was it worth a murder charge?"

When emergency responders arrived at Garza and Erickson's apartment at 1502 Belsly Blvd. on March 18 for a call of a child not breathing, they observed multiple bruises on Deronjic's face, legs and torso, court documents said. The final autopsy report for Deronjic "outlined 28 blunt force injuries" and "noted the manner of death was homicide and the cause of death was an assault."

Garza and Erickson were arrested and charged after the autopsy results came in last July, more than three months after Deronjic's death.

Deronjic's great-aunt, Kathy Morken, carried with her 28 stones, dropping them into a bowl one by one as she provided her victim impact statement, each one symbolizing each of the blunt force injuries Garza inflicted.

"You were supposed to be Eastyn's protector who he trusted and looked up to for comfort," she said to Garza. "He was a defenseless, precious, innocent child."

She said five generations of Deronjic's blended family now mourned the "bright and joyful" child, all of them devastated by the "insurmountable grief and heartbreak that sometimes weighs so heavily we cannot breathe."

"How could anyone with a heart, soul, or conscious mind allow such barbaric, inhumane, and unforgivable suffering?" she asked.

Ed Samuelson reads a victim impact statement during the sentencing of Mason Garza on Thursday, May 15, 2025, in Clay County Court, who pleaded guilty to second-degree murder of 3-year-old Eastyn Deronjic. Samuelson is Deronjic's great-grandfather.

Kim Samuelson reads a victim impact statement during the sentencing of Mason Garza on Thursday, May 15, 2025, in Clay County Court, who pleaded guilty to second-degree murder of 3-year-old Eastyn Deronjic. Samuelson is Deronjic's great-grandmother.

In provided statements, Deronjic's grandparents spoke glowingly about their grandson, calling him the light of their lives who filled every room with joy and laughter, a boy who was "deeply loved." They said their "sense of safety and peace was shattered" by their grandson's death, and many described having nightmares and constant agonizing thoughts of the pain and suffering the boy endured in his last days.

Deronjic's grandmother, Lindsey Rhodes, said the family was in "constant contact" with Garza, who they "considered family." She said they always offered to provide anything Garza needed to help care for the children.

"Numerous people would have stepped in," had they known Garza was no longer able to care for Deronjic, she said, but Garza "reassured us time and time again that we could trust them."

"I will never forgive myself for trusting someone capable of such evil behavior, a monster of the worst kind," Rhodes said.

In a statement written by Garza and read to the court by one of his attorneys, Chris Snyder, he apologized and said a day didn't pass without thinking about what he'd done.

"I am sorry for everything," he said. "I let all of you down and I completely understand the pain, hate and anger you carry. I am sorry for everything. I am sorry for all of it."

Garza's co-defendant, Erickson, faces the same second-degree murder charges with aggravating sentencing factors applied. Earlier this week, she pleaded not guilty in the case and a trial is tentatively scheduled for late October or early November.

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White Earth Nation casino proposal draws concerns about contaminating Buffalo Aquifer

Ingrid Harbo — Sat, 10 May 2025 10:15:00 GMT

MOORHEAD — A major but fragile source of Moorhead's water lies hidden beneath the ground east of the city: the Buffalo Aquifer.

A source of Moorhead’s drinking water, the aquifer has come up as a sticking point in the White Earth Band of the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe's proposed resort-casino complex on land east of Moorhead, near the intersection of Interstate 94 and Highway 336. The 280-acre parcel sits atop the Buffalo Aquifer.

The tribe’s proposal includes a casino with an attached hotel and convention center, restaurants and parking. It also includes a possible truck stop and convenience store.

Leaders from the White Earth Nation brought their proposal to the Clay County Commission, Moorhead City Council and Dilworth City Council in recent weeks, asking for letters of support to bolster an application to put the land into trust. That would give the federal government the title to the land, holding it for the benefit of the tribe, according to the Bureau of Indian Affairs.

Designating the land as trust land would allow the tribe to conduct gaming operations there and make it exempt from state and local taxes and land use regulations.

Reasons for opposition to the proposal voiced at meetings have varied, from Clay County losing property taxes to potential strain on local law enforcement. Some opponents, along with local leaders, have voiced concerns about the Buffalo Aquifer, which was threatened by truck stops in the past.

White Earth Nation leaders were not available for an interview by publication time. However, Chairman Michael Fairbanks addressed environmental concerns as the tribe unveiled its proposal at the Clay County Commission meeting on April 22. The tribe does not intend to dirty or pollute anything, he said.

