Bemidji Soup Kitchen

Volunteering at your local soup kitchen is an experience you’ll never forget

By Taylor Klinke

Word Count: 722

As you’re driving to work, you see a man standing on the side of the road holding a sign that says “Will work for food.” You see some cars stopping and handing the man their spare change, so then you have a decision to make: Stop and hand the man a few quarters, or keep on driving by and pretend you didn’t notice him.

We have all seen this at some point in our lives. Whether it is in Bemidji or a huge city, such as, Chicago or New York City. Homeless or less fortunate people are everywhere in the world, and they need our help.

According to Wilder Research – who conducted a statewide survey in 2009 – there are 9,654 homeless adults, youth, and children living in Minnesota. That number was a 25 percent increase over the 2006 study, so that number has likely increased in the past year.

Soup kitchens began to appear in America in 1929 when the economy headed toward the Great Depression. At that time soup kitchens were found in every large city in America; however, the numbers have greatly decreased throughout the past several decades.

The Bemidji soup kitchen dates back approximately 20 years. It’s still up and running thanks to several devoted volunteers, including Gloria Joy, who has been working with the kitchen for 15 years. “I like working with the volunteers and talking to the folks who come to eat,” said Gloria Joy, “I think the only thing that I dislike is scrubbing floors.”

Originally there were only 25-30 people being served each week. But with the help of people like Gloria - currently, about 450 servings are given each week, and volunteers each night include BSU students, BTC students, high school students, and probably anyone you can think of who lives in the area. But the help is needed with the high number of people who comes in to enjoy the food – which can vary from 40-200 people.

The kitchen operates each Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday from 5:00 P.M. to 6:00 P.M. However, volunteers at 2:00 P.M. Gloria Joy and a few others are the first to show up - they wrap silverware in napkins while they sit around a table and enjoy a cup of coffee. Meanwhile, Merrylynn Wenaas is in the kitchen getting all the food and utensils laid out. 

When more volunteers arrive – they set up tables and chairs, place tablecloths, set out salt and peppershakers, and if it’s a special holiday, each table is also decorated. “We want our guests to feel welcome,” said Gloria.

As BSU and Bemidji High School students show up – they work in the kitchen buttering bread, making salad, and helping with the main course. It’s a very organized ordeal – as Gloria and Merrylynn help everyone with what they should be doing. When the food is ready, the group gathers in a huddle, puts their hands in the middle and yells “soup kitchen” before serving the guests.

When it’s serving time the volunteers and guests say a short prayer together before the food is dished out. Then each volunteer is in charge of something different – whether it is distributing the chicken, scooping up the mashed potatoes, or handing out the dessert. As each person goes through the line, a smile is exchanged and maybe a short conversation. After everyone is through, the volunteers can eat if they choose to.

As the room quiets down -- volunteers get a couple buckets of warm water and wipe down each table and sweep the floor – as others clean the dishes and the rest of the kitchen. Before they know it, another night is complete.

The food is purchased from the North Country Food Bank in Crookston, along with donations from Luekens and the Farmers Market. “We also get meat, bakery products, and grocery from Wal-Mart,” said Merrylynn Wenaas, a long-time cook at the kitchen.

The Bemidji soup kitchen is held at Mt. Zion Church (414 South Lincoln Avenue) on Monday and Tuesday, and the United Methodist Church (9th and Beltrami) each Thursday. 

Bemidji Politics Strike

Bemidji Politics Strike

Signs are taking over

By Jake Kelly and Zuzka Tomcikova


story #5

         

             The race for the office of  mayor is coming to a close in Bemidji. All over the BSU campus and neighboring houses it’s difficult to find a yard without a sign for a candidate for mayor.  One could tell the top candidates in the election solely based on the number of signs spread out across Bemidji.  “A lady came and knocked on my door about a month ago and asked if she could put a sign up,” said BSU construction management major Matt Larson. “I didn’t realize that it would be here for over a month and I’m kind of sick of having it there.”

           Hundreds of these signs have been put up on rented property belonging to students, as well as owned properties of teachers, and local residents. It is understood that these signs are necessary to get the word out about a certain candidate but the volume of signs and candidacy commercials, between the competing politicians, is overwhelming. The fact that these signs are often grouped together creates a lot of clutter as far as who the candidates are and it's difficult to specify one particular candidate amongst the number of signs.

