Pelican Rapids receives nearly $1 million for housing, commercial building projects The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) recently announced that Senate District 9 will receive more than $2.7 million in Small Cities Development Program (SCDP) funds. This initiative is designed to assist cities, townships and counties with critical funding for housing, public… Read More

County Buildings to Shine Green Nov. 4-11 to Support Veterans In advance of the upcoming Veterans Day holiday, Otter Tail County is joining the nationwide Operation Green Light initiative, illuminating county buildings in green from November 4-11. The initiative aims to raise awareness of the challenges veterans face and highlight available resources at all levels of government…. Read More

The season is complete and the awards are on their way for 15,823 student athletes that participated in USA Clay Target League (USACTL) programs this fall. Those athletes are competing on 873 high school, college, and homeschool teams nationwide. “Athletes and parents want safe, school-based, non-traditional outdoor activities in which to participate. The league’s school-approved programs… Read More

Restrictions set in place in southeastern, south metro, north-central Minnesota Deer carcass movement restrictions are in place for 14 deer permit areas located in southeastern and north-central Minnesota and the south metro area. Deer permit areas 604, 605, 642, 643, 644, 645, 646, 647, 648, 649, 655, 661, 679 and 684 together form the chronic… Read More

Concordia College’s Office of Graduate and Post-Baccalaureate Education is launching a Master of Social Work program to address the growing need for clinical social work providers. The MSW program offers both one- and two-year pathways to accommodate a range of educational backgrounds. The one-year Advanced Standing Program, beginning in summer 2025, is designed for individuals with a… Read More

By Tod Bowman policy associate with theCenter for Rural Affairs Transparency is essential to effective policy making and is the cornerstone of earning stakeholder trust. When people understand the reasoning behind a policy, they are much more likely to accept the final outcome, even if it does not align with their individual preference. The future of clean… Read More

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs announced it delivered more care and more benefits to more Veterans than ever before in fiscal year 2024 — including to Veterans, their families, and their survivors in Minnesota. These outcomes for the nation’s Veterans build on continued efforts by VA and the entire Biden-Harris Administration to expand and improve… Read More

As the demand for renewable energy rises, the future of solar development on agricultural land is a growing concern for state and local governments.  A new fact sheet from the Center for Rural Affairs highlights the use of both solar energy generation and agricultural production on the same land. “Dual use is a great solution to alleviate… Read More

5 years ago Frazee-Vergas Forum November 5, 2019 In May, with a $25.6 million bond referendum failing to pass, the Frazee-Vergas School Board and administrators knew there would need to be a regrouping fairly soon. At the very least, Frazee-Vergas Superintendent Terry Karger said, the school board members felt it was best to, “have a workshop to… Read More

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources has confirmed the presence of zebra mussels in White Sand Lake, near Baxter in Crow Wing County. The White Sand Lake Association contacted the DNR after zebra mussels were found on a dock being removed from the lake for the season. DNR invasive species specialists confirmed the report. Several new zebra… Read More