I first started at the Bemidji (Minn.) Pioneer as an intern in the summer of 1996. That would begin six years as a news reporter, sports reporter and copy editor for a small, six-day-per-week daily newspaper in northern Minnesota. I wrote a large range of stories from multiple beats, to features to sports, my favorite being the coverage of the Red Lake Reservation High School basketball team named the Warriors. Here is a collection of my stories from my time at the Pioneer.
July 3, 1996
By Devlyn Brooks
Staff Writer
Bemidji could look like a winter wonderland this December as a proposal from Mayor Doug Peterson was approved at Monday's City Council meeting.
Under Peterson's "Minnesota's Capital City Lights of the North" proposal, the city will spend $5,000 to decorate the waterfront trees, pavilions, the Chamber of Commerce building, the Paul Bunyan Amusement Park Ferris Wheel and the fence that surrounds the setting pond with white Christmas lights.
The other half of the project involves lighting the downtown area of Bemidji through an adopt-a-tree program. The downtown businesses will adopt the trees that are in front of their stores at a price of $27.60 per tree. Peterson said the adopt-a-tree program will raise about $3,500 for the project. He also said that he has commitments of "at least $5,000" for the lakefront lights.
The $5,000 the city will spend will cover the city's cost of lights, the cost of extension cords and the electrical power needed. Peterson also said there would be an annual cost for repair and replacement of the lights, but added that he felt this cost would be covered by private donations.
According to Peterson's calculations, it will take about 2,900 strings of lights, or 144,650 bulbs, to light the waterfront area, and it will take about 1,760 strings of lights, or 88,200 bulbs, to complete the downtown project.
All of the lights would be white except the lights on one tree by the lakefront. That tree would be a special Christmas tree hauled in and would be decorated with colored lights. Peterson said the lights following the outline of the Ferris Wheel might be amber leading to a large, white-bulbed star at the top.
Peterson said there is great community support for the program and many people have volunteered different services. Otter Tail Power Co. has committed to financial support and the use of a cherry picker to install the lights.
Bemidji banks have agreed to financial support of the program, and the Downtown Development Authority has agreed to financial support for the lakefront lights. Bemidji State University has agreed to help with the installation by using its grounds people, and Bemidji High School also has offered to use its maintenance personnel in down times.
The mayor said he met recently with the DDA, which as agreed to donate $1,000 to the lakefront lights, to oversee the "night we light" celebration and to establish a city lights coordinating team.
The $5,000 the city will spend will come front the contingency fund, which has about $23,000 left, Peterson said.
The Council unanimously agreed with the proposal. Councilor Bruce Atwater said he thought it was a great idea because when the city added the white street lights downtown it changed the downtown area for the better.
Councilman John O'Boyle said the project could lead to many things in the future because the lighting project in St. Paul influenced surrounding communities to also put up lights. He said it is almost an atmosphere of competitiveness.
"There are 61 trees in Library Park," Peterson said. "I believe in the future we'll have 61 people or businesses donating money for those trees too."
In other action, the Council:
* Awarded the low quote for the repair of 12 sanitary sewer manholes to Infratech-Infrastructure Technologies, Brooklyn Park, in the amount of $24,440.
* Approved Planning Commission recommendations on a planned unit development south of South Lake Irving Drive and east of Jefferson Avenue, a detached garage variance at 2885 Lake Ave. N.E., a deck setback variance at 617 Lincoln Ave. S.E., a garage setback variance at 2623 Irvine Ave. and a city request to vacate a section of the former 23rd Street right of way.
* Approved a Planning Commission recommendation to amend the Zoning Ordinance pertaining to the height of detached accessory buildings (garages) in residential zones.
* Approved Peterson's recommended Housing Appeals Board appointments of Bruce Atwater, councilman; Tim Brockman and Howie Zetah, contractors; George Theroux and Thad Bowman, homeowners; Paul Nelson, landlord; and, Kim Coburn, tenant.
* Heard a Public Works Committee report about capital improvement projects concerning streets, utilities, storm sewers and the Waste Water Treatment Plant. The committee also announced it was pursuing the idea of using the abandoned railroad track west of the city as a westside traffic collector.
* Approved resolutions condemning a structure at 820 Donald Ave. S.E. and authorized the execution of an agreement for Community-Oriented Policing Grant Program overtime. A resolution ordering a Grotte Avenue paving project was removed from the agenda.
* Heard first and second readings on a number of ordinances, including second reading of an ordinance establishing a moratorium on special uses (bed and breakfasts) on Lake Boulevard, second reading of an ordinance adopting amendments to the City Charter, second reading of an ordinance vacating use of street and authorizing sale of property to First Lutheran Church, first reading of an ordinance vacating a portion of the 23rd Street right of way and first reading of an ordinance amending the Zoning Ordinance pertaining to detached garages.
* Granted two license requests to Larson Plumbing and Heating and the Bemidji Jaycees.
* Approved payment of the city bills.
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