Memorial Day programs are being planned throughout the region. With abundant sunshine during the latter part of the week, cemetery groundskeepers and area residents have been sprucing up cemeteries for the Memorial Day activities.

Several communities in Northwest Minnesota have planned special events to recognize the Memorial Day holiday on Monday, May 27.
Events are listed alphabetically by city.

The Thief River Falls Chapter of the Minnesota Deer Hunters Association presented a check for $825 to Thief River Falls Beyond the Yellow Ribbon on Monday, May 20. Pictured from left to right are Pam Murphy, organizer of the fundraiser; Al Newton, TRF MDHA president; Arlo Rude, TRFBYR treasurer; Julie Jasperson, TRFBYR chair; Jude Richter, TRFBYR secretary; back row, Steve Narverud, TRF MDHA secretary, Kim Murphy, Region 1 director for MDHA; and TRFBYR Board members Don Jensen, Clifford Comstock and Jerald Brown.

Bylaws and articles of incorporation were both approved by members of Thief River Falls Beyond the Yellow Ribbon board of directors on Monday, May 20.
Approval of the bylaws and articles of incorporation were both required steps for the organization to establish itself as a non-profit corporation under Minnesota Statute Chapter 317A. Approval from the Minnesota Secretary of State will be the final step of incorporation as a 501(c)(3) non-profit.
TRFBYR has established a bank account to accept donations, pay bills and fund any activities within the scope of Beyond the Yellow Ribbon.

Franklin Middle School paraprofessional Teri Pancoast assisted Taylor Bugge (center) and Alexis Nelson as they planted flowers at Peder Engelstad Pioneer Village on Thursday, May 16. They were participating in FMS’ Kids in the Community Day, an annual event in which students do community service projects.

St. Bernard’s Catholic School students stepped back in time Tuesday, May 14.
Donning attire from the 1800s, Norwegian immigrant Ole Oleson spoke about his experiences immigrating to America. With a Norwegian accent and a few “ya’s” mixed into his presentation, Roger Hellesvig brought Ole to life for the students.
Hellesvig’s presentation, “Ole Oleson and his Immigrant Trunk,” was part of Norwegian Heritage Day at the school. Hellesvig also appeared as Ole during a public performance that evening at Northland Community and Technical College. Both events were part of Thief River Falls’ observance of Norwegian Heritage Week and were presented by Sons of Norway Snorre Lodge 70.
The students learned about Norway, its history and its culture. They also received a crash course on coming to America.
Ole explained that he and his family lived on a house on his brother’s land. In Norway, Ole would have continued working his brother’s land. He decided to come to America to improve his life and his children’s lives. His 15-year-old daughter wasn’t too happy. Starting at about age 4, she was making items for her marriage chest.
However, the family could only bring one trunk along to America. His daughter’s marriage chest, containing all of the items she needed for her future home, was left behind.

Thief River Falls runner Hannah Kraemer crossed the bag as a high, wide throw eluded Northern Freeze first baseman Shelby Audette during Thursday high school softball action at the Multi-Events Center.

Seeding positions placed Thief River Falls No. 1 and Northern Freeze No. 2 in North Bracket of the 2013 Section 8AA high school softball tournament. Thursday those two teams squared off in what was the final regular season contest for the Freeze and the final regular season home appearance for the Prowlers.
Thief River Falls won 8-4, putting the Prowlers at 11-5. Northern Freeze finished 9-7.
The Freeze out-hit the Prowlers 9-6, but the winners drew eight walks, and four of those batters drawing free passes ended up scoring.
Thief River Falls pitcher Megan Jones walked just one. Five of the nine hits off the junior righthander never left the infield.
The Prowlers grabbed a 2-0 first inning lead when Hannah Kraemer beat out a bunt single, Jones walked and Sabrina Okeson drove an RBI single to left. An error on an attempted force-out at second base allowed Jones to score.
Allyson Dahl and Carly Safranski led off the Northern Freeze third inning with back-to-back infield singles. A sacrifice fly by Haley Kujava scored Dahl for a 2-1 game.

