Forget 30 day return policies, a local Fergus Falls Goodyear dealer is saying.
Starting Monday, February 1st, if you’ve experienced less-than-perfect service at Fergus Tire, located in downtown Fergus Falls, within the past 30 years, they’re willing to give you a gift certificate worth up to $100 good for your next visit.
Kevin Langbehn, owner of Fergus Tire, says its a small price for them to pay.
With customers having more and more choices these days, the dealership is more-than-happy to compensate customers dating back to the 1980′s, who had a bad experience, in order to get them back into the store.
Langbehn also said, “We want to show them how well we really do care about our customers”.
Fergus Tire has even launched an advertising campaign to announce this offer. Ads have already debuted on Fergus Forum, and the Fergus Falls-based business will feature a half-page ad in this Sunday’s Daily Journal.
Fergus Tire requests that any customers who feel they haven’t had perfect service within the last 30 years, to stop by Goodyear and talk to them; and even be compensated, up to $100, for the inconvenience which could have happened 10, 20, and even 30 years ago.
With the recent economic downturn, businesses around the country have been forced think of creative new marketing campaigns – and Fergus Tire has done just that.
Early Wednesday morning many cars were moved off of the main lot at Quality Toyota after Toyota issued a recall of 8 different models of vehicles.
After a problem, which effects 1 in 100,000 vehicles, was discovered, Toyota took proactive action and ordered all dealerships to cease sale of certain vehicles.
Over time, gas pedals in some of the recalled cars become sticky. At first, they just become a little harder to push down and, when you lift your foot off the gas, slower to come back up. In the worst case, the pedal on these cars can become stuck part way down. That, of course, could mean the car keeps accelerating,or just keeps going, even after you take the foot off the gas.
The models effected include Toyota’s 2009-2010 RAV4, Corolla and Matrix models; the 2005-2010 Avalon; 2010 Highlander; 2007-2010 Tundra and the 2008-2010 Sequoia; and some 2007-2010 Camrys (only those with gas pedal assemblies made by a specific Toyota supplier; your dealer can check).No Lexus or Scion models are involved.
If you feel your vehicle is symptoms of this problem, stop use of the vehicle, and call Quality Toyota at (218) 739-3247 immediately.
With Netflix and Redbox becoming popular, and cost effective alternative, its no wonder why brick-and-mortar movie rental stores are becoming a thing of the past.
Just under two years ago, Premiere Video announced it would be closing its Fergus Falls location.
With that announcement, rumors started to circulate that SunMart would be closing its video rental store. However, Brian Numainville, an executive at Nash Finch, which is Sunmart’s parent company, was quick to respond saying they were pleased with the sales at the SunMart video in Fergus Falls.
Times have changed. SunMart has announced that they will close their video rental store this Sunday — January 31st.
Unfortunately, this may come as a double blow to residents in Fergus Falls who like to shop at brick-and-mortar movie rental stores.
Just over a week ago, Movie Gallery announced that it is considering going into Chapter 11 bankruptcy for a second time in two years.
If that were to happen, they would close over 1,800 stores — which could very well include their Fergus Falls location on West Lincoln Avenue, next to Walgreen’s.
Fergus Forum is still waiting for a reply from SunMart’s parent company, Nash Finch, to see whether or not there are other plans for another business in the soon-to-be former video rental store location.
When the National Weather Service issued a Blizzard Warning for the Fergus Falls area, conditions weren’t looking favorable. Just a week ago, the Fergus Falls area was enjoying temperatures in the low-to-mid thirties. That changed over night.
This storm not only canceled schools, but businesses were forced to close as well. For instance, the Fergus Falls Medical Group closed at noon, and the West Ridge Mall closed at 5:00PM.
Conditions only worsened when the day continued. Eventually, the Otter Tail County Sheriff’s Department issued a statement advising no travel throughout Otter Tail County.
LOOKING FORWARD
While temperatures this week will be considerably cooler than a week ago, we shouldn’t have to worry about any winter storms making their way into our area. Highs for this week will be in the low teens, with lows being just below zero.
Forget the economic downturn. Perham, a short drive north-east of Fergus Falls, is currently reviewing a 5-year-plan, which includes a dozen capital improvement projects, that totals $13.7 million.
The capital improvement plan was reviewed by the Perham City Council on January 11th, along with one of the city engineers, Jade Berube.
