— A yearly meeting between three northwest Minnesota cities is making a comeback after being interrupted by COVID and city staffing changes It will be held at the end of the month in Thief River Falls Crookston Mayor Dale Stainbrook said it’s good to get together with the other cities and see what changes have happened since the last meeting “It’s good to get together and just communicate with other council members,” he said Some chairs will be provided for those interested in attending and said it is passed between the three cities The meeting will be held at the Ralph Engelstad Arena in Thief River Falls Tri-Cities is held to gather the three cities together and talk about topics affecting them Stainbrook said the cities could take any issues talked about to St Crookston City Council decided to bring up topics relating to a regional water cooperative Philipp said Thief River Falls wants to discuss sanitation Minnesota Department of Transportation projects and a demo for an app one of the cities has In the East Grand Forks City Council’s recent meeting council members discussed the meeting briefly but didn’t mention any specific agenda items for the Tri-Cities meeting The three cities haven’t been able to hold the meeting since 2019 and Crookston’s city administrator moving to a different position during the planning process delayed them from returning Philipp said the three cities had started talking about holding the meeting again last fall but decided to wait until elections had gone through in case new members were elected Since it has been some years since the meeting has happened that they would even see each other,” she said The newbies see what’s going on in other communities the Thief River Falls-based maker of snowmobiles and ATVs has been sold to a former executive of the company alongside an investor group Arctic Cat’s newly appointed president and CEO He previously spent 17 years at Arctic Cat and left in 2016 shortly before the company’s sale to Textron Inc “Today is the start of a new chapter but with a powerful understanding: this race is never-ending and our intent is to lead,” Darling said The sale comes after Textron had announced in February it planned to lay off 385 workers from one of Arctic Cat’s Thief River Falls production facilities and halt manufacturing by May 22 Darling praised Arctic Cat’s local roots and painted an optimistic picture of the company’s future in Minnesota “As a permanent fixture of Thief River Falls this iconic brand has benefitted from the passion of not only the employees but also the entire community,” Darling said “We are now able to wipe away any uncertainty and are looking ahead with great excitement.” Arctic Cat was founded in Thief River Falls in 1962 and it was sold to Textron for $246 million in 2017 The details of the sale to Darling’s investment group were not immediately available Argo and Arctic Cat will remain separately owned and managed brands Any person with disabilities who needs help accessing the content of the FCC Public File may contact KSTP via our online form or call 651-646-5555 — Three northwest Minnesota cities are planning a meeting with local legislators in the fall following the first conversation between them since 2019 Crookston City Council Member Kristie Jerde said it would be nice to speak with legislators “It’s Gander’s first session so it would be nice to have our faces in front of him,” she said East Grand Forks and Thief River Falls’ mayors and a quorums of each city council members sat together Tuesday evening with an agenda of topics to discuss during the first Tri-Cities Meeting in six years The meeting ran for about two and a half hours sharing strategies and ideas regarding different issues and features of everyone’s respective cities housing shortages and emergency services were among some of the agenda items Thief River Falls hosted the meeting at its Ralph Engelstad Arena with Mayor Mike Lorenson leading the discussion the week after the hunt ended on Bygland Road … there were like four or five reported traffic accidents the week after the season ended,” he said Quality of living expenses were another agenda item Thief River Falls members said there is a pool fund in place Crookston City Council members spoke about the fundraising the community has done to assist its city pool and East Grand Forks members shared that its pool sees regular but EGF’s pool has received visitors due to community events and planned visits Housing shortages were another issue brought up Lorenson said TRF completed a housing study which yielded information about how much housing the city needs “We have to build 110 to 120 family units per year for the next 11 years,” he said Arctic Cat will permanently lay off hundreds of workers from one of its production facilities in Thief River Falls part of parent company Textron’s plan to scale back operations according to a notice filed with the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development on Thursday “Changing business needs require us to reduce our workforce at the location permanently,” Stacy McDaniel Textron’s vice president of human resources said while Arctic Cat manufacturing will cease by May 22 customer service and distribution divisions will still be operational continues to explore strategic alternatives regarding the future of the powersports business If developments necessitate a change in plans for the Thief River Falls facility we will make further announcements as needed,” Haddock said Textron announced in November it was laying off about 65 Arctic Cat workers due to “current conditions in our industry.” In December the company said in a Securities and Exchange Commission filing that it planned to pause all production in its powersports division beginning in 2025 “The consumer end market demand for powersports products continues to remain soft,” the filing states and Textron acquired the company in 2017 for $246 million Arctic Cat not only became an economic pillar but a second home for its workers “They’re like family to me,” Christina Parsley Parsley is one of the hundreds getting laid off.  “It’s hard when they had the meeting with us today and gave us our notice but I held back my tears,” Parsley said “It’s going to be sad and hurtful to see that to go away and not know when you’re going to see these people again,” she added.  spent the day connecting with city and state leaders to learn how best to support those let go.  “A tough time for the city,” Lorenson said and it’s going to be painful for them and we’re going to need to gather together to see what we can do to help each other out.” One he was in touch with was Republican state senator for the area Mark Johnson.  really identified itself around Arctic Cat,” Sen “We’re hoping to come in and make it so that Minnesota is a place that can attract businesses we can find somebody that can really revive that label that brand,” Johnson added about his focus at the Capitol to help his constituents.  — Former Arctic Cat executive Brad Darling has purchased the Thief River Falls-based snowmobile manufacturer Arctic Cat announced the acquisition from Textron Specialized Vehicles on Thursday the Thief River Falls plant will continue normal operations and additional information will be released in the coming days said he's excited to begin moving the brand forward "The pursuit of the checkered flag is in Arctic Cat's DNA," he said in a statement Like anyone who has ever grabbed the throttle — it's a relentless drive that pushes us forward and sparks our passion Darling worked with Arctic Cat for nearly 17 years most recently as the vice president of the snowmobile division He left Arctic Cat in 2016 when he became CEO and president of ARGO and each brand will be owned and operated separately Textron communications director Brandon Haddock said.  