“We’re here to protect that water because we know how important it is,” Fairbanks said.

What is the Buffalo Aquifer?

An aquifer is an underground body of sand and gravel that allows for the storage of water, according to Marc Pritchard, water plant manager for Moorhead Public Service. Pritchard oversees operations at the plant, from the pumping of raw water through the treatment of it.

“Around here, it’s not exactly a common thing — northwest Minnesota doesn’t have great groundwater supplies,” Pritchard said.

The Buffalo Aquifer is a one-mile-wide, 32-mile-long strip of gravel, surrounded by densely packed clay that stretches from Wilkin County to northeast of Moorhead.

Surveys of the aquifer have found there are between 120 billion and 250 billion gallons of water in it, Pritchard said, with about 10% available to be drawn out.

“So we have, on paper, enough for about a 10-year, 1930s style drought out in that aquifer,” Pritchard said.

With that in mind, Moorhead Public Service uses surface water from the Red River as the primary water source for Moorhead, rather than the aquifer. Typically, Moorhead Public Service uses a mix of 20-25% groundwater to 75-80% surface water.

“The whole linchpin of that strategy was using as much surface water as possible so that the aquifer can adequately recharge, so on those not-so-rainy days, we have water supply for Moorhead and Dilworth,” Pritchard said.

Moorhead Public Service also draws groundwater from the Moorhead Aquifer, which sits beneath the water treatment plant. The ratio of groundwater to surface water shifts depending on surface water quality and drought conditions.

The Buffalo Aquifer is very close to the surface, making it extremely vulnerable to contamination. In spots, the aquifer is less than 15 feet beneath the ground, with some open pits at the surface, Pritchard said.

The White Earth land is near the center channel of the aquifer, where it recharges, Pritchard said. The recharge area is very close to Highway 336, he said.

“One of the gentlemen at one of the meetings over the past two weeks phrased it best, you know — the aquifer doesn’t recognize, nor does it care, where the road’s at,” Pritchard said. “It’s still under there, so it’s something we have to be very conscientious of.”

Truck stop contamination

The Buffalo Aquifer has been polluted before. In the 1990s, fuel leaks at two truck stops near the I-94 and Highway 336 junction led to costly cleanups of the area.

The first leak was in the early 1990s, when gasoline and diesel fuel from the Commercial East Truck Stop, formerly the Double D truck stop, contaminated soil around the stop and the Buffalo Aquifer under the stop. The truck stop had to close for cleanup.

On Dec. 15, 1994, The Forum reported the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency planned to spend around $1 million as it excavated soil at the site and treated it. Later, the land was tax-forfeited to the state of Minnesota.

News broke of another spill above the aquifer in August 1999. This time, it was at the Trucker’s Inn truck stop, just north of the previous leak at the same intersection.

On Aug. 20, 1999, The Forum reported that the underground leak was discovered when the truck stop was installing new fuel pumps. At the time, the MPCA did not think the leak posed an immediate threat to the aquifer. But on Nov. 30, 2000, The Forum reported that the MPCA was piloting a new petroleum extraction system to remove contamination from the aquifer.

In 2003, the Trucker’s Inn closed so its buildings could be demolished to speed up cleanup by allowing for more extensive excavation of contaminated soil.

In 2000, the Clay County Commission established a new zoning district ordinance to protect environmentally sensitive areas, like the land above the aquifer.

Around the same time, Moorhead Public Service and Clay County developed the first wellhead protection plan for the aquifer, Pritchard said. Together, the zoning ordinance and protection plan limit what the land can be used for, restricting things like hazardous substance storage in underground tanks, like fuel tanks for a gas station, on-site septic and private wells for commercial purposes.

“So, it’s all geared around protecting that shallow aquifer surface from various different types of contamination,” Pritchard said.

White Earth Nation’s proposal

When White Earth Nation leaders unveiled ideas for the casino-resort complex during the Clay County Commission meeting, commissioners asked about plans to preserve the aquifer and plans for water and sewer service to the stop.

Nate Mathews, executive director of the White Earth Nation Tribal Utility Commission, suggested the facility would have access to Moorhead water and sewer, rather than relying on wells and a buried septic field.

“I think those types of conversations of water and sewer access to the site will be forthcoming with them,” Mathews said.

