New city clerk began in September By Chad Koenen Publisher After a brief period of uncertainty, a bit of stability has come to the City of Deer Creek. Miriam DeCock has taken over as the city’s new clerk/treasurer following the retirement of long-time clerk/treasurer Tom Parish and sudden departure of his replacement this summer. DeCock began her duties… Read More

By Chad Koenen Publisher One year after nearly 100 people filled the Henning School band and choir room to voice their opinion about the Henning School tax levy, just two people attended the annual Truth in Taxation meeting at the Henning School last week. Prior to the start of the regularly scheduled school board meeting on Tuesday… Read More

Contributed photo Friday, the 13th, was a lucky day for the Henning Food Shelf as Henning first graders delivered 188.8 pounds of food donations they’ve been collecting from families of elementary students during the past month. The students and their teachers, Jennifer Haugdahl and Abby Emter, delivered their donations with an assist from National Honor… Read More

OTC levy to increase 3.72 percent By Tom Hintgen Otter Tail County Correspondent On Tuesday, Dec. 17, the five-person Otter Tail County Board of Commissioners approved the 2025 county levy and 2025 county budget. The net property tax levy for this coming year is $53.1 million, resulting in a 3.72 percent net tax levy increase compared to 2024.  County… Read More

Photos by Chad Koenen Songs of the season were in the air on Monday, Dec. 16 at Henning School as both the 6-8th grade bands and choirs, as well as the senior high band and choir held their annual Christmas concerts at the school. The concerts featured a number of classic holiday songs, as well as… Read More

Start off 2025 with a refreshing and reflective hike up Hallaway Hill. Join Park Naturalist Dora on a 1.5-mile round-trip journey as we look back on the past year and look forward to the new. Meet at the picnic shelter at 10 a.m. Dress for the weather and in layers. The trail is ADA accessible. For more… Read More

By Tom Hintgen Otter Tail County Correspondent County Community Development Director Amy Baldwin, on Dec. 17, told county commissioners that her department, from January 2025 through January 2029, will assist the community of Ottertail with a rebate program on property taxes for new home construction. While county government’s role with the rebate program is ending, the county remains… Read More

Lake Region Healthcare (LRH) has recently been named to Newsweek and Statista’s “America’s Best-in-State Hospitals 2025,” highlighting 700 leading hospitals at the state level to help patients find trusted medical facilities no matter where they live. This year’s rankings include facilities in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The rankings were compiled using quality metrics… Read More

Curious about birdwatching? Winter is a great time to start your birding journey! Join Park Naturalist Dora at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 28, for an hour of birdwatching basics at Glendalough State Park.  We’ll learn to identify common winter bird species, discuss ways to look for our feathered friends, and even test our newfound skills… Read More

At its November 5 meeting, the Otter Tail County Board of Commissioners approved a grant agreement with the Minnesota Emergency Medical Services Regulatory Board (EMSRB), allowing Otter Tail County to serve as the fiscal agent for an innovative two-county emergency medical services response model pilot program. The state Legislature enacted the pilot program during its 2024… Read More