Cloud facility will continue its operations and support Arctic Cat products," Argo marketing director Cory Maus said in an email Maus was unable to provide an update on layoffs at the St Cloud LIVE reporter Trent Abrego contributed to this report Judy and Randy Adamson pictured inside their garage full of Arctic Cat collectibles They owned an Arctic Cat dealership in Thief River Falls for many years and he is considered the town's local Arctic Cat historian Textron has sold snowmobile and ATV maker Arctic Cat a former Arctic Cat vice president and currently president and CEO at Canadian all-terrain vehicle (ATV) maker Argo and an investment group bought the Thief River Falls company  SIGN UP  but with a powerful understanding: This race is never-ending and our intent is to lead,” Darling said in a news release It is unclear when the manufacturing plant will reopen in January as it explored strategic alternatives for Arctic Cat Darling will continue to lead Argo as he takes on duties at Arctic Cat according to a press release from the new owners though their could be synergies between the two companies Arctic Cat was founded by Edgar Hetteen in 1962 and the company has been operating in Thief River Falls since then Rhode Island-based Textron purchased Arctic Cat in 2017 for $247 million in cash “As a permanent fixture of Thief River Falls this iconic brand has benefitted from the passion of not only the employees but also the entire community,” Darling said in the release “We are now able to wipe away any uncertainty and are looking ahead with great excitement.” Arctic Cat was part of Textron’s specialized vehicles segment that includes other brands such as Tracker boats Jacobsen lawn mowers and Cushman utility vehicles Textron runs mostly aircraft and defense businesses It announced the sale during its first quarter earnings release Wednesday Textron said the sale included the Arctic Cat brand and operations “We thank the talented and dedicated employees of Arctic Cat for their contributions during their time at Textron Specialized Vehicles and wish them a bright future,” the statement said In a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission it said it would disclose the proceeds of the sale sometime in the second quarter Arctic Cat is one of only three major manufacturers of snowmobiles along the other two being Medina-based Polaris and Ski-Doo Yamaha announced in 2023 that it would exit the snowmobile business as the number of snowmobiles sold has declined since the industry peaked in the 1990s Get updates from the editors of The FREEMAN The NEWS GRAPHIC and The ENTERPRISE sent directly to your email inbox We promise to not clutter your email inbox with any messages you haven't asked for and we won't give away your email address SIGN UP TODAY Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.We recommend switching to one of the following browsers: Thief River Falls battled East Grand Forks to a 6-0 shutout victory as the Green Wave went on to be shut out the next four quarters East Grand Forks was determined to not let that happen this time around 5 seed Wave scored 22 points in the first half and a poised start to the game for Jakob Stassen Cole Schmiedeberg and D’Aijalon Hall powered a 32-0 win over No 4 Thief River Falls in the quarterfinals of the Minnesota Section 8AAA playoffs You can tell our guys are getting some confidence back and some swagger back,” East Grand Forks head coach Ryan Kasowski said the Green Wave amassed 174 yards on the ground Nowacki and Hall gained almost half of that on less than 10 carries Schmiedeberg plowed the way through with 82 yards and set up two scores on the first two possessions of the game The first play from scrimmage sent the junior 31 yards Nowacki capped off the effort with a 3-yard touchdown rush He then repeated the effort on a 2-point conversion catch from Stassen “Really proud of our guys up front there,” he said they were ready to go and it was a great job by those guys.” Stassen started the game 6-for-6 through the air and was able to extend drives with key third-and-long throws to Noah Frize and Nowacki One of Frize’s first-half receptions came on fourth down near midfield and helped set up a 6-yard touchdown rush from Schmiedeberg the EGF defense continued to pressure the middle and put the clamps on the Prowlers the Wave were able to get to TRF quarterback Gannon Zutz twice on drive-killing sacks your kids have to understand you’re only guaranteed one more I think our kids really took that to heart this week and our guys didn’t want to be done," Kasowski said continuing to use the clock to their advantage a two-minute drill allowed the Green Wave to put a dagger in the opening half Two explosive runs from Hall brought EGF all the way to the 5-yard line after starting the drive on its own 10 Stassen found Schmiedeberg in the flat for a last-second touchdown the Green Wave continued to put up highlights in the second half including two blocked punts — one of which went for a safety got the second team some playing time and some early preparation for Fergus Falls The Wave previously lost to Fergus Falls this year by another one-score 21-14 defeat “It’ll be a quick turnaround but it should be a great matchup,” Kasowski said — Just over 400 Minnesota Arctic Cat workers will be laid off this spring from the company’s Thief River Falls and St Approximately 385 employees in Thief River Falls will be laid off this May according to Minnesota’s State Rapid Response Team and a Textron spokesperson The layoffs are a result of “changing business needs” that require Textron to permanently reduce its Thief River Falls workforce according to a Federal Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act (WARN) letter from the Rapid Response Team The layoffs in Thief River Falls will take place May 8-22 a news release accompanying the letter said Employees who work up to their specific completion date will be eligible for severance benefits He confirmed that the facility’s manufacturing operations will be suspended by May 22 All 19 will be laid off when the plant closes continues to explore strategic alternatives regarding the future of the powersport business,” Haddock said “If developments necessitate a change in plans for our facilities in St we will make further announcements as needed.” the Thief River Falls plant has at times employed 800 or more people ATVs and side-by-side recreational vehicles The company has had as many as 50 employees throughout the year at the St Cloud Economic Development Authority Director Cathy Mehelich previously told St While the company is laying off more than 400 Minnesota workers between the two locations Haddock said Arctic Cat is not going out of business aftermarket distribution centers and other functions are ready to assist our dealers and loyal customers,” he said “We are committed to providing the service and support to keep our thousands of loyal customers riding and enjoying Arctic Cat vehicles.” Dozens of workers at a decades-long Minnesota snowmobile maker have been laid off Arctic Cat informed their dealers this week in a letter and shared “current conditions in our industry” as at least one reason The company, headquartered in Thief River Falls and owned by Rhode Island-based Textron confirmed the news with 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS through a spokesperson who wrote in part that “Arctic Cat made workforce reductions at our Thief River Falls facility on Wednesday.” They also stated that “About 65 employees at the Thief River Falls facility were affected Affected employees are eligible for severance benefits including outplacement assistance to help them transition to new opportunities.  