In History

25 years

By Vicky Anderson

From The Daily Journal, Nov. 16– Nov. 22, 1983

Burner bill survives challenge

• Legislation allowing Fergus Falls to build a refuse burner has survived its first challenge in the U. S. Senate. Tim Bergan, an aide to Sen. Rudy Boschwitz, said Monday that the project cleared “a very substantial hurdle” Friday when the senate Finance Committee approved an amendment that would permit the city to build the burner and sell the steam produced to Mid-America Dairymen. The amendment was added to the tax bill that will be considered first by the full Senate and then by the House.

New owners opening Becker’s

• Becker’s Supper Club and Lounge will re-open Nov. 21, under the ownership of Ron and Sue Hyland and Kevin Schrammen. There will be live music in the lounge Monday through Saturday.

• Stub Digre will be the food director for the restaurant.

• They have remodeled the interior of the lounge, the dining room and kitchen and will be having a contest to re-name the business.

Downtown chosen for revitalization project

• Fergus Falls is one of five small cities chosen for a two-year downtown revitalization project by Minnesota State Planning Agency. “I think the award recognizes the commitment the community has already made to the downtown and potential to develop the downtown,” said Joan Mathison, a member of the board of directors of the downtown Riverfront Association.

From The Daily Journal, Nov. 9– Nov. 15 1983

Revenue dept. orders farmland values increased

• The State Revenue Department has ordered a 10 percent increase in the market value of farmland in nearly 50 townships in Otter Tail County. The increase will not mean a 10 percent raise in property taxes, according to County Assessor Gene Davenport.

• In some areas, he said, “it isn’t going to make a lot of difference.” The state is also ordering a 10 percent increase in seasonal recreational residential land and residential land in a large part of the county.

• The cities of Ottertail, Pelican Rapids and Battle Lake would be affected.

Panels back new library

• Members of Fergus Falls’ finance committee indicated with or without state funds–they’re in favor of building a new library. The four aldermen on the committee voted unanimously to spend $78,000 to buy the former Stenerson Lumber site at the corner of East Hampden and South Cascade.

• Their recommendation goes to the Council for a vote Nov. 21. If it’s accepted, it will be the end of an eight-year search for a library site.

City, township closer to fire protection compromise

• After getting off to a shaky start, officials from Fergus Falls and four adjacent townships inched closer to a compromise on the cost of fire protection. Township officials have said they’d agree to 10 percent increases.

From The Daily Journal, Nov. 2– Nov. 8 1983

New task force on drug abuse is formed

• A community-wide task force to fight drug and alcohol abuse found its roots at the Chemical People Town Meeting in Fergus Falls Middle School. The action came after a three-day, statewide campaign sponsored by the Minnesota Institute, which used Public TV programs, and national, state and local surveys on drug use. Chemical People Planning Committee members said they had hoped for a larger turnout from the community.

BN plan to close depot continues

• Roy Anderson believes that if the freight agent is moved out of Fergus Falls it will be more difficult for Harvest States Cooperative Elevator to ship grain by rail. Anderson was the last witness to testify in the second round of hearings on Burlington Northern (BN) Railroad’s plans to close the freight offices in Fergus Falls and other stations.

Medallion can operate ‘indefinitely’ despite strike

• As the strike against Medallion Kitchens enters its eight week, the company is no longer doing “any extensive hiring,” according to plant manager Tom Cappola. Cappola said that about 209 people are now working, including three dozen union members. The company’s goal this week is 900 cabinets a day, and eventually production should reach 1,000 a day.

From The Daily Journal, Oct. 26 – Nov. 1 1983

Erickson’s opens food, drug store

• Erickson’s Big D Discount Foods and Valu Drugs opened in the City Center Mall, in the former National Food Store building. Professional Pharmacy, formerly located at 313 S. Mill, is now affiliated with Big D. according to Doug Driscoll, vice president of Erickson Foods, Hudson, Wisconsin.

• The newly remodeled store includes modern equipment, such as the scanner checkout systems that provide detailed cash register tapes.

• The new operation employs 45 people.

• The store, open from 8 a. m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week, is the only local store to have groceries and drugstore in a completely combined operation, Driscoll said.

Underwood purchases new fire truck

• It’s the first new fire truck the Underwood Fire Department has purchased since 1948, according to Fire Chief Chester Johansen.

• The new truck can carry 1,000 gallons of water and has the ability to pump 1,000 gallons a minute, Johansen says. ‘

• It joins the department’s 1,000 gallon tanker and two pumpers--––including the one bought new in 1948. “We average about 25 fires a year, Johansen says. There are 18 firefighters in the department.

From The Daily Journal, Oct. 19 – Oct. 25 1983

FFCC’s count is actually higher

• Enrollment figures showing a decreased head count at Fergus Falls Community College aren’t up to date and don’t “reflect what’s really happening out here,” according to Provost Dan True.

• A report issued by the Minnesota Community College system listed total enrollment at each of the 18 campuses and indicated a 6 percent decline since last fall at FFCC.

• But, True pointed out, the reported enrollment of 581 is a “head count” taken on the 10th day of classes.

• Today’s head count is 630, he said, and there are already 50 more people registered for classes that will begin soon.

• That pushes the total enrollment figure to 680.

License easier to give than to revoke

• Board members gave the on- and off-sale license to John Soby for the “Bait Station”, a new bait shop and convenience store just east of Fergus Falls on County Road 1.

• At the time, they thought it had the blessing of the Aurdal Townhsip Board. The township, however, had only voted for an off-sale license for 3.2 beer.

• Somehow township officials forgot to tell that to the county, which wouldn’t have issued the on-sale license without the township’s approval.

From The Daily Journal, Oct. 12 – Oct. 18 1983

Sheriff’s posse elects new officers

• Elected to one-year terms of office were: Julian Sjostrom, secretary, Pelican Rapids; Roger Dewey, treasurer, Fergus Falls, Tom Burau, president, Fergus Falls; and Luther Grotte, vice president. The posse membership is 25. The posse originated on Oct. 14, 1968 when a group of volunteers on horseback helped find a lost child.

• The posse has been called upon to help locate missing persons and to round up stray cattle.

Woolworth’s re-designs store

• Woolworth’s Store at Westridge Mall opened its doors Wednesday morning to what general manager Jay Dunbar described as a “new concept” in retailing.

• “The new concept of the store is that we have a new type of aisle that circles the entire store,” Dunbar explained, calling it a “racetrack aisle.” The idea, he said, is that customers get a better view of all the store’s departments as they walk around the circle.

State approves mandatory ‘workfare’

• Some welfare recipients in Otter Tail County could lose their aid if they do not comply with a mandatory “workfare” program that has been approved by the state’s welfare commissioner. The Otter Tail County Social Services Department hopes to begin placing employees as early as Nov. 1, said Bill Johnson, coordinator of the county program.

From The Daily Journal, Oct. 5 – Oct. 11 1983

FF fire dept. has two full-timers

• Back in 1872, Fergus Falls’ firefighters stashed their gear at a local saloon. And what little equipment they had — a water pail and a ladder — they had to buy themselves.

• Today Schultz and Fire Chief Ken Hovland are the department’s only two full-time employees.
  

• There are 36 volunteers, including the six who live at the fire station.

• Hovland moved in the fire hall as a “sleeper” on Dec. 7, 1941, the day the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor. He only lived there eight months before he was drafted, but he returned after the war and has been the fire chief for 20 years.

• Schultz joined as a volunteer in 1954 and was hired full-time in 1976.

Hillcrest dedication

• Part of Hillcrest homecoming activities this weekend included dedication of the Irene Haegeland Memorial Annex. The dedication took place Sunday during a service at Hillcrest Academy.

