By Tom Hintgen Otter Tail County Correspondent County commissioners, concerned about the possibility of the state legislature passing along a portion of state taxes to county taxpayers, hosted an informational session Tuesday morning, April 15, open to the public. Joining the discussion were state Sen. Jordan Rasmusson and State Rep. Jeff Backer. The governor’s budget calls for shifting… Read More

Elias Thomas Report for Minnesota After compromises and emotional discussions, the House Transportation Committee approved an omnibus budget bill, despite some committee members from both political parties expressing dissatisfaction with the contents. The bill contains nearly $10 billion in spending over the next two fiscal years for roads, bridges, transit and airports. It also contains a host… Read More

Nationwide honor recognizes excellence in employee experience, workplace performance Arvig has been named one of America’s Greatest Midsize Workplaces in 2025 by Newsweek and Plant-A Insights Group. The award honors companies nationwide that excel in employee experience and workplace performance. Newsweek and Plant-A Insights Group awarded Arvig a five-star rating through an evaluation based on online employee… Read More

Samantha Siedow  Report for Minnesota In a push to expand protections against child exploitation as technology advances, the Minnesota Legislature is considering passing a bill to tackle the rise of artificial intelligence-generated child sexual abuse material and child-like sex dolls.  Currently, it is not illegal in Minnesota to use artificial intelligence (AI) to create images of child… Read More

By Tom Hintgen Otter Tail County Correspondent Parkers Prairie Lions Club members know the routine with smelt fries, with more than 60 years of experience. People came from near and far to attend this annual event at the community event center on Saturday, April 12. The club added Alaska pollock to the menu in 2016 knowing that… Read More

Photos by Chad Koenen New York Mills, Bluffton and Ottertail held their annual Easter Egg Hunts on Saturday. The egg hunt in NY Mills was held at Smith Park and featured 170 kids searching for 4,500 candy-filled eggs throughout the area. In Bluffton, the Easter Egg Hunt was held at the park and Ottertail’s egg hunt… Read More

With hearts full of joy and gratitude, Mary, Mother of the Church Area Catholic Community (Mary’s ACC) warmly welcomes Rev. JC Duncan as its new pastor. Beginning his ministry on April 1, 2025, Fr. JC immediately stepped into his role, celebrating Mass across the ACC and embracing his calling to serve with compassion, humility, and… Read More

Otter Tail County and the Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) Task Force in partnership with the Otter Tail County Coalition of Lake Associations (OTC COLA) are pleased to invite all area lake property owners to attend the upcoming Lake Stewardship Symposium on Saturday, May 31, 2025, from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at Thumper Pond Resort… Read More

Otter Tail County Commissioners hosted an informational session on Tuesday, April 15, to provide insights into the state budget proposal and its potential impact on the county levy. “We appreciate the opportunity to engage in open dialogue about the state budget,” said Nicole Hansen, Otter Tail County Administrator. “It’s critical that legislators understand that cost shifting… Read More

By Yvette Higgins Report for Minnesota After more than 80 years, the Legislature appears poised to change a rule that restricts the kind of firearms that deer hunters can use in large parts of Minnesota.  A bill by Rep. Chris Swedzinski, R-Ghent, would allow people to hunt deer in any part of the state with any legal firearm.  Currently… Read More