Chris Swanson, BFA, APMA a financial advisor with Ameriprise Financial in Fergus Falls, recently received the accredited portfolio management advisor (APMA) designation from the College of Financial Planning. Individuals who hold the APMA designation have completed a course of study encompas…
As many are aware, Neve Redetzke will retire from her role as personal lines agent at AMP in Fergus Falls on Dec. 20, 2019.
Do you have a idea that could make your town better? What if you wanted to try something new, something that could make meaningful and lasting change in your community? Can your idea take root with financial help?
Family Diner in Fergus Falls is celebrating its ninth year in business this month, a unique diner in the community known for its from-scratch cooking and family focus. The diner was opened in December 2010 by Sharla Bilden, who had worked at restaurants throughout the area for years and deci…
Johanna Armstrong
Reporter
After enjoying Thanksgiving, those in the Christmas and holiday shopping mood get ready to put on their coats and head out to local retailers to see what the best offers will be for 2019’s Black Friday sales.
Zach Stich
Editor
Don’t let Thanksgiving and Black Friday burn you out — there’s still so much to do! Fergus Falls has plenty of events to keep you on your feet this weekend including kid-friendly holiday parties, holiday markets and special deals to get your gift shopping done early and reward opportunities …
Johanna Armstrong
Reporter
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Small business support: Area businesses emphasize shopping local during 10th post-Thanksgiving event
The importance of shopping locally will be emphasized Saturday in Fergus Falls when the 10th annual “Small Business Saturday” shopping tradition is observed in Fergus Falls.
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Forty years after the first McDonald’s restaurant opened in Fergus Falls a new home for the Golden Arches is set to open.
Jason and Kristi Hastings were looking to fill a downtown storefront when the idea for a pop-up retail boutique came to mind. They considered it an opportunity to teach their teenage children about entrepreneurship and take advantage of the renewed interest downtown storefronts.
The Otto Bremer Trust has awarded $12,855,616 in grants and program-related investments as part of its most recent grantmaking cycle. Three Fergus Falls-based businesses — Claire Ann Shover Nursery School, Lakeland Mental Health Center and Someplace Safe — received grants.
Minnesota Business Finance Corporation (MBFC) recently awarded a grant to Greater Fergus Falls Corp. MBFC is the only certified development company in Minnesota to present this type of grant program.
Charter Spectrum customers in Fergus Falls experienced an outage of their internet, cable and phone services Tuesday, including both private households and businesses. “I can confirm a problem occurred as changes were made during the overnight maintenance window. Teams worked as quickly as p…
Johanna Armstrong
Reporter
Apple Tree Dental is pleased to announce construction of a new Fergus Falls center for dental health on Western Avenue that will improve access to dental care for low-income families and people with special needs in west-central Minnesota – those not easily served by other dentists.
Stalker Lake Golf Course hosted its fifth annual golf tournament to raise money for the Underwood and Dalton fire departments.
The Dairy Queen Grill & Chill at 1121 S. Broadway in Pelican Rapids has been temporarily closed since Monday according to Pelican Rapids City Administrator Don Solga.
Brian Hansel
Reporter
As Halloween slowly approaches, the Fergus Falls Chamber of Commerce wanted those in attendance at the 2019 Taste of Fergus Falls at the Bigwood Event Center Tuesday to have a “spook”tacular time. With the theme, “Trick or Eat,” community members got more than candy from local restaurants and businesses. Food exhibitors at the event included […]
Aurora Fiber Optic Networks welcomes Lynn Mead as vice president of carrier sales and business development. Mead brings over 35 years of experience in building sales organizations, teams, and creating network expansions; she has a solid track record in achieving record revenue growth, network expansion, and maintaining and building internal and external relationships. Aurora Fiber […]
The Trustees of the Otto Bremer Trust (OBT), the majority shareholder of Bremer Financial Corporation (BFC), announced today that they have commenced a process to explore strategic options for BFC. “This is not a decision we made lightly or without exploring every other approach,” said Daniel Reardon, co-CEO and trustee, “but we believe it is […]
The nomination of Steven Brimhall, dealer operator at Minnesota Motor Company, a Buick and Chevrolet dealership in Fergus Falls, for the 2020 TIME Dealer of the Year award was announced today by TIME. Brimhall is one of a select group of 49 dealer nominees from across the country who will be honored at the 103rd […]
After over 11 years as a part of downtown Fergus Falls, The Spot Panini & Wine will be closing on Thursday, Oct. 24. Owner Michael Loreno has taken the position of legislative specialist at Rural Minnesota CEP in Detroit Lakes and while that means he has to step away from The Spot, he believes the […]
A pool of 80 applicants has been winnowed to 15 finalists, including four in the West Central Initiative service area, as the Initiators Fellowship nears its October 25 selection day. Two fellows will be chosen from the nine-county West Central Initiative service area to join five other fellows in the two-year program. “We were blessed […]
Sarah Stephan, the senior branch office administrator at an Edward Jones branch office in Fergus Falls, recently received the Spirit of Caring award for exceptional achievement in building client relationships. Stephan works with Edward Jones financial advisor Kristi Auck.
