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Serving the Region Since 1907
DEADLINE IS FRIDAY AT 4 P.M Vol. 115 No. 30
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JULY 24, 2020
School COVID response team plans for surveys
Bowman school officials and teachers are working on plans to develop surveys on how to meet the COVID-era challenges looming
this fall for the local students, teachers, staff and families. The school’s COVID response team met Monday in the middle school commons to develop strategies to submit to the public in surveys. After the first part of the meeting, Superintendent Wayne Heckaman said he was impressed with the suggestions and comments he was hearing from the members of the COVID response team. “They are all great. They are all valued. They are all things we need to think of,” he said. “There are a lot of things for us to consider. And what procedures or protocols we need to put in place. I am so happy we had the COVID response team come together and really brainstorm today. We have to start somewhere.” The CDC has yet to issue its latest guidelines and some are expected to be released by the North Dakota Department of Health in the near future, the superintendent explained. “We do have guidance, but if they are updating, what does that updating look like. Obviously, we want to make plans with the latest information provided from the CDC or anything we can lean on. As we get that information (from the CDC) that will guide us a little more in depth. A lot of the academic things will be developed later on this week as we try to understand how can we move forward with the health and safety of our students and staff in mind,” he said noting there are a lot of things the team has to go over before developing the survey to send out to the public. That means the school has to start creating a flexible plan to meet the needs of the students, teachers, staff, students and families before school can open in the fall.
“What if we have a blended academic day, what will that look like for our students … what does it look like for the community and what does it look like for our teachers. “Again, there are a lot of questions and we will try to figure what works best local decision for us,” he said. Heckaman said the school has already purchased 1,000 child masks and 750 adult masks “Keeping the schools open will take a community effort,” he told the team as he explained the need for a local survey, which could add it to the plans for the fall. The guidelines they hope to create with community input must be clear and concise he said. “I would like to see a staff survey go out. I would like to see a family survey... we’ll take that information and create plans,” the superintendent said. “We’d like to get the survey out as soon as possible. We need that survey back and the feedback to get the pulse of the families in the community. We’ll take that information and also use that information to develop our health safety plan, our reentry plan as we move forward,” Heckaman explained. “The first part is getting those surveys and getting those surveys out,” the superintendent said. During the meeting Principal Tyler Senn stressed that consistency would have to one of the big things in any plans for operating the school and classes for the fall. That is both academically and athletically, he added. Several of the fall plans have already been changed, including a Veteran’s Day observance, because of health concerns, Senn explained.
Boxes of fresh produce disappeared quickly in Bowman when the Farm to Table program handed out 160 boxes in less than an hour to local families. PHOTO/Brad Mosher
Visitors got a chance to look at the inside of the vacant Shopko Hometown when it was the starting point of a tour of seven commercial properties available for sale or lease in Bowman. PHOTOS/Brad Mosher
The interior of Dave’s Clothing store on Main Street in Bowman was empty no longer during a recent tour of vacant commercial properties.
Bowman principal Tyler Senn takes suggestions during Monday’s brainstorming session at the middle school commons. The group of teachers and staff members are working on creating a survey to send out to the families and the community in the next few weeks for input. PHOTO/ Brad Mosher
By Brad Mosher
bmosher@countrymedia.net
Farm to Table pop up draws fast response
Staff Report
The latest Farm to Table Pop Up drew a fast response July 16 when more than 150 boxes of produce were handled out in less than an hour. The delivery took less than 30 minutes to cut the supply by more than 100 as people drove up to get boxes. There was a limit to one per household, depending on the number of adults, children and seniors in the household. The next food delivery will be July 29, again using the parking lot on the Bowman County Fairgrounds, according to organizers. There will be more than just produce being handed out, with dairy included. Each of the boxes included a bag of apples and vegetables like celery, potatoes, onions, and lettuce. Volunteers are handling the local distribution.
The brightest comet in 25 years will be able to be seen for a few more weeks in the night skies of the northern prairie states. The comet is visible toward the northwest and western area in the sky, and can be spotted just before dawn. Photo submitted by Cole Benz.
