Happy Valentine’s Day! I hope this warm and sunny day brings you and your loved ones the excitement that spring might just be around the corner. This has been an es- pecially cold and long winter it seems. I had a little episode with my Stef- fes heater at my home, operator error thankfully. It seems that the door acci- dently bumped one of the breakers and wouldn’t allow the unit to heat com- pletely while being cycled. This just proved the importance to check over your heater occasionally, change filters, make sure things aren’t leaking or loos- ing pressure, it’s a good habit to do in the fall… This year I found I was a little busy, this came back to bite me. I had a discussion with a friend of mine this month, he was talking about his high bill. We started off with, “how much was it?” Well that led us down the path of what do you have on at your place. This buddy is a single guy, VOL. 21 NO. 3 PUBLISHED FOR THE MEMBERS OF NORTH ITASCA ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE MARCH 2018 page 7 page 5 page 16 North Itasca Electric Co-op HOURS 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. B2B route coming Selecting electric vehicles Scholarships available Highlights to p.3> RoundUp to p.3> • inside • inside • inside • inside • inside • inside • inside • inside • Highlights from the Board Room Brad Dolinski, CEO CEO to p.2> The North Itasca Electric Community Trust is funded by voluntary contributions from members of North Itasca Electric Cooperative members. Grants availability will be promoted to area communities and organizations serving members within North Itasca Electric Cooperative’s service territory. Contribution recipients and amounts distributed will be determined by this Community Trust Board which represents the nine districts of North Itasca Electric. All applications for grant funds are due on Friday, March 30 at North Itasca Electric’s office. On April 17, the Trust Board will be reviewing all applications received and distribute funds as a group. Chances to receive funds occur bi-yearly – April and October. B i - yearly ap- plication deadlines are the last Friday of March and Sep- tember and must be postmarked by the last Friday in March and Septem- ber, or turned into North Itasca Elec- tric’s headquarters at 301 Main Ave. in Bigfork by the close of business (4:30 p.m.) on the due dates. Eligibility: 1. Contributions will generally be made to nonprofit, civic or community- based organizations that demonstrate a commitment to enhance the quality of life in the region. 2. Contributions will be distributed primarily in the local area served by the cooperative. 3. Projects should fit in one or New low finance rates North Itasca Electric Cooperative has lowered its financing rates. Contracts that are one year or less, members can finance appliances at a rate of 3.5 percent. For contracts over one year, the rate only increases to 4 percent. Find out more in Sales Talk on p.5. Here are the highlights from the board of directors’ January 25, 2018 meeting. Board members, general counsel and management staff were in attendance. The regular meeting of the Board of Directors was held at the office of the Cooperative on January 25, 2018. Regular Board Meeting was brought to order at 9:58 a.m. Pledge of Allegiance was recited. Representative Rob Ecklund came to speak to the Board about legislative issues, balance budget, agriculture and environmental issues. Motion was made to Adopt Agenda, seconded and motion carried. Motion was made to Consent Agenda, seconded. Board confirmed February 22, at 10:00 a.m., as the next Regular Board Meeting. Motion carried. D. Pederson went over the Outage Report in detail. 89,764 hours without a lost time incident, no engineering update but John from STAR will be here for the February Board Meeting to speak about the Scenic Substation. Crews are trenching in underground on Turtle, Dixon and Pickerel Lake. D. Pederson is sending out for quotes on the upcoming County Road 35 Project. County Road 45 Project will be 3 phase. The Highway 38, State Road Project; we should not be affected. Lastly, 2 transformers were stolen from the warehouse gate, valued at around $450.00 each. The 2 transformers were found that night and all the copper was taken from them. A Whether it’s a blue-sky day or the morning after a destructive storm, today’s electric system is increasingly better able to ensure that North Itasca Electric Cooperative and its wholesale electric power provider, Great River Energy, can keep the electricity flowing to your home or business. Today’s grid technology provides greater “visibility” into the system. Rather than having to rely on line technicians or a limited number of alarms, grid operators receive real- time information from multiple line sensors, intelligent substations and communication devices so they can proactively prevent and respond to grid issues. Storm repairs can be made much faster, because gone are the days when the only way to identify a problem on the bulk electric system was walking or driving along the power lines – which could be miles. That is still the case in some situations, but many problems on the bulk power system are now pinpointed by sophisticated geographic information systems and computer systems that operators use to control the grid. This saves line technicians from having to patrol miles of power lines to find the source of the problem, which can make a big difference – you can’t start fixing the problem until you know where it is! CEO Report Better reliability, rain or shine Operation Round-Up grant applications due March 30 Reliability to p.5>
Transcript
Happy Valentine’s Day!I hope this warm and sunny day
brings you and your loved ones the excitement that spring might just be around the corner. This has been an es-pecially cold and long winter it seems. I had a little episode with my Stef-fes heater at my home, operator error thankfully. It seems that the door acci-dently bumped one of the breakers and wouldn’t allow the unit to heat com-pletely while being cycled. This just proved the importance to check over your heater occasionally, change filters, make sure things aren’t leaking or loos-ing pressure, it’s a good habit to do in the fall… This year I found I was a little busy, this came back to bite me.
I had a discussion with a friend of mine this month, he was talking about his high bill. We started off with, “how much was it?” Well that led us down the path of what do you have on at your place. This buddy is a single guy,
VOL. 21 NO. 3 PUBLISHED FOR THE MEMBERS OF NORTH ITASCA ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE MARCH 2018
page 7 page 5page 16
North Itasca Electric Co-op
HOURS8 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
B2B route coming Selecting electric vehicles Scholarships available
The North Itasca Electric Community Trust is funded by voluntary contributions from members of North
Itasca Electric Cooperative members. Grants availability will be promoted
to area communities and organizations serving members within North Itasca Electric Cooperative’s service territory. Contribution recipients and amounts distributed will be determined by this Community Trust Board which represents the nine districts of North Itasca Electric.
All applications for grant funds are due on Friday, March 30 at North Itasca Electric’s office. On April 17, the Trust Board will be reviewing all applications received and distribute funds as a group. Chances to receive funds occur bi-yearly – April and October.
B i -yearly ap-plication deadlines are the last Friday of March and Sep-tember and must be postmarked by the last Friday in March and Septem-ber, or turned into North Itasca Elec-tric’s headquarters at 301 Main Ave. in Bigfork by the close of business (4:30 p.m.) on the due dates. Eligibility:
1. Contributions will generally be made to nonprofit, civic or community-based organizations that demonstrate a commitment to enhance the quality of life in the region.
2. Contributions will be distributed primarily in the local area served by the cooperative.
3. Projects should fit in one or
New low finance ratesNorth Itasca Electric Cooperative has lowered its financing rates. Contracts
that are one year or less, members can finance appliances at a rate of 3.5 percent. For contracts over one year, the rate only increases to 4 percent.
Find out more in Sales Talk on p.5.
Here are the highlights from the board of directors’ January 25, 2018 meeting. Board members, general counsel and management staff were in attendance.
The regular meeting of the Board of Directors was held at the office of the Cooperative on January 25, 2018. Regular Board Meeting was brought to order at 9:58 a.m. Pledge of Allegiance was recited.
Representative Rob Ecklund came to speak to the Board about legislative issues, balance budget, agriculture and environmental issues.
Motion was made to Adopt Agenda, seconded and motion carried. Motion was made to Consent Agenda, seconded. Board confirmed February 22, at 10:00 a.m., as the next Regular
Board Meeting. Motion carried. D. Pederson went over the Outage
Report in detail. 89,764 hours without a lost time incident, no engineering update but John from STAR will be here for the February Board Meeting to speak about the Scenic Substation. Crews are trenching in underground on Turtle, Dixon and Pickerel Lake. D. Pederson is sending out for quotes on the upcoming County Road 35 Project. County Road 45 Project will be 3 phase. The Highway 38, State Road Project; we should not be affected. Lastly, 2 transformers were stolen from the warehouse gate, valued at around $450.00 each. The 2 transformers were found that night and all the copper was taken from them. A
Whether it’s a blue-sky day or the morning after a destructive storm, today’s electric system is increasingly better able to ensure that North Itasca Electric Cooperative and its wholesale electric power provider, Great River Energy, can keep the electricity flowing to your home or business.
Today’s grid technology provides greater “visibility” into the system. Rather than having to rely on line technicians or a limited number of alarms, grid operators receive real-time information from multiple line sensors, intelligent substations and communication devices so they can proactively prevent and respond to grid issues.
Storm repairs can be made much faster, because gone are the days when the only way to identify a problem on the bulk electric system was walking or driving along the power lines – which could be miles.
That is still the case in some situations, but many problems on the bulk power system are now pinpointed by sophisticated geographic information systems and computer systems that operators use to control the grid. This saves line technicians from having to patrol miles of power lines to find the source of the problem, which can make a big difference – you can’t start fixing the problem until you know where it is!