            “It’s necessary because even if someone can’t see your campaigns sign you don’t want them paying attention to the opponent so you crowd the opponents sign with your own and they sort of cancel in a way,” Said Mark Schealler, a campaign volunteer for one of the Bemidji mayor candidates Jim Thompson. The people responsible for the signs are usually volunteers and not the actual candidate. They walk the streets for hours promoting their candidate's campaign. “It’s pretty exhausting work to be walking around with dozens of signs every evening,” said Schealler. “I’m not really a fan of going door to door but if it helps us win the election than I’m willing to contribute my help.”

            What the candidates don’t seem to care about is that most of these yards that they’re putting signs in house students who are not full time residents of Bemidji and thus cannot vote. This upsets some people whose yards have been taken advantage of such as BSU’s Lauren Williams a junior business major who said “There was a bunch of people who came and asked to put signs up and at first I didn’t mind because I wanted to be friendly.” After a pause she said, “But now there’s ten signs in my yard and I don’t even have any say in the election.”

            A look at this yard and others like it on Paul Bunyan Dr. is truly a sight as an almost uncountable number of signs scatters as far as you can see. The main placement of the signs is focused in the yards lining Paul Bunyan Dr. This is to allow the signs as much exposure as possible by being visible for passing traffic. "I drive down Paul Bunyan every day and see those signs," said Daniel Marcikowski a senior Spanish major at BSU. "I'm not a resident so I don't really care to much about the election but honestly no names really stick in my head there's too many of them to really pick one out." Most of the signs that have the name of a candidate on them are overshadowed by their competitors, who often put signs in the exact same spots as one another. This makes it impossible for someone who is driving by to even see a specific candidate leaving the residents of the area, most of whom can’t vote, to stare at theses imposing signs.

            The fact that the different campaigns are basically battling for sign turf doesn’t sit well with many people including Erin Roach a junior chemistry major “I hate the signs because I can't vote and it seems like every corner is littered with a bunch of different signs and honestly it just looks horrible and it’s really annoying,” she goes on to say “I rejected at least six or seven different people from putting signs up in my yard, and I just really don’t want them there.”

            Whether one is for or against the signs, their presence cannot be ignored and with the election campaigns coming to an end the yards of Bemidji will once again be sign free.



Lauren Williams, a BSU business major who's yard is overtaken by signs.



Some of the signs that  are overtaking Paul Bunyan Dr. can be seen from this students lawn.



Matt Larson, a construction management major who disapproves of the signs.




Spanish major Daniel Marcikowski has an up beat attitude before heading to class.



Halloween in the dorm

And the kids stay warm

By Luke Landgraf

Word count:643

The cold brisk night of Halloween brings chills and excitement to trick- or- treaters around the country, for those who go out to get candy.  The traditional Halloween is for kids to go from house to house to trick or treat but here in Bemidji things have been slightly different in the last decade or so.  The BSU residential hall’s open up their doors so young children can come to trick or treat in a warm and safe environment.  

“We have been opening the doors to the community for about seven years now,” said Ryan Pierre who is an RA in Oak Hall on 2A.”We usually get kids who are from an age range from 5-12,” said Pierre.  Residents have to sign up to have the kids who want to trick or treat come to their room. When the parents enter the building they receive a map to the building and which room is giving out candy.  “We have already filled out 3 sheets with availability for 16 residences on each sheet,” says Pierre.

Bemidji tends to be cold this time of year, so with opening the doors to the dorms it allows the kids to trick- or- treat in a heated building.  “When we allow the kids to come into the dorms its one of the small things we can do to give back to the community,” says Pierre.  The kids and their parents are allowed to come into the dorms at roughly 5 pm on Halloween and then the trick or treating ends about 7 pm. 

Many floors will that will be participating in the Halloween event, will be decorating their halls to fit the theme of the night.  In the lobbies of Birch and Linden halls they will be giving away prizes and playing games for children.  They will also be giving away hot chocolate, apple cider, and snacks to all the visiting families.

“I’m excited to see all the young children and their costumes on Halloween,” said Oak Hall resident Alyssa Marnich.  She will be passing out candy with her roommate on Halloween.  “This will be my first time participating in trick- or- treating like this,” says Alyssa Marnich“ I’m really excited to see all the variety of costumes there are nowadays, there are so many.”  For the first time residences the expectations from the trick-or-treaters are unknown. “ I really don’t know how many kids I will be expecting, so I hope I don’t run out of candy because I would feel really bad,” said Alyssa.

