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North Dakota’s October not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 2.5%., according to Maren Daly, executive director, Job Service North Dakota. The October statistic is 0.3% below prior month, which was 2.8% and 0.2% above same month of year ago (2.3%). October is generally the lowest rate month of the year for the state.
North Dakota’s October rate is the lowest among all states, followed closely by Wyoming’s 2.7% and South Dakota at 2.8%.
Ransom County’s preliminary October 2008 unemployment rate is 2.6%, slightly higher than the state’s average for October, but still relatively low. Last year’s October rate for the County was 2.3% so it has increased from the same time last year. This translates to 76 people unemployed in the county in October of 2008 in comparison to 67 unemployed this same month in 2007.
The national seasonally adjusted October unemployment rate was 6.5%. This was an increase of 0.4% from previous month’s 6.1% rate and 1.7% above the same month a year ago. Thirty-seven of North Dakota’s fifty-three counties had October unemployment rates below 3.0%; while all but three had rates below 4.0%.
These statistics produced by the Labor Market Information Center of Job Service North Dakota utilize standard methodology developed by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics as a requirement for use by all states.
Several members of the Lisbon High School Music Department will be performing in the 13th annual “We’re in the Christmas Mood” show scheduled for 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, December 13 at Vangstad Auditorium on the Campus of Valley City State University. The show is produced by the VCSU’s EBC Fraternity Alumni Committee.
This year the show will again feature an “All Star High School Girls’ Ensemble.” Students participating in the ensemble are chosen by the executive committee of the show from a pool of candidates nominated by area music instructors. “I nominated several girls this year, from which several were chosen,” states Mr. John Monilaws, director of high school music for the Lisbon Public School system and Maestro of the VCSU event. “I think we have some great talent in Lisbon. I have the privilege of working with our talented students every day. I would like others to be able to appreciate what they have to offer. The show provides a wonderful experience for the kids.” Read the rest of this entry »
by Kammy Larson
The Lisbon High School Music Department will be featured in their annual Christmas concert “Sounds of the Season.” The concert will take place on Monday, December 8, at 7 p.m. in the high school commons. The LHS Music Department is under the direction of Maestro John Monilaws.
The concert band will paint a picture for its audience with the musical medley “Portraits of Christmas.” The medley, arranged by Warren Barker, includes the selections “The Holly and the Ivy,” “It Came Upon the Midnight Clear,” and “Joy to the World.”
The concert choir will allow the audience to take a break from the Christmas rush and relax to the strains of “Christmas Lullaby” by John Rutter.
Allow Frank Sinatra to “take you away” as the swing choir is featured singing his renowned “Mistletoe and Holly.”
Soloist Elliott Olerud, a senior at Lisbon High School, will share his musical talents on the trumpet in a jazz band selection entitled “Oh Holy Night.”
What are holidays without Christmas goodies? Don’t forget to pick up some delicious treats from the free-will bake sale in the high school lobby.
In addition to their performance in the “Sounds of the Season” concert, the jazz band will be performing in the J.C. Penney court at the West Acres Shopping Center in Fargo on Wednesday, December 17, at 12:00 noon.
This story is complimentary to you by the writing staff of your Ransom County Gazette. To receive more stories and photos, subscribe today by calling 1-866-702-9032.
Kevin J. Dvorak, President and CEO of the North Dakota Community Foundation was in the area delivering grants from the North Dakota Community Foundation’s Unrestricted and field of interest Endowment Funds.
The Lisbon Opera House has received a $5,000 North Dakota Community Foundation (NDCF) grant which was presented to Dick and Judy Larson, Lisbon, on Friday, November 20 at the Opera House by Mr. Dvorak.
The money will be used to renovate the community room, which is located east of the front doors of the building housing the Opera House. It needs drywall; slight lowering of the 12’ ceiling; carpeting; paint; flooring for the entry near the elevator; revised lighting, baseboard and molding in the community room to match the old millwork that is used in the opera house; and revised lighting and electrical services.
The total cost of the project is projected to be $8,500. The grant has provided $5,000 and the rest will be paid by donations to the Opera House.
The community room will be used to hold meetings. It can be rented for various fundraisers or social functions. It could be used for a tourist office where people can come to find out what is going on in the area at a particular time.
Other local grants include:
• Mercy Hospital-Valley City, $3,685, Health Risk Assessment and Education for Teens
• Maple River Senior Center-Enderlin, $2,000, Center Improvement Project
• Save the Hens Foundation-Sheldon, $2,500, Restore Mitzpah Lodge for Community Center
• Woman Song, $2,500, Support for Annual Event
• City of Rutland, $5,000, Playground Equipment
• City of Verona, $2,000, New Heating System
• Verona Volunteer Fire Department, $4,200, Upgrades to Fire Truck
“The North Dakota Community Foundation is pleased to provide grants for these important projects to help make this corner of North Dakota an even better place to live,” said Mr. Dvorak.
