North Dakota
Revival ahead for once-stalled solar power projects in North Dakota, Minnesota
FERGUS FALLS, Minn. — Multiple commercial solar projects in North Dakota and Minnesota that were previously stalled have found new life.
Otter Tail Power of Fergus Falls plans to build two new solar facilities for its energy generation fleet, the company announced on Dec. 9.
The move would add 345 megawatts of solar power to meet future energy needs of customers.
The company asked the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission to determine that costs associated with Abercrombie Solar and Solway Solar are eligible for cost recovery.
Otter Tail Power President Tim Rogelstad said the facilities fit the requirements of the company’s recently approved Minnesota Integrated Resource Plan, which outlines the combination of resources needed to meet energy needs for its customers for the next 15 years.
“We expect that 57% of our energy generation will come from renewable resources by 2030, while ensuring electric service continues to be safe, reliable and economical,” Rogelstad said.
The larger of the two Otter Tail projects is planned to be built in Richland County, North Dakota, northwest of Wahpeton.
Abercrombie Solar, currently known as the Flickertail Solar Project, is a 295-megawatt solar generation facility under development in Abercrombie Township.
Otter Tail Power has signed an agreement with Flickertail to buy the development assets, once permits and regulatory approvals are received and other contractual requirements are met, with the intention of building the facility, a company news release said.
“We’re looking forward to engaging with landowners and the township once we close on the development assets,” Otter Tail Power spokesperson Rebecca Michael told The Forum.
The Flickertail project, previously planned for
Colfax Township in Richland County, stalled in 2022 under guidance of a different energy company.
Savion, based in Kansas City, Missouri, proposed a 350-megawatt solar project, which was clouded by a lack of an ordinance to allow such projects and by the possibility of $17.5 million in application fees.
Expected to be completed in 2028, Otter Tail Power estimates its project will create approximately 300 construction jobs at peak construction and provide $23.8 million in local and state tax benefits over the 35-year life of the facility.
Otter Tail also plans a 50-megawatt solar generation facility in Beltrami County, Minnesota, near Bemidji.
Solway Solar would be built in Lammers Township near Solway and could be fully operational in 2026, depending on the timing of project approvals, the company said.
“This location offers an opportunity to add solar generation where transmission interconnection facilities already exist, which helps keep costs low for our customers,” Rogelstad said in the release.
Otter Tail Power estimates the creation of 70 construction jobs during the peak of the nine-month construction period, and $4.2 million in local and state tax benefits over the 35-year life of the facility.
Meanwhile, another solar power project has been revived in Cass County, North Dakota.
Harmony Solar, a wholly owned subsidiary of National Grid Renewables Development, is planned for a site northwest of Mapleton.
The company is seeking a new, “refreshed” letter of support from Cass County,
which reviewed the plan and gave its approval in 2017.
Harmony Solar would build a 200-megawatt solar energy conversion facility in Harmony Township, with construction beginning as early as mid-2025, company documents stated.
The company estimates the project to generate tax revenue of around $500,000 annually to the Central Cass and Mapleton school districts, Cass County, Harmony Township and the state of North Dakota.
North Dakota
Person detained during search for missing West Fargo woman is released – KVRR Local News
FARGO, N.D. (KVRR) — A person who was detained during a SWAT raid involving a missing West Fargo woman has since been released.
On Friday evening, Red River Valley SWAT team assisted Fargo Police in serving a search warrant in the 4400 block of Calico Drive South.
Officers were looking for evidence related to 24-year-old Isadora Wengel of West Fargo.
She was last seen early Monday.
Her family says she has a medical condition and needs medication.
Investigators are processing the apartment for evidence and have expanded the investigation to the Fargo landfill.
Police are searching the area where trash from Calico Drive South would be dumped.
They say no one has been arrested, but there is no threat to the public.
Iowa State’s Kevin Dresser discusses dual win over Iowa
VIDEO: Iowa State’s Kevin Dresser discusses dual win over Iowa, the first since 2004
Iowa State wrestling left little to chance on the road against North Dakota State, rolling to a 36-3 win over the Bison on Jan. 11.