CEO Report
Better reliability, rain or shine
Operation Round-Up grant applications due March 30
Reliability to p.5>
page 2 March 2018
WATTS NEWS is published monthly by:North Itasca Electric Cooperative, Inc.301 Main AvenueP.O. Box 227Bigfork, MN 56628
Subscriptions for Members are included as part of the annual membership dues. $8.00 per year or partial year for non-members, billed and payable in January for the following year.
Second class postage paid at Bigfork, MN 56628. USPS 016-849 POSTMASTER: Send address changes to WATTS NEWS, North Itasca Electric Cooperative, Inc., P.O. Box 227, Bigfork, MN 56628-0227
After hours (to report power outages): (218) 743-3131 or (800) 762-4048
Web site: www.NorthItascaElectric.com
Chief Executive Officer: Brad Dolinski WATTS NEWS Editor: Sally SedgwickSend all calendar items, recipes, adver-tisements and other correspondence for WATTS NEWS to the Editor at: P.O. Box 43, Spring Lake, MN 56680
WATTS NEWS
NorthItascaElectric.comdownload a form
find out about programsfind a contractor
Learn about Wellspring program
CEO Report (continued)
The calendar has moved to page 14.
North Itasca Electric Cooperative, Inc.Board of Directors
Chairman: Larry Salmela, District 3Vice-Chairman: Terry Schmitz, District 8Secretary: Lloyd Kongsjord, District 5Treasurer: Roy Bain, District 9 Rep. to GRE Board: Bruce Leino, District 7
James White, District 1 James Cox, District 4 Wes Waller, District 2 Walter Breeze, District 6
should be a reasonable bill. Through conversation he was talk-ing about his small heater he uses in the master bath to take the chill off. I asked him how he used it, it came up that he’s forgot it on for a couple of days once, maybe twice. That little heater can run up to five dollars a day, leave that baby on for a few extra days and you’ll notice it on the bill. Turns out he was just giving me a hard time, but he was shocked to hear how a little whoops can change your bill.
Being that I had his ear, I started talking about block heat-ers on cars, and other random devices that can really jump your bill. Jerry, Manager of Member Service, just purchased 10 Kill-A-Watt meters we can loan out to our Member-Own-ers. You simply plug this device into the wall, then plug most household devices into the meter. The meter will register the usage in watts, or dollars. You can see exactly what that old freezer in the garage is costing you to run, move the device around the house a little and see what is spinning the meter out on the pole. The Kill-A-Watt meter is a handy tool, and it’s quite interesting to see what appliance around home is reaching into your wallet.
March is going to be here before we know it. Our board of directors and myself will be at the MREA Annual meeting in Minneapolis. This is a chance to go and visit with our Repre-sentatives, and Senators with a warm welcome and perhaps a message from back home. Typically, there is a dinner planned to offer a chance to unwind and get to know the Representa-tives and Senators better on a personal level. This year there is a conflict with scheduling, we won’t have this opportunity. We will meet with all our Representatives and Senators at the capital, this is valuable time spent to benefit Member-Owners from North Itasca Electric Cooperative. I would like to thank everyone in advance for making time to meet with us.
Lastly, on a personal note, my family and I have found a house in the area! We are excited to have a home to move into. Many thanks to everyone that has helped us in this endeavor. We’ve had many conversations with new friends with leads on homes for sale. I was able to work with Edge of the Wilderness Realty and First State Bank of Bigfork to make this dream a re-ality. Arcadia Lodge has put my family and I up in their cabins since August, it will be hard to leave those amenities. Turtle Lake and Arcadia is a wonderful place to stay! Next time I plan a stay, I’m bringing my boat and fishing poles!
By your side,Brad Dolinski
March 2018 page 3
North Itasca Electric Cooperative, Inc.Vision - To be a progressive, safe and reliable cooperative
trusted by our members.Mission - Delivering value to our members and communities
by providing safe, reliable and progressive energy and other services.
Values - North Itasca Electric Cooperative values honesty, integrity and high ethical standards. We are accountable to our members and committed to our communities.
Board Room Highlights (continued)
Whenever you plan to dig over 12 inches deep, 2 days before you start, call Gopher One at (800) 252-1166. It’s required by Minnesota state law and it is free.
>from p.1claim has been submitted to our insurance.
B. Dolinski noted that Northland Connect did not hold its monthly phone conference, so Ken provided a written report.
J. Loney gave an update on Member Services, passed around Thank You cards from RoundUp recipients. Jerry then went on to discuss the next RoundUp Grant deadline in March, and REMA meeting on safety, communication, clean distribution and an upcoming meeting on filing requirements.
B. Dolinski noted that STAR will be at the February board meeting to give a presentation on the generator program that they have. Discussions were held and questions answered.
J. Loney then went on to speak about demand charges, high bill complaints, and meter troubles that we are currently having. Jerry went over Load Control Reports in detail and discussed substation demands, water heater options/programs and high bill calculations.
D. Pederson announced a new lineman, Cole Serfling, and his first day will be on February 5th. The hiring process involved all the linemen and a final vote was cast.
T. Danielson updated the board on the working of the office. Federated was here January 18th and met with Brad and Tina for our Anniversary Review, which was very informational. Mark Doyle will be here on January 31st to go over our loans with Co Bank. Workers Comp Audit was completed by Mike
Hintz on January 23rd and they will contact us if they need any further information. Tina and Lucy are working on General Ledger for year end and it will take time. March 1st is the plan to go live with PCS in energy. The Capital Credit checks have been mailed out, with the average check in the amount of $67.08. Tina took a moment to thank the office for all their hard work. Tina then went on to update the Board on bank account balances and upcoming accounts payable for the rest of January and beginning of February. T. Danielson went over the Preliminary Statement of Operations in detail and answered questions. She gave a rundown of Capital Credits and the previous years of the rotation. Questions and discussions were held. A motion was made to accept the Statement of Operations, seconded. Motion carried.
Community Trust filing has been completed and it may take months before we get anything back. $850.00 was paid to the IRS. The Balance Sheet was also gone over in detail by T. Danielson and discussions were held.
B. Dolinski gave his CEO report and updated the Board on Northland Progressive, the newly hired lineman. He then went on to speak about PCS and their options available to us. Over the past month Brad attended several meetings, and he gave highlights from each and discussions were held on the Co-op holding more informational meet ‘n greets so he is able to meet more of our members and hear their questions and voice any of their concerns. Brad
discussed upcoming meetings, including the meeting for him and Jerry which will result in them having the Cogen Report ready to be adopted and approved by the Board at February’s Board Meeting. Discussions were held.
A motion was made to pass the PCA charge of $9,563.96 onto our members, seconded. Motion carried. CEO charges were acknowledged.
W. Waller spoke about meetings attended with Women of the Woods & the Bigfork Wilderness Bar. He then spoke about MREA’s strategic planning; communication and networking were biggest concerns across the board.
B. Leino gave the GRE Report.
A motion was made to allow the Board and CEO to attend MREA’s Annual Meeting & GRE’s Annual Meeting being held in March, seconded. Motion carried.
B. Dolinski updated the board on his upcoming meetings/calendar. B. Dolinski discussed the interest rate on loans we have available to our members. He is looking at lowing the rate from 8% to 3.5%.
Moved to adjourn, seconded. Motion carried at 3:31 p.m.
Regular Board Meeting will be held on February 22, at 10:00 a.m.
Regular board meetings are generally held the fourth Thursday of every month. If you wish to speak with the board, or have an item that you would like to have placed on the agenda, please contact CEO Brad Dolinski at least two weeks in advance to be included on the agenda.
>from p.1more of these categories: Community Service, Education and Youth, Community Economic Assistance, Environment, Emergency Energy Assistance and Disaster Relief.
4. Applications must be submitted on Official Operations Round-Up® Application forms.Limitations:
Contributions will generally not be made for:a. Lobbying, political and religious organizations.b. Veteran, fraternal and labor organizations.c. Fund-raising dinners, raffles and other events.d. Individuals (except school scholarships, emergency
assistance and disaster relief).e. Capital fund campaigns.f. National fund drives.g. Advertising.h. On-going operational expenses.
Evaluation factors:1. The following factors will be considered in the evaluation
of all funding requests:a. Potential benefit to area residents and the entire
community;b. Level of community support for the program or project
or the organization requesting the funds.c. Administrative capability of the organization to deliver
quality service or program. d. Results that are predictable and can be evaluated.2. It shall be the responsibility of all Trust directors to evaluate
funding requests and allocate contributions to accomplish the purposes and intent of these guidelines.Requirements:
1. Complete application form.2. Provide detailed budget demonstrating:a. How grant funds will be spent on this project or program.b. Sources and uses of existing program funds.3. Submit copy of the IRS tax-exempt letter, if appropriate.4. Only the grant application form without attachments will
be submitted to the Trust Board for review, so be project specific on application form. Return to / notification:
Submit completed application form and IRS tax-exempt letter, if appropriate, to:
Jerry Loney, North Itasca Electric Co-op., Inc., PO Box 227, Bigfork, MN 56628-0227
North Itasca Electric will notify applicants of grant approval status as soon as possible following each bi-yearly Trust Board meeting. Inquiries may be made by calling (800) 762-4048 or by e-mailing [email protected].