• The service began in the gymnasium. Haegeland was a mother of Lutheran Brethren Schools students and a member of Bethel Lutheran Brethren Church, Huntington Station, N.Y. Don Kostelecky, director of Community Education, said the committee lacked an understanding of exactly how many students use the youth center and wanted a follow-up on how many students have been helped by the program.

From The Daily Journal, Sept. 28 – Oct. 4 1983

Library plan unveiled

• A plan to build a new public library on the corner of East Hampden and South Cascade was unveiled this morning at a City Council Public Works Committee meeting. City Council and library board members expressed support for the plan, which was drawn up by Librarian Bob Hemmingson. The site is owned by Burlington Northern, which has agreed to sell the land to the city.
  

A hair-raising tale: The crew cut has returned

• Call it what you will — a crewcut, flat top, heinie or butch. Whatever you want to call it, it’s back. The new crew of close — cropped cut — ups range from 11-year-olds to artsy types, collegians and male gays, all claiming to make a social statement with their new ‘dos. According to some Otter Tail County stalwarts, the crewcut never left. Just ask Henning barber Warren Miller. He says he cuts 40 to 50 flat tops in the Henning area alone.

Jaycee women celebrate 30th anniversary

• Fergus Falls Jaycee Women celebrated its 30th anniversary with a banquet at the Elks Club. The Fergus Falls Jaycees were charted in 1939, with Vern Arneson as president. In 1953, the charter committee for the Fergus Falls Mrs. Jaycees met. The name was later changed to Jaycee Women to include single women and women not married to Jaycees.

From The Daily Journal, Sept. 14– Sept. 20 1983

Grant County church destroyed by fire

• A Sunday morning blazed destroyed the Rock Prairie Church in northern Grant County.

• A state fire marshal from Alexandria was expected to investigate the fire, according to Wendell Fire Chief Delwin Ehlke.

• Ehlke said the possibility of arson has not yet been ruled out.
  

• About 15 firefighters from the Wendell Fire Department were called to the scene at 4:50 a.m.

• The firemen, who remained at the site, were able to save all church records store in a safe and a file cabinet, according to Ehlke.

C of C names Worner president

• Jim Worner, Worner Auto, will be president of the Fergus Falls Area Chamber of Commerce in fiscal year 1984, which begins Oct. 1. Other officers elected at the Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors meeting were Bruce Myer, First National Bank, president-elect, and Chuck Angus treasurer.

Medallion workers strike

• Production at Medallion Kitchens in Fergus Falls was nearly stopped Monday as about 270 workers went on strike in a dispute over wages and benefits.
  

• The employees, members of the United Auto Workers began picketing today.

From The Daily Journal, Sept. 7– Sept. 13 1983

Otter Tail River Canoe route studied

• A canoe-tubing trail, running the length of the Otter Tail River similar to the Crow Wing River Trail, could be a boon to tourism in Otter Tail and Becker counties, according to Bud Reese, Alexandria, coordinator of the regional WesMin Resource Conservation and Development Association.

• The WesMin RC&D board voted last night to include the Otter Tail River Trail study in its area plan.

• The Fergus Falls Kiwanis Club proposed the original idea of a 42-mile canoe trail from Otter Tail Lake to Fergus Falls to WesMin in 1966, Reese reported.

The recession: A far happier time than the 1930s

• The times were harder then. They say compared to the bitterness of the 1930s, the recession has been a happy time. One of them, a retired professional woman, Mrs. W. L. Robertson, says people were tougher then. They were too proud to accept charity.
  

• Another, a retired Underwood farmer, George Welch, believes people today are just as tough. He says the recession has tested many people, but not nearly as many as in the 1930’s. Mr. Welch remembers a hobo jungle near the gravel pits between Fergus Falls and Foxhome. The hobos would take food from the farms and wait for trains going to the West Coast.

From The Daily Journal, Aug. 31 – Sept. 6 1983

Luhning will stick to use of draft horses

• American farmers have become “too big and too greedy” in the last three decades, turning what was meant to be a simple life into a terribly complex business. That’s the word from Don Luhning, and he wants no part of it. He will stick to his horses, thank you. Luhning, who owns 650 acres nine miles north of Battle Lake, is comfortable calling himself an “ultraconservative,” and he says government intervention has hurt American agriculture.

• Luhning used to farm with tractors, but he said he went back to using his horses when gas hit a dollar a gallon. And his wife Ann said, that means an annual gas bill has shrunk for about $3,000 to $300. This Sunday the Luhnings will sponsor the 15th Annual “Draft Horse Bonanza Days.”

City will receive wastewater grant

• Fergus Falls received official word that it will receive $1,391,343 from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency for its new wastewater treatment facility. The money is slightly less than 15 percent of the eligible cost of nearly $10 million (the total project is estimated at about $11.5 million, including interceptor costs and engineering costs).

From The Daily Journal, August 24 – August 30 1983

Robert Hoffmann Appreciation Day honors administrator

• Plans for Robert F. Hoffmann Day, honoring Fergus Falls State Hospital’s administrator, were a closely kept secret. No one knew about it but the committee, the state Department of Public Welfare, newspapers and radio stations throughout the state, and several hundred employees and former employees.
  

• Organizers of the event explained that the purpose was to recognize Hoffmann’s leadership now rather than waiting for retirement party.

• Hoffmann has been at his job longer than any chief administrator in the state hospital system. Hoffmann became administrator of Wright Memorial Hospital in Fergus Falls in 1950, and was involved with the merging of that institution with the town’s other hospital St. Lukes’s to form Lake Region Hospital.

• After that he was administrator at Meeker County Hospital, Litchfield, returning to Fergus Falls on April 1, 1952, as assistant superintendent of Fergus Falls State Hospital.

Perham lacks money for arsenic cleanup

• The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency’s board of directors will be asked next month to allow state “superfund” money to be used to clean up arsenic dump sites in Perham, Wadena and Morris.

From The Daily Journal, August 17 - August 23 1983

Sewer plant bid comes in $2.4 million lower

• Fergus Falls may spend substantially less than planned for a new sewer system. City officials were “extremely pleased” during bid openings Tuesday to find the bid for the plant was $2.4 million less then the engineer’s estimate, City Administrator Jim Nitchals said.

• The apparent low bidder was the Robert L. Carr Co. of Marshall with a bid of $7.6 million. The estimate for the project was $10.2 million.

• Fourteen companies bid for plant construction, which is scheduled to start this fall. Nitchals said construction would probably take three years.

Workfare program awaits state approval

• Nearly one-third of the unemployed parents receiving welfare benefits in Otter Tail County have indicated they’d join a workfare program and work for those benefits.

• After a year-long waiting game, the county’s proposed workfare program has only one more hurdle to clear before it’s approved by the state, said Roland Winterfeldt, county social services director.

• It is up to the county commissioners to decide whether workfare should be voluntary or mandatory, a decision that will probably be made at the commissioners’ meeting.

From The Daily Journal, August 10 - August 16 1983

Stokka gallops through Fergus Falls

• Jon Stokka couldn’t have planned a more triumphant return to Otter Tail County. The 25-year-old Stokka, a native of Rothsay, upset favored Mike Slack of St. Paul Saturday to win the first Fergus Falls Goose Gallop 10-mile-run.

• Stokka and Slack ran side-by-side and walked through the first four miles, according to Stokka. But near the four-mile mark, Stokka made his move and Slack was left behind.

• Fergus Falls’ Steve Gallo ended up third in the 10-mile race. Gallo, who has run in both the New York City and Boston Marathons, designed the Goose Gallop course.

Casket factory buried

• Demolition of the old casket factory on the corner of Whitford and Cavour is making way for a new three-story apartment project by Emil Madsen and Lyle Anderson. Madsen Associates-Architects, Battle Lake, designed the 31-unit building for low to moderate income senior citizens.

