Olsens have visited over 540 protected areas for wildlife Tucker Henderson Reporter Everyone has their hobbies—some like to paint, others will garden and a few will even keep bees. There are so many options that there is certainly something for everyone. One local couple’s hobby is visiting the National Wildlife Refuge System (NWRS) which spans… Read More

Hentila has birdhouse room in his NY Mills home By Kathryn Wilkowski Reporter Though Minnesota’s state bird is the common loon, Minnesota is also home of at least 266 documented bird species.  Ed Hentila, of New York Mills, has been in the bird-house-making business for over 20 years, and sells them at local stores all throughout Mills.  As… Read More

By Stella Strong Reporter Looking for something fun to do this July? Look no further! The East Otter Tail County Fair in Perham starts on Thursday and will be held throughout the weekend. With food that only comes once a year and rides that go higher than any building in town, there’s guaranteed to be something… Read More

Jet ski driver injured in accident on East Battle Lake on July 9 By Tom Hintgen Otter Tail County Correspondent A New York Mills man, 41-year-old Joshua Ard, was injured July 10 while attempting to burn a brush pile. Ard was transferred to the Perham hospital and later flown by helicopter to a hospital in the Twin Cities…. Read More

Summer treats were popular in corner grocery stores By Tom Hintgen Otter Tail County Correspondent Kids in Otter Tail County, back in the 1950s and 1960s, headed to corner grocery stores many times during the summer months.  Nik-L-Nip® was a brand of juice that came in a variety of fruit flavors and marketed by Tootsie Roll Industries. The fruit-flavored juice was… Read More

Organization represents 35 percent of state’s residents By Tom Hintgen Otter Tail County Correspondent The Minnesota Inter-County Association (MICA), which includes Otter Tail County, is a voluntary, joint powers organization of 15 Minnesota counties. This includes most of Minnesota’s larger and faster growing counties. MICA counties include more than 35 percent of the state’s residents, located in four… Read More

Invasive algae forms in dense mats in lakes The Otter Tail County Aquatic Invasive Species Task Force and the Otter Tail County Coalition of Lake Associations sponsored a bus tour to Lake Koronis to view the Starry Stonewort infestation.  ¶  Representatives from Otter Tail County including watercraft inspectors, county commissioners, and Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS)… Read More

Rural school has left a big mark on Koehler family Editor’s Note: The following is the first in a three part series about Bernice Johnson’s experience as a student at Hill School. Bernice Johnson Special to the Dispatch In 1899, the year my father Rudolph was born, the Crooked Road to Hill School was a narrow wagon… Read More

Photos by Tom Hintgen Crafts, food and entertainment were part of the 2022 Phelps Mill Festival. These photos were taken Saturday morning, July 9. Rides from the parking lot and return rides were provided by the Underwood Lions Club. The annual event concluded at 4 p.m. on Sunday.

Local students graduate from ATCC More than 600 graduates were honored during the 2021-2022 academic year at Alexandria Technical & Community College. The spring commencement ceremony was held May 11, 2022 at the Runestone Community Center in Alexandria. Among the students who graduated from ATCC were: Paul Fisk, New York Mills, Associate of Applied Science Degree, Mechanical Drafting,… Read More