As I walked through the halls and saw the trick-or-treaters, there was a group that just kind of caught my eye.  As they walked from door to door dragging their bags of candy from L to R: Anthony, Jill, Emily, and Katie were filled with excitement. I asked them what their favorite part of Halloween was and they replied the same any 12 year old kid would“ CANDY!”  When I caught up to them around 6 o’clock they were on the third floor and were ready to go back outside to go to actual houses.

“I think trick or treating here in the dorms was a great idea,” said Shelly Branden a parent of a trick -or- treaters that came to the dorms.  “It keeps the kids warm and me warm, and when the kids are happy I’m happy.  There were a lot of rooms that we could go to get candy and the halls were nicely decorated.  This has been my first year doing thing and I will defiantly have to do this again next year.”

Along with a roster of room numbers that informs what rooms will be giving out candy, this hanging on the residences doors is another indicator that candy will be givin away.

Story #5 - BSU Women’s Soccer Sets School Record for Wins - Eric Story

Bemidji, Minn.

BSU Women’s Soccer Sets School Record for Wins

Beavers Host First Round NSIC Tournament Matchup

By Eric Story

Published: November 2, 2010

On Sunday the Bemidji State women’s soccer team capped off the best season in school history with a 1-0 win over the Minnesota State Mavericks, finishing 13-3-1 overall.

The Beavers had a lot on the line as they entered the final weekend of conference play. They were playing for a chance to not only set the school record for wins in a season and record for NSIC wins, but they were also playing for conference tournament seeding. By finishing in the top four they would host their first round tournament matchup.

Standing in their way was last place Southwest Minnesota State (0-8-3 NSIC) on Saturday and fourth place Minnesota State (7-3-1 NSIC) on Sunday.

“Our perspective changed going into the final weekend,” said head coach Jim Stone. “We’d hoped of having a shot at winning the conference, but that changed. Instead we were playing to host our first round matchup.”

Trailing 1-0 to Southwest Minnesota State in the second half, Bri Scanlan would find the back of the net to tie the game in the 64th minute. Scanlan’s goal earned the Beavers a 1-1 tie, avoiding a loss to the last place Mustangs who remained winless in conference play.

“Our perspective even changed during the weekend,” said Stone. “Limiting minutes of players, getting them rested for Wednesday.”

As they entered Sunday’s season finale all tied with Minnesota State at 8-3-1 and a third place finish on the line, the Beavers squeaked out a 1-0 victory over the Mavericks.

“We knew we had a good chance record wise,” said Stone. “We gave people something to think about moving forward.”

Goalkeeper Samantha Ross made 12 saves in net for the Beavers. Her tremendous effort came in the clutch making eight of her 12 saves in the second half  picking up her 10th career shutout and sixth of the season.

Bri Scanlan netted her third game winner of the season and second goal of the weekend to help propel the Beavers to their 13^th win of the season. Senior forward Ashlee Ellefsen scored her 101st career point on the weekend as she continues to pile up points in her record setting BSU career.

The Beavers finished Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference action 9-3-1, tying a school record for conference wins in a season at nine.

Beavers will host Augustana College Vikings in the quarterfinals on Wednesday at 1 p.m. after earning the No. 3 seed in the first round of NSIC playoffs. The highest remaining seeds will host the semifinal and championship rounds

The Beavers posted their best NSIC record since going 9-1-4 in 2005. It was also the fifth time in school history BSU has posted a winning season in conference play.

Head coach Jim Stone continues to leave a lasting mark on the field and in the record books as well. After taking over the BSU soccer program in the 2002 season, he’s the only coach in program history to have a winning season and a winning conference record, doing each five times.

Stone’s teams have posted six straight seasons finishing with a .500 overall record or better. Five of those six teams have had winning conference records. Stone ranks as the school’s all-time win leader, posting a career 87-72-17 mark in his ninth year at the helm, going 47-40-8 in NSIC play.

On the season the Beaver offense was lead by a pair of senior forwards, Ashlee Ellefsen and Jamie Ford, each etching their names in BSU’s record book.

Ford is leaving her name in the record book as the season winds down. Taking second place to only Ellefsen, Ford owns the second spot on the career-points record at BSU with 76. She is also tied for first for career-assists with 22, and in fourth for career-goals with 27. The single-season record at BSU for most assists also belongs to Ford, with ten this season.

