Prowlers qualify seven for State Wrestling THIEFTTHTHITHIETHIEFTHIEF RIVERRTHIEF RITHIEF RIVTHIEF RIVETHIEF RIVERTHIEF FALLSFFAFALFALL Tournament Six wrestlers from Northland qualify for Nationals DNESDAY, FEB WE RUARY 26, 2020 Sports - Page 1B $ 00 Volume 109, Number 8 www.trftimes.com • Newsstand1 Price LEAP IN FOR UP $2,900 CASH! GET ONE FREE ENTRY EVERY February 29 th • 6p m-10pm TO MONDAY, TUESDAY & WEDNESDAY One $500 Cash Winner Every Half Hour! JUST FOR COMING IN! OUR FINAL 10PM WINNER SCORES $2,900 IN CASH. All Drawing & Hot Seat Winners Throughout the Month will Receive a Manual Drawing Entry for this Promotion. SEVENCLANSCASINO.COM Visit the Player’s Club for full details. Management reserves all rights. 800.881.0712 Grievances with VenuWorks aired VenuWorks users after numerous com- total $24,000. The parties opposition to VenuWorks Howe noted that a non-vot- couldn’t keep track of money, plaints were lodged after are working under a three- managing the four city- ing task force may pick sides referring to online media re- founder and VenuWorks took over man- year contract. owned properties. among the arena users. Pe- ports regarding at least one agement of Ralph Engelstad Peters’ announcement After a lengthy discussion ters replied that a task force former VenuWorks employee CEO apologizes Arena and the Huck Olson was made at a meeting at- regarding the complaints, would provide VenuWorks charged with theft. “How Memorial Civic Center. The tended by the Thief River council member Jason with feedback. can we trust you?” he asked. firm began managing the Falls City Council, city em- Aarestad suggested that the At some point later, Howe Holmer banged his gavel. by April Scheinoha arenas, the Multi-Events ployees and about 20 other council should create a task said if VenuWorks’ opera- Peters then cautioned Howe Reporter Center and Thief River Falls individuals. The meeting force to advise VenuWorks. tions manager knew any- that the media also reports Tourist Park on Jan. 1. Prior was called after council Mayor Brian Holmer said thing about managing online what Howe has said VenuWorks Founder and to that time, the parties member Curt Howe raised that Howe should serve on arenas, the groups wouldn’t at meetings. Chief Executive Officer were working under a tem- numerous complaints re- the task force if he were will- be sitting in this meeting. It In the end, no task force Steve Peters was on an apol- porary agreement. garding VenuWorks’ man- ing. Howe declined. Howe was unclear whether Howe was formed. Council mem- ogy tour at the Thief River “I’m sorry we disap- agement of the arenas. said he trusts department was referring to Acting Ex- ber Jerald Brown said Mi- Falls Committee of the pointed you,” Peters told Those complaints had been leaders to do their jobs and ecutive Director Brennan halick provided an update to Whole meeting Wednesday, council members. relayed to Howe by arena his job was to speak on be- Mihalick or former Execu- city leaders at a recent Ad- Feb. 19. To rectify the situation, users. Howe, who retired half of the public. He added tive Director Terry Torkild- ministrative Services Com- Peters apologized numer- Peters said he would waive from the city Parks and that certain council mem- son. He claimed that mittee meeting. Represen- ous times to the Thief River VenuWorks’ fees for the first Recreation Department in bers have run all of the past VenuWorks has misman- tatives of the Thief River Falls City Council and arena quarter of 2020. Those fees 2009, had earlier voted in managers out of the arena. aged other facilities and (Continued on Page 11) Frosty and warmer Somerset Park remains after vote Small 2.5-acre subsequent and related mo- tions to vacate a section of park will remain Cameo Drive and amend the Comprehensive Plan were a park scrapped. The split vote came after a lengthy discussion about by April Scheinoha rezoning the park in an ef- Reporter fort to potentially sell it in the future. It will remain green Somerset Park is a 2.5- space. That was, in effect, acre park along Somerset the decision after the Thief Drive. The city acquired the River Falls City Council was property after single-family evenly split about whether homes were platted in Oak- to hold a first reading of an land Park Second and Third ordinance to rezone Somer- Additions. City policy dic- set Park to General Residen- tates that developers pro- tial District (R-2). The park vide 5% of their is located near Black Cat on single-family housing devel- the south side of the city. opments to the city as public Voting in favor of the first land or donate money in lieu reading were council mem- of the dedication. In recent bers Jerald Brown, Curt years, the city has sought Howe, Steve Narverud and the latter. The money is then Don Sollom. Voting in oppo- placed in the Park Improve- sition were Mayor Brian ment