WE Fest ends on high note with Brad Paisley and Kane Brown

Detroit Lakes, Minn. (KDLM) – After a patience-testing start for many concert goers including long lines on the roadways and inside the concert grounds, WE Fest concluded its 40th country music festival in Detroit Lakes with Brad Paisley and Kane Brown headlining the weekend’s festivities.

Saturday included a 45-minute rain delay for a passing storm before Gabby Barrett began and performed her full setlist, which led to Kane Brown hitting his first notes around 11 p.m.

Brown’s performance seemed to climax when his wife Katelyn hit the stage and the two performed their hit duet, “Thank God,” to a crowd that seemed to adore the touching moment between the country couple.

The weekend days of the festival also seemed to feature shorter lines and more manageable crowds following an estimated 50,000 people who saw Morgan Wallen kick-off the festival on Thursday night.

Criticism of the festival has been posted online by some concertgoers who felt the traffic on the roadways, changes to camping reservations and seemingly unprepared event staff had tarnished the entire festival.

While others defended the annual country music concerts as the price of holding an immensely popular event and praised the festival for improving conditions as the shows continued on Friday and Saturday.

BNSF cargo train derails near Perham

A Burlington Northern-Santa Fe cargo train derailed west of Perham late last Wednesday along Highway 10.

On Aug. 2 at 11:59 p.m., the derailment was reported and forced the closure of two railroad crossings off Highway 10 at County Road 60 and 475th Street in Gorman Township.

BNSF has not confirmed how many train cars derailed in the incident.

No injuries were reported at the scene and the Otter Tail County Sheriff’s Office believes there is no threat to public safety.

BNSF is on-site conducting cleanup operations and an investigation is underway to discover the cause of the derailment.

Two juveniles injured in Otter Tail County ATV crash

Two juveniles were injured in a single-ATV rollover crash in Otter Tail County on Saturday.

According to the Minnesota State Patrol, on Aug. 5 at 4:54 p.m., emergency dispatchers received a report of an ATV crash with injuries on Highway 210 and Wilson Road, just west of Underwood, Minnesota.

Upon arrival, first responders discovered a juvenile male and female suffered non-life-threatening injuries when their 2009 Polaris Sportsman ATV rolled over in a private field south of the highway.

Both were transported to Lake Region Hospital in Fergus Falls for treatment.

Both riders were not wearing their helmets at the time of the crash and alcohol is not believed to have played a role in the incident.

Mahnomen tobacco shop raided for selling cannabis products without a license

A smoke shop in Mahnomen was raided by local law enforcement on Aug. 2 after it was discovered to have been illegally selling cannabis products.

According to the Mahnomen County Sheriff’s Office, Asema Tobacco and Pipe shop on south Railway Street in Mahnomen was raided after the owner posted videos on social media saying the shop was open for cannabis sales.

Mahnomen County Sheriff Josh Guenther told WDAY the tobacco shop owner, Todd Thompson, believed since he was a White Earth Tribal member that he was allowed to sell cannabis products, which the sheriff said was not.

In a news release, the White Earth Tribal Nation is cooperating with the White Earth Police Department, Mahnomen County Sheriff’s Office and Paul Bunyan Task Force during their ongoing investigation.

They also reiterated that cannabis, while decriminalized at the state level, is still regulated by state and White Earth Nation. And, to produce or sell cannabis products on the reservation, an individual must be issued a license by the White Earth Medicinal Cannabis Control Commission.

Since Aug. 1, both the Red Lake and White Earth Nations have opened their own cannabis dispensaries while non-tribal cannabis selling hopefuls will need to wait for the state permitting to begin under the Minnesota Office of Cannabis Management. 

Woman injured in single-vehicle rollover near Snellman

A woman was injured in a single-vehicle rollover crash early Sunday morning on Highway 34, west of Snellman, Minnesota.

According to the Minnesota State Patrol, on Aug. 6 at 1:11 a.m., emergency dispatchers received a report of a single-vehicle rollover crash with possible injuries at Highway 34 and County Road 37 in Toad Lake Township.

Upon arrival, first responders discovered 26-year-old Kylie Elizabeth Stepp of Springfield, Missouri, suffered non-life-threatening injuries after her 2018 Ford Edge rolled on the roadway and came to rest in a roadside ditch.

Stepp was transported to Essentia Health St. Mary’s in Detroit Lakes for treatment of unknown injuries.

According to a preliminary crash report, law enforcement believes alcohol may have factored into the incident.

Becker County dispatchers log 659 emergency calls during WE Fest Aug. 2-5

The Becker County Sheriff’s Office logged 659 emergency calls-for-service between Aug.2-5 during WE Fest, located south of Detroit Lakes.

The total was nearly triple the normal call volume for all of Becker County.

On average, Becker County emergency dispatchers receive between 40 to 70 entries per day during a typical week, however, during the WE Fest, daily call totals ranged between 114 to 209 reported incidents per day.

At WE Fest and the surrounding campgrounds between Aug. 2-5:

• 90 reports of minor consumption were made with some including multiple individuals.
• 12 assaults were reported with some including multiple people.
• 19 calls-for-service involving domestic incidents, disturbances, or disorderly conduct were reported.
• 5 reports were made involving inappropriate sexual conduct.
• And 32 medical incidents were reported with some involving transports to Essentia Health St. Mary’s in Detroit Lakes.

These reports were logged by the Becker County Sheriff’s Office and do not include calls-for-service from the Detroit Lakes Police Department.

Teenager dies in single-vehicle crash in Morrison County

A crash Friday morning in Morrison County left one teenager dead.

According to the Morrison County Sheriff’s Office, 19-year-old Hayden Edstrom was driving in Elmdale Township, east of Upsala, at 3:24 a.m. when his Buick Regal left 30th Street and drove in the south ditch for about 100 yards. 

The car eventually got back onto the road and crossing both lanes before rolling in the northside ditch.

First responders were notified to the crash via a crash alert feature on Edstrom’s cell phone. 

Edstrom was unresponsive when crews arrived to the scene and held no pulse. Life-saving efforts were not able to revive him and he was pronounced dead at the scene.

Morrison County Sheriff Shawn Larsen said: “Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family and friends of Hayden during this difficult time. We express our gratitude to all the emergency personnel who responded to this scene. Their commitment to serving the community, even in the face of adversity, is commendable and deeply appreciated.”

Story by Grant Dossetto / KNSI

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