we will furlough much of our hourly production workforce in Thief River Falls until early next year furloughed employees will be able to return to work We thank our employees for their service and contributions to our company’s success and wish them well in their next endeavors.” This isn’t the only Minnesota based snowmobile maker feeling the crunch of an industry facing challenges. Last month, Medina-based Polaris reported a more than 80% decrease in Quarter 3 earnings compared to last year.  Mother Nature wasn’t too kind to the industry this last year either.  “We’re coming off the first snowless winter that I have experienced in the 29 years I’ve been in the power sports business,” John Wooden, president of River Valley Power Marine that made many of the lakes that we sell to for [and] rivers unnavigable all the way through the middle of July,” Wooden said about the tough year.  blames inflation and high interest rates as a more immediate impact “One of them is demographics,” Yang told 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS pointing to younger generations not being as interested in power sports.  “Another is government regulations,” Yang said which leads to fewer places for people to ride these machines “And a third is electronics and digitization The revolutions in being able to see the world through your phone outweighs the free sense of freedom you have by riding a motorsport,” Yang added.  You can view the letter shared by Arctic Cat below: Thief River Falls is located approximately 70 miles south of the Canadian border Its population is just under 9,000.Mathew Holding Eagle III | MPR NewsGo Deeper.CloseCreate an account or log in to save stories We have added it to a list of your favorite stories about 70 miles south of the Canadian border sits the Pennington County seat of Thief River Falls it’s home to industry behemoths Arctic Cat and Digi-Key — two of the area’s largest employers national politics are taking a back seat to a local hot-button issue that crosses political divides: the Thief River Falls Public Schools 2024 Operating Levy Referendum the referendum could decide the future of Franklin Middle School Supporters of the increased levy say if it were to fail the middle school may close and the students would be divided between the elementary and high school there They insist it must pass and the middle school must stay A banner outside Franklin Middle School in Thief River Falls asking the community to support the upcoming school referendum vote.Mathew Holding Eagle III | MPR NewsJosh Watne He grew up in Thief River Falls and is a teacher at the middle school Watne said the levy would equate to approximately $900 per pupil in a district that serves around 1,900 students MPR News helps you turn down the noise and build shared understanding Turn up your support for this public resource and keep trusted journalism accessible to all That's your annual contribution [$132].”    the district will still need to make about $300,000 in additional cuts because of the discrepancy between state and federal funding formulas Watne said those most affected would be the students Franklin Middle School teacher Josh Watne said the most important issue this election is the Thief River Falls Public Schools 2024 Operating Levy Referendum which he supports.Mathew Holding Eagle III | MPR NewsConcerning education on a national level Tim Walz’s background as a teacher does little to calm his mounting trepidation “It would be interesting to hear education enter the presidential race a lot more than it has,” he said which is unfortunate because of the financial situation so many schools in our state and around the country are in I would really like to see more conversation about it.” Courtney Skjerven is a technology teacher at the elementary school and considers himself middle-of-the-road politically He said he hasn’t had much time to think about national politics because he’s been too busy trying to educate the community on the school referendum which he supports Skjerven said no matter what happens in this election or what side of the political spectrum someone is on “I just feel that there is such a divide in this country There's not enough understanding that people have different views based on their experiences and their perspectives “There are so many opportunities to communicate and learn these days that we don't do a lot of face-to-face and we're seeing a struggle with listening and sharing a perspective and maybe even being open to change your mind we can do a better job of that in our country and locally as well.”   Courtney Skjerven (right) is a technology teacher at the elementary school and he’s on the Vote Yes Committee in support of the school referendum Skjerven is a family friend of Alecia Hunt (left) executive director of the Thief River Falls Area Food Shelf.Mathew Holding Eagle III | MPR NewsAlecia Hunt also considers herself middle-of-the-road politically As executive director of the Thief River Falls Area Food Shelf Hunt said much like other food shelves throughout the state her organization is struggling to help people in need It’s an issue she said not enough politicians are talking about at any level Hunt is also struggling with the school’s referendum because property taxes are already high which she sees as another hot-button issue in this election “But as a parent we need this for our school and our kids so I’m voting ‘yes,’” she said “I don't disagree with anyone that's going to vote ‘no,’ but I think anybody that can vote ‘yes’ for their children or grandchildren needs to.”  As a mother of four — three of them girls — Hunt said the national issue in which she’s most invested is reproductive rights a lot of different issues from 11 years old and up,” she said “And I don't think men should make decisions for women.”  Danielle German is an art tutor at Serendipity Art Hub While she doesn’t like the electoral college German said it’s not something she can change.Mathew Holding Eagle III | MPR NewsThat is in stark contrast to Danielle German’s view She is a tutor at Serendipity Art Hub who believes abortion is too accessible She said it also encourages unprotected sex and immaturity “I'm Christian and I believe that women should have freedom But I think that when you're pregnant It's not just a piece of tissue that's sitting in your body,” she said “A lot of states women under 18 don't need parental consent to get an abortion and that encourages them to be sexually active as much as they want I feel like it just enables them too much and doesn't give them the consequences.”  I don't know if my vote will make a difference I personally don't like the electoral college system because I feel like that demeans the amount of everyone's votes,” she said but that's not really something I can change.”  Matthew Simons is a cook at the Rusty Nail Bar and Grill he’s concerned about women’s health care and Social Security.Mathew Holding Eagle III | MPR NewsAt the Rusty Nail Bar and Grill in downtown Thief River Falls said he has voted in every election since he’s been eligible He moved to the Twin Cities the day after graduating and lived there for 30 years He said he lived close to the 3rd Precinct which protesters burned during the unrest after George Floyd’s murder He said he suffered panic attacks because of that experience Simons said on a national level he’s invested in women’s health care “It seems like there is a willingness on one side of our political system to dismantle a woman's autonomy and bodily autonomy,” he said And now Simons is looking at the election as he begins planning for the next stage of his life and one day I would like to retire,” he said “I read through Project 2025 and parts were germane to me and it seems like plans are being laid down to dismantle Social Security.”  