The Cyclones won nine of 10 bouts against NDSU, including two by major decision, two by technical fall and a win by fall for MJ Gaitan. Iowa State left the dual with four ranked wins as well.
The highlight bout of the dual was the opener at 125 pounds between Iowa State’s Stevo Poulin and No. 17 Ezekiel Witt. Poulin got a nice 7-1 win by decision over Witt, with a takedown into a two-point turn in the second period helping decide it. At 5-5 entering the dual, it was a good sign for No. 14 Poulin as he looks to get back on track.
Evan Frost earned the second ranked win of the day at 133 vs. No. 30 Tristan Daugherty. He walked away with a 9-0 major decision with two takedowns and a two-minute ride in the second period. Anthony Echemendia followed it up with a 21-6 technical fall vs. Michael Olson at 141.
To close the first half of the dual, Jacob Frost hung on for an 11-5 win by decision over No. 25 Max Petersen. Frost got out to an early lead with two takedowns in the first period, but had to fend off a late surge in the third period with a takedown to put the match away at 11-5.
Vinny Zerban had a nice bounce-back effort at 157, defeating former NCAA All-American Gavin Drexler at 157. After taking a loss earlier in the week vs. Arizona State, Zerban went wire-to-wire vs Drexler in a 12-5 decision and nearly had a major decision had he not conceded a takedown late in the third period.
Iowa State came out of intermission still rolling. Connor Euton earned a 11-2 major decision over Boeden Greenley at 165, followed by a win by fall for Gaitan at 174 over three-time Iowa state champion Max Magayna and a gritty 4-1 sudden victory for Isaac Dean over No. 26 Aidan Brenot at 184.
CJ Carter was unable to help secure a shutout win for ISU with a 10-4 loss by decision to Devin Wasley at 197, but Yonger Bastida ended the dual on a high note with a 19-4 technical fall over Shilo Jones. at heavyweight.
Iowa State moved to 6-1 in duals. Kevin Dresser’s team has the Cyclone Open up next on Jan. 18, but no dual until Jan. 23 vs. Northern Colorado.
Iowa State wrestling vs. North Dakota State results
- 125: Stevo Poulin (ISU) over Ezekiel Witt (NDSU) (Dec 7-1)
- 133: Evan Frost (ISU) over Tristan Daugherty (NDSU) (MD 9-0)
- 141: Anthony Echemendia (ISU) over Michael Olson (NDSU) (TF 21-6 4:11)
- 149: Jacob Frost (ISU) over Max Petersen (NDSU) (Dec 11-5)
- 157: Vinny Zerban (ISU) over Gavin Drexler (NDSU) (Dec 12-5)
- 165: Connor Euton (ISU) over Boeden Greenley (NDSU) (MD 11-2)
- 174: MJ Gaitan (ISU) over Max Magayna (NDSU) (Fall 1:39)
- 184: Isaac Dean (ISU) over Aidan Brenot (NDSU) (SV-1 4-1)
- 197: Devin Wasley (NDSU) over CJ Carter (ISU) (Dec 10-4)
- 285: Yonger Bastida (ISU) over Shilo Jones (NDSU) (TF 19-4 4:53)
Eli McKown covers high school sports and wrestling for the Des Moines Register. Contact him at Emckown@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @EMcKown23.
High School Basketball logo. Courtesy Midwest Communications.