The largest project on the list is a two-phase expansion of the City’s waste-water treatment facility, which will cost roughly $5.6 million. The first phase of that expansion will include upgrades of the current facility, as well as equipment, sometime in 2011, which will cost just over $2.1 million. In 2012, a new aeration pond is set to be put in with an estimated cost of nearly $3.5 million.
Replacement of Fifth Avenue is another one of the big projects in Perham’s 5-year-plan. That will include total replacement of Fifth Avenue, as well as curb and gutters, sidewalks, a water main, and a storm sewer. That project has a price tag of $731,000.
With downtown areas being the heart of many smaller community’s retail scene, it’s no surprise that the City of Perham also has plans for improvement in their downtown area. Concrete gutters will be installed and improved parking lots, which are used for parking and delivery of goods, are included in Perham’s downtown improvement plans, which will cost the City roughly $215,000. The City would pay just over half of that, with $105,000 being assessed to property owners.
In addition, Perham’s airport is set to benefit from $350,000 in state funding. The City is planning on reconstructing the runway, which will be a complete upgrade of the 16-year-old runway. That is scheduled for 2011. Total costs for the airport upgrades are $550,000, with the City covering the remaining $200,000.
In addition to the projects listed above, Perham is also planning on the following:
Improvement of Second Avenue Southwest
Utility upgrades on Third Avenue Southwest
Various improvements to Third Street Southwest (Hospital) Street
Northeast Industrial Park Utility and Street Improvements
City sewer upgrades on Fifth Street Northwest
Reconstruction of Fourth Street and Fifth Avenue Northwest
Perham is also looking past its 5-year-plan, and into 2015 to 2019. In those upcoming years, industrial park additions, street and utility improvements, as well as airport enhancements are all in the horizon for the growing community, of just under 3,000.
What a spicy Cajun mix for the NFC championship game.
Brett Favre, headed for the Hall of Fame someday, highlights yet another comeback by facing the team he rooted for while growing up in Mississippi.
His Minnesota Vikings — ouch, say Packers fans — were on the way to their first Super Bowl trip in 33 years, with the 40-year-old quarterback resembling the wide-eyed youngster who took Green Bay to the title in the very same Superdome in 1997. However, in over time, the Vikings barely lost to the Saints.
And those Superdome tenants, the New Orleans Saints, are hosting a conference championship for the first time. A Super Bowl would provide a massive lift for a city still recovering from Hurricane Katrina’s devastation and torment more than four years ago.
A Saints victory Sunday could set off Mardi Gras a few weeks early, with the celebration carrying on right up until the Feb. 7 big game in Miami.
Along with those tasty story lines, remember that these are the NFL’s two highest-scoring teams, with offensive playmakers who can light up scoreboards and make fans’ heads spin.
But they also have such defensive standouts as Vikings All-Pro end Jared Allen, who led the NFC with 14 1/2 sacks; Saints end Will Smith, who was second to Allen with 13; and New Orleans All-Pro Darren Sharper, a ball-hawking safety who ran back three of his league-leading nine interceptions for touchdowns and, incidentally, was dumped by the Vikings last year after four seasons in Minnesota.
TV couldn’t come up with a better script for prime-time viewing.
“It’s hard to explain,” Favre said. “But as exciting and as exhilarating as the win is, the reality is I was fortunate enough to win one Super Bowl (1997 in New Orleans), the next year we lose one. And I think more about the one we lost than the one we won. I can’t explain it to you how that feeling is, so the championship game is no different. I’ve always treated every playoff game like it’s the Super Bowl.”
Few of the Saints (14-3) have been in such a position. As a long-underachieving franchise since their founding in 1966, the Saints have been to exactly one conference final, losing at Chicago three years ago. This is just their seventh time in the playoffs in a 44-year existence perhaps most renowned for their fans wearing paper bags on their heads — nope, Favre never went that far growing up — and dubbing the team Aints.
Their recent success, particularly in the 2006 season following a year as nomads because of Katrina, has been inspiring. The prospect of being host in the rebuilt Superdome — a symbol for New Orleans as important as the Golden Gate Bridge is for San Francisco — has locals in a frenzy. One of the great party cities in America, New Orleans might be ready for an unprecedented celebration if the Saints conquer the Vikings (13-4).
“Sometimes you have to make those tough decisions and fight through adversity in order to kind of achieve what you thought you maybe might not be able to achieve otherwise,” Saints quarterback Drew Brees said.
Brees’ arrival as a free agent in 2006, along with that of coach Sean Payton, began the difficult turnaround in the Big Easy.
