OTC to study existing infrastructure By Tom Hintgen Otter Tail County Correspondent County commissioners, on May 22, addressed county jail facility issues and discussed next steps for jail planning with consultants. Among the studies would be a comprehensive operations and facility space needs assessment.  The five-person county board agrees it is important to study the existing infrastructure along with… Read More

By Tom Hintgen Otter Tail County Correspondent County residents who have attended public meetings in previous months have expressed their desire for their roadways to be maintained at the highest level. Doing so requires lots of money. Factoring in road resurfacing, reconstruction and adding in bridge replacements results in millions of dollars. The county board of commissioners, on May 23,… Read More

Construction on Otter Tail County park to take place in 2024 Construction of a boardwalk, prairie restoration and trail construction for Phelps Mill Park could get underway in the summer of 2024, one year from now. This would follow repairs recently completed on the historic four mill. “Our plans for 2024 depend on Otter Tail County… Read More

The Mills Dream Team (Relay for Life) is having their perennial plant sale on Friday, June 16 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Mills Country Market in New York Mills. There will be a free-will offering for the plants with all of the proceeds going to the Relay for Life event on July 14. Team… Read More

Photos by Tucker Henderson Fourth grade students at New York MIlls School ended their school year on a high note as they performed a variety of fairytales for family and friends. In addition to performing, the students spent a portion of May building backdrops to help and set the tone for the performances. 

By Tom Hintgen Otter Tail County Correspondent Sheriff deputies, on May 30, reported two injuries in a two-vehicle traffic accident at 5:20 p.m. near the intersection of Highway 10 and 560th Avenue, southeast of New York Mills. Receiving non-life-threatening injuries were Roberto Garza, 40, of New Smyrna, Fla., and Jeffrey Charles Etapa, 43, of Port Orange, Fla. They… Read More

Help celebrate the 30th anniversary of the New York Mills Regional Cultural Center’s Great American Think Off with a walking tour of downtown New York Mills on Friday, June 9 at 5:15 p.m. Meet in front of the Cultural Center. There is an $8 admission with proceeds benefiting the Otter Tail County Historical Society. When Otter… Read More

By Tom Hintgen Otter Tail County Correspondent County Human Services Director Deb Sjostrom addressed child foster care with county commissioners in early May. Providing details were Child Foster Care Licensing Social Worker Jody Dahlen, Family Child Care Licensing Social Worker Lisa Spangler and Human Services Supervisors Stephanie Olson and Krista Fix. Addressing adult foster care were Regional Licensing… Read More

Photos by Tucker Henderson Above: Over 30 members from the Heinola Hustlers 4-H club participated in placing flags on veteran’s graves in area cemeteries in preparation for Memorial Day. Below: World War II veteran Rowland Bauck stands with family members behind the grave of his wife, Lillian, who was a member of the VFW Post #3289 Auxiliary. 

Photo by Chad Koenen Members of the New York Mills Class of 2023 gathered on Friday night for the 105th annual commencement ceremony. The program featured a number of guest speakers and musical selections, as well as the awarding of the high school diplomas. Among the students who graduated on Friday night was Isaac Page, who… Read More