• The exterior is designed with a touch of colonial and is intended to have a more traditional residential style than is usually seen in larger brick apartment buildings.

• All Building Corporation, Fergus Falls is general contractor. Madsen Properties, Battle Lake, is in charge of leasing and management.

From The Daily Journal, August 3- August 9 1983

Demand increases for area hardwoods

• Increased activity in the housing industry has prompted a demand for
  Otter Tail County hardwood trees, according to District Forester Curt Cogan. Cogan, who works for the state, says the increased demand for hardwoods, which make up about 93,700 acres of Otter Tail County forestland, started about six months ago.

Fergus admits AFSS defeat

• Fergus Falls was one of nearly two dozen cities that bid last year for the federal air traffic control facility, which promised up to 80 jobs and a $1.5 million annual payroll to the winning community. On May 6, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced the winner was Princeton, whose bid offered the lowest cost to the federal government over a 20-year period.

Additions to ice arena proposed

• The Fergus Falls Hockey Association tested the city and school district Wednesday about the possibility of expanding the Fairgrounds Ice Arena. Ed Mehl, president of the association, invited Fergus Falls School Superintendent Richard Baker, Mayor Kelly Ferber and City Administrator Jim Nitchals to a meeting at the ice arena to view architectural plans for proposed additions.

From The Daily Journal, July 27- August 2 1983

FF Gun Club invites public’s attention

• Fergus Falls has had a public trap-shooting range for over 40 years and yet only a handful of people are aware of it. Such is the lament of Greg Hansen, president of the Fergus Falls Gun Club. The club is presently in a state of transition and anxiously searching for new members to fill their depleted ranks. Since the mid-1970’s the club has lost about 45 members, many of who belonged to the club for several decades.
  

• One feature, which the Fergus Falls Gun Club can be proud of, is the location of the trap-range. Perched on a high bank overlooking Pebble Lake, the range commands a beautiful view of the lake and surrounding farmland.

Residents rally against W. Lincoln project

• A plan to build sidewalks on West Lincoln Avenue ran into strong opposition Monday evening from the residents who’d have to pay for most of the project. Seven property owners spoke against the project last night at a Fergus Falls City Council meeting, several because of the cost. The sidewalks on West Lincoln currently end at about 3rd Avenue. The city has proposed extending them on the north side of the street to the county museum and on the south side to St. Andrews Street near Kmart. It’s “basically a matter of safety,” said City Engineer Dan Edwards, since there are no sidewalks to the museum or Westridge Mall.

From The Daily Journal, July 20 - 26 1983

Post office reports mail fraud complaints

• The Fergus Falls Post Office has received “a considerable number” of complaints concerning mail fraud in the past few months, according to R. Schaffer, postmaster. “ A number of area people have been bilked-out a sizeable amount of money,” Schaeffer reported.

• He said there are primarily two schemes, one the standard “chain letter” and another that has been “ much more costly to those who have been “ bilked,” the postmaster said.
  

• “In most cases the loss to area customers has been from $150 to $300.”

Rustlers steal life blood of leech business

• It will probably be remembered as one of the most blood-curdling crimes committed in the area for quite some time.

• Sometime over the weekend, a thief or thieves kidnapped more than 11,000 leeches from two tanks owned by Ronald Farrand of rural Pelican Rapids.

• There were strange footprints left around the tanks, but, so far, there’s no sign of the missing 115 pounds of slimly creatures.

• This was Farramd’s first encounter with leech thieves.

From The Daily Journal, July 13 - 19 1983

State hospital residents face heat without air conditioning

• Although Fergus Falls State Hospital officials would like to take the heat off residents and staff, they’re hesitant to put too much heat on the Legislature for fear the legislators might get hot under the collar. Only small portions of the state hospital buildings —clinic area and some offices — have air conditioning, so in hot weather special precautions are taken to try to keep residents as cool as possible.

Furniture designer brings trade to town

• Jay McDougall is no longer surprised when a customer enters his shop, looks at him and asks, “Where’s McDougall?” That’s why the 26-year-old woodcraftsman, who recently started a business in town, sometimes wishes he looked lake “a little old man with gray hair.”

• He’s excited about his new shop, located at 1200 N. Union, and the work he performs there, repairing, designing and building furniture, something he’s wanted to do since high school.

New air conditioner makes county jail cooler

• An air conditioner was being installed Friday to relieve what the head jailer called “unbearable” conditions in Otter Tail County’s jail. Jailer Chuck McDonough figured that temperatures in the 60-year-old jail have been in the high 90s this week, “and we can’t get rid of the humidity.”

From The Daily Journal, July 6- July 12 1983

Panel recommends four-year mayoral term

• The next mayor of Fergus Falls would serve for four years instead of two under a plan proposed to the City Council. A longer mayoral term was one of four amendments to the city’s Charter Commission, which has been meeting for nearly 1 1⁄2 years. Mayor Kelly Ferber, a member of the Charter Commission, said he advocated a longer term. But Ferber said he and the other four commission members who are or have been aldermen opposed longer terms for aldermen because that could scare first-time candidates away.

Mysterious Gerda

• It was 1966 when Gerda was found between the walls of the old city hall on Mill Street, which was then a furniture store owned by Warren S. Johnson. Since Gerda was found, she has been displayed in the former Johnson’s Furniture and the local Elk’s Club. The artist and the owner were unknown — as was the model. Gerda now is among the mustachioed card players and bartenders in the “Saloon” on Main Street at the Otter Tail County Museum.

Vet’s farm program may be reinstated

• The Agriculture Advisory Committee urged the Fergus Falls School Board to broaden its support of agriculture programs. Dave Johnson, chairman of the Advisory Committee, said it is concerned about the recent cut in the Veteran’s Farm Management Program and position cuts.

From The Daily Journal, June 29- July 5 1983

Folks remember communists

• The accordion player’s name was Lawrence Welk. He was a musician on the rise, not having formed his own band and not having been discovered by the world of radio. But, in 1928, he played at the Workers Hall.
  

• More than 160 people paid 50 cents a ticket to see the boy from North Dakota. Heinola, a forgotten town south of New York Mills, used to be the home of the Workers Hall, built in the late 1920’s. Folks from miles away came to dance where members of the Workers Society met regularly. Laina and Alfred Blom, and others — just called it the Communist Hall.

Lupines grown in Perham

• “Lupines” was the word in Perham. And it was the same in any language, at least in French and English. Philippe Desbrosses, a deputy minister of agriculture in France, was in Perham to discuss lupines with representatives of Good Earth Agri-Products.

• “The representatives of French government are definitely here to negotiate a firm commitment for substantial order of lupine bean products in the 1984 crop year,” said Dave Sweere, a farmer and president of Good Earth.

• It is estimated that 90 to 95 percent of lupines grown in the United States are grown in the Perham area.

From The Daily Journal, June 22-28 1983

State approves burner funding

• A divided state board approved financing a package for Fergus Falls’ proposed refuse burner today. By a 6-1 vote with one abstention, the Minnesota Waste Management Board (WMB) funneled a grant and loan into the project.
  

• The city’s partner in the burner project is Mid-America Dairymen, which will buy the steam produced by burning municipal garbage. The burner will be built on Mid-Am’s property on South Buse.

EMTs in Ottertail providing CPR

• In a community the size of Ottertail, trained medical help used to be 15 to 20 minutes away. Ottertail’s closet ambulance came from Perham or Henning — both 10 miles away. Ottertail firefighters decided to shorten the emergency response time by becoming Emergency Medical Technicians. Equipment for the emergency squad came via donation from Ottertail Lions Club and from the city.

