Fergus Falls Forum

Fergus Falls Police and the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension are investigating the death of a 29-year-old woman who died of an apparent gunshot wound.

In a news release from the Fergus Falls Police Department, they were called to Lakeview Estates manufactured housing community, just past the YMCA, at around 10:30 PM on Friday night. Upon their arrival, the woman of Fergus Falls, was found deceased inside the residence. The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension is in the process of interviewing several people.

According to users of Fergus Forum’s online community forum, the name of the 29-year-old woman is Mandy Kemmer; however a name has yet to be released from neither the Fergus Falls Police Department nor the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension. More details are expected to be released sometime Sunday afternoon.

A head coach at Chaska High School was charged on Wednesday for stealing from Chaska High School.

Phil Link was hired by Chaska last year to turn the team around. Many believe he did his job by motivating the players. Link resigned at the end of January as an investigation into wrongdoing hovered over his head.

He was charged with theft by swindle.

The Carver County attorney saying it all stems from a summer football camp he ran in 2009 in Chaska.

During that camp, Coach Link incurred expenses that were to be reimbursed to him. But according to the complaint, he submitted billings to two different places, the school district and the Chaska touchdown club. He was allegedly double dipping.

Superintendent David Jennings says the school acted as the middle man, collecting the money for the camp from the families of the players, then turned around and reimbursed link without knowledge.

He was apparently getting the money elsewhere on top of the expenses; the complaint says Link was to use money given to him to pay his assistant coaches.

It alleges he was to dish out $4,200 instead only paying out $3,450, which means he allegedly kept $750 for himself.

Westridge Mall officials have confirmed that they have signed a lease agreement for a new anchor store that will not only fill space that has been vacant for over a decade, but will expand the building as well.

Dunham’s Sports is scheduled to open mid-2010, and will move into the space where JC Penny formerly was located. The sporting goods store will be 20-30,000 square feet.

The Westridge Mall will be undergoing a near-million-dollar renovation project in preparation for Dunham’s. Westridge Mall developers are contributing 200-thousand dollars, and the rest of the funds will come from various lenders, such as the Economic Development Commission.

Dunham’s Sports currently has seven Minnesota stores, with the nearest being in Wilmar. The company has a total of 150 stores in states such as South Dakota, Iowa, Wisconsin, Illinois, as well as a handful of others. Around 50 people are employed at every Dunham’s location.

According to the company’s website, they were founded in 1937 as Dunham’s Bait & Tackle, and are based in Michigan. Their website also stated that they offer a complete line of sporting goods, athletic equipment, active sports gear and leisure apparel.

Last week, Jamestown Area Ambulance lost two ambulances, which happens to be half of their fleet, due to crashes.

One of the vehicles crashed on Interstate 94 on February 8th while transporting a patient to a Fargo hospital, and was a total loss. Just three days later, a another ambulance was damaged in a collision at an intersection in Jamestown.

Nancy Miller, the Business Manager for Jamestown Area Ambulance, said vehicles from Ringdahl Ambulance in Fergus Falls had to be brought in due to the crashes.

Miller also said that the damaged ambulance will be in the repair shop for up to three weeks, and it may take up to four months to replace the ambulance that was totaled.

Jamestown Area Ambulance is owned by Fergus Falls-based Ringdahl Ambulance.

The fundraiser for Marcus Krebs and his family on February 15 collected enough money for the family to purchase a new van.

From 4:30 to 8:00 PM at the VFW in Fergus Falls, people poured in to show their support for Marcus and his family for an silent auction and meatball dinner. The fundraiser collected enough donations to get the 27-thousand dollar van, equipped with a wheelchair lift, that they were hoping for.

Marcus, who is 14-years-old, cannot walk or stand without help due to his cerebral palsy. As he grows older, it’s become a challenge for his parents to transport him in and out of the family’s standard vehicle.

Mark and Barb Samuelson, Marcus’ parents, say its hard to express their family’s gratitude to the community.

On Tuesday night, the Fergus Falls City Council rejected a proposed spending ordinance brought to the Council by a group of five residents.