Ellefsen became the first player at Bemidji State to eclipse the century mark for points in a career. “Ashlee’s goals were big goals,” said Stone. “Even when she scored hat-tricks, the goals were meaningful. We didn’t have games were we scored eight or nine goals.”

Ellefsen continues to climb in the record books with every point she scores, owning the career-points record at BSU with 101, the career-goals record at BSU with 39 and the career-assists list with 23. She also owns the career-record for most game-winning goals at 14.

“Off the field you won’t meet a nicer person,” said Stone. “She’s going to be a tough one to lose.”

Word count: 754



Senior Forward Ashlee Ellefsen
Photo courtesy of BSU Athletic Media Relations





Senior Forward Jamie Ford Fighting for Postion
Photo courtesy of BSU Athletic Media Relations



Bemidji Music Underground

Edgy Tunes From the North Woods

By Amy Borgman

Brooding guitars and crashing drums blare from a basement on 14^th avenue on a cold and rainy October day. The ruckus is caused by none other than Bemidji natives, Alex Narveson, Carl Goughnour, Eli Balbach, and Simon Mahlberg. They calls themselves Docks, and they create dark instrumental rock. The group formed in the winter of 2007, and is a part of a thriving alternative music underground in Bemidji.

Eli Balbach toys with his bass guitar and discovers a rift that the band likes.

The scene began in 2003 when Eli and Alex met at a concert at the Armory. Their groups of friends meshed impeccably, and they decided they should start a band. Thus, Venom Lord was born. It was one of the first metal bands to thrive from Bemidji’s music scene. They had a radically different sound from regular Bemidji bands like Pelican Railroad or Uncle Shurley. They played hardcore metal: the type of music with indecipherable lyrics and guitars so loud you could feel your clothing move from sound vibrations. The group comprised of Matt Houle, Eli Balbach, Alex Narveson, and Simon Mahlberg. In 2007, members became more busy with fatherhood, school, and travel, so they began to perform less. They went on a hiatus until a fundraiser in September of 2009 for the Blue Ox Co-op where they played a reunion show at the Elks Club. 

Promotional poster for Blue Ox Cooperative fundraiser

The Blue Ox Co-op was a short-lived organization that attempted to give Bemidji musicians a place to practice, share music, and participate in cultural happenings. Grace Gouker was the founder of the organization in 2009 and has since moved to Minneapolis to attend school at the University of Minnesota. The fundraiser show in September earned about $500 and the money was initially going to fund a commercial space for the organization to occupy, but with the disintegration of the co-op the money went towards new equipment for Docks. 

Even though the co-op is no more, Bemidji musicians and friends are continuing to collaborate and make new music together. That rainy October day, Docks managed to improvise an entirely new song in only four tries. They were entranced by their own instruments, but managed to stay in the same key and in rhythm with one another. They gradually stripped their sweatshirts and t-shirts because the intensity of their practice session was making them sweat.

What kind of music were they creating exactly? It can be compared to the works of bands like, Russian Circles, Mono, Isis, and Godspeed! You Black Emperor. The genre most frequently used to describe them is post-rock experimental, but sometimes their songs lead into a harmonious xylophone melody or drone-like fuzz that push them past the boundaries of any labels.

Most of the band members want more recognition and potential profit for their music. Alex was the exception, and is focused more on creating music that he appreciates and worries less about what others think or fiscal rewards. 

Left to right: Carl Goughnor (guitar), Eli Balbach (bass), Simon Mahlberg (guitar) and Alex Narveson (drums).

The group loves living in Bemidji and receiving adoration from fans and friends, but they do feel it’s harder for their music to be understood by the general populous of Bemidji. Eli said, “A lot of people just aren’t exposed to that type of music in Bemidji”. Although their style of music is generally an acquired taste, it does not discourage them one bit. Music is the glue to a lot of their friendships and has helped them cope with hard times over the years.

Docks have recorded two full-length records, one self-titled in 2008, and Docks II in 2009. The quirkiness of the group shines through in their pun-inspired song titles like “Doctopus” and “Zombiance”. Free downloads of their songs can be found at www.last.fm/music/docks.

Docks practice in the basement of Simon’s house on a rainy October night.

Besides Docks, Alex is also in bands: Fulcrum, Up Jump The Devil, Hound, and Escargot. Simon is the mastermind behind Escargot, which is a techno dance project that sounds like bands, Daft Punk an MSTRKRFT. Carl is also in Escargot (which also has free downloads at www.last.fm/music/Escargot) and is the mastermind behind the formation of Docks. Eli also plays in Hound, which is a bluegrass-folk ensemble that was started by his brother in-law, Matt.

