Some Detroit Lakes road and utility projects pushed into 2024 after council rejects the sole project bid

Detroit Lakes, Minn. (KDLM) – Some potholed roadways around Detroit Lakes received a temporary reprieve from summer road crews after the Detroit Lakes city council rejected the sole bid for three road projects that were expected to get underway this summer and fall.

Roads and utility projects that are receiving a temporary furlough include: the Willow Springs street improvements; the Southwood Shores Estates utilities installation on South Shore Drive; and the entire Detroit Lakes 2023 street rehabilitation project, which included portions of Randolph Road, White Clover Road, 8th Street, 11th Avenue and Burroughs Road.

During a July 11 meeting of the city council, City Engineer Jon Pratt told councilmembers the city only received a single bid for the grouped projects, which was about 40% higher than their project estimates, so city staff recommended rejecting the bid and re-bidding over the winter.

“Unfortunately, we received only one bid on that project,” said Pratt. “I think it’s fairly indicative of the bidding climate right now. Contractors are very full, particularly, paving contractors.”

He also said, by re-bidding the project in the winter, the city could also group a couple more road projects into the current bidding package to make it a more attractive to contractors.

“One option is re-bidding the exact same project,” he said. “Another option would be to potentially combine it with some additional like-work that we have tentatively placed in the capital improvement plan and bid a larger project. But, in either case, we’ll do that this winter when the bidding climate is probably a little bit more favorable.”

Shaun Carlson, alderman for Ward 1 and a Willow Springs resident, said he was disappointed that he and his neighbors will have to go another 9 months with their residential gravel road, but the price tag was just too high and much of that burden would’ve been passed onto the Willow Springs property owners.

Pelican Rapids woman charged with killing her 3-year-old daughter

A Pelican Rapids woman has been charged in Otter Tail County District Court with second-, and third-degree murder following the death of her 3-year-old daughter.

According to the Detroit Lakes Tribune, on July 10 at 9:40 p.m., Pelican Rapids police responded to a residence and found an the unresponsive girl on the floor.

According to court records, 27-year-old Suad Mohamed Ali was seated on the couch and, when officers asked her what happened, she said she killed her daughter by placing her hand over the child’s mouth and suffocating her because she would not stop crying.

Officers began life saving measures on the girl while Ali was on the couch and the child was transported to Essentia Health St. Mary’s in Detroit Lakes where she was later pronounced dead.

In interviews with investigators, Ali admitted to purposefully trying to kill the child.

A preliminary autopsy report showed a bite mark on the child’s left cheek and hemorrhaging in the brain, however, an official cause of death determination is still pending the completed results of a toxicology and other reports

Ali was granted a public defender by the court and her next court appearance is scheduled for July 24.

New MN residents won’t need to pass written driver’s test to receive new state license

Getting a Minnesota driver’s license is going to get easier for new residents starting Aug. 1, thanks to a new law passed during the last legislative session.

The new state law was passed with bipartisan support. Anyone 21 or older with a valid driver’s license from another state won’t have to take a written knowledge exam when applying for a Minnesota license.

Before the law change, Minnesota was one of just a few states where new residents were required to take the written test before getting a new state driver’s license.

The Minnesota Department of Driver and Vehicle Services said it takes less than a month to get the new license, with the Dakota County License Center in Lakeville and the Clay County Department of Motor Vehicles in Moorhead issuing same-day licenses.

Northwest Water Carnival begins July 14; handful of new events

The 86th annual Northwest Water Carnival gets underway tonight in Detroit Lakes and the 10-day summer festival has a handful of new events this year.

Garrett Malstrom, co-admiral for the Water Carnival, said Family Day on Sunday, July 16 will feature a bring-your-own-t-shirt tie-dye event and a Lego building contest geared toward younger builders, but older adults will still be able to compete in the 19-plus age category.

“It’s BYOT, so bring your own (t-shirt) tie-dye,” said Malstrom. “All the kids bring t-shirts and she tie-dyes them and it’s a really fun experience.”

The tie-dye event begins at 11 a.m. in City Park on Sunday and registration for the Lego building competition begins at 12:45 p.m. at The Pavilion with judging scheduled to begin at 1:30 p.m.

Also on Sunday, lakes area kids will be telling, quote, “dad jokes” at the City Park Bandshell beginning at 1 p.m.

Another new addition is a youth dock fishing derby that will be held on Saturday, July 22 at 9:30 a.m. near the El Loro public pier on City Beach in Detroit Lakes.

Event organizers encourage kids to bring their own fishing poles, but they will have some to use on-site. Organizers will also have some tackle available to use and will supply bait to the youth fisherman. 

Prizes will be award to anglers who catch the largest panfish, bass, walleye and northern pike.

Malstrom also said they have a new raffle prize twist for the festival’s annual demolition derby, which will get underway on Saturday, July 15.

“During the demo derby, we’ll have a raffle car,” said Malstrom. “So you can pay $20, it’s kind of like a raffle thing, and the winner gets to pick somebody to go in this car and it’s like a wild card in the finals.”

The 10-day festival culminates during the event’s second weekend with Everclear and Craig Morgan headlining the Jaycee’s Bash on the Beach on July 21-22 with the annual Parade of the Northwest stepping off on Washington Avenue at 1 p.m. on July 23.

Canadian citizen charged with destroying ND power substation

A Canadian citizen has been charged in federal court for allegedly destroying a western North Dakota power substation and illegally possessing firearms.

According to court records, Cameron Smith, who has been in the U.S. illegally, is accused of causing over $100,000 worth of damages to the Wheelock substation near Ray, N.D., about 30 miles northeast of Williston, in May. 

Smith is also accused of possessing a rifle and pistol, as well as ammunition, as an illegal alien. 

If convicted, Smith faces up to 20 years in prison for destroying the substation, and 15 years for each of the gun and ammunition charge. 

Each offense also carries a maximum of a $250,000 fine.

Smith’s trial is set to begin Sept. 12. 

Story by Ryan Janke / KFGO

Eagles add second St. Paul show on ‘Long Goodbye’ tour

The Eagles’ upcoming “The Long Goodbye” tour will include two shows in St. Paul, the band announced Wednesday. 

The Xcel Energy Center said the previously-announced Friday, Nov. 17 show was met with “overwhelming demand”, prompting the addition of a second concert Saturday, Nov. 18. 

Both concerts will feature Steely Dan as special guest. 

The tour is expected to be the Eagles’ final tour after more than 50 years of touring.

The remaining members of the band — Don Henley, Joe Walsh and Timothy B. Schmit, with Vince Gill and Deacon Frey — said in its announcement they will play “as many shows in each market as their audience demands.”

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