Antique buff Kelly Wambach’s handmade Putz houses — cardboard replicas of Clay and Cass County mansions

MOORHEAD LIBRARY TO HOST HOLIDAY OPEN HOUSE FEATURING PUTZ HOUSES DISPLAY

MOORHEAD – The Friends of the Moorhead Library will host a Holiday Open House on Saturday, December 2 from 1-4 p.m. The program will be held in celebration of an exhibit of German-American-style Putz Houses created by Kelly Wambach, which will be on display at the library until the end of the year. All are welcome to celebrate the season with refreshments, music by the Red River Harp Ensemble, a mini book sale and more.
The Putz House exhibit will feature handmade miniature homes created by local artist Kelly Wambach. Wambach will attend the Holiday Open House, where he will share about his work which includes enchanting replicas of historic homes found in Moorhead, Fargo, and Clay County. All are welcome and the program is offered free-of-charge.

MOORHEAD’S ENTERPRISE ZONE WORKERS COMP TAX CREDIT PROGRAM
MOORHEAD – Moorhead offers qualifying businesses an income tax credit to reduce a portion of their Minnesota workers compensation insurance costs. Industries such as manufacturing, trucking/transport, construction, and auto-related services (or other industries with higher risk factors) benefit most from this program, but all qualifying businesses are welcome to participate.
Access the online application system, https://apps.cityofmoorhead.com/workersCompTaxCredit/overview/ with your phone or laptop.
Applications will be accepted through Dec. 15, 2023, for priority review and processing. This electronic system benefits business owners by creating a portal where applications and the approval process can be monitored in real time. The system was refreshed in 2023; your comments and suggestions for improvement are welcome.
FARGO’S DRINKING WATER NAMED BEST TASTING IN NORTH DAKOTA TWO YEARS STRAIGHT
FARGO – For the second year in a row, The City of Fargo’s drinking water has won the title of best tasting in North Dakota.
In a blind taste test, attendees at the 95th annual North Dakota Water & Pollution Control Conference sampled drinking water from municipalities around the state and selected Valley City, McVille and Fargo as the top three contenders. A panel of judges made the final decision, with Fargo receiving the top prize. Fargo, which also won in 2022, has been the only city to earn the award in back-to-back years. The City of Fargo previously won back-to-back titles in 2002 and 2003.
Water Utility Director Troy Hall said the awards are the result of a team effort by The City of Fargo departments, including Public Works, Engineering, Water Utility, Finance and Administration, among others.
“I think it’s a real credit to the dedication of our water treatment staff,” said Hall, who helped oversee the construction of Fargo’s improved Water Treatment Plant, which became fully operational in 2019. “It’s also a real credit to the City Commission, both past and present, who have supported making improvements to our water infrastructure.”
Fargo is now eligible to compete in the national best tasting water competition in Anaheim, California, in June 2024.