White Earth leaders softened on the idea of a truck stop on the site at later meetings, instead pitching a convenience store with the possibility of it including a truck stop.

During the Moorhead City Council meeting on April 28, Mathews said studies would be conducted on whether the project would include a convenience store or truck stop.

“We talked about a truck stop, and maybe that’s a little premature to say that’s exactly what we would envision here, but that was identified because you realize there’s not much over on this side of town, so to speak, for rest areas,” he said.

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Moorhead City Council hears White Earth Nation casino complex pitch

Ingrid Harbo — Tue, 29 Apr 2025 01:32:06 GMT

MOORHEAD — White Earth Tribe leaders pitched their plan to bring new jobs, lodging and an entertainment venue to the Moorhead area during the Moorhead City Council meeting Monday evening.

Leaders from the White Earth Band of the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe brought their proposal for a resort-casino complex on 280 acres of land east of Moorhead to the meeting on Monday, April 28. The tribe purchased the land near the intersection of Interstate 94 and Highway 336 late last year.

Mike LaRoque, secretary-treasurer of the White Earth Nation, said he chuckles when he hears rumors about how the property is going to be used. During the Clay County Commission meeting last week, tribal leaders unveiled plans for a combination casino, hotel and convention center on the land.

“But I think the sky’s the limit, actually, with this property, and we bought this property for economic development,” he said.

The White Earth Nation asked the Moorhead City Council for a letter of support to include in its application to designate the parcel as trust land for tribal gaming. That gives the federal government the title to the land, holding it for the benefit of a tribe or tribal members, according to the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Then the White Earth Nation will be able to operate a casino on the site, even though it is off the White Earth Reservation.

Designating the property as trust land makes it tax-exempt. According to Clay County Administrator Stephen Larson, the White Earth Nation property will generate $15,100 in property tax this year. The property accounts for around 0.03% of property tax collected by the county, which totals around $50.6 million.

Council members did not take any action after the tribe’s presentation Monday.

The proposed casino would have a gaming floor between 90,000 and 100,000 square feet, with 900 to 1,200 slot machines and up to a dozen table games. The attached hotel would have between 250 and 300 rooms, and the convention center could span 100,000 to 120,000 square feet. The complex would also include fast food, fine dining areas and bars.

The tribe is also considering the possibility of a truck stop and convenience center on the land.

The land is currently in Glyndon Township, but is in an area expected to be annexed by the City of Moorhead in the future, in accordance with an orderly annexation agreement between the cities of Moorhead and Dilworth.

Council members asked about the timeline and process for the property to become trust land. White Earth Nation Land Acquisition Manager Jake Syverson said the process takes 18 to 24 months to complete as multiple federal agencies check off on the action. Just a portion of the total 280 acres of property could be designated as trust land.

Once the application is submitted, the Department of the Interior would notify surrounding local communities, Syverson said, so to be transparent, the tribe is reaching out to communities beforehand.

“We don’t necessarily need a letter of support, but it would be much appreciated,” he said.

Three area residents spoke about the tribe’s proposal during the meeting: two against it and one for it.

Ed Dorsett, a supervisor on the Glyndon Township Board, argued the casino will not provide economic benefits to Moorhead. He questioned whether the Shooting Star Casino in Mahnomen has benefited the residents of the town.

“The town itself is suffering, and I don’t think the casino is doing a single thing for the residents of it,” he said.

Zenas Baer, a lawyer in Clay County, spoke in support of the tribe. Baer said he represented the White Earth Nation in the 1990s and 2000s, but no longer does. He said he thought some of the criticism of the tribe was unwarranted.

“Don’t be frightened of dealing with the White Earth Band just because they are exercising the sovereignty they were given by Congress and supported by the United States Supreme Court,” he said.

Cannabis ordinance

Moorhead City Council members also passed a second reading of a cannabis sales ordinance Monday. The ordinance had one change since it came before the council for the first time two weeks earlier.

The ordinance introduces fees and registration standards for businesses selling cannabis products in Moorhead ahead of state cannabis licensing this spring and summer. It also imposes fines and sanctions for businesses operating without registering with the city, or those that violate registration requirements.

When first introduced to the council, the bill limited the hours for both cannabis retail sales and lower-potency hemp-derived THC sales to between the hours of 10 a.m. and 10 p.m., Monday through Sunday. However, the updated ordinance separates the two product types and gives each its own operating hours.

