Jim Bainer
CREATE ARTWORK TO BE PERMANENTLY IMPRINTED ON SIDEWALKS THROUGHOUT THE CITY
MOORHEAD – The City of Moorhead is issuing a Request for Art for artistic submissions to be converted into sidewalk stamps that may be utilized on sidewalk installations in the 11 Street Underpass project area.
Submission Criteria is as follows:
Subject matter must be appropriate for all that will discover it.
Individuals may submit up to 2 original graphic designs.
Fit within the stamp parameters:
Maximum area: 20 inch by 20 inch square.
Line work that is created in black and white PDF format or paper submissions.
Minimum line width of 1/8 inch – Maximum line width of 1/4 inch
All submissions will be anonymously reviewed and selected by the Art(ist) Review Team (A.R.T.)
Please review full details for the Request for Art and email any questions to art@moorheadmn.gov.
If this interests you, please submit your proposal(s) by 4:00pm on Friday, May 23, 2025.
Learn More: https://www.cityofmoorhead.com/departments/community-development/planning-zoning/art-in-moorhead/request-for-sidewalk-art
20-YEAR M STATE DIESEL INSTRUCTOR, JIM BAINER, NAMED TO MN TRANSPORTATION HALL OF FAME
MOORHEAD – Jim Bainer, a recently retired diesel instructor at M State, has been inducted into the Minnesota State Transportation Center of Excellence Hall of Fame. The award commemorates lifetime contributions to transportation education in Minnesota.
Bainer retired in January after 20 years of teaching at M State, where he was well-known as a skilled and dedicated Diesel Equipment Technology instructor. He also served as the college’s advisor for SkillsUSA, a showcase of highly skilled career and technical education students and the host of annual hands-on competitions for students in the diesel industry. Bainer coached six state champions in SkillsUSA, all of whom ranked in the top 10 nationally.
“He was a person who left industry to come into education because he believed he could make the lives and careers of his students better, and in fact, that is just what he did, over and over for more than 20 years,” says Mark Bannatyne, dean of the School of Applied Technology at M State. “He will be greatly missed by us all.”
Bainer is a 1983 graduate of Central Lakes College (formerly Staples Area Vocational and Technical Institute), where he specialized in Diesel and Heavy Equipment Mechanics. He has factory certifications from Caterpillar, Cummins, Detroit Diesel, Ford and Iveco, and has attended seminars for industry leaders such as CNH, John Deere and Bobcat.
Before moving into education in 2004, Bainer spent 14 years at Boyer Ford Trucks in Minneapolis as a master journeyman technician and six years with Bauerly Brothers Construction as an engine and field technician. He brought that industry experience into the classroom, helping bridge the gap between textbook and toolbox for his students.
NEW PERMANENT EXHIBIT AT BONANZAVILLE
FARGO – A new permanent exhibit curated and produced by students in North Dakota State University’s Museum Studies program under the guidance of Public History Professor Angela Smith will open to the public on Saturday, May 10 at 1:00 p.m. at Bonanzaville in West Fargo.
The two-part exhibit—developed during the Spring 2025 semester—traces the formation of Fargo from its frontier origins in the 1870s through the rise and fall of Bonanza farming in the Red River Valley. The project results from a semester-long collaboration between Smith and 21 students (14 undergraduates and 7 graduate students) who conducted original research, proposed exhibit sections, and helped shape the final layout and design.
A third new exhibit created by master’s Student and curator at Bonanzaville, Charlotte Stoddard, explores four local women between 1880 and 1910.
“This project highlights the role of students in uncovering and interpreting our region’s history,” said Smith. “Together, we explored how railroads, land, and agriculture transformed this area—and how those changes still echo today.”
MINNESOTA STATE MOORHEAD HOLDS SASH CEREMONY FOR GRADUATING INTERNATIONAL, MULTICULTURAL STUDENTS
MOORHEAD – Minnesota State Moorhead will host a sash ceremony for our diverse graduating students on Thursday, May 15, at 3 p.m. in the Comstock Memorial Union Ballroom.
President Tim Downs and Provost & Senior Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs Arrick Jackson will recognize graduating international and domestic students who identify as Black, Indigenous, People of Color, LGBTQIA2S+, or intersectional. Students will receive a sash representing their country of citizenship or affinity.
“Our international and multicultural students have demonstrated extraordinary grit this past year, overcoming unprecedented obstacles while pursuing their education far from home,” said Fumi Cheever, Moorhead’s Global Engagement Director. “The graduation sashes they proudly wear represent not just their countries of citizenship and cultural heritage but also symbolize their remarkable journey of perseverance and achievement.”
May’s ceremony includes 26 multicultural graduate students, 75 multicultural undergraduate students, 31 international students receiving bachelor’s degrees, and one international student earning a master’s degree.
This special ceremony is sponsored by MSUM’s Office of Diversity & Inclusion and the Center for Global Engagement.
PROPERTY ASSESSMENT REVIEWS TO OCCUR IN SELECTED NEIGHBORHOODS
MOORHEAD – The City of Moorhead Assessing Division will be conducting residential property reviews in selected neighborhoods in the coming weeks. Clearly identified City assessors may be walking around, viewing and taking photos of your property’s exterior.
Reviews will occur in the following subdivisions: Spragues Addition.
Property reviews help the City Assessor determine current and accurate property values as required by the State of Minnesota. An interior inspection ensures the most accurate valuation.
To schedule an interior inspection, to confirm any data regarding the interior of your home in lieu of a physical interior inspection, or if you have questions about the assessment process, please call the Assessor’s Office at 218.299.5310.
THE MOOD ROOM OPENS AT PLAINS ART MUSEUM
FARGO – Folkways and local artist LESLEYDIDTHAT announce the opening of The Mood Room, a vibrant new interactive installation on the second floor of the Plains Art Museum, in the Goldberg Family lounge, on view through the month of May.
Originally unveiled during the Museum’s Spring Gala: Color Flings, The Mood Room invites guests to step inside a space where light and sound respond to their presence, echoing the changing hues of a mood ring. Created by multimedia artist Lesleyanne Buegel (LESLEYDIDTHAT) and software engineer Blaine Booher, the installation blends art, technology, and play. Inside the room, visitors are encouraged to explore a hands-on puzzle and a series of mysterious buttons that unlock unique “moods”—from “Dark and Stormy” to “Disco Mode.”
“The Mood Room was an idea in my head that I’ve wanted to create for years,” said Buegel. “Art can be so much more than a static physical piece on a wall. The Mood Room is about energy, emotion, and discovery.”
The installation is free and open to the public during museum hours through May 31.
To celebrate the launch, Folkways and the Plains Art Museum will host an open house reception on Thursday, May 8 at 6:00 PM. The evening will include a walkthrough of the installation and a conversation with the artists at 6:30pm about their collaboration and creative process.
West Fargo Police Department warns residents of scam
impersonating department
personnel
WEST FARGO – The West Fargo Police Department has learned of a scam caller contacting residents claiming to be Detective Ryan Birney and Captain Derek Cruff.
In the scam, residents are receiving phone calls with instructions to provide payment via gift cards regarding an alleged outstanding warrant. Residents are always encouraged to call the West Fargo Police Department directly at a verified number if they receive any suspicious phone calls or voicemails from individuals claiming to be members of the department.
If a resident is contacted with a similar scam call, please contact the Red River Regional Dispatch Center at 701-451-7660.