RoundUp information
DIST # TRUST BOARD MEMBER & AREA REPRESENTED1 Linda Dreher, Mizpah (218) 897-50862 Meredie Rounds, Stokes (218) 743-33123 Missy Francisco, Effie (218) 743-33584 Greg Anselmo, Bigfork (218) 743-46485 Bonnie Korte, Talmoon, Marcell (218) 832-36696 Gary Froemming, Northome (218) 897-95357 Jack Kallroos, Squaw Lake, Inger (218) 659-43448 Eric Elhard, Marcell (218) 832-30519 Vicki Smith, Deer River (218) 249-3136
page 4 March 2018
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Cooperatives formed Great River Energy to supply the energy they need to power their members’ lives. Great River Energy does that by remaining financially sound, keeping rates stable and competitive, and continually evaluating its generation and transmission system to make sure it meets members’ needs.
In 2017, Great River Energy served its members well and positioned itself for more strong
GRE retrospective: 2017performances in the years ahead.Sharing financial success
Great River Energy recorded impressive finances in 2017, so the cooperative decided to share its success with its members. At the end of the year, Great River Energy issued a refund of $6 million to its member-owners, which include North Itasca Electric and 27 other electric cooperatives in Minnesota.
Although 2017 was successful, Great River Energy’s member cooperatives continue to see flat or declining energy sales. Great River Energy has positioned its generation portfolio and deployed other cost-saving measures to ensure stable wholesale electricity rates and a strong financial position.
Great River Energy estimates rates will increase by approximately 1.5 percent annually over the next 10 years, slower than the anticipated pace of inflation.A modern generation portfolio
The Midwest’s most efficient coal and nuclear power plants remain critical to reliable energy, but several new types of power generation have emerged.
“The rise of renewable energy has added up over time and now represents a significant portion of the energy serving our membership,” said Great River Energy Chief Power Supply Officer Jon Brekke. “In fact, Great River Energy met the state of Minnesota’s renewable energy standard of 25 percent renewable energy in 2017 – eight years ahead of the requirement.”
After 50 years serving Minnesota cooperatives, Great River Energy retired the Stanton Station power plant in central North Dakota in May. The coal-based power plant was no longer economical to operate in the Midwest energy market, but its closure opened several opportunities for Great River Energy to give back to the local communities.
Schools, nonprofits and community organizations received office furniture and equipment from the plant during the decommissioning process. The local American Legion even lowered the flag for the final time on closing day.Putting energy to good use
Technology advancements are continually making appliances and other electric devices more efficient, while power plant retirements and renewable energy development are reducing the environmental effect of the electric system.
These two converging trends make it clear that electricity is a smart choice, and there is growing support for using electricity efficiently in new ways.
Great River Energy’s member cooperatives continued its offering of the Revolt program, which allows members to charge their electric cars with 100 percent wind energy at no extra cost. Together, the cooperatives sponsored the Electric Room at the Twin Cities Auto Show to promote the adoption of electric
vehicles in Minnesota as well. The cooperative also worked with its member cooperatives to improve electric vehicle charging options between the Twin Cities and the North Shore, making it easier to take a classic Minnesota road trip with an electric car.
Great River Energy’s member cooperatives also incentivize homeowners to make efficient electric investments, such as heat pumps and storage water heaters. Similar programs are available for commercial and industrial members for major installations, such as efficient motors and lighting.Doing right by employees
On Oct. 4, the State of Minnesota, on behalf of Gov. Mark Dayton, proclaimed Great River Energy as Minnesota’s 57th Yellow Ribbon Company. The Minnesota Department of Military Affairs awards the Yellow Ribbon to organizations that unite all key areas within a company structure to proactively support service members, military families and veterans.
Great River Energy was certified as a great workplace by the independent analysts at Great Place to Work®. The cooperative was also designated as the 18th healthiest workplace in America from Healthiest Employers. The program honors the “best of the best” in corporate wellness and population health, and Great River Energy is proud to be honored as a leader in corporate wellness.
Happy Birthday to the WATTS NEWS!The first issue was March 1996; the WATTS NEWS has been bringing you member news
every month since then!
March 2018 page 5
● YTD average time a member is out of power: 412.397 mins● Yearly average number a member experiences a sustained interruption: 1.953● Yearly average time required to restore service is 211.168 mins
December outage statistics:
Outage Report for December 2017
218-743-6315202 Main Ave. Bigfork, MN
Open Mon. through Sat., 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
-Beautiful flowers for all occasions
(delivery in Bigfork & surrounding areas)
-Unique gifts-Local handcrafted items-Craft supplies-Tanning bed (full line of tanning products)
Roxanne’s Sales Talk by Roxanne Prather, member services representativeWe are having a Samsung
Blowout Sale through March. There will be special blowout prices on all Samsung appliances, these prices will be a lot less than our regular sale prices.
Because of the below normal sale pricing we will not be offering discounts for picking the appliance up, and there will be a
$50 delivery charge if you need them delivered. These are Huge Discounts so stop in and check out the deals!
This sale is on inventory that we have on hand, so hurry in for the best selection.
I would also like to let you know we have also reduced our interest rate on our merchant loans.
The old rate was 8 percent and has been changed as of February 1st to 3.5 percent on a one-year loan and 4 percent on anything over a year. We hope this will help make it easier for people to shop local and finance their appliances through their local Co-op.
North Itasca Electric scholarship applications will be available after March 12.
Applicants must be high school seniors whose parents/guardians are North Itasca Electric members. There also is a scholarship available for adults of a non-traditional college age who are returning to college for training. Applicants for that scholarship need to be North Itasca Electric customers to be eligible.
Applications may be picked up at the North Itasca Electric office in Bigfork as well as Northome, Bigfork, Bakckduck, Deer River, and Grand Rapids high schools. Scholarships are awarded by the Northome School scholarship committee, but applicants do not have to live in the co-op’s service territory.
Applications can also be requested by contacting Christine at [email protected] or (218) 897-5275 x157, or they can be downloaded from the Northome School website. Go to www.northome.k12.mn.us, click on "Our Staff," then "Office," then "Counselor" and you'll be taken to the school counselor page with "Scholarships" link on the left-hand side.
Awards given out vary from year to year depending on quality and number of applications, but are generally between $250 and $1,000. Deadline will be in April.
North Itasca Electric Scholarships available
>from p.1Today’s technology also
canminimize how long outages last. For example, Great River Energy’s 4,600-mile power line system includes more than 100 remote-controlled “switches” that can be operated from the control center by system operators when problems on the grid do occur. Thanks to these switches, sometimes customers who might
otherwise have lost power for an hour or longer will lose power for less than five minutes.
The distribution portion of the grid, which delivers power directly to your home or business, is also much smarter than it used to be. North Itasca Electric Cooperative continues to make use of advanced technologies to ensure reliable service to you. For example, North Itasca Electric
Cooperative now uses advanced metering infrastructure, or smart meters, in place of outdated analog meters. These meters send signals to North Itasca Electric Cooperative so we know immediately when your power is out. We no longer have to rely exclusively on members calling us to know when power is out in an area, again helping speed restoration times.
Reliability increases
Outage chart shows what the Line Department responded to during the month, including cause, length of outage, location and number of members affected.
