Otter Tail County License Center staff are urging residents who plan to leave Minnesota for the winter to renew their driver’s licenses or state identification cards now, warning that processing delays of up to three months could leave them without valid ID while away. A surge in applications tied to the May 7, 2025, REAL ID… Read More

Once again in 2025, young people will be able to hunt deer with an adult in a number of state parks during several application-only special youth deer hunts. These hunts offer more individualized experiences in unique places, and often on different dates than the statewide youth deer season. “The special youth deer hunts create positive experiences… Read More

Photo by Chad Koenen Members of the New York Mills High School and the New York Mills Millers baseball teams cheer on Finn Roder as he crosses the finish line during the annual Boatville Drags on Friday afternoon. The high school baseball team captured first place in the annual races to defeat both defending champion Certified… Read More

Local group raises over $22,000 during 2025 Relay for Life By Tucker Henderson Reporter The Relay For Life of Otter Tail County celebrated its 30th anniversary on Friday, July 11 as they held the 2025 Relay for Life at the East Otter Tail County Fairgrounds in Perham. With numerous participants, the relay raised over $131,000 in… Read More

Project could save over $120,000 in energy costs By Chad Koenen Publisher The City of New York Mills will be getting a bit greener thanks to a new project at the city hall. During its regularly scheduled meeting last week, the NY Mills City Council approved a plan from West Central Initiative and Holsen Solar to install… Read More

By Tucker Henderson Reporter As the Fish House Festival started to wrap up on Friday during the Lund Mania Summer Celebration, the New York Mills Regional Cultural Center soft-launched their community capital campaign, which is intended to modernize and expand the facility to better serve the region’s rural communities. The capital campaign has a goal of $2,300,000… Read More

By Tom Hintgen Otter Tail County Correspondent County commissioners, on June 24, approved bids needed for upkeep of the 1,062 miles of paved roadways in Otter Tail County. A motion by County Commissioner Kurt Mortenson of rural Underwood and seconded by Commissioner Sean Sullivan of Fergus Falls was approved to accept the low bid of Mark Sand and… Read More

Construction begins on new daycare facility in Ottertail By Chad Koenen Publisher A plan that has been nearly three years in the making took a major step forward last Monday morning.  The new Ottertail Family Center officially broke ground as the new facility aims to address a rising shortage of daycare options in the greater Otter Tail… Read More

By Chad Koenen Publisher Over the past 17 years the Ottertail Community Auction has become much more than an event to simply pass time on a warm July evening. It has become a place where a person can go fishing on the bottom of a beer bottle, race a bike and play Deal or No Deal… Read More

By Tom Hintgen Otter Tail County Correspondent The Lawrence Welk Show debuted nationally on ABC-TV 70 years ago, on July 2, 1955. Welk, a native of Strasburg, North Dakota, southeast of Bismarck, offered champagne music, bubble machines, dance routines and toe-tapping polkas.  One of his outstanding performers was South Dakota native and accordionist Myron Floren. Star singers included… Read More