Moorhead Police Joins the Lights On! Program
MOORHEAD – The Moorhead Police Department has teamed up with Lights On!, a Minneapolis based organization, to assist drivers in correcting lighting issues with their vehicles. They will be out looking for those who have nonworking headlights, taillights, brake lights, turn signals or marker lights which may benefit from this program. Many other agencies in the State of Minnesota already participate in this program. There are several businesses in Moorhead and one in Hawley that will accept these vouchers and make the necessary repairs to correct the vehicle’s lighting and functioning correctly. The vouchers are valid for 14 days from the day they are issued.
These businesses include Duggan’s Auto Service Center at 1405 Main Ave, Moorhead, Larry’s Auto Body Shop, 128 16th St N, Moorhead and Davis Tire Inc, 1429 Jetvig Blvd, Hawley.
The roads are safer, with fewer cars having broken headlights or taillights.
Police-community relations improve due to these opportunities to turn a traffic stop into a positive exchange with a motorist.
Police officers are allowed to be the bearers of good news and offer a restorative solution rather than punitive.
For more information on this program, you can visit: www.lightsonus.org.
Apply for Food Assistance Program – Families with School-Aged Children
Hunger Solutions Minnesota has asked the City to share important information about resources available to families of school-aged children. When schools closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Minnesota’s students lost access to school breakfast and lunch. For students who receive free & reduced price school meals, this has been a big gap in their access to food.
The USDA recently approved the state of Minnesota’s application for Pandemic EBT (P-EBT) to help families replace the meals their children lost because schools are closed. A lot of Minnesota’s students are eligible for the “Pandemic – Electronic Benefit Transfer” program (P-EBT).
Families with children ages 5-18 as of Sept. 1, 2019, are eligible for P-EBT benefits if their child’s school is closed due to COVID-19 and:
They were receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) or Minnesota Family Investment Program (MFIP) benefits as of March 18, 2020; or
Their child was receiving free or reduced-price school meals during the 2019-2020 school year; or
Their child is enrolled in a school that offers free school meals to all students regardless of the family’s income.
For more information, please see eligibility and application information at hungersolutions.org. This is time-sensitive information. Applications are due July 31.
Recycling Guides – Now Available in Multiple Languages
MOORHEAD – Moorhead’s no-sort recycling program is much more convenient for residents than the former self-sort method. The City continues to make the no-sort program more accessible. We now offer our recycling guides in four languages—Arabic, Kurdish, Somali, and Spanish.
Find the English version and all the new multilingual recycling guides on the Public Works Recycling page of our website under the “Acceptable and Unacceptable Recyclables” header.
The City of Moorhead asks the community’s assistance in reducing the amount of non-recyclable materials placed in the recycling totes and dumpsters. Contamination may result in rejection of truckloads by the materials recycling processor and consequently, those materials end up in the landfill. Here’s some top processing concerns:
Plastic bags: while bags can be dropped off at some grocery stores, they can’t go in City bins as they clog the sorting equipment
Frozen food boxes: waxy liners/coatings cannot be processed
Food waste and debris: please rinse food containers
Styrofoam: not recyclable
And, if in doubt, throw it out! Ineligible materials can contaminate the whole bin.
Managers and owners of rental property may call 218-299-5422 to receive copies of the guides to distribute to tenants.
Statewide Tobacco 21 Goes Into Effect August 1
On August 1, 2020, the statewide tobacco sale age will change to 21. Minnesotans for a Smoke-Free Generation celebrates the landmark Tobacco 21 law, which is the result of broad efforts from bipartisan leaders, local communities and a nationwide movement to protect kids.
“Minnesota’s Tobacco 21 movement began with a few concerned residents and physicians and ultimately gained the support of more than 75 communities, thousands of youth and parents, and lawmakers from all over the state,” said Molly Moilanen, Vice President at ClearWay MinnesotaSM and Co-Chair of Minnesotans for a Smoke-Free Generation. “Tobacco 21 is not the last step – but it’s an important first step toward preventing youth tobacco addiction.”
Public Input Requested – CARES Disaster Relief Funding Distribution
MOORHEAD – The City of Moorhead received $3.278M in state-allocated CARES Act funding provided by the US Treasury Department. This funding can be used to respond directly to the COVID-19 emergency by addressing medical or public health needs, as well as providing economic support to those suffering from employment or business interruptions due to COVID-19-related business closures. Costs incurred March 1 – November 15, 2020 are eligible.
Between now and August 3 the City is asking for public comment on the proposed allocation of the economic recovery resources, prior to the City Council being asked to consider and authorize CARES Act funding August 10. Please take the survey! We want to hear from you.
STATE-ALLOCATED CARES ACT FUNDING – proposed & receiving comments until Aug 3
Municipal COVID-19 Expenses: $1.278M
• Local match for FEMA-eligible disaster expenses
• Unemployment Expenses (incurred and projected)
• Telework Equipment and Support Resources
• Facility supplies, maintenance, cleaning, & improvements to prevent COVID-19 transmission
• Election Support
• Eligible Public Safety & Health employee expenses
• Eligible Public Housing Improvements
Small Business and Community/Nonprofit Organization Support: $2.0M
Grants to small businesses and community/nonprofit organizations (501c3 & c19) for COVID-19 economic recovery. Grants proposed at up to $10,000 for businesses with under 20 employees and up to $3,000 for sole proprietors. Set asides are in place for eligible nonprofits and minority, women, and veteran-owned businesses. Businesses must have a physical presence in Moorhead.
Area students awarded Workforce Development Scholarships
More than 40 students at Minnesota State Community and Technical College have been awarded Workforce Development Scholarships in the first round of awards for the 2020-21 academic year.
Local scholarship winners include:
Dilworth- Tristen Olson
Glyndon- Briena Gustafson, Evian Hines, Zackary Marschke, Joseph Thomas.
Moorhead: Tukker Hammer, Heba Hilala, John Lehrer, Veronica Ybarra.
Sabin- Stephanie Windus
The $2,500 scholarships are funded by the Minnesota Legislature to help ease the shortage of skilled workers in high-demand career fields. The scholarships target students enrolled in the program areas of advanced manufacturing, agriculture, early childhood education, health care services, information technology and transportation.
A total of $265,000 is available for Workforce Development Scholarships at M State for the upcoming academic year, and students in more than 40 M State programs and on all four M State campuses are eligible for the awards. M State anticipate awarding an additional 60 scholarships for the upcoming fall semester.
Scholarship recipients must be Minnesota residents, enroll in a minimum of nine credits per semester and maintain a minimum GPA of 2.0. For qualifying students, the scholarship can be renewed for a second year, bringing the total award to $5,000.
Greater Moorhead Days Parade and Kids Fest cancelled, alternate activities to take place
MOORHEAD – Greater Moorhead Days will be celebrated September 10 – 17, 2020. This year’s celebration will include activities that can be conducted following current health and safety guidelines. Planned activities include:
· 9/11 Commemoration
· Medallion Hunt
· River Paddling Excursion (New!)
· More events are in the planning stage, giving the whole community an opportunity to share their Moorhead Spirit.
Some popular Greater Moorhead Days events, including the Greater Moorhead Days Parade, the Wings and Wheels Fly in and Car Show, The FM Rotary Ride, Bridge Bash, and Kids Fest have been cancelled due to current health guidelines on event size. There are plans to bring all of these events back at future Greater Moorhead Days celebrations when health restrictions are lifted.
For the current list of events visit: www.greatermoorheaddays.com. The website will be updated as events are finalized.