The Arrowhead Regional Arts Council is Seeking New Board Members

     The Arrowhead Regional Arts Council is currently accepting applications from individuals wishing to serve on its Board of Directors.  There are currently openings for the following two Board positions:  an At-Large representative and a Student Ad-Hoc representative.

     ARAC offers grant support and technical assistance to individual artists and non-profit arts organizations who reside in the seven counties which make up the Arrowhead Region:  Aitkin, Carlton, Cook, Itasca, Koochiching, Lake and St. Louis.

     ARAC is looking for individuals with knowledge of various art forms and perspectives.  Active artists working in all disciplines; artists from communities of color; arts supporters/collectors; or individuals with knowledge of the regional arts community and arts organizations are encouraged to apply.

    ARAC's Board meets the third Thursday of each month except August and December.  Council members serve as panelists to award project based funding to regional non-profit arts organizations and artists.  Board members also assess the art needs in the region and develop programs that stimulate the regional arts community.  Council members serve as volunteers, but are paid a mileage reimbursement for attending meetings.  A board term is three years and a Board member may serve two consecutive terms.  Serving on the Board gives an individual the opportunity to learn about arts activities in the region; to increase their knowledge of grant writing and the review process; to network with other artists and arts professionals; and to have input into matters that affect arts funding in the region.

    ARAC is the primary funding source for artists and arts organizations in northeastern Minnesota, awarding over a half a million dollars in grant support last year.  ARAC administers six grant programs for regional non-profit arts organizations and three grant programs for regional artists.  ARAC also administers The Artist Fund, a Duluth based, regional non-profit which offers financial assistance to artists confronted with a career-threatening emergency and a medical reimbursement program.

    ARAC's programs are made possible through funding from the Minnesota State Legislature; the Arts and Cultural Heritage fund as appropriated by the State Legislature with money from the vote of the people of Minnesota on November 4, 2008; The McKnight Foundation; and the Artist Fund.  ARAC presents the Arrowhead Arts Awards, which annually recognize an outstanding regional artist and arts advocate.  The ARAC staff provides free grant writing workshops and technical assistance to regional artists and arts organizations and ARAC works in partnership with the Minnesota State Arts Board and the other eleven Regional Arts Councils to promote the arts throughout Minnesota.

    The deadline for submitting an application is Friday, February 25, 2011.  The available At-Large term runs from May 1, 2011 to June 30, 2014.  The Student Ad-Hoc position runs from May 1, 2011, to June 30, 2012.  Interested individuals may contact the ARAC office at info@aracouncil.org; 218-722-0952 or 800-569-8134 for more information about Board responsibilities, the Council and its programs, and to receive an application form.  A Board application form can be downloaded from the ARAC web site:  www.aracouncil.org

Twins Caravan to visit Grand Rapids, Hibbing, Bemidji, Brainerd, Ely, Walker, Aitkin

Grand Rapids, Hibbing, Bemidji, Brainerd, Ely, Walker, Aitkin are among the northern Minnesota communities included in the 2011 Twins Winter Caravan, which features stops in nearly 60 communities throughout Twins Territory between Monday, Jan. 17 and Monday, Jan. 31.  Here is the schedule of stops in this area:

Week 1.1 - Ron Gardenhire, Drew Butera, Jeff Manship, Joe Vavra, Kris Atteberry
Thursday, Jan. 20 - TBD; Fosston/Clearbrook, MN; Brainerd, MN

Week 1.2 - Matt Capps, Brian Duensing, Dick Bremer
Tuesday, Jan. 18 - Ely, MN; Hibbing, MN; Grand Rapids, MN
Wednesday, January 19 - Aitkin, MN; Walker, MN; Bemidji, MN

For a complete schedule: http://mlb.mlb.com/min/community/winter_caravan.jsp

Give Locally - Over $1.8M in Matching Funds Available on Give to the Max Day - November 16

