Latest news with #ForumCommunications
Yahoo
07-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Grand Forks Mayor Brandon Bochenski: HIVE 'far ahead of schedule'
Jun. 7—GRAND FORKS — The Grand Forks HIVE building is expected to generate nearly $400,000 in revenue this year before additional contributions from the Grand Forks Jobs Development Authority, less than the $515,000 in expected expenditures for the year. And while originally not a fan of the purchase, Grand Forks Mayor Brandon Bochenski said the transformation of the former Grand Forks Herald building into a tech accelerator and unmanned aircraft system industry hub has made the facility a worthwhile investment. A $1.1 million grant from the U.S. Economic Development Administration was "the hinge" for Bochenski, he said, allowing the building to move forward as a UAS-specific tech accelerator. "All of that came to fruition, so I think we've gotten the most out of the building," said Bochenski, who was not mayor when the city negotiated for the building's purchase. A profit wasn't expected, said Bochenski, who believes the amount of business growth the facility drives outweighs the cost of investment. "When you're growing something like this that's unique that nobody else across the country has, it's going to take time to get there," Bochenski said. "But I would say we're far ahead of schedule." The building has been owned by the Jobs Development Authority since 2019, when the organization purchased it from Forum Communications for $2.75 million. The gap between what the building earns and what it costs to run has shrunk since the city finished the first phase of renovations in 2023. The JDA has contributed between $260,000 to $391,000 a year for the operations since the building became the HIVE, an acronym for Hybrid Innovation Venture Engine. Earlier this spring, the JDA — comprised of members of the Grand Forks City Council and the mayor — voted to open a request for qualifications for a company to take over the management of the tech accelerator and building. Part of the qualification advertisement is to determine how much third-party management would cost — since there isn't a good analogous example from which to pull from — and potentially bring programming to the facility that the JDA is unable to. "Because the UAS industry is changing so rapidly, to keep up, we do think it's a good time to look at a third-party management company for the HIVE," city human resources manager Haley Rosaasen, who helps with operational management of the HIVE, told the JDA on April 7. "After taking a look at other accelerators, seeing how we're performing, we are trending in the right direction financially." The city first announced it would purchase the building six years ago, in April 2019. The original idea was to use it for city offices and house other offices for political entities, but that changed when Bochenski took office in 2020. After the JDA received the $1.1 million grant from the United States Economic Development Administration, it began to renovate the building into a tech accelerator to support technology and unmanned aircraft system start-up companies. While originally geared toward helping start-ups, the HIVE's mission has evolved to focus more on scale-ups rather than true start-ups. The JDA has spent $4.1 million on renovating the structure, which was built after the Flood of 1997 in 1998. The JDA, while comprised of city leadership and related to the city, is a distinct financial and legal entity, separate from the municipal corporation that is the city of Grand Forks. Its funds come from economic development dollars from sales tax earnings and rental income from other JDA-owned buildings . The funds to buy and renovate the HIVE building came from JDA cash reserves and the $1.1 million grant from the EDA. The first phase of renovations was completed in spring 2023 , and the second is now wrapping up. The renovations allowed the JDA to rent out some portions of the building traditionally and other portions as a coworking space model with memberships. The Herald moved from the HIVE to a south-side office building in 2023. The entirety of the structure is 32,000 square feet, with around 12,350 square feet of leaseable space. Most of that space is under lease, with only around 2,800 square feet — or about 23% — currently available. The building is estimated to generate around $148,000 a year in rent from its tenants, including: * Grand Forks Region Economic Development Corporation: 2,900 square feet at $3,153.92 monthly. * Meadowlark Aircraft: the company rents two spaces in the building billed separately. One 910 square foot space for $1,562.17 monthly and another 1,270 square foot space for $2,180.17 monthly. * Praxis Strategy Group: 1,150 square feet for $1,974.17 monthly. * Thread: 2,068 square feet for $1,947 monthly. * GrandSky: 705 square feet for $1,175 monthly. * XTI Aerospace: 525 square feet for $875 monthly. In total, those rental figures equal approximately $154,000. The variance between the $148,000 annual estimate and the potential $154,000 — the sum of all contracts over the year — is due to the way the JDA budgets and the nature of how rental contracts work at the HIVE. Companies