page 6 March 2018
216B.097 COLD WEATHER RULE; COOPER-ATIVE OR MUNICIPAL UTILITY.Subdivision 1. Application; notice to residential customer. (a) A municipal utility or a cooperative electric association must not disconnect and must reconnect the utility service of a residential cus-tomer during the period between October 15 and April 15 if the disconnection affects the primary heat source for the residential unit and all of the following conditions are met:(1) The household income of the customer is at or below 50 percent of the state median household income. A municipal utility or cooperative electric association utility may (i) verify income on forms it provides or (ii) obtain verification of income from the local energy assistance provider. A cus-tomer is deemed to meet the income requirements of this clause if the customer receives any form of public assistance, including energy assistance, that uses an income eligibility threshold set at or below50 percent of the state median household in-come.(2) A customer enters into and makes reasonably timely payments under a payment agreement that considers the financial resources of the household.(3) A customer receives referrals to energy assis-tance, weatherization, conservation, or other pro-grams likely to reduce the customer’s energy bills.(b) A municipal utility or a cooperative electric as-sociation must, between August 15 and October 15 each year, notify all residential customers of the provisionsof this section.Subdivison 2. Notice to residential customer fac-ing disconnection. Before disconnecting service to a residential customer during the period be-tween October 15 and April 15, a municipal utility or cooperative electric association must provide the following information to a customer:(1) a notice of proposed disconnection;(2) a statement explaining the customer’s rights and responsibilities;(3) a list of local energy assistance providers;(4) forms on which to declare inability to pay; and(5) a statement explaining available time payment plans and other opportunities to secure continued utility service.Subd. 3. Restrictions if disconnection necessary. (a) If a residential customer must be involuntarily disconnected between October 15 and April 15 for failure to comply with subdivision 1, the discon-nection must not occur:(1) on a Friday, unless the customer declines to en-ter into a payment agreement offered that day in person or via personal contact by telephone by a municipal utility or cooperative electric associa-tion;(2) on a weekend, holiday, or the day before a holi-day;(3) when utility offices are closed; or(4) after the close of business on a day when dis-connection is permitted, unless a field representa-tive of a municipal utility or cooperative electric
association who is authorized to enter into a pay-ment agreement, accept payment, and continue service, offers a payment agreement to the cus-tomer. Further, the disconnection must not occur until at least 20 days after the notice required in subdivi-sion 2 has been mailed to the customer or 15 days after the notice has been personally delivered to the customer.(b) If a customer does not respond to a disconnec-tion notice, the customer must not be disconnected until the utility investigates whether the residential unit is actually occupied. If the unit is found to be occupied, the utility must immediately inform the occupant of the provisions of this section. If the unit is unoccupied, the utility must give seven days’ written notice of the proposed disconnection to the local energy assistance provider before mak-ing a disconnection.(c) If, prior to disconnection, a customer appeals a notice of involuntary disconnection, as provided by the utility’s established appeal procedure, the utility must not disconnect until the appeal is re-solved.Subdivision 4. Application to service limiters. For the purposes of this section, “disconnection” in-cludes a service or load limiter or any device that limits or interrupts electric service in any way.History: 1991 c 235 art 2 s 1; 2001 c 212 art 4 s 2; 1Sp2003 c 11 art 3 s 2; 2007 c 57 art 2 s 14,15
Cold Weather Rule NotificationWhat are the Cooperative’s responsibilities if a member does not pay the electric bill during winter if electricity is the primary heating source? Following is the state law; please note that the member must file a form with the utility showing income eligibility.
KOOTASCA ENERGY ASS'T.201 NW 4th St., Ste 130Grand Rapids MN 55744218-999-0800877-687-1163BI-COUNTY COMMUNITY ACTION COUNCILP.O. Box 579Bemidji, MN 56601-0579800-332-7161ITASCA COUNTY SOCIAL SERV.Itasca County Courthouse123 NE 4th StGrand Rapids, MN 55744218-327-2941KOOCHICHING COUNTY FAMILY SERVICES615 4th StInternational Falls, MN 56649218-283-8405LEECH LAKE ENERGY ASST.115 6th St, Ste ECass Lake, MN 56633218-335-8292
Energy assistanceIf you cannot pay your winter heating bills, contact one of these locations for energy assistance help.
If you or an electrician is performing electrical work at your residence which requires opening meter sockets or load control receivers, you need to contact North Itasca Electric first.
By contacting North Itasca Electric, you can help prevent possible problems which could occur when North Itasca Electric finds that seals have been cut. These problems would mostly be on sub meters where load control meters are installed.
This equipment is owned, controlled and maintained by North Itasca Electric. These seals may only be cut if permission is granted by North Itasca Electric in advance or deemed an emergency by an electrician.
North Itasca Electric does realize that there could be instances where work needs to be done, in such cases; North Itasca Electric still needs to be contacted. If it is determined that loads have not been controlled during load control periods, demand charges could be applied to your billing.
Meter seals
March 2018 page 7
TAKE IT AWAY LLCProperty Clean-Out Service
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Source: Electric Power Research Institute
The decision to purchase an electric vehicle (EV) instead of a conventional car that runs on gasoline is getting easier to make every year. Between operational cost savings and the fact you can install a personal, at-home charging station, owning an EV means no more trips to the mechanic or gas station.
As you get closer to making that choice, here is a list of items to keep in mind when searching for the right EV for you.1. Not all EVs are created equal. There are three types of
EVs: hybrid electric (HEV), plug-in hybrid (PHEV) and battery electric (BEV). HEVs have a gas-powered internal combustion engine along with an electric motor but do not plug in for charging. A PHEV has two ranges: electric and gasoline. Once the electric charge runs out, the vehicle seamlessly switches energy sources. On average, they can travel between 10 and 50 miles on electricity before needing to be plugged in, while their gas tanks extend total range to between 300 and 600 miles. Lastly, BEVs run exclusively on electricity from the grid and do not produce any exhaust from the burning of fuel.
2. You’ll save money up front and over time. Through federal and state tax incentives, along with time-of-use rates provided by your electric co-op to save money on charging your EV’s battery overnight, and not having to even get oil changes again, you’ll realize a variety of savings. Your co-op even provides rebates for installing a charger at home.
3. Ranges have improved. Range anxiety is real, but with BEVs now typically equipped with ranges of more than 100 miles – plus Tesla, Chevy and Nissan all having cracked the 200-mile range – you’re not likely to be left stranded. Future models are even promising ranges of around 300 miles. Typical U.S. drivers travel less than 60 miles on weekdays, so owners of most 2017 model EVs could go multiple days without recharging.
4. Public charging stations are easy to access. There are three types of charging stations with varying charging times. Level 1s, on average, fully charge in about eight hours; Level 2s take anywhere from two- to-six hours; and DC fast chargers can fully charge an EV in about 30 minutes. There are nearly 270 public charging stations across Minnesota, most of them Level 2 but about 30 fast chargers as well. Infrastructure continues to build out into non-metro parts of the state, including an all-new electric corridor that makes it easy to travel up through Minnesota’s North Shore and back with an EV.
5. EV ‘fuel’ is getting greener. Electric motors are already 80 to 95 percent efficient, so they use significantly less energy than vehicles with a traditional drive train. But the fuel used in those EVs is being generated by a growing number of renewable energy resources. Utilities, including North Itasca Electric, are incorporating more wind and solar energy in their portfolios to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. EV owners can even rest assured that their vehicle is being fueled solely by wind energy if they enroll in North Itasca Electric’s Revolt program. Find out more by visiting mnrevolt.com.
5 factors to keep in mind when purchasing an electric vehicle
Except for minor repair work, all electrical work you do at your home, cabin, or property is required to be inspected by a State Electrical Inspector.
A rough-in inspection must be made before any wiring is covered. A final inspection is also required. Please visit www.electricity.state.mn.us for more information.
The inspectors can be reached weekday mornings between 7:00 a.m. and 8:30 a.m.▪ Itasca County - Steve Bartlett (218) 591-
1616▪ Koochiching County - Curt Collier (218)
966-5070▪ Beltrami, Clearwater counties - Davis
Smid (507) 227-2772
Electrical Inspections:
page 8 March 2018
BIGFORK OFFICE 218-743-3145
OF BIGFORK KELLIHER
OFFICE 218-647-8222
www.fsbbigfork.com
GUNSTOCK CHECKERINGAll types of gunstock checkering
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RC Keith GUNSTOCK CHECKERING 218-897-5152
Northome Elementary students and teachers representing the donations received for school programs from Operation RoundUp® in the fall 2017 award cycle. Each grant was for $191 and was awarded for the Library Book Bug program, purchasing cork duck decoys for the art department, the fifth grade class trip, supporting the Lego robotics and the Math Masters programs, toward the Junior Post Prom activities and for the PTO Easter egg hunt.
Bigfork School programs which received funds from the fall grant cycle included Huskie welcome gifts, a third and fourth grade field trip to the Discovery Center and theater integration in elementary grades. Funds were also donated toward Spanish classes and cheerleading programs (the Howler and community school spirit).
Other Bigfork area programs included grants for Bigfork Valley Fitness Center Pilates and exercise class supplies, Thanksgiving turkeys for the food shelf and toward repairs for the sale area in North Country Cattlemen’s Association sale barn.
Operation RoundUp - fall 2017
Representing some of the recipients of Operation RoundUp funds in the Bigfork area are (l to r) Siri Prato, Aimee Rahier, Bonnie Cole, Kim Elkhart, Dexi Maxa and Dan King.
March 2018 page 9
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Marcie Lindgren recently delivered $775 worth of new clothing to patients at the St. Cloud VA Health Care System from American Legion Post 182 Auxiliary.in Effie.
by Diane WileyMarch is Minnesota FoodShare Campaign.
Our local food shelf would appreciate all do-nations. We will get a percentage of matching funds from the state campaign.
We, as a food shelf, can purchase food from a local Second Harvest Food Shelf in Grand Rapids. On the average, we can get a case of cereal for around $5 where you would only get two boxes when on sale.
As Director of the Northome Community Food Shelf, I would like to say that all goods - canned, boxed or bottled - are welcome along with any monetary gifts received.
All donations can be brought or dropped off at Apt. 12 in the Koochiching County (Nor-thome) Apartments or mailed to P.O. Box 236, Northome, MN 56661, or at your local church-es.