In the updated ordinance, cannabis sales are limited to the hours of 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. each day, but hemp-derived THC products can be sold from 8 a.m. to 2 a.m. Monday through Saturday and 10 a.m. to 2 a.m. Sunday.

Council members unanimously approved the second reading of the ordinance.

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Photos: Thousands attend 'Hands Off' protests across Minnesota, North Dakota

Forum News Service staff — Sun, 06 Apr 2025 02:15:20 GMT

MINNEAPOLIS — Hundreds, sometimes thousands, gathered in clusters across North Dakota and Minnesota on Saturday, April 5 as part of a nationwide day of protest against actions by the White House administration.

More than 1,200 “Hands Off!” protests were scheduled to take place across the United States Saturday as citizens gathered to rally against President Donald Trump and adviser Elon Musk, who heads the Department of Government Efficiency.

The Hands Off 2025 website said April 5 was a day for people to take to the streets nationwide with the message “Hands off!” to fight back against the "most brazen power grab in modern history." The website specifically mentions cuts to Social Security, firing federal workers and cutting consumer protections and health care funding.

Alexandria

In Alexandria, Minnesota, organizers said they were expecting around 300 people, but that Alexandria Area Indivisible ended up running out of the 500 buttons they brought to give away. Alexandria's rally included comments from Leah Landwehr, a local veteran, who talked to attendees about the importance of the Veterans Administration to local vets.

Bemidji

More than 1,000 people lined Paul Bunyan Drive in Bemidji Saturday afternoon to participate in the local Hands Off event.

"We just want to hold our lawmakers accountable to know that this is what their constituents feel about what's happening with our government, and we're doing this together," said Rebecca Dickinson, a member of the grassroots democracy initiative Indivisible Bemidji that helped organize the event.

Dickinson said that she has parents around retirement age and is concerned about their Social Security. She said she was also worried about people being laid off from jobs and for people who don't feel safe because of their gender identity or other personal factors.

"There's a way to do change; change shouldn't happen this abruptly," Dickinson said.

Many others flags — like Canadian flags displayed in solidarity with the U.S. neighbor facing newly imposed tariffs — waved in support of other causes during the event, but the American flag was the most prevalent.

"We have a lot of American flags here because this is our community and we're fighting for it," said Dickinson. "We're indivisible because no matter who you are, this is our country."

Brainerd

Hundreds of people gathered at the intersection of Washington and South Sixth Streets for the Hands Off rally in Brainerd Saturday.

The rally was hosted by Brainerd Lakes Area Indivisible.

Detroit Lakes

DETROIT LAKES — More than 200 people showed up at a rally and town hall in Detroit Lakes on Saturday.

The event was held in the former Ace Hardware building downtown — the site of the future Manna Food Co-op.

Hands off protests across North Dakota, Minnesota

Protestors line the Veterans Memorial Bridge between Fargo and Moorhead on Saturday, April 5, 2025, during the “Hands Off” rally against the actions of the Trump administration.

Hundreds of people gathered on Saturday, April 5, 2025, as a part of the "Hands Off!" protest in downtown Rochester. There were hundreds of similar protests around the country.

Participants display signs during a Hands Off! protest on Saturday, April 5, 2025, along Paul Bunyan Drive in Bemidji.

A participant displays a sign in regard to Elon Musk during a Hands Off! protest on Saturday, April 5, 2025, along Paul Bunyan Drive in Bemidji.

Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison gestures while speaking during a rally in solidarity with Indivisible’s National Hands Off! Day of Action at the Civic Center Plaza on Saturday, April 5, 2025, in Duluth.

Participants display signs during a Hands Off! protest on Saturday, April 5, 2025, along Paul Bunyan Drive in Bemidji.

Participants hold a large "Fire Trump, not us," sign during a Hands Off! protest on Saturday, April 5, 2025, at Paul Bunyan Park in Bemidji.

Hundreds of people gathered in downtown Rochester on Saturday, April 5, 2025, as a part of the "Hands Off!" protests around the country.

People hold signs as they stand on the sidewalk during the Hands Off Jamestown March on Saturday, April 5, in Jamestown.

Hundreds attended the Hands Off rally on Saturday, April 5, 2025, at Peace Plaza in Rochester. The protest was one of more than 1,000 around the nation on Saturday.

