Photo by Chad Koenen The New York Mills Christmas Tree Festival is underway at the City Hall Ballroom. The week full of festivities kicked off on Saturday morning with the annual Family Day that included cookie decorating, arts and crafts, as well as a visit from Santa Claus. The Christmas Tree Festival will continue this week… Read More

By Chad Koenen Publisher The New York Mills School District has moved forward with contracts for a pair of unions at the school district last week. As part of its regularly scheduled meeting last Monday night, the NY Mills School District approved a two-year contract with the Education Minnesota NY Mills Teachers Union, as well as a… Read More

City may receive a grant to replace lead water lines By Chad Koenen Publisher A grant could help to replace the last remaining lead and galvanized water lines within the City of Ottertail. During its regularly scheduled meeting on Thursday night, the Ottertail City Council heard from Bob Schlieman and Sam Ruther from Apex Engineering that 11 water… Read More

By Chad Koenen Publisher Brent Lorenz has a passion for creating great food that can leave a lasting impression for everyone who walks through the doors of one of his restaurants. After spending the better part of his life in the restaurant industry, Lorenz enjoys the opportunity to see the faces of his customers as they… Read More

By Tom Hintgen Otter Tail County Correspondent  Sheriff deputies, on Nov. 22, said fire destroyed three lake cabins on the west side of Otter Tail Lake. Firefighters were called to the scene at 2:53 a.m. The location was Augustana Trail in Amor Township. Responding to the scene of the fire were fire departments from Battle Lake, Ottertail, Underwood,… Read More

By Robert Williams Editor Public Health Director Jody Lien announced changes to the Prairie Lakes Community Health Board (CHB) Joint Powers Agreement (JPA) at the meeting of the Otter Tail County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday, Nov. 18. Proxy language was found within the agreement that was removed due to legality issues after conferring with Michelle Eldien,… Read More

By Chad Koenen Publisher The annual OtterDazzle celebration in Ottertail kicks off on Saturday morning with the annual Ottertail Lions pancake breakfast. The breakfast will take place from 8-11 a.m. at the community center. Also beginning at 8 a.m. will be the annual vendor and craft show inside the community center. The vendor and craft fair will… Read More

The New York Mills Junior High knowledge bowl teams wrapped up their seasons on a snowy return trip from Fergus Falls on Tuesday, Nov. 25. There were 15 teams from Perham, Osakis, Pelican Rapids and Breckenridge. NY Mills split the 20 competitors into four teams dividing up the November 5 first place competitors. Upon arrival the… Read More

Grace Connection, a church just outside of New York Mills, has announced its annual Wild Game Feed – Critter Cooking Contest on Friday, Dec. 5 at 6 p.m. This year’s event features special guest speaker Al Lindner—well-known outdoor enthusiast, co-founder of Lindy Tackle Company and In-Fisherman Communications, and host of Angling Edge and Angling Buzz. Al… Read More

By Tom Hintgen Otter Tail County Correspondent Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Barnesville, for many of us, was round two for attendance at church lutefisk feeds the final three months of 2025. The Barnesville lutefisk and meatball feed held on Nov. 20 followed the same menu Oct. 31 at Richland Lutheran Church near Walcott, N.D.   This writer… Read More