can leave or join midway through the year since leases are generally month-to-month. The HIVE also has a fair amount of flex and meeting space. The "bullpen" is 1,950 square feet of flexible office space. Those who use it pay memberships to the HIVE, but don't necessarily have formal leases with the JDA. The HIVE offers three tiers of membership. Tier 1 includes use of the flexible office spaces in the bullpen, use of building services, and participation in member events. Tier 2 includes all tier one features and exclusive use of an office. Tier 3 is mainly reserved for those with formal leases and includes all features of Tier 1, minus use of the bullpen, and serves akin to a common area maintenance fee common in many commercial leases elsewhere. There are 22 companies overall that have memberships (including the six with leases) according to revenue records, and the JDA is estimating $180,600 in membership revenue in 2025. With an additional $53,000 expected in naming rights and sponsorships — $3,000 from general donors, $4,000 from a partnership with O'Leary Ventures and $46,000 in future, yet unrealized, opportunities — the total expected revenue in 2025 is $396,968, before the JDA's contribution. The roughly $118,000 that the JDA will contribute to the building is 4.7% of the budgeted $2.5 million in local sales tax revenue dedicated to economic development in 2025, or 0.35% of the total expected $33.5 million in sales tax collections for 2025. What the future has for the facility will likely be informed by the outcome of the management proposal, for which the city is now advertising. The building's operations require around one and a quarter staff to operate, much less than the typical six to seven for facilities like this, according to Bochenski. Under the proposed timeline, proposals were due to the JDA by May 9 with review occurring throughout the month. After that, it likely will come to the Growth Fund Committee and the JDA sometime in the middle of summer. "We're unsure of who would quite apply for it," Rosaasen said. "... We are looking for somebody who has UAS knowledge, so it's going to be a tight market."
Yahoo
29-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Longtime Agweek reporter Jonathan Knutson has died
Apr. 28—GRAND FORKS, N.D. — Longtime Agweek reporter Jonathan Knutson died Friday, April 25, 2025, under the care of hospice. He was 65. Knutson was a respected and renowned agriculture journalist and a past president of the North American Agricultural Journalists. "Jon was one of the best. A great reporter and writer, sure, but he also was a great mentor — both down and up. If we had a new reporter or a new editor on the team, he went out of his way to share his knowledge, which was unmatched. He made everyone around him better," said Kirsten Stromsodt, executive editor for Forum Communications who formerly served as director of content for Agweek. "Jon was a stellar reporter and an even better person," said Jenny Schlecht, director of content for Agweek. "He was an important part of the fabric of Agweek, providing steady, thorough reporting and insightful commentary, straight from someone who knew the world of agriculture personally. We're all better for having worked with him and learned from his experiences." Knutson always described himself as a "farm kid." He grew up on his family farm near McVille, North Dakota. He graduated from Concordia College in Moorhead, Minnesota, with a bachelor's degree, then received a master's degree in international management from the Thunderbird School of Global Management in Phoenix, Arizona. Knutson spent five years at the Bismarck (North Dakota) Tribune. He first came to Agweek in 1989. He spent two years there before moving on to The Forum of Fargo-Moorhead in February 1991, where he covered agriculture and business. Knutson returned to Agweek on April Fools' Day in 2010. Knutson was a big piece of the beginning of AgweekTV , which launched in January 2015. While a print reporter at heart, Knutson became adept at appearing on television, giving his reporting a new audience. He became a fixture on the program for years and helped bring accurate agriculture information into the living rooms of the region. After his retirement in August 2021, Knutson still regularly wrote his popular "Plain Living" column for Agweek and Forum Communications. Throughout his career, Knutson wrote many stories important to agriculture, agriculture policy and ag business, along with many insightful profiles on the agriculture community of the region. When he retired, he chose "five fairly representative stories of which I'm proud" and provided comments on them: 1. A long, wet ag disaster : "Many Agweek readers remember the long rise of Devils Lake adjacent to the North Dakota city bearing the same name. This story, which took first place in the annual North American Agricultural Journalists writing contest, examined how farmers were affected." 