KrF rebels in Vennesla, Ulstein criticised by local branch

The Sørlandet / Agder news of the past 48 hours is dominated by an internal challenge within KrF in Agder county, by the purchase of the "VM-tromma" by a shipowner from Grimstad for 1.3 million kroner, and by a result of 14.5 million kroner for the TV-aksjonen. Two public health and labour market monitoring stories complete the period, along with a series of local briefs.

Politics: Sørlandet / Agder news marked by a revolt within KrF in Vennesla

The KrF (Christian Democrats) group leader in Vennesla will not stand for another term and says he does not know if he can continue to be active in the party. According to NRK Sørlandet / Agder, the local representative accuses the national KrF leader, Ulstein, of steering the party in a direction that is too conservative. "Går ei grense" — a line has been crossed — sums up his position, picked up in headline form by the public broadcaster.

The statement concerns the party's ideological direction and the room for manoeuvre left to local representatives in Agder county. It arises at the level of a municipality in the Kristiansand urban area, but touches on KrF's national line, making it the main political story of the period covered.

Economy and culture: a Grimstad shipowner secures the "VM-tromma" for 1.3 million

Knut Ugland, from Grimstad, owner and chairman of the board of rederiet Ugland, paid 1.3 million kroner for the "VM-tromma", an instrument that holds a special place in Norwegian popular heritage. "Jeg hadde jo aldri trodd at det skulle bli en så heftig budrunde da vi startet. Det dro seg skikkelig til på slutten, men det går jo tross alt til en god sak. Det er det viktigste", the new owner tells NRK Sørlandet / Agder.

The daily Fædrelandsvennen followed the story on Monday 19 October in the late afternoon, under the headline "Vant budkrig: – Utrolig kjipt om den havnet i utlandet", highlighting the importance of keeping the object in Norway. The same outlet published an interview with the buyer on Monday 19 October at 17h, under the heading "Jeg er et godt eksempel på at det kan gå bra".

The financial weight of the buyer is documented: according to Finansavisen, cited by NRK, the revenues of Ugland reached nearly 3.8 billion kroner in 2025, a rise of more than 70%. "Det ble et kjøp gjort på sparket. Jeg ble gira på å få tak i et lite stykke norsk historie", adds Knut Ugland, who says he has not yet fully measured what the instrument represents for him.

Solidarity and economic life: 14.5 million for the TV-aksjonen, vigilance on car workshops

In Agder county, the TV-aksjonen raised 14.5 million kroner, this year in support of NRC Flyktninghjelpen (Norwegian Refugee Council). "Et fantastisk godt resultat, som vi også vet at kommer til å fortsette å vokse i dagene og ukene framover", says Helene Knutsen Fosso, head of the TV-aksjonen in Agder county (NRK Sørlandet / Agder). The national total stands at 251 million kroner; last year, the collection reached 16.6 million kroner in the county.

On another front, A-krimsenteret i Agder, the centre for tackling crime in the world of work, is calling on the public to be vigilant as the demand for tyre changes and car servicing rises. The centre considers that this period increases the risk of illegal work and is asking customers to check the legality of the services on offer (NRK Sørlandet / Agder).

Health: a need for knowledge about self-harm among young people

NRK Sørlandet / Agder devotes a report to Elise Kristine Teie-Høyland, who uses beading to keep dark thoughts at bay. Thousands of coloured beads are carefully sorted into small boxes in the room she dedicates to this activity. She lost her father at the age of seven; in primary school, her mother was told that she was often sad and alone. "Jeg var liksom ikke inkludert, og hadde ingen gode venner før på slutten av ungdomsskolen", she says.

The first time she cut herself, it was an accident, but she liked the sensation. In her teens, self-harm became a way of dealing with painful thoughts: "Jeg kunne sitte i timen på skolen og rispe meg uten at noen merket det. Det gjorde meg rolig." The professionals quoted by the public broadcaster admit they know too little about the causes of this phenomenon and are calling for more knowledge on the subject.

📌 Local briefs

A major search operation was launched from central Farsund, during the night from Sunday to Monday, to find a man in his twenties reported missing on Sunday at 13h38. He had last been seen near Lekteren, in central Farsund, shortly before 2am; a submarine drone was deployed and unorganised volunteers are taking part in the searches, according to the Agder police command (NRK Sørlandet / Agder).

In Åmli, a man prosecuted for failing to assist a person in distress, under section 288 of the criminal code, denies the charges. The case is linked to the death of a woman in a cabin on Saturday evening; his lawyer, Bjørn Rener-Larsen, specifies that the police confirmed a relationship between the deceased and the accused, both originally from the Østlandet region (NRK Sørlandet / Agder).

Fædrelandsvennen also reports, on Monday 19 October, an assault attributed to an ex-partner who allegedly hid outside before attacking after the police had left, and a bankruptcy accompanied by a petition for a ban.

Sources: NRK Sørlandet / Agder, Fædrelandsvennen, The Local Norway — Period: 19 October 2026 and 20 October 2026