TAKE JACK BACK! CLAY COUNTY PROGRAM CONTINUES NOV 1

MOORHEAD – 1 BILLION POUNDS of pumpkins end up in landfills across U.S. every year. You cannot toss them into your regular compost piles with your grass clippings and leaves.

Pumpkins are considered food waste and need to be disposed of differently.

The Take Jack Back program in Clay County, MN has composted over 333,000 pounds (167 tons) with Doubting Thomas Farms since 2016. Pumpkins are high in nitrogen helping the growth and production of oats on their farm. Doubting Thomas Farms distributes their organic oats in our community to local businesses.

Composting bins will be labeled and located at your local recycling drop sites from November 1st to November 14 for Clay County residents. Locations listed below:

Moorhead: 700 15th Ave N (Public Works Facility) 

Dilworth: 600 Center Ave W 23rd St S & 40th Ave (South Side Reg. Park) 

Georgetown: 127 Main 418 Elm St S Glyndon: 22 3rd St SE

Oakport: Compost Site Hawley: 716 Front St

Hitterdal: By the Water Tower Barnesville: 205 Front Street N

Sabin: 6 Main St Ulen: 108 NP Ave West

For more information check out our website: https://claycountymn.gov/1280/Take-Jack-Back.

FARGO PUBLIC LIBRARY LAUNCHES “READ & SHARE” SERVICE

FARGO – The Fargo Public Library is introducing a new service to the community in order to increase the public’s access to books and reading. The program, titled “Read & Share,” is a new service repurposes gently used books that were previously in the library’s collection or have been donated to the library. These books will now be available at partner organizations and community engagement events. 

The Fargo Cass Public Health Clinic, located at 1240 25th St. S., is the first partner organization to host the library’s “Read & Share” program. Books will be available in the clinic waiting room providing clinic visitors the opportunity to browse through the selection and take home books after their visits. All books in the “Read & Share” service are available to read, return, share or keep.

For more information about the “Read & Share” service, please contact Library Collections Manager Jenilee Kanenwisher at 701.241.8123 or email JKanenwisher@fargolibrary.org.

DAVID HENDRICKSON BENEFIT

Saturday, October 22nd, 5-8 PM at United Methodist Church, 906 1st Ave S, Fargo

Spaghetti feed, silent auction, bake sale, root beer floats and music.

David Hendrickson has helped numerous people in the community. A Marine veteran, he has taken a leading role in the recovery community. He is not a person to ask for help but needs it now. David was diagnosed with squamous cell cancer of the throat, neck and lymph nodes. Money raised will go to help with treatment, prescriptions and lost wages. David and his wife, Jani, reside in Fargo and are grateful for your love, prayers, positive thoughts and financial support.

Online donations to his Lend A Hand Up fundraiser are boosted 20% making your generosity go farther.

Cash/Check donations should be made directly to David and dropped off at Border Bank in West Fargo.

For more information or to volunteer, contact Kerry at zenmom78@gmail.com.

 MHD VOLUNTEERS NEEDED: CLAY COUNTY WASTE SORT AND AUDIT

MOORHEAD – Thursday, October 27th from 1:30pm- 5:00pm, Clay County Solid Waste and City of Moorhead will host a waste sort and audit at the Moorhead Transfer Station, 2727 Highway 10 East, Moorhead MN. Volunteers are needed to help at this sort. 

You are invited to participate in a waste sort of residential trash from 100 homes in Moorhead with curbside no-sort recycling service.  We will sort through the trash, learn about the waste stream, record data, and witness the amount of recyclables and organics in the trash.  We will gain valuable information about the amount of recyclables and organics being sent to the landfill.  This sort will assist in measuring the effectiveness of the recycling program. 

Clay County and the City of Moorhead have sorted through trash from the same 100 houses annually beginning in 2017. Recyclables, plastic bags, food waste, and trash are separated and weighed to record the makeup of the trash. We compare the numbers from the sorts and use the data to help assess successes and needed improvements in the recycling program. Plastic bag numbers are also tracked separately to further the discussion regarding their use in our area. This important study will give us real numbers to report when discussing waste recycling and disposal in the metro area.

Volunteers are needed for the sort.

Please RSVP to Shannon at 218-299-7329 or shannon.thompson@co.clay.mn.us on or before October 25th to volunteer! Without enough confirmed volunteers, we cannot hold this event.

Volunteers need to wear old clothes and closed-toed shoes.  The County will provide personal protective gear.  Training will begin at 1:30 pm and sorting will start by 2:00 pm.  We will be finished sorting at by 5:00. Volunteers are welcome to join us for any amount of time during the sort. 

MSU MOORHEAD RECEIVES $453,425 TO SUPPORT VETERANS  

MOORHEAD – The U.S. Department of Education has awarded Minnesota State University Moorhead a three-year grant totaling $453,425 to develop a new Center of Excellence for Veteran Student Success. The Center will provide dedicated programs and support to those who have served our country and improve their success and transition into careers.  

The grant will improve MSUM’s ability to orientate veteran students to campus, grow partnerships with veteran-serving agencies, maximize credits earned for prior experience, engage veteran students in campus life, and keep veteran students on track for their career and educational goals. The two grant-funded positions will advance these services and innovate new ways to meet the unique needs of veterans transitioning into college and careers.   

“On behalf of MSUM, I express our gratitude for the funding the U.S. Department of Education provided to support our veteran and military-connected students. This funding will improve our ability to recruit, retain, and graduate our veteran and military-connected students,” said Dr. Arrick Jackson, MSUM provost and senior vice president for Academic Affairs and designated director for the Federal award.   

The total cost of the project is $635,759. Seventy-one percent will be financed with Federal grant dollars totaling $453,425 and 29 percent will be funded by non-governmental sources.  The grand funding period runs from Oct. 1, 2022 through Sept. 30, 2025.