The Board would like to send you our deepest thanks for all your help and cooperation.
Minnesota FoodShare began its work in 1982 with a campaign advanced by congregations to restock food shelves in the 7-county Twin Cities Metropolitan Area. The effort was so successful and
the need was so evident, the March Campaign became a statewide program just one year later.
The largest grassroots food and fund drive in the state, the Minnesota FoodShare March Campaign brings together various community organizations, businesses and faith communi-ties to help stock nearly 300 food shelves state-wide. In 2017, over $8 million dollars and 4.7 million pounds of food were raised by Minne-sota food shelves and Minnesota FoodShare.
Minnesota FoodShare envisions a Minne-sota where all residents have access to healthy food and no one struggles with food insecurity. The March Campaign addresses these issues di-rectly, and we invite you to join our efforts and advocate for long-term solutions to food inse-curity and poverty in our communities.
March is Food Shelf month
Need something to lift the spirits in the midst of this winter’s recurring cold and snow? Looking for a way to make a big difference with a small in-vestment?
Filing state income taxes might not be the first thing that comes to mind as an antidote for the winter blahs, unless one realizes that it offers the chance to help more than 800 species of non-game wildlife, some of them threat-ened or endangered. Line 21 of the Minnesota income tax form – marked by a loon — provides individuals with an opportunity to invest in the future of nongame wildlife.
When taxpayers designate an amount they would like to donate to the Nongame Wildlife Program, their tax-deductible donations are matched one-to-one by state conservation li-cense plate funds. The Nongame Wildlife Program receives no money from the state’s general fund for its efforts to support a wide range of ani-mals that aren’t hunted — from eagles and loons to turtles and butterflies. It receives no funding from hunting and fishing license fees, lottery proceeds or sales taxes. It relies almost entirely on voluntary donations to support its work.
That work includes research to
understand how creatures fit within functioning ecosystems, managing habitat, and assisting with recovery efforts for rare species. Over the pro-gram’s 41-year history, it has played an important role in the recovery of bald eagles, trumpeter swans, east-ern bluebirds, peregrine falcons, and many more species. It also provides nature education, including such highly popular features as the DNR EagleCam now in its sixth year of streaming live video from a Twin Cit-ies bald eagle nest.
“The Nongame Wildlife checkoff is a great way to warm one’s spirit on a cold, winter day by helping fund something we all care about,” said DNR Nongame Wildlife Program supervisor Carrol Henderson. “We all want a future where our kids and grandkids will still be able to chase butterflies, listen to frogs and loons on summer nights, watch falcons and eagles — in person or on a webcam. That’s what the Nongame Wildlife Program is all about.”
For more information on the DNR Nongame Wildlife Program, its suc-cess stories and ways to volunteer and donate, visit the nongame wildlife page.
Non-game checkoff for wildlife 800-252-1166 or 811
Call before you dig.
page 10 March 2018
by Paul KraskaAre you ready for some Irish Celtic music?
March always seems to be something of a surprise on the Edge of the Wilderness. You can never be sure of what you’ll get in weather the next day, let alone in the next week.
As a perfect fit for the unpredictable weather, the Edge has some entertainment for you in March that will surprise you with the variety offered. The group’s name is “Eira” and they provide music and entertainment from Ireland, Scotland, Newfoundland, Canada, Wales, China, Scandinavia and the U.S. They perform contemporary, traditional and original songs, tunes and stories. Their program is English, Gaelic, Irish, Welch and Chinese played on fiddle, ehru, guitars, bodharn, bouzouki, button accordionand whistles.
That is all they’ve got to offer: kind of like March isn’t it? And it certainly seems to offer enough that you will not want to miss this one. They only thing left is tell you a little about the group itself: there are four of them and their background is just as diverse as their program.
Liesel Wilson: Grew up in Wisconsin in a musical environment. Her musical passion is the Celtic fiddle. Her musical start was as a
ehru soloist after studying abroad in China. She will combine her “linguistic fascination” with her love of singing. “She specializes in singing in languages besides English, including Gàidhlig, Irish, Early Scots, Welsh, Mandarin Chinese, Russian, Spanish, Hindi, and Japanese.”
Sue Spenser’s guitar music comes to her from her Irish roots through Newfoundland off the East Coast of Canada. But that was a just the start with her musical experiences that include performing internationally as “… part of such well-known groups as Willowgreen and McInnis’ Kitchen. Her vocals have a Newfoundland feel, and her driving guitar style and signature smile will lift your spirits.”
Jim Ofsthum’s talents as a vocalist and instrumentalist come via international
performances on Irish bodhran, guitar, button accordion and tin whistle. “He is also a member of McInnis’ Kitchen, and a former member of Willowgreen. Jim is considered one of the top producers in Irish music in the Midwest.”
Mary MacGillivray‘s performances include festi-vals and events throughout Scotland, Ireland, France and Australia. She has taught and assisted in fiddle camps and schools in Scot-land. Her performances in-clude work with bagpiper and composer Duncan Mac-Gillivary and fiddle, bagpip-er, plus original music artist, Iain MacGillivary.
This sounds like a good show at the Edge to come and see in March. The date for their performance is Friday March 16 at 7 p.m. and prices are $10 adults and $5 children.
For the rest of the year The rest of the year is
not ready to be set in a firm schedule but you can expect a busy season of events including the return of John Perkins, The Piano Bar and more classic movies. In addition there is a planned return by the EdgeWild players in a production this summer. The EdgeWild play is titled “The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui” and it is in June. There will be a July production of “Madagascar” by our “Stages” friends in Hopkins. And starting another season will be the great classic movies season presented by Jack and Lynn Nackbar. Lots of music and fun for all. The schedule you see in this WATTS NEWS is, of course, tentative and it will become more filled out as the dates become established.
Edge Events www.the-edge-center.org and edgecenterarts.blogspot.com.
• March 8 – Wild Boys of the Road (1930) movie
• March 16 - Eira quartet• June – John Perkins• June – EdgeWild players,
“The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui”
• July 13-15 – Stages with “Madagascar” for young people
• August – Piano Bar• October – Lost 40 returns
Edge Gallery Arts on the Edge
by Jack NachbarWild Boys of the Road (1933),
the March film in the Classic Movie Series at Bigfork, is a powerful picture of the quarter million teens forced into riding the rails at the height of the Depression.
Made by the famous action director William Wellman, this unforgettable movie pulls no punches in its indictment of the tragic circumstances thousands of American young people had no choice but to endure.
The picture has been preserved by the Library of Congress on its short list of motion pictures of “cultural significance.”
Wild Boys of the Road will be shown FREE, at the Edge Center Theater in Bigfork on Thursday, March 8 at 6:30 p.m.APRIL CLASSIC MOVIE: Where were you in ’62? Find out in George Lucas’s nostalgic gem, American Graffiti (1973). Thursday, April 12 at 6:30 p.m.at the Edge.
Classic Movie Series BE AN EDGE CENTER MEMBER!___Enclosed is $35 (any amount is great!) We are happy to accept additional amounts toward Gallery or Theatre equipment. Name:
Address:
Send to: EWCC, P.O. Box 303, Bigfork, MN 56628
Call for entry:Art on the Edge: 14th Annual Juried Art Exhibit
by Albert GustavesonAre you or is someone you know, a
visual artist? Are you ready to enter a Juried Art competition? What work is most likely to be selected into the show and maybe even win an award? That is entirely up to the juror who is a paid professional from outside this area. Some years the winning art is folk art, sometimes abstract and other times it is realistic. In the past, winners have included paintings, collages, photos, drawings, sculptures, furniture, glass, woodworking and pottery. Any visual media may be entered.
What is the juror usually looking for as he or she selects the work for the exhibit? The most important thing is that the work be original and creative in subject matter, style or materials. Original means that it is not copied from another artist’s work, is not a print of an actual artwork, and is fresh and unusual. Along with that, composition and craftsmanship are carefully considered. For an artist to enhance his or her chance of being chosen, the digital images submitted for consideration need to be of high quality. When the image is blurred or too small, shows reflections from the glass or photographed from an angle, the juror cannot get an accurate view of the work and will usually remove the work from consideration. After that it may boil down to the personal preferences of a person whose taste reflects their study of thousands of pieces of art during their career. The juror’s decisions are final.
Art on the Edge is on exhibit from July 5 to 28. The deadline for entries is May 1. The entries must be submitted by email or on a CD. Artists will be notified by June 1 about whether their work has been accepted. There is a $20 non-refundable fee for up to 3 entries and the work must be created in 2016, 2017 or 2018, and never before shown in the Edge Center Gallery. Please think about entering this Juried Exhibit or tell your friends and relatives about this opportunity. Artists must be 16 years or older. There are no geographic limitations. Check the Gallery page at www.the-edge-center.org for the prospectus with information and an application form, pick one up at the Gallery, or contact Lynn Nachbar (218) 743-6018.
