Marble
VIRGINIA—Councilor Liz Motley let the public know (at Tuesday night’s regular meeting) the forensic audit of Virginia’s finances has been received by the city. After some debate on the timing, the council set a special City Council meeting at 3 p.m. Nov. 24 to discuss the findings from the firm Perry Forensic. Engaging in a forensic audit was approved in July after the city discovered $3.7 million missing from a dedicated sales tax fund earlier in the year. The action came after the city had a cash flow problem and discovered about $3.7 million was spent out of a restricted special sales tax fund designed to repay a General Obligation Revenue Bond issued about six years ago for the Iron Trail Motors Event Center. The extra 1% sales tax was approved by the Legislature in 2019 and its proceeds were specifically restricted to pay back the ITMEC bonds, not the city’s general fund expenses. The council wanted to determine what, exactly, those funds were spent on and decided on the audit. Motley was hoping for the meeting on Nov. 17, but the timing didn’t work for the others on the council. “I do believe we owe it to the taxpayers
Students from schools across the region came together in Chisholm for a service learning project, with support from the United Way of Northeastern Minnesota.
The Damiano Center has donated their mobile shower unit to Faith United Lutheran Church on the Range, which will map out times and places for it to go in the spring.
DEER RIVER—It was a relatively quiet Monday evening at the Deer River City Hall on October 26, as Mayor Geving and council members Pat Richards and Barb Serfling gathered for the regular city council meeting. Council members Dan Graf and Emily Benham were excused from the session. Despite a light council roster, local officials and department heads kept busy running through a steady agenda of community updates, vehicle maintenance needs, and upcoming events. Fire and Police Update Filling in for the police report, Fire Chief Jordan Osse noted that recent law enforcement activity has been “fairly mundane” with nothing too crazy to report. The fire department, however, has been exceptionally busy. Following a packed Fire Prevention Week—which featured educational visits to King School classes, a hands-on session for local home-schooled students at the fire hall, and a visit from the Leech Lake Head Start group—the department is gearing up for community outreach. Halloween Drive-Through: The fire department will host its popular drive-through trick-or-treat event on Halloween starting at 4 p.m. and running until the candy runs out. Fall Bingo: Mark your calendars for Thursday, Nov. 5, for the department’s fall bingo night at the High School Commons. Doors open at
GRAND RAPIDS, Minn.—Lights in the Pines, a drive-through holiday light display at the Itasca County Fairgrounds, opens Thursday, Nov. 27, and runs for 10 nights. The display will be open Nov. 27-28, and Dec. 4, 5, 11, 12, 18, 19, 20 and 21. The gate opens at 5 p.m. and closes at 8 p.m., and lights go out at 9 p.m. Admission is $10 per passenger car or truck and $25 per small transportation bus or van. The fairgrounds event also includes North Pole Junction, a walk-in display in the commercial building. This year’s theme is gingerbread. Organizers say more than 75 trees are decorated. North Pole Junction also features chick races, model trains, the Grinch and Santa. A gingerbread house contest will be held Saturday, Dec. 19. Participants can bring their decorated gingerbread houses to the North Pole Junction building at 3 p.m. and pick them up at 8 p.m. the same day. Cash prizes will be awarded: $100 for first place, $75 for second and $50 for third. A $50 prize will also go to the overall best house by a participant under age 10. Questions can be emailed to lightsinthepinesmn@gmail.com.
The County Board approved a petition to allow a portion of Greenwood Township to become part of neighboring Goodwill Township. The involved area includes 435 parcels on the northwestern side of Greenwood Township, of which about 10% are primary residences. Much of the conversation focused on property tax impacts as...
Thursday afternoon, St. Louis County hosted a meeting at the Aad Shrine and Event Center about the Midway Road Railroad Crossings Elimination Project.
November keeps humming in Northern Minnesota. Here's what you can do this week:. How the Birds Got Their Songs presentation - 3:30 p.m. at Park Rapids Area Library. Author Travis Zimmerman and illustrator Sam Zimmerman will talk about their book. Coconut pike delight is the Early Bird Fishing Guide's 'Recipe...