One area in which Simons has complete faith is voter security “It's going to be kind of a reenactment of last time They're already laying the groundwork for frivolous lawsuits and just throwing anything against the wall to see if it sticks,” he said He is a security guard at Seven Clans Casino He says his mistrust in the electoral system could continue if they don’t “fix what’s wrong.”   Franky Slawson is a security guard at Seven Clans Casino and cohost of the podcast Renegade Radio his show hosted a digital town hall with some local candidates as guests.Mathew Holding Eagle III | MPR News“There's no way that Joe Biden won the last election after how many votes that Trump got whether it's a popular vote or the actual election itself “And I'm not trying to say that just because I'm saying it just because the guy actually won.”  the show hosted a digital town hall with both Thief River Falls mayoral candidates — longtime incumbent Brian Holmer and his opponent Shelby Wagner works as a bartender at Seven Clans Casino She said her quality of life was better under former President Trump.Mathew Holding Eagle III | MPR NewsShelby Wagner also doesn’t believe that the last election was legally and fairly decided She said her life was better under former President Trump which included being able to do more activities with her children Wagner said the first thing she’ll do Tuesday morning is head down to the polls to vote for him “Trump would do a lot better being our president than Kamala would working paycheck to paycheck and constantly trying to figure out how I'm going to feed my kids how I'm going to get gas to go to work I would be able to do more things with my kids.”   KAXE contacted every candidate twice using contact information submitted to the Secretary of State's Office to invite them to participate in our Election Guide Candidate responses have not been edited and are published as submitted our news team added contextual information clearly marked with an "editor's note" and in italics though responses have not been uniformly fact-checked we are unable to proactively fact check every statement made by candidates But we will make every effort to make note of inaccuracies if they come to our attention Please contact our news team at news@kaxe.org with questions or comments or to report any errors KAXE's Election Guide only includes candidates in contested races. Visit our full list of who's running for office in Northern Minnesota to see who else is on the ballot Election Guide Homepage KAXE did not receive a response from this candidate Editor's note: Mike Lorenson reached out to KAXE regarding a filing error resulting in him not receiving the Election Guide invitations We've agreed to include his responses for this reason Please share any prior experience that you believe qualifies you for office I have had a seat on the council for the past 6 years I have a strong management background with a heavy focus on budgeting Please describe the roles and responsibilities of the office you are running for The city of Thief River Falls has a weak mayor system meaning that the mayor does not have any more authority than other members of the council as a mayor there are some leadership responsibilities that will come into play I want to make sure that the people of the city are being heard We have failed in this area and I feel we are in need of a change Focus on city halls to keep the community in the loop as to how we are doing as a city as well as to allow them to voice their concerns renters and owners are struggling to afford housing what would you do to address the issues of availability and affordability for your constituents The inflation we've all experienced has been tough on everyone and we've fallen short of our goals for over a decade now This has led to a serious housing shortage in the city driving up home prices and making both new builds and existing homes unaffordable for many We need to get creative in addressing this challenge Workforce Housing Programs - Partnering with local businesses to create workforce housing programs should be a top priority This could involve grants or employer-assisted housing programs to ensure employees can afford to live where they work Continue Exploring Community Land Trusts (CLTs) - We've already seen success with a few homes built through a CLT which helps stabilize housing costs by separating land ownership from the homes This allows people to buy homes at lower prices while the land is owned by a non-profit or city entity We need to expand our efforts in this area and continue working with developers on similar models potentially knocking $100,000+ off the price of a new home Incentivize Affordable Housing Development - I would advocate for incentives such as tax breaks (TIFs) or reduced fees for developers committed to building affordable housing ensuring we increase the supply of homes within reach for more residents Leverage Government Aid - I will work closely with the State to secure additional funding (When available) to help the city to build more homes and alleviate the strain on the housing market and ensure our city remains attractive for everyone What effective policies will you support that will prepare your city now next year and in the future to improve resiliency against climate change I will work with our state officials to make sure that goals are realistic on what can be achieved vs I will also fight to make sure the renewable energy we are producing through our current hydropower infrastructure counts towards our goals High taxation is a concern for many Northern Minnesotans Please share any specific opinions you hold related to taxation and how you plan to ensure tax dollars are used efficiently and effectively We are below average for the city’s share of property taxes This is primarily due to some of the larger projects they have taken on I will continue with the rest of the council to keep our tax burden as low as possible Explore options of sales tax in the future Even a .005% city tax would help bring down the stress on the community How do you plan to improve transparency and trust in government We need to set up town hall meetings to allow people to come together with the city and make sure that there are no questions or concerns with how things are being handled by the council We need to have sub committees with public input on how all branches of city are doing and what is your role?Digi-key packaging and pastor of community Bible church Please share any prior experience that you believe qualifies you for office.Business experience for many decades Please describe the roles and responsibilities of the office you are running for.All responsibilities of the council are to be done as a whole They are to address problems of basic policy and act as a liaison between the city and the general public The council member is responsible to participate in all meetings Why are you running for office?I desire to bring greater fiscal responsibility and great scrutiny in the use of taxpayer money Please describe specific policy goals.Look for obvious waste or over-spending and eliminate it what would you do to address the issues of availability and affordability for your constituents?Work to make sure that city government smallest possible imprint on the building of homes This