Benning Printing & Publishing

News from Verndale's Past 40 Years Ago, August 13, 1986 • The Sunday morning community church service held in celebration in the new Lions Community Center was well attended. Pastors taking part in the service were: Craig Haberman (Methodist) Gregg Valentine (CM&A), guest speaker Pastor Orie Schrock of Motley, Father Ed Morslander (Catholic) and Roger Melquist (Assemblies of God). Ted Masog provided piano accompaniment for the community singing accompanied by Barb Seaton and

Highway 71 Crews are wrapping up work on Hwy. 29. This week, they’ll shift gears to Hwy. 71 between Aldrich Ave. and Franklin Ave. Work in this area will run into early September, at which time both Hwy. 29 and Hwy. 71 will be resurfaced and finished. Improvements include: storm sewer upgrades, new sidewalks and pedestrian ramps, replacing the signal at Hwy. 29 and adding pedestrian signals at Aldrich Ave. and Bryant Ave. What to expect: one lane of traffic open in each di

by Trinity Gruenberg trinity@inhnews.com What began in 1951 as a small group of rural women wanting to start a garden club has blossomed into a 75-year tradition of friendship, flowers, and community service in Verndale and beyond. The Verndale Country Garden Club met at the home of member Vicki Thompson in July, where they combined regular business with education. Members participated in a quiz about fireflies, finalized plans for their Verndale parade float, and discussed

According to court documents, two 19-year-old men have been charged for causing property damage during a night of vandalism in Verndale, which totaled over $15,000. The men, Eathon Robert Phillips from Wadena and Tristin James Richard Nichols from Perham, are both facing serious charges of first-degree criminal damage to property, as the damage they caused was more than $1,000. The vandalism occurred May 24-25, 2025, when Phillips, Nichols, and three juveniles allegedly wal

Grief is contagious. To say this has been a busy and stressful summer would be an understatement. Mom’s battle with cancer has been only half of it. Recently, my boyfriend lost his older brother to cancer. After spending his entire life in and out of hospitals for medical conditions he was born with, and for countless surgeries, and also living with a tracheostomy, he made the difficult decision not to pursue treatment. He was only 41 years old. From what little time I kn

News from Verndale's Past 40 Years Ago, July 30, 1986 • It’s time once again to dust off your strawhat and sunbonnet and join the people pleasers in Verndale for the 11th annual Strawhat and Sunbonnet Day celebration. This year’s activities begin on Saturday, August 2, at 9 a.m., with arts, crafts and concessions in the park. There will be two parades—an 11 a.m. Kiddie Parade and 2 p.m. Grand Parade. Flyte Freestyle, USA, freestyle bike riders, will demonstrate their skilled

by Trinity Gruenberg trinity@inhnews.com The Verndale City Council held their regular meeting on July 13. Mayor Tara Erckenbrack was absent. Clash Over THC Licensing Fee and Sign Ordinance Brian Hagen raised concerns about the city’s new THC licensing fee and how it enforces its sign rules. Hagen questioned the $125 fee for a THC license, pointing out that he already pays fees to the state. He wanted to know what specific costs the city has for regulating THC. He argued th

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The United States Postal Service (USPS) is changing its mail delivery system to make it work better and save money. However, these changes are worrying people in rural areas and newspaper publishers. As part of a 10-year plan called “Delivering for America,” USPS updated how it handles certain types of mail, like First-Class Mail, packages, and newspapers. The goal is to save around $36 billion over the next ten years while still aiming for delivery times of one to five days

by Trinity Gruenberg trinity@inhnews.com The Wadena County Commissioners held their regular meeting on Tuesday, July 21. Initiative Foundation Celebrates 40 Years in Wadena County Vice President Carl Newbanks mentioned that since 1986 the Initiative Foundation has provided 80 loans totaling $3.3 million. These loans have helped create or keep 959 jobs. The foundation steps in to help fund projects when banks can’t cover everything. In 2025, they gave out 33 grants worth ab