March 2018 page 11
Saarenpaa Firewood Processing
218-343-7219 | 218-343-7739 | 218-246-9208
Cutting & pricing for wood by the cord up to 12 feet in length. Cut to length & split & piled.
Stacking and clean up extra.
$35/cord + travel $0.45/mile from Little Bowstring, Deer River
All prices subject to change please verify.
Construction Services Inc. “Serving the excavation needs of Itasca County
and beyond since 1968”
Ray V. Kongsjord & Sonswww.rkconstructionservices.com
• Demolition roll off service• Site preparation • Landscaping • Basements • Septics • Shoreland• Gravel • Road construction
Woods Reader, a new quarterly magazine about the woodland ex-perience, will start publication in March.
With stunning photography from nature photographers Donna Rae Anderson, Sparky Stensaas and Scott Farley, the print magazine will center on people’s interaction with the woods and products from the woods.
Topics for the reader include personal experience, the woodland philosopher, crafting with wood, destinations, interesting topics in forestry, woodland animals,
poetry, book reviews and a marketplace. Future issues will also include short stories and articles about structures of wood.
Designed for a pleasant afternoon of reading for those who love the outdoors, conservation, hiking or just being in the woods, the magazine will share first hand experiences. Information on how to submit your story or how to subscribe can be found at woodsreader.com or on Facebook.
The March issue will feature an article by John Zasada on the increasing interest in handcraft
from woodland resources; how to make useful and decorative items from materials that can be self-gathered.
“This magazine has been so interesting to put together,” said editor Sally Sedgwick. “We hope that our readers will enjoy it and look forward to receiving it in their mailbox.”
The magazine can be reached at [email protected] or by mail at P.O. Box 46, Warren, MN 56762
Keep us up-to-date!Please notify North Itasca Electric of any changes in property ownership, mailing addresses, phone numbers or email addresses.
Woods Reader: a new magazine
Visit your cooperative on Facebook
or on websiteNorthItascaElectric.com
page 12 March 2018
Register for fitness classes at (218) 743-4133.
Northome: Call for more information at (218) 897-5275 (ext. 100)
Bigfork: Register for classes at 743-3444, online at www.getlearning.org, [email protected].
Classes offered free to Fitness Center members; $2 per session to non-members. Classes are in Rehab Gym at Bigfork Valley Hospital. Power Abs, Back and Core | Mondays, 4:30 p.m.Challenge Class | Tuesdays, 6 a.m.
High intensity circuit training class; must sign up in advance.
OPEN GYMDate: Sundays Time: 3 - 5 p.m.Location: Northome SchoolFee: $1/person, $5/family per session. See Facebook for cancellations. Also: school corridors open for walking 7:30 a.m. or 3:15-5:30 pm. Use office entrance sign in. Free.
Cribbage: Every Tuesday Cribbage from 3 - 6 p.m. followed by a pot luck dinner, Bring a dish to share.Bingo: Every Thursday bingo from 1 - 3 p.m. Donated prizes are appreciated.Senior Meals: Every day Senior Meals at 11:30 a.m. Call by 9 a.m. for reservations at (218) 743-3121. Frozen meals are available, ask for information.
OPEN ADULT VOLLEYBALLDate: Wednesdays Time: 7 - 9 p.m., come before 7 for warmupLocation: High School gym or Multi-purpose RoomFee: $3 per night, pay at event.Must be 18 or over, clean shoes, no children.
OPEN ADULT BASKETBALLDate: Wednesdays when school is in session Time: 6:45-8:45 p.m.Location: Blackduck Elementary Gym, Enter door #11Fee: $3 per nightMust be 18 or over, clean shoes, no children.
Deer River: Register for classes online at (218) 246-8241, Ext. 227 or www.getlearning.org
Bigfork Over 50 Club
Bone Builders, an ElderCircle program, offers free fitness and strength building classes to adults of all ages, but is formatted for older adults. Call Cindy Stage at (218) 999-9233, Ext. 279, [email protected] Highway 7, Lawron Presbyterian Church
PERMIT TO CARRYDate: Saturday, March 10Time: 9:30 a.m.-3 p.m. Location: Marcell Family CenterFee: $100For 21 and over.
DANCE MEDLEY FOR YOUTHDate: Mondays starting March 12, no April 2Time: PreK to K, 5-5:30 p.m.; grades 1-3, 5:30-6:30 p.m.; grades 4-6, 6:30-7:30 p.m.Location: King Elementary, Cafeteria EastFee: $20
Community Education
Marcell Family Center: Register for classes at (218) 832-3444.FITNESS WALKINGDate: Monday-SaturdayTime: Hours vary, call the centerLocation: Marcell Family Center, gym or multi-purpose roomFee: Free
AARP Foundation Tax-Aide• Free service for limited-income families and individuals of all ages. • AARP membership is not required. • Tax-Aide volunteers are IRS trained and certi-fied every year.Grand Rapids Airport Terminal Building
No appointments taken (first come-first served) March: Mon., Wed: 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.April: Mon., Wed: 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Final day is Monday, April 16
Required documents to have with you: 2016 tax return, photo ID, and Social Security card.
Service made available through a grant provided by the State of Minnesota STENCILED SIGNS WITH LILY
Date: Saturday, March 6Time: 10 a.m.-1 p.m.Location: High school commonsFee: $25More info at (218) 835-5206
ART OF PRINTMAKING Date: Wednesday, March 14Time: 5-7 p.m. Location: Bigfork SchoolFee: $25 + materials listAges 16 to adult, make monoprints and collographs.
WINTER HOURSthrough April 30, 2018Thursday-Sunday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 pmClosed Monday-Wednesday
EOW Discovery CenterJust north of Marcell on Highway 38, (218) 832-3161.
March 2018 page 13
MFC hours: Fitness Center, multi-purpose room, public computer room and high speed Internet wireless hotspot.
Community News Email editor at [email protected], put Community News in the subject line
Marcell Family Center218-832-3444
49023 State Highway 38 Marcell, MN 56657
MFC Open GymMonday-Saturday. Call for hours. Parents must accompany children under the age of 16. Register at 218-832-3444
Soma YogaBeginner yoga practice that will strengthen your body, deepen your breath and soothe your mind. Tuesdays: 9:30 a.m.-10:45 a.m.Fee: $10 per individual class/session. Register at (218) 832-3444
Marcell Kidz Daycare For information call Shauntel at (218) 259-6641.
MFC Fitness walkingTues, Thurs 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Reg-ister at getlearning.org.
Fitness Center membershipEliptical Crosstrainer, Treadmills, Bike, Strength Training Machines, Free Weights, more! Fee: Member-ship (student, adult, family or day pass)
Computer Room/ Book ExchangeBook Exchange. Computer Room:Computers and printers available for public use. High-Speed Internet. Requires registration and fees.
Marcell
Bigfork
Northome
Bowstring, Dora Lake, Alvwood, Squaw Lake
800-252-1166 or 811
Call before you dig.
Sweetheart Dance for seniors in Itasca County at the Bovey City Hall; Monday, March 19, 1-3 p.m. Admission $2. Music by the Bigfork Valley Boys (Ron Olsen, Terry Price, Harold Boege and Jerry Hagen).-
23rd Annual Home and Cabin Show at IRA Civic Center sponsored by the Northern Minnesota Builder’s Association, March 2-4 at the IRA Civic Center in Grand Rapids. Friday: 3-7 p.m.; Saturday: 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Sunday: 12-4 p.m. Admission $2, under 12 free. Benefits Itasca County Habitat. More info: (218) 326-6622 or www.nmbuilders.com .
14th annual Empty Bowls to benefit the Northern Itasca Emergency Food Shelf in Bigfork. Homemade soups, breads and sweets will be served from 11 a.m.-6 p.m. at Our Lady of the Snows Catholic Church, 3 blocks east of Main Ave. More info or to volutneer, call Sheryl Pearson (218) 832-3434 or [email protected]
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Grand Rapids area fisheries is seeking comments through Friday, March 16 on management plans for a number of area lakes.
Management plans describe the past, present, and desired future conditions of the waters. The plans identify specific management activities planned for that lake or stream in the next five to 20 years, and are a good opportunity for the public to share their observations about the fishery.
Every year DNR fisheries staff prepares or revises individual lake management plans for several waters in each management area. In the Grand Rapids area, plans for the following lakes and streams in north-ern Itasca County are being reviewed: (excerpted list)
• Caribou – general fish management, lake trout stocking review.
• Clear (Spring Lake) – general fish management, walleye stocking review.
• Cut Foot Sioux – general fish management.• Dead Horse – general fish management, walleye stocking review.
• Gunn – general fish management.
• Harrigan Creek – general fish management.• Little Cut Foot – general fish management.• McAlpine Creek – general fish management.• Mirror – general fish management, walleye stocking review.
• Orange – general fish management, muskel-lunge targeted survey.