TRAC prepared to do battle with BN

• TRAC (The Rail Action Corporation) wants to put the brakes on the plans to abandon Burlington Northern lines between Fergus Falls and Alexandria, as well as close the local freight office. Formed early this year, TRAC’s initial assignment was to stop abandonment proceedings.

From The Daily Journal, June 15-21 1983

Challenger lifts off in Florida

• Cape Canaveral, Fla. — Space shuttle Challenger rocketed spectacularly away from Earth today, carrying pioneer American space woman Sally Ride and four male astronauts toward a busy six days in orbit. Tens of thousands of spectators crowded highways, beaches and riverbanks to view the thunderous departure and to witness history.

• Many wore T-shirts and buttons proclaiming “Ride, Sally, Ride.”

Dairy odor a problem.

• Complaints about the odor from the Mid-American Dairymen plant on South Buse led Fergus Falls aldermen to schedule a special meeting. Mayor Kelly Ferber said at last night’s council meeting that he’s been getting “an awful lot” of telephone calls about the odor. He suggested a public airing of the problem, adding, and “I think we owe this to or our people.” A public works meeting was set for June 24.

The second Rothsay Prairie Chicken to be in parade.

• Art Fosse recently completed his second statue of the prairie chicken to be used in parades and local celebrations. The twin is a little over half the size of the original, weighing about 1,200 pounds. Other than that, the statue appears to be identical to the first prairie chicken, which has been standing guard over Rothsay for seven years.

From The Daily Journal, June 8-14 1983

Underwood building razed

• Seldom does anything earth shattering happen in downtown Underwood these days. But, Friday afternoon, the earth shook, timbers grumbled and the 77-year-old building called The Pub crumbled to the ground. The site is located between Underwood’s Farmers State Bank and Sverdrup Mutual Insurance, across the street from the Post Office.

• The building, erected in 1906, has housed a bar, barbershop and pool hall before current owner Rich Lee took over the Pub.
  

• The site will be split between two buildings in the future: a new Pub will be built this summer and the Farmers State Bank will build an expansion in the near future.

Emergency TV system to be tested

• A new service called Civil Emergency Alert System has been added to the cable television system in Fergus Falls.

• The new system is a reliable method of communicating emergency information to virtually every household in the area and is designed to work in conjunction with the civil defense siren system,” Bob Baker explained.

• Baker is regional manager for Marcus Communications, formerly Warner Amex Cable.

From The Daily Journal June 1-7 1983

Pebble Lake Park has new beach

• Pebble Lake Beach will have something new when it opens Monday — a beach. Sure, it had a beach before, but now there’s sand, not grass. Four hundred and forty-four yards of sand, to be exact. There’ll be a bathhouse with all the conveniences of home – flush toilets, that is. And the pop machine has been replaced by a concession stand.

• Work at the beach was financed in part by a $12,500 donation from the Fergus Falls Veterans of Foreign Wars. The Community Partnership Committee, a local group that donated another $1,200. It was formed in 1981 for the International Year of Disabled Persons and no longer exists.

FFHS tradition Grace Halcrow

• Halcrow’s accounting classes have been in town since 1950. But now, after 43 years of teaching, the tradition’s is retiring. Halcrow says she had never meant to go public with her retirement announcement. It slipped out.

• A luncheon arranged in her honor at Otter tail Power Co. Friday started out as gathering of five or six former students and friends. It spread to 45. Old memories and new reflect Halcrow’s enthusiasm for teaching. She says those memories haven’t dimmed over the years, despite the changes.

From The Daily Journal May 25-31 1983

County board rejects soil survey

• Opponents of a county soil survey prevailed, despite last minute lobbying by several supporters. The Otter Tail County commissioners voted 3-2 against the survey, which would have provided a detailed profile of the soils throughout the county. It was supported by a number of farm groups in the county, including the Farm Bureau, Crop Improvement Association and the Farmers Union. Other proponents were the West Otter Tail Township Association, the Fergus Falls Area Chamber of Commerce and its agribusiness committee and a number of bankers. Town boards in eastern Otter Tail County, however, have voted against the survey.

Soccer alive and kicking

• According to members of the newly formed Fergus Falls Soccer Association, the sport, is like a time bomb ready to explode, like a dam ready to burst. They don't know when the dam will give way, but they hope it's soon. The key to soccer's increasing popularity in Fergus Falls, according to YMCA director Randy Bremer, is getting players involved at a younger age. Organized soccer began in Fergus Falls about three years ago when the YMCA began a program for elementary school youths.

From The Daily Journal May18-24 1983

Lower rates spur real estate sales

• After several dismal years, the local real estate market is showing signs of revival. “For sale” signs are blossoming like flowers in yards. It’s a buyer’s market. Real estate agents estimate there are about 400 homes for sale in the Fergus Falls area, compared with 170 in August 1982. Real estate agents say interest rates have fallen to around 12 1⁄2 percent. Loren Bailey of Good Earth Realty, said, FHA and VA loans have fallen to 11 1⁄2 percent.

Project will house 50 students

• Housing of 50 students at Fergus Falls Community College will be provided adjacent to campus by a $200,000 project planned by Dennis Conn, owner of Conn Land Co., Alexandria. Conn’s plan also includes a second phase, which would accommodate 55 more students in an adjacent unit. He estimated total cost for the two-part project at $410,000.

Groundbreaking at Broen Home

• Ground was broken for the addition to Broen Memorial Home on May 19. The building calls for the construction of a 100-bed facility to replace the older part of the Broen Home. The old building will then be renovated and converted to retirement apartments, according to Wayne Larson, consecutive director. Lutheran Brethren Home Incorporated operates the Broen Home.

From The Daily Journal May11-17 1983

Barkley Hotel sold

• The Barkley Hotel, a Fergus Falls downtown landmark, has been sold to a Minneapolis-based development group; according to real estate broker Bob Torkelson. Torkelson identified the buyers as Historic Redevelopment Partners. The former owner was Bob Dieseth. In addition to recognizing the historical significance of the building, it’s listing on the National Register means the owner is eligible for tax incentives from renovation that is in keeping with its historic character.

Last Man’s club last meeting

• After 47 years of meeting annually, the Fergus Falls Last Man’s Club decided to end the tradition after the 1983 meeting held May 14. President of the club, George Wagner, said there were originally 172 World War I veterans in the club. This past year there were 27 remaining members. Members from Fergus Falls who attended were Mel Boen, John Claussen, George Wagner, W. H. Ruthenberg and George Miska.

Commissioners accept jail study recommendations

• Despite skepticism about the need to build a new jail Otter Tail County’s commissioners acknowledged Wednesday that the current jail is inadequate. The commissioners unanimously accepted the recommendations of a jail adviser committee, which has been meeting since late 1982

From The Daily Journal May 4-10 1983

Lakeland Hospice established

• Lakeland Hospice should begin operation this fall, and provide services by early 1984, according to the Rev. A. Maetche, chairman of the hospice committee. Maetche, pastor at Grace United Methodist Church of Fergus Falls-based hospice will provide care for terminally ill patients and will seek funding from the community this summer. A director will be hired and begin working in the fall.

IRs OK work law resolution

• A resolution calling for a Minnesota Right-to-Work Law, approved by delegates to this weekend’s 7th District Independent-Republican convention, drew “a lot of comment,” according to district chairwoman Mary Ellen Quincer. The right-to-work law would mean that no worker would be forced to join a union to get or keep a job, Quicner said.

Burner bill approved

• Gov. Rudy Perpich’s signature is the only thing needed before Fergus Falls can sell special bonds to build a $3 million incinerator to produce energy by burning trash. The Minnesota Senate passed the bill authorizing the bond sale. The House has already passed the measure.

