Donation to assist fire department to purchase gear By Chad Koenen Publisher A sizable donation from the Ottertail Lions Club will have a major impact on the Ottertail Fire Department. During its regularly scheduled meeting last week, the Ottertail City Council heard that the Ottertail Lions Club has donated $50,000 to the Ottertail Fire Department to assist in… Read More

Editor’s note: This article originally appeared on the Minnesota High School League website as part of its John’s Journal feature. It is being reprinted with its permission. By John Millea John’s Journal, MSHSL Five years after winning a state championship, the members of the 2019 Henning High School boys basketball team continue to inspire. What they did five… Read More

Photo by Chad Koenen Auctioneer Tim Erp rattled off a cadence during the annual Ottertail Community Auction on Saturday evening in Ottertail. The auction featured everything from gift baskets to gift certificates and getaway packages. Proceeds raised from the auction will benefit the Ottertail community. A final total of money raised at the auction was not… Read More

Photos by Chad Koenen The annual Henning fly-in breakfast was held on Saturday morning at the airport. The event featured pancakes served by representatives from the Henning Festival royalty, as well as local pilots and members of the Henning EAA. The event also included door prizes and a chance to visit outdoors, while looking at one… Read More

East, West Otter Tail County Fairs begin this week By Tom Hintgen Otter Tail County Correspondent This summer’s West Otter Tail County Fair in Fergus Falls drew in youth 4-H members, similar to other county fairs, with a rich tradition of 4-H participation from generation to generation. Every summer thousands of 4-H members take part in Minnesota county fairs.  “When… Read More

Sheriff’s Office offers tips for safe summer driving By Tom Hintgen Otter Tail County Correspondent A Pelican Rapids man was injured after losing control of his motorcycle late Wednesday afternoon, July 17, near Deer Creek. The accident took place near the intersection of Highway 29 and 580th Avenue. Sheriff deputies said the man, 59-year-old John Franklin Donson, sustained… Read More

OT County Sheriff’s office offers tips for avoiding scams By Tom Hintgen Otter Tail County Correspondent  A resident of Vergas, on July 14, avoided becoming the victim of a scam, but not before almost taking the bait from a scam artist. Sheriff deputies said the county resident had received a text message indicating the Vergas resident was the winner… Read More

Elderberry farm joins over 1,400 with certification True Vine Specialty Farms, a relatively new elderberry farm operated by Stephanie and Patrick Hockett in Otter Tail County, has joined over 1,400 producers in becoming stewards of water quality through the Minnesota Agricultural Water Quality Certification Program (MAWQCP).  The voluntary program certifies producers protecting water quality by utilizing conservation… Read More

Town teams still make up a big part of the area By Tom Hintgen Otter Tail County Correspondent During the early 1950s people in Otter Tail County stayed closer to home and attended many small-town baseball games. In those days television was just taking hold and many area roads were gravel. As fans got closer to the baseball parks,… Read More

By Darren Newville District Manager, EOT SWCD With summer in Lakes Country comes a variety of community events that celebrate our towns and communities. One of those events is the EOT Breakfast on the Farm.  The local agriculture community and a host of volunteers are all geared up for this year’s EOT Breakfast on the Farm event.  This year’s… Read More