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Engaged couple scrambles to plan wedding after a Grand Forks business shuts down

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Engaged couple scrambles to plan wedding after a Grand Forks business shuts down


FARGO, N.D. (Valley News Live) – Casey Ford and his fiance Allison Torkelson are set to get married in September, but never could they imagine they would be forced to find a new venue and caterer, just months before the wedding.

Ford says, last February, he and his soon-to-be wife coordinated with Bigfoot Bar and Grill, which was operated out of the Ramada Inn in Grand Forks, to plan their wedding. He says they wrote out a $1,400 deposit check to Bigfoot to secure catering and the use of the Ramada Inn banquet hall.

“They cashed it two to three weeks after that. Everything was fine. The communication was fine,” said Ford.

Although, everything did not turn out fine. Ford says he learned from social media that the business had closed.

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“I found out on Facebook that they are splitting ways with Ramada. There was no communication there. I emailed them again saying, I found out through Facebook that you are splitting up. What’s the deal,” he said.

Ford says he learned of the closing through a posting on a Facebook group. The posting was from another soon-to-bride, who was having the same issue. Several screenshots were attached showing the woman’s many attempts to also contact Bigfoot to determine the fate of her wedding. The post accumulated more than 60 comments from others going through the same problem or those who have had less-than-desirable interactions with the business.

He also says there have been several attempts to contact Bigfoot’s owner since learning of the closure, but there has been little to no response.

“I’ve tried calling. I’ve tried emailing. My dad has been doing things on his end in Grand Forks to try and get in contact and we’ve just heard nothing.”

Not only was the couple out $1,400, they also had to find a new venue. All he wants now is to have the money refunded.

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“It doesn’t feel good. $1,400 is a lot of money. That could go towards our wedding at the new place,” Ford said. “Having to find out through a third-party source that they are splitting and we don’t have a wedding. Don’t have a location and we had to go to other venues. That 1,400 would mean a lot.”

Google listed Bigfoot as permanently closed. Also, when visiting the business website, the word “closed” is plastered across the homepage.

According to an article from the Winnipeg Free Press, Bigfoot’s owner Ty Cox was facing deportation from Canada in 2014 after he allegedly scammed a charity for kids out of $7,200. It’s unclear if he was ever actually deported.

A representative from Ramada Inn confirmed Bigfoot was no longer operating in their hotel. The representative says they were not made aware of the full list of weddings scheduled. Although, they state the hotel will honor the commitment to host some weddings in certain situations.

If there are couples who have coordinated their weddings with Bigfoot and still wish to host their event at the Ramada, you can contact Assistant Manager Tiffany at (701) 203-1714.

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Our requests for comment from the owner of Bigfoot Bar and Grill have gone unanswered.



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North Dakota

Huskers add top recruit in North Dakota to 2025 class

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Huskers add top recruit in North Dakota to 2025 class


LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) – Matt Rhule and the Nebraska football staff got commitment No. 17 in the 2025 class on Sunday, adding four-star defensive lineman Kade Pietrzak.

The highly sought-after recruit from West Fargo, North Dakota, is the No. 1 recruit in his state and chose Nebraska over Oklahoma, Kansas State and Wisconsin.

Pietrzak checks in at 6-foot-5, 240 pounds and has been on Rhule’s radar since he was hired at Nebraska.

He will join two other defensive linemen in the class of 2025: Omaha North’s Tyson Terry and Malcolm Simpson from Texas.

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Pietrzak is the second-highest rated recruit for Nebraska in this year’s class so far behind Simpson.

Categories: Husker Sports, Sports





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North Dakota Superintendent Helping Schools Develop AI Guidelines

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North Dakota Superintendent Helping Schools Develop AI Guidelines


North Dakota School Superintendent Kirsten Baesler announced new state guidance on artificial intelligence (AI) designed to assist local schools in developing their own AI policies and to help teachers and administrators work more efficiently.

A group of educators from North Dakota schools, the NDDPI, the Department of Career and Technical Education, and state information technology agencies created this guidance, which is available on the Department of Public Instruction’s website.

Baesler emphasized that implementing AI, like any instructional tool, requires careful planning and alignment with educational priorities, goals, and values.

She stressed that humans should always control AI usage and review its output for errors, following a Human-Technology-Human process. “We must emphasize keeping the main thing the main thing, and that is to prepare our young learners for their next challenges and goals,” Baesler said.

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Steve Snow and Kelsie Seiler from the NDDPI Office of School Approval and Opportunity highlighted that the guidance was drawn from various state education agencies and technology websites, such as Code.org and TeachAI.org, with the process taking about eight months.

“We had a team that looked at guidance from other states, and we pulled pieces from different places and actually built guidance tailored for North Dakota students,” Snow said.

Seiler explained that AI excels at data analysis, predictive analytics, and automating repetitive tasks but lacks emotional intelligence, interdisciplinary research, and problem-solving abilities.

Snow added that AI can help teachers design lesson plans aligned with North Dakota’s academic content standards quickly and adjust them for students who need more support. AI can also simplify the development of personalized learning plans for students.

“You have so many resources (teachers) can use that are going to make your life so much easier,” Snow said. “I want the teachers, administration, and staff to get comfortable with using (AI), so they’re a little more comfortable when they talk to kids about it.”

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Seiler noted that the NDDPI guidance is not a “how-to” manual for using AI but offers general suggestions on developing local policies to leverage AI effectively.

“Our guidance is meant to provide some tools to the school administration and say, ‘Here are some things to think about when you implement your own AI guidance,’” Snow said.

“For instance, do you have the infrastructure to support (AI)? Do you have a professional development plan so your teachers can understand it? Do you have governance in place that says what AI can and can’t be used for?”

8 Everyday Foods That Are Legal in Montana, Forbidden Elsewhere

These foods are easy to find on store shelves wherever you buy your groceries in Montana. However in other states they’re banned from the shelves!

Gallery Credit: Michelle Heart

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Big List Of The Best French Fries In Montana

Gallery Credit: mwolfe

 





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The most deadly time to drive is between Memorial Day and Labor Day

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The most deadly time to drive is between Memorial Day and Labor Day


NORTH DAKOTA (KXNET) — The hundred-day span between Memorial Day and Labor Day is marked as the most deadly period on the road here in North Dakota.

According to the North Dakota Department of Transportation’s 2022 crash summary report, fatal crashes are twice as likely during this time.

That’s why North Dakota leaders are urging drivers to not fall into a “false sense of security” during the bright and cheery days of summer.

According to Travel and Leisure, North Dakota has been marked as the state with the most reckless drivers.

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There’s a range of reasons for this from drunk driving to speeding. But another reason is that when the snow clears, North Dakota drivers are eager to get out more and drive faster than they would in the snow, according to the North Dakota Department of Transportation’s Highway Safety Division director.

And because North Dakota has some of the lowest citation fees in the nation, ranging from $5 to $100, the Highway Patrol’s safety and education officer says that drivers aren’t given enough deterrents to drive safely.

However, with growing concerns about safety, there could be talk of increasing citation amounts in coming legislative sessions.



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