— A former two-term mayor of Fergus Falls is now a full-time author Ben Schierer’s first book is “Perpich: A Minnesota Original,” a historical account of former Minnesota Gov Perpich remains the only governor in state history to serve nonconsecutive terms and was known for his colorful and unconventional political style Schierer said he has long held a passion for history and state politics and believes Perpich’s life and legacy still hold relevance today “Coming from a working-class family on the Iron Range he never forgot the power of a job which was incredibly important,” Schierer said Mark Dayton wrote the foreword to the book FERGUS FALLS — The Alexandria boys golf team put in a dominant performance at a Central Lakes Conference meet hosted by Fergus Falls on Thursday at Pebble Lake Golf Course which beat Brainerd’s 313 and Detroit Lakes’ 318 Fergus Falls capped off the top five with a 324 Alexandria had three of the top five individuals at the meet Weston Nyberg earned medalist honors at 3-under-par 69 Macoy Denny was second with a 71 and William Thornburg finished in a three-way tie with Rocori’s Drew Austin and Detroit Lakes’ Owen Chiodo at 75 Luke Larson and Aden Jacobson both finished in the top 15 Larson carded a 76 to earn a share of sixth and Jacobson shot a 79 to place in a tie for 13th Willmar plays in the two-day Dacotah Ridge Invitational hosted by Lakeville South beginning at 1 p.m Friday at Dacotah Ridge Golf Club in Morton Detroit Lakes edged Alexandria in a Central Lakes Conference meet hosted by the Warriors at Madden’s on Gull Lake in Brainerd followed by Alexandria’s 320 and Willmar’s 348 Sophie Christianson had medalist honors for Detroit Lakes Lucia Martin Rodriguez and Kennedy Mara both finished in the top 10 Martin Rodriguez earned a share of sixth at 82 and Mara tied for ninth with an 83 Southwest Christian won the Litchfield Invitational after edging New London-Spicer and Hutchinson at Litchfield Golf Club which was seven ahead of New London-Spicer and Hutchinson Litchfield was fourth at 193 and Paynesville fifth at 225 Atwater-Cosmos-Grove City’s Brooke Brekke earned medalist honors with a 39 Litchfield’s Addyson Zens was the only other area golfer to break into the top 5 The Alexandria baseball team won a defensive battle in game one but Fergus Falls won game two 11-1 in five innings A Lawton Ketelsen sacrifice fly in the bottom of the third and a sacrifice by Carson Holte in the bottom of the sixth gave the Cardinals a 2-1 win in game one The Otters (2-4) scored three runs in the bottom of the first inning and six in the bottom of the fifth to win game two Alexandria (6-3) plays at Detroit Lakes (1-6) in a doubleheader at 4 p.m The Brandon-Evansville baseball team is off to a great start this season B-E swept Hillcrest Lutheran Academy (2-8) on Tuesday winning 12-2 in game one and 14-1 in game two Mason Olson had two hits and scored four runs in game one for the Chargers The Chargers scored 12 runs in the bottom of the first inning in game two B-E (7-1) hosts Hancock (2-4) in a doubleheader at 4 p.m Osakis had control of its game against the Long Prairie-Grey Eagle Thunder on Tuesday as it led 4-1 after four innings But LPGE scored three runs in the top of the sixth inning to tie the game and five runs in the top of the seventh inning to secure a 9-4 win Seth Staloch hit a solo home run for Osakis (1-7) in the bottom of the fourth inning in its loss to LPGE (10-1) Osakis hosts Upsala-Swanville Area (7-2) at 4:30 p.m Parkers Prairie (6-3) 1Breckenridge (5-4) 8 activist and former restaurateur brings people together for Wednesday soup night FERGUS FALLS - When Rita Nau moved to Fergus Falls during the pandemic the former restaurateur began baking bread and making soup for neighbors anybody who wanted to swing by her home on a Wednesday evening “I feel like we’re going into a very difficult time in our country,” Nau said “I need to know the people in my community.” People dropped cash into a ceramic dish to help cover costs and accepted a bowl of smooth potato-bacon soup They chose from among several kinds of freshly baked bread On the brightly spangled tablecloth sat small dishes of extra bacon and cheese Others chatted in the living room full of art and comfy furniture until nighttime closed off the view of Lake Alice I don’t think I saw anybody on their phones “I think it’s something everybody needs and craves right now,” said Naomi Schliesman “It’s creating hope and also creating a sense of community.” Nau’s daughter set a pan of fresh almond bars on the table behaved with perfect decorum until someone opened the patio door heedlessly tearing across driveways and yards who supports child care providers for a nonprofit and met Nau at a neighborhood block party arrived in time to get the last bowl of soup “It’s exactly what my soul needed,” she said of the weekly get-togethers Nau helped her get her child involved in youth theater and soup-and-bread nights helped relieve the dark