The award was presented July 11 by the Federal Highway Administration and the Federal Transit Administration (divisions of the U.S. Department of Transportation) and the American Planning Association at the Transportation Research Board meeting in Minneapolis.

“In developing this comprehensive state rail plan, we have created a map for commodity movement by rail as well as a passenger rail network of linked routes that will improve travel times, energy conservation, environmental impacts, and traveler convenience throughout the region,” said Tom Sorel, Mn/DOT commissioner.

Mn/DOT was one of 11 winners of the biennial award, which recognizes outstanding initiatives nationwide that develop, plan and implement innovative transportation planning practices. Ninety projects competed for the award.

The panel of judges noted the plan’s comprehensive and balanced nature, data-driven approach, vision for the future, and leadership and compliance in responding to emerging federal requirements and guidelines.

Using data and planning analysis from the state rail plan, Mn/DOT and its partners submitted grant applications for rail-related projects to the federal Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) program. As a result, the state received funding for the completion of the St. Paul Union Depot. Minnesota also was awarded the only basic high-speed planning grant in the country from first round stimulus funding for development of the Chicago-Twin Cities corridor.

“We’re already seeing pay-offs from this comprehensive plan, and look forward to future achievements in the areas of freight and passenger rail for our state and the region,” Sorel said. “Mn/DOT shares this award with our partners and the transportation stakeholders who participated in this landmark planning effort.”

To view the 2009 Minnesota Comprehensive Statewide Freight and Passenger Rail Plan, visit Mn/DOT’s Web site at http://www.dot.state.mn.us/planning/railplan/.

For information about the Transportation Planning Excellence Award, see https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/planning/tpea/2010/.

Stavaas, of Battle Lake, was scheduled to make his first appearance in court Monday morning, however, neither Stavaas nor his attorney made it to court.

According to assistant county attorney, Heather Brandborg, the court wasted no time issuing a warrant for Stavaas’ arrest.

Stavaas has been accused of making a seven inch cut on the dog’s throat a month ago, and told authorities he did it because he could not stop the dog from chasing cars. Stavaas’ eight month old German Sheppard/Pit Bull mix survived, and is currently located in an animal foster home.

Stavaas is being charged with two felonies, two gross misdemeanors, as well as two misdemeanors related to incident.

Monday morning, upwards of 20 protesters gathered and demanded that Stavvas receive the maximum penalty allowed, which would be either two years in prison, a $5,000 fine, or both.

The case against Stavaas has gained global attention, as well. Nearly 1,500 people have signed an online petition calling for Stavaas to receive the maximum penalty (to sign the petition, go to http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/Arrest-Benjamin-James-Stavaas-For-Attempted-Murder-Of-Star). A Facebook group has also been set up which is viewable by going to http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=133949789969364

To contact the courthouse regarding this case, send a letter to:

Otter Tail County Court Administration

121 West Junius Ave. No. 310

Fergus Falls, MN 56537

Besides the obvious visual clues such as the new signs going up outside the facilities, integrating has included action behind the scenes as well. Interfacing two major computer systems, combining various departments and clinics that were part of the Fergus Falls Medical Group, including clinics in Ashby, Battle Lake, Westridge Mall, Wheaton, and Valley Clinic, are all in progress. Information for the various departments such as business office, labs, and human resources has also been combined.

“With the integration, Lake Region Healthcare now employs over 800 employees,” explains Lake Region Healthcare CEO Larry Schulz. Implementing the changes with the large number of employees was no small task, but many benefits, though subtle, will be seen by patients.

Marie Murphy, Lake Region’s business office director says now patients who register at the clinic for an appointment won’t have to reregister at the Lake Region Healthcare when they are referred for tests; patients will go directly to radiology, for example, and turn in their paperwork at the desk, rather than stopping at the registration desk first. “I think previously patients assumed that since both entities are in one building that they were working with the same organization and so have questioned why they have to register again,” Murphy explains. “From the patient’s standpoint this should be a time-saving benefit.”

Patients will also be able to talk with either the hospital or the clinic should they have registration and billing questions, since all the records are now on the same computer system. Patients may receive two explanations of benefits forms from their insurance company, but they will receive only one bill from Lake Region, Murphy says.

With integration Lake Region Healthcare is moving toward electronic health records. Electronic health records will eliminate the need for paper charts and enable staff to access a patient’s records from any location within the hospital or any of the clinic’s locations, Murphy says. “The important issue with the move to electronic health records is to simplify the process for the patient and not duplicate all the paperwork.”

Schulz says the need to move toward an electronic health record, getting computer systems to “talk” to each other, and the implementation of provider-based billing have initially created challenges in getting patients scheduled and registered in Clinic Services. “This has also created opportunities for us to design new processes that in the long run will best serve our patients,” said Schulz.

“I’ve been impressed by the resolve of members of our healthcare team to meet the challenges and form one organization to serve the health care needs of our area and strive to become Minnesota’s preeminent regional healthcare partner.”

