Photos by Tucker Henderson The New York Mills Forward committee and West Central Initiative hosted the second annual Welcoming Week Street Fair in NY Mills last week. A plethora of local businesses and organizations shared information at their own booths and over 250 people attended the event.

By Tom Hintgen Otter Tail County Correspondent National Newspaper Week is Oct. 5-11. Small town newspapers, including those in Otter Tail County, will point out that local reporting empowers community and area residents to use the information they receive to make good decisions in their everyday lives. “Local journalism is the heartbeat of informed communities,” said Carolyn Nolte,… Read More

Photo by Tucker Henderson Paul Bloyer of County Cycle Pit Stop gave away 15 door prizes at the Perham Aging Expo last week. With close to 400 attendees, Connie Thompson of Perham won the grand prize of a portable indoor exercise bike.

The Otter Tail County Board of Commissioners held an Open House on September 15 in Dent, focusing on key infrastructure improvements, recycling initiatives, and enhanced resident services. Commissioner Bucholz, District 1, expressed appreciation for community engagement at the event.  “Thank you to everyone who came out to our meeting in Dent,” Bucholz said. “We appreciate you taking… Read More

Hunting diaries will give a more complete picture of bird populations The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is inviting upland bird hunters to voluntarily log details about their hunts for grouse, woodcock, pheasants, prairie chickens and partridge. “We’re working with bird hunters to improve our understanding of what they see in the field,” said Nate Huck,… Read More

Across Minnesota, early childhood educators are finding new ways to help children build emotional resilience, develop empathy, and thrive. Thanks to a gift from the Sauer Family Foundation to West Central Initiative, more educators and families now have access to transformational Conscious Discipline training—an evidence-based, trauma-informed approach that equips adults to manage their own emotions while… Read More

In a time of the world where newspapers are facing dire straights to keeping their doors open, the New York Mills Dispatch continues to provide weekly news, sports and community coverage to the greater northeast portion of Otter Tail County.  The publication began in 2013 when a group of community members approached Henning Publications, LLC, owners… Read More

By Tucker Henderson Reporter It was nearly two years ago when the New York Mills community heard about the loss of one of their own, Sam Long, who died by suicide on December 22, 2023. Since that time, an attempt to improve and expand mental health services to those in need has been under way and… Read More

Dufour is staying with VonRuden family in NYM By Tucker Henderson Reporter Elsa Dufour joins the New York Mills High School senior class as the district’s lone foreign exchange student this year. She hails from Charleroi, a city in the French-speaking region of Belgium. Dufour has been in the United States since August 23 and is staying… Read More

Upgrades in Ottertail, Fergus Falls come at no cost to taxpayers By Robert Williams Editor Otter Tail County Deputy Administrator Nick Leonard provided a resolution that was adopted regarding the Guaranteed Energy Savings Project for facility improvements and two 40 kW solar arrays, one located at the Government Services Center in Fergus Falls and the other at the… Read More