From The Daily Journal, April 27 - May 3 1983

Arsenic dumps may get priority

• Arsenic dumps around Perham, Wadena and Morris will probably be top-priority sites for cleanup this summer, the state’s chief pollution control officer said Monday. Arsenic was dumped in the 1930’s after a grasshopper plague. The poison then leaked into some drinking water and has injured people. They would be eligible for a proposed victims’ compensation fund.

Bank’s name changes to Norwest

• As of Monday, Northwestern National Bank will be know as Norwest Bank. The name change is a result of a change in the name of the bank’s parent company, Norwest Corporation of Minneapolis, formerly Northwest Bancorporation.

Two area women win pink autos

• The pink car is a top prize offered by the cosmetics firm since 1969, when board Chairman Mary Kay Ash had her personal car custom-painted pastel pink.

From The Daily Journal, April 20-26 1983

Downtown fund approved

• Tuesday morning the city’s finance committee approved the creation of a $30,000 fund to lure businesses into downtown Fergus Falls. The plan still needs the approval of the full council and the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) since the $30,000 is part of a $1.1 million grant awarded to the city by HUD. The goal of the “downtown incentive fund” is to fill a minimum of 30,000 square feet of vacant commercial space before Aug. 31, 1984, according to Stan Wieber of Fergus Falls Area Chamber of Commerce.

College awaits land transfer

• The fate of student housing at Fergus Falls Community College is in the hands of potential developers at this point, according to Hal Collins, dean of students. There’s still some paperwork involved in transferring a three-acre tract of land from the state to the city, which in turn would deed it over to (HRA) of Fergus Falls, which will in turn deed it over to a developer.

• The land is at the junction of College Way and Tower Road.

Church volunteers to staff food shelf

• Volunteers from local churches will staff an “expanded” food shelf in Fergus Falls, beginning Monday. Two additional rooms at the Salvation Army Building, 406 S. Cascade, will be reserved for non-perishable food donations, said Adelaide Cline, chairman of the Fergus Falls Community Food Shelf Committee.

From The Daily Journal, April 13-19 1983

Fergus chosen for college headquarters

• Fergus Falls will be the headquarters for the president of three community colleges next fall, according to Chancellor Philip C. Helland. Helland said Dr. Alex Easton, now serving as president at Northland Community College, will head a reorganized administration for Northland, Fergus Falls and Brainerd Community Colleges. The decision was made at the state Board of Community Colleges meeting yesterday.

Underwood parents organize to study school’s finances

• Although the school board never formally asked for their help, a group of citizens in Underwood are getting together to try to help the financially strapped school district. Sandy Kolstad, one of the organizers of the citizens committee, said she hopes the committee will be able to improve communications between the board and residents of the school district.

City council accepts Grant county trash

• Fergus Falls came to Grant County’s rescue Monday night by agreeing to take the county’s garbage until mid-May. Nearly 100,000 pounds of garbage piled up in Grant County earlier this month after a Lake Region Disposal garbage truck was impounded because it was 10,000 pounds overweight on a seven-ton road.

From The Daily Journal, April 6-12 1983

Swan Lake campground receives national certification

• The owners and operators of Swan Lake Resort southeast of Fergus Falls have received recognition as “Certified Park Operators” from the Board of Regents of the Institute for Certified Park Operators. The resort and campground is one of nearly 150 in Otter Tail County.
  

• The campground and housekeeping resort has been in continuous operation since 1949 when it was started by John and Verna Olson and operated under the name of John’s Lakeview Resort until John and Joan Miller registered the present name.

• The Olsons, developers of the resort, live on land which was part of the original resort.

Hotel earns place on historical roster

• The Barkley Hotel formerly known as the Kaddatz Hotel has been accepted for the National Register of Historic Sites. The 69 year-old hotel building, at 111-113 W. Lincoln, is the second site in Fergus Falls to earn the designation. The other is the C. J. Wright house at 831 E. Mt. Faith.

The Erhard depot has new purpose

• During the last week of November Tom Henning moved the depot in Erhard from its original location near the elevator on the east side of town to its new home along Highway 59. The added garage houses the bar while the depot serves as the restaurant.

From The Daily Journal, March 30- April 5 1983

Drivers line up to beat gas tax

• Penny-conscious drivers lined up at Fergus Falls gas stations Thursday to beat the nickel-a-gallon federal tax added on to gasoline sales today.

• The managers of several local stations said business was brisk all day yesterday. At the Stop-N-Go on North Union, manager Kim Knutson said they sold nearly $3,500 worth of gas, nearly triple the normal daily sales.

• At one time there were 37 cars lined up at Fergus Discount said manager Sioux Eggers, and the station ran out of regular gas.

• “We had lots of business” said Rick Johnson, manager of the Holiday Station, “Everybody was trying to beat the tax.”

Perham bean plant creates 15 jobs

• Fifteen new jobs have been generated through the establishment of a new dry edible bean conditioning plant in Perham. The company processes more than 5,000 acres of dry edible beans and handles many nationally known accounts throughout the United States.

Dent Cafe, Pub replaces tavern

• The pub is a new addition to the cafe in a recently remodeled room. Pat Honer, former operator of the Town Tavern, his brother and wife, Gary and Rose Honer, are the owners operators of the new pub.

From The Daily Journal, March 23-29, 1983

Computer use growing in schools

• The Fergus Falls school board got its first lesson in computer science at Tuesday night’s meeting. Computer literacy is a term that gets thrown around a lot, said Gene Jurgens, the school district’s computer consultant from the Educational Cooperative Service Unit (ECSU).

• He added he prefers computer awareness — making students aware of how to use computers and giving them an idea about what they can be used to do.

State hospitals close

• It’s likely that one or even two of the eight state hospitals may be closed, according to Leonard Levine, commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Public Welfare. Levine was in Fergus Falls to speak to representatives of the regional social service agencies and tour the Fergus Falls State Hospital.

• Levine said he was “generally impressed” with the hospital, particularly with its drug abuse treatment program. The hospital’s treatment program for youths is the only one of its kind in the state hospital system.

Annexation plans

• A third township has lost its fight to prevent annexation by the city of Fergus Falls.

• The Minnesota Municipal Board voted 3-2 Tuesday morning in favor of the annexation by the city of about 360 acres of Fergus Falls Township, according to Doug Wise, the city’s community development director.

From The Daily Journal, March 16-22, 1983

Great Plains purchased by Omaha company

• A holding company controlled by Omaha’s Charles W. Durham has acquired full control of Great Plains Natural Gas Co., whose operational headquarters are in Fergus Falls.

• The announcement was made Friday by company president Donald R. Stuart. Augie Stricker, vice president in charge of operations in Fergus Falls, will retain his post, as will Stuart. Great Plains was founded in 1962 by Durham and Willard A. Richardson.

Planned depot closing

• Burlington Northern’s plans to cut rail service to Fergus Falls have again run into opposition. Fergus Falls City Council members voted unanimously to object to the railroad’s plan to close the local freight depot to the public.

• In mid October, the council formally objected to BN’s plan to abandon the 42-mile rail line tying Fergus Falls and Alexandria.

• The company is also proposing abandonment of tracks between Fergus Falls and Foxhome and Otter Tail Power’s Hoot Lake plant and Battle Lake.

Highrise beauty shop

• River Bend Beauty Shop opened Tuesday in the Fergus Falls Highrise. Bette Johnson operates the salon that serves the 130 apartment dwellers.

From The Daily Journal, March 9-15, 1983

Four-college proposal heard

• The State Community College Board took no action Wednesday on implementing a plan to reorganize four northwestern colleges into one district, according to Chancellor Philip C. Helland.

