FARGO, N.D. (January 8, 2013) – Increasing the number of schools and neighborhoods with community vegetable gardens will be the topic of an upcoming public forum.
The Cass Clay Food Systems Initiative will be hosting “Community and School Gardens: A Local Focus”, on Friday, January 11, from 7 p.m.-8 p.m. at the Plains Art Museum in Fargo. Jack Wood, LSS Community Garden Organizer, will present information on community gardens for new residents in Fargo; Jamie Holding Eagle will discuss her work with the Moorhead Ellen Hopkins Elementary School garden; and Ollen Church, Superintendent of Norman County West School District, will talk about his experience starting school gardens.
Kim Lipetzky, nutritionist at Fargo Cass Public Health, says the public forum will allow for garden information sharing, “This event will offer a great opportunity for the public to learn more about community and school gardens in our community. It will also be an opportunity to meet local gardeners, network, and find out how to become involved.”
The forum is part of the Growing Communities Workshop: Community Building and Organizational Development through Community Gardens, which will be held at the Plains Art Museum January 11 and 12.
For more information on the workshop and forum, go to www.letseatlocal.org or call 701-241-8195.
Careful – You May Be Towed
FARGO, N.D. (January 4, 2013) – The Fargo Police Department would like to caution those who park on City streets for longer than 48 hours. According to City Ordinance, any vehicle which is parked and left unattended in excess of 48 hours can be deemed abandoned and towed. Due to snowfall during the winter season, the violation of this City Ordinance becomes more noticeable therefore increasing the number of complaints to the Fargo Police Department by citizens and other City entities. The Police Department does follow-up on these complaints since roadway safety and maintenance is important to all Fargo residents.
Citizens are encouraged to be mindful of the City Ordinance to avoid being towed and courteous to the City workers who plow and maintain our roads.
Is Adoption Right for You?
The Adoption Option, a partnership between The Village Family Service Center and Lutheran Social Services of North Dakota is holding a FREE informational meeting about adoption, Tuesday, January 22 6:00 p.m., The Village Family Service Center, 1201 25th St. S., Fargo.
This meeting is open to North Dakotans who are considering adopting a child.
Caring professionals with knowledge and experience in adoption issues will answer questions and provide education regarding the opportunities, strengths and risks of adoption.
Find out about all the adoption options including infant, identified, interstate, and relative adoption, plus a special focus on international adoption. Open adoption will be explained and the issues of cost and waiting periods will be addressed. For more information, call 1-800-627-8220.
Judgment sought against bison co-op
BISMARCK – The North Dakota Department of Agriculture (NDDA) has commenced a legal action in Cass County District Court seeking a $49,000 judgment against the North American Bison Cooperative (NABC) for its failure to meet an agreement to pay for cattle it had purchased from six producers.
“The cooperative agreed to pay the six producers a total of $324,674 for cattle bought as far back as October 2010,” said Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring. “The agreement stipulated that the money must be paid in full by June 1, 2012, and that if it was not paid, the cooperative would pay the department a civil penalty of $49,000.”
Goehring said the agreement was the result of NDDA’s filing an administrative complaint against NABC, doing business as North Dakota Natural Beef LLC, on June 15, 2011.
“NABC failed to pay producers even though there was a trust fund set up by the Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration (GIPSA),” Goehring said. “I am disappointed that the trust fund set up by federal regulators failed to protect the livestock producers who were not paid in full for animals they sold to the cooperative.
“There was once enough money in the trust fund to pay the producers for their livestock,” he said. “Unfortunately, the cooperative and its management failed to live up to their obligations under the trust, and current federal regulations prevented GIPSA from providing sufficient oversight. It now appears that the producers will not see most of the money owed them.”
North Dakota Natural Beef closed its beef and bison processing plant in Fargo and ended its operations last August.
Suspect Identified in Convenience Store Armed Robbery
FARGO, N.D. (January 8, 2013) – The Fargo Police Department is searching for Abraham Clifford Wilson (46) in connection with the armed robbery that occurred at a Stop-N-Go store on the evening of January 6, 2013. He currently has an active Federal Probation Warrant for his arrest.
At 9:41 p.m. on January 6, 2013, Mr. Wilson is alleged to have entered the front door of the Stop-N-Go store located at 3200 12th Ave. N. in Fargo. He approached the clerk at the checkout counter, presented a handgun and demanded money.