I found out about Nau’s soup night from a friend I remembered a vehicle accident he’d written about “I don’t see a Jesus in your contact list.” It was Siri “That really happened!” Nau exclaimed as I recalled it “Dennis slammed on the brakes and I said Jesus!” And then Siri piped up Nau and her husband moved to Fergus Falls from the Twin Cities they lived in little Gibbon in south central Minnesota The interruption had annoyed me, especially as it was followed by another and another. No wonder Fischbach doesn’t want to meet the public, I thought, before also grasping that the two feed into each other. Without a real public town hall, more people will protest, and the more they protest, the less likely Fischbach or the other representatives of rural Minnesota will hold public meetings. In fact, Nau told me that had there been an open mic at Fischbach’s event, she wouldn’t have protested. She would have simply taken her turn at the mic. Nau, a veteran of 1970s women’s rights protests, said she doesn’t like to talk politics at her Wednesday evening get-togethers. Despite her heckling of Fischbach, she would welcome people of all political stripes to her table, even MAGA Republicans, if they would come. “Both sides can listen a little more to each other,” she said. Change can be hard, and Nau understands that. She doesn’t want people to feel afraid to come to her house. That’s why, on the invitation she posts online, she says, “No need to knock. Just waltz in like you own the place.” In this era, when it seems like we all chat online and rarely in person, we need more people like Rita Nau. Karen Tolkkinen is a columnist for the Minnesota Star Tribune, focused on the issues and people of greater Minnesota. Greater Minnesota About 90 people marched through Redwood Falls where Mato Dow has been missing since 2017 On the city’s first night without an overnight homeless shelter I wandered the streets with the city’s unhoused as they tried to stay awake and avoid jail and a $1,000 fine (KVRR-KFGO) – A Fergus Falls woman has been arrested and charged for threatening a bank employee 71-year-old Cynthia Rae Nelson walked into a bank made comments about “going postal,” made a gun gesture with her hands and said that she would be back According to documents filed in Otter Tail County District Court an employee assisting Nelson told officers she was in the bank because they needed to close her account and refund some money Nelson said she was upset about a charge from the postal service for $2.16 The employee proceeded to refund it to her Police say Nelson became extremely agitated Nelson later said she was unhappy with the bank and told the employee “I’m not done with you,” before leaving the building Other employees told officers that Nelson called the employee an expletive and held up her middle finger as she walked out of the building Nelson is charged with threatening violence and disorderly conduct She made her first court Wednesday morning MINNESOTA – There will be 12 new locations in Minnesota that will get electric vehicle charging stations They include Energy Hunters Minnesota in Barnesville and Francis Energy Charging in Fergus Falls MnDOT officials say the charging stations will be located along Interstates 90 and 94 The project is paid for with $10 million from the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure program Other locations getting charging stations include: Studio: 701-271-1100Text Line: 701-237-1590Front Desk: 701-356-4220Email: Click Here to Email Us Mainly clear. Low around 50F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph. (Otter Tail County, MN)--Officials have released more details in a fatal crash on Monday evening in Otter Tail County. The Minnesota State Patrol says the driver was killed when she rear-ended a semi-truck while allegedly fleeing police. The 32-year-old woman from St. Francis was reportedly fleeing a traffic stop.  The woman's Buick Enclave collided with the back of a semi-truck along westbound I-94 near Fergus Falls. The semi driver was not injured in the crash. Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.We recommend switching to one of the following browsers: FERGUS FALLS, Minn. — Two downtown cannabis businesses hoping to sell recreational marijuana have found themselves at the center of a zoning debate, as Fergus Falls city leaders raise concerns over their proximity to local parks. At a Fergus Falls City Council meeting earlier this month, council member Mike Mortenson questioned whether the dispensaries Elevate and Sugar High were located too close to what city ordinance defines as an “attraction” within a park used by minors. City code prohibits cannabis retailers from operating within 250 feet of such attractions. Mortenson argued the ordinance’s language remains vague. “No one within the Office of Cannabis Management or, you know, locally, can have a true definition of what an attraction is,” he said. Elevate, a downtown hemp store opened in 