• Helland said the board followed his recommendation to stay in “ a holding pattern for the time being” to see what the Legislature might do regarding the post-secondary education system.

Construction drop

• The two-year slide in local construction continued in 1982. The Fergus Falls building department issued 276 permits for construction last year.

• That’s the lowest number of building permits since 1970, when 222 were issued.

County declares war

• Otter Tail County’s five commissioners — all 1,094 pounds of them — declared war on fat Tuesday. The board approved a weight-loss contest for county employees of any county in the state to lose more weight. Commissioner Andy Leitch, the board heavyweight, was noncommittal.

State in PIK

• Minnesota farmers didn’t rush to sign up for the federal Payment-In-Kind program before the deadline, but officials say participation in the project has been good.

From The Daily Journal, March 2-8, 1983

Local AARP club largest in state

• The Fergus Falls Chapter of the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) boasts the largest membership statewide.

• “At last count we had 415 members in Chapter 339,” AARP past president Duane Poole said. The club was organized in 1964 and incorporated in 1966. Over the years it has been hailed as “the best in the state.”

Nuclear freeze on ballot

• Fergus Falls residents will have the chance to vote April 26 on a nuclear arms freeze resolution. The City Council had declined to take a stand on the resolution in December, agreeing instead to put the question on the ballot in the next city election.

• The Council formally put the freeze resolution on the ballot at its meeting Monday night. The freeze resolution calls for an end to the nuclear arms race between the United States and the Soviet Union and an immediate, mutual and verifiable freeze on new weapons.

Burner ‘D-day’ nearing

• It’s “getting close to D-day” for Fergus Falls and its refuse burner.

• City Administrator Jim Nitchals said Monday night he’s “fairly certain” the city will be ready to sign an agreement on the refuse burner with Mid-America Dairyman and give preliminary approval to bids at the March 21 city council meeting.

From The Daily Journal, Feb. 24-March 1, 1983

Acid rain threatens townships

• Twelve Otter Tail County townships could be sensitive to acid rain contamination, but there’s no reason to be worried, officials say. Otter Tail is one of 32 counties in the state that may be threatened, according to a preliminary Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) report.

• Dave Thornton, MPCA’s acid rain coordinator, described Otter Tail County as a “fringe area” and said there is no evidence that county lakes are sensitive. He said there are some questions whether the county should even be included on the preliminary list. Further testing is needed.

Journal wins award

• The Daily Journal was judged second place among non-metropolitan newspapers in the Minnesota Associated Press Page One contest.

• Judging was based on the design of the page and the use of photos. The award was presented at the AP winter workshop Feb. 19 at the Minneapolis Press Club.

HRA handling program

• The Fergus Falls Housing and Redevelopment Authority (HRA) has contracted with the Otter Tail County HRA to administer the county’s program.

• In the past, the county HRA administered its own program. The merger was partly “a matter of economics,” said Jeff Gaffaney, executive director of the Fergus Falls HRA.

From The Daily Journal, Feb. 17-23, 1983

Arsenic site creates panic in Perham

• There’s a feeling in Perham that the town is sitting on a time bomb. There is the fear of an underground monster: lethal arsenic that slowly seeps in the ground water.

• The arsenic dump site is one of 60 hazardous waste sites in Minnesota. Since its discovery in 1972, after it poisoned 11 people who drank water from a contaminated well, Perham could do without the negative publicity. Perham has seen a steady stream of news reporters and television cameras. For more than 10 years, efforts to clean up the site have been marred by frustrations and delays.

• Board OKs annex

• The Minnesota Municipal Board approved Fergus Falls’ annexation of land in Buse Township. Two parcels of land are affected. The first is along Highway 210 East and is occupied by Proximity Control and Stor-N-Lock. The township had not objected to annexation of that land. The second parcel, which the township wanted to keep, is north of the Otter Tail River and south of Lincoln Avenue and is owned by Mid-American Dairymen and Landy Packing.

City wins annex fight

• The annexation of nearly 250 acres of land in Aurdal Township to Fergus Falls was approved by the Minnesota Municipal Board. The annexation had received preliminary approval by the municipal board in November. Annexation must still be approved by voters in the city and townships.

From The Daily Journal, Feb. 10-16, 1983

Law could hurt family planning

• A regulation requiring parental notification when children receive contraceptives would result in more teenage pregnancies and abortions, an area Planned Parenthood official said.

• The Reagan administration regulation, scheduled to go into effect Feb. 25, would pose “a real problem,” said Roberta Vorderbruggen, family planning director for the New York Mills agency of Planned Parenthood of Minnesota.

• Vorderbruggen said an area survey found that 80 percent of Planned Parenthood’s teenage clientele would stop using contraceptives if parental notification was required.

New manager at Bell

• Northwestern Bell has named John Stromberg as manager of the company’s Fergus Falls and Battle Lake exchanges. Stromberg replaces Ray Halvorson, manager since 1976, who is retiring.

Swanson Equipment

• Three brothers- Hans, Richard and Rolf Ronnevik of Carlisle-have purchased the former Swanson Equipment farm implement dealership from Chuck Swanson. Triple R Equipment is the new name of the firm.
  ##Employment down

• Employment in Fergus Falls fell 2.1 percent — 154 jobs — from December of 1982 to January 1983, according to Minnesota Job Service office.

From The Daily Journal, Feb. 3-9 1983

Housing prisoners considered

• Officials had considered using a wing of the state hospital building as a temporary jail to ease crowding in the 60-year-old county jail. But Sheriff Melby, at a county jail committee meeting, said he’s opposed to the idea.

• The jail committee was appointed by the county board late in 1982 after the Minnesota Department of Corrections said Otter Tail’s jail no longer meets state standards. Housing prisoners at the Fergus Falls State Hospital would be an “absolute nightmare” for security, said Otter Tail County Sheriff Glen Melby. Even if the plan to put prisoners in the state hospital had worked out, Melby said previously, it would have been only a temporary solution.

Vacant schools

• The doors of Fergus Falls’ two vacant elementary schools may once again swing open. Instead of housing grade school students, the schools would be headquarters for a variety of community programs. Discussion began on the possibility of renting space in either Jefferson or Eisenhower school to the West Central Educational Cooperative Service Unit (ECSU).

County awarded grant

A $23,000 state grant has been given to Otter Tail County for a drug treatment program that will cut the time some people spend in the Fergus Falls State Hospital. Until now, people being treated for chemical dependency spent up to six weeks in an in-patient program at the state hospital.

From The Daily Journal, Jan. 27-Feb. 2, 1983

State hospital could house veterans

• Rep. Bob Anderson plans to introduce a bill to build a veterans care facility at the Fergus Falls State Hospital. The bill would provide for a 150-bed nursing care facility to be built on the state hospital campus, said Anderson, IR-Ottertail.

• The bill also provides for bonds to be issued to pay for construction. A bill was also introduced by House Majority Leader Willis Eken, Twin Valley, to build a 200-bed veterans facility in Moorhead. But Anderson said he believes sharing the existing state hospital campus would be “a strong point” for Fergus Falls and “save lots of money.”

Jet gets new home

• It took an Air Force jet 10 years to get from an Arizona salvage yard to its new base: VFW Post 874, located on County Road 1 near Otter Tail Lake. Andy Leitch, Post commander, said that’s how long the veterans have been working on their search for a war relic to set up at that Post.

• The plane is a Korean War-era 33 Shooting Star Trainer, and will cost the veterans organization $3,500 to $4,000.

Waage plans retirement

• Wesley A Waage announced that he is planning to retire June 30 as president of Fergus Falls Community College.

• Waage was originally chosen as the first dean of Fergus Falls Junior College when it was established in 1960 by Fergus Falls School District 544.

