Local News Headlines – Monday, September 7th

September 7, 2020 kdomadmin Local News 0

TODAY IS A HOLIDAY, FOR THE OBSERVANCE OF LABOR DAY.    LABOR DAY RECOGNIZES THE CONTRIBUTION OF WORKERS IN AMERICA.  THE HISTORY OF THE HOLIDAY IS TIED TO THE GROWTH OF LABOR UNIONS IN THE UNITED STATES.  ON SEPTEMBER 5TH OF 1882, THE CENTRAL LABOR UNION OF NEW YORK CITY ORGANIZED A MARCH WITH 10,000 WORKERS – THE 1ST LABOR DAY PARADE IN U.S. HISTORY.  IN 1994, PRESIDENT GROVER CLEVELAND SIGNED A LAW MAKING THE 1ST MONDAY IN SEPTEMBER A NATIONAL HOLIDAY.  EARLY LABOR DAY CELEBRATIONS WERE MARKED BY PARADES AND SPEECHES BY LOCAL POLITICIANS AND LABOR LEADERS.   
 
THE WINDOM SCHOOL DISTRICT WILL CONTINUE PREPARATIONS THIS WEEK FOR A NEW SCHOOL YEAR.  STAFF DEVELOPMENT DAYS WILL BE HELD ON TUESDAY, WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY.  WINDOM IS HAVING A LATER START TO THE SCHOOL YEAR.   STUDENTS IN PRE-KINDERGARTEN THROUGH THE 5TH GRADE WILL HAVE PARENT-TEACHER CONFERENCES ON MONDAY AND TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 14TH AND 15TH.  THEIR FIRST DAY OF CLASS WILL BE WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 16TH.   STUDENTS IN THE 6TH THROUGH 12TH GRADES WILL HAVE ORIENTATION PROGRAMS ON MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 14TH, WITH THEIR FIRST DAY OF CLASS ON TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15TH.   
 
THE WESTBROOK CITY COUNCIL HELD A REGULAR MEETING LAST WEEK.   THE COUNCIL REVIEWED INFORMATION ON THE PROPOSED 2021 CITY BUDGET AND PROPERTY TAX LEVY.   THEY VOTED TO ADOPT A PRELIMINARY 2021 PROPERTY TAX LEVY WITH AN INCREASE OF 3.7%.   THE COUNCIL REVIEWED A LEASE AGREEMENT WITH AMERICAN TOWER.   THE COMPANY LEASES SPACE ON A CELL PHONE TOWER.  THEY AGREED TO PAY THE CITY A MONTHLY FEE OF JUST OVER $1,000 FOR THE UPDATED LEASE.    A GOLF-CART PERMIT WAS APPROVED.  THE COUNCIL PASSED A RESOLUTION ACCEPTING JUST OVER $53-THOUSAND IN FEDERAL FUNDING UNDER THE CARES ACT.   
 
WINDOM AREA HEALTH RELEASED A REPORT OF PATIENT ACTIVITY FOR THE LAST FISCAL YEAR.  DURING THE 2020 FISCAL YEAR, THERE WERE 331 IN-PATIENT ADMISSIONS.  THAT WAS 6% FEWER THAN THE PREVIOUS YEAR.   TOTAL PATIENT DAYS CAME TO 961 – AN INCREASE OF 2%.  THE AVERAGE LENGTH OF STAY INCREASE FROM 2.7 DAYS IN 2019 TO 2.9 DAYS ON AVERAGE IN 2020.  EMERGENCY ROOMS VISITS TOTALLED 3,735, AN INCREASE OF LESS THAN 1%.  ALL OTHER OUT-PATIENT VISITS TOTALLED 22,290 – AN INCREASE OF 8% OVER THE PREVIOUS YEAR.  SURGERIES IN 2020 TOTALLED 808 – A DECREASE OF 11%.  SURGICAL PROCEDURES WERE IMPACTED BY THE COVID-19 VIRUS.