Pelican Rapids Press Online

“We Love Trish” messages have been scattered throughout the village this summer, as Cormorant, and the surrounding lakes area, mourned the death of Trisha Maloney, who worked and owned the Cormorant Pub for nearly 40 years.
The population of surrounding Cormorant Township is about 1,000, but the village itself is no more than a dozen or two—but Maloney’s Pub was known far and wide in the lakes area.

Cormorant Daze tribute to Trish Late pub owner, Cormorant booster...

August 14, 2025

Many remember her as “Ms. Cormorant” and “The Ultimate Host”—who greeted folks at the Cormorant Pub for nearly four decades. Patricia Joy Maloney...

Members of the lakes area Bike Gang stopped for a photo by the Maplewood State Park sign.

Lakes area ‘Bike Gang’ among first group rides on new trail segment

August 14, 2025

Just days after the “official” opening of the Maplewood State Park segment of the Heart of the Lakes Trail—a convoy of two-wheelers embarked on a...

The front page of the Pelican Rapids Press told the story of the tragic robbery and murder at a gas station on the north end of the town’s business district.
The killer, Donald Fuhrman, had an apparent history of mental illness, and had recently been released from the Fergus Falls State Hospital. “(The killer’s) planning of the hold-up or rather lack of planning would appear to show irrational thinking on his part,” reported the Press Dec. 23, 1954.

𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐝𝐲 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐝: 𝖦𝖺𝗌 𝗌𝗍𝖺𝗍𝗂𝗈𝗇 𝗋𝗈𝖻𝖻𝖾𝗋𝗒, 𝗆𝗎𝗋𝖽𝖾𝗋 𝗌𝗁𝗈𝖼𝗄𝖾𝖽 𝖯𝖾𝗅𝗂𝖼𝖺𝗇...

August 14, 2025

A gas station robbery and killing on Pelican Rapids’ main street, seven decades ago, was revisited recently—in a surprising manner.It was the...

𝐏𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐑𝐚𝐩𝐢𝐝𝐬 𝐬𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐥𝐬 𝐠𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐮𝐩 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝖪𝖾𝗒 𝖽𝖺𝗍𝖾𝗌 𝗂𝗇𝖼𝗅𝗎𝖽𝖾 𝖠𝗎𝗀....

August 14, 2025

The Pelican Rapids School District has released several important dates and events ahead of the 2025-26 school year, including orientations, open houses, and the final days...

A common merganser with chicks, photo courtesy the National Audubon Society.
The duck carries a specific parasite, which is further spread by one particular kind of snail. The combination has spawned a rash of swimmer’s itch cases.

Tax hike approved to research Pelican Lake swimmer’s itch

August 14, 2025

A parasite-carrying duck and accommodating snail “tag team” has delivered a one-two punch in Pelican Lake—with severe swimmer’s itch reports on...

Research explores powerboat impact—below the surface

Large surface waves produced by powerboats are a mainstay for recreational watersports. A new study from the University of Minnesota shows that...

Otter Tail County Parks and Trails Director Kevin Fellbaum addresses the gathered local officials, park staff, and supporters at the ribbon cutting for the 3.8 mile section of the Heart of Lakes trail that winds through Maplewood State Park.

Final segment links communities, opens up 32 mile scenic corridor

A new chapter for outdoor recreation in Otter Tail County was celebrated Monday with a ribbon-cutting ceremony marking the completion of the...

Cutting the ribbon on the Maplewood State Park section of the Heart of Lakes Trail, from left: Shawn Donais, MN DNR Parks and Trails District Supervisor; Riley Finnegan, Assistant Park Manager; Pelican Rapids Mayor Brent Frazier; MN DNR Regional Park and Trails Manager John Voges; Park Manager Bill Anderson; County Commissioner Kurt Mortenson; Otter Tail County Parks and Trails Director Kevin Fellbaum; State Senator Jordan Rasmusson (R-District 9); County Board Chair Wayne Johnson; Adam Ruud, engineer, Houston Engineering; Denise Laymon, president, Friends of Maplewood; Linda Today, vice president, Friends of Maplewood, and Jason Wicker, Otter Tail County Engineering Technician.

