MOORHEAD HIGH SCHOOL CAREER ACADEMY EARNS NATIONAL DESIGN AWARD
MOORHEAD – American School & University magazine has announced that the Moorhead High School Career Academy and Zerr Berg Architects received an “Outstanding Design” award in their 2023 Architectural Portfolio edition. The Career Academy was one of three schools nationwide to receive the award in the Adaptive Reuse category.
“Winning in the Adaptive Reuse category is especially gratifying,” said Brian Berg of Zerr Berg Architects, “because the re-use of an existing big box store was an extremely successful strategy to maximize funding available to the district. It’s awesome to see the building now, full of students exploring career options.”
The first leg of the three-part Moorhead High School facilities plan funded by the successful 2019 bond referendum, the Career Academy took over the building on 27th Avenue South previously occupied by Sam’s Club.
Zerr Berg and their partners at Martin Mechanical Design and MBN Engineering garnered praise in the publication for subdividing the large structure into four separate “fire buildings” with their own firewalls to improve safety and access control. American School & University also applauded the conversion of the building’s HVAC system to prevent fumes from areas like the auto shop from affecting the air quality in other parts of the school.
Another factor in receiving the Outstanding Design distinction was the Career Academy’s use of overhead doors. The building’s 49 glazed overhead doors impressed the Architectural Portfolio’s jury with how they put learning on display and also allowed the school to conduct large-scale demonstrations right in the common areas.

FARGO’S RAPE ABUSE AND CRISIS CENTER RECEIVES NATIONAL GRANT EXPANDING SERVICES FOR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SURVIVORS AND THEIR PETS
FARGO – Fargo’s Rape Abuse and Crisis Center (RACC) has received one of only two national grants awarded by the Animal Welfare Institute (AWI) to help domestic violence survivors and their companion animals seek safety in underserved communities.
AWI conducted a rigorous analysis of national data and identified North Dakota and Mississippi as “safe haven deserts”— areas with the greatest unmet need for services to accommodate pets of domestic violence survivors.
North Dakota, for instance, currently has four safe havens — roughly one per 492,000 residents. AWI’s analysis of the most recent statistics available revealed that, in 2019, the state led the nation in the number of calls per capita (266) to the National Domestic Violence Hotline and requests for shelter (44).
RACC will use its $20,000 AWI grant to establish a volunteer foster program for pets of domestic violence survivors, assist with pet deposits and extra rental fees associated with safe housing for survivors and their pets, defray the cost of vaccines and other veterinary care, assist with pet-related safety planning, and conduct community outreach and education on the relationship between domestic violence and animal cruelty.

GAME AND FISH ADVISES EARLY FISH HOUSE REMOVAL
NDGF
While the deadline for removing permanent fish houses from North Dakota lakes is March 15, the state Game and Fish Department is urging anglers to consider removing their houses early in areas of the state where ice conditions are deteriorating.
Given the current long-range weather forecast predicting temperatures well above normal, coupled with a marginal icepack in areas of the state, removing a fish house can be difficult or dangerous.
It’s important to check ice thickness, especially this time of year. Ice conditions can vary from region to region, between lakes in the same region, and even on the same lake.
Even on lakes where ice remains solid away from shore, anglers should watch the weather and adjust activities accordingly.