2022, sits approximately 230 feet from the parking lot of Spies Park. But co-owner Kris Stach disputes the idea that the area is a children’s attraction. “Just last Saturday was their first farmers market opening, which I love — it brings a ton of people down to us,” Stach said. “They were actually selling beer there at the actual kids’ attraction. So if we’re going to call it a kids’ attraction, should we really be selling beer there?” Stach said his plan from the beginning was to sell recreational cannabis and that he’s complied with all local and state regulations. But under the current interpretation of the rules, he may need to relocate. “If we’re gonna call something that’s generally not a kid’s attraction a kid’s attraction, that really puts me in a hard place to go find a place to actually rent and do business in Fergus Falls,” he said. Mortenson said his goal is not to punish businesses, but to protect children. “The Spies Park down there — there’s a lot of birthday parties, a lot of get-togethers, kids playing, families. That’s what we’re looking at,” he said. “The two cannabis businesses in town have done a great job. I think they’ve served our community well and will continue to do so.” Emily McCune, co-owner of Sugar High, was also denied an interim use permit. She said her store is 216 feet from what the city defined as a park — a grassy patch near City Hall. “I didn’t know that was technically a park. Nobody assembles there. There’s no attraction,” she said. McCune believes the city is pushing her out of downtown. “They’re trying to push us out of downtown into a commercial zone where there’s nowhere to open,” she said. “We don’t have the budget to just build a building from the ground up.” McCune said her business had a good relationship with city officials, including the mayor, until new council members were elected last November. “Everyone’s up in arms in our community about this. It seems as though our City Council doesn’t care what its constituents think,” she said. “At this point, I’m fighting this fight on principle because it doesn’t make any sense.” Mortenson requested that city staff work with the Office of Cannabis Management to come up with a clear definition of what constitutes an “attraction” under cannabis zoning ordinances. OTTER TAIL CO.,Minn. (KVRR/KFGO) — Clay County Sheriff Mark Empting says a woman involved in a pursuit died when she crashed into the back of a semi near Fergus Falls. He says the chase with the St. Francis, Minnesota woman began in Grant County in western Minnesota on Monday. The crash happened on I-94 southeast of Fergus Falls last night around 8 p.m. Empting says his office was asked to conduct the investigation by Minnesota State Patrol. St. Francis is located 45 minutes north of Minneapolis. FERGUS FALLS — The Willmar boys tennis team won its first match of the season convincingly Tuesday. Willmar is now 1-4 in the Central Lakes Conference and 1-7 overall. The Otters are 0-5 in the CLC and 0-8 overall. The Cardinals’ No. 1 doubles team of Lucas Riemersma and Camden Lager beat Ben Koch and Gabe Carlson 1-6, 6-2, 6-0. At No. 2 doubles, Nehemiah Van Horne and Deven Hegreberg beat Cohan Mannie and Isaiah Ibarra 6-4, 2-6, 6-0. Willmar’s singles lineup of Ryan Newberg at No. 1, Carter Newberg at No. 2, Samuel Loerzel at No. 3 and Miguel Garcia at No. 4 all won in straight sets, as did the No. 3 doubles team of reston Kath and Mason Munkholm. Willmar plays a CLC match at Detroit Lakes at 4:30 p.m. Thursday. Minnewaska captured the dual with New London-Spicer by sweeping the doubles and winning two singles matches at Glenwood. All the Lakers’ doubles victories came in straight sets. In singles, Drew Bleick at No. 2 and Carter LeClair at No. 3 were victorious for the Lakers. NLS’ Jowell Gamez beat Tenzin Dahl 6-3, 6-1 at No. 1 singles and the Wildcats’ Coleman Davis topped Aidric Vold 6-0, 6-2 at No. 4 singles. Minnewaska competes in a triangular against Hutchinson and St. John’s Prep/St. Cloud Cathedral at 3 p.m. Thursday at Hutchinson. NLS hosts Mora for a non-conference match at 4:15 p.m. Thursday at New London. Lac qui Parle Valley-Dawson-Boyd picked up three singles victories at Worthington. Gunnar Olson won 6-3, 6-3 at No. 1 singles against Quin Mathis. Luke Stock earned a 6-3, 6-1 win at No. 2 singles against Kaw Blay. Mitchell Myers won 0-6, 6-3, 7-6 (3) at No. 4 singles against Daelen Sithad. Broady Nelson and Hudson Giese picked up a doubles victory at the No. 1 slot, beating Moises Segura and Carlos Martinez 6-2, 6-4. LQPV/DB competes in the West Central Conference Championships hosted by Minnewaska at 9 a.m. Friday at Glenwood. Joan F. Shipe, 89, Brandon, SD, widow of Raymond George Shipe, peacefully departed this world at home, on Friday, April 25, 2025. As per their wishes, Joan will be cremated, and she and Raymond’s ashes will be inurned together beside her parents at St. John’s German Lutheran Cemetery in Elizabeth, Minnesota. Joan Frances Hoffmann