From The Daily Journal, Jan. 20-26, 1983

Carpentry students build the best

• Hub Hovland’s carpentry students work each school day building the best-insulated house in town. Located on the Lincoln School property on Spruce Street, the 76 foot-by-32 foot building under construction by the Vocational Center is a super-insulated duplex designed for optimal savings in energy.

• Hovland credited the hands-on experience as the best way for students to learn practical skills.

Shipper optimistic

• The rail line from Fergus Falls to Foxhome extends into “good grain territory,” according to Ingard Knutson, manager of Foxhome Grain and Feed. “Because the track has a lot of potential.”

• He’s is “cautiously optimistic” that the Burlington Northern won’t go ahead with its plans to abandon the branch line and sever the rail connection between Fergus Falls and Foxhome.

• The BN plans to abandon the stretch of track between Foxhome and Fergus Falls, as well as the line to the east that connects Fergus Falls and Battle Lake. The railroad has the same plans for the line between Fergus Falls and Alexandria.

Bartender writes guide

• When Jerry Elliot was training a friend to work as a bartender, he couldn’t find a book that would help explain the job. So he decided to write one. “The Professional Bartender’s Educator: A Bar Manual” is designed to help a person learn the ropes of working at a commercial bar.

From The Daily Journal, Jan. 13-19, 1983

City looked at for spinal injury center

• Fergus Falls is one of several Midwestern cities considered as the site for a spinal injury center, according to Charles Carson, Fergus Falls, founder and president of the International Spinal Cord Society (SCS). Other cities being considered include Fargo, Minneapolis, Duluth and Rochester.

Hospital may reopen

• The New York Mills City Council may consider hiring a planning firm to study options for its city-owned hospital, Mayor Dean Simpson said Monday. The 27-bed facility was closed Jan. 1 after losses averaged nearly $15,000 a month in 1982, according to Simpson.

Board OKs proposal

• A proposal to place Fergus Falls Community College and three other small community colleges into one community college district with a single president received final approval from the state Board of Community Colleges. The last Legislature ordered the state board to come up with a plan for reducing costs because of projected enrollment declines in the community college system.

Barber’s business better

• When Art Hoffman, a native of Vergas settled in Fergus Falls 25 years go, there were 17 barbers in town. Now there are six. The long hair craze, says Hoffman, changed the course of barbering. He says business is better now that short hair is back in fashion.

From The Daily Journal, Jan. 6-12, 1983

Mooring stones discovered

• Marion Dahm, an amateur archeologist and historian, is in Fergus Falls investigating the mooring stones discovered behind the Fergus Falls Community College. The stones were discovered by custodian Harold Phillips.

• Dahm has spent the last 20 years searching for traces of Viking presence in the area more than 500 years ago. Triangular holes chiseled into rocks were found at the Community College, in Orwell Township and at locations Dahm has recorded from Browns Valley to Detroit Lakes. Pete Walkup is a Fergus Falls farmer who became interested in Dahm’s theories when mooring stones were found near his farm.

Committee seeks advice

• Members of the Otter Tail County Jail Committee agree to look for expert advice about the county’s substandard and too-small jail. Committee members voted unanimously to apply to a National Institute of Corrections (NIC) program in Boulder, Colo., for help evaluating the county’s 60-year-old jail and outlining what type of a jail the county needs.

Baker heads staff

• Dr. Richard Baker is the new medical director at Fergus Falls State Hospital.

• Baker will handle his new duties at the state hospital on a part-time basis and will continue his general surgery practice through the Fergus Falls Medical Group and Lake Region Hospital.

From The Daily Journal, Dec. 30, 1982- Jan. 5 1983

Underwood man recalls Hiroshima

• Kenneth Rostad stood amidst the ruins of Hiroshima one month after the Japanese city was destroyed by an American atomic bomb on Aug. 6, 1945.

• He remembers seeing the victims of the blast, their skin turned black from the heat or marked with pencil-like dots from the radiation. The agony Rostad witnessed convinced him the atomic bomb should never have been dropped on either Hiroshima or Nagasaki civilians. “Foolish” and “unnecessary” are words Rostad uses often when describing his reaction to the nuclear arms race. Rostad was in the 86th Airborne Division at the time, anxious to leave Japan and return home to his farm near Underwood.

Wine licenses

• Fergus Falls restaurants could sell wine without paying several thousand dollars for a liquor license as a result of a city council vote. Restaurants can now sell wine if they have a liquor license, but those licenses cost $3,000 or $5,000, depending on whether they sell more food or liquor. A separate wine license would be for wine sales only.

Fund drive begins

• The Center for the Arts fund drive began officially last week with a $1,000 kickoff donation from the firm of Nyckelmoe, Nyckelmoe and Ellig. The law firm’s donation brings the total amount pledged or collected so far to $61,455, according to John Dieseth, fund drive coordinator.

From The Daily Journal, Dec. 23-29, 1982

Good publicity for Rothsay

• Only one family took advantage of discounts on building sites offered by a development corporation in Rothsay, but Tom Fosse isn’t disappointed.

• Fosse, one of five members of the East Park Development corporation, says the community received good publicity, and a family with two children built a new house in town. “One thing all the publicity generated is a favorable image of our community,” Fosse says. “We’re looking for families to move into our community. They’re welcome, and there’s lots of room.”

Guidelines change

• New environmental guidelines changes, listed in the state’s code of agency rules for the Environmental Quality Council, will result in delays for developers, according to Malcolm Lee, Otter Tail County’s land and resource management administrator.

• Any person can request an environmental assessment worksheet on a project by obtaining the 25 signatures and sending it to the state’s Environmental Quality Board (EQB), Lee said.

Fire destroys elevator

• Fire destroyed the main GTA elevator in Doran and heavily damaged two elevator annexes, according to the Wilkin County Sheriff’s Department. Fergus Falls firefighters were called to assist but were later told their help wasn’t needed.

From The Daily Journal, Dec. 2-8, 1982

Northwest bypass dedicated

• A ribbon-cutting for Fergus Falls’ northwest bypass marked the official opening of the road that links Highway 210 West and Highway 59 North. Construction of the bypass, which will likely be named Tower Road, was advocated by the city of Fergus Falls, its planning commission, the Fergus Falls Area Chamber of Commerce and its transportation committee.

• The bypass was designed in part to route traffic around Fergus Falls and away from the heavily traveled Lincoln Avenue.

Mid-Am refuse burner

• After years of delays, a refuse burner is nearing an agreement in Fergus Falls. Household garbage could be fueling the cheese-making operation at Mid-America Dairymen in Fergus Falls by early 1984, according to Bruce Thom, Fergus Falls’ energy coordinator. Thom was hired by the city to pursue plans for a refuse burner at a private industry after plans for a joint city-state project at the Fergus Falls State Hospital faltered. Several years and more than $500,000 were spent pursuing a burner at the hospital, but the city and state were unable to agree on a contract.

New scoreboards

• There’s something new for fans who attend basketball games at Fergus Falls High School:s coreboards. Donated by Country Kitchen, Fergus Falls, the scoreboards, one at each end of the court, replace the single one hanging from the ceiling.

From The Daily Journal, Nov. 25 - Dec. 1, 1982

Barkley Hotel considered for landmark

• A 68-year-old Fergus Falls hotel, vacant for the past dozen years, is being considered for nomination to the National Register of Historic Places.

• Owner Bob Dieseth applied for the designation for the Hotel Kaddatz, later known as the Barkley Hotel. On Dec. 9, the State Review Board of the Minnesota Historical Society will consider this designation. The hotel was built in 1914, largely to provide the modern accommodations needed to keep the federal court in Fergus Falls. The hotel also featured sample rooms where traveling salesmen displayed their wares. This business venture is credited with Fergus Falls’ growth as a merchandising center.

