Janelle Vonasek
Primary tabs
Contact Email
History
- Member for
- 5 years 2 months
Author Content
GRAND FORKS—A B-25 twin-engine bomber is perched at the gates of Grand Forks Air Force Base, the name "Flo" emblazoned on its side next to an image of a leggy dark-haired beauty lounging luxuriously in a long white gown. Thousands of people have driven by the historic bomber, but far fewer know the story behind how a symbol of World War II military muscle came to land at an air base not established until 1955.
LANCASTER, Minn. — A 34-year-old Lancaster man died in a one-vehicle crash in the early morning hours Saturday. A news release from the Minnesota State Patrol said Adam Thomas Norskog was northbound on U.S. Highway 59 about 1:30 a.m. when the 2014 Ram pickup he was driving left the roadway and entered the west ditch at the intersection of Kittson County Road 5.
CROOKSTON — A dog was found shot and killed and several cars were damaged Friday by what appeared to be caused by a firearm. The Polk County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release Saturday the incident happened in Northland and Sandsville townships in the northern part of the county. The cases all were believed to be related, but there was no known suspect yet Saturday. A sheriff’s dispatcher said she did not immediately know if the dog was a pet belonging to someone in the area.
DRAYTON, N.D.—Harris A. Peterson was a specialty crops pioneer who built a buckwheat empire, but friends and family of the founder of Minn-Dak Growers Ltd. say he also was a determined man who always had more work to do. Full of ideas and stuffed with trusted advice, Peterson still was meeting international clients this fall at age 92. He died Saturday, Jan. 27, in Grand Forks. "It was still his company, and he felt he was in charge and in command right up until the time he passed," said his son, Harold Peterson, who lives on the home farm 4 miles east of Drayton.
GRAND FORKS — You might want to set your alarms just a bit earlier Wednesday morning, Jan. 31, if you don't want to miss something that happens only once in a "super blue blood moon." Michael Gaffey, a Chester Fritz Distinguished professor in the University of North Dakota Space Studies Department, said the lunar trifecta happens only once every two to three years when the timing and alignment of the sun, Earth and moon are just right.
THIEF RIVER FALLS, Minn. — Mayor Brian Holmer said the Thief River Falls City Council recently approved the equivalent of an environmental study to put Digi-Key Electronics one step closer to breaking ground on its $300 million expansion project. "It's a big step moving forward to the next level," he said. "It's going to have all their electronic components in there and the state-of-the-art picking and packing system to get their products out globally."
GRAND FORKS, N.D. — "This is a terrible business idea." Marie Strinden Jensen has heard the harsh words more than once about her Fighting Sawks storefront in downtown Grand Forks. This isn't New York City, they might say. Or, Grand Forks isn't big enough to support a store that sells just socks.
ERSKINE, Minn. — Just a skip past U.S. Highway 2 and a bump over the railroad tracks, the Ness Cafe has been a staple in the heart of Minnesota lakes country for going on 106 years. In the restaurant that's nearly as old as the town itself, thousands of platters piled high with double-scooped mashed potatoes, thick-cut roast beef and rich, homemade gravy have passed through the swinging kitchen door since 1912.
GRAND FORKS—Many people recognize today, Dec. 21, as one of only a few days left to wrap up their holiday shopping, but scientists and historians say the date is significant for another reason. This day marks the annual winter solstice, the time Earth's axial tilt of 23.4 degrees is farthest from the sun. It's that slant, some say, that is both the reason for the season and the reason for the seasons.
CROOKSTON — The city of Crookston will explore options to ban weapons during certain events in the Crookston Sports Center after the Park Board voted in favor of such a ban last week. City Administrator Shannon Stassen said Monday the discussion was prompted by a report of a man carrying an open weapon in October at The Big One Art & Craft Fair in the Sports Center. Stassen said the man was allowed to stay after he proved he had the proper permit for "open carry," but the situation still raised concerns from the public.