was born in Fergus Falls, MN, on January 5, 1936, to Elmer and Frances (Trenne) Hoffmann. She was raised in Fergus Falls, an only child to her parents. She graduated from Fergus Falls High School, and on February 17, 1955, she married Raymond G. Shipe at the Catholic Church in Wahpeton, ND. Joan stayed home and nurtured their four children, Brenda, Preston, Dawn, and Neil, while Raymond worked as a truck driver and machinist. Joan and Ray lived in Breckenridge, MN for 18 years and then another 24 years in Fergus Falls, MN, before enjoying their retirement with their youngest son, Neil, in Brandon, SD. Joan and Ray were active choir members of Risen Savior Catholic Church in Brandon. Ray was one of the designers of the beautiful prayer garden beside the church. Joan is preceded in death by her adoring husband, Raymond; and her parents, Elmer and Frances Hoffmann. Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked * Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. WILLMAR — The big inning decided both games of a Central Lakes Conference baseball doubleheader between Willmar and Fergus Falls. The Otters began the day with a six-run top-of-the first inning that set the tone for a 10-3 Game 1 win. Then in Game 2, the Cardinals put up nine runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to take an 11-7 victory and get the split at Elsie Klemmetson Field. Sophomore Aidan Paulson led the Cardinals in Game 1. Paulson was 3-for-3 with two doubles, a run and an RBI. Willmar had another batter with three hits in Game 2. Jordan Ellingson was 3-for-3 in the nightcap with three runs, three stolen bases and an RBI. Braeden Fagerlie added three RBIs in a 1-for-3 effort. Willmar next plays at 4:30 p.m. Thursday at Detroit Lakes’ Washington Park. Levi Johnson, Connor Erickson and Luke Danielson each had two hits in Minnewaska’s five-inning victory over New London-Spicer at Marthaler Field in Glenwood. Marc Gruber tossed four scoreless innings for the victory, striking out one with no walks. He allowed three hits. Nolan Johnson went 2-for-3 with an RBI for the Wildcats. NLS has a doubleheader with Litchfield beginning at 4 p.m. Thursday at the Green Lake Diamonds in Spicer. Minnewaska also has a doubleheader beginning at 4 p.m. Thursday at Montevideo. Paynesville pitcher Esau Nelson threw a no-hitter in the Bulldogs’ win over Atwater-Cosmos-Grove City at Paynesville. Nelson struck out 13 and gave up two walks. He also was 1-for-3 with a run scored. Gabe Schmitt tossed a six-hitter, striking out six and walking two and allowing four earned runs, for Eden Valley-Watkins in its victory over Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa at Eden Valley. Ethan Mueller went 1-for-3 with a home run, a hit-by-pitch, a run and two RBIs for BBE. BBE plays a doubleheader with Royalton beginning at 4 p.m. Thursday in Elrosa. Daylen Weber and Edgar Kopel both went 2-for-3 in BOLD’s five-inning victory against host Sauk Centre. Weber finished 2-for-3 with two doubles, three runs and two RBIs. Kopel was 2-for-3 with a double and two runs. BOLD has a doubleheader beginning at 4 p.m. Thursday at Melrose. A seven-run top of the sixth inning helped push Ortonville past Central Minnesota Christian at Prinsburg. Isaiah Swart finished 2-for-5 with a run and three stolen bases for the Bluejays. Jager Ahrenholz drove in two runs in a 1-for-4 effort. CMCS next plays at 4:30 p.m. Thursday against Renville County West in Sacred Heart. Colten Bothun put up three hits in Dawson-Boyd’s victory over Tracy-Milroy-Balaton at Dawson. Tygan Long finished 2-for-3 with a double, three RBIs and two runs for the Blackjacks. Dawson-Boyd is host to Border West at 4:30 p.m. Thursday in Dawson. Wyatt Swenson was 2-for-4 with two runs and an RBI and Lane Osterfeld went 2-for-4 with a double, two runs and two RBIs in MACCRAY’S victory over Lac qui Parle Valley at Raymond. Davis Patzer went 3-for-4 with a home run, two runs and two RBIs and Landon Weber and Nolan Smith each had two hits for LQPV. LQPV plays Yellow Medicine East at 4:30 p.m. Thursday at Granite Falls’ Richter Field. MACCRAY faces Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg at 5 p.m. Thursday at Reigstad Field in Sunburg. Bryant Hanson’s RBI single in the bottom of the seventh inning gave Canby a walk-off victory against Renville County West at Canby. Austin Rice went 3-for-4 with two RBIs for the Jaguars. Griffin Howard, Tucker Fredeen, Connor Peterson and Jacob Savig all had two hits in the loss. RCW hosts Central Minnesota Christian at 4:30 p.m. Thursday at Sacred Heart. Yellow Medicine East put up seven runs in the top of the second inning to lock up a victory at Cottonwood. Gunnar Fagen led the Sting’s offense, going 3-for-4 with two runs and two RBis. YME hosts Lac qui Parle Valley at 4:30 p.m. Thursday in Granite Falls. FERGUS FALLS — Sawyer Riffle and Clark Haglin won at No. 1 doubles 6-0, 6-0 for the Brainerd Warriors in a 6-1 Central Lakes Conference win over the Fergus