The building at 124 W. Lincoln Ave., in downtown Fergus Falls was built in 1921 as the Orpheum Theater and while today it carries the marquee for A Center for the Arts, lots of changes occurred between 1921 and 2019: The Orpheum went from stage theater to a mix of stage and movie showings, before […]
Ben Wiechman, director of IP strategy and engineering at Arvig, has been accepted into Forbes Technology Council, an invitation-only community for world-class CIOs, CTOs and technology executives. Wiechman was vetted and selected by a review committee based on the depth and diversity of his experience. Criteria for acceptance include a track record of successfully impacting […]
October is National Women’s Small Business Month, and there has been significant progress relating to women and entrepreneurship. In 1972, women owned 4.6% of all businesses in the U.S. Today, women own 42% of all businesses. Nationally, women-owned businesses have grown 21% over the last five years, compared to a 9% growth rate for all […]
CrowdFiber, a developer of geomarketing automation software for telecommunications providers and utility companies, announced that Arvig, a Minnesota-based broadband service provider, is using the CrowdFiber platform to power its new online residential service shopping cart. The new technology allows a customer to build a personalized home service package from Arvig’s high-speed internet, TV and phone […]
On your mark, get set, go! Trena Martinson took off as she went up and down the aisles at Service Food in Fergus Falls Saturday as the annual Fergus Falls Noon Kiwanis and Service Food’s Supermarket Sweep got underway. Martinson won the opportunity to race around the local grocery store after her name was drawn […]
The second MNwest Entrepreneur Summit, on Oct. 29 at the U of M Crookston, will be the regional setting for introduction of “LAUNCH MINNESOTA,” a creation of the 2019 MN Legislature, designed to encourage collaboration across geographies and across business, education and government sectors to foster entrepreneurial thinking, startups and innovation applying new technologies addressing […]
On Tuesday, Oct. 8, Enterprise Minnesota will travel to Fergus Falls’ Bigwood Event Center to conduct a workshop for manufacturers on, “Sustaining Lean Improvements through Employee Engagement.” David Ahlquist, an Enterprise Minnesota business growth consultant will show participants how to engage employees in eliminating waste and producing higher quality/volume products in less time. Key takeaways […]
It was not a fit day to work outdoors in Fergus Falls on Thursday – the wind was cold, the sky was cloudy and the streets were wet – but inside the manufacturing plants of the city it was just another work day. All hands were busy as tour groups organized by Greater Fergus Falls […]
No gasoline was being sold Tuesday morning at the busy Holiday Station on South Union Avenue in Fergus Falls for a very good reason — new pumps were being installed. Gas pumps at Holiday have been replaced in the past and the present owner, Circle K, a corporation that bought out Holiday in 2017, is carrying […]
Pelican Rapids has been honored with the Smart Rural Communities Showcase award by NTCA–The Rural Broadband Association, which cited Arvig’s advanced communications services and collaboration with local leaders as keys to its success. At a gathering of about 1,400 leaders of rural telecommunications providers hosted by NTCA, Arvig was presented with the award, on behalf […]
The Otto Bremer Trust has awarded $10,257,564 in grants as part of its recent grantmaking cycle. Fergus Falls Area Habitat for Humanity Affiliate Inc. and Perham Community Food Shelf Inc. were two of the groups selected from the western and south-central Minnesota group to receive grants. The Fergus Falls Habitat for Humanity received $90,000 to […]
Have you ever wondered what happens inside manufacturing facilities? Recognized by the state of Minnesota and as proclaimed by Fergus Falls Mayor Ben Schierer at the Sept. 16 city council meeting, Oct. 1-7 is Minnesota Manufacturing Week. The Greater Fergus Falls is excited to invite the community to tour local community manufacturing businesses on Thursday, […]
The Otto Bremer Trust (OBT) today announced that it will be expanding into all of Wisconsin and Montana beginning in the middle of next year. OBT currently operates in Minnesota, North Dakota, and western Wisconsin. The change reflects the growth of OBT beyond traditional grantmaking to making innovative investments and providing creative financial tools for […]
