Second annual rodeo provides fundraising opportunities By Chad Koenen Publisher Situated in the heart of more than 1,000 lakes, Clitherall may not necessarily seem like a hotbed for rodeos in rural Minnesota. However, Silver Sage Ranch in rural Clitherall hosted its second annual rodeo last weekend which included records crowds, more family-friendly activities and a chance… Read More

By Chad Koenen Publisher One of Ottertail’s last remaining gravel roads could soon be getting a big face-lift. During its regularly scheduled meeting on Thursday night, the Ottertail City Council moved forward with a preliminary engineering report and a report on improvement on Wallenberg Drive. The move comes one month after hearing overwhelming support from several residents… Read More

By Chad Koenen Publisher The Henning School District will move forward with a number of building and indoor air quality projects next summer. The move comes after the school district voters turned down school building referendums, both last November and in May, that would have addressed a number of the items on the recently approved list… Read More

Event to bring busy summer season to a close 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…. Read More

By Tom Hintgen Otter Tail County Correspondent  Sheriff deputies, on Aug. 14, reported that a motorcycle driver and a passenger sustained serious injuries after striking a deer. The accident took place close to 12:30 p.m. near the intersection of Highways 32 and 74, east of the town of Maine in central Otter Tail County. Both were wearing helmets… Read More

County was organized in 1868 following state legislation By Tom Hintgen Otter Tail County Correspondent Otter Tail County was organized in 1868 following a state legislative act. The first group of non-Native American settlers, Cutlerites, came to Clitherall Lake in the spring of 1865 to become permanent settlers. About 35 men, women and children made the trip from Manti,… Read More

Local bank expands to new communities The First National Bank of Henning (“FNB”), with offices in Ottertail, Battle Lake and Henning, has announced that it has entered into an agreement to purchase the Evansville and Detroit Lakes branches of First Security Bank – Sleepy Eye (“First Security”), which is headquartered in Sleepy Eye, Minn.   “We are… Read More

Photo by Chad Koenen With a line stretching the length of the Henning Event Center, the annual World Famous BBQ was held on Friday night in Henning. Among the volunteers serving food on Friday night was Nathan Thalmann (above) who filled up a plate full of turkey.

Hepola to fill vacancy on a part-time basis By Chad Koenen Publisher The Henning School District filled a vacant business manager position from within the school district.  During its regularly scheduled meeting last week, the Henning School Board approved a memorandum of understanding with business teacher Mike Hepola to fill the business manager position on a part-time basis.  As… Read More

Public health promotes healthy behavior, communities By Tom Hintgen Otter Tail County Correspondent County commissioners, on Aug. 8, heard the county public health annual report from Otter Tail County Public Health Director Jody Lien, Assistant Public Health Director Kristi Goos and County Family Health Supervisor Kristin Bye.  The primary responsibilities and services of the close to 40 employees in… Read More