Groups bringing growers and consumers together By Robert Williams Editor The West Central Minnesota Regional Food Council initiative, along with PartnerSHIP 4 Health, initiated and published a survey last September and are now in the process of forming a full Regional Food Policy Council that will use the plan to bolster the regional food system. The council currently… Read More

Photo by Robert Williams Hailey Selly and Asher Blaine were crowned Snoball King and Queen Monday, Feb. 5, at the high school gymnasium. For more information about Snoball week check out page 4. 

County admin has a week to request a hearing By Robert Williams Editor The Becker County Board of Commissioners voted 3-2 to remove County Administrator Pat Oman from his position at the bimonthly meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 6. Former chairman and commissioner Barry Nelson wasted no time in making a motion for the termination, but that motion was followed… Read More

Petition aims to keep current state flag in Minnesota Photo courtesy State Emblems Redesign Commission, Minnesota Secretary of State Above left: Petition signers want to keep the current Minnesota state flag and are opposed to the new rendition. Local protesters submitted 64 pages of signatures from a petition against adopting the new flag. Above right: The… Read More

Grant focuses on the science of the positive By Robert Williams Editor Students at Frazee-Vergas in sixth through 12th grades will be administered the second Positive Community Norms Grant (PCN) survey on Wednesday, Feb. 21. The 30-minute survey is completely confidential and has to be done without any assistance, according to PCN Coordinator Heidi Moen. The survey is… Read More

Frazee Community Development officially transferred ownership of the Wannigan Regional Park land to the City of Frazee in December of 2023. The purchase was funded by the State of Minnesota through its Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund.    A group of long-term volunteers originally came together as Frazee Community Development and the Wannigan Park Committee… Read More

Photos by Robert Williams Above: The 2023-24 Snoball Court. Front row: Lindsay Marks, Rylie Schwendeman, Ashley Wischnak, Hailey Selly, Brea Paurus, Hailee Olson and Emma Ketter. Back row: Josh Mellema, Derek Zitzow, Jesse Rollins, Asher Blaine, Will Olson, Sam Stockstrom and Josh Boyer. Members of the Snoball Royal Court entertained their fellow students competing in the… Read More

Photos by Tom Hintgen Permanent Old Clitherall displays can be seen at the county museum as part of the Otter Tail County Historical Society on the west side of Fergus Falls. Old Clitherall became the county’s first non Native American settlement in 1865, the same time as the end of the Civil War.

Creating Community Consulting (CCC), a leading woman-owned consultancy service based in West Central Minnesota specializing in community development and engagement, is excited to announce a significant development in its growth and leadership team.  Megan Jenson, who has been an integral part of Creating Community Consulting since its inception, is now taking on an elevated role as… Read More

Vergas, Deer Creek, Audubon to receive funds West Central Initiative awarded $1,000 grants to 21 fire departments in west central Minnesota. Most of the grant funds came from the Philanthropic Preparedness, Resiliency and Emergency Partnership (PPREP) Community Foundation Disaster Response Fund, a project of The Funders Network, to help communities prepare for and recover from… Read More