City council discusses camping at Lions Park By Lori Newman Correspondent The Deer Creek City Council held their regular monthly meeting on July 26. New York Mills Police Chief Bobby Berndt gave the police report for June and told the council the police department has hired another full time officer.   Berndt and the council also discussed the city’s policies on… Read More

Donations being sought for local children in need By Chad Koenen Publisher The annual Stuff the Bus campaign is underway and local volunteers are hoping to give families in need a little jumpstart on the school year.  As part of the Stuff the Bus program, the United Way of Otter Tail and Wadena Counties will collect back to… Read More

Non-profit organization provided over $1 million in loans in Otter Tail County last year By Tom Hintgen Otter Tail County Correspondent Representatives of the West Central Initiative (WCI), on July 27, thanked the county board of commissioners, and county residents, for contributions that were used to respond to citizen needs during the COVID-19 pandemic. “In the past year alone,… Read More

On injured in moped accident near Richville By Tom Hintgen Otter Tail County Correspondent  Sheriff deputies, On July 26, warned area residents, especially young people, that in light of low water levels it is extremely dangerous to swin at dams and spillways. Near-drownings took place July 25 at the dam near Highway 72 and close to Zorbaz on the southwest side… Read More

Zebra Mussels also confirmed in Eagle Lake and Turtle Lake in Becker County The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources has confirmed zebra mussels in Clitherall Lake, near the city of Clitherall in Otter Tail County; Eagle Lake, near Frazee in Becker County; and Turtle Lake, near Lake Park in Becker County. DNR invasive species specialists followed… Read More

NYM man sentenced for felony vehicle theft By Tom Hintgen Otter Tail County Correspondent The following felony convictions and sentences took place in recent weeks in county court, Fergus Falls. Nathaniel James Littrell, 23, of the city of Ottertail, was sentenced June 1 in county court, following a firearms felony conviction. Littrell’s sentencing of five years to the Minnesota Correctional… Read More

Loss of small-town newspapers can hurt democratic process The loss of small-town newspapers leaves many Minnesota communities without in-depth coverage of critical issues. Why is this important to communities, what impact does it have and how is it connected to the very American democracy we cherish?   West Central Initiative (WCI) explores this topic in its next… Read More

By Joel Beiswinger CEO, TCHC The last few weeks have been a whirlwind of excitement and curiosity. After months of planning, heavy machinery and construction workers are finally building our rural healthcare center of the future. Questions have been coming in from all over the region and I wanted to personally address some of the concerns… Read More

Alyssa Jackson, FNP, has joined the Tri-County Health Care team as a primary care provider at the Sebeka Clinic. She is now accepting patients. Jackson is no stranger to small communities. She grew up in a small town much like Sebeka and is acclimated to the rural way of life. Before becoming a Family Nurse Practitioner,… Read More