Fund. If Somerset Park were sold, the money For late February, temperatures were above average over the Monday morning. Weather conditions Thursday into the Holmer and council mem- bers Jason Aarestad, Mike would have been placed in weekend and into the week. Conditions might even have weekend, according to the National Weather Service, are ex- Lorenson and Rachel Prud- that fund. been described as ideal for melting the snowpack and ice pected to continue without moisture, and highs in the upper homme. (Continued on Page 11) fishing. This picture was taken north of Thief River Falls teens to low 20s. Since that motion failed, Plans progress for highway and Frosty Tines Deer Expo in TRF Sunday trail projects in Thief River Falls The Frosty Tines Deer Molden. Expo, sponsored by the There will be many prod- Plans are moving forward Safe Routes to School grant, Third Street/Highway 59 Northwest Minnesota Qual- uct vendor booths at the for the City of Thief River Electric Department funds from Kinney Avenue to ity Deer Management Asso- show, information about Three round- Falls’ 2020 Street and Utili- and city funding are ex- Highway 59 North; ciation, will be from 11 a.m. quality deer management, ties Improvement Project. At pected to cover the project. • The construction of to 4 p.m. on Sunday, March and random raffles and abouts and two its meeting Tuesday, Feb. 18, The Minnesota Depart- three roundabouts (at the in- 1, at the Ralph Engelstad drawings held throughout the Thief River Falls City ment of Transportation tersections with Brooks and Arena Imperial Room in the day. multi-use trail Council approved ordering plans to improve Highways Barzen avenues as well as Thief River Falls. Visitors are encouraged to the improvements and call- 1 and 59, and the city is re- Highway 59 North); This year’s family- bring their mounts and be- plans proceed ing for plans and specifica- sponsible for an estimated • The extension of a friendly event will feature come eligible for prizes. An tions. $1,354,000 of the project, frontage road from Ruby Av- several presentations, in- official Boone & Crockett by April Scheinoha The project includes im- which is included in the enue to Westside Motors; cluding a question and an- scorer will score bucks Reporter provements to Highways 1 above total. The estimated • The resurfacing of the swer session with Minnesota brought to the event. North- and 59 as well as the con- $7 million MnDOT project is existing frontage road on the Department of Natural Re- ern Wild Taxidermy will also struction of a Franklin Mid- expected to completed in south side of Third Street; sources Conservation Officer showcase their work dle School Safe Routes to phases in the 2020 construc- and Jeremy Woinarowicz; a pres- throughout the show. School multi-use trail. Those tion season. • The construction of a entation on deer habitat by Other participants at the improvements are estimated The Highways 1/59 proj- multi-use trail on the north Habitat Pro Jake Blow; and show include the Minnesota to cost $1.5 million. Munici- ect includes: side of the roadway. a presentation on deer scent Deer Hunters Association, pal State Aid, federal aid, a • The resurfacing of (Continued on Page 8) by Big Buck Adventures Jon (Continued on Page 8) NOW HIRING AT DIGI-KEY: GLOBAL SALES REPRESENTATIVE 25+ POSITIONS • OUTSTANDING BENEFITS • $16.90 PER HOUR APPLY ONLINE TODAY: DIGIKEYCAREERS.COM 2 ~ www.trftimes.com Thief River Falls Times Wednesday, February 26, 2020 TRF man charged with felony criminal sexual conduct A Thief River Falls man report to the Minnesota itals exposed. Law enforce- Roggenbuck also alleged- phone. to send images, including has been charged in Bureau of Criminal ment noted that four of the ly admitted engaging in Roggenbuck also alleged- child pornography, to his Pennington County District Apprehension. A CyberTip images appeared to be the similar contact with his 3- ly admitted using Tumbler Gmail account. Roggenbuck after he allegedly engaged had come from the National same child on the same year-old daughter about a to look up pornographic said he used the images to in criminal sexual conduct Center for Missing and chair or couch. Upon look- month before speaking with material, which eventually recall past experiences for with his children and pos- Exploited Children. The ing at Roggenbuck’s law enforcement. He said he led him to access “child his sexual gratification. sessed four pornographic BCA classified the tip as a Facebook profile, they real- had taken photos of the inci- pornography and age-ques- images of his daughter. Level 1 as it was believed ized that he had a 3-year- dent and they would be in tionable material.” He said Some of the alleged the alleged victims old daughter who was his email and on his cell he used his Yahoo account contact dated back lived at Roggen- around the same age and to 2012.