GiveMNians, Give to the Max Day returns as a day to inspire unprecedented levels of charitable giving in the state of Minnesota! Our goal is to beat our own record and get 40,000 people to give to their favorite Minnesota charity on November 16. Hundreds of nonprofits will offer the opportunity to double your dollars throughout the 24 hours. Every donation you make gives your favorite organization the chance to win even more money. Click on the video for a special Give to the Max Day message. Please mark your calendars for November 16 - donate to your favorite organizations who help contribute to the quality of life in our state.  Whether you care about children, the arts, clean water or education - you can connect with a cause and an organization that needs your support. Then share your donations with your friends and family using the easy share links on GiveMN. So click on GiveMN.org November 16th and contribute all you can. Help us reach 40,000 donors strong. You have one day to be part of history. One incredible day to Give to the Max to make our state a better place. Will you give? Sincerely, Dana Nelson GiveMN.org How to Give to the Max - Plan Your Giving! Double Your Dollars Look for the "2x" icon on select nonprofit pages. This icon means there is a dollar for dollar match available when you donate on that page. You can also search all the organizations offering matching grants using the green "2x Your Gift" button on the Give to the Max Day homepage. Win a Golden Ticket One donor will be randomly chosen every hour to have $1,000 added to their donation. This could be you! See the list of winners on the Give to the Max Day homepage. Help Your Favorite Organization Win the Grand Prize A $20,000 and $10,000 prize grant will be awarded to the top two nonprofits in the Twin Cities and the top two nonprofits in Greater Minnesota that attract the largest number of individual donors on Give to the Max Day. Happy First Birthday GiveMN! Last November, the virtual switch was flipped and GiveMN was created.  Thanks to you - and 58,000 other generous people who have made donations on GiveMN -  we have become one of the largest giving portals in the country. Minnesota has always been a  leader in philanthropy and now we are leading the way in e-philanthropy! Click here to read our one-page Happy Birthday GiveMN Annual Report.

You can find local organizations to give to by clicking the GiveMN link on your local community internet site. You can find a link to your local community internet site at http://givemn.com/story/Community-Internet-Sites.  You can donate to support the Northern Community Internet sites themselves. 

DNR News: Three news releases for immediate release

Editors…please see the three attached releases…

 

 

DNR NEWS – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                            SEPTEMBER 17, 2010

Media contacts: Colleen Coyne, DNR communications director, 651-259-5023; Gary Barnard, Bemidji area fisheries supervisor, 218-308-2339.

Northern pike regulation change for Upper Red Lake to be discussed

A special regulation that requires anglers to release all northern pike 26- to 40-inches long from Upper Red Lake has been in place since 2006. A proposal is being considered to modify this regulation to protect larger northern pike from 26- to 44-inches long.

 

Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) fisheries staff will hold a local public meeting to provide information on the proposal and to accept public comments about whether to proceed with the modification. The meeting will be Thursday, Oct. 7, at 7 p.m., at the North Beltrami Community Center, on Gould Avenue and Main Street in Kelliher.

 

For those unable to attend the local meeting, an open house will be held at the DNR Headquarters, 500 Lafayette Road in St. Paul, on Sept. 29 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Staff will be available to take comments on the proposal.

 

Written comments may also be submitted until Monday, Oct. 18, by e-mail to gary.barnard@state.mn.us, or by mail to DNR Area Fisheries, 2114 Bemidji Ave., Bemidji, MN 56601. Those who wish to provide comments by phone may call 218-308-2339.

 

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DNR NEWS – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                            sEPTEMBER 17, 2010

Media contacts: Colleen Coyne, communications director, 651-259-5023; Dean Beck, Glenwood area fisheries supervisor, 320-634-4573.

Minimum walleye length on Osakis,
Little Osakis to be discussed Sept. 30

The minimum walleye length on Osakis and Little Osakis lakes will be the focus of a Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) public meeting from 5-7 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 30, at the Pollard Community Center, 18 Nokomis Street, in Osakis.

 

DNR fisheries staff will explain the existing 15-inch minimum length limit regulation and solicit public comments on whether the regulation should remain in place, be modified or dropped.

 

For those unable to attend the local meeting, there also will be an open house from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 29, at the DNR Headquarters, 500 Lafayette Road, in St. Paul.  Staff will be available to take comments on the regulation.

 

Written comments also may be submitted until Monday, Oct. 11, by e-mail to dean.beck@state.mn.us or by mail to DNR Area Fisheries Office, 23070 North Lakeshore Drive, Glenwood, MN 56334. Those who wish to provide comments by phone may call

320-634-4573.

