By Robert Williams Editor The Vergas City Council received information from their energy grant that is looking at municipal building energy efficiency and clean energy integration. The grant was used in collecting and trending energy consumption data, along with energy audits on municipal buildings and building audits. “A large piece of that was data collection and analyzing… Read More

Quilts of Valor awarded to 15 recipients By Robert Williams Editor Lions members from Frazee, Vergas, Wolf Lake and the 4-Corners Clubs hosted the seventh annual Veterans Appreciation Dinner Program on Wednesday, Nov. 13, at a jam packed Frazee Event Center. Vergas Lion Dennis Breitzman again served as emcee and provided plenty of laughs with his ever-growing… Read More

The New York Mills Regional Cultural Center and the New York Mills Friends of the Library are pleased to co-present Kip Peltoniemi in concert on Saturday, Nov. 23. Join the Cultural Center and the NY Mills Friends of the Library for an unforgettable evening with renowned accordionist and storyteller Kip Peltoniemi. Concert will be held at… Read More

Principal Smith discusses dealing with truancy By Robert Williams Editor FFA representatives were in attendance at the monthly school board meeting on Tuesday, Nov. 12, to share the positive aspects of attending the 97th annual National FFA Convention & Expo in Indianapolis, Indiana Oct. 23-26. The group shared a 16-hour bus trip with FFA members from neighboring schools…. Read More

By Kate Mudge,  West Central Initiative As the harvest season ends, efforts to strengthen a sustainable, resilient food system in west central Minnesota continue to expand. Communities across the region are embracing local food initiatives that not only support food security, but also promote environmental stewardship.  Projects like the West Central Minnesota Food Council, The Bridge Center, and… Read More

Local senator to serve as assistant Senate Republican leader Minnesota Senate Republicans recently elected their leadership team to guide the caucus during the upcoming 2025-26 legislative session. State Senator Jordan Rasmusson (R-Fergus Falls) was named assistant Senate Republican leader, while Senator Mark Johnson (R-East Grand Forks) will continue in his role as Senate Republican leader. In… Read More

Essentia Health has reached an agreement with UnitedHealthcare (UHC) to remain an in-network provider for UHC’s Medicare Advantage insurance plan in 2025. Essentia and UHC have been working toward a resolution to ensure improved continuity of care for patients covered by UHC’s Medicare Advantage plan. Essentia believes that the plans put in place address their concerns… Read More

Program focuses on buying locally produced food products Farm to School is a program where schools buy and feature locally produced, farm-fresh foods such as fruits and vegetables, eggs, honey, meat, and beans on their menus. It enriches the connection communities have with fresh, healthy food and local food producers by changing food purchasing and education… Read More

High school students from three area school districts take part High school students from the Perham, Battle Lake and Ulen-Hitterdal public school districts took a deep dive into their career interests and explored educational pathways into high-skill, high-paying jobs at the region’s first-ever “Minnesota Works: Exploring Tech and Trades” event, held at M State’s Moorhead… Read More

November is Lung Cancer Awareness Month and the perfect time to consider a lung cancer screening. Lung cancer causes more cancer-related deaths in the United States than any other type of cancer, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).Cigarette smoking is the No. 1 cause of lung cancer. Other risk factors include: • Smoking… Read More