Tom Glorvigen, a 1960 graduate of Fergus Falls High School (FFHS), has lived a life filled with adventure, challenges and personal success.

On the front of today’s edition of this newspaper there is a story about the city of Fergus Falls set to receive $1.5 million in Federal COVID-19 relief funds through the American Rescue Plan (ARP). This is good and welcome news for the city and we the taxpayers. According to cbpp.org the fu…

Out of the mist and fog of early morning rise the haunting wails of the loon.  We hear them often as they reach out to their mates.  The common loon, Minnesota’s state bird, is no stranger to the waters of Otter Tail County.  Everything I’ve read says they are in northern Minnesota. I don’t …

Minnesota, including Otter Tail County, continues to work to reduce COVID-19 cases and increase COVID-19 vaccination levels in our communities. However, it’s important to remember that COVID-19 is not gone completely — the risk is still especially high for those who are not yet vaccinated. 

“Some luck lies in not getting what you thought you wanted but getting what you have, which once you have it you may be smart enough to see is what you would have wanted had you known, ”

Over the past year we have had many changes and have had to be flexible in our planning as individuals and as county government. As we move to more normal patterns in our lives, we continue to do the work of serving our residents. As you may be aware, the Otter Tail County Board of Commissio…

The quiet crunch beneath my feet was familiar as I made my way down the gravel road. It’s been more than three decades now, and the funny thing is I never tire of it. Perhaps it’s recognizing my surroundings that brings comfort.

Seven months after the Cuban missile crisis, President John F. Kennedy, at American University, laid out his view on how the East-West struggle should be conducted to avoid a catastrophic war that could destroy us both.

Many of you may recall that last year the Daily Journal launched a great new community promotion called “Best of Otter Tail County” or “BOTC” for short. For those of you who don’t recall this from last year, I will tell you that it’s simply the people of this area voting for their favorite b…

For those of us who remember Sept. 11, 2001, and there are a lot fewer that do these days, the decision to invade Afghanistan 20 years ago was an absolute no-brainer.

The smell of charcoal and the aroma from hot dogs roasting on grills greeted visitors to the Pebble Lake Beach during the 2021 Fourth of July.

Bill Cosby was released from prison despite admitting six years ago that he put drugs in the drinks of women, and then took advantage of them sexually in their vulnerable state.

Eldon Kratzke’s pride and joy, his 1959 Edsel, was displayed near the south entrance to First Lutheran Church, Fergus Falls, when people arrived on June 28 to attend Eldon’s funeral.

We home-schooled our children.  I always thought that if they were taught to read well, and given the proper resources, they could learn anything they wished.  (No internet back then.  We used the library a lot.)  This, in effect, taught them to think for themselves, and figure out how to re…

The Legislature approved a new state budget just ahead of the June 30 end of the fiscal year, sending a complete two-year spending package to the governor for enactment.

Question: As the driver, if a passenger under age 18 riding in my vehicle fails to wear their seat belt, could I get a ticket? I’ve heard that insurance companies won’t cover injuries from car accidents where seat belts weren’t worn – is that true?

Independence Day, or the Fourth of July as we know it, is the day we declared our independence from Great Britain.  Our founding fathers voted on it on July 2, 1776, but it took a couple days to get the paperwork completed and ratified. On July 6 the Declaration of Independence hit the newsp…

Looking at last week’s release of a Pentagon task force’s UFO report, I think many things and thoughts still remain in the dark. For some, the report was an exciting step toward proving that something is out there but the report does not contain any proof of aliens.

The Biden administration has made some admirable moves and gestures toward addressing the immense challenges posed by climate-related migration.  But it hasn’t adequately educated the American people about the issue, hamstringing its own efforts to advance an ambitious immigration agenda, in…

Wrapped round and hanging heavy appears to be an invisible cloak. You see weary on people’s facial expressions about battles just below the surface. International concerns, national, state, and local battles are being waged.

On Tuesday, June 22, Brooklyn Borough President and former police captain Eric Adams took the lead in the New York mayoral race with 32% of the Democratic primary vote, 10 points more than progressive Maya Wiley, who had the endorsement of Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

The most far-reaching healthcare policy decision of 2021 won’t be made in Congress or the White House. It will be made at the World Trade Organization, which is considering a petition to waive all patent rights on COVID-19 vaccines.

