Bill would establish mixture of grants, forgivable loans Shay Scanlan Report for Minnesota A Minnesota Senate committee moved forward with a bill on March 23 that would provide financial relief to small businesses that lost revenue due to the surge in federal immigration enforcement in the state.  The DFL-led Senate Jobs and Economic Development Committee voted to include… Read More

Otter Tail County Commissioners will host a community open house on Monday, April 13, from 7-9 p.m. at the Pelican Rapids Public Library, 25 W. Mill Ave. The event is not a formal Board of Commissioners meeting. It is a chance for residents to talk directly with commissioners and county staff about local programs and… Read More

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is restricting the open burning of vegetative debris effective Monday, March 30, due to increased wildfire risk resulting from warm temperatures and dry conditions in parts of central, northwest, and northeast Minnesota.  The DNR will not issue permits for open burning of brush or yard waste in these counties… Read More

OTCHS executive director retired after 37 years of service  By Tom Hintgen Otter Tail County Correspondent Chris Schuelke, retiring executive director of the Otter Tail County Historical Society (county museum), was honored by the county board of commissioners on March 24 for his 37 years of service.  He was hired in 1989, serving as curator for… Read More

Eleanor Steffen Report for Minnesota Minnesota legislators delayed action on a bill that would bar Medicaid coverage for prescription medications used solely for weight loss.  ¶  The bill authored by Rep. Danny Nadeau, R-Rogers, aims to prohibit the state’s Medical Assistance program from covering drugs known as GLP-1s if patients are using them exclusively for… Read More

Disability advocates speak in favor of self-driving vehicles Abbey Mulcahy Report for Minnesota As autonomous vehicle companies set their sights on Minnesota, legislators are struggling to reach a consensus on how self-driving cars should be operated and regulated.    The latest attempt to set up parameters for autonomous vehicles came in the form of a bill… Read More

Proceeds from Henning fish fries benefit local  community By Tom Hintgen Otter Tail County Correspondent Volunteers step forward each year for fish fries during Lent at several churches in Otter Tail County. Such was the case at St. Edward’s Catholic Church in Henning. The turnout was very good even though many community residents were in… Read More

5 years ago Tuesday, March 30, 2021 Citizen’s Advocate The Henning girls basketball season came to an end a little sooner than the team had hoped after losing to West Central Area in the Section 6A championship game on Thursday night by a score of 64-53. Henning finished its season at 20-2, won the Park… Read More

Photos by Dani Koenen Henning School students were given a glimpse of the culture and traditions of Native American people in the region as part of a presentation last Monday at the school. The students spent the morning going through stations to explore animals native to Minnesota and historical artifacts from Otter Tail County, while… Read More

Kendra Mobilia Report for Minnesota Benjamin Franklin once said that nothing in the world is certain but death and taxes. The Legislature talks a lot about taxes, and on March 23 the discussion turned to death.  Rep. John Huot, DFL-Rosemount, brought bills to a House committee concerning mortuary science and natural burials.  Last year the… Read More