By Robert Williams Editor The Office of the State Auditor Julie Blaha recently released the annual analysis of municipal liquor store operations for 2023. The report provides comparative data on municipal liquor operations owned and operated by Minnesota cities. In 2023, 176 Minnesota cities reported operating 210 municipal liquor stores, with 84 cities operating both on-sale and… Read More

Yvette Higgins Report for Minnesota As the Legislature assembles a new two-year budget for public safety needs, some lawmakers are concerned that crime victims and incarcerated people will not get the help they need due to limited funding.  The $3.66 billion budget bill that the House passed on April 25 increases state spending for the next two… Read More

By Tom Hintgen Otter Tail County Correspondent Residents of Otter Tail County know that the county has a rich history. Now and then it is good to pause and reflect on the county history and express appreciation for early settlers in the 1800s. The first group of non-Native American settlers, Cutlerites, came to Clitherall Lake in the spring… Read More

Elias Thomas Report for Minnesota A state-funded program that helps people get down payments to become the first in their families to buy homes will become permanent if the Legislature passes the House omnibus housing budget bill.  The program, established in 2023, helped 600 families become homeowners in the first seven months of its existence, according to… Read More

Photos by Dani Koenen New York Mills School was transformed on Saturday night for the annual prom and post prom festivities. This year’s theme was “A Night to Remember” and featured a walk through the movies as part of the annual grand march. The evening came to a close with post prom at the school. 

The VFW Post 3289 Auxiliary met April 10 with 15 members present. Minutes from the March 13 meeting were approved, and the March Treasurer’s Report was filed subject to audit. The General Orders Bulletin for April 2025 from the Department President was read and discussed.  We received thank you cards and letters for donations to the Fergus… Read More

West Central Initiative (WCI) invites current and aspiring entrepreneurs with a passion for positive change to apply for the 2026-2027 Initiators Fellowship. The two-year program provides a suite of support for emerging entrepreneurs in Greater Minnesota whose business idea includes a socially beneficial outcome.  Individuals who reside and operate in the 53 counties and six Native… Read More

West Central Initiative (WCI) has announced Mary Rotter, owner and director of Laker Prep Preschool and Early Childhood Centers, as the 2025 recipient of the Nancy Jost Early Childhood Advocacy Award in recognition of her unwavering commitment to improving the health, education, and well-being of the region’s youngest children. Rotter spent a decade teaching kindergarten after… Read More

Senator Jordan Rasmusson (R-Fergus Falls) and Representative Isaac Schultz (R-Elmdale Township), along with Representative Jeff Backer (R-Browns Valley) and Senator Paul Utke (R-Park Rapids), held a press conference on Monday, April 21, to voice their concerns over a dramatic surge in enrollment by undocumented immigrants in Minnesota’s taxpayer-funded health care programs. This spike follows the… Read More

West Central Initiative awarded 54 grants totaling more than $114,000 to organizations serving the Fergus Falls, Perham, and Dent communities from three personally endowed funds.  “The Deloris Barnack Kenner, Floyd and Harriet Miller, and Inga M. Johnson Funds were established to create lasting impacts by generously supporting the philanthropists’ favorite causes and organizations in our region,”… Read More