WE Fest opens to record crowds for Morgan Wallen
Detroit Lakes, Minn. (KDLM) – Last night, it was Morgan Wallen.
The country music star headlined the first day of WE Fest in Detroit Lakes on Thursday night to one of the largest crowds the festival has seen in recent years.
Kara Kleveland, of Fargo, said she has been 20 WE Fests throughout her life because there is just something about the music, the people and the beer all together.
“I got my pregnant step-daughter in the back row here who couldn’t miss today,” said Kleveland. “We brought them to their first WE Fest five years ago and they’ve been coming every year since with us … it’s something that you pass on to your family and friends, for sure.”
Wallen played his hits, including “Last Night,” “Up, Down,” and “More Than My Hometown,” to the crowd that responded by singing his own words right back to him at the top of their lungs.
Tonight, Travis Tritt, the Brothers Osborne and headliner Brad Paisley will get their chance to entertain some of country music’s most dedicated fans. And then on Saturday, Blackberry Smoke, Gabby Barrett and headliner Kane Brown will close out the festival.
However, before the country music officially started, WE Fest held its 40th Birthday Bash Wednesday, which featured a performance and dance party by the DJ trio Cheat Codes who seemed to have no problem getting the early-arrivers to the festival to raise their hands up and jump around at the Barn Stage.
Mark Bjerke, general manager for WE Fest, said 40 years is a long time keep a festival running and with the owners of the Soo Pass Ranch taking the reins of the operations in 2021, it’s finally starting to feel like a big family again.
“It’s an amazing place,” said Bjerke. “It’s like a family reunion for people. There’s people who have been coming here for five, ten years, a lot of new people. We’re back with new ownership and new management, really with a local focus, and with the great lineup with have here, we kind of feel like we’re back.”
He also said they believe the total number of country music fans through the turnstiles could be double what the festival did last year, but they will have to wait until Saturday to see the final numbers.
“We’ve got a thousand plus employees and we’re double, almost, what we did last year,” he said. “And just scaling that, everything is kind of doubled, but also when you do that, you double the challenges too.”
Bjerke said their ownership group upgraded the Main Stage at the Soo Pass Ranch last year; the backstage Prancing Pony this year; and they have their eyes on additional maintenance and upgrade projects going forward as they prepare for the next 40 years in Becker County, just south of Detroit Lakes.
Camper burns outside Frazee residence Wednesday
A camper parked at a residence in Frazee caught fire Wednesday night.
According to the Becker County Sheriff’s Office, on Aug. 2 at 11:15 p.m., Frazee Police and Frazee Fire responded to the 400 block of Lake Street to find a camper on fire in the driveway of an unoccupied residence currently listed under foreclosure.
Firefighters extinguished the fire and local authorities were on scene for about 45 minutes.
The cause of the fire is currently unknown, however, nearby residents said they heard firecrackers being set off prior to the blaze being reported.
No injuries were reported at the scene and the homeowner could not be located.
Clara City crop dusting pilot dies from injuries
The pilot of a crop dusting plane is dead after crashing in southwest Minnesota last week.
Derek Duhoux, 34, of Clara City was injured July 25 when his plane struck power lines and crashed in a field near Clara City.
Duhoux was airlifted to the Twin Cities where he died of his injuries Wednesday. Duhoux was an army aviation veteran.
White Earth opens medical and recreational cannabis dispensary in Mahnomen
The White Earth Nation began selling recreational cannabis in Mahnomen on Thursday morning with the opening of Waabigwan Mashkiki LLC.
In a White Earth Reservation Business Committee news release, the tribal nation stated, quote: “We’re excited to provide a safe and controlled environment for cannabis access. This endeavor aligns with our tribal sovereignty and self-determination, offering a new avenue of relief for many health conditions recognized under White Earth Nation Medicinal & Recreational Cannabis Codes.
The dispensary currently show eight different cannabis strains available to purchase on their website, which range from 13-22% THC content and sell for between $11 to $16 per gram.
The Mahnomen dispensary opened for medicinal cannabis patients on Monday and anyone seeking more information on the medical cannabis program should contact the White Earth Cannabis Control Commission through the group’s website.
MN Supreme Court rules against MN Pollution Control Agency in northeastern MN copper-nickel mine
The Minnesota Supreme Court on Wednesday ruled that the state’s Pollution Control Agency improperly granted permits to a fiercely contested copper-nickel mine and concealed environmental concerns about the project, which critics say threatens to pollute Lake Superior and hurt tribal lands.
The proposed mining project, a 50-50 joint venture with PolyMet Mining and Teck Resources, was renamed NewRange Copper Nickel in February but is still widely known as PolyMet.
The proposed mine seeks to be Minnesota’s first copper-nickel mine, but it has long been stalled by court and regulatory setbacks.
The Minnesota Supreme Court’s 6-0 ruling against the state’s Pollution Control Agency once again derails the project, directing the state agency to reconsider the permits.
Justices found that state regulators not only ignored concerns from the federal Environmental Protection Agency about the northeastern Minnesota mine, but attempted to conceal EPA warnings from the public.
Pollution Control Agency spokeswoman Andrea Cournoyer said in a statement in response to the ruling that the agency continues to, quote “seek clarity from the federal government and the company on how to address these critical water quality issues.” Close quote.
In a statement from NewRange Copper Nickel, the mining company said it’s, quote, “confident that the additional proceedings will confirm the project protects water quality for all, and welcomes working with stakeholders on the permit.” Close quote.
PolyMet has been trying to complete the open-pit mine near Babbitt, Minnesota and processing plant near Hoyt Lakes for more than a decade, despite public criticism and other setbacks.
United Way of Otter Tail and Wadena Counties raises money and school supplies for area teachers
As the back-to-school season approaches, the United Way of Otter Tail & Wadena Counties launched its annual “Stuff the Bus” school supply which provided much-needed support for students from Kindergarten to 12th grade.
Stuff the Bus is organized by the United Way encourages community members to come together and contribute towards a common goal – ensuring that every student has the necessary supplies to excel in their studies.
Summer Hammond, executive director at United Way of Otter Tail & Wadena Counties, said they raised more than $1,100 in monetary donations, and also large amounts of notebooks, pencils and markers.
She also said, quote: “We have enough supplies to fill our 800 backpacks that have already been reserved and enough supplies to fill additional needs that may come in later.”
According to the nonprofit’s website, The United Way stated they recognize the importance of community support in fostering a conducive learning environment for all students and the “Stuff the Bus” campaign emphasizes the significance of providing equal opportunities for education, regardless of financial constraints faced by families.
Families in need of assistance to prepare their children for the upcoming school year can apply for support through the “Stuff the Bus” program and their online application portal.
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