Kanabec County Times June, 29, 2017

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KANABEC COUNTY

THURSDAY, JUNE 29, 2017 VOL. 134 NO. 26 www.moraminn.com $1.00

BREAKING GROUND: Diversified Bronze builds business in northern Braham. P11

Ogilvie restructures municipal bar BY KIRSTEN FAURIE EDITOR@MORAMINN.COM

The city of Ogilvie restructured the Tower Bar business model by taking control of food service, thus creating a municipal bar and grill effective July 1. It has been a year since the Tower Bar began serving food in addition to drinks. The city did not operate food service. Instead, Becky Ripka signed a contract

with the city to provide food service while the city continued to serve drinks at the bar and sell off-sale liquor. The year showed that food service brought more money in to the facility, but dividing revenue and expense between the two entities was fraught with difficulty. Ogilvie Mayor Mark Nilson said dividing the profits of one business between the two entities wasn’t working out for every-

body financially. For example, Ripka said the decision of who paid the wait staff often left one side losing money, while the other gained. Both Nilson and Ripka said they had difficulties organizing and coming to a consensus on promotions and advertising, often debating with no resolution who would benefit from it more SEE BAR, PAGE 10

MARAH STUDNISKI | SUBMITTED

Survivors, family, friends raise money for cancer research Proud cancer survivors walk a special lap during the Kanabec County Relay for Life Saturday, June 24, at the Kanabec County Fairgrounds. The event raised nearly $26,000 to fund American Cancer Society cancer research and patient care programs.

Co-op ousts auto repair BY KIRSTEN FAURIE EDITOR@MORAMINN.COM

Big changes are in the works for Federated Co-op’s Mora locations as the co-op shifts away from auto repair services and expands at its second Mora location, formerly FleetGo. The co-op’s downtown location at the intersection of East Forest Avenue and Union Street closed its auto repair shop on June 21, after over 20 years of operation. Federated Co-op CEO Mike McMahon said that their auto repair business wasn’t making the financial return to make it worth investing resources in, SEE CO-OP, PAGE 10

Unemployment rates down overall; Kanabec rates among highest in state BY KIRSTEN FAURIE EDITOR@MORAMINN.COM

While unemployment rates are down statewide, Kanabec County still ranks near the bottom of all counties in Minnesota. As of May, Kanabec County has the seventh highest unemployment rate of Minnesota’s 87 counties, tied with Pine and Red Lake counties at 4.8 percent (not seasonally adjusted). According to seasonally adjusted figures released by the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development, Minnesota’s unemployment rate fell to 3.7 percent in May. The U.S. unemployment rate in May was 4.3 percent. “Minnesota is outpacing the nation in job growth, with all 11 major industrial sectors seeing gains over the past year,” said DEED Commissioner Shawntera Hardy in a press release. “These and other indicators point to continued strength in the state labor market.” Many of Kanabec County’s top 10 largest employ-

7th

highest rate

As of May 2017, Kanabec County has the 7th highest unemployment rate (not seasonally adjusted) in the state, tied with Red Lake and Pine counties at 4.8 percent.

ers have steadily added jobs in the last 10 years, according to data collected by the city of Mora. The county’s top employer, FirstLight Health System, has added 168 jobs since 2007, for a total of 477 positions as of April 2017. Mora Public Schools is up 22 jobs since 2007 for a total of 325. Kanabec County, the third largest employer has added 54 positions since 2007 for a total of 234. Imperial Plastics (formally EPC) remains the fourth largest employer with 203 jobs, with SEE JOBS, PAGE 10

KANABEC COUNTY’S TOP 10 EMPLOYERS (NUMBER EMPLOYED - ORGANIZATION) *DATA FROM APRIL 2017

477 FirstLight HS 325 Mora Public Schools 234 Kanabec County 203 Imperial Plastics 160 St. Clare Living Community 153 Coborn’s Superstore 108 OlymPak

KIRSTEN FAURIE | TIMES

Federated Co-op closed its Auto Repair Center in downtown Mora after over 20 years of operation. Co-op CEO Mike McMahon said that it would have required too significant an investment to stay relative in the competitive auto repair market.

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