Contributed photos First grade students at New York Mills School performed a variety of songs prior to the Christmas holiday at Mills Manor. Students in Trudy Irons’ and Hailey Windels’ classes recited a few poems and sang some holiday songs on the Wednesday before Christmas break.

On Friday, Dec. 15, Board members from Boots on the Ground, a Fergus Falls organization founded in 2014 to honor the Veterans at the Minnesota Veterans Homes – Fergus Falls, presented the Home with a donation of $35,000.  The donation included $18,300 in cash that is ear-marked for Resident haircuts, a bingo sponsorship, shadow boxes, a… Read More

Otter Tail County is pleased to announce that the County Highway Department has received a 2024 Safe Streets and Road for All federal planning grant. The county received one of seven grants allocated in Minnesota this year. The grant will fund the development of an Otter Tail County Safety Action Plan to improve safety on… Read More

Essays are being accepted for 31st annual Great American Think-Off The New York Mills Regional Cultural Center has announced the 2024 Great American Think-Off question: “Is freedom of speech worth the cost?” All are invited to submit an essay answering this question by April 1, 2024. For 31 years, the Great American Think-Off, based in the small rural… Read More

By Tucker Henderson Reporter Each year, Farmer’s Daughter Rustic Bakery in New York Mills is decked out as a Christmas wonderland when owner and operator Lisa Kopveiler starts decorating at the beginning of November.  ¶  “I started the beginning of November,” said Kopveiler. “Right after Halloween because there’s so much. We counted, we have 97 Santas… Read More

By Tucker Henderson Reporter The New York Mills Civic & Commerce will be hosting their annual Community Kick-Off event again this year on Wednesday, Jan. 3 at the NY Mills City Hall Ballroom. A social hour will start at 5:30 p.m. with light refreshments and the meeting will start at 6 p.m. “Come join us to celebrate… Read More

City council approves increase in utility rates By Chad Koenen Publisher New York Mills property owners will likely see an increase in the city portion of their taxes next year. During its regularly scheduled meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 12, the NY Mills City Council approved a 7.12 percent increase in the city portion of taxes next year. The… Read More

By Tucker Henderson Reporter The New York Mills Economic Development Authority board met during their regularly scheduled monthly meeting on Wednesday, Dec. 18 to discuss topics surrounding community development. Latham Hetland gave an update on NYM Forward which met the day prior and he mentioned that there was a possible new member for the committee which is… Read More

Waste audit finds reduced percentage of food waste The Otter Tail County Solid Waste Department held its 5th waste audit of residential garbage last week. Past waste audits were held in 2015 prior to single-sort recycling being implemented in Fergus Falls and Perham, and following that in 2017, 2019, 2021 and 2023. More than 20 people participated… Read More

Commissioners adopt a 5.18 percent tax levy increase By Tom Hintgen Otter Tail County Correspondent On Dec. 19 the five-person Otter Tail County Board of Commissioners approved a final net county property tax levy of $51.2 million for 2024. This represents a 5.18 percent net tax levy increase compared to the 2023 net tax levy.  The county board… Read More