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Bowman group markets local treasures, business dreams By Brad Mosher
bmosher@countrymedia.net
For the Bowman County Development Commission, there were seven chances to find a dream. And they even provided maps for the visitors to track down some local treasures and places to build their own dreams. The driving and walking tour of Bowman commercial properties was designed to show off the chances for people to dream again and find homes for new businesses, according to the members of the county development commission. The “On the Market” tour started July 13 in the now-vacant ShopKo building along Highway 12, then moved downtown to the former Sears building, Hibachi House, Dales, Hawks Landing, Schmit’s and finally the Super Valu where it ended with grilled hamburgers and hot dogs served up in its parking lot. Shopko Hometown 320 US-12 At the Shopko site, Brooklyn Engelhart explained to the more than 70 visitors that each of the locations had a history of business success. “At every location there will be activities. a history, architectural renderings of what the places could look like. The purpose of tonight is to spark ideas. We want you to share your dreams and your visions for Bowman with us. We want to share it with others and discuss it with others. “Some of our places have history. We know there is some gaps, but we know some of you have been here for a long time and we want you to help us fill in those
gaps,” she said, her voice echoing in the large vacant building. A motto for the event was “Relive and Reimagine.”.... and the group set up large chalkboards at the locations for suggestions about future uses. At the Shopko building, the suggested uses left on of the chalkboard included Target, indoor mini golf and laser tag, an evangelical church, trampoline park, roller-skating rink, Tractor Supply and a tech/trade school. The 25,660 square-foot building is available for both sales or leasing, according to the flyer handed out to the visitors. Sears 103 North Main The second stop on the tour was the old Sears building (103 North Main) where a Mexican restaurant closed earlier this year. Historically, the building started as the Carter Hotel in 1907, then became the Rudolph Hotel three years later and became the Clara Lincoln Hotel in 1942. It became a Sears catalog store in 1975, then became apartments in 2006. The Arqueros restaurant closed on the main floor earlier this year. Hibachi House 17 North Main Street One of the smaller locations on the tour was the former home of the Hibachi House restaurant, which closed in 2019. The restaurant site has slightly less than 4,000 square feet at 17 North Main Street and the location has been a restaurant or cafe for most of its history, In the early 1900s, it was the Cozy Cafe, then became Gene’s Restaurant in 1962. In between, it was the location
of Frank’s General Store when the original building was torn down in 1962 and transformed in to the Gene’s Restaurant until it became Big J’s Restaurant in 2001. In 2015, the Hibachi House took over in the location. Dale’s Clothing 14 North Main For years, Dale’s Clothing was the place to get work clothes, shoes and other items of clothing in Bowman. The 3,317 square-foot building at 14 North Main was another of the locations with a history. It was built in 1953, then 1,350 more square feet were added to the building when it was expanded in 1976 to reach its current size. Hawks Landing 13 First Avenue NE Built in 1978, Hawks Landing has had many names.... and stories in its relatively brief history in downtown Bowman one block east of Main Street. It started as Harold’s Bar on Main Street (where Bowman Drug is now) where four men went in one night and left the next morning as owners with the contract written on a bar napkin. That created The Red Dog Saloon on First Avenue. It eventually became the Sharivar Steakhouse in 1992, the Long Pines Steakhouse and Lounge in 1999, then Hawk’s Landing in 2005. In 2014, the location became the Uptown Bar and Grill. “It has changed a lot through the years,” Engelhart said. “We loved it as a steakhouse. If you want to open it up again as one that would be awesome. Just because it is a restaurant now, it doesn’t have to stay as one. It could be a tech cen-
ter,” she added as a suggestion, noting the building has restrooms opens up the possible uses. Schmit’s 29 South Main The building, which houses a frame business currently, was also on the list as a location that was available for either purchase or rent. It was built in the 1960s and had been used by a number of companies and businesses. Ken’s Super Valu 104 Main St. S Built in 1950, the former market with just under 9,000 square feet could be used as a market again in the future, the development organization suggested with a rendering visitors could see. Some of the visitors came up with other suggestions, including a mini mall, an indoor shooting range, a photography studio, a youth center/roller skating rink. Garden power After the tour finished, Engelhart took time to point out a new feature that has been created in the Super Valu parking lot, where raised beds were built and planted with vegetables. It was conceived as a variation of the victory gardens of World War II. “At the time, they were calling everyone to grow their own food wherever they could. About 40 percent of the U.S. produce was grown from families,” she added. “That kind of spurred our idea here. This space is for you guys. We want you guys to enjoy those,” she added, pointing out some of the plants already growing and being harvested from the large raised planters.