top of page
320-839-6163
recent articles
Local Election Results Reported for CGB Area
Voters headed to the polls Tuesday, Nov. 3, with all precincts reporting in local races. CGB School Board: Scott Mahoney (760), Nicole Fuhrman (732), Nicole Homan (720) and Kelsey Holtz (680) won the four open seats. Jodi Morrill received 637 votes. Theresa Diekmann received 925 votes in the special election.
23 hours ago
Ortonville Elects Three School Board Members, Rejects Two Referendum Questions
Voters came in full force for the General Election held Tuesday, Nov. 3, electing three new members to the Ortonville School Board and voting down two school referendum questions. In the Ortonville School Board election, Alicia Radermacher received 862 votes; Andy Strei had 682; Emily Sigler, 591; Meggan Karels, 448; Craig Danielson, 442; Travis Jorgenson, 420; Kathryn Melton, 324; Connie Rausch-Jurgens, 229; and Karley Teske, 225. Radermacher, Strei and Sigler will take the
23 hours ago
Bonnie Pearson Layton
Bonnie Pearson Layton was boron February 13, 1945, to Harold and Dorothy Pearson. As a young child, Bonnie moved with her parents to Ortonville, MN, where they had charge of The Ortonville Greenhouse. The family grew by two when Al and Dori were adopted, giving Bonnie a brother and a sister.
3 days ago
County Board approves clinical services with Woodland Centers
The Big Stone County Board met for their regular meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 20 at the Big Stone County Courthouse in Ortonville with all County Commissioners present for the meeting. Board members approved the meeting agenda and the minutes from their regular meeting on Oct. 6. They also authorized payment of bills. During committee reports, board members discussed information from recent meetings. Following committee reports, the Big Stone County Board received updates and
Oct 27
Opinion
Still Serving
By Jake Lillehaug The smell of smoked fish and meats greeted us as we descended the stone steps into Northern Waters Smokehaus in Duluth. Tucked into the lower level of a building in Canal Park, the restaurant has an intimate, almost cave-like atmosphere, with stonework, brick walls and small windows near the ceiling. It was also packed. My wife and I were in Duluth for emergency medicine and fire chiefs’ conferences, and we had slipped away for lunch at a restaurant we’d
Jake Lillehaug
Oct 22
Blake’s Take
By Clarissa Blake With the election just around the corner and emotions running high, I’ve been thinking about the responsibility that comes with publishing a community newspaper. During National Newspaper Week, I read a column by Robb Hicks, a third-generation Wyoming newspaperman who helped revive eight community newspapers after they abruptly closed last year. His column was about what a community loses when its local newspaper disappears. One message stuck with me: “A n
Clarissa
Oct 22
Still Serving
By Jake Lillehaug 10-15-26 There is something special about driving a country road in western Minnesota just after sunset in October. The sky glows with brilliant oranges and reds while the last sunlight catches the changing leaves. Across the countryside, clouds of dust rise from freshly harvested fields, illuminated by the headlights of combines working well into the evening. Grain trucks wait along field approaches. Service trucks travel from farm to farm, keeping equip
Jake Lillehaug
Oct 14
Still Serving
By Jake Lillehaug, September 20, 2026 Sunday morning started quietly on Big Mantrap Lake. The sun was beginning to rise above the trees as we climbed into the boat for one last trip around the lake. The first signs of fall were already showing along the shoreline, with patches of bright red and orange leaves catching the morning light. Somewhere across the water, a loon called. Then another answered. There are few sounds quite like the haunting call of a loon echoing acro
Jake Lillehaug
Sep 25
Letter: Becky Parker Ortonville
8-25-26 Dear Editor, Why Social Security Matters The Social Security Act of 1935 was created to provide insurance against old age, death, and disability. For 90 years, it has helped protect Americans and was originally passed with strong bipartisan support.
The Ortonville Independent
Aug 26
Still Serving
By Jake Lillehaug 8-27-26 The jersey was probably a little too big, but that didn’t seem to bother him. My son stood there looking at his name across the back of his first football jersey with a smile that made it obvious, this was a pretty big deal. At six years old, this will be his first experience playing football. For him, it was a jersey. For me, it was another reminder that summer is slowly giving way to fall. School is starting. Football fields are filling up. Dan
Jake Lillehaug
Aug 26
Blake's Take
By Clarissa Blake 8-18-26 Bravo the dog just turned three on Aug. 17. This is my dog who comes to work with me at the newspapers, puts in long hours at the office, and comes with me on most deliveries so our customers can receive their news and printing products in a timely manner. When I first moved back to Big Stone County to help my dad with the Northern Star and Ortonville Independent, I found a small house to live in and was living alone. My dad said, “You either need a
Clarissa
Aug 21
Cabin for
Rent
bottom of page