Bird's Eye View

Here's something to check out. Paul Bunyan TV has installed a webcam on the First Street water tower and pointed it at the construction of the Bemidji Regional Event Center.

You can access the video at this PBTV web page. This picture of the construction site was taken today from today's video.

Event Center Updates Thursday at 6pm

If you live on the east side of Lake Bemidji and normally use First Street to get into town, you may want to attend the informational meeting on Thursday evening. City of Bemidji and Kraus Anderson staff will be on hand on Thursday, June 4 at 6:00pm in the Chambers of City Hall to give an update on the event center construction project and answer questions. Information about the construction schedule, utility work and planned road closings will be shared.

It's Grilling Time--For Legislators, That Is

The Bemidji Area Chamber of Commerce is sponsoring the annual legislative wrap-up on Tuesday, June 2 at 5:30pm at City Hall. Area legislators from Districts 2 and 4 are invited. The lawmakers will give their take on this year's session and answer questions from the audience. What do you want to ask your representative?

Weekly Bits from the City Newsletter 5-29-09

This week's newsletter includes a letter from the Mayor to Governor Pawlenty enumerating the steps the City of Bemidji has taken to respond to Pawlenty's December 2008 unallotment and options to further respond to anticipated reductions in Local Government Aid payments. The list of additional options is pretty short -- 2 items.

You will also find updates on the event center, the library schedule, information about new playground equipment in a city Park and a new railroad crossing to be constructed at the entrance to the waste water treatment facility.

Check it out at this link to the City Manager's weekly newsletter. The newsletter is a mix of information from department heads who contribute updates, a list of upcoming meetings and various correspondence and sundry announcements.

Cashing in on Paul & Babe

This weekend is the kickoff of the summer tourism season for Bemidji and if this year is like most others, Paul and Babe will have their pictures taken with thousands of visitors a month.

We know that Bemidji is the true home of Paul and Babe and we’ll defend our claim to the iconic folk heroes to anyone who will listen. Unfortunately, that doesn’t stop towns from Washington to Maine, including several northern Minnesota towns– Hackensack, Akeley, Brainerd— from cashing in on Paul and Babe connections. But Paul and Babe are ours doggone it! Aren’t they?

A story in this week’s Northland Press, “Paul Bunyan Makes his Mark” made me wonder if Bemidji is doing all we can to capitalize on Paul Bunyan’s marketability. According to the story, Paul Bunyan’s footprints are appearing from Cross Lake to Pine River to mark the Paul Bunyan Scenic Byway, which doesn’t even come near here. The concrete footprint size is based on the Paul Bunyan “baby” boots at the Pine River Chamber of Commerce. Pine River? What are they doing there?

Last year, the Brainerd Lakes Area Chamber used Babe in their promotion for the Oxtrot, “an expedition of art in the lakes area” that resulted in more than 30 custom painted and decorated Babe statues from Brainerd to Pequot Lakes.



The summer season is off and running. We had the first hummingbirds, orioles, and yellow finches at our feeders. I made my first rhubarb pie of the season and attended high school graduation parties. Visitors had their pictures taken in front of Paul and Babe, and another community co-opted our favorite folk heroes.

Paying for Good Ideas

Inventors alert! Need $10,000 to get that idea off the ground? Want to be an entrepreneur? Four entrepreneurs got help from the IDEA competition this week when they were announced as winners in a contest to assist promising entrepreneurs.

The Northwest Minnesota Foundation’s 2009 Regional Summit at U of M Crookston Tuesday was an “innovation celebration” that included the announcement of the winners of the inaugural IDEA competition (Ingenuity Drives Entrepreneur Acceleration), which is sponsored by several organizations and higher ed institutions. Two of the four winners of the initial 61 entrants, are from Bemidji, one is from Bagley and the other is headquartered in East Grand Forks. They each receive $10,000.

Bemidji's Winners
The forte Keyboard Company, owned by veterinarian Eric Thorsgard and located in Bemidji, will be launching two new keyboard instruments – the forte and condensed keyboards. These keyboards will offer an alternative to people who want to play an instrument that is easier to learn than the piano.

Ultralight Soaring Aviation, Inc, owned by David and Bonnie Ekstrom, is located in Bemidji, MN. The company is launching the StartStick,™ a cost effective, light weight, self-contained energy pack, which provides all the power needed to start 4-8 cylinder piston engine aircraft.

Information about this year's winners and next year's competition is posted at IDEA competition online. Get you thinking cap on and your plan together--registration for the next round begins September 1, 2009.

Weekly Bits from the City Newsletter 5-15-09

What's new? This week's newsletter has a bit about the reception for the 2009-10 sculpture walk pieces (Saturday at 5:00pm) and a recap of activity at the local waste water treatment facility. Did you know that the City does field application of bio-solids from the WWTF?

Check it out at this link to the City Manager's weekly newsletter. The newsletter is a mix of information from department heads who contribute updates, a list of upcoming meetings and various correspondence and sundry announcements.