Asleson retired from U.S. Forest Service in 2014 By Tom Hintgen Otter Tail County Correspondent On Oct. 8 Otter Tail County lost historian and former Vergas area resident David Asleson. He was a retired U.S. Forest Service employee in Idaho, Montana and the state of Washington who retired to rural Vergas in 2014. In his latter years… Read More

Battle Lake man shares signs for identifying a stroke he evening of March 26, 2025, was like any other for 75-year-old Brian Kvebak, who was relaxing downstairs at his lakeside home near Battle Lake, when he heard dishes clanking. “Sally had started loading the dishwasher, and that’s my job!” Brian recalled with a chuckle. He hurried… Read More

By Chad Koenen Publisher The American spirit will be on full display on Tuesday as Henning School students will present one of the largest Veterans Day programs in the region.  The day will feature a mixture of songs, tributes and a few special wrinkles to honor the sacrifices and contributions made by local veterans. Students in grades… Read More

By Tom Hintgen Otter Tail County Correspondent On Oct. 28 the county board of commissioners accepted donations of three concrete benches for Phelps Mill Park in central Otter Tail County. The donations come from Friends of Phelps Mill, the Duane and Helen Berry Family and from Paul and Laurie Lekanng. The memorial benches will each include engraving of… Read More

Contributed photos Henning three-year-old preschool recently spent a “day at the farm” by getting up close to see real farm animals at school. The class would like to thank Mrs. Burgess and her FFA students who made this all possible for the three-year-olds. The children were able to pet a horse, cows, piglet, sheep, goats,… Read More

A Horace, N.D. man has pleaded guilty and been sentenced for stealing a skid steer in late 2024 from Carr’s Tree Service in Ottertail. The sentencing was part of a plea deal with charges of theft and receiving stolen property related to a string of thefts across Otter Tail and Clay Counties in Minnesota and Cass… Read More

Local non-profit purchases Otter Fitness Garage By Tucker Henderson Reporter The “Ottertail Community Project” has been a development in the works for the past three years and has just recently purchased the Otter Fitness Garage in Ottertail, as part of Phase I of their overarching plan. “This all started about three years ago,” said Executive Director, Alex… Read More

By Tom Hintgen Otter Tail County Correspondent Otter Tail County, according to a press release issued by the Minnesota division  of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), has agreed to pay a former inmate $200,000. This follows the inmate dropping a lawsuit which cited, in December 2024, “extreme, punitive treatment” at the county detention center in Fergus Falls…. Read More

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is pleased to announce that effective November 2, 2025, Mr. Harold “Brent” Pharis as the Director of the Fargo VA Health Care System. Mr. Pharis is currently serving as the Associate Director of VA Central Iowa Health Care System. “Mr. Pharis has extensive experience and is an outstanding choice to… Read More

St. Cloud Technical and Community College congratulates the following students for their academic achievement Summer 2025. They have earned recognition on the President’s List for a grade point average of 4.0 or the Dean’s list for a grade point average of 3.5 to 3.99.  Among the local students named to the Dean’s List includes: Sadie Witt,… Read More