PHOTO COURTESY OF OTTER TAIL COUNTY

𝐑𝐢𝐛𝐛𝐨𝐧 𝐜𝐮𝐭 𝐨𝐧 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐤 𝐨𝐟 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐋𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐬 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐥 𝖣𝖭𝖱 𝖼𝖺𝗅𝗅𝗌 𝖿𝗈𝗋 𝖿𝗈𝗈𝖽...

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is inviting food truck vendors to serve visitors at Maplewood State Park during the fall color...

Ducks, flatworms, Pelican Lake, swimmer’s itch and the circle of life

You can probably tell the difference between a duck and a human. Feathers, webbed feet, quacking, vs swimsuit, hair, arms and legs; pretty straight forward. Unfortunately,...

The Marcu family, pictured here loading up sandbags in Pelican Rapids, bought a house and property at a low price–but rescuing it from the rising waters of Lake Olaf was a seemingly insurmountable task back in 2011.
Pictured is Alex and Sandra Marcu, with their two children Michael, foreground, and Jennifer––both under age five, at the time.
In the truck bed is Ramsey Norgren, a neighbor boy who was helping out.

(Pelican Rapids Press file photo, May 2011)

𝐅𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐲 𝐬𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐥𝐞, 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐣𝐮𝐫𝐲 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐬 𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝖴𝗇𝗎𝗌𝗎𝖺𝗅 𝖿𝖺𝗆𝗂𝗅𝗒 𝗐𝗁𝗈...

Neighborly Norwegian Grove Township residents are collectively raising their eyebrows over former neighbors who are now facing more than 50 felony...

The ensemble of Pelican Rapids area youth during a recent rehearsal for their production of Disney’s Moana Jr. at the Fine Arts Auditorium at Pelican Rapids High School.

PHOTOS BY NICOLE WK

𝑷𝒆𝒍𝒊𝒄𝒂𝒏 𝒂𝒓𝒆𝒂 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒕𝒉 𝒔𝒆𝒕 𝒔𝒂𝒊𝒍 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝑫𝒊𝒔𝒏𝒆𝒚’𝒔 ‘𝑴𝒐𝒂𝒏𝒂 𝑱𝒓.’ 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲𝘀...

The stage at Pelican Rapids High School will transform into the island of Motunui this August as local students bring Disney’s Moana Jr. to life in...

Snorkeling for snails on Pelican Lake—as one of the world’s foremost experts on swimmer’s itch investigates the Pelican Lake outbreak.

𝐌𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐟𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝐚 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐤 𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐚𝐜𝐤! 𝐌𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝐩𝐨𝐢𝐬𝐨𝐧...

The swimmer’s itch plague that has beached swimmers all around the nearly 4,000-acre Pelican Lake is expected to be a front-and-center topic when...

Argentinian street artist Guri Gwyra working on his mural of the “Minnesota Woman.”

𝐑𝐞𝐛𝐞𝐥 𝐒𝐡𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐭𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫-𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐯𝐨𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐬...

A striking new mural by Argentinian street artist Guri Gwyra now covers the freshly opened Rebel Shed in Pelican Rapids. The artwork celebrates the...

The Red River Valley Veterans big band, featuring jazz and swing music, will perform In Pelican Rapids June 30.

‘Jazz Night’ recreates ballroom era in Pelican VFW dance event July...

A night of music—supporting military veteran trips to Washington D.C.—is set for Wednesday, July 30, as the Red River Valley Veterans Jazz Band...

Don’t count your chickens, or roosters, before they’re hatched--at...

The Erhard City Council has decided to rule the roost when it comes to unpenned chickens in Erhard. The City is shaking their tail feathers at the...

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