includes keeping property taxes as low as possible and regulations as few as possible next year and in the future to improve resiliency against climate change?If you are referring to man-made global warming or cooling Editor's note: According to the vast majority of peer-reviewed studies science organizations and climate scientists climate change largely caused by human emissions  has contributed to global warming and extreme weather events and how you plan to ensure tax dollars are used efficiently and effectively.Every spending item must have a specific purpose that will help the community at large How do you plan to improve transparency and trust in government?Be honest and available to everyone and be a public as possible about all council business Return to Election Guide Still have questions for the candidates? Contact information for all those who've filed to run for office can be found at candidates.sos.state.mn.us Please select what you would like included for printing: Copy the text below and then paste that into your favorite email application at Hillcrest Senior Living in Red Lake Falls Interment will be in Sand Valley Lutheran Cemetery Visitation will be held for one hour prior to the service on Tuesday at the church Arrangements are with Carlin Family Funeral Service of Fosston and messages of condolence may be shared at www.carlinfuneral.com Minnesota to parents Stephen and Joan (Mohs) Libor Minnesota and graduated from Anoka High School in 1985 She was married Greg Mortenson and to this union Melissa married Marvin Hagman and two children were born Melissa spent most of her working years serving in restaurants and bars reading her Bible and go hunting with Rory She was also a huge Vikings football fan and she loved her weekly Girl’s night with Shelby to watch The Bachelorette on Monday nights and play cards while they cooked supper Michael (Shelby) Mortenson of Thief River Falls She was preceded in death by her significant other Enter your phone number above to have directions sent via text This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply Service map data © OpenStreetMap contributors — Judy and Randy Adamson’s fate was sealed in the Great Blizzard of 1978 when the town sent Arctic Cat workers out on snowmobiles to bring home nurses stranded at the hospital It was their first of countless rides together Picturing their life without Arctic Cat is like imagining Thief River Falls without the company It’s one of Minnesota’s most recognizable brands with neon green louder than the engines beneath the hoods of its machines Since the assembly line kicked on here 62 years ago Arctic Cat has become a way of life and sense of identity for the community announced that it was suspending production indefinitely at its plants in Thief River Falls and St the latest blow after 65 permanent layoffs in November Textron said in a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission last week that it is seeking strategic alternatives as the powersports industry remains soft city officials and snowmobile enthusiasts in Thief River Falls are hopeful that a buyer will step in to take over Arctic Cat Perhaps it’s the holiday spirit or resiliency of a community that has seen the company endure an earlier production hiatus and then come roaring back but many aren’t ready to accept the end of the company We all bleed green and we’re fighting until the bitter end,” said Michele McCraw who sits on City Council and is a longtime member of Arctic Cat’s 530-employee workforce in Thief River Falls McCraw worked in engineering for 25 years at the company before moving to program management She said that while the production lines have quieted a number of employees are still working in service warranty who puts together the company’s parts catalogs “I walked in the door giving it the mentality that I can take any job for two weeks and I absolutely fell in love with this place and the people,” Sceville said When the kids got out of school for winter break on Friday she brought them to the plant to see the new models decked out with holiday lights and standing next to artificial trees on the lobby’s showroom floor “I want this for Christmas!” Taveya said as she sat on a kid-sized Arctic Cat adorned with a big green bow Sceville fought back tears when talking about the news “And I’m very worried about everything that has happened .. and that may continue to happen between the employees and the families and the plant’s parking lot held only a few cars most of them belonging to maintenance workers like Arnoldo Martinez who said he’s not sure where else he would find work “It’s a ghost town in there right now,” Martinez said and the doors were locked at the engine plant in the Interstate 94 business park on the south side of the city “It’s never good to see that happen,” Mayor Dave Kleis said Friday the economy changes and what people buy changes 100 companies competed in the snowmobile industry including two in northern Minnesota: Arctic Cat and Polaris Polaris reported an 80% drop in profits this year and Canada-based BRP Inc. Warm winters and high interest rates are to blame consumers find the investment harder to justify Snowmobile sales take years to rebound from a bad winter “Dealers are sitting full of inventory right now,” said Tom Wang who helps run the local snowmobile club in Thief River Falls Last winter was the first time in 50 years that Wang didn’t take his sled out Some riders opt for the frozen Red Lake River which Wang said used to be as busy as a highway with so many snowmobiles on the ice All-green Arctic Cats zipping along the roads are dotingly called “ditch pickles,” but not many were spotted around town over the weekend “We’ve got the lowest membership we’ve ever had,” Wang said of the club that has 25 members The club hosts annual youth snowmobile safety classes They’re lucky to get a few dozen kids when hundreds used to attend Temperatures this week could reach 40 degrees which means less snow on trails and more grass A snowless winter in 1980 and a poor economy led to what Arctic Cat calls its “Gone Fish’n” years The company went bankrupt in 1981 and ceased production the next two years “There might be another chapter,” said Al Grzadzielewski owner of Black Cat Sports Bar and Grill across the street from the Thief River Falls plant magazine articles and memorabilia blanket the walls saying “the biggest news to hit the snowmobile industry since Arctic Cat went under” was the news that “The Cat is Back.” the most ferocious animal to ever hit the trails,” the ad reads Arctic Cat had built its 1 millionth snowmobile and had twice as many employees as it does today the company’s fate was uncertain again until Rhode Island-based Textron acquired it in 2017 which sells Bell helicopters and Cessna aircrafts doesn’t care what Arctic Cat means to Thief River Falls “This town was built on Arctic Cat,” Grzadzielewski said I really hope that somebody picks it up and runs with it.” Mayor Brian Holmer said closing the plant wouldn’t only be devastating to the town of 8,500 people Minnesota boasts 22,000 miles of groomed snowmobile trails— second only to Wisconsin in the U.S and Arctic Cat relies on a supply chain that could suffer if the plant closes for good Holmer has been calling officials at the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development With the return of the Trump administration Holmer fought for the $400 million expansion of Digi-Key Electronics in 2022 The company unseated Arctic Cat as the largest employer in town and has one of the country’s 10 largest warehouses Holmer said his advocacy for Digi-Key is like a prelude for the pending Arctic