Falls Otters Friday, April 25. The No. 3 doubles team of Markus Rustad and Tristan Raimiann also won 6-0, 6-0. Owen Robertson, Sam Manecke and Levi Aadland tallied singles wins for the Warriors as they recorded their second win. "Recently, it has become evident that the (Fergus Falls) City Council has no current consensus for economic development and is actively pursuing alternative paths," the posting said. "Without a seat at the table," members of the Greater Fergus Falls board of directors feel their passion and talent can be used to help alternate organizations and causes, the posting added. The Facebook post said Greater Fergus Falls had been in talks with city officials since October regarding a "collaborative future for our community." However, in light of how the talks have been going, the organization said it delayed filling a vacant directorship position to "ensure alignment" with a changing vision of the city's approach to economic development. Fergus Falls Mayor Anthony Hicks said Thursday, March 6, that Greater Fergus Falls has been without an executive director since May of 2023 and he said the organization currently has no administrative staff at all. Hicks said the city had been giving $50,000 a year to the nonprofit, which he said was only a fraction of the organization's budget, and he added a decision on whether to continue doing so had not been made. Hicks also noted that Fergus Falls has new city council members who have new ideas regarding the city's approach to economic development, ideas Hicks said will be explored during work sessions scheduled for March 12 and 26. "It's kind of like a chicken and egg (situation) we've gotten ourselves into," Hicks said. "They (officials with Greater Fergus Falls) say, 'If you're not going to give us $50,000, we're not going to hire anybody," Hicks said. Greater Fergus Falls said in its Facebook post that since its formation it has handled about 500 inquiries a year from businesses and entrepreneurs. "We take immense pride in our efforts to support individuals, businesses, and community leaders in their growth and development and our positive impact on people and the community. "We extend our best wishes to the mayor and city council as they make decisions regarding economic development in our community," Greater Fergus Falls said in the Facebook post. Hicks said among the accomplishments of Greater Fergus Falls was the redevelopment of a former SunMart building, a space he said is now home to several enterprises, including a manufacturing facility and a fitness center. FERGUS FALLS — A trio of pitchers helped the Ridgewater baseball team to a Saturday sweep over Minnesota State-Fergus Falls. The Warriors’ Gabe Rohman and Blake Thompson combined to hold the Spartans to one hit in a 9-1 Game 1 victory. Brennan Fictum followed that up by tossing all five innings in a 14-1 Game 2 win. The two wins put Ridgewater at 12-12 overall and 9-3 in the Minnesota College Athletic Conference. The Warriors have won four straight games. MN State-Fergus Falls drops to 4-21 overall and 0-10 in the MCAC. In the opener, Rohman struck out five over six innings. Thompson tossed a scoreless seventh inning. Rohman is a sophomore right-hander from New London-Spicer. Thompson is a freshman righty from Dawson-Boyd. The nightcap saw Fictum strike out three while giving up three hits and one walk. Fictum is a freshman right-hander from Wausau, Wisconsin. Elliot Domagala, a freshman from Luverne, was 1-for-4 with two runs in Game 1 and 2-for-4 with a double, four RBIs and a run in Game 2. Max Athmann, a sophomore from Paynesville, was 2-for-3 with a double and three runs in the opener and 1-for-2 with two runs and an RBI in the nightcap. Ridgewater plays a home-and-home series against Anoka-Ramsey next weekend. The Warriors host the Golden Rams for a doubleheader on Saturday, April 26. The two teams play two more on Sunday, April 27 at Castle Field in Anoka. WILLMAR — The Ridgewater baseball team got off to a good start in its weekend series with Minnesota State Community and Technical College-Fergus Falls on Friday. The Warriors beat the Spartans 7-6 and 16-1 in five innings. Ridgewater is now 7-3 in the Minnesota College Athletic Conference and 10-12 overall. MS-Fergus Falls is 0-8 in the conference and 4-19 overall. The Warriors and Spartans play another doubleheader beginning at noon Saturday in Fergus Falls. In Game 1, Ridgewater built a 7-0 lead through five innings. MS-Fergus Falls scored six in the top of the sixth. Kael Nelson put out the fire on the mound, going 1-1/3 innings, allowing one hit and striking out one to pick up the save. Nelson is a freshman right-hander from Hutchinson who also plays in the infield. Jayce Olthoff, Elliot Domagala and Garrett Kelly led the offense. Olthoff, a freshman center fielder from Dassel-Cokato, went 2-for-3 with two doubles, two runs, a walk and a stolen base. Domagala, a freshman left fielder from Luverne, went 2-for-4 with two runs