North Dakota High School Boys | Girls Basketball Scoreboard from Jan 10, 2026
BOYS PREP BASKETBALL=
Alexander-Trinity Christian 81, Divide County 58
Beulah 55, Des Lacs-Burlington 26
Harvey-Wells County 61, Nedrose 51
Killdeer 54, Dunseith 52
Linton 75, Sargent County 32
Milbank, S.D. 64, Hillsboro-Central Valley 61
New Salem-Almont 71, Mandaree 32
Our Redeemer’s 89, Kenmare 32
Parshall 71, Trenton 70
Richey-Lambert, Mont. 57, Beach 55
Rothsay, Minn. 71, Richland 38
Shiloh 70, Oak Grove 59
Watford City 77, South Prairie/Max 64
Westby-Grenora 49, Savage, Mont. 40
White Shield 72, Strasburg 55
Dickinson Trinity Shootout=
Central McLean 70, Bowman County 54
Dickinson Trinity 63, Stanley 22
Wilton-Wing 70, South Heart 51
Ramsey County Tournament=
Championship=
North Star 65, Lakota/Adams-Edmore/Dakota Prairie 57
7th Place=
Warwick 72, Benson County 61
5th Place=
Carrington 53, Griggs-Midkota 45
3rd Place=
Devils Lake 73, Larimore 63
Stutsman County Shootout=
Drake-Anamoose 54, South Border 49
Glen Ullin 47, EKM 44
MPB 63, Washburn 59
Midway-Minto 61, Ellendale 53
Napoleon/G-S 53, Kindred 44
Oakes 69, Kidder County 39
GIRLS PREP BASKETBALL=
Ashby, Minn. 65, Tri-State 49
Benson County 47, Hatton-Northwood 38
Dunseith 46, Killdeer 39
Ellendale 54, South Border 36
Flasher 42, New England 16
Garrison 54, Grant County/Mott-Regent 51
Kenmare 55, Our Redeemer’s 43
Kindred 70, Bottineau 21
Lambert, Mont. 52, Beach 50
Maple River 53, LaMoure 52
Mohall-Lansford-Sherwood 57, TGU 54
New Salem-Almont 67, Mandaree 44
North Prairie 67, Westhope 49
Park River 42, Griggs-Midkota 37
Richey-Lambert, Mont. 52, Beach 50
Rothsay, Minn. 65, Richland 32
Sargent County 55, Linton 48
Savage, Mont. 40, Westby-Grenora 33
Shiloh 56, Oak Grove 47
Sisseton, S.D. 66, Oakes 17
Strasburg 39, White Shield 30
Surrey 67, Larimore 38
Trenton 58, Parshall 40
Dickinson Trinity Shootout=
Central McLean 55, Bowman County 41
South Heart 45, Stanley 41
Sanford Pentagon Classic=
West Fargo Horace 70, Tea, S.D. 41
George Kittle used bottle of tequila to deal with devastating Achilles injury
Parents fear closing of Good Street Learning Center as leaders push to stay open
College football player transferred from Miami to Indiana before national championship
When will the big nor’easters return? Boston in midst of second-longest streak without hefty snowfalls. – The Boston Globe
Broncos healthy compared to Bills
Florida High School Football Rankings: Top 25 teams – Oct. 21
Cleary's 21 help Le Moyne down Central Connecticut State 69-64 in OT
How old is Bo Nix? What to know about Oregon quarterback ahead of 2024 NFL Draft
99th annual Pony Swim held in Virginia
Video: ‘It Didn’t Have to Happen This Way:’ U.Va. Faculty Call for Review of Police Response to Protests
San Antonio ends its abortion travel fund after new state law, legal action
UN top court set to open Myanmar Rohingya genocide case
Arson engulfs Mississippi synagogue, a congregation once bombed by Ku Klux Klan
Federal judge blocks Trump administration from enforcing mail-in voting rules in executive order
Four killed, 20 injured in overnight Russian strikes across Ukraine
-
Detroit, MI1 week ago2 hospitalized after shooting on Lodge Freeway in Detroit
-
Technology6 days agoPower bank feature creep is out of control
-
Dallas, TX4 days agoAnti-ICE protest outside Dallas City Hall follows deadly shooting in Minneapolis
-
Delaware3 days agoMERR responds to dead humpback whale washed up near Bethany Beach
-
Dallas, TX1 week agoDefensive coordinator candidates who could improve Cowboys’ brutal secondary in 2026
-
Iowa6 days agoPat McAfee praises Audi Crooks, plays hype song for Iowa State star
-
Montana2 days agoService door of Crans-Montana bar where 40 died in fire was locked from inside, owner says
-
Health1 week agoViral New Year reset routine is helping people adopt healthier habits