DL School Board approves preliminary 5% tax levy increase for 2024

Detroit Lakes, Minn. (KDLM) – The Detroit Lakes School District approved a preliminary 5.05% tax levy increase for 2024 during their meeting on Monday evening.

The levy will raise nearly $9.5 million in revenue for the school district, which is about $460,000 more than last year.

John Steffl, chair of the school board, said the primary reason for the increase was higher wages and rising inflationary costs for materials and services across the budget categories.

“A lot of it is wages and it’s just something we kinda had to do, there’s a need for it,” said Steffl. “So you just look at every department and we did make some cuts last spring with a few teachers, we brought a lot of them back, but with the economy the way it is and everything, we’re just trying to keep up with the expenses.”

He also praised the school district’s administrative staff and finance committee for the hard work they put in every year to prepare the budget. Adding, they can be working on three years of budgets at once during this time of year because they are making sure the current year stays on track, next year is fully funded and then they briefly look out two years into the future to have a ballpark idea of what they will need to highlight during next year’s budget discussions.

“Every year, year after year they do a great job,” he said. “It is a big job and it’s kind of a forecast, with the preliminary budget you are looking out there a ways, but they put a lot of time into it and I’m very proud of our staff. A person on the outside, until you get on the school board and get involved, you don’t realize what they do. We’re very proud to have them and they do a wonderful job.”

Briefly looking at 2025 school district revenues, the Detroit Lakes Public Schools is expected to lose more than $136,000 in state aid, which will have to be made up with future additional tax levy increases or budget cuts.

The preliminary levy is required by state statute to be passed by the end of September and cannot be increased over the preliminary amount, but it can be lowered by school board.

A public hearing for the final Detroit Lakes Public Schools tax levy is scheduled for Dec. 18 at 6 p.m.

3 injured in two separate Interstate 94 crashes Monday

Three people were injured in two separate westbound crashes on Interstate 94 in west-central Minnesota on Monday.

The first occurred in Otter Tail County, just outside of Fergus Falls.

At 3:55 p.m., a 2014 Ford F150, driven by 30-year-old Megan Sue Strader of Dalton, Minn., and a 2022 Jeep Compass, driven by 79-year-old Herman Arnold Pederson of Enderlin, N.D., were both westbound on Interstate 94 near mile marker 61 when the Compass rear-ended the F150 in the right lane of the freeway in Buse Township.

Pederson suffered non-life-threatening injuries during the crash and was transported to Lake Region Hospital in Fergus Falls for treatment.

Strader did not report any injuries at the scene.

Both drivers were wearing their seatbelts at the time of the crash and law enforcement believes alcohol did not factor into the incident.

The second crash occurred in Douglas County, near Alexandria.

At 10:41 p.m., a 2014 Chrystler Town and Country, driven by 68-year-old Catherine Mary Heln Bockwitz of Fergus Falls, was westbound on Interstate 94 near mile marker 97 when the vehicle left the roadway and came to a stop on a bridge embankment in La Grand Township.

Bockwitz and her passenger, 30-year-old Tanya Catherine Bockwitz of New Ulm, Minn., both suffered non-life-threatening injuries during the crash and were transported to Alomere Health in Alexandria for treatment.

Both vehicle occupants were wearing their seatbelts at the time of the crash and law enforcement believes alcohol did not factor into the incident.

EV charging station nearly ready for vehicles in Perham

EV Charging stations in Perham are nearly operational, and customers should be plugging in their vehicles in coming weeks.

The electric vehicle (EV) Charging Stations located in the parking lot at Landmark Liquor, off Market Street in Perham. 

Ottertail Power, in partnership with the City of Perham, have installed two fast charging stations on the West end of the parking lot. 

Over the next couple weeks, the units will be inspected by the state and then activated and ready for use.

Fabulous Armadillos release themes for 3 Holmes Theatre concerts

The Fabulous Armadillos, who are scheduled for three Holmes Theatre performances in Detroit Lakes through next spring, have chosen the themes for their upcoming concerts.

Next month’s performance, on Oct. 28, will be a tribute to The Eagles and feature Billy Scherer playing with the band.

Elle LaMere, marketing director for the Historic Holmes Theatre, said the theatre has never booked the same band for three separate shows before during the same season and thanked patrons for their patience while the band created their show themes.

“We’re so excited to have The Eagles tribute coming back with Collective Unconscious,” said LaMere. “Billy Scherer is actually coming out of retirement for this show, and I know he has a following … this is a show we did a couple of years ago, but it’ll be with a few new cast members and it’s back by popular demand.”

On Feb. 17, 2024, the Fabulous Armadillos will be performing a new theme called: Up North and Down Under, which will feature Canadian and Australian artists.

“Some of the Canadian artists they are going to feature includes: Bryan Adams, Rush, Triumph, Shania Twain, Joni Mitchell, Gordan Lightfoot, Neil Young, The Guess Who, The Barenaked Ladies, Nickleback and more, so those are just some of the Canadian artists,” she said. “And then the Australian artists, some to just mention are: AC/DC, Keith Urban, Sia, The Bee Gees, Olivia Newton John and more, so a lot of familiar names with that one. This is a brand new concept for them.”

Lastly, on April 27, the band will be performing a show called: Acoust-I-Dillos 2, which will feature acoustically focused songs from across the decades.

LaMere said that doesn’t mean the entire set is going to be acoustic-only, but will feature songs that center around the acoustic guitar and may have some electronic elements.

“They are bringing hits from acoustic-based songs, they are not going to go completely unplugged, they’re still going to be doing some instrumentals, but it’s going to be based on acoustic hits, ” said LaMere. “Groups like: America, Gordan Lightfoot, The Eagles, James Taylor, Jim Croce, Simon and Garfunkel, Heart, Kansas, Fleetwood Mac, Pink Floyd, Bon Jovi and Led Zepellin. So this is going to be acoustic-inspired hits from the decades.”

Tickets for the shows can be purchased through the Historic Holmes Theatre box office or website.

Groups of 10 or more will receive a 10% discount on their ticket prices.

Sauk Centre powersports dealer to be first all-electric personal watercraft provider in MN

A Sauk Centre-based powersports dealership is set to become Minnesota’s first ever Taiga Technical Service Provider for all electric personal watercraft.

Centre Powersports & Marine will feature the Taiga Orca at their showroom in Sauk Centre during an open house on October 28th from 8:00 to 2:00 p.m.

Eric Peterson, owner of Centre Powersports and Marine, said the open house will give watercraft riders or curious onlookers a hands-on experience and an opportunity to interact with these state-of-the-art units, they hope will propel the future of watersports in Minnesota.

In a news release, Peterson said: “We’re entering a new era in the powersports industry, and our collaboration with Taiga signifies a remarkable step forward. This is the biggest thing to hit the powersports industry in many years. We are very excited to be working with Taiga on this new platform. We truly feel there will be many new powersports enthusiasts after they see these units.”

The units are described as eco-friendly and quiet while still providing a thrilling ride.

Jamestown man injured, cited for DWI in 4-vehicle crash near West Fargo

The State Patrol has released the name of a driver who was injured and cited for drunken driving after in a four-vehicle crash that caused westbound I-94 to be closed for 3 1/2 hours Sunday night in West Fargo.

34-year-old Preston Miller of Jamestown was driving an SUV when he ran into another vehicle around 11:45. Two other cars were also part of the wreck.

Miller was hospitalized with severe injuries. The other three drivers had minor injuries.

Story by Paul Jurgens / KFGO

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