Ryan Jacobson of Fergus Falls, has joined Thrivent Financial as an associate representative with the organization’s Northland Regional Financial Office. Jacobson supports Thrivent members by helping them develop sound financial strategies so they can prepare for retirement, ensure their families are financially protected and live generous lives – at home, church and within their communities. […]
The Federal Reserve cut interest rates Wednesday for the second time in seven weeks, in an effort to prolong the decade-old economic expansion in the face of rising headwinds. The Fed lowered its target for the federal funds rate by a quarter percentage point, to a range of 1.75 percent to 2 percent. The move, […]
Arvig is excited to announce it has been named one of Prairie Business magazine’s 50 Best Places to Work in the northern plains. Arvig is featured in the September issue of the magazine. Earlier this year, employees nominated their companies by submitting an anonymous employee-satisfaction survey and Prairie Business used the survey results in selecting […]
Credit Service Intl. (CSI) today celebrated the company’s inclusion in the 2019 Inc. 5000 list of the fastest-growing companies in America. CSI, which became the parent company of Mid State Credit in Fergus Falls in 2017, currently services hundreds of clients in Otter Tail and the surrounding counties. CSI also operates in Duluth, Brainerd, Marshall, […]
It’s working! Collaboration among community partners improve lives in Otter Tail County. On Tuesday, Aug. 27 the Otter Tail County Board of Commissioners and other staff members were invited to tour and learn more about the Perham 180 Program sponsored by Productive Alternatives Inc. (PAI). The Perham 180 Program is model of how community partners […]
According to a recent news report, there has been a 29% increase in retail store closings as of July 31, 2019 as compared to the number of closings that occurred in all of 2018. An estimated 12,000 stores are set to close by year end with several others up for consideration. Industry insiders claim that […]
Walmart hosted a blood drive with Vitalant, formerly United Blood Services, on Aug. 16 at Walmart which helped collect a total of 10 units of blood products for patients in need. A total of nine individuals volunteered to donate blood and eight individuals were able to donate at the Vitalant blood drive on Aug. 16. […]
Beginning this fall, Fergus Falls area small business owners and staff will have the opportunity to gain crucial workplace skills, thanks to a $10,000 West Central Initiative grant awarded to Minnesota State Community and Technical College Workforce Development Solutions division. Amy Hochgraber, the WDS director of business and industry, said grant money will be used […]
As part of its commitment to strengthening rural communities, Blandin Foundation is making its Blandin Community Leadership Program (BCLP) available to those who are engaged in the Fergus Falls area. This is the fifth time BCLP training has been available for the community of Fergus Falls. Examples of how BCLP alumni have used the strategies […]
President Trump is meeting with his counterparts at the G-7 summit in France, where he walked back previous statements on trade with China. On Friday, Trump hiked tariffs on Chinese imports and threatened to invoke a 1977 act authorizing the president emergency powers to force U.S. businesses out of China. On Sunday in Biarritz, France, […]
The Fergus Falls Downtown Riverfront Council (FFDRC) is pleased to announce that the winner of the 2019 Downtown Chowdown series is Dining Car #423/Steel Wheels. To celebrate their victory, the restaurant will host a “Great Big Baked Potato Bar” on Saturday, Aug. 24 from 4-6 p.m. This event is free (until gone) and open to […]
Weichert, Realtors – Paulson Land Company, located in Battle Lake, is proud to announce that Timothy McCarte and Chris Ronning have joined their team of real estate sales associates. Both will be assisting home buyers and sellers in Battle Lake, Henning, Clitherall and surrounding areas with all their real estate needs. “We are thrilled to […]
BATTLE LAKE — The Battle Lake Area Child Care Center (BLACCC) shared a monumental milestone with friends and supporters Sunday during the unveiling of their donor wall — the finishing touch on a process that’s taken nearly four years to complete and the final project for the center’s capital campaign team. Positioned on an outside […]
