Free watermelon to be served beginning at 11 a.m. By Chad Koenen Publisher The small town of Vining will transform into a watermelon eating, seed spitting paradise on Saturday for the 54th annual Watermelon Day celebration.  The day will kick off on Saturday morning with the annual Run For the Melon 5k/10k run/walk, as well… Read More

Referendum to provide additional money with no increase in taxes By Chad Koenen Publisher A change in state legislation could result in an increase in local funding for Henning Public School, all-while not increasing taxes in the school district.  During a special school board meeting last Wednesday night, the Henning School Board approved seeking voter approval… Read More

By Tom Hintgen Otter Tail County Correspondent Take a drive along the Otter Trail Scenic Byway to Douglas Avenue in the heart of Henning and you will find the Henning Landmark Center at the intersection of Douglas Avenue and Second Street. The center, a large house built in 1914 and expanded in 1948 to serve… Read More

By Tom Hintgen Otter Tail County Correspondent Kids splashing in the water, the aroma from hot dogs roasting on nearby grills and boating during the summer months has been part of the enjoyment at Pebble Lake just south of Fergus Falls for many decades.  This reporter, his wife Sharon and son Mark were at Pebble… Read More

By Tom Hintgen Otter Tail County Correspondent County commissioners, on Tuesday, July 28, heard from Otter Tail County Community Development Director Amy Baldwin about a joint housing development effort between Otter Tail County and the city of Rothsay. Over the past several months county government has taken the lead with the single-family housing tax rebate… Read More

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is reminding agricultural producers impacted by increased input costs and natural disasters that the deadlines to apply for safety net and disaster assistance programs designed to protect their financial security are coming soon.   USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) wants to remind producers that the Assistance for Specialty Crop… Read More

University of Minnesota President Rebecca Cunningham visited the East Otter Tail County Fair Saturday, July 25, 2026, touring the fairgrounds and presenting the county’s Farm Family of the Year award. Otter Tail County Commissioner Dan Bucholz, District 1, joined University of Minnesota Extension staff and 4-H Youth Ambassador Lucy Minten to lead President Cunningham on… Read More

With lower-than-normal rainfall and higher-than-normal temperatures in the last few weeks, persistent drought and lower lake levels have become common across a large portion of the state. Much of north-central Minnesota is experiencing storage drought. In years of significant drought, long-term water storage is depleted in lakes, soil and groundwater to a degree that typically… Read More

By Tom Hintgen Otter Tail County Correspondent Gift card scams, despite repeated warnings, continue in Otter Tail County and nearby counties. “If someone calls you and says you need to send money in order to collect a financial prize, this is a scam,” says county Sheriff Barry Fitzgibbons. A financial prize scam is a fraudulent… Read More

The Minnesota Humanities Center (MHC) is now accepting applications for three open grant opportunities. • Minnesota Musicians: $400,000 in total to individual Minnesota Musicians to create, produce, and perform music; application closes September 11, 2026. • Youth Literary: $500,000 in total to individual authors and organizations to create, produce, and distribute books for youth, that… Read More