Local News Headlines – Wednesday, Sept 2nd

A LOCAL BUSINESS IS PREPARING FOR A CHANGE OF OWNERSHIP.   FAST GLOBAL SOLUTIONS WILL REPORTEDLY BE SELLING THE COMPANY’S DIVISION THAT PRODUCES AGRICULTURAL EQUIPMENT.  THE SALE WILL INCLUDE THE FACILITIES AND OPERATIONS AT THE FAST PROPERTIES IN WINDOM, MT LAKE AND GILLMAN, ILLINOIS.  ACCORDING TO THE COMPANY, THE NEW OWNER INTENDS TO CONTINUE PRODUCTION OF AG EQUIPMENT AT THOSE FACILITIES.   THE SALE IS EXPECTED TO BECOME FINAL IN OCTOBER OR NOVEMBER.   FAST GLOBAL SOLUTIONS BEGAN AS FAST SPRAYERS IN 1990.  IN 2014, FAST OPENED A NEW PRODUCTION FACILITY IN THE NORTH WINDOM INDUSTRIAL PARK. 

 

A SPECIAL MEETING OF THE MT LAKE SCHOOL BOARD WAS HELD THIS WEEK.   THE BOARD REVIEWED PROPOSALS FOR A TRANSPORTATION PLAN.   AFTER DISCUSSION, THE BOARD REQUESTED THE PALMER BUS SERVICE TO CREATE AN ADDITIONAL BUS ROUTE AND HIRE A DRIVER.  THAT WILL BRING THE MT LAKE BUS FLEET TO FIVE ROUTES IN THE MORNING AND AFTERNOON.  WITH COVID-19 RESTRICTIONS, BUSSES WILL BE OPERATING AT 50% OF CAPACITY WITH SOCIAL DISTANCING.  THAT WILL LIMIT THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS THAT MAY BE TRANSPORTED ON A ROUTE.  THE DISTRICT HAD ALSO CONSIDERED A PLAN THAT WOULD HAVE REQUIRED MORE STUDENTS TO WALK TