Latest Grand Forks Herald Stories

By Tu-Uyen Tran, Grand Forks Herald, N.D. Jun. 24--Under the Sorlie Bridge in East Grand Forks, rust patches the steel beams that support the road above, which, during most of the day and night, rumbles with passing traffic. But for bridge inspector Jeff Moore, the rust isn't a big deal because as long as it's just cosmetic, it won't have any impact on the strength of the beams. "Paint makes it look worse than it is." With funding from the Minnesota Department of Transportation, he and his...

By Tu-Uyen Tran, Grand Forks Herald, N.D. Jun. 24--By Tu-Uyen Tran Herald Staff Writer Grand Forks City Council members will take the first action needed to reopen Riverside Pool at their meeting next week. Up for a vote is a contract with EAPC, a local architectural and engineering firm, to devise pool renovation plans. With the plans, the city could ask contractors to submit bids. While the goal is to reopen by spring 2009, that's an "extremely tight" schedule, warned council...

By Joseph Marks, Grand Forks Herald, N.D. Jun. 24--North Dakota University System Chancellor William Goetz completed annual performance reviews for six of the system's 10 university and college presidents recently, giving generally high marks to all. Goetz did not complete reviews for the four presidents who retired this year or soon will retire, including UND President Charles Kupchella, whose last day will be Monday. The text of each review takes up about one page, and many of the...

By Lisa Gibson, Grand Forks Herald, N.D. Jun. 22--Brendan Glessner, 8, was glad to share his archeological expertise as he dug for artifacts in chunks of hard clay. "When you're digging for artifacts," Glessner explained as he brushed dust away from his discovery, "you dig for one at a time. And sometimes, you'll think you find a new one, but it's the same one." Glessner was participating in Time Warp Egypt, a Grand Forks summer course offered to elementary students. The course focuses on...

By Grand Forks Herald, N.D. Jun. 20--Grand Forks International Airport received a $302,500 grant from the North Aeronautics Commission. The grant will go toward a general aviation aircraft parking area. Commission Director Gary Ness said the grant was for a new parking apron in front of the GFK Flight Support facility at the Grand Forks airport. Ness said the airport received some grant funding for the project from the aeronautics commission last year, as well. Devils Lake's airport also...

By Ryan Schuster, Grand Forks Herald, N.D. Jun. 19--The American Crystal Sugar Co. plant in Hillsboro, N.D., was evacuated, and more than 20 people were taken to local hospitals after a chemical leak at the plant Wednesday. Officials said the leak had been contained as of Wednesday afternoon and posed no risk to the public. The plant had reopened late Wednesday night. Sulfur dioxide, which is used in processing sugar beets into sugar, leaked from a hose from a delivery truck parked...

By Joseph Marks, Grand Forks Herald, N.D. Jun. 19--North Dakota University System Chancellor William Goetz will not name a committee to consider the future of UND's controversial Fighting Sioux nickname at a State Board of Higher Education meeting today in Fargo, despite suggesting in recent months he'd be prepared to do so. Goetz said Wednesday he's still wrestling with some aspects of forming the committee, but declined to elaborate. He said he'd provide more details to state board...

By Kevin Bonham, Grand Forks Herald, N.D. Jun. 18--TOLNA, N.D. -- A construction crew is plugging the Tolna Dam this week. The concrete and rock structure on the Tolna Coulee, 2 miles southeast of this Nelson County community, has been leaking for several years. "The last five years, seepage has been increasing," said Jon Ketsch, chief of construction for the North Dakota State Water Commission. The dam had been scheduled for repairs sometime during the next couple of years. But...

By Lisa Gibson, Grand Forks Herald, N.D. Jun. 17--Thief River Falls is one of nine Minnesota communities that will have a regional teacher center for the new Mathematics and Science Teacher Academy in the state, designed to improve teacher effectiveness. Each of the regional centers will include at least one K-12 school district or education cooperative and one higher education institution. They will provide technical assistance to help teachers successfully implement Minnesota's content...

By Ryan Schuster, Grand Forks Herald, N.D. Jun. 17--The design of the planned $20 million new terminal at Grand Forks International Airport has been completed by Grand Forks-based JLG Architects. Construction of the new terminal, which will be south of the existing terminal between the FedEx distribution center and the new GFK Flight Support facility, is expected to begin next year. The existing terminal will remain open during construction of the new terminal. Construction is expected...