Grants are awarded on a competitive basis. This year the Foundation received over 130 grant requests. The Board of Directors was able to support 57 of those projects for a total or $186,000. The above grants are only a portion of the Foundation’s 2008 total giving. The NDCF will make grants totaling over $5,000,000 across the State of North Dakota this year.
For more information please contact Kevin J. Dvorak, CFP®-President & CEO, 701-222-8349
This story is complimentary to you by the writing staff of your Ransom County Gazette. To receive more stories and photos, subscribe today by calling 1-866-702-9032.
By Lisa Fauss
Dennis Dahl, the 2008 winner of Gwinner Citizen of the Year, doesn’t hesitate to give of himself.
“This person is known to take a vacation day from work to do volunteer work,” said one of the many nomination letters of Dahl. Gwinner Civic Club Chairman, Jeannette Beckstrom, presented the award at a special ceremony in Gwinner on Monday evening, Nov. 24. Last year’s winner, Carol Holmstrom, was also this year’s emcee.
Beckstrom added that Dahl graduated from high school, attended college and landed a job in Gwinner. He got married, raised a family and has been volunteering for the community ever since. Read the rest of this entry »
by Joe Howell
The Broncos of Lisbon bounced back from a disappointing opening match loss to Langdon to win the consolation championship at the State B volleyball tournament.
Lisbon was leading Langdon 24-23 in game two and had won the first game, only to see the eventual state champions rally to defeat the Broncos, not only in game two, but in games three and four as well.
Langdon and Lisbon came into the state tournament riding 10- and 12-match winning streaks. The Broncos picked a bad time to serve and pass poorly as the Cardinals pounced on every Lisbon error in the last three games. Read the rest of this entry »
by Janet Hansen
Plans for the new North Dakota Veterans Homes (NDVH) facility are progressing, but not as quickly as was originally hoped.
According to Mr. Mark Johnson, NDVH administrator, bids for construction of the new facility were let on September 2. Since the budget for building the new facility had been limited by legislative authority to $25.6 million and the bids came in at $30.8 million and over, all bids were rejected.
Johnson comments that the timing for the bid letting was not good. “In September, prices on building material were about as high as they could get,” he said. “It wasn’t long after we called for the bids that the bottom started dropping out of the economy.” Read the rest of this entry »
by Terri Kelly Barta
Fire destroyed the home of Chris and Julie Kaspari located southeast of Sheldon on Thursday, November 20. The call came in at 7:14 a.m. after a brother-in-law, Mark Rivard, Fargo, who was hunting on the Kaspari land, discovered smoke and fire coming from the house.
“It is as much a loss to the entire Kaspari family as it is to Chris and I, as the home has been in the family for several generations,” said Julie Kaspari in a telephone interview on Monday.
The Kasparis had been in Mexico visiting their oldest son, Luke, at the time of the fire. Their daughter, Ashley, Briar Cliff College, Iowa, was recovering from a tonsillectomy, and told her parents of the fire when they called to check on her. She had been notified just before her parents called. Their youngest son, Ben, who is a student at NDSU, came home immediately after learning of the fire. He was used as a resource person, according to his mom.
The call came in at 7:14 a.m., but the house was already engulfed in fire and smoke. Only a few items were saved including a safe with 20 years worth of film negatives, the family’s Bible, and a filing cabinet.
The firefighters from Enderlin-Sheldon Fire Department responded with nine trucks and 16 firefighters. A short while later, Leonard Fire Department was called for mutual aid and responded. The Ransom County Sheriff’s Department, First Medic Ambulance Service and Enderlin Rescue Squad were all at the scene. Approximately 50,000 gallons of water were used on the fire.
The firefighters assume it started in the basement, said Enderlin-Sheldon Fire Chief Duane Skramstad. The cause is undetermined.
The firefighters fought it until approximately 1:00 p.m., then decided to let it burn itself out under supervision. The house was a total loss.
“We are grateful to the Sheldon ladies who provided coffee and sandwiches to the firefighters,” said Chief Skramstad.
The Kasparis are saddened by their loss, but just glad that nobody got hurt. Chris and Julie are staying part of the time with family in Fargo and part of the time with friends in the Sheldon area.
“As devastating as this is, there is a lot be thankful for,” said Julie Kaspari.
This story is complimentary to you by the writing staff of your Ransom County Gazette. To receive more stories and photos, subscribe today by calling 1-866-702-9032.
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