and two RBIs. Kelly, a freshman from Dassel-Cokato, was 2-for-3 with an RBI. In Game 2, Ridgewater scored five times in the first inning, four times in the second and seven in the fourth to wipe out the Spartans. Morris led the way, going 3-for-4 with three runs and four RBIs. Andrew Prieve, a sophomore from Hutchinson, was 2-for-4 with two runs. Domagala went 2-for-2 with two walks, three runs and an RBI. Joe Liebl, a freshman from Wabasso, was 2-for-2 with two doubles, a walk, a run and two RBIs. Dominic Rose improved his record to 3-3 with the five-inning complete game. The freshman right-hander from Gibbon-Fairfax-Winthrop struck out three, walked one and allowed six hits and one earned run. FERGUS FALLS — Wadena-Deer Creek’s Austin Wendt shot a 113 to lead the Wolverines in the Fergus Falls Invite Friday, April 25, at Pebble Creek Golf Course. FERGUS FALLS, Minn. — A woman was killed when her car collided with a semitruck on Interstate 94 near Fergus Falls. According to a report from the Minnesota State Patrol, around 8 p.m. on Monday, April 28, a 2016 Buick Enclave was westbound on I-94 when it collided with the semitruck near Fergus Falls. The road was wet when the crash happened. The driver of the Buick, a 32-year-old woman from St. Francis, was killed. The driver of the semitruck was not injured, according to the State Patrol. The Fergus Falls Police Department, Otter Tail County Sheriff’s Office, Grant County Sheriff’s Office and Clay County Sheriff’s Office also responded to the crash. Maurice Skogen builds vacuum tube amps for musicians seeking a retro sound.Dan Gunderson | MPR NewsPlayListen‘High off the sound’: Fergus Falls engineer is a guitar amp heroGo Deeper.CloseCreate an account or log in to save stories We have added it to a list of your favorite stories there are good stories waiting to be told of places that make our state great and people who in Walt Whitman’s words “contribute a verse” each day MPR News sent longtime reporter Dan Gunderson on a mission to capture those stories as part of a new series called “Wander & Wonder: Exploring Minnesota’s unexpected places.” MinnesotaMPR NewsMaurice Skogen is a throwback While most musicians are buying the latest digital electronics he’s happily building guitar amplifiers based on a 1950s sound the ‘50s was the golden era of manufacturing,” said Skogen sitting in his home studio and workshop outside of Fergus Falls microphones for recording music and a workbench crowded with rolls of brightly colored wire MPR News helps you turn down the noise and build shared understanding Turn up your support for this public resource and keep trusted journalism accessible to all Maurice Skogen builds vintage guitar amps in his workshop near Fergus Falls Dan Gunderson | MPR News“A lot of the amps have got 20 I just plug my guitar into the amp and I play.” and we put feeling and vibrato and stuff onto our notes and a good tube amp will enhance your note and make it bloom,” said Skogen explaining his fondness for amplifiers made with glass vacuum tubes instead of silicon chips Maurice Skogen reaches for a 1931 National Triolian guitar that once belonged to his grandfather 18 at his studio and workshop near Fergus Falls Dan Gunderson | MPR NewsHe traces his fascination with electronics to elementary school when he dismantled a flashlight to learn why the bulb lit up he told the school counselor he wanted a career in electronics ‘Nobody in 10th grade knows what they want to do.’ I go I have a deep interest in figuring this stuff out,’” recalled Skogen “I went to college to figure out how my tube amp worked." he spent years in the sound and electronics industries Maurice Skogen plays a guitar in his studio workshop near Fergus Falls Dan Gunderson | MPR NewsBut he never lost his fascination with the ‘50s era tube amplifiers A bad back and injured leg led him to take early retirement in 2011 and he decided to start a business building amplifiers He also restores old amps musicians find at yard sales or save from the scrap heap but says interest in the retro amps is growing Maurice Skogen builds vacuum tube amps with a sound he says mimics an earlier time Dan Gunderson | MPR NewsHis success is mostly word of mouth it made me a better player overnight,’” he said I don’t let it out the door until I’m happy with it.” Maurice Skogen sits in his studio workshop near Fergus Falls on Nov 18.Dan Gunderson | MPR NewsSpending 16 hours building an amp then plugging in a guitar and hearing the sound he was aiming for is an experience that never loses its power “I get goosebumps talking about it because it’s a spiritual I don’t have to smoke weed or drink whiskey Detroit Lakes police officers responded to a call about a drunk driver who was arriving at an adult care facility in Detroit Lakes officers met with an employee of the adult care facility and a client who both reported that one of the facility’s other clients The client who was with the employee reported that Bone tried to