Venom Lord is no longer performing but live on in the hearts of Bemidji music lovers. Like Eli said, “All of our friends play music with each other. It’s a way for all of us to play what we want to play without any boundaries”. He also assured fans that they can look forward to a show at the Blue Ox Bar and Grill in the near future.

Word count: 813

Race in Minnesota’s 8th Congressional District Tightens

Implies Shift in Constituent Views

By Casey Dainsberg (STORY #5)

As Nov. 2 draws steadily closer, eyes are turning to the close race in Minnesota’s 8^th Congressional District. Incumbent Rep, Jim Oberstar (D) has held this seat for the last 34 years and is being challenged by Rep. Chip Cravaack. The 8^th Cong. District has not had a Republican representative since the 1940’s, and it has been years since a Republican challenger has come so close to uprooting a very entrenched DFL presence in the the 8th Distrcit U.S. House seat.

Oberstar was born and raised on the Iron Range. Since winning the 8^th District’s Congressional seat in 1974, and now in his 17^th term, he has become the longest-serving Minnesota congressmen in the history of the state. According to his legislative Web site, Oberstar is considered an expert on transportation policy, and he is currently the chairman of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. On his campaign Web site, he references $196 million brought back for Minnesota families and he has concentrated much of his efforts to create and preserve roads and trails to promote tourism in the state and district.

Cravaack served in the U.S. Navy as a pilot for much of his career, earning many awards. He has earned a bachelor’s degree in science from the United State Naval Academy and also a master’s in education from the University of West Florida. After he retired from the Navy, he worked as a pilot for Northwest Airlines.

These two political race horses have created a contest much closer than what has been experienced in past years, resulting in national attention. A seat that was once considered nearly impossible to take might just be up for grabs. Recent internal polling paid for by Cravaack's campaign was done by Public Opinion Strategies and places Cravaack just three points behind Rep. Oberstar-a number within the margin of error. Joe Kimball, in an article written for the Website MinnPost, says that Oberstar dismissed this poll, pointing to the fact that it was paid for by his opponent.

However, in the days following the publication of this poll, the Cook Political Report, an independent publication reclassified the district, moving it from “likely Democratic” to “Leaning Democratic," a move which might just reinforce the findings of the poll conducted by the POS.  

Reportedly, Rep. Oberstar’s ability to raise money is declining with only 2% of his receipts coming from inside the district. Jonathan Allen writes for Polico, that “he raised more money in Texas 27th District, a Mexican border area hoping for help with Interstate 69, than in Minnesota's 8th, where he's from.” Brandon Stahl of the Duluth News Tribune writes that Cravaack has outraised Oberstar three to one within the 8th District.

A yellow flag was also raised, indicated in the response by constituents in a debate between the two candidates in Duluth last week. The crowd of 1,800 were vigorous in their vocalizing, particularly by heckling of the candidates, and seemed ardent in  directing their frustration towards the incumbent. An article covering the debate in the Duluth News Tribune reported that Rep. Oberstar responded to the crowd by retorting, ““I gather they don’t like to hear the truth.” “I read the bill!” “There they go again.” “Come on.” And, “My goodness, no civility at all.” Also at one point, the crowd reacted to a reference made about global warming and Oberstar said, “I’m sorry if the flat-Earth society over here doesn’t believe it.”

Minnesota Public Radio News quoted Dr. Linda Krug, an associate professor of communications at the University of Minnesota-Duluth, who was surprised at the large turnout, as well as the crowds cheers and jeers.  "I heard that and I thought, 'oh my, I think the vote could be a lot closer than people think,' " She was quoted saying.

Bob Kelleher, a reporter for Minnesota Public Radio News in Duluth states in an e-mail in response to a question of his observations of the past and current race: “What’s changed is the size of the 8th district, which now encompasses counties closer to Central Minnesota and the Twin Cities - a region that's understood to be much more conservative than the traditionally liberal and DFL northeast Minnesota Arrowhead.” he also believes that Cravaack's success is attributed to a well organized Tea Party movement and public record upon which to challenge him.