During a 15-minute closed discussion with the Fergus Falls City Attorney, Rolf Nycklemoe, the Council came to an almost unanimous decision.

The Council voted 7 to 1 to reject the proposed ordinance, with Randy Synstelien voting in favor.

Last October, a group of five residents formed the Fergus Votes committee in which they had a petition drive, where they collected over 900 signatures, to get the proposed ordinance on the Council’s agenda. Their purpose was to draft a spending ordinance for the city of Fergus Falls, using the Initiation of Measures as outlined in Chapter Six of the City Charter   The committee delivered a certified copy of the ordinance to the City Administrator on December 2, 2009.

Even though the Council rejected the proposed ordinance, its not over yet for the Fergus Votes committee. In a blog post on Tuesday night, Daryl Synstelien, the committee leader, they’re just getting started.

As of now, there are several possibilities, all of which will end in Fergus Falls residents voting on the issue, either during a special election between March and July, or during the general election in November.

The special election would be required by the proposed ordinance, and the November general election ballot question would follow the petition for referendum which would occur when the City Council passes an ordinance approving the issuance of bonds by the Fergus Falls Port Authority – likely in August.

A Frazee teen with terminal cancer whose wish prompted volunteers to restore his Pontiac Fiero has died.

Tyler Shipman, 18, died Sunday night, according to a message on his CaringBridge site.

“Tyler lost his very brave and valiant fight with cancer and went home to be with his heavenly Father at approximately 7:45 tonight,” the message states.

Shipman suffered from a rare form of cancer called synovial sarcoma. After attempts to treat the cancer failed, he decided to step up efforts to restore his 1986 Fiero GT to mint condition.

He sought help on an online message board for Fiero fans, and about 20 people from across the country came together in November to restore the car.

The national commander of The American Legion is spending five days in Minnesota where he’ll visit a dozen Legion posts around the state.

Clarence Hill starts his tour Sunday with visits to Legion posts in the Minneapolis suburbs of Wayzata and Coon Rapids. Over the following four days he’ll make stops at posts in Richfield, Red Wing, Stewartville, Blooming Prairie, Mankato, Spicer, Fergus Falls, Waite Park, and rounding out his visit in Roseville.

Legion members who want to attend should contact their local posts.

Hill is a former naval captain who served for 24 years before retiring in 1996. He commanded the guided missile Frigate USS McInerney during combat operations in Operation Desert Storm.

I-94 Speedway is racing back to Fergus Falls for the 2010 season, according to Dick & Karla Kadelbach-Johaneck, owners of the racetrack on County Road 88 in Fergus Falls. The I-94 Speedway in Sauk Centre will be temporally closed during the 2010 season, according to the company’s website.

April 30th will mark the season opener for the Fergus Falls racetrack, with races beginning at 7:30PM. Races will continue throughout the summer, until September 3rd, when the season championships will be held.

While race fans may notice many differences during the 2010 season compared to previous seasons, one difference will stick out. According to Kadelbach-Johaneck,the asphalt has been removed, and racers will run on a dirt track. The races will consist of late models, mods, street, super stock, and INEX legends.

Ticket prices will be based on age, like many other racing events throughout the area. Adult tickets are $10, juniors (ages 13 to 17) and seniors (62 years, or older) are $7, students (ages 6 to 12) are $5, and children 5, and under, get into the races for free.

More information regarding the I-94 Speedway in Fergus Falls may be found on their website, http://www.i94speedways.com or by calling (800) 328-7659.

The Westridge Mall in Fergus Falls will soon be seeing a much-needed face-lift. A 900-thousand dollar renovation project is currently being planned to help secure a new department store in the old JC Penny’s location of the complex.

Gordon Hydukovich, the city’s community development director, says the deal includes city tax abatement to the developer for 15 to 20 years, a 150-thousand dollar loan from the Economic Development Commission, as well as another 150-thousand dollar loan from the Intermediate Relending Program, a 400-thousand dollar loan from the Midwest Minnesota Community Development Corporation, and a 200-thousand dollar contribution from the developer of the project.

On February 16th, the Fergus Falls City Council will discuss the proposed project at their regularly scheduled meeting.