By Tom Hintgen Otter Tail County Correspondent The Byrds sang the hit song, “Mr. Tambourine Man,” 60 years ago this summer, in 1965, at the old Balmoral Pavilion on the south side of Otter Tail Lake. Balmoral was one of the most popular dance halls in west central Minnesota. “Balmoral was also one of the hottest hangouts of… Read More

Registration open until April 1 University of Minnesota Extension Master Gardeners of Clay and Becker Counties, invite the public to Horticulture Day 2025. Workshops topics include bee lawns, soil health, composting, new flower trends for 2025, foraging & cooking, growing medicinal herbs, collecting and growing native pollinator plants and much more. Vendors and  lunch networking… Read More

Updating 151 lakes, 15 in Becker and Otter Tail Counties March is the month to connect with Minnesota Department of Natural Resources fisheries offices across Minnesota about 151 lakes in 40 counties that will have their fisheries lake management plans updated in 2025. Comments from people interested in the health and quality of Minnesota’s fisheries are… Read More

The annual Invitational Art Show is back for another season at M State, marking the event’s 51st year of supporting and showcasing local artists. An open-invite representation of the Fergus Falls area’s abundant creative talents and sources of inspiration, the show shines a spotlight on a diverse range of artistic skill sets and mediums. “This year, there… Read More

M State’s upcoming play is a comedic tribute to family vacations A “sweet tribute to the Midwest and the summer family road trip,” is how Stefanie Gerhardson describes “Leaving Iowa,” this year’s spring play at M State. Gerhardson is an M State Theatre faculty member and the play’s director. “It’s a comedy about family vacations,” she… Read More

The Otter Tail County Aquatic Invasive Species Task Force and the Otter Tail County Coalition of Lake Associations (OTC COLA), www.otccola.org, are sponsoring the Lake Stewardship Symposium on Saturday, May 31. Minnesota lakes are a vital component for enjoyable living in America’s northwest. Value of this resource is measured in recreational opportunities, family bonding, lake property… Read More

The Yellowjacket Activities Department has named a new head coach to lead the boys’ tennis team into the 2025 season. Perham Activities Director Erin Anderson announced that Nick Stokke has been appointed as the new head coach, pending ISD 549 Board approval. Stokke will replace Gunnar Anderson, who stepped down after two seasons with the… Read More

Minnesota Veterans Homes – Fergus Falls Residents are grateful for a donation aimed at keeping them active, entertained and healthy. Runningen Furs – a locally family-owned business – recently donated $2,826 to the Fergus Falls Veterans Home’s Recreation Fund. This donation was the latest in a series of gifts to honor Veteran Ruben Runningen, a Resident… Read More

By Chad Koenen Publisher One doesn’t need to look very hard to see the family values coming to the forefront at Esser Plumbing and Heating. A family owned business since 1955, the Perham-based company is now in its third generation of family ownership and many of the guiding principles from those early days still reign true today…. Read More

Induction ceremony to be held March 29 at NYM School By Chad Koenen Publisher The New York Mills community will come together on Saturday, March 29 to honor its past and celebrate the contributions of past athletes and community members during the annual NY Mills Hall of Fame/Wall of Fame induction ceremony.  The ceremony will be held at… Read More