Kelleher also points to their political strategies, saying that "To my ear Cravaack spouts the Republican party line. He's well trained and he parrots the party themes well. He's careful to combine references to Oberstar with the names Obama and Nancy Pelosi." He also refers to Cravacck calling Rep. Oberstar "Sir", saying it is "a charade of respect, which is actually intended to identify Oberstar as 'old.'"

Another factor contributing to Cravaack's success is, as Kelleher went on to say in his e-mail, due to the fact that Oberstar "doesn't actually play politics very well. He talks way too much; offers way too many boring facts; and continuously brags about bringing federal projects to the district." Kelleher went on to explain that "people are genuinely concerned about a bloated federal budget and growing deficit that may not be as endearing as it once was."  

The Duluth Tribune endorsed Cravaack. Acknowledging the changing times, they wrote, "The brake pedal of fiscal responsibility is needed in Washington now as much as ever... the 17-term incumbent is hardly the embodiment of financial restraint and new direction." Cravaack is described as being "articulate, reasoned and composed. More critically, he has specific and promising strategies to pull the nation out of its financial funk."

WORD COUNT: 942

Congressman Jim Oberstar (D)  is the incumbent candidate
running for re-election in the 8th Congressional District.
(Photo from Oberstar's Campaign Web site)

Polls suggest Chip Cravaack (R) is a viable
candidate to challenge incument Jim Oberstar come Nov. 2
(Photo from Cravaack's Campaign Web site)



Bemidji Bowl Moves Across Town

Leagues and Parties Take Priority

By Andrew Pooch and Nick Jelacie

Word Count: 776

            Bemidji Bowl moved from their old 12,000 square foot location near campus to a 30,000 square foot  facility along Highway 71 three months ago and has since changed their customer focus.

            "We wanted to make it more than a bowling alley," said Steve Vosika, Owner of Bemidji Bowl. "We wanted this location to be a family entertainment center."

            The quest to reach their goal began nearly twenty years ago.  Steve and Pat Vosika purchased Bemidji Bowl from Terry Tuomala in Nov. 1990.  The Vosika’s were enthusiastic about their purchase, because when their children were young, they made the trip to Bemidji from the Twin Cities for vacations.  They often visited the local bowling alley.  Since the purchase however, they had been continuously remodeling.  This caused them to look for different location to build. 

            "We outgrew the old location. The parking lot at times wasn’t big enough to hold all the cars for our customers. We were looking for a piece of property that would be suitable for us, this location came up at the right time," said Mr. Vosika.

            They found their ideal location on the west side of Bemidji along highway 71.  This site was the old location of CBS Fitness.  The Vosika’s purchased the 3.5 acre property and began the process of demolishing the fitness center and building their bowling alley.  The construction began in Jan. 2010.

            College students that are used to walking to the bowling alley from the dorms will have to adjust to the change in location.  The old two-block walk, changed to five miles across town.  The family orientated move, has left many students unaware that the bowling alley still existed.

            "I thought the bowling alley had closed,"  said Junior Kevin Plzak.  "I had no idea there was a new one across town."

            The Vosika's expressed their focus on a nice restaurant and bar, and many  quality lanes for their expanding leagues.  The arcade and party rooms were to accommodate for children's parties.

            The new Bemidji Bowl has twenty-four lanes, automatic scoring and adult and junior leagues.   The front sixteen lanes are for open bowl and league play.  This area has large display screens and a large open area to socialize.   The back eight lanes are reserved for glow bowling and are open all day.

            Bemidji Bowl also has a restaurant, bar and lounge.  The restaurant has a full menu with items such as salads, pizzas, appetizers and sandwiches.  The Web site for Bemidji Bowl has a downloadable menu.

            The bar area has a wide variety of beer and large selection of popular liquors.  Right next to the bar area is the full-swing golf course.  This video game features many of the country’s popular courses. 

            The game is played on a HD projection screen, offering 43 different courses. It is sophisticated enough that it’s like golfing in real time and so advanced, that the BSU golf team uses it for training during the winter months.

            "The golf game was a lot of fun," said Senior Nick Zemke.  A bunch of my friends and I played one night and it feels like the real thing without having to walk."

            Bemidji Bowl offers a variety of promotional nights, none of which are specific to college students.  The promotions include birthday parties, afternoon promotions and few drink specials. These promotions aren't enticing students to visit.

            "If the bowling alley had better drink deals or college ID night, more students would go there," said Senior Brandon Yetter.

            The focus may not be towards college students, but the Vosika's feel their current focus is a better approach to their business, but for right now Steve Vosika would say, "It's too early to tell."