Wednesday, May 15, gas prices in Thief River Falls jumped 20 cents to $3.99 per gallon of regular unleaded gasoline. On Thursday, prices jumped another 20 cents. Thief River Falls is not alone in its sticker shock. According to newspapers in Duluth and Minneapolis, gas prices were averaging between $4.19 and $4.25 per gallon on Wednesday. For the rest of the nation, however, gas prices averaged $3.55 per gallon in April, because of lower oil costs, ample refinery production and continued weak demand. In the Midwest, however, two of the largest refineries, both located in Chicago, one operated by BP and the other by Exxon have been closed for repairs. The repairs are expected to take roughly six weeks.

Karlyn Norlin’s fifth grade class at Challenger Elementary School took the top spot in the city of Thief River Falls’ PowerSavers Energy Savings Kit Contest. The class was honored at the Thief River Falls City Council meeting Tuesday, May 7. Seven of the students attended the meeting. Pictured are (front row) Zach Praska, Grant Hartmann, Marissa Jesme, Amber Koski, Jadeann Forsberg, Morgan Hickerson, Kaitlyn Johnson; (back row) Mayor Jim Dagg, Norlin and Electric Department Customer Service Representative Susan Mosbeck.

Karlyn Norlin’s fifth grade class at Challenger Elementary School took the top spot in the city of Thief River Falls’ PowerSavers Energy Savings Kit Contest.
Nineteen of the 26 students participated in the project. Their class had the highest participation percentage of any CES fifth grade class – 73 percent. They saved 11,544 kilowatt-hours and an annual amount of about $1,380 per year using the energy savings kits.
“I think they had a lot of fun with it,” Norlin said. She added that the energy conservation information tied in with the fifth grade curriculum. The students recently returned from Deep Portage, where they learned about conserving water and energy.

The plate was blocked by Thief River Falls catcher Landon Sanders as Park Rapids Area runner Zach Eystad tried to score from third on the back end of a double-steal in the fifth inning of Tuesday’s high school baseball game at the Multi-Events Center. Eystad was called out on the play, and his reaction to the plate umpire’s call resulted in an ejection from the contest.

A close, well-played, fast-moving game turned on a dime when Park Rapids Area converted three Thief River Falls errors into an eight-run sixth inning that carried the Panthers to a wind-blown 10-1 Tuesday Section 8AA high school baseball win at the Multi-Events Center.
The Prowlers had just cut a 2-0 deficit in half in a fifth inning at-bat that included their first hit of the game off junior right-handed pitcher Tyler McCollum ­– a one-out bunt single by Grady Pederson. A sacrifice bunt by Chris Sanders, a stolen base and a throwing error on a ball off the bat of Wyatt Ortloff plated the run.
Thief River Falls, however, was unable to maintain momentum as the visitors batted 12 men in the sixth to break the game open.

On Sunday, May 26, area runners and bicyclists will have an opportunity to run, or bike for a good cause.
Ignite, an Evangelical Free Church-based youth group that draws members from several area churches, is leading a run to St. Hilaire and back to benefit the Minnesota Teen Challenge and the American Cancer Society.
This is the first year that the event will be held.

VFW Post 2793 Honor Guard led a flag raising ceremony at newly-remodeled Riverside Terrace in Thief River Falls on Saturday, May 11. Pictured from left to right are VFW members Gary Ferman, Don Paulson, Larry Eurek and John Cervantes.

Bemidji runner Nick Hovila came up with a stolen base when he beat the throw to Thief River Falls second baseman Nick Hoffard in the first inning of Thursday’s high school baseball doubleheader opener at the Multi-Events Center. Shortstop Turner Storm backed up the play. The Lumberjacks won twice, 13-3, 14-8

Bemidji came up with 25 hits and 27 runs Thursday to sweep Thief River Falls  in a high school baseball doubleheader at the Multi-Events Center.
The Lumberjacks won the opener 13-3 in five innings and took the nightcap 14-8 in the regulation seven innings. They had 11 hits in Game 1 and 14 more in the second game.