A large federal grant — awarded to Manna and later pulled — was set to be used for a commercial kitchen in the new Manna building. Manna Food Co-op Treasurer Ryan Pesch said that the Trump Administration likes to frame any spending it cuts as benefiting “a bunch of fraudulent moochers," but said that the grant to Manna would have supported local contractors and community members.

The Detroit Lakes rally also played host to criticism of Congresswoman Michelle Fischbach for not conducting in-person town hall events, of Trump's various tariffs on imported goods and against a swath of federal funding cuts or proposed reductions.

Duluth

Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison addressed the crowd at Duluth's Hands Off rally on Saturday.

Tom Wilson of Eau Claire reported roughly 2,500 people had attended the Duluth event on Saturday. Wilson also attended an event in Superior, Wisconsin, where organizers estimated roughly 500 people turned out.

“I’ve been political all my life,” said Wilson, who will turn 80 next month. Going back to the early 1960s, Wilson said he’s been involved in protests for civil rights, against war, and for the environment, and as critical as those issues were, this moment feels even more critical.

“If you read the Declaration of Independence, almost any one of our grievances against King George equally apply to Donald 2.0,” Wilson said “That’s it. The very truly founding principles of our country are at risk at this point.”

Similar events took place around the Northland Saturday, including in Chisholm, Cloquet, Ely, Grand Marais and Grand Rapids.

Fargo-Moorhead

Approximately 2,000 people lined both sides of Veterans Memorial Bridge between Fargo and Moorhead to protest the actions of President Donald Trump and Elon Musk.

Organizer Lyn Dockter-Pinnick, of Moorhead, said organizers hoped 500 people would show up and she was overcome by the showing.

Periodically, someone broke into a chant, "Show me what democracy looks like," and the crowd responded with, "This is what democracy looks like." At other times, the crowd chanted, "Protect the Constitution, the promise of our union."

Tammy Shannon, of Moorhead, not only carried a sign, she dressed in the long red cloak and white bonnet popularized by Margaret Atwood's "Handmaid's Tale" as an additional protest about what's happening regarding women's rights.

A rally in Bismarck drew 1,000 attendees Saturday.

Grand Forks

Hundreds of people attended a protest near and on Grand Forks' Sorlie Memorial Bridge against President Donald Trump and Elon Musk on Saturday.

Cathy Williams, of Indivisible Grand Forks, estimated more than 400 people were in attendance, both Democrats and Republicans.

“This is just a wonderful turnout on a beautiful day,” she said.

Williams and Sheila Fontaine, chair of the Minnesotan Polk County and Red Lake County DFL, were two organizers of the protest on their side of the river.

“(Veterans Affairs), Medicare, Medicaid, social security, LGBTQ, veterans, federal workers, you name it,” she said. “That’s the theme from a lot of the signs — hands off.”

About six or seven North Dakota organizations put together the Grand Forks protest, while the Polk County and Red Lake County DFL organized the East Grand Forks one.

The protesters on both sides of the river met on the Sorlie Memorial Bridge around 4:10 p.m. after spending more than an hour on their respective sides. The groups came together with chants supporting democracy, cheering on cars that honked as they drove by on the bridge.

Jamestown

About 130 people gathered on public sidewalks on Saturday in Jamestown, holding signs in a peaceful protest.

Olivia Schloegel and Barb Lang, both members at large of the League of Women Voters of North Dakota, helped to organize the event.

Schloegel said people are affected locally by federal cuts, from Social Security to a USDA program that provided food for schools.

“And so we wanted to make sure that local folks had an opportunity to show up and speak out against what we don’t agree with, which is these destructive cuts at the federal level,” she said.

People participating spoke about, and carried signs about, various issues, including Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid, and support for veterans, victims of domestic violence, members of the LGBTQ+ community and transgender individuals.

Rochester

At Rochester's event, hundreds of people carried signs about federal funding cuts, demanding protections for Medicaid and supporting veterans.

"This mass mobilization day is our message to the world that we do not consent to the destruction of our government and our economy for the benefit of Trump and his billionaire allies," the event page said. "Alongside Americans across the country, we are marching, rallying, and protesting to demand a stop the chaos and build an opposition movement against the looting of our country."

Rochester's event ended with live music.

St. Cloud

Organizers estimate that more than 2,000 people attended St. Cloud’s Hands Off Protest on Saturday.

“The turnout's incredible. I counted 2,125 people,” said Jill Kelly, one of the event organizers. She said she walked up and down the protest, which was a few people deep over more than two blocks on either side of Division Street.