Cat fight He said supporters have six months to find a new buyer He’s seeking every alternative to keep the plant open even if that means manufacturing other products and not just snowmobiles and other powersports He’s been taking interviews and trying to spread a message of optimism as he works across the street from city hall at his meat shop where he was hand-tying 2,000 pounds of prime rib for the holidays Holmer stopped by the Black Cat bar on Friday night wearing an Arctic Cat jacket and talked about companies potentially interested in buying the plant said he has heard rumors of potential buyers “I just had somebody say what [Textron] just did is probably the best sign that somebody else is going to take them over,” he said Arctic Cat collectibles and antiques fill Adamson’s garage and he meticulously catalogs the pieces for auctions owned the town’s first Arctic Cat dealership but sold it during the pandemic when he became severely ill and inventory backlogged A huge part of the snowmobile industry and culture is racing Adamson said his motto for decades was “What won on Sunday sold on Monday,” but with the recent cuts and layoffs “Textron didn’t think it was a big deal,” Adamson said Arctic Cat to Textron is like a little bug “It’s too bad they don’t have the heart and soul in it here.” That doesn’t mean Holmer is ready to see the plant become an Arctic Cat museum like the Black Cat or Adamson’s garage ”I don’t want to be putting a monument up,” he said Staff writer Jenny Berg contributed reporting from St who has been the head coach of the Thief River Falls boys hockey program for the past 17 years Bergland led the Prowlers to section titles in 2011 He also was an assistant on the 2006 team that reached state The Prowlers were part of Hockey Day Minnesota last winter scoring a 6-2 win over Waseca played outdoors in Warroad Arctic Cat says the facilities will cease operations "indefinitely" after its planned production in the first half of 2025 is complete.  Originally founded in 1960 and based in Thief River Falls Arctic Cat is one of the leading names in all-terrain vehicles and snowmobiles.  The company says the closures are in response to the ongoing business conditions facing the power sports industry due to inflationary increases impacting consumer demand Textron – which bought Arctic Cat in 2017 – is exploring "strategic alternatives" regarding the future of the power sports business "These actions are difficult but necessary as we have continued to experience softness in consumer end-market demand resulting in a need to reduce costs," the letter reads "We remain open for business with respect to selling current inventory and providing aftermarket support and services to our existing installed customer base." Textron says sales and customer service teams and other functions will remain operational for customers needing help and will be offered severance when they have reached their finishing dates.  The Star Tribune reports the Thief River Falls HQ employees 530 people Existing production plans will resume at the beginning of the New Year manufacturing operations will be suspended indefinitely While no new builds will be completed in the second half of 2025 the company will continue to sell model-year 2025 snowmobiles throughout the year Arctic Cat laid off 65 employees and furloughed more at its Thief River Falls location in November Textron reported third quarter profits of $208 million in October the company spent $215 million on share repurchases saying he'd killed the mother of his child which features a swimming beach and splash pad THIEF RIVER FALLS (WJON News) -- Arctic Cat's parent company has announced it is suspending its manufacturing operations indefinitely at its facilities in St That will happen after the planned production in the first half of 2025 is complete says this is in response to the ongoing business conditions facing the power sports industry Arctic Cat says it remains open for business with respect to selling current inventory and providing aftermarket support and services to their existing customer base Arctic Cat will release its manufacturing employees at the St Cloud and Thief River Falls facilities once they've completed their existing customer commitments Arctic Cat plans to monitor industry conditions throughout the suspension Cloud EDA Director Cathy Mehelich says according to city records Cloud plant has averaged between 40 and 50 employees over the years Brief Arctic Cat History:Arctic Cat was formed in 1960 by Edgar Hetteen after he left his previous business Polaris Industries.  The company made its first snowmobile in 1960 It has produced a number of product lines over the years including snowblowers In January 2017 it was announced that Textron would acquire Arctic Cat for $247 million In response to the ongoing business conditions facing the powersports industry Arctic Cat will suspend manufacturing operations indefinitely at our facilities in Thief River Falls and St after planned production in the first half of 2025 is complete also announced that it is exploring strategic alternatives regarding the future of the powersports business These actions are difficult but necessary as we have continued to experience softness in consumer end-market demand Arctic Cat remains open for business with respect to selling current inventory and providing aftermarket support and services to our existing installed customer base and other functions are ready to assist our dealers and loyal customers We are committed to providing the service and support to keep our thousands of loyal customers riding and enjoying Arctic Cat vehicles We will resume production as planned after the new year to produce units under existing customer commitments and will release our manufacturing employees at the Thief River Falls and St Employees who work through their specific completion date will be offered severance benefits Arctic Cat's parent company has announced it is suspending its manufacturing operations indefinitely at its facilities in St Read More THIEF RIVER FALLS (WJON News) -- Arctic Cat's parent company has announced it is suspending its manufacturing operations indefinitely at its facilities in St Original estimated retail price: $1 to $10 Conceived in 1911 by A.C. Gilbert during a train ride from Connecticut to New York City, Erector set was the first toy ever to use a national ad campaign It was also the only construction toy of its time to utilize a motor on special units The earliest incarnations focused on skyscrapers but Erector set was redesigned in 1924 to incorporate everything from trains to Ferris wheels the name was so catchy that it's now commonly used as a generic term for home construction sets THIEF RIVER FALLS – Change is on the horizon for elk management in northwest Minnesota and a panel discussion here Tuesday evening put some of the challenges to those changes into perspective the Legislature passed a bill that only allowed the Department of Natural Resources to grow the state’s three elk herds – two in Kittson County and one near Grygla – if payments to ag producers for damage caused by those elk didn’t increase for at least two years The legislation meant the DNR had to keep the relatively small herd within goals set by a northwest Minnesota elk management plan: 50 to 60 elk for the Kittson Central herd near Lancaster and 30 to 38 for the Grygla herd The DNR was mandated to keep the Caribou-Vita herd – an international population in northeast Kittson County that Minnesota shares with Manitoba – in a range of 150 to 200 elk Those restrictions were eased during the last legislative session when lawmakers passed an amendment