During the month of July, the Underwood Municipal Liquor Store took donations from customers as part of the Shiner Bock “Toast Our Troops” Boot campaign for Boots on the Ground, a charity that gives funds to the Fergus Falls Veterans Home recreation fund. “I’d like to thank the Underwood Liquor Store and the community for […]
Jeffrey Risbrudt, financial advisor has joined the Fargo office of Ameriprise Financial Services Inc., as a financial advisor. He is joining TruStone Wealth Management, a private wealth advisory practice of Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc. Their office is located at 4141 31 st Ave. S. Suite 100B, Fargo, ND. “Jeff’s passion for helping clients address their […]
The Minnesota Twins game on Saturday, Aug. 10 finished in a home team win 4-1 against Cleveland, but viewers may have noticed some trophies being handed out at the start of the game: Josh Keilan and the Minnesota Veterans Home in Fergus Falls won the Harmon’s Heart of Baseball Award which honors a person with […]
Greater Fergus Falls (GFF) has been diligently working toward establishing a strategic framework that is action-oriented and goal-driven, yet flexible and adaptive for evolving economic changes. Our staff and board of directors are dedicated to working alongside businesses and advocating aggressively for their success. Board member Dr. Carrie Brimhall, president of M State Community & […]
Shoremaster hosted a blood drive with Vitalant, formerly United Blood Services, on July 30 at Shoremaster which helped collect a total of 20 units of blood products for patients in need. A total of 24 individuals volunteered to donate blood and 17 individuals were able to donate at the Vitalant blood drive on July 30. […]
Perkins & Marie Callender’s, LLC has filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy and, as part of its restructuring process, has closed 10 Perkins and 19 Marie Callender’s locations which a press release from the company described as “underperforming.” Bankruptcy was declared to facilitate the sale of the Perkins’ business and a segment of the Foxtail bakery business […]
Emma Thompson, APMA a financial advisor with Ameriprise Financial in Fergus Falls, recently received the Accredited Portfolio Management Advisor (APMA®) designation from the College of Financial Planning. Individuals who hold the APMA designation have completed a course of study encompassing client assessment and suitability, risk/return, investment objectives, bond and equity portfolios, modern portfolio theory and […]
The U.S. Treasury Department labeled China a currency manipulator Monday after Beijing pushed down the value of its yuan in a dramatic escalation of the trade conflict between the world’s two biggest economies. The decision, which came hours after President Trump accused China of unfairly devaluing its currency, marks a reversal for Treasury: In May, […]
Minnesota performed well for manufacturing and logistics, receiving “B’s” or above on more than half of its grades, says an annual report from Ball State University. The state improved from “B” to “B+” for its logistics industry due to relatively higher state and local infrastructure expenditures, “C” to “B-” in its global position due to […]
With a line of hopeful clients already forming just after opening at 10 a.m., Jesse Harlow hosted the grand opening of his brand new business, Handcrafted Barber Studio, on Thursday, Aug. 1. The studio is located in downtown Fergus Falls at 101 W. Lincoln Ave. and offers haircuts, facials, hot towel shaves, beard grooming, kids […]
Walmart and The Salvation Army are joining forces to provide new school supplies to 800 local children in need during the “Stuff the Bus” campaign event at Fergus Falls on Saturday, Aug. 3, 2019. As part of a nationwide effort, the “Stuff the Bus” campaign event in Fergus Falls is one of nearly 3,000 similar […]
In a press release Monday, Otter Tail Power announced a maintenance project for Pisgah hydroelectric plant. A contractor will replace a section of the spillway retaining wall. Otter Tail Power has been planning the project for several years, and anticipates completion by Oct. 31 of this year. The project will not impact the water flow […]
Security State Bank of Fergus Falls is happy to announce two promotions within the bank. Derrick Buchholz was recently promoted to vice president of Ag lending. Buchholz has been with Security State Bank since 2006 when he started as a credit analyst before becoming a loan officer and then an assistant vice president. Buchholz has […]