Otter Tail County encourages residents to “Resolve to Recycle Right.”  By recycling correctly, residents can ensure that their efforts contribute to cleaner products that become new products like pizza boxes and decking materials. Improper recycling can cause significant issues.  Materials, such as foam packaging placed in corrugated cardboard bins, can damage equipment and reduce the… Read More

University of Minnesota Extension Southwest and Central Regional Sustainable Development Partnerships (RSDP) invite small farms in the regions to apply for new funding available through The Margaret A. Cargill Foundation Fund at the Saint Paul and Minnesota Foundation. The funding will support on-farm projects that address climate change and build resilience. The Farmer Climate Action Fund seeks ready-to-go, farmer-led projects,… Read More

By Tom Hintgen Otter Tail County Correspondent From 2007 to 2011 Republican State Rep Bud Nornes and Democrat and State Sen. Dan Skogen traveled together and hosted town halls in Otter Tail County. Those were the days when state legislators, while not always agreeing with one another, were more inclined to hear different points of… Read More

By Bev Johnson Special to the Dispatch Bunkey wants a tree that will attract birds and is not so big that it overwhelms the yard. One tree that fits all those criteria is an ornamental crabapple. Crabs come in many shapes and many of them are resistant to apple scab, hold their apples, or don’t… Read More

Kyle Joseph Anderson, 34, of Perham, received a stay of imposition in county court, Fergus Falls, on Dec. 16, 2024. He will have his felony conviction regarding threats of violence reduced to a misdemeanor if he stays law abiding during a probationary period. This case dates back to Nov. 26, 2023, and a plea agreement… Read More

Family-owned company is based in Ottertail By Tucker Henderson Reporter Fifty years ago, a small family tree trimming and stump removal company was founded in the Ottertail area. With humble beginnings in a small shop with wood heat and a small fleet of equipment, Carr’s Tree Service has grown exponentially in its half-century of history. The… Read More

Event to be held at NYM ballroom By Tucker Henderson Reporter The annual New York Mills Community Kick Off will take place next week on Wednesday, Jan. 22 starting with a social hour and light lunch at 5:30 p.m. This event is sponsored by the Civic & Commerce Association and they encourage everyone to attend… Read More

Johnson elected OTC chairman By Tom Hintgen Otter Tail County Correspondent On Tuesday morning, Jan. 7, the new county board of commissioners held its first meeting for 2025, including newly elected member Sean Sullivan of Fergus Falls who replaces the retired Lee Rogness. Commissioner Wayne Johnson of Pelican Rapids is the new board chairman for… Read More

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is waiving vehicle permit fees at all 73 state parks and recreation areas on Monday, Jan. 20. This Free Park Day is one of four days each year on which the DNR waives the requirement for a vehicle permit at state parks and recreation areas. There is one fee-free… Read More

In the early 1990s, Allen Arvig heard rumblings about a relatively obscure, largely untested, and somewhat clunky new technology. In the telecommunications industry at the time, it was common to hear of promising innovations, even if they didn’t all live up to the hype. This particular technology, in its own right, was still unproven—and from… Read More