to the 2016 legislation allowing the DNR to increase management goals for one of the three herds the DNR is looking to grow the Kittson Central herd to 98 elk elk coordinator for the DNR’s Big Game Program The goals for the Grygla and Caribou-Vita herds remain the same LaSharr gave an overview of elk management and the history of Minnesota’s elk herds to start Tuesday night’s meeting at Northland Community and Technical College “The DNR may now manage the Kittson Central herd for two specific reasons – the first is genetic diversification and the second is herd health,” LaSharr said “DNR has also been directed to develop a plan to enhance the size and range of our elk population and provide increased recreational opportunities.” “We do acknowledge that this interim elk management plan is out of date,” LaSharr said and so tonight is one of those first steps in moving forward with a new management plan.” the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa is looking to restore elk to northeast Minnesota and the Legislature provided a $2.3 million appropriation including a new elk management plan,” LaSharr said While plans for the relocation remain a work in progress elk would come from the Kittson Central herd but the animals aren’t always popular with ag producers in Kittson County That was reflected in Tuesday night’s panel discussion executive director of the Minnesota State Cattlemen’s Association; Jake Anderson land steward for The Nature Conservancy’s Tallgrass Aspen Parkland region in Karlstad staff person for the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation in Minnesota policy planner for the DNR’s Fish and Wildlife Division citing both recreational opportunities and potential economic benefits Root said the Cattlemen’s Association opposes growing the herd unless the DNR and lawmakers can do more to minimize crop and fence damage and increase payments for affected producers “I do not feel that increasing elk numbers benefits the economy when farmers and ranchers’ livelihoods are suffering,” Root said “The Cattlemen’s Association would be more positive about this topic if we knew that producers would be taken care of and protected Our members in this area of the state do not feel that they are receiving the proper support and financial assistance related to elk damage and prevention steps currently so they are even more worried with plans to increase the herd.” Creating more quality forage plots on public lands to reduce elk damage to farmers’ crops could help reduce those concerns … We feel that being able to increase (the herd) would be great for Minnesota across the landscape.” agreed conflicts between elk and landowners are inevitable “Those conflicts are certainly something to keep in mind and to address as they come up between the folks who are more supportive of growing the elk herd and those that would rather not see the growth,” he said Root said depredation funds should be increased to at least $300,000 “if not more” – up from the current level of $155,000 – to account for increased elk numbers The DNR also needs to improve its emergency materials assistance program which provides fencing materials to producers affected by elk depredation “Farmers and ranchers are the ones being negatively affected by these decisions being made so it only seems right to work with them and improve programs for them,” Root said there was no animosity between Root and Anderson or McMullen “I really do hope that we can work together,” Root said and I know sometimes farmers and ranchers don’t feel that their voices are necessarily being heard I really hope that meetings like this can help us work together and actually accomplish something and get a few things changed and get some things done.” EAST GRAND FORKS — Thief River Falls coach Kurt Reynolds said students at school asked him all week if the Prowlers ‘We don't turn the ball over and we control the ball on offense which only turned the ball over once – an interception thrown by Gannon Zutz at the goal line – beat the Green Wave 6-0 on Friday night during East Grand Forks’ homecoming game The Prowlers’ last win at East Grand Forks was in the 2021 playoffs we didn't make the mistakes that killed us,” Reynolds said Maybe the student body was skeptical of the Prowlers — who lost their last three games by over 28 points each — but senior running back Jackson Boyer wasn't His 1-yard touchdown run as time expired in the first half capped a 14-play drive and ended as the only score in the game “I saw a great line in front of me,” Boyer said The Green Wave (3-2) have dropped two-straight games after starting the year 3-0 Coach Ryan Kasowski said Thief River Falls “really put it to us” for four quarters East Grand Forks was driving late in the third quarter when sophomore quarterback Jakob Stassen was sacked on fourth down at the 18 yard line The Green Wave strung together a 13-play drive that ate up lots of the fourth quarter but Stassen was sacked on third down at the 12 then couldn’t find senior wide receiver Austin Rusling on fourth down East Grand Forks ended with an interception fumble and turned the ball over on downs three times on eight offensive possessions “We got to quit turning the ball over,” Kasowski said “But I just thought from a physical standpoint (Thief River Falls was) extremely physical all game did a great job of winning the line of scrimmage It made it really tough on us to do anything offensively.” The quarterbacks ended with nearly identical stat lines: Stassen went 3-for-8 for 44 yards and an interception The Prowlers host Perham next Friday for their homecoming game “We're going to bring the same energy,” Boyer said but it's going to be a big game next week for us.” GRAND FORKS – Seven area professionals have been named to the Prairie Business magazine’s 2024 list of “40 Under 40.” senior director of legal services with the Community Violence Intervention Center (CVIC); Brittney Blake corporate counsel with Altru Health System; Derek Holt market president for Grand Forks with First Community Credit Union; Holland Slick financial advisor with Alerus; Sarah Prout vice president of Marketing & Communications at UND Alumni Association & Foundation; Tony Nordby civil engineer and office manager at Houston Engineering; and Tyler Verbout They will be honored at an event in the fall along with Prairie Business magazine’s other honorees for “Top 25 Women in Business,” and “Leaders and Legacies.” The 40 Under 40 exceptional professionals include industry executives is the senior director of legal services at the CVIC where she has practiced civil law for over seven years She provides trauma-informed representation for victims of domestic violence including family law and protective order hearings She advances equity for staff and clients and outreach to marginalized communities Pinkerton has contributed to successful grant applications for federal funding totaling over $1.3 million for legal services over seven years Pinkerton serves as treasurer of the Randy H Lee American Inns of Court and on the Global Friends Coalition Board she is on the statewide ethics committee for the state bar association and volunteers as a youth girls’ hockey coach serves as corporate counsel at Altru Health System and values through her dedication to improving community health in Grand Forks advocating for victims of interpersonal violence and later served as a prosecutor in the Grand Forks State’s Attorney’s Office handling cases of child abuse and domestic violence Blake inspires others to reach their fullest potential while leading with kindness and compassion creating a safe environment for young people of all