Ag computer business

• Paul Rolandson, a 1982 graduate of Moorhead State University in computer science and accounting, is opening Rolandson Computer Center at 714 S. Mill in Fergus Falls.

• The center will handle Farmplan computer systems, hardware and software for farm, small business and personal use. Rolandson will also write custom software.

Implement firm sold

• Rod Ebersviller, owner of Ebersviller Implement, announces the sale of his business to Roger Olson of Fargo. The company was started by Ebersviller’s father and uncle in 1921, and he has been involved in the business since 1949, Ebersviller said.

From The Daily Journal, Nov. 18-24, 1982

Take ‘state’ out of FF State Hospital

• Local officials want to take the state out of the Fergus Falls State Hospital.

• There’s strong support locally for a regional takeover of the hospital, which officials see as a way of molding the facility to fit the area and as a way to ensure its doors will stay open. The concept, Fergus Falls State Hospital Administrator Robert Hoffmann said, “makes sense.”

Workfare program delay

• Otter Tail County’s plan to require some welfare recipients to work for their benefits could be delayed by an injunction requested by a legal aid group, according to County Social Services Director Roland Winterfeldt. Winterfeldt said the Legal Aid Society of Minneapolis contends in part that Gov. Al Quie did not have the authority to approve work programs in nine counties. Otter Tail officials had planned to put their program into effect Jan. 1, but Winterfeldt said things are “in a holding pattern until (the dispute) is resolved.”

Commissioners OK freeze

• Otter Tail County Commissioner Andy Leitch told local supporters of a nuclear freeze that the Russians “would love (them) for their actions.”

• But despite his strong opposition, the county board voted 4 -1 Tuesday in favor of a resolution calling for an end to the nuclear arms race between the United States and the Soviet Union.

From The Daily Journal, Nov. 11-17, 1982

FFCC faces reorganization

• Fergus Falls Community College (FFCC) and three other community colleges in northwestern Minnesota would be combined into one community college ccistrict under a reorganization plan discussed Wednesday by the State Board of Community Colleges.

• The plan, presented by Chancellor Phillip C. Helland, would preserve the colleges’ names and campuses, but combine the administrative functions.

Rainbows in agriculture

• Ten years ago, Farm Wife News set aside November as Farm Wife Month. Since then, the name has been changed to Farm Women Month, but the purpose remains the same: to honor the contributions of women in agriculture.

• When a group of area farm women learned that November was their month, they decided to organize a luncheon. They’ve been celebrating with a luncheon every year since.

• Yesterday, the group had their 10th annual get-together at the Fergus Falls Armory. A record 450 area farm women attended.

No second goose season

• The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has cancelled the second special season scheduled for the southwestern Otter Tail County goose refuge because enough geese were killed during the first season. The second season was set for Nov. 16-20 in the 150-square -mile refuge adjacent to Fergus Falls.

From The Daily Journal, Nov. 4-10, 1982

Fair board won’t sell ice arena

• The Otter Tail County Fair Association decided last night not to sell its ice arena to the city of Fergus Falls. City officials approached the fair board Oct. 14, saying they would rather buy the 80 by 225 foot building than enter an agreement.

• The city’s current contract with the board expires April 1, 1983, and the city officials apparently felt the board was asking too much for rent. The city pays $6,000 per year in rent now, but that figure would more than double if the contract is renewed. The fair board, following the recommendation of its negotiations committee, voted unanimously to reject the city’s proposal.

Hermes to be honored

• John Hermes will be moving into a special class this weekend. The long-time Fergus Falls High School teacher and coach will be inducted into the Minnesota State High School Coaches Association Hall of Fame.

• The award presentation will be made at the MHSCA annual awards banquet. Hermes came to Fergus Falls in 1946 and has been here ever since. He taught boys’ physical education and coached for 31 years.

Furniture store opens

• Tim’s Sofa and Sleeper opened Nov. 1, at 222 W. Lincoln, formerly House of Crafts. Owners are Tim and Julie Sweere and Warren and Lorna Johnson.

From The Daily Journal, Oct. 28-Nov. 3, 1982

Vietnam-era memorial approved

• A local Vietnam-era veterans group’s plan to erect a memorial to war veterans in Fergus Falls won the unanimous support of the city’s aldermen Monday. The granite stone, which will be unveiled on Veteran’s Day, will picture a GI holding a dying comrade. It’s entitled “A Last Moment for Friends.”

• Earl Husted, representing the local Vietnam-era Veterans Community Association, said the monument will honor not only soldiers who fought in the Vietnam War, but veterans of World War I, World War II and the Korean Conflict. He said the Elks, Eagles and American Legion have already contributed $500 each, and the same is expected from the local VFW. The memorial costs $2,850, Husted said, but Fergus Monument Co. donated $650, so only $2,200 in donations is needed.

• The picture on the memorial was drawn by George Skypeck, a prisoner of war in Vietnam. The monument will be dedicated in Veterans’ Park Nov. 11.

Calico Rose to open

• The Calico Rose, which features nostalgic dining, is scheduled to open Monday in the renovated Normandy Cafe. Owners David and Melodee Dyrud are Hillcrest graduates.

Application withdrawn

• Otter Tail Power Company, has decided not to seek a state application to burn PCB-contaminated oils in its incinerators.

From The Daily Journal, Aug. 19-25, 1982

Fergus Falls to get waste plant grant

• Fergus Falls officials learned this morning that the city is slated to receive more than $9 million for construction of a wastewater treatment plant.

• The city is the fourth of five out-state cities on the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency's (MPCA) draft municipal projects list for fiscal 1982.

• A new plant is needed, City Administrator Jim Nitchals said, because the current facility, which has received notices of violation from the MPCA, does not meet discharge standard for the Otter Tail River. The plant was built in 1936 and modernized in 1959 and 1968.

Donahue’s position ends

• The 14 -year veteran teacher at the college describes his former job as “a strange combination.” “I guess I was hired in the fall of 1967 for speech and English and to be in charge of the student newspaper that had fallen apart,” Donahue said.

• As the years went on, he added the roles of drama director, Madrigals choreographer, playwright, actor, storyteller and English teacher for foreign students. Donahue was told his position would be eliminated in the face of budget cuts at the end of the 1982-83 school year.

Bridge repair

• The Court Street bridge should be completed and open to traffic in mid-September, according to Fergus Falls City Engineer Dan Edwards.

From The Daily Journal, Aug.12-18, 1982

Bridge gets new life and look

• It was more than a neighborhood volunteer effort involving members of the Maine Town Board, Underwood Jaycees, Waterstreet Bridge Preservation Society and township residents.

• The painting party marked a milestone in a long fight to save the bridge from replacement. In the late 1970’s, the Maine Town Board was told the 86-year-old bridge was deficient. The board decided a culvert should replace the bridge, according to Elizabeth Merz, one of the individuals who spearheaded a movement to save the bridge. All one-lane bridges were rated deficient at that time. The bridge — with its Pratt through-truss design — is unique in a six-county area.

Barrel O’Fun expands line

• Barrel O’Fun begins its ninth year of operation this month, and it does so with a strong track record. In recent years, sales of snack foods manufactured at this Perham plant have increased between 40 and 50 percent annually.

• “The prosperity,” said company president Ken Nelson, “is due to new diversity in the plant’s snack line and new distributors. The plant started up in 1973 with only potato chips, popcorn and cheese corn made there. Today, a long list of snack foods are manufactured at Barrel O’Fun.”

GNC grand opening

• General Nutrition Center will be having its grand opening Aug. 14 at Westridge Mall in Fergus Falls. Manager is Jeanine Stahlberg.

Vicky Anderson is the Research Assistant at the Otter Tail County Historical Society.