Avery Bond of St. Cloud said she showed up to represent the people who would not be able to be at a protest like this one because it wouldn’t be safe. She said people should take hope from a protest like this.

“Anybody who feels like they're alone going crazy, because the world's falling apart around us, obviously there are a lot more people who are right here standing with us,” Bond said.

Carter Olson of Sartell held a sign that said “Hands off Dept of Education.” He’s working to get his teacher’s license, he said.

Willmar

A crowd gathered in the parking lot of Lakeland Elementary in Willmar Saturday for a Hands Off rally, which preceded a politically driven town hall at the school.

Rally speakers included Dr. Kathryn Nelson-Hund, a retired doctor who said she had done research at the National Institutes of Health in Washington, D.C., and at the EPA Freshwater Lab in Duluth. Nelson-Hund called for funding for medical research to be maintained.

The town hall, hosted by the Congressional District 7 Democratic Farmer-Labor Party, was described by organizers as a response to U.S. Rep. Michelle Fischbach not appearing at in-person town halls in the Minnesota 7th District she represents.

Attendees of the town hall included Minnesota DFL Chair Richard Carlbom, Senate Majority Leader Erin Murphy and Minnesota Farmers Union President Gary Wertish.

The Willmar town hall was the third and final event of the day hosted by the 7th District DFL, which had gathered earlier in Detroit Lakes and Alexandria. Across the three events in District 7, more than 1,000 people gathered in protest and to ask questions of people in power, according to event organizers.

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Finding Faith: Chief reaches out when needed

Devlyn Brooks — Fri, 04 Apr 2025 14:30:00 GMT

“Do you take hugs?” my friend Shannon asked.

Admittedly a bit surprised, I stretched my arms wide and with a grin said, “Absolutely!”

And there we stood, two large-size grown men, embraced in a bear hug with a sea of people around us. No shame, and no quick bro pat on the back here.

Shannon, the police chief here in my not-small-but-not-big town, was retiring after three decades in law enforcement, and while I knew I couldn’t stay long, I had to drop by his retirement celebration just to say thank you.

You see, prior to eight months ago, I knew the chief from whatever I read in the news. And he likely didn't know who I was. After all, prior to taking on the CEO role at our local emergency shelter, housing and food pantry mission, I didn’t have nearly the community profile I do now.

But just weeks into my very public, very challenging start at the mission, Shannon reached out and invited me to lunch. My first and probably understandable reaction to the invitation back then was, “Oy, the police chief wants a word with the new head of the shelter. Can’t be good.”

On the appointed day and time, I arrived at the restaurant, where the chief and his police captain were already seated.

“Good afternoon, Chief,” I said, reaching out to shake his hand.

He pointed at the chair opposite and said, “Grab a seat. It’s just Shannon here, no chief.”

He went on to say that he knew a little about what it was like to be in a very public leadership role, and he just wanted to offer his friendship, just wanted to be a listening ear. And lunch that day stretched nearly two hours long.

In the past eight months, we’ve repeated that lunch a couple times. There’s also been encouraging phone calls, texts and emails. And when we embraced the other night, we did so as unexpected friends brought together by unexpected circumstances. Two people who shared similarly isolating roles, who grew to find an even deeper friendship.

Chief Monroe was among the first people to reach out a hand in those first disorienting and chaotic weeks at the shelter, and I will be forever grateful. But his friendship has persisted even beyond the crisis days, and that act of compassion will forever be imprinted on my heart.

That is the gospel, my friends. Reaching out to those in need, those who could just use a friend. We don’t have to complicate this faith thing, but we do have to invest ourselves in others.

Thank you, Chief, for being a leader with and without the uniform on. Cheers to a well-deserved retirement. Amen.

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Swift: 5 years ago, COVID-19 shut down our world. How did it change us?

Tammy Swift — Wed, 12 Mar 2025 10:05:00 GMT

FARGO — It's hard to believe that five years have passed since COVID-19 shut down the world as we know it, because the pandemic affected every single thing — including our perception of time.

Like 9/11 or any world-changing event, we’ve organized our mental calendar according to B.C. (Before COVID) and A.C. (After COVID).

As hindsight is 2020 (which, coincidentally, was the year it all started) we can look back and ask: Who are we after COVID? How did the virus shape us, as individuals, communities or society as a whole?