backgrounds to express themselves Blake consistently makes a positive impact on her community and the University of North Dakota School of Law is market president for First Community Credit Union (FCCU) in Grand Forks and has worked in the financial industry since 2002 he has changed the whole culture of the Grand Forks market Holt brought with him a positive attitude and a strong work ethic He was able to secure a partnership with UND Athletics in his first year with FCCU He has a passion for people and the community he serves Holt provides excellent leadership for FCCU and empowers the team to want to be better people and to give back as much as possible His recent work with the UND partnership shows how important community is to him Holt is involved with many organizations and actively seeks out any opportunities to be involved in the community is a financial advisor with Alerus in Grand Forks where she collaborates with clients to address their financial needs and provides comprehensive guidance to help them achieve their goals She transitioned to financial advising in 2017 Slick is responsible for managing $4.4 billion in wealth assets under administration as of June 2024 She works with individuals and families across the Northern Plains and nationwide to enhance their long-term financial wellness positively impacting their lives and contributing to the region’s economic health Slick holds several professional designations and licenses in North Dakota and Minnesota she is pursuing the certified private wealth advisor (CPWA) designation She has also been active in the Community Foundation of Grand Forks and East Grand Forks and was a member of The Chamber of Grand Forks-East Grand Forks leadership class is the vice president of Marketing & Communications at the UND Alumni Association and Foundation she has re-envisioned the UND Alumni Magazine and played a key role in the Nistler College of Business & Public Administration building campaign she led marketing and events for the Forever UND campaign which achieved a record-breaking $100 million in gifts Prout directs branding and messaging for fundraising campaigns and alumni engagement overseeing a team responsible for the organization’s image through events She is known for her innovative spirit and ability to inspire her team earning respect within the organization and the community is a civil engineer and office manager at Houston Engineering He began his career at HEI by overseeing construction on various flood control and drainage projects in the Red River Basin and coordination between project owners and contractors He quickly transitioned into hydraulic and hydrologic (H&H) modeling and AutoCAD Civil 3D design for rural flood control Nordby has worked closely with the Middle-Snake-Tamarac Rivers Watershed District (MSTRWD) leading client management for over 10 years He currently manages multiple watershed districts and county drainage projects spearheading three capital improvement projects in flood control and stream restoration As a skilled engineer and remarkable leader Nordby embodies HEI’s core values and the seller-doer model where professionals handle both sales and service delivery This approach integrates business development with client work contributing significantly to HEI’s success has been with DigiKey in Thief River Falls for 14 years and has served in several roles including purchasing operations finance operations and accounts receivable he leads a cross-functional team to implement initiatives like a third-party software solution and establish reporting metrics He is an analytical thinker with a strong attention to detail which helps him understand business drivers and metrics to lead successful business operations Verbout has been instrumental in helping DigiKey create a strong foundation for financial success by helping align DigiKey’s financial strategy He has played a key role in helping the company navigate significant growth and manage through dynamic market cycles He has helped champion the integration of new financial technology helping foster a culture of transparency and accountability while building a strong team to support finance operations and planning throughout the business Verbout has a Bachelor of Science degree in accounting and a Bachelor of Business Administration — When Nolan Hunt was diagnosed with autism at 18 months doctors warned his mother he might never speak chatting about everything from his favorite toys to his dream of becoming a YouTuber remembers the uncertainty she felt when she first received his diagnosis "Felt like I was losing my child at that point and I wanted to do everything in my power to make sure that he wouldn't continue to regress anymore," she said Determined to give Nolan the best chance to thrive Kendra turned to Sanford Thief River Falls Behavioral Health Center where a dedicated team of specialists began working with him "We had occupational therapy from Sanford twice a week and then I had early intervention services coming into our house once a week," Kendra said Nolan has been working with occupational therapist Vanessa Thompson and speech-language pathologist Ashley Holtan for nearly 10 years developing motor and communication skills through play-based therapy "Kendra has used a lot of support and a lot of support systems with Nolan," Holtan added "I feel like that's why he has made so much progress." has also played a big role in Nolan’s journey "Being almost non-verbal to speaking in full sentences and stuff like that," Mason said "I want to drink real cow milk," he said with a playful slurp "I want to be a YouTuber that makes plush videos," Nolan shared With his family's unwavering support and the continued guidance of the Sanford team Nolan is well on his way to achieving his dreams The Sanford Thief River Falls Behavioral Health Center offers a range of services for children and adults speech-language pathology and clinical psychology Many in the community are surprised to find such resources available in a town of fewer than 10,000 people those services have made all the difference (KVRR) — A major blow for workers at Arctic Cat in Thief River Falls and St Cloud as the company announces layoffs and the suspension of snowmobile According to a Securities and Exchange filing the Cessna jet maker that owns the company is exploring alternatives for its powersports product line They will complete limited production runs to fulfill customer commitments already on the books Production is expected to be paused indefinitely in the first half of 2025 and workers will be cut Those who work through their completion date will be offered severance benefits Textron says the “consumer end market demand for powersports products continues to remain soft” The company expects an inventory valuation charge in the range of $30 million to $40 million to write down production-related powersports inventory cutting earnings per share for 2024 by approximately $0.12 to $0.16 Around 65 employees were already affected by workforce reductions made last month Statement from Textron’s Director of Communications Brandon Haddock: Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker The game between the Thief River Falls Prowlers and the Cloquet-Esko-Carlton Lumberjacks finished 2-2 on Friday 2025 – no doubt a relief for Thief River Falls after five straight defeats The Prowlers started off strong and took the lead right after the puck drop with Lila Dalager scoring in the first period The Prowlers took the lead early in the second period when Grace Knutson beat the goalie The Prowlers are set to face Grand Rapids-Greenway at 2 p.m while the Lumberjacks meet Bemidji at 2 p.m