By Chad Koenen Publisher The signs of fall are all around residents in Otter Tail County. Between the back to school shopping for children, cooler temperatures during the day and return to high school sports, the signs of summer’s swan song are becoming more apparent by the minute. Prior to summer officially coming to an end,… Read More

Five people to run for three spots on school board By Chad Koenen Publisher Voters will have a bevy of choices for local elections when they head to the polls in November.  The final day to register to be on the ballot for local elections was on Tuesday. Aug. 13. Many of the local elections have more… Read More

Ottertail council receives annual audit report By Chad Koenen Publisher Revenues for the City of Ottertail exceeded expenses by just over $163,500 last year. During its regularly scheduled meeting last week, the Ottertail City Council heard its 2023 year-end audit report from city auditor Brian Kane.  According to Kane, the city’s general fund cash and investments were up… Read More

New security doors to be added to courthouse By Tom Hintgen Otter Tail County Correspondent New security doors will be added to the Otter Tail County Courthouse just south of downtown Fergus Falls. This plan, presented by the County Sheriff’s Office which is responsible for the safety and security of the courthouse, was approved Aug. 13 by the… Read More

Scam victim loses close to $11,600 in Otter Tail County By Tom Hintgen Otter Tail County Correspondent  Sheriff deputies, on Aug. 15, reported a traffic injury on Highway 9, north of Pelican Rapids and near the west side of Pelican Lake. The accident took place at 7:40 a.m. Deputies said the vehicle was southbound on Highway 9 when… Read More

Focus put on protecting wetlands By Tom Hintgen Otter Tail County Correspondent Heavy rainfall has necessitated a change within the Maplewood segment of the Heart of the Lakes Regional Trail from Pelican Rapids to Perham. Silt fencing changes became necessary and a change order was approved Aug. 13 by the Otter Tail County Board of Commissioners. A silt… Read More

Heeter saved the life of a person choking on a piece of food By Tom Hintgen Otter Tail County Correspondent On June 17 Otter Tail County solid waste employee Nick Heeter, while on lunch break at a restaurant, was with a restaurant guest who began to choke on food and could not breathe. Heeter performed abdominal thrusts… Read More

New rock rapids project modifies existing aging dam near Pelican By Tom Hintgen Otter Tail County Correspondent New rock arch rapids that allow for fish passage in Pelican Rapids and at Little Pine Lake near Perham were praised by Minnesota DNR Fisheries Specialist Nick Kludt who spoke Thursday evening, Aug. 15, to members of the Otter Tail… Read More

By Tucker Henderson Reporter Joyful Spirit Methodist Church, located between Deer Creek and Wadena on Highway State Highway 29, held their open house in their new building at on Saturday, Aug. 10 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. After the merging of the congregations of the Deer Creek and Wadena United Methodist churches in 2017 with both… Read More

By Tom Hintgen Otter Tail County Correspondent Three people received non-life-threatening injuries in a two-vehicle accident Aug. 12 just west of Ottertail city. Sheriff deputies said a Toyota Highlander was driving southbound on Highway 78 and a Toyota Camry was taking a left turn to go north on Highway 78 when the vehicles collided at 1:07 p.m. Injured… Read More