have sex with their friend Officers contacted the friend of the client so she decided to go the store to get them some soup The two planned on going to a grocery store in Detroit Lakes Bone kept touching the woman and trying to pull her pants down The woman also reported that she repeatedly told Bone “no,” but that he was not taking it for an answer He eventually took the woman back to her room his harassing conduct escalated to him touching the woman’s butt and breast without her consent While an officer was speaking to the woman in a squad car stumbled over to the car and started speaking to the officer The officer observed that Bone had bloodshot smelled like alcohol and was slurring his words The officer asked Bone if he had been drinking When asked why everyone else present said he had been driving Bone responded that he did not want to go to jail The officer then asked Bone to perform field sobriety tests Officers were told by a care facility employee that he hit a mailbox when pulling out Officers observed the red car that Bone had been driving had scratches on it consistent with striking a mailbox Officers were eventually able to get Bone to perform a breathalyzer test which showed a result of .224% blood alcohol concentration an officer read Bone the Minnesota Breath Advisory but he refused to take the test at the station Bone was sentenced to 364 days in the Becker County Jail for the gross misdemeanor DWI refusal charge He was sentenced to serve 45 days with credit for 20 days served He was placed on supervised probation for four years with terms that include attending a Mothers Against Drunk Driving impact panel with the exception of prescribed medication On the second count of gross misdemeanor harassment Bone was sentenced to 364 days in the Becker County Jail Time will be served concurrently with the gross misdemeanor DWI conviction He was placed on supervised probation for two years Undated (KROC-AM News)- The State Patrol says at least three lives were lost on Minnesota’s roads Monday.  One of the victims was a pedestrian and one of the fatal crashes involved a semi The fatalities happened over a span of more than 14 hours.  there were also three injuries combined in the fatal crashes.  Monday’s first fatality happened on Hwy. 55 in Plymouth where a pedestrian was fatally struck by a Mustang traveling west on four-lane highway.  The pedestrian has been described as a 83-year-old Minatare 48-year-old Kenneth Dawayne Ward of Elk River was identified as the driver He was treated at the scene for non-life-threatening injuries.  a three-vehicle crash near New Prague claimed the life of 70-year-old Cedar Lake Township man when he entered the road’s intersection with Hwy His vehicle was struck by a southbound SUV The fatal crash victim's name has not been released.  The State Patrol indicates he was not wearing his seatbelt The SUV driver has been identified as 48-year-old Darren Wendell Iverson of Cedar Lake Township.  driven by 18-year-old Jordin Isabelle Gummert of Cedar Lake Township Both of the drivers who survived the fatal collision suffered non-life-threatening injuries.  Monday’s final reported fatality happened shortly before 8 p.m. on Interstate 94 near Fergus Falls. The state crash report says a westbound SUV made contact with a semi truck.  Francis man driving the SUV lost his life in the crash Gallery Credit: T.J. Leverentz The fatalities happened over a span of more than 14 hours.\nRead More Undated (KROC-AM News)- The State Patrol says at least three lives were lost on Minnesota’s roads Monday.  One of the victims was a pedestrian and one of the fatal crashes involved a semi Monday’s first fatality happened on Hwy. 55 in Plymouth where a pedestrian was fatally struck by a Mustang traveling west on four-lane highway.  The State Patrol indicates he was not wearing his seatbelt Monday’s final reported fatality happened shortly before 8 p.m. on Interstate 94 near Fergus Falls. The state crash report says a westbound SUV made contact with a semi truck.  The Alexandria softball team earned a pair of dominant wins over the Fergus Falls Otters (0-4) at home on Thursday Osakis led 4-1 over Long Prairie-Grey Eagle after two innings on Thursday but a pair of runs in the fifth and the seventh innings gave LPGE (2-1) the 5-4 win on Thursday in Osakis (1-3) Lelia Sanford hits three hits and three stolen bases for Osakis Osakis hosts Browerville-Eagle Valley at 4:30 p.m Parkers Prairie 0 (1-2)New London-Spicer (3-3) 9 The Spartans jumped to a 3-0 lead after the first period with one goal from Macy Rasmussen and two goals from Maddy Kimbrel Kimbrel added her third goal of the day in the second period as Orono pulled way Fergus Falls moves to the consolation bracket where it will play the loser of the Warroad/Marshall game Orono wins the opening faceoff and we're underway Fergus Falls will have a power play with 15:01 remaining in the first period Fergus Fall continues to turn the puck over in its own