By Chad Koenen Publisher A former Underwood teacher, who also served as head softball and wrestling coach for the Otter Tail Central programs, has been sentenced to two years of probation and must surrender his teaching license in any state after recently receiving a stay of adjudication on three counts of malicious punishment of a… Read More

Demo derby to kick off festivities on Friday night By Chad Koenen Publisher The land of otters will be abuzz this weekend for the annual OtterFest celebration. The celebration in the heart of Ottertail will kick off on Friday night with the demo derby beginning at 7 p.m. before the festivities get into high gear… Read More

Rural NYM business to remain as a family-owned company By Greta Foss Summer Intern Toby and Meghan Hintzman took over ownership of Sewer Services LLC in New York Mills back on June 1. Toby had worked for the prior owners for a little over five years before the couple took over the business.  “And it’s… Read More

By Tom Hintgen Otter Tail County Correspondent Gift card scams, despite repeated warnings, continue in Otter Tail County and nearby counties. “If someone calls you and says you need to send money in order to collect a financial prize, this is a scam,” says county Sheriff Barry Fitzgibbons. A financial prize scam is a fraudulent… Read More

Local churches, quilting clubs donate quilts to LIC Quilt Auction each year By Chad Koenen Publisher Doug Maser is not exactly sure how many years he has been the face of the Lutheran Island Camp Quilt Auction, but he knows this year may be his swan song for the popular quilt auction in rural Henning…. Read More

Culvert replacement option near Little Pine Lake wins county board approval By Tom Hintgen Otter Tail County Correspondent County commissioners, on Tuesday, July 28, heard from Otter Tail County Community Development Director Amy Baldwin about a joint housing development effort between Otter Tail County and the city of Rothsay. Over the past several months county government… Read More

The Deer Creek Lions Club recently wrapped up a resurfacing project at the pickleball court in Deer Creek. The club is planning to redo the basketball court in the future as well. 

Otter Tail County is moving forward with plans to build a new highway garage in Parkers Prairie. The county has purchased land for the project between Highway 42 and Whispering Pines Street. The next step is choosing an architect to design the building. The county is getting closer to making that choice. An architect proposal… Read More

Local line connected Fargo to the Twin Cities By Tom Hintgen Otter Tail County Correspondent Many significant events took place in 1882 when the east-west Northern Pacific Railroad tracks went through central Otter Tail County, part of the route from Wadena to Henning, Battle Lake, Underwood, Fergus Falls and points westward to Breckenridge-Wahpeton and all… Read More

Families and growers from across Minnesota will be represented as the University of Minnesota honors them in the 2026 Farm Family of the Year ceremony at 1:15 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 6, at the annual Minnesota Farmfest near Redwood Falls.  The event will be held on the Gilfillan Estate in the Wick Buildings Farmfest Center. Becker… Read More