• Sand (Max) – general fish management, walleye stocking review.
• Shallow Pond – general fish management, wall-eye stocking review.
Current plans for lakes and streams in the area, as well as recent fish population assessment infor-mation are available for review at the DNR’s Grand Rapids area fisheries office, at 1201 East Hwy 2, Grand Rapids, between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. For more information, call or email David Weitzel at (218) 328-8835 or [email protected].
Public comments on management of these wa-ters will be taken through Friday, March 16. Com-ments and suggestions for management of any oth-er streams and lakes in the Grand Rapids area are welcomed at any time and will be considered when those plans are due for review.
Second planning meeting for Treasures Are Fine garage sales on May 4 and 5 at Spring Lake Store, Friday, March 9 at 2 p.m. More information on Facebook (Treasures6429).
General Interest
North Woods Craft will have its annual meeting on Saturday, March 10 at 10 a.m. at the Koochiching County Senior Apartments Community Room in Northome. North Woods Craft is a cooperative showcasing member’s work for sale from maple syrup to quilts as well as tourist information for the area. New members and guests are welcome. For more information, call Diane Wiley at (218) 553-1594.
DNR seeks comments on Grand Rapids area lake and stream management plans
North Country Gardeners meet at 6:30 p.m. in the Marcell Family Center. Richard Rezanka, invasive species specialist with the DNR will be speaking on on invasive species, what they are, problems they create and what the DNR is doing about it. Everyone invited.
page 14 March 2018
Slow Cooker Bacon & Mushroom RisottoThank you to Jan Mackenthun for this March recipe!
6 slices bacon, chopped8 oz sliced mushrooms1/2 cup finely chopped green onions1 1/2 cup uncooked arborio rice1/2 teaspon salt
Spray 4 quart slow cooker with cooking spray. Heat 12” pan over medium heat, cook bacon 10-13 minutes, strring frequently until crisp. Transfer to cooker. Add mushrooms to drippings in pan, increase heat to medium high 4-6 minutes, stirring until mushrooms lightly browned (not burned). Add onions, cook 2-4 minutes. Add rice and salt, cook about 2 minutes, stirring frequently until rice becomes opaque. Add wine. Cook and stir until most of liquid absorbed. Transfer to slow cookerAdd broth to slow cooker, stir. Cover and cook on high setting 30 minutes, stir. Cook 40-60 minutes longer or until rice is just tender but not mushy, and liquid is absorbed.Heat whipping cream in 1 quart saucepan over medium heat until warm. Stir cream and Parmesan cheese into rice mixture. Serve immediately.
Please share your recipe with us! If your recipe is chosen, you will receive a $10 credit on your electric bill from North Itasca Electric Cooperative. Send your recipe to the editor, WATTS NEWS, P.O. Box 43, Spring Lake, MN 56680.
2 Open House for new doctors at Scenic Rivers Health Services, 12-2 p.m.
5 ISD318 Facilities Listening Session with school board, Bigfork School, 5:30 p.m.
5 ISD 318 School Board meeting, Bigfork School, 7 p.m. Public forum, 6:30 p.m.
6 Mizpah City Council meets in Mizpah Community Center, 7 p.m.8 Committee on Aging/TRIAD at Over 50 Club, Bigfork. 9 a.m. coffee,
9:30 a.m. speaker, 11:30 a.m. unch for a fee. TRIAD follows lunch.8 Evergreen Friendship Club meets at a local restaurant, noon.8 Classic movie at the Edge Center in Bigfork: Wild Boys of the Road
(1933). 6:30 p.m. Noted by the Library of Congress as a movie of “cultural significance.” Free.
8 ISD 363 South Koochiching-Rainy River School Board Meeting, 7 p.m. Northome ITV studio by telepresence.
8 Deer River High School Concert, 7 p.m. 10 North Woods Craft annual meeting, Community Room at Koochiching
Senior Apartments, Northome, 10 a.m. All members, interested new members and guests welcome. More information, call Diane Wiley (218) 553-1594
11 Daylight Savings Time starts, 2 a.m., “Spring forward” and set clocks one hour ahead.
11 Winterfest youth ice fishing at Island Lake Access, sponsored by Northland Progressive, 15 and under (10 and under with adult) Sign up at access, bring your own pole, no fee. Donations? call Amanda Dreher, 897-5648 12:30-2 p.m.
12 Women of the Woods meet at 10 a.m. at Sand Lake Community Center. Call Pat Sievertson at 659-2157 or Marlys Maki at 659-2901.
12 Deer River ISD 317 School Board, King School Media Center, 6 p.m. Public forum 5:45 p.m.
12 Blackduck ISD 32 School Board meets, Media Center, 7 p.m.12 VFW meets in Bigfork second Monday at 7 p.m.
13 Stop and Stitch at Marcell Family Center, 9:30 a.m.-2 p.m. Bring $1, sack lunch and a project to work on. Come and go. Contact Rhonda 259-9220 or Judy 832-3237.
14 Bigfork Lions Club meets second Wednesday, 6 p.m. at Golf on the Edge.
15 14th annual Empty Bowls benefitting the Northern Itasca Emergency Food Shelf, Bigfork. Homemade soups, breads and sweets 11 a.m.-6 p.m. at Our Lady of the Snows Catholic Church. More info or to volutneer, call Sheryl Pearson (218) 832-3434
16 Edge Center in Bigfork presents “Eira,” 7 p.m. Music in a variety of styles and with a variety of instruments, featuring Irish Celtic.
17 Squaw Lake Fire Dept. Annual Perch Jerker Contest, North Access on Round Lake. 10 a.m.-1 p.m., weather and ice permitting.$10 entry, kids 12 and under fish free.
17 St. Urho’s Day parade in Squaw Lake, 5 p.m. This year the parade will end at the Community Center where soups and chili will be available. Assemble your Norwegian-themed float in purple and green to celebrate the day.
19 Bigfork Valley Boys play for the Bovey Sweetheart’s Dance, 1-3 p.m., open to seniors in Itasca County, sponsored by the Committee on Aging and TRIAD, $2. Sloppy Joes served for small charge.
19 North Country Gardeners, 6:30 p.m., Marcell Family Center. Speaker Richard Rezanka, DNR invasive species specialist. Everyone Invited.
26 No school, Northome, Blackduck schools26 Women of the Woods meet at 10 a.m. at Sand Lake Community Center.
Call Pat Sievertson at 659-2157 or Marlys Maki at 659-2901.27 North Woods Quilters, 9-11:30 am. Pot luck lunch served, bring a dish
to share or bag lunch. Lots of show and tell. Lesson “Needles and Threads” by Debbie Poenix. Bring a smile and a coffee cup.
28, 29 No school, Bigfork, Deer River schools, Easter vacation30 No school, all schools, Easter Vacation30 Operation RoundUp applications due at North Itasca Electric
headquarters, 4:30 p.m.
Mexican Mud BallsThank you to Jan Mackenthun for this March recipe!
Gourmet, vanilla bean type ice creamOreo cookies, crushedFresh strawberries and raspberriesAmaretto liqueur (*omit if serving to children)Maraschino cherrieswhipped creamShaved chocolate, sprikles or chocolate chipsSugar
Scoop ice cream firmly into balls. Roll balls in Oreo crumbs and freeze.Slice berries, sprinkle lightly with sugar, toss with a little Amaretto* and juice from cherries. Refrigerate in covered bowl.Before serving, place ice cream ball in a Margarita glass. Spoon on fruit mixture. Top with whipped cream, shaved chocolate, sprinkles or chocolate chips. Add a maraschino cherry.
~March Calendar~
1/4 cup dry white wine3 cups chicken broth (from 32 oz carton)1/2 cup heavy whipping cream1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
A simple, but special make-ahead treat.
March 2018 page 15
-SERVICES-Life’s Companion
Highland Care: Home care providers for elderly, adults, special needs children. “Our goal is to maintain dignity and independence in a safe home environment.” Call collect weekdays; 8:30 a.m.- 3:30 p.m.
(218) 326-1179 or stop by at 111 NW 11th St.,
Grand Rapids, MN 55744. We are an EOE employer.
Take It Away LLCProperty Clean-Out Service
Say goodbye to clutter today!
We do attics, houses, basements, sheds, barns,
estates ...and more.
(218) 556-0075takeitawayllc.comWe’ll take the clutter and stress away, leaving you
Serving your area. Jerry Pula, sales rep. Call (218) 743-3711
-SERVICES-
Penny’s Keepsake Quilting
Turn your quilt top into a keepsake. Offering quality
machine quilting at reasonable prices
(218) 256-900210% discount with ad.
Gus’s Auto and Recycling of Bigfork
Wanted: Junk. Cars, trucks and other
property clean up.
