By Chad Koenen Publisher New York Mills Elementary students will have a new way to learn social, emotional and behavioral skills that can benefit them long after their time is done at school. During its regularly scheduled meeting last week, the NY Mills School Board heard a presentation about the Social Emotional Learning (SEL) Blueprint. The program… Read More

Event to feature five polka bands through Sept. 5-7 By Chad Koenen Publisher Accordions will be working overtime under the bright yellow tent near the Ottertail water tower from September 4-6 for the 15th annual Polka Daze celebration.  Each year the Ottertail Lions host the event and highlight several national acts at its annual Polka Daze celebration…. Read More

Proposed facility would have been located in downtown NYM By Robert Williams Editor Otter Tail County denied its first cannabis registration application for a future business to be located in New York Mills at the board’s latest meeting on Tuesday, Aug. 26 in Fergus Falls. The county received a Cannabis Registration Application from Matt Wedde for a… Read More

Home to be located near Arvilla Drive By Tucker Henderson Reporter A plan to increase the City of Ottertail’s housing units has been in the works since the fall of 2024 and is now coming to fruition nearly a year later. Though only an increase of one unit for this year, city staff are eager to… Read More

Hockert family farm is located in rural Frazee Tim Hockett and his family have joined the rising number of producers becoming water quality certified through the Minnesota Agricultural Water Quality Certification Program (MAWQCP). This voluntary program certifies producers using conservation-minded practices to protect water quality by requiring an in-depth examination of field characteristics, crop rotation, tillage,… Read More

By Tom Hintgen Otter Tail County Correspondent In late 2021 land close to Fish Lake and near Dunvilla, northeast of Pelican Rapids, was given to Otter Tail County. This was done with the stipulation that the county make this into a county park, kept as much as possible in its natural state as a habitat for wildlife,… Read More

Photo by Tucker Henderson The New York Mills Regional Cultural Center held a retirement party for Creative Director, Cheryl Bannes, who has contributed in that role since 2017. Many were in attendance to wish her well in her next adventure.

By Tom Hintgen Otter Tail County Correspondent A motion by County Commissioner Kurt Mortenson of rural Underwood and seconded by Commissioner Dan Bucholz of rural Perham was unanimously passed by county board members on Aug. 12. This resulted in a grant contract agreement between the Otter Tail County Sheriff’s Office and the Minnesota Counties Intergovernmental Trust (MCIT). This… Read More

By Tom Hintgen Otter Tail County Correspondent The county Sheriff Office, on Aug. 22, reported that a county resident in central Otter Tail County lost approximately $80,000 in a Bitcoin scam. Deputies said the county resident deposited money over a long period of time into what he did not know was a Bitgenie account scam.  This was likely… Read More

By Tom Hintgen Otter Tail County Correspondent Twin Cities-based Capital City Construction and Remediation has expanded to Fergus Falls. The owners, Chad and Mark Harrington, know this area very well. Their parents, Gary and Karalyn (Schulz) grew up on area farms. After working in the Twin Cities where Chad and Mark were raised, Gary and Karalyn retired… Read More