The increases are relativity low, however. Elementary school lunches will increase by a little over eight percent (a $0.15 increase) which will make the price be $1.70 per lunch. High school lunches will face a near eleven percent increase (an additional $0.20 per lunch) which will cost each student $1.85 per lunch.

Mark Lemke, a Fergus Falls School Board member) pointed out that Fergus Falls Public Schools still have the lowest price per school lunch in the area.

According to the Fergus Falls Daily Journal, elementary school lunches cost as much as $2.25 in Little Falls, and high school lunches approach the $2.50 mark in nearby cities as well.

An increase to the cost of lunch isn’t the only change to the lunch program in the Fergus Falls School District for the 2010-11 school year. Less than a month ago, the administration at the Fergus Falls Sr. High School announced they were ending a long standing policy of allowing Juniors and Seniors.

Initially, the group known as Campus Development Group (CDG) had plans to create a cross-cultural learning institute aimed to bring Chinese students to the United States. With the recent economic downturn, as well as changes to the administration amongst the partner colleges, the immersion school is looking unlikely.

The cross-cultural learning institute had plans to utilize the iconic Kirkbride building. If outside investors or the Campus Development Group (CDG) are unable to find a use instead of the originally planned immersion school, that building will be demolished.

The Campus Development Group (CDG) is now planning on renovating the building on Parcel A into townhomes, with additional construction of residential buildings. For Parcel B, the group plans to develop that area into office and retail space.

Photo copyright KirkbrideBuildings.com.

While there will be no city fireworks tonight, at Krueger Field in Perham, there’ll be fireworks at the East Otter tail County Fairgrounds after the baseball game, which will be around 10:00PM.

The largest Fourth of July fireworks display will be 45-minutes north-east of Fergus Falls in Detroit Lakes on Highway 59. Fireworks will begin at approximately at 10:15PM, at the city beach on Detroit Lake.

Compared to the national unemployment rate of 9.3% (May 2010), Fergus Falls is doing quite well with a mere 6.9% of the population being unemployed. Fergus Falls is also ahead of other near-by communities in the region, with similar population. In Alexandria, they’re facing an 8.8% unemployment rate, while Bemidji and Brainerd are facing a whopping 11.1% and 12.4% unemployment rate, respectively.

With a labor force of 7,038, Fergus Falls has 6,554 of the total labor force employed, which equals out to 484 residents in the area being unemployed.

In email correspondence with Fergus Forum,Harold Stanislawski, the Executive Director of the Fergus Falls Economic Improvement Commission (FFEIC) said that job growth came in retail, manufacturing, health care, utilities, as well as construction. While some of these jobs are seasonal, current predictions show that at least half of the added jobs will become permanent pending a stable economy.

According to emergency officials, the Almora, Minn. woman was found dead in tornado debris.

The tornado in Almora was part of a severe weather system that rolled across the majority of Minnesota, as well as parts of North Dakota, which flattened  homes, wrecked a gas station, and knocked down an abundance of trees.

A tornado in Mentor, Minn., a community located roughly 25 miles east of Crookston, destroyed a convenience store, and killed one person in the process according to the Minnesota State Patrol.

The Minnesota State Patrol says the tornado came through town and traveled northwest, changed directions, and damaged cabins on Maple Lake. The only remains of the convenience store in Mentor is the north-facing wall, a small portion of the west-facing wall, a few 2×4′s, and corrugated metal.

In addition to damage in Almora and Mentor, the city of Wadena, Minn. was in the process of having a parade to celebrate an “all-school” reunion when a tornado tore through the city.

Just after 5:00PM, several buildings were completely destroyed, including the Wadena-Deer Creek High School, and the Wadena Area Community Center. As of late Thursday night, there were thirteen reported injuries, however no fatalities. Mike Carr, a Wadena County Sheriff, said that damage is so severe in Wadena, its not safe to enter the city.

The above photos are courtesy of Kevin Winkler.

Was your afternoon affected by severe weather? Did you have to seek shelter? Let us know by leaving a comment below.

Start with Simple Recipes

—For this tropical dessert pizza, make the cookie crust the day before. Mix the filling and store it in an airtight plastic container, then cut up fruit and store in individual resealable plastic bags. Be creative and substitute your family’s favorite fruits. Kids will have fun arranging the sliced fruit on this yummy dessert pizza!
—Three ingredients plus three minutes equals one tasty marinade. Let the kids help pour the ingredients into a resealable plastic bag to flavor juicy pork tenderloins with a subtly sweet, spicy marinade.
—The combination of crisp watermelon, juicy tomatoes and fresh basil with balsamic vinegar creates a fantastic and refreshing light salad. Just cut up ingredients and store in separate plastic containers, then toss together right before the party to keep the flavors fresh.

