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

By Tom Hintgen Otter Tail County Correspondent Kim Pederson, a contributor to the Pelican Rapids Press, met with editor Louis Hoglund in late 2024 about writing a couple of articles about Star Lake. Six months later, she authored a complete book. “Kim has also assembled a collection of photos and images, as part of the book, that will… Read More

Photos by Chad Koenen and Tucker Henderson Artists took to the streets during the annual Fish House Festival celebration on Friday afternoon. Friday’s festivities also included the Boatville Drags with the New York Mills Millers, Certified Auto and many more teams participating in the annual drag races down main street. The parade also featured quite a bit… Read More

Otter Tail County celebrated the completion of significant upgrades to Phelps Mill County Park during a ribbon-cutting ceremony on July 7, highlighting new amenities such as a boardwalk and prairie restoration project. What’s new The first phase introduces visitors to a scenic boardwalk and prairie restoration, connecting them with the park’s natural beauty and history. “This project… Read More

UMD announces Dean’s List The University of Minnesota Duluth (UMD) has announced its Dean’s List for Spring Semester 2025. Students on the Dean’s List have achieved a grade point average of 3.50 or higher while earning a minimum of 12 letter-graded credits.   Local students named to the UMD Dean’s List inclue: Zoe Griese, New York Mills,… Read More

United Way of Douglas & Pope Counties and United Way of Otter Tail & Wadena Counties have officially merged into one regional organization, effective July 1. The unified United Way will continue to serve the five-county region of Douglas, Otter Tail, Pope, Todd, and Wadena, with operational hubs in both Alexandria and Fergus Falls. This strategic… Read More

By Jenny Hoppe Correspondent The New York Mills Eagles Fishing Team continued its strong season with five teams finishing in the top eight during the third Heart O’ Lakes High School Fishing League tournament, held Tuesday evening on Rush Lake. Despite tougher fishing conditions, the Eagles delivered another solid performance. Leading the way was the third-place team… Read More