By Chad Koenen Publisher As she sipped on a cup of coffee at the Country Corner Cafe to help warm her up on a cold January morning, Jean Balfanz reflected on another form of warmth that she helps to provide people in need throughout the year.  ¶  Balfanz, and her sisters, create quilts that are given… Read More

By Chad Koenen Publisher A group of third grade students at Henning School has transformed a tub of magna tiles into a piece of art to greet those who visit the Henning School Library and elementary school. Beckett Honebrink, Blake Nelson and Jack Mills took school librarian Pam Wiese up on a challenge during a recent after… Read More

By Chad Koenen Publisher A question over ownership of a frequently used alley in downtown Henning could soon come to fruition. During its regularly scheduled meeting on Monday night, the Henning City Council heard from several property owners of the alley between Henning Hardware and Seip Drug about who actually owns the alley.  Property owners said they were… Read More

A 22-year-old Perham man is facing felony attempted murder charges after breaking into a woman’s apartment and stabbing her multiple times at approximately 10:16 a.m., on Saturday, Feb. 8, according to the Otter Tail County Sheriff’s Office. Cyrus Lee Olson allegedly forced entry into the apartment of a 45-year-old Perham woman. Olson was seen actively stabbing… Read More

Have you ever wished you could travel back in time to see how our town has changed over the decades? Who lived here in the 1870s? What kinds of jobs did people hold in 1920? Were there stores, roads, churches, or even a doctor back then? When did the railroad arrive, and how did the… Read More

The year 2025 marked the 200th anniversary of the great Norwegian emigration to North America. OTCHS is continuing the celebration with a temporary exhibit, The Great Emigration. Between 1825 and 1915, approximately 800,000 Norwegian men and women immigrated to North America. The peak years for Norwegian immigration to America were 1882 (29,000) and 1903 (27,000). In… Read More

Lakes, ponds are filled with ice skaters in OT County By Tom Hintgen Otter Tail County Correspondent Many people who grew up in Otter Tail County will never forget ice skating during the winter months at various lakes and rinks throughout the county. Ice skating is among the memories brought up during high school reunions. Many baby boomers… Read More

Grant applications  sought through February 26 Environmental sustainability, social change that advances equity, and civic engagement are vital for a healthy, resilient region. West Central Initiative created these grant opportunities with those priorities in mind. • Environmental Sustainability Grants will support community-led projects and nonprofits with a focus on sustainability and climate initiatives.   • Social Change Grants will support… Read More

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources invites the public to comment on proposed rules related to daily and possession limits on native rough fish. Under the new proposed rules, these fishes – including bowfin, buffalo, carpsucker, freshwater drum, goldeye, mooneye, quillback, redhorses and suckers – would also get a variety of other protections. Some examples of… Read More

Contributed photos The Henning Community Thrift Store and Henning School Library recently received a donation from the Henning Haunted House. The Henning Community Thrift Store (above) received a donation of $1,000, which was presented by Jessica Strege to Vickie Goodale, Bill Goepferd and Dan Broten. The Henning Library (right) received a $500 donation from the… Read More