56572 in 2004

January- City accepts bid of $87,535 to renovate Old City Hall. More than two-thirds of this was paid for by a gift from the Roy and Isabel Thompson Estate. City approves VFW Auxiliary's request for Bingo on Saturday afternoons and the VFW's request for liquor on Sundays. ISD548 School Board approves $9,600 "study of school facilities." Town Boards still worry about the intentions of the Pelican Valley Hospital District after successfully shooting down the PVHC's plan to jump start the resurrected Community Center Dream with a $500,000 contribution. Jewel Graham is the new owner of TNT. Pat Krekelberg retires after eleven years on the ISD548 School Board. Harold Holt celebrates his twenty-second year of coaching with his one hundred fiftieth victory as PRHS wrestling coach.

February- The "Lore of YOR" Exotic Farm begins with Otter Tail County deputies responding to a complaint about animal neglect and dead animals (tigers) on the property. SuperValu adds Dollar Smart items to its inventory. Kevin and Tabitha Neu open Riverside Coffee in the old Riverside Dress Shop. The original thirty-eight inch City/Fire Hall Bell is placed back on top of Old City Hall after being discoverd west of town along the river.




March- Larry's Supermarket begins expansion project.

April- City receives a $45,000 gift from the Roy and Isabel Thompson Estate to create Thompson Park one block east of New City Hall and begins landscaping for a soccer field.

May- City Administrative Assistant Richard Jenson resigns after thirty years. Viking Elementary teachers Alan Grothe, Lynette Zimmerman and John Nordstrom follow his example after a combined one hundred five years of teaching. SuperValu owner Craig Christopherson is killed in a one car accident. Eighty-three year old Cecil Femling sells his 1946 Ford Super Deluxe V8 on eBay to Sverre Okkenhaug of Norway. Only eBay knows what he got for it.

June- Sverre arrives to pick up his Ford. Old City Hall becomes Historic City Hall, the doors are opened and it becomes a combo tourist info center/museum with some of the nicest public restrooms in the state. A Teen Center? City accepts bid of $456,000 to build the New City Garage at the site of the Historic City Garage. ISD548 School Board retains an architect. Kale Stromberg and Nate Bratlie purchase the Blue Water Sports Bar and Restaurant from Dr. Leander Lee and rename it The Club. Bratlie hightails it back to Arizona after a month. Justice, 12 year old K9 officer of the PRPD dies. Smoking is prohibited in City parks and recreational facilities. The Pelican Rapids Public Library receives a $168,000 bequest from the Lloyd Kittelson estate. Rick Gail moves on, selling his interest in the Pelican Rapids Press to Jeff and Julie Meyer. Otter County Commissioners put Echo Bay cluster development project on Pelican Lake "on hold" for one year.




July- Pelican SuperValu closes its doors. MPCA holds an informational meeting to answer questions about the discovery of benzene in one of the City's water wells. The area suffers from one of the coolest summers on record. Pelican Rapids is spared as An F1 tornado strikes Pelican and Tamarac Lakes... winds are around 110 m.p.h. Paul Gaebe replaces David Shaw as Pelican Valley Health Center Administrator. Parts of Maggiegate can continue.




August- Peter Pan fills the seats for three performances in the PRHS Fine Arts auditorium. Downtown traffic is detoured for four days for resurfacing. Rick and Luke Loerzel morph their Holiday gas station into a BP Amoco with a car wash. Brent Frazier is a delegate to the Republican National Convention in New York. Rotary Club Mill Pond Suspension Bridge spans Mill Pond for thirty years. Don Perrin owner of Pelican Drug celebrates major store expansion with a Grand Opening.





September- 1,114 are enrolled in ISD 548, down from 1,165 last year. Marti Ewy, Marsha Watland and Tara Hager begin their teaching careers at PRHS. Julie Siehl opens The Fabric Stash Quilt Shop at 121 South Broadway. Kathryn Ouren replaces Krista Shaw on ISD548 school board. Dr. Roy Cordy, owner of YOR Exotics is charged with cruelty to animals in district court.



October- Sarge replaces Justice as PRPD K9 Officer. Faith clock is ticking again. A cougar roams Maplewood State Park? Pelican Variety quietly closes its doors.



November- Wayne Runningen re-elected to a third term as Mayor, ex-Mayor Richard Peterson and incumbent Dr.David Gottenborg to City Council. Eighty-nine per cent of eligible voters vote, sixty per cent of them for George W. Bush. Calico Cupboard closes after eighteen years of business. DellRae Mashek and Randy Kloos open The Dollar Store in the Old SuperValu building. Otter Tail County Solid Waste Department opens a Transfer Station in Pelican Rapids. State Bank of Fargo expands bank to full service. Dr. Roy Cordy pays a $1,000 fine, does five hours of community service in an animal shelter. Don Solga replaces Richard Jenson as City Administrator. Meningitis in PRHS.

December- City to crack down on stray cats, proceeds with plans for a $600,000 new Fire Hall. ISD548 School Board proceeds with plans to build a new PRHS for 29.5 million and renovate Viking Elementary for 3.5 million. Mike Nettestad sells part of his Nettestad Insurance to Greg Johnson of Moorhead. Johnson previously bought out Pete Lund of Pelican Valley Agency. Pat Serquina puts in a deli at Cash-n-Dash.

2005: We are waiting for Jimmy to deliver..............his first pizza. Is there a Family Dollar in our future? Can 56572 support three full service banks? Blandin looking for leaders. When will the Mean Caffeine open? Where will the new PRHS be located? When can we vote on it? Sale pending on Johnson's Furniture?



Obits:
Byron Hendra
Everett Johnson
Rodney Haugrud
Phil Wicklund
Janette Waller
David Dutcher
Alice Nelson
Roger Berndt
Ralph Maack
Wayne Irey
Kristina Nielsen
Jack Ralston
Henry Polkinghorn