As weird as it seems now, many initially viewed it as a novelty and a mini vacation, which would surely be over in a few weeks if we hunkered down and sheltered in place.

If we had enough toilet paper and Lysol, we’d be OK, right?

College kids celebrated their extended spring breaks, perhaps assuming they would be back in school in no time. Young children pasted hopeful paper hearts on windows and drew inspiring messages in colored chalk on their driveways. Volunteers whipped up masks by the thousands for health care workers.

Even we adults didn’t seem to mind too much. Who could complain about remote work in your PJs while your dog snoozed at your feet?

Zoom meetings initially seemed like a fresh change of pace. They offered a fascinating peek into people’s home lives, especially when someone’s carefully groomed facade was shattered by a naked toddler streaking by, a cat butt blocking the camera or a spouse yelling at the kids in the background.

People power-walked, bought free weights and vowed to get in shape. (However, sourdough bread-baking, 24/7 yoga pants and stress-eating aren’t conducive to fitness, so many of us eventually wound up turning the treadmill into a clothes rack for all those retail-shopping binges on Amazon.)

Connecting despite social distancing

A feeling of community was everywhere. Neighbors waved and friends air-hugged from afar. Families amused themselves by going for long drives in the country just to find a new quiet gravel road to hike and a new blade of grass for the dog to sniff.

Spring evenings filled with the smoky, slightly sweet aroma of campfires, as people made backyard firepits a regular ritual.

We got creative in how we spent our time. Remember the 8 p.m. “howl,” when folks would channel their inner wolves by “howling” from their doorsteps? The virtual cocktail hour? Parking-lot bingo or drive-in movies at the Red River Valley Fairgrounds? Violin serenades held outside of retirement homes for senior citizens (perhaps the most isolated of all)?

It brought us back to old-school pastimes and homespun hobbies — Gardening! Pie-making! Letter-writing! — as we finally had time to tackle the ambitious projects we always wanted to try.

It introduced oddities like the drive-by graduation party, wedding or baby shower.

For a magical period of time, it saved us from wearing “hard pants.”

Online sales boomed for companies like Amazon, Peloton, Clorox and Zoom, even while many restaurants, movie theaters and other brick-and-mortar businesses struggled. Yet there were exceptions: Barnes & Noble did better than it had in years, as people finally found time to curl up with a good book.

COVID also sparked so many pet adoptions that rescues could scarcely meet the demand. (Sadly, some of those “COVID puppies” wound up re-homed after developing separation anxiety when their 24/7 housemates returned to office and school.)

It created its own lexicon, from the scientific (“flatten the curve” and “contact tracing”) to the slangy ( “the ‘rona,” “FauciOuchies”). It became impossible to go a single day without hearing “the new normal,” even though life felt like anything but that.

Every new day brought a new theory about "the 'rona." Take more zinc! Shave your beard! Sanitize your Instacart groceries as if you're scrubbing for heart surgery!

It turned us into a nation of Door Dashers and Grub Hubbers, who were willing to pay $21 for a Blizzard delivered to our door.

As it forced us to live and work in our homes, we realized our kitchens were inefficient and our offices were too small. A wave of home improvement followed — if we could afford the lumber.

It caused families to spread out as much as humanly possible in their homes, so as not to interfere with mom’s work Zoom or little brother’s online class. Our home Wi-Fis struggled to support these new demands on bandwidth, so we sometimes had to make sure other family members didn’t stream YouTube when Dad had his Teams job interview.

In fact, it made social distancing the “new normal” in every setting — from lines at the pharmacy to city commission meetings, church services and even baseball games.

It forced educators to get creative in order to keep online learners engaged. That included tactics like calling directly on individual students to see if they were listening or requiring students to have their cameras on at all times.

It became more acceptable to cancel plans or take a day off for feeling unwell, allowing people to take better care of themselves and hopefully slow the spread of all contagious illnesses.

It prompted a major workforce shift. Some older workers retired early — sometimes by choice, sometimes not. Many workers in the hospitality industry lost their jobs and didn’t return when those venues re-opened. Middle-managers, who picked up the slack when employees left, reported widespread burnout.

As the workforce hemorrhaged workers, some experts predicted the labor shortage would prompt better pay and working conditions for employees. But many companies eventually returned to doing business as usual.

