New restaurant opens in former Otter Treat restaurant in Ottertail By Chad Koenen Publisher ust one step into The Shack in Ottertail and patrons are whisked away to a BBQ shack that more closely resembles the southern part of the country, than a small former ice cream and burger joint in a tiny town in the… Read More

SAHS led effort to restore 1888 log schoolhouse The last Saturday in July 2022 promised to be bright, warm and action-packed in Sebeka.  There was much to celebrate—Red River Days, Sebeka High School All-Class Reunion, and across the Red Eye River in the City Park, the dedication of the restored 1888 log schoolhouse.  At 7:30 a.m., those… Read More

OT County park is located near Underwood Many people are familiar with Otter Tail County’s Phelps Mill Park, but have you visited Fort Juelson Park? Fort Juelson is a county park located two miles east of Underwood in Tordenskjold Township. The historic site was acquired by Otter Tail County in 2011 and is dedicated to the… Read More

Walleye numbers continue to improve on Mille Lacs Mille Lacs Lake walleye anglers will see a relaxed harvest slot for walleye fishing beginning Thursday, Sept. 1. As announced in March of this year, the one-fish walleye limit will resume on Mille Lacs on Sept. 1. In an expansion of the harvest slot, anglers will be able… Read More

Photos by Chad and Dani Koenen The annual Kalevala Puppet Pageant was held over the weekend at the corn feed on Friday night and the Finn Creek Festival on Saturday. The show was called “The Wise Little Bird” and featured a Finnish folk story. The story emphasized the value of cooperation and listening, as the birds… Read More

By Tucker Henderson Reporter Lake water flew skyward and waves raced towards the shore last week as Betsy Anderson Gilman held the first Big Pine Lake waterski clinic on Monday, Aug. 8. Gilman has been skiing since she was five years old. In fact, her roots in the sport have held her close throughout the years. “I learned… Read More

Weller family has a long history of military service By Stella Strong Reporter Earlier this year, Amanda Weller was sworn in as the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) 9th Auxiliary District President for the state of Minnesota. Like most of the VFW members, Weller has a long family history of service that goes as far back… Read More

Finn Creek Festival set for this weekend By Tucker Henderson Reporter As the last weeks of summer draw near, both Finn Creek Open Air Museum and the New York Mills Regional Cultural Center are providing opportunities to end August with a bunch of new experiences. The 13th annual Kalevala Puppet Pageant will have two showings again… Read More

Parade, street dance set for Saturday By Chad Koenen Publisher The community of Bluffton will work hard, but party harder this weekend as part of the annual Bluffton Hometown Days celebration. The theme this year is Havin’ a Few in 2022 and will feature two days full of activities in Bluffton. The weekend will kick off with… Read More

Local project calls for 60-unit apartment building in NYM By Tom Hintgen Otter Tail County Correspondent County board members, on July 12, held a public hearing regarding Riverside Development Group, LLC tax abatement, for the construction of a 60-unit, multi-family, market rate housing in the city of New York Mills. Otter Tail County Community Development Director Amy Baldwin provided… Read More