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DNR NEWS – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                            september 17, 2010

Media contacts: Colleen Coyne, communications director, 651-259-5023; Harlan Fierstine, Walker area fisheries supervisor, 218-547-1683.

DNR seeks public input on proposals for Leech Lake walleye slot limit

Those interested in walleye regulations on Leech Lake can learn more about the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources’ (DNR) proposals to maintain or modify existing regulations at an upcoming public meeting. The meeting will be held on Wednesday, Oct. 13, from 6-9 p.m. at the Walker/Hackensack/Akeley school commons in Walker.

 

DNR fisheries staff will explain why the department is considering maintaining regulations adopted in 2005, which require Leech Lake anglers to immediately release all walleye 18-to

26-inches in length. Anglers are allowed to keep up to four walleye, only one of which can be longer than 26 inches.

 

A second proposal would require anglers to immediately release all walleye 20-to 26-inches in length. The bag limit would remain at four fish, with one of those walleye allowed to be longer than 26 inches. If DNR population surveys determine that female walleye density was negatively impacted by the reduced slot limit, DNR could revert back to the 18-to 26-inch slot limit.

 

“The ability to revert back to a more protective slot limit gives us flexibility,” said Harlan Fierstine, the DNR’s Walker area fisheries supervisor. “It allows anglers to keep larger fish while providing a useful management tool that allows us to protect younger year classes of walleye. if necessary, to meet population objectives established by Leech Lake’s citizen input committee.”

 

Those unable to attend the meeting in Walker can discuss the proposals with DNR staff from

8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 29, at DNR headquarters, 500 Lafayette Road, in St. Paul.

 

Written comments may be submitted until Monday, Oct. 25, via e-mail to harlan.fierstine@state.mn.us, or via postal mail to DNR Area Fisheries, 07316 State 371 NW, Walker, MN 56484. Telephone comments can be made by calling the Walker area fisheries office at 218-547-1683.

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Louise Like

Minnesota Dept. of Natural Resources

1201 E. Hwy 2

Grand Rapids, MN  55744

 

Email:  "louise.like@state.mn.us"

Phone:  218-327-4455

FAX:  218-327-4263

 

DNR news release for February 4, 2010

DNR NEWS – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                  FEBRUARY 4, 2010

Media contacts: Colleen Coyne, DNR communications director, 651-259-5023; Patricia Arndt, Parks and Trails Division planning and public affairs manager, 651-259-5578.

 

Free Take-A-Kid Ice Fishing Clinic set for Feb. 13 at Lake Carlos State Park

Register before Feb. 11

 

Cabin fever setting in? Bundle up the kids and participate in the Take-A-Kid Ice Fishing Clinic at Lake Carlos State Park on Saturday,
Feb. 13, from 1 to 4:30 p.m.

 

“This event will get everyone from preschoolers to teens outside and back into nature,” said Ryan Sansness, assistant park manager. “This clinic is geared towards families that have little or no ice-fishing experience.” 

 

The clinic is free to attend, but people should call the park at 320-852-7200 to register before Feb. 11, because class size is limited.

 

The ice-fishing clinic begins inside the park’s visitor center, where presentations will be given on ice-fishing safety, gear, techniques, and – most important – how to have fun. Kids will be able to make their own jigging stick to use on the ice and take home. The last hour of the clinic will take place on Lake Carlos, where we’ll attempt to catch sunfish, crappies, and even the elusive walleye. 

 

Christopherson Bait of Alexandria donated the fishing equipment needed to make the jigging sticks. One kid will win a complete ice-fishing kit at the end of the clinic.

 

Adults do not need a fishing license to attend. Anglers age 18 and older can also fish without a license from Feb. 13-15 if they are accompanied by a child younger than 16 and actively participating in Take-A-Kid Ice Fishing Weekend. 

 

 A vehicle permit ($5 one-day or $25 year-round) is required to enter the park and can be purchased at the park office. 

 

Lake Carlos State Park is located 10 miles north of Alexandria. From State Highway 29, go two miles west on Highway 38 to reach the park entrance. 

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DNR news release: Itasca State Park’s youth deer hunt gets kids outdoors

DNR NEWS – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
DECEMBER 21, 2009
Media contacts: Colleen Coyne, DNR communications director,
651-259-5023; Patricia Arndt, Minnesota State Parks planning and public
affairs manager, 651-259-5578.

