By Robert Williams Editor Public Health Director Jody Lien announced changes to the Prairie Lakes Community Health Board (CHB) Joint Powers Agreement (JPA) at the meeting of the Otter Tail County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday, Nov. 18. Proxy language was found within the agreement that was removed due to legality issues after conferring with Michelle Eldien,… Read More

By Chad Koenen Publisher The annual OtterDazzle celebration in Ottertail kicks off on Saturday morning with the annual Ottertail Lions pancake breakfast. The breakfast will take place from 8-11 a.m. at the community center. Also beginning at 8 a.m. will be the annual vendor and craft show inside the community center. The vendor and craft fair will… Read More

The New York Mills Junior High knowledge bowl teams wrapped up their seasons on a snowy return trip from Fergus Falls on Tuesday, Nov. 25. There were 15 teams from Perham, Osakis, Pelican Rapids and Breckenridge. NY Mills split the 20 competitors into four teams dividing up the November 5 first place competitors. Upon arrival the… Read More

Grace Connection, a church just outside of New York Mills, has announced its annual Wild Game Feed – Critter Cooking Contest on Friday, Dec. 5 at 6 p.m. This year’s event features special guest speaker Al Lindner—well-known outdoor enthusiast, co-founder of Lindy Tackle Company and In-Fisherman Communications, and host of Angling Edge and Angling Buzz. Al… Read More

By Tom Hintgen Otter Tail County Correspondent Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Barnesville, for many of us, was round two for attendance at church lutefisk feeds the final three months of 2025. The Barnesville lutefisk and meatball feed held on Nov. 20 followed the same menu Oct. 31 at Richland Lutheran Church near Walcott, N.D.   This writer… Read More

Application open Dec. 1 to Jan. 15 for $10,000-$50,000 grants On December 1, West Central Initiative, in collaboration with the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED), will launch an application for PROMISE Act Grants to support businesses and nonprofits in west central Minnesota. This is the second and final year of the PROMISE… Read More

The Butler 4-H Club is taking nominations to spread some Christmas cheer to someone who could use some this year. Nominees will need to be from the Butler, New York Mills, or Perham area and need to be submitted by Friday, Dec. 5. The Christmas cheer bundles include two individuals who will receive a ham and… Read More

Photos by Tucker Henderson Farmers and Merchants State Bank in New York Mills did their part to bring some extra cheer to local residents who filled up on groceries in advance of the Thanksgiving holiday on Wednesday afternoon as part of their Banking It Forward program. Bank employees allowed patrons of Mills Country Market to randomly… Read More

Photos by Chad Koenen Blayne Olson (above), as well as Ben and Megan Vig (below right) were just two of the children who took time to visit with Santa Claus on Saturday morning. Santa stopped by the City Hall Ballroom as part of the opening day of the Christmas Tree Festival. Additional pictures and information from… Read More

By Tucker Henderson Reporter Last week’s snowstorm brought several inches of snow to the region during the afternoon and evening of Tuesday, Nov. 25. With an initial rain and then the second wave of precipitation as fluffy white snowflakes, early holiday traffic was affected last week. Along with several business closures, local school districts including New York… Read More