The Fourth of July holiday (Independence Day) is about a week away and many of you may be heading to the lakes area for a fun weekend of relaxing with friends and family. As part of the weekend festivities there may be some boating involved whether it be for fishing, cruising or water skiing…

Each year, an obscure federal rule forces thousands of seniors to pay penalties for the rest of their lives simply because they made an honest mistake while signing up for Medicare. That number will rise unless Congress modernizes the program’s enrollment process.

I was visiting with a new friend named Judy, last week at Cally’s Coffee Shop. She grew up in Underwood and we got to reminiscing about life and times in both Underwood and Fergus Falls. During the conversation she asked me if I remembered the Normandy Café. With a sly smile, I replied that …

What would you say if we told you there’s something that can remarkably increase your chances of surviving a car crash? Something like a force field that will keep you from being thrown from the vehicle during a collision – something that takes almost no time? If such a thing existed, would …

Fergus Falls High School graduate Bruce Ritchey, home for a class reunion earlier this month, recalled his senior year in 1965-66 when the junior college (now M State) was located in the south wing of the old high school.

The choices written upon the overhead chalkboard menu were many. Staring blankly, I’d become a bit overwhelmed. We’d rambled into the funky coffee house which literally was an old house refurbished for such a time as this. The six hour round trip to have the grand meet great-grandpa and gran…

You know, the sixth branch of the U.S. military, officially created in 2019, “establishing space as a warfighting domain and guaranteeing that the United States will dominate in that environment just like all others.”

By a vote of 30-1 in the House, with unanimous support in the Senate, Juneteenth, June 19, which commemorates the day in 1865 when news of Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation reached Texas, has been declared a federal holiday

Recently a story in the New York Times came out about the labor practices of Amazon and it was not flattering.  

In what was likely a big surprise among the Trumpists, the Supreme Court this week ruled that the latest lawsuit to bring down Obamacare was not unconstitutional. This means that the Affordable Care Act, for better or for worse, is still here to stay, and the only way it would be replaced is…

Some people with unique names are never forgotten.

Question: I junked two vehicles about 30 days ago and have only received one “Junk Certificate” in the mail. I contacted the DVS with the VIN number in question and they have no record of the vehicle being junked and told me to contact the repair shop. I contacted the repair shop that I mail…

The Legislature reconvened in St. Paul this week after Gov. Tim Walz called a special session to complete unfinished business on a new two-year state budget and address other timely issues.

Ufdah, she is such a hussy!  She has been shamelessly hanging around the warehouse for the past couple weeks.  The efforts to keep her away have been futile.  She was repeatedly admonished that she had no business there, but she totally ignored the rebuke and waited patiently for men to ente…

With a majority in both the House and Senate and control of the Oval Office, Democratic leaders are excited about the prospect of making significant changes. One good example of this is the House Democrats’ “Lower Drug Costs Now Act.”

I stood in the machine shed breathing in the scent of Grandpa. Grandpa’s been long gone for many a year now, and the fact is we own nothing but the memories of him. Strong, deep and meaningful the gift of memory remains as they surge each time the scent of machinery oil wafts in the air.

Did you really think that electing Joe Biden would mean major reductions in military spending and the shift of Pentagon resources to spending on social well-being, as progressives have long advocated? 

“Take away this pudding; it has no theme,” is a comment attributed to Winston Churchill, when a disappointing dessert was put in front of him.

At the turn of the 21st century America was a unipolar global power. A decade after winning the Cold War we were an economic, political and military hegemon. 

Third base is where the hot corner is located. Any spot on the baseball field can be littered with hard-hit baseballs off the bat, but third base is where those baseballs end up the fastest.

A few weeks ago on Wednesday, May 19 we launched the second year of the Daily Journal and the city of Fergus Falls “Yard of the Week” program. Each week through Sept. 29, The Daily Journal, along with the city of Fergus Falls and other community minded sponsors will be honoring a community m…

Question: As a father of three young children, one of whom enjoys riding on tractors more than anything else in the world, I was curious what the laws are regarding passengers on farm tractors (over the road). Many newer tractors have a second seat with a seat belt in the cab. Is there a cer…

In September of 2020, the commissioners were continuing to move along on the Perham to Pelican Trail – Highway 34 portion, coming out of Perham.  I inquired of my friends along the route, and they said there had been no communication with the county since their Zoom meeting with the district…