The Borderland Press - July 7, 2023

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$2.00 Single Copy

WALHALLA CELEBRATES

175 YEARS

Theborderlandpress.com

In this Issue:

News: Canada’s population booms, Pg. A2

Region: NDCA Arts Across the Prairie announces Region 4 placemaking installation artist, Pg. A5

AARP awards grants to six North Dakota organizations as part of its nationwide program to make communities more livable On June 28, AARP North Dakota announced six organizations throughout the state will receive 2023 Community Challenge grants totaling $67,390 – part of the largest group of grantees to date with $3.6 million awarded among 310 organizations nationwide. Grantees will implement quick-action projects that help communities become more livable by improving public places; transportation; housing; digital connections; diversity, equity and inclusion; and more with an emphasis on the needs of adults age 50 and older. “AARP North Dakota is committed to working with local leaders to improve residents’ quality of life through tangible changes,” said Josh Askvig, state director. “We are proud to collaborate with this year’s grantees as they make immediate improvements in their communities to jumpstart long-term change, especially for North Dakotans 50 and over.”

Munich Area Development Corporation received $12,300 to help the town’s local nonprofit grocery store, which provides fresh, affordable food to local residents, transition to self-service operations. This will enable individuals within the community to access groceries at almost any time. Grand Forks Downtown Development Association will use its $22,000 grant

LANGDON BABE RUTH EAGLES continue fine season with a 10-3 win over Minto

to add e-bikes and adaptive bikes to the Grand Rides Bike Share program to encourage ridership among people aged 50+. Glen Ullin Park District received $2,868 to install permanent cornhole boards in outdoor public spaces, which will give residents of all ages a place to enjoy the popular game. City of Milnor will use its $13,722 grant to install adult exercise equipment in a local playground to create an intergenerational space that offers a wide range of activities for people of all ages and capabilities. City of Forman received $2,500 to move an existing community garden to a more accessible location. The relocation also will co-locate the garden with recently planted fruit trees and expand the garden to offer more beds for people interested in growing their own food. Grand Forks University Park Neighborhoods will leverage its $14,000 grant to match students with up with older residents. The students will help with chores such as yard cleanup, window washing and simple home repairs, while the older residents mentor the students in home repair and upkeep, bill paying, navigating relationships with

To participate, households must qualify financially for the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), also known as heating assistance, which serves households with incomes up to 60% of the state median income. Qualifying incomes vary by the number of people living in a household. A three-person household can currently earn up to $53,965 annually and qualify. Qualifying income levels are online at hhs. nd.gov/applyforhelp/liheap. HHS operates the program together with the North Dakota Department of Commerce and the Community Action Partnership of North Dakota. Community Action staff assess cooling needs and work with qualifying households to meet their needs.

Pictured is Sam Davis, delivering a strike in a Langdon Babe Ruth baseball 10-3 win over Minto at Edgar Westphal Field in Munich on June 22. The Eagles are currently in second place in the league standings, and will host the District 3 Tournament in Langdon July 13-16. Photo by Larry Stokke.

News Agriculture Opinion Region Community Church

Page A2 Page A3 Page A4 Page A5 Page A6 Page A7

Obituaries Lifestyle Sports Classifieds Public Notices

Page A8 Page A9 Pages B6 - B9 Page B10 Page B11

landlords and other practical life skills. AARP Community Challenge grant projects will be funded in all 50 states, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. True to the program’s quick-action nature, projects must be completed by November 30, 2023. This year, the AARP Community Challenge accepted applications across three different grant opportunities, including existing flagship grants in addition to new capacity-building microgrants for improving walkability and community gardens. New demonstration grants will focus on improving transportation systems, with funding support provided by Toyota Motor North America and housing choice design competitions. AARP is also bolstering its investment in rural communities, mobility innovation, transportation options, and health and food access. “These grants continue to lead

to long-term, positive changes in communities across the country,” said Nancy LeaMond, AARP Executive Vice President and Chief Advocacy & Engagement Officer. “This year, we are proud to support the largest number of projects in the program’s seven-year history, which will improve residents’ quality of life through tangible changes so everyone can thrive as they age.” The grant program is part of AARP’s nationwide Livable Communities initiative, which supports the efforts of cities, towns, neighborhoods and rural areas to become great places to live for people of all ages, especially those age 50 and older. Since 2017, AARP North Dakota has awarded 25 grants and $214,486 through the program to nonprofit organizations and government entities across the state. View the full list of grantees and their project descriptions at aarp.org/ communitychallenge, and learn more about AARP’s livable communities work at aarp.org/livable.

TOO HOT? Cooling assistance is available to St. Michael’s qualifying households Catholic Church of As summer heats up, North Dakota Health Households that participated in the LIHEAP Wales to hold final and Human Services (HHS) reminds resiheating assistance program this past heatdents that cooling assistance is available to ing season can contact their local Comservice qualifying households to help with the cost munity Action office directly for help with of purchasing or repairing air conditioners and other cooling devices.

Index:

Volume 2, Number 26

Munich Area Development Corporation receives grant for nonprofit grocery store

The North Dakota projects funded include:

B Section: Walhalla wows with its 175th celebration, Pg. B1 - B4

Friday, July 7, 2023

Weather: 7/7

7/8

7/9

high 77 low 55

high 72 low 53

high 73 low 54

a cooling device. Households will need to provide a copy of their LIHEAP approval letter. Households that didn’t participate in the LIHEAP heating assistance program this past year need to complete a LIHEAP application to determine income eligibility before a referral can be sent to Community Action.

by Halle Sanders

Photos by Sharon Lungren.

For program details and to apply for LIHEAP, visit hhs.nd.gov/applyforhelp/liheap, or contact the Customer Support Center at (866) 614-6005, 711 (TTY). For help applying, visit a local human service zone office. During the 2023 heating season, which ran from Oct. 1, 2022, through May 31, 2023, the heating assistance program served about 14,000 households statewide. The cooling assistance program helped 352 qualifying North Dakota households in 2022 and 426 households in 2021.

After years of devotion, a local church is closing its doors. On July 9, the congregation of St. Michael’s Catholic Church in Wales will gather for a final Sunday service. For more than 100 years, St. Michael’s Church has impacted Wales and surrounding communities. Before there was ever a church, faith-seeking families joined Father Pouliot of Langdon for services cont’d. on page A10


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