2. The man from Moccasin, Mont. : "I've had the great, good fortune to write many personality stories, or feature stories on individuals. This one involved a trip to Great Falls, Mont. — a long drive that proves Agweek's commitment to serving the region — to profile a wheat farmer and national commodity leader whom I dubbed 'the Man from Moccasin, Mont.' " 3. Cultured meat: Good or bad, promise or peril? "I'd like to think I've always written fair, balanced stories. Even though I grew up on a ranch and once owned cattle, this award-winning story, which looked at the pros and cons, friends and foes of cultured meat (aka cell-based meat) fairly reflected the cell-based industry's point of view, or so an industry official told me after the story ran." 4. Flood control creates tough times for farmers, ranchers : "This is the longest story I ever wrote. It looked at disastrous flooding around Towner, North Dakota. I received a second-place in the annual NAAJ writing contest; the first-place winner that year visited China for his story, the third-place winner went to New Zealand. Ah, well, Towner was fine by me; nice town, nice people." 5. 'Arrogant journalists' not found in Upper Midwest ag : "My "Plain Living" columns typically focus on the joys and challenges of modern agriculture. This one looks at the joys and challenges of being an ag journalist. A private graveside service for Knutson is planned for later this year. In lieu of memorials, his family believes the best way to honor his memory is to schedule a cancer screening, especially for colon cancer. To read his full obituary, visit
Yahoo
02-04-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Winter storm warning and advisory in central Minnesota extended until early Thursday
Apr. 2—CHANHASSEN — The has extended the current winter storm warning and the winter weather advisory in western and central Minnesota until 1 a.m. Thursday, April 3. Phase two of the April Fools spring storm brought widespread rain and snow to the region. Areas along the west and northern sides of the system will see renewed strength in snowfall, with the potential favoring western and central Minnesota, according to the National Weather Service. There is also potential for minor ice accumulations from sunrise through midday in western Minnesota as mid-level warmer air continues to wrap around the system. The winter storm warning has been expanded to include Stevens and Pope counties in addition to Douglas, Todd, and Morrison counties due to the greatest potential for seeing additional snowfall exceeding 4 to 6 inches and ice accumulations up to one-tenth of an inch. Winds gusting as high as 35 mph are possible. The winter weather advisory has been expanded to include Benton, Kanabec, Kandiyohi, Lac qui Parle, Mille Lacs, Stearns, Swift and Yellow Medicine counties. There will be a sharp cutoff in snow totals south of where the heaviest snowfall sets up. There is also potential for minor ice accumulations up to a glaze. Rain and snow, possibly mixed with sleet, is expected by 4 p.m. Wednesday, followed by a chance of snow after 5 p.m. with wind gusts up to 30 mph. All drivers are urged to slow down and use caution when traveling. Drivers can call 5-1-1 or visit for road conditions. Watch for weather-related announcements throughout the day at these Forum Communications websites: * West Central Tribune, Willmar: * Alexandria Echo Press: * St. Cloud Live: Gusty winds are also expected across southern Minnesota throughout the day.
Yahoo
01-04-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
An April Fools' spring storm arriving Tuesday will produce snow and more through Wednesday
Apr. 1—CHANHASSEN, Minn. — This is no April Fools' prank from Mother Nature. A spring storm is arriving Tuesday, April 1, which will bring periods of heavy snow to western and central Minnesota, then eastward into northwest Wisconsin. According to the National Weather Service, a band of heavy snow will spread across Minnesota and western Wisconsin on Tuesday afternoon and evening. The heavy snow is expected to linger into Wednesday morning across central Minnesota. In addition, late tonight into Wednesday morning, sleet and freezing rain may sometimes mix in with the snow. A winter storm warning is in effect from Douglas County eastward to Kanabec County through Wednesday morning. This area includes Alexandria, Long Prairie, Little Falls, Milaca, Hinckley, and northward. Snow is expected to last the longest in those counties, resulting in snowfall totals of 5 to 7 inches. Some locally higher amounts are possible in Douglas and Todd counties. The heavy snow in Douglas County will be mixed with some freezing rain and sleet late Tuesday night into Wednesday morning. There is a winter weather advisory through Tuesday until 1 a.m. Wednesday from Yellow Medicine County up to Stearns County and over to Chisago County. This area includes Benson, Clara City, Granite Falls, Madison, Marshall, Montevideo, Morris, Paynesville, St. Cloud and Willmar. Snowfall totals of 2 to 4 inches are expected with this advisory area. Some amounts closer to 6 inches are possible in the northern edge, including Pope, Stearns, Benton and Isanti counties. All drivers are urged to slow down and use caution when traveling. Drivers can call 5-1-1 or visit for road conditions. Watch for weather-related announcements throughout the day at these Forum Communications websites: * Alexandria Echo Press: * St. Cloud Live: * West Central Tribune, Willmar:
