To The Crookston Times readers,

It is with regret that CherryRoad Media announces the closing of The Crookston Times

Our company is dedicated to the preservation of community journalism. Since the purchase of our 1st paper in late-2020 to today, we have prided ourselves on our ability to fight the difficult battle that newspapers face in today’s digital society. Unfortunately, that battle cannot always be won.

The Crookston Times has struggled in recent years to find its footing in this community. Since purchasing The Crookston Times, CherryRoad Media has been unable to avoid financial losses every month. The paper was losing money when we bought it, and it continued to do so. We must now come to terms with the fact that we do not have a path forward to sustainability.

And we thank those who have supported us.

March 2023

T-Mobile awards Hometown Grant to Crookston

T-Mobile announces Crookston as one of its latest 25 Hometown Grant recipients. The $50,000 grant will go toward rebuilding the steps of the 100-year-old historical Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception now used to hold community events and gatherings, including the annual Ox Cart Days. The project was submitted by the Prairie Skyline Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to restoring historic Crookston buildings for the community.

Read MoreT-Mobile awards Hometown Grant to Crookston

ASK A TROOPER

Question: What am I supposed to do if I am at a railroad crossing and need to report an emergency? Answer: Call 911 and provide the needed information. Every highway-rail crossing has an Emergency Notification System (ENS) sign that provides a 24/7/365 telephone number to report problems or emergencies at the railroad location.

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Crookston speech competes at Perham

On Saturday, March 18th the Crookston Speech Team competed at the Perham Jacket Classic, with several students bringing home awards. Sam Rezac - 3rd place in Storytelling Zac Plante - 5th place in Humor Zara Baig - 1st place in Humor in honors finals Sam Rezac and Zara Baig - 1st place in Duo in honors finals Maddie Harbott - 2nd place in Discussion in honors finals Shayla Azure - 3rd place in Drama in honors finals Meliyeh Moore - red ribbon in Extemporaneous Reading Also competing were Thor Harbott and Jack Anderson in Duo, Brandon Wandrie in Original Oratory, Ivan Luckow in Creative Expression, and John Lisov in Humor.

Read MoreCrookston speech competes at Perham

Septic System Fix-up Grant Program

Polk County Environmental Services is pleased to announce the availability of a costshare grant program that is available to property owners in Polk County that have an existing noncompliant septic system. Funds are intended to fix septic systems that are currently failing codes or functionality. These dollars are made possible through a grant received from the Minnesota Clean Water Legacy Act.

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American Crystal Sugar awards robotics grant

American Crystal Sugar is proud to award Fisher Robotics a check for $2,500 to help support this program. Fisher Robotics is a stem Based program that introduces students to Project Development, Building, Programing, and troubleshooting electronic/ mechanical devices. The teams must document the process and are interviewed at the event. During these interviews they answer questions about the processes used in the development of their design and program.

Read MoreAmerican Crystal Sugar awards robotics grant