Used auto parts, steel, tires and bridge beams.A buyer of metalsSnowplowing
Over 20 years experience(218) 929-7117
Hm: (218) 743-3598Gus David
-FOR SALE-For sale: 1 yard gravel box for a 1 ton truck. Good condition. $600. Call (218) 256-6668 4/18
For sale: Hobart Handler 135 wire welder. 7 Years old. Never used. Comes with cart, gas, wire. $525. Call (218) 929-7106 4/18
-FOR SALE-For sale: Romanian TT33 auto pistol 7.62x25 Cal. Holster and 2 mags, $275. Yugo MD 57 auto pistol 7.62x25 Cal. Holster and 2 mags, $345. Russian Nagant revolver 7.62x38R with holster, $195. Taurus Mod 82, 38 special, $250. Must have right to purchase or carry. Call (218) 929-7106 4/18
For sale: Complete set of military maintenance manuals for 1972 “F” series Ford trucks. Covers everything. $25. Call (218) 929-7106 4/18
For sale: Wood kitchen four leg poster table with 4 chairs. Measures 60” x 42” with 18” extension leaf installed. $175. Call (218) 929-7106 4/18
For sale: IONX 8” For sale: Garrett GTI 2500 metal detector. 2 years old, never used. $595. Call (218) 929-7106 3/18
For sale: Electric Ice auger with 12” auger ex-tension, 1 year old, used very little. $500. Call (218) 743-3197 3/18
WINTER SPORTSACCESSORIES
For sale: 2007 Yamaha 500 snowmobile, 4 stroke, less than 600 miles. $3,500. Call (218) 289-4029 4/18
For sale: 1997 Arctic Cat 440 ZL, still running on trails, licensed, drive it home. $675. Effie, Minn. Can be seen on Craigslist: [email protected] Call or email: (218) 244-5000, [email protected] 3/18
WINTER SPORTSFor sale: Fisher fiberglass cross country skies with 8 1/2 boot & poles. $150. Call (218) 929-7106 3/18
CLASSIFIEDS AD DEADLINE for APRIL issue, Weds. MARCH 15
Place a Classified Ad Today!If you are an individual member of the cooperative, classified ads are free as a service from your coop-erative. If you are advertising for a business or are a non-member, please remit $5 per ad per month.
Run my ad for one month only. Your ad will run for two months unless you check this box. (Business classifieds are $5 per insertion.)
Send to: NOTE: New address Editor, WATTS NEWS, P.O. Box 43 Spring Lake, MN 56680or call: (218) 659-2779or email: [email protected]
Put WATTS AD in subject line. If no response, please resend.
Please note: We are as careful as possible, but are not responsible for errors.
Check your ad. Contact the editor to make changes by the
deadline date.
NOTE NEW ADDRESS for ad submissions. See coupon bottom right below.
PLACE A WATTS NEWS ADDISPLAY ADS
Email your ad in pdf format or ask us to create one for you. Ads run from $12 per month for the business card size (3.25 inches wide x 1.75 inches high) to $24 per month for a square 3.25 inch ad, which is our largest commercial ad size.
CLASSIFIEDSContact the editor by one of the ways in the coupon at the bottom of the page or bring your ad into the office. Ads run for two months unless requested to run for one month. Classified ads are free to members, $5 per insertion to non-members or businesses. Size is limited.
BUSINESS SERVICESBusiness Services classifieds are $5 per insertion and are boxed. Text only. Size is limited. Contact the editor by one of the ways below or bring your ad into the office.
Local, friendly, personal service for over 40 years• MEDICARE SUPPLEMENT PLANS NOW AVAILABLE!• FINAL EXPENSE PLANS now available!• LIFE INSURANCE for all stages of life• AUTO, HOME, FARM, HEALTH, etc.
Call Kevin for a no-obligation quote or policy review
218-743-3545 or www.phafinancial.solutions401 Main Ave., Bigfork 56628 next to the post office
page 16 March 2018
Quality and Compassionate CareFOR
Every Patient at Every VisitYour Local Cl inics
Bigfork Medical135 Pine Tree Dr(218) 743-3232Open Mon-Sat
Big Falls Medical410 2nd St NW(218) 276-2403
Open Mon, Wed, Fri
Northome Medical12052 Main St(218) 897-5222Open Mon-Fri
www.ScenicRiversHealth.org
Bigfork Dental303 Main Ave
(218) 743-3600Open Mon-Fri
Mark your calendar! The 14th annual Bigfork Empty Bowls luncheon is planned for Thursday, March 15, and will be held at OLS Catholic Church Hall. As usual, delicious homemade soups, breads and sweets will be served from 11 a.m.-6 p.m. for a free will offering. All the profits from the event will go to Bigfork Food Shelf. Come and enjoy food and fellowship with your friends and neighbors!
Please spread the word. If you want to help plan, work or donate food to the event, please contact Sherry Pearson at (218) 832-3434 or [email protected]. It’s always a fun and rewarding day. Otherwise, come and try several of the many soup offerings and visit with other members of the community on March 15!
Empty Bowls
Great River Energy’s fly ash business recently hit a huge milestone in reaching $100 million in combined revenue and savings since 1997.
That year, Great River Energy decided to make fly ash beneficial use efforts into a business by selling it into the concrete market. In doing so, Great River Energy not only generated revenue for its cooperative members, but also saved money by avoiding landfill costs.
“Every dollar we save or generate goes back to our cooperative members – we always keep that in mind with everything we do,” said Al Christianson, Great River Energy’s director of business development and government affairs.
Last year, with the addition of a favorable revised fly ash marketing contract, Great River Energy sold approximately 350,000 tons of fly ash. This generated approximately $5.5 million in revenue and avoided over $3.8 million in landfill costs, which pushed the total impact to
Fly ash collected at Coal Creek Station is stored in a dome (shown at right) before it is sold for beneficial use.
Coal Creek hits milestone in ash sales
more than $100 million.As fly ash is often used in concrete to displace
Portland cement, Great River Energy has also prevented the production of 5.8 million tons of carbon dioxide that would have been created had ash not been used instead. This is equivalent to the amount of carbon dioxide emitted by 121,000 vehicles annually.
743-3607Hours: 6 a.m.-7 p.m.Closed Wednesdays
Friendly, small town atmosphereIce cream - the dipping kind! WiFi available
Every Monday evening: 1/4 lb. hamburger & friesEvery Tuesday 11am-2 pm: hot beef sandwichesEvery Thursday 11am-2 pm: hot pork sandwichesEvery Friday evening: fish or fantail shrimp
by Sally SedgwickThere could be a new destina-
tion for ATV travel in Minnesota.It’s called the Border to Border
(B2B) route, and it’s planned as a rugged adventure for highway-licensed four wheel drive vehicles. Planning for the route is happening now.
The draft route is planned to go from the eastern border of Minnesota, high in the Arrowhead, across the northern third of the state, dipping south to travel through Cook, Lake, St. Louis, Itasca, Beltrami, Clearwater, Polk, Red Lake, Pennington, Marshall and Kittson counties. The western endpoint would be near St. Vincent, just a few miles south of the Canadian border.
The route will go over scenic rural roads, like minimum maintenance and natural surface/gravel roads, that are already open for driving. However, this project
would sign and map the route and connect travelers along the route with local amenities such as food, gas, lodging and local attractions. Project planners hope it will also bring a tourist presence to rural communities.
The route is envisioned both as a rugged adventure trail with areas for technical riding, and as a way to tour the backcountry of Minnesota at low speed by those wanting simply to see the natural out-of-the-way beauty on a mapped scenic route
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Parks and Trails Division held a series of listening sessions last month to discuss the draft route and gather feedback. Other sponsors include the National Off-Highway Vehicle Conservation Council and the Minnesota 4-Wheel Drive Association. Funding will come from registrations of off-road
vehicle owners and non-refunded gas taxes from off-road vehicles through the off-road vehicle account in the state’s Natural Resources Fund.
The proposed route can be seen at dnr.state.mn.us/input/mgmtplans/ohv/plans/border_to_border_trail.html. Information is also available through the National Off-Highway Vehicle Conservation Council which has been hired by the state to manage the project (www.nohvcc.org/Resources/nms/b2b).
Written comments can still be provided to the DNR through March 25. Send comments to Mary Straka, Minnesota DNR, Parks and Trails Division, 500 Lafayette Road, St. Paul, MN 55155, by phone to Straka at (218) 203-4445, or by email to [email protected].
New Border-to-Border Touring Route
by Tom Renquist The North Country Gardeners will resume their monthly meetings at the Marcell Community Center on Monday, March 19. At 6:30 p.m., the public is invited to hear the featured speaker, DNR Invasive Species Specialist, Richard Rezanka.At their October meeting the North Country Gardeners voted to donate $200 to the Scholarship Fund of the District 8 Minnesota State Horticultural Society. In 2017 scholarships (in amounts of $600, $500, and $250) were awarded to eight area horticultural students.All are welcome to attend our monthly meetings (3rd Monday of the month, 6:30 p.m., at the Marcell Community Center.
North Country Gardeners hosts invasive species talk