zone The game is tied at zero with 8:34 remaining Macy Rasmussen buries the puck from the middle of the Otters' zone Orono leads 1-0 with 4:52 remaining in the first period Alex Paulson and Ryan Regan with the assists The Spartans have a power play with 3:30 remaining in the first period Maddy Kimbrel puts one behind the Otters' goaltender Orono leads 3-0 with 1:27 remaining in the first period Fergus Falls had a 1-on-1 opportunity in the final seconds but Orono goalie Vivienne Anderson made the save Freshman Gabi Lopz scores as Orono takes a 4-0 lead with 15:14 remaining in the second period Orono on the power play with 12:20 remaining Orono leads 5-0 with 9:40 remaining in the period Orono leads 6-0 with 7 minutes remaining in the second period With four minutes remaining in the second period Orono has 25 shots to Fergus Falls' nine Freshman Lillian Peck scores in front of the net Orono leads 7-0 with 2:54 remaining in the second period Lopez scores on a 1-on-1 breakaway over the goalies' pad Orono leads 8-0 with two minutes remaining in the second period Orono wins the faceoff and we're underway The Otters are on the power play with 8:40 remaining in the game Lopez scores her second goal during the power play Orono leads 9-0 with three minutes remaining To get live updates on your phone - as well as follow your favorite teams and top games - you can download the SBLive Sports app: Download iPhone App | Download Android App JACK BUTLERJack Butler is the Regional Editor of the Midwest for SBLive/High School on SI Jack has covered high school sports in Oregon © 2025 ABG-SI LLC - SPORTS ILLUSTRATED IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF ABG-SI LLC The content on this site is for entertainment and educational purposes only Betting and gambling content is intended for individuals 21+ and is based on individual commentators' opinions and not that of Sports Illustrated or its affiliates All picks and predictions are suggestions only and not a guarantee of success or profit If you or someone you know has a gambling problem crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER FERGUS FALLS — Second-seeded Fergus Falls built up a 40-25 halftime lead to fend off the Willmar girls basketball team 59-47 in the Section 8AAA semifinals on Saturday night The Otters (21-7) advance to play top-seeded Alexandria (23-4) Maddie Molacek was the Cardinals’ top scorer with 15 points The 5-foot-10 sophomore forward tacked on four rebounds 2 Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa in the Section 5A-East semifinals at HInckley The Cardinals advance to play top-seeded Braham (22-5) in the Section 5A-East final at 7 p.m BBE finishes its season with a 19-9 record led Upsala with a game-high 19 points on 5 of 11 shooting and 3 of 4 free throws Zoey Leners racked up 15 points for the Cardinals 5-8 senior guard Adley Hagen notched 18 points on 5 of 12 field goals and 2 of 4 free throws had a double-double with 13 points and 17 rebounds — After a fire forced the cancellation of the Lenten fish fry dinners at Our Lady of Victory Catholic Church in Fergus Falls the owners of Dairyland offered their place for a drive-thru Lenten fish fry on Friday night so the owners decided they would help out their church they were celebrating an incredible accomplishment along came the popular Fergus Falls ice cream shop they lined up for blocks for the Lenten fish fry that went full steam ahead Just a few days away from its spring opening the 70-year-old Dairyland prepared for controlled kitchen chaos that was about to begin principal at Our Lady of Victory School who volunteered at the window Members of Our Lady of Victory Catholic Church were using the kitchen at Dairyland to feed the hundreds mac and cheese coming up next," a volunteer shouted church members Pat and Jean Connelly were not going to let the fish fry go away owner of Dairyland and member of Our Lady of Victory So the owners of Dairyland decided to host a drive-thru Lenten dinner and served 550 meals to hungry fish fanatics there was even traffic control at Dairyland the line of cars backed up for a couple blocks All because church members wanted their fish and the fellowship "I missed it last week and I knew I had to get here early," a customer at the drive-thru said "It is overwhelming that people would line up and wait," Jean said The volunteers put the fish fry together in a matter of days with runners coming out to collect money and take orders Going inside to get the food and then back outside John's stopped by before a performance in town that the volunteer cooks started frying fish early It kept the line moving and it helped save this much-loved tradition of Lenten fish I can't believe it is working," one volunteer said as she dished up more fish for a customer it has nothing to do with us here at Dairyland," Pat Connelly said Our Lady of Victory school students have attended class in a nearby church students will be back at the OLV school on Monday