Plan details comprehensive emergency management efforts in Otter Tail County By Tom Hintgen Otter Tail County Correspondent The county board of commissioners, on Dec. 12, adopted Otter Tail County’s Emergency Operations Plan. The action followed the recommendation from County Emergency Manager Patrick Waletzko. The plan identifies the hazards that could affect Otter Tail County, sets forth… Read More

NYM event to feature a variety of musical acts The New York Mills Regional Cultural Center is pleased to invite everyone to the 15th annual Longest Night Music Festival to be held on Thursday, Dec. 21 at 7 p.m. in the Cultural Center Gallery.  The Longest Night is a celebratory live music event that brings… Read More

Office is located in Government Services Center in Fergus Falls By Tom Hintgen Otter Tail County Correspondent Close to nine months have gone by since Otter Tail County opened its remodeled Motor Vehicle/Driver’s License Center at the Government Services Center on the northwest side of Fergus Falls. Otter Tail County enhanced the space to better… Read More

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources encourages Minnesotans to use caution and stay aware of wildfire risk. Lack of snow and unusually warm, dry conditions over the next week are likely to increase fire danger in much of Minnesota. Dry, brown grasses and vegetation mean wildfires can start easily and spread quickly; this elevated risk… Read More

County uses GIS to enhance emergency service response time Tony Rendz, a Fergus Falls High School graduate, class of 1975, will retire from the Otter Tail County Geographic Information Services (GIS) Department after serving for 15 years as a GIS Technician. Before joining the county, Rendz honorably served in the United States Air Force from 1977… Read More

By Tom Hintgen Otter Tail County Correspondent  Sheriff deputies, in conjunction with the Minnesota State Highway Patrol, reported one non-life-threatening injury Dec. 9 in a three-vehicle accident southeast of Bluffton, in the far eastern section of Otter Tail County. The accident took place at the intersection of Highways 29 and 75. Injured was Victoria Joy… Read More

The Henning H-545 Foundation Scholarship applications are available at the Henning School District office. These scholarships are for anyone who is a past graduate of Henning High School that will be attending technical college, university or grad school in the fall of 2024.  Applications are due March 8, 2024. This year’s senior class will receive… Read More

Arvig’s Justin Sonnenberg has been named one of the upper Midwest’s top professionals younger than 40 by Prairie Business magazine. Sonnenberg, 37, received the magazine’s 40 Under 40 award for 2023 and was featured in the publication’s December issue.  Sonnenberg serves as Arvig’s Systems and Architecture IT Manager, where he plays a pivotal role in… Read More

Photos by Chad Koenen Members of the Henning High School choir, band and drum line held their annual Christmas concert on Monday night at the Henning High School gym. The concert featured a number of classic Christmas songs, as well as a few new holiday songs to ring in the season. The concert was the… Read More

Changes go into effect on January 1 Two changes that enhance protection for Minnesota’s native turtles will go into effect Jan. 1. Commercial harvest of western painted turtles and snapping turtles is no longer allowed in Minnesota beginning Jan. 1, the result of a new law enacted in 2023. People will still be allowed to raise… Read More