Itasca State Park's youth deer hunt gets kids outdoors

Itasca State Park hosted its first firearms youth deer hunt earlier
this fall. Forty young hunters participated in the event, with a
confirmed harvest of seven deer. The two-day hunt was meant to help meet
the park's deer reduction goals while encouraging new hunters. This
event was in addition to a regular season hunt with yearly participation
of nearly 500 hunters.

Although the number of deer has decreased across the region, the
population is still higher than Park Resource Specialist Cathy Handrick
would like to see. "We are still seeing deer browse that is affecting
our forest regeneration efforts," she said.

Prior to the hunt, the young hunters had an opportunity to attend a
day-long mini-camp, where they learned the basics of deer hunting from
members of the Park Rapids Chapter of the Minnesota Deer Hunters
Association (MDHA). The mini-camp covered topics such as tracking, tree
stand safety, and compass use. Both the MDHA and park officials believe
educating and encouraging young hunters is critical to instilling the
importance of Minnesota's outdoor heritage in future generations.

Some participants bagged their first deer during the youth hunt, while
others simply enjoyed the time spent in the woods with a parent or
mentor. One young hunter who didn't see any deer said he was still
excited, because he had never heard a grouse drum before.

"Whether these young hunters bagged a deer or not, the underlying goal
was to get youth engaged in the outdoors," said Matt Snyder, Itasca
State Park manager, "Anytime you can get youth involved outdoors, it
gives them an appreciation of the natural resources and what Minnesota
has to offer."
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DNR state park news releases - October 9, 2009

DNR NEWS - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

OCTOBER 9, 2009
Media contacts: Colleen Coyne, DNR communications director,
651-259-5023; Patricia Arndt, Minnesota State Parks planning and public
affairs manager, 651-259-5578.

Fall Festival set for Lake Carlos State Park on Oct. 10

The leaves are vibrant, the air is cool - fall is here! Bring the whole
family to welcome the change of season at Lake Carlos State Park's
Fall Festival on Saturday, Oct. 10. The event will take place at the
park's Lakeview Group Camp from noon to 4 p.m. Activities for all ages
will include guided nature hikes, pontoon boat rides, and more. The park
will even be providing pumpkins for children to decorate and take home.

A complete schedule of events can be picked up at park office or
visitor center. There is no fee for this program, but vehicle permits
($5/day or $25/year-round) are required to enter Minnesota state parks.
In case of rain, events may be moved to various park shelters; details
will be available at the park office.

Lake Carlos State Park is located 10 miles north of Alexandria on State
Highway 29, then 2 miles west on Highway 38. For more information, call
320-852-7200.
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DNR NEWS - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
OCTOBER 9, 2009
Media contacts: Colleen Coyne, DNR communications director,
651-259-5023; Steve Carroll, DNR information officer, 651-259-5342.

Fall is busy time at two Minnesota state parks

From wildlife watching, to fall colors, hiking to camping, there's
plenty to do this fall at Hayes Lake and Lake Bronson state parks in
northwestern Minnesota.
Fall migrations are taking place so visitors can watch waterfowl
flights of ducks, geese, and sand hill cranes. Migrating raptors can be
seen along roadways. Visitors can see elk herds with bulls actively
bugling. Song birds, especially warblers, are prolific in both parks.

There are also opportunities to hunt elk, sharp-tail grouse, ruffed
grouse, and waterfowl in the area, or experience the special permit deer
hunts in the parks.

Both parks also offer camping options for people interested in spending
the night.

Hayes Lake State Park offers:
· Rustic* fall camping for $16 a night for electric or $12 for
non-electric.
· Camper cabins available through October. Rates are $45 a night for
non-electric, or $50 a night with electricity.

Lake Bronson State Park offers:
· Rustic* fall camping at Lakeside and Lakeside Extension, Two Rivers
campgrounds for $16 a night for electric or $12 for non-electric.

Call today for reservation at 1-866-85PARKS (1-866-857-2757), or go
online at www.stayatmnparks.com.

*Rustic camping amenities include vault toilets and hand pumped water,
showers and flush toilets are closed for the season.
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