Through it all, a silver lining emerged: An unprecedented number of employees saw the pandemic as a turning point — a reminder that life was too short to do work that didn’t satisfy them. Many left their old jobs to start a business or find a job that more closely aligned with their values.

A growing divide

But all was not paper hearts and sourdough bread. Far from it. COVID-19 laid bare a lot of fractures in our societal and political worlds. True, they had been festering for years for people who would acknowledge them. But COVID stripped away all of the pretense.

Conspiracy theories thrived. Different factions emerged based on people’s core beliefs and social media bubbles. The divide grew wider between those who believed in science and those who viewed the pandemic as a conspiracy, with different politicians and media companies widening the gulf even more.

Vaccines were released in a record amount of time, but even these fueled powerful “for” and “against” factions.

By now, nothing around the pandemic was novel or new. We were fed up with the online meetings, the isolation and the doomscrolling that made us feel more helpless and hopeless.

COVID took away many of the support structures that had long helped us feel safe: the schools our kids attended every day, the belief our modern medical system could handle almost any disease, the jobs that felt secure, the neighbors and friends we saw as part of our community, the supply chains that seemed to effortlessly crank out cleaning supplies and flour and freezers.

It’s no surprise that our country’s mental health plummeted, as therapists struggled to minister to our collective anxiety, depression and loneliness, as well as our fears over our country’s growing ideological chasm.

The pandemic took away graduations, weddings and funerals in a way that could never be replaced.

It made “sheltering in place” increasingly more dangerous in homes wracked by domestic violence.

It forced people to die in hospitals alone, because every precaution was needed to avoid the virus’s spread.

Exhausted health care workers became the undeserving targets for our anger and frustration. Hospitals had to post signs warning to be nice or get kicked out. Unsurprisingly, burnout surged, especially in health care and education.

We watched our children struggle with remote learning, trying to contain kindergartners who had barely learned to sit still as they now had to learn through a computer screen and teenagers who rolled their eyes at us for asking questions about their classes.

We watched our kids’ mental health suffer as they were cut off from their peers and from many of the adults who backed us up as a support system. We watched them hurt as their sense of security was ripped away from them overnight.

As we tried to be their pillars of support, we were worried too. Would our jobs survive? And then what if we catch this thing, get sick and die? Would we lose our house? Would we lose a loved one or friend?

We gained further respect for the teachers and support staff at our schools, who also had those worries yet managed to do their best for students. Some grew accustomed to lecturing to banks of screens with the cameras turned off. Those of us who balanced working from home with overseeing distance learning became much more grateful not to be homeschooling parents.

When we finally emerged from the darkness, we felt hopeful and grateful. Grateful that we had survived and that this grim period seemed to be behind us.

Suddenly, we were set free — but was that OK? It felt odd to do normal things again. Should we be driving around? When do we stop wearing masks? How do we make small talk again?

It was baffling to look back and see how a few years of COVID had managed to warp and twist hundreds of years of ritual and habit.

Life returned to its usual pace, but we were never quite the same. We had seen how fragile we are and how much we need each other.

And what was the point, we wondered? Was it to see the value of health? Should we learn how to work together, even if we had different beliefs? Was it time to focus on the collective good instead of our own well-being?

And if it happens again, what have we learned?

These Forum employees contributed to this column: Alicia Strnad, Tasha Carvell, Kris Kerzman, Anna Paige, Helmut Schmidt, Kaity Young, Matt Von Pinnon and Ingrid Harbo.
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Former Clay County jail employee accused of sexual contact with inmate

WDAY News — Mon, 10 Mar 2025 23:23:20 GMT

MOORHEAD — A former Clay County correctional officer is in jail, accused of having a relationship with an inmate.

Chloe Nord, 23, is facing two felony charges for criminal sexual conduct.

According to a criminal complaint:

Investigators found notes, letters and messages sent using the jail's messages system between Nord and a male inmate.

The alleged relationship took place between November 2024 and Jan. 20, Nord's last day working for the jail.

The inmate told investigators Nord had sexual contact with him twice. Nord denied touching the inmate but admitted to communicating with him.

She said she fell "under his spell."

In a statement to WDAY News, Clay County Sheriff Mark Empting said the jail is committed to maintaining a safe and secure environment for both inmates and staff.

His office did not learn about the allegations of misconduct until after Nord was no longer employed at the jail, he said. Empting himself requested the investigation.

Nord is currently in the Cass County Jail. Her first court appearance has not been scheduled.

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