Pelican Rapids Press Online

Erhard Community Park could serve beer all summer long

A proposal at the Minnesota Capitol would give the city of Erhard a standing liquor license for Erhard Community Park, putting the town’s Fourth...

The View FROM HERE: Steaks for me, scraps for thee: What $93...

Imagine your dad tosses an $788 iPad into the cart at the store — not because he needs it, but because the $499 model right next to it doesn’t...

Morgan Korf and her father, Brian Korf, who coached her throughout her six-year varsity career at Pelican Rapids High School.

Korf completes six-year varsity run as Pelican’s longest-tenured...

Who is the Pelican Rapids basketball player with the longest tenure? Morgan Korf. The last game of her high school career was a tough one against...

Peasley, Salazar go to State!

𝐑𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐝-𝐛𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐕𝐢𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐖𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐝𝐮𝐨 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐞

February 26, 2026

Pelican Rapids High School Vikings wrestlers are heading to the Minnesota State High School League tournament in St. Paul Feb. 26 at the Grand...

County Commissioner Wayne Johnson explains to Rotary Club members why county officials learned about the Feeding Our Future fraud scheme from news reports rather than from state officials.

County commissioner addresses state fraud concerns to Pelican...

February 26, 2026

𝑱𝒐𝒉𝒏𝒔𝒐𝒏 𝒔𝒂𝒚𝒔 𝒄𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒕𝒚 𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒏𝒆𝒅 𝒐𝒇 𝑭𝒆𝒆𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑶𝒖𝒓 𝑭𝒖𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒆 𝒄𝒂𝒔𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒏𝒆𝒘𝒔, 𝒄𝒊𝒕𝒆𝒔 𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒕𝒆-𝒄𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒕𝒚 𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒎𝒖𝒏𝒊𝒄𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒈𝒂𝒑When a small town like Pelican Rapids...

Katie Gehring, Pelican Rapids’ new economic development specialist, brings nonprofit management experience and a passion for community building to her role with Community and Economic Development Associates.

Pelican hires new economic development specialist

February 19, 2026

Community and Economic Development Associates (CEDA) has a new representative serving Pelican Rapids. Katie Gehring joined the organization at the...

By Tom Hintgen,
Otter Tail County Correspondent
Otter Tail County’s Community Development and Housing Department continues to connect people throughout the county with successful housing programs, workforce development, child care, business development, and other efforts.
“Housing remains foundational to county government’s ability to help attract and retain residents and workforce,” said Amy Baldwin, Otter Tail County Community Development Director, to the county board of commissioners Tuesday morning, Feb. 10, at the County Government Services Center in Fergus Falls.
The Community Development and Housing Department builds partnerships to expand housing throughout the county by seeking funding opportunities. “We take on roles that range from convener and technical advisor to project initiator and developer,” Baldwin said.
In Pelican Rapids, county government acted as the developer for the Pinewood Estates single-family housing project. This was accomplished using a model grounded in community input and strategic funding. “Local residents assumed home ownership, demonstrating the success of this approach for new housing,” Baldwin added.
Over in Battle Lake, the Lincoln workforce housing apartments were completed following support from Otter Tail County. There was also community engagement, technical assistance to secure grant funding, and direct financing to the developer.
“A strong workforce is essential to employer success and community stability,” said Baldwin to county commissioners. “Our county workforce strategy guides efforts to promote the availability of jobs in our county, help employers recruit and retain workers and create partnerships.”
Otter Tail County experienced a year of growth for the Empowered Worker Program. This is a county-initiated workforce development program that provides individualized workforce navigation services to individuals facing barriers to employment.
“We help participants identify career pathways, access training, and secure employment in household-sustaining wage jobs while building a pipeline of qualified and motivated workers for local employers,” Baldwin said. “
She said quality and affordable childcare is essential for people in order to live and work in Otter Tail County. “We supported a project that added family child care units in the city of Ottertail,” Baldwin said, “creating close to 56 new child care slots for the community and the surrounding area.”
In addition, the Community Development and Housing Department has worked alongside employers and community leaders from throughout the county to explore right-sized child care solutions that align with local needs. “Hands on technical assistance, mentorships and coordination help stabilize existing day care providers,” Baldwin said.
Baldwin emphasized to county commissioners that supporting a resilient and competitive business environment is critical to Otter Tail County’s economy. Key partners in all community development efforts include the 22 communities and 62 townships in Otter Tail County. In place is a Community Growth Partnership Grant Program.
Accomplishments
during 2025
• 336 new housing units and 54 rehabbed units added this past year; more than $87.2 million of housing investment
• $240,000 grant awarded to Otter Tail County from the state of Minnesota for child care assistance
• County delivery of more than 590 hours of technical assistance and mentorship from child care project managers to existing providers, new providers, and community partners
• County funding provided to Battle Lake, New York Mills, and Clitherall Township to support commercial rehabilitation of businesses in their communities
• Otter Tail County is working with Otter Tail Lakes Country organization to advance tourism and engage with students who are preparing to enter the workforce, and connect them to career opportunities available in Otter Tail County.

Otter Tail County adds 336 new housing units: Pelican Rapids...

February 19, 2026

Otter Tail County’s Community Development and Housing Department continues to connect people throughout the county with successful housing...

Morgan Korf drives into traffic, battling Albany defenders in the paint as she looks to finish at the rim.

Pelican girls outlast Albany in dramatic overtime victory

February 12, 2026

The Vikings girls basketball team delivered an overtime victory on Saturday, defeating the Albany Huskies 75–67 at the Winter Breakdown Classic in...

Pelican Rapids based ministry settles with state over $238,000 in...

February 12, 2026

2-12-2026 Editor's Note: A previous version of this article stated Dan Ottoson is an Associate Pastor at Lake Eunice Evangelical Free Church in Detroit Lakes. Ottoson has...

During a wrestling meet against NY Mills, Jackson Peasley took home Pelican Rapids High School’s all-time wins record with 143 victories.

Pelican Rapids wrestlers eye sections after defeating New York Mills

February 12, 2026

In an electric filled night, Jackson Peasley takes home PRHS all-time wins record with 143 victories The Pelican Rapids Vikings put together an...

Each grade at Viking Elementary carried class banners as they paraded through the hallways toting flags representing nations from around the world.

Viking Elementary students cheer as teachers battle in...

February 12, 2026

Images are cropped from our Community Booster feature on the back page of the Feb. 12 print edition of The Press. View the whole page here: Printed...

Pelican students celebrate community diversity with annual performance

February 5, 2026

Drivers heading through Pelican Rapids on US HWY 59 on Friday, January 30, may have had their trip interrupted by a colorful ‘parade’ of sorts....

Danny Anderson, left, visiting his native Pelican Rapids area last Memorial Day, with his father, Ole Anderson.
A 1988 graduate of Pelican Rapids High School, Danny is a professional mechanic with an elite, international motorcycle team—for the Italian manufacturer Ducati.

There are similarities between Minnesota farming — and pit crew...

February 5, 2026

Farming—and the art of professional, international motorcycle maintenance: What do they have in common?“I’ve been lucky and fortunate,” said Danny...

Treyd Dokken’s 3-point barrage powers Vikings past Ada-Borup-West...

February 5, 2026

Off the bench, Dokken nearly breaks Pelican boys basketball school recordThe Pelican Rapids Vikings played host to the Ada-Borup-West Cougars on...

Townships look for guidance for legalization of cannabis

Another township in the weeds over cannabis rules: Scambler...

January 29, 2026

In lakes country, where just about everything has a shoreline and a rule attached to it, cannabis laws are proving harder to pin down than a dock...

Larry's

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