            For more information or looking to plan a party, reserve lanes or sign up for a league, contact Bemidji Bowl at (218) 751-2153.  Ask for Steve or Matt Vosika.

The front sixteen lanes at Bemidji Bowl are for open bowling and league play, and feature large display screens and open areas for socializing with friends and competitors.  Photo taken by Andrew Pooch

If your looking for a break between frames, visit the Redemption Arcade, which has games for everyone.  Photo taken by Andrew Pooch

The full service bar and restaurant has a bartender ready to serve up your favorite drinks and a full menu to choose from.  Photo taken by Andrew Pooch

Looking to get out of the cold this winter and work on your golf game?  Bemidji Bowl has a full-swing golf simulation to keep you swinging all year long.  Photo taken from BemidjiBowl.com

The future of Birch Hall

BSU is planning to renovate Birch Hall in 2011

By Caley Jorgensen

Story #5

November 1, 2010

Word Count: 863



Birch Hall is popular for its proximity to the academic
buildings, shown in the background. Photo by Caley Jorgensen.



      Students will be able to sit in Birch Hall’s new lounges facing Diamond Point Park. They will be able to enjoy the newly installed elevator. They will enjoy more private bathrooms. The renovation of Birch Hall will begin in May 2011, transforming Bemidji State’s oldest resident hall into a 21^st century dwelling for students.



    Built in the 1950’s, Birch Hall stands as the smallest hall with 177 residents and the closest to the academic buildings. “Some of the mechanical and electrical systems are beginning the fail in the building,” said Dale Ladig, director of Residential Life. “The facility needs to be renovated.”

   The renovation will begin next summer. “We will start with the abatement of asbestos and any hazardous waste and then we’ll start the demolition process and construction,” said Ladig. The $8 million project is expected to be done in twelve months. Since the windows and roof are still in good shape, the building will still stand, unlike Maple Hall. “Maple is slated to be demolished,” Ladig explained. “We’re setting aside money until we get enough to demolish it.” Until then, Maple will be opened up and used as a transition space as Birch is being worked on



Birch Hall is the oldest and smallest resident
hall on campus.Photo by Caley Jorgensen.



    Mechanical, electrical, and plumbing being will be revitalized, and walls will be refurbished by installing new walls or receiving wall treatments. A modern look is the goal and it will be similar to Linden’s look, but without suites. Other areas being looked at include bathrooms. “We’re working for a privatized look to the bathrooms, so that individuals will have a separate room to shower and use the sink,” said Ladig. “There will be sinks in the central area as well, allowing a far more open look.”



   Lounges will be created on the second and third floors, allowing students to hang out in a common area and be able to access both wings, which are currently not connected. These lounges will have as much glass installed as possible to take advantage of the view of Diamond Point Park. The lounge on the first floor will be improved by making it more modern and creating a bigger office area as well.



In the northeast corner of Birch Hall, new lounges will be built.
Where A and B wing meet, shown above, the lounges will look out
at Diamond Point Park and allow students to access both
wings from the second and third floors. Photo by Caley Jorgensen.



   Other amenities that will be available for students include more electrical outlets in each room, adequate connectivity for cell phone reception and wireless connection, and an elevator. To get an idea of what students want, students helped by giving their input. “We’ve been meeting with focus groups,” said Ladig. Focus groups are meetings open for all students to gather and talk about issues on campus.

   Every aspect of the residence hall is being considered for renovation, even the simple areas. “There are two things that are still up in the air,” Ladig said. “Do students want doors on their closets? Would they be happy with just a hanging curtain or if it was open?” He talked about flooring as well, whether it should be carpeted or linoleum. Students can help with making these decisions at the focus groups.

    Since BSU has been focusing on becoming more green, the new ideas for Birch will incorporate being environmentally friendly. “One of the biggest energy drains here is controlling the heat by opening up windows, and we don’t want to do that,” said Ladig. “We want to accommodate better temperature control.” One way to do this, is considering air conditioning in the common areas, allowing students to open and close their doors. Since the amount of time of students needing air conditioning is pretty minimal, it’s still under deliberation.



Items, such as the Birch's fireplace, will be
kept to keep the resident hall have a more
personal and homey feel to it. Photo by
Caley Jorgensen.



