Granddaughter continuing family service By Daneele Shipman, Robert Williams Upon returning from Washington D.C. on the most recent Veterans Honor Flight of North Dakota and Minnesota, Raymond Stoll got another surprise when he and his granddaughter Cassidy Shipman were honored by the Quilts of Valor Foundation. Raymond Stoll was featured in the April 30 edition of the Frazee… Read More

A rural Frazee man was convicted by a jury and sentenced to two separate and concurrent 12-year prison sentences on two counts of first-degree felony criminal sexual conduct in Becker County District Court. Douglas David Carr, 45, of rural Frazee, was initially charged with six felony counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct. A jury convicted him on… Read More

Vergas will host the second annual Shops & Hops Street Fest on Saturday, June 8. Businesses will have specials running in their stores all day long. Professional Chef Madison Waller will host a pretzel making class at MW Pastry from 2-4 p.m. Pert Near Sandstone, nationally known in the string band world, will be playing on Main Street… Read More

West Central Initiative has announced the appointment of Trevor Gervais as the organization’s new Chief Financial Officer (CFO). This key appointment reflects West Central Initiative’s commitment to enhancing its financial strategies and ensuring sustainable growth for the organization and the region it serves.  Gervais brings a wealth of expertise in financial management, having most recently served… Read More

Photo by Robert Williams Visitors to downtown Frazee will see a new welcome sign when they arrive at Lake Street and the railroad crossing. Employees from JH Signs & Designs installed the new sign on Thursday, May 23. 

Vacation Home Rental Ordinance tabled to June By Robert Williams Editor District 5 Commissioner Lee Rogness discussed his coming retirement during the general discussion time of the Otter Tail County Board of Commissioners meeting on Tuesday, May 21. “I really appreciated my time with the county,” Rogness said. “I came on here at the extreme encouragement by my… Read More

The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) is encouraging families to use the Women, Infants and Children supplemental nutrition program (WIC), which has successfully improved maternal and child outcomes for 50 years. The WIC program helps pregnant women, new mothers, babies, and young children get a healthy start through nutrition education, nutritious foods, breastfeeding support, and… Read More

Assistant Solid Waste Director is committed to public service Otter Tail County has announced the hiring of Scott Bjerke as the new Assistant Solid Waste Director. Bjerke, an educator with extensive experience, brings a wealth of leadership and community engagement skills to his new role. Bjerke grew up in Moorhead, Minn. and attended Concordia College, where… Read More

Otter Tail County has announced the hiring of Clancy Oliphant as the new Public Information and Education Officer (PIEO) in the Solid Waste Department. A Fergus Falls native and graduate of Kennedy Secondary School, Oliphant began her work in the Solid Waste Department on May 1. “In the 1980s the State of Minnesota authorized counties to… Read More

OTC Big Build Initiative continues The need for housing in local communities has led to many innovative solutions in Otter Tail County. Realizing the demand for additional owner-occupied housing in Pelican Rapids, the County’s Community Development Agency (CDA) is progressing on a new single-family housing development. In 2023, Otter Tail County completed a new highway garage in… Read More