“I would say this city having gone through what it’s gone through, and this organization having gone through what it’s gone through over the past five or six years before Katrina and post-Katrina, has allowed us to have the opportunity that we have now. It’s hardened us, given us an edge,” he said. “But, in the end, it’s made us tougher. It’s brought us together. It’s united us. That’s all for the better.”
The Vikings never have been the better team in Super Bowls. They are 4-4 when getting this far. Then, zippo.
Of course, Favre was in elementary school the last time Minnesota won the NFC. Most of the other Vikings weren’t even born then.
The Vikings prefer to ignore their history. Those Super Bowl losses belong to another generation; yes, even Favre is not part of that generation.
Favre understands this won’t be a homecoming, either.
“I don’t think too many people down there will be compassionate that I am with the Vikings coming in,” he said. “They’ve waited a long time for it. That’s going to be a factor that we have to handle, obviously. I think it goes without saying how happy I am that we have this opportunity.”
Keith Urban, Kid Rock, and Kenny Chesney will be headlining this years WE Fest country music festival in Detroit Lakes, Minn. this year.
32 Below, based out of Fargo, will kick off the event on August 5th, and Rand Houser, Gloriana, Montgomery Gentry, and Urban will follow.
On August 6th, the group Troubadour starts, and then will be followed by Eric Church, Blake Shelton, Jason Aldean, and Kid Rock.
The final day of the country music festival, August 7th, will begin with Hitchville, who will be followed by Joe Nichols, Gretchen Wilson, Dierks Bentley, and then Kenny Chesney.
Single-day tickets are available for $49, while they last, or three day tickets are available for $99 as well. Festival and camping tickets cost up to $1,000, but includes elevated seating with hospitality. More information about purchasing tickets, or the event in general, is available on wefest.com, or by calling (800) 493-3378.
The first WE Fest was held in 1983, and on average, over 50,000 people attend over the duration of the event. In 2007, a record attendance record was set, with over 83,000 people.
With temperatures in the 30′s this past week, Fergus Falls residents surely have enjoyed the weather. However, reality will kick back in this weekend after we welcome winter back from its short vacation.
According to the National Weather Service of Grand Forks, a major snow and freezing rain storm will makes its way into the area late Friday night, and early Saturday morning. The storm will move from the southern Red River Valley into Minnesota, and will mainly effect west central/north west Minnesota.
The immediate Fergus Falls area is expected to get anywhere between 6 to 12 inches of snow. When the snow is over with, blowing and drifting snow will also several impact any travel Sunday night and well into the day on Monday.
While it’s too early to determine exact measurements, due to fluctuating temperature forecasts, Fergus Falls could get up to a half-inch layer of ice as well.
As always you can trust Fergus Forum to have the latest weather information, as well as up-to-the-minute weather-related delays and cancellations.
Craig Olson, one of the area’s most well-known and respected sports broadcasters, was presented the Citizenship Award from the Otter Risers Kiwanis Club on Tuesday morning.
Olson was presented the award while he was taping Sports Wrap, a sports television show on PEG Access, in Fergus Falls. Neil Herman, a Kiwanis member, presented him the award for Olson’s dedication to youth sports and activities.
In addition to a plaque, Olson was given a rocking chair that was custom made out of baseball bats by a Kiwanis member.
Craig Olson has been in the broadcasting business for over 30 years. He broadcasts various sporting events on the radio, operates a website, CraigOlsonSports.com, and just recently started a television show on PEG Access, called Sports Wrap.
Conan O’Brien is considering everything from a talk show on Jewish Life TV to starring in a Pink Visual porno dubbed “Conan the Bangbarian”. Jokes aside, he is also considering working at a Fargo hip-hop radio station, Y94.
As soon as word got out that Conan O’Brien and NBC were in argument over the “Tonight Show”, the comedian started to get job offers from around the country.
If O’Brien accepts Y94′s position, he would be a sidekick to hosts Rat, Zero, and Megan on the station’s “Morning Playhouse” program.
The Fargo pop station offered him a position on its “Morning Playhouse” program as a sidekick to hosts Rat, Zero and Megan.
On the Monday night episode of the “Tonight Show”, O’Brien said “I could do that”, when he was talking about the Y94 job offer.
Fans of O’Brien can vote on which job offer he should pursue on the the Tonight Show’s website at www.tonightshowwithconanobrien.com.
Fans can vote on which offer he should pursue on www.tonightshowwithconanobrien.com.
At 4:00 PM on Tuesday, Y94′s job offer was second to Pink Visual’s “Conan the Bangbarian” movie.