   The Open Borders Learning Community is a program located in Birch. Students from around the world live here for the academic year and share culture and interests with other students. To make sure OBLC is still available, it will be moved to Tamarack as Birch is being worked on. Once the renovation is complete, the OBLC may not return back to Birch.



   Open Borders Coordinator and Residence Hall Director Ayleen Leonhardt is considering options for the future of OBLC. “We are looking at possible floor options that could enhance the Open Borders experience,” said Leonhardt. “However, we have many buildings with different positives and we will be looking to the current members and activities of the program to help us determine where they will be housed in the future.”

    One factor that is going to be a problem for students will be the tunnels underneath Birch. The basement of Birch is going to be reconstructed. With the tunnels going through that area, students will not be able to pass through and will need to walk outside, including the winter months. “We don’t know what’s going to happen with that yet, but it certainly will be interrupted,” said Ladig.

  As meetings are being held and pre-designs being created to get ideas and budgets estimates, Birch is ready to be revamped and restored for many students to come. If the updated Birch Hall will be completed in the stated time period, it will be ready for students to move in for the fall semester in 2012.

Bemidji State University Makes Cuts

In Order to Save Money, President Hanson calls for Early Retirement

By Natalie Reque

Bemidji State University is a serene campus settled on the banks of Lake Bemidji. Students enjoy the nature that surround the campus, and some of the accommodations  that help them during the rougher weather months such as the underground tunnels that help them get from one building to the next. However, even in this serene scene, there is a storm brewing on the horizon. For awhile now, the school has been faced with the necessity of cutting back on some of the facility members and departments in the university.

According to Dr. Mary Jo Hrenchir, an associate professor in the History Department, the Liberal Arts is mostly going to feel the hit. “President Hansen has to cut the budget drastically. What he instituted as a first step to stop the hemorrhaging is to offer early retirement to selected programs,” stated the professor  as she sat at her desk that she has sat at for eighteen years. “If the faculty chooses to take early retirement, their position will not be continued. That means that the program/department will lose those positions.”

 An example would be the history program.  Two of the four faculty members are eligible for early retirement; Hrenchir is one of the possible retirees. If both accepted the offer, those two positions would disappear. That means that the history department then would have only two faculty. It probably would be impossible to offer a history major with only two faculty.

 So the answer to the question of majors is that as of now no major has been cut -- but they very well may be. They could be lost through early retirement or retrenchment. The plan is that if enough faculty choose not to accept early retirement the President will have to start firing faculty. President Hansen sees the loss of faculty as a major step in cutting the budget.

President Richard Hanson came to office at BSU in the spring of 2010. Hanson, 60, was interim president of North Dakota State University since Dec. 1, 2009. Previously, he served as president of Waldorf College; professor of sociology, vice president for academic affairs and dean of the college at Augustana College. He was also associate vice president for academic affairs, associate director of human development in the Extension Service and director of the Family Studies Institute at North Dakota State University; and chair of the Department of Home Economics at California State University.

With his past experience, Hanson has started the budget process. “I think the Bemidji State University and Northwest Technical College match is a distinct challenge, and I look forward to it very much,” Hanson said according to the BSU Today webpage. “The pairing of this university and technical college is going to be one of the most fascinating in my career. The Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system is an attractive one in which to work, and I am pleased to be part of it.”

However, not everyone is seeing eye to eye with the president. History major Chloe Evans is very frustrated with the way the president and his staff has gone about the way of approaching this very important situation.  " My boyfriend and I move our lives up here to go to this school because of their great history program. It is so disheartening that we did all that work just to be faced with the situation that our major might be dropped," she said as she leaves one of her many history classes." I am also very offended by the way this issue was told to the students. No emails. No letters letting us know ahead of time. It was pretty much you showed up in class one day and they are talking about dropping classes and stuff. It was so rude."

 “Nothing has been decided yet,” said Senior Senate student Natalie Hursey. “We are working on a forum to let students know what is going on”

President Hanson seems to be having the same amount of stress as some of the faculty does about this possible change. As he said in an email, no programs have been "targeted!" “There is no hit list. There has been absolutely NO conversation about dropping the history program. However, I am sure of a couple things: There is fear; there is uncomfortableness created by the unsureness. All big transitions carry with them the ambiguity of not knowing what will happen. I have the same anxiety.”


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 Chloe Evans is just one of the many students who is worried about her future here at BSU.

President Hanson of Bemidji State University has had to deal with the tough job of cutting the school's budget. Photo courtesy of BSU directory.