Simply Entertaining
—For picnics on damp ground, placing an inexpensive plastic tablecloth under a blanket helps keep dampness from reaching picnickers — and keeps your blanket cleaner, too.
—Wash, chop, measure and prepare your ingredients 1 to 2 days before an event or party. They can be stored in resealable plastic bags or airtight containers in the refrigerator to make putting together recipes much easier the day of the party.
—Save plastic grocery bags to send guests home with leftovers. Placing an empty plastic grocery bag in a picnic basket is also a great solution for collecting trash after a picnic in the park — it doesn’t take up much room and will act as a waterproof barrier to prevent spills.
—Create a dipping station for barbeque and grill sauces using reusable plastic storage containers with lids. Guests can spoon sauces onto their plates; when the party is over, simply place the lids back on the sauces and store in the refrigerator. They come in all different shapes and sizes and even fun colors.
—Use resealable plastic bags for marinades. Put meat in the bags with marinade and refrigerate overnight. It helps save space in the refrigerator and clean up is easy. This also works for coating and breading.

For more tips on ways to make summer entertaining a breeze, visit www.PlasticsMakeitPossible.com.

Tropical Fruit Dessert Pizza
Makes 12 servings
1 18-ounce roll refrigerated ready-to-slice
sugar cookie dough
1/3 cup sugar
1 8-ounce package fat-free cream cheese
1 teaspoon coconut extract
1 1/2 teaspoons grated orange rind
1 cup fat-free frozen whipped topping,
thawed
1 26-ounce jar mango slices, drained, or
2 fresh mangoes, sliced
1 16-ounce can pineapple slices, drained,
or 1 fresh pineapple, sliced
1 11-ounce can mandarin orange segments,
drained
1/2 cup apricot preserves
2 tablespoons orange liqueur or orange juice
2 tablespoons coconut, toasted, optional
Preheat oven 350°F.
Press cookie dough into a 12 to 14-inch pizza pan coated with nonstick cooking spray. Bake 12 minutes, cool completely.
In medium mixing bowl, blend together sugar, cream cheese, coconut extract until well mixed. Stir in orange rind and whipped topping, mixing until smooth. Spread cream cheese mixture on top of cooled crust.
Arrange mango slices around edge of iced pizza. Then, arrange pineapple slices around edge. Next, arrange mandarin orange slices in another ring to fill center of pizza.
In small saucepan or in microwave, heat apricot preserves and orange liqueur just until melted. Spoon glaze over fruit. Sprinkle with toasted coconut, if desired. Refrigerate until serving.
Terrific Tidbit: Go ahead and grate more orange rind than you’ll need for the recipe — you can grate a whole orange or lemon and freeze the rind in a plastic freezer bag until needed.

Watermelon and Tomato Salad
Makes 10 (1/2-cup) servings
4 cups scooped out watermelon balls
or chunks
1/2 cup chopped red onion
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
2 tablespoons fresh chopped basil
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Salt to taste
1/3 cup crumbled reduced fat feta cheese,
optional
In bowl, combine watermelon, onion, tomatoes and basil. Whisk together oil and vinegar and toss with salad. Season to taste. Refrigerate until serving.

3-Ingredient Marinade for Pork Tenderloin
Makes 6 to 8 servings
2 1-pound pork tenderloins, trimmed of
excess fat
1/4 cup reduced sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup roasted garlic seasoned rice vinegar
2 tablespoons honey
Preheat oven 350°F.
In bowl, combine all ingredients except tenderloins. Place meat in dish or large resealable plastic bag, pour marinade over meat. If time permits, refrigerate overnight, turning meat several times.
Bake 40 to 45 minutes or until meat thermometer inserted into the thickest portion of the tenderloin registers 160°F. Slice tenderloin, serve.
Quick Tip: Tenderloins come two to a package. If one will be enough for you to serve, halve recipe, freeze other tenderloin in freezable plastic bag.

For more great summer recipes, check out Fergus Forum’s lifestyle section!

17-year-old Jordan decided to make the cross-country trek after a family friend died of a disease at a time when she was unable to afford medical insurance at the age of 38. It all started when her dad, Lee Jordan, said, “If you want to make a statement, run across the country”, though he was joking at the time, Jordan took it seriously.

While her cross-country run has had some road bumps, such as pulled tendon, which side-tracked her for a month, and a car accident, she has kept running through it all.

“Jazzy” has inspired people all across the country to get out and improve their own health after hearing her story. In an interview with Fast Lane, a Department of Transportation blog, she had this to say:

“I met a truck driver named Ed German who weighed over 400 pounds. Then, he said he heard about what I was doing and decided to change his lifestyle. He cut out the three or four quarts of pop he drank every day and started getting more exercise. By the time I met him in person, he was already down below 300 pounds! That’s the kind of story that keeps me going for the long haul.”

She arrived in Times Square at around 12:30PM, central time, with a crowd awaiting her arrival.

“Jazzy” has a fan page on the popular social networking website, Facebook, where she has been able to communicate with her over 5,000 fans.

For more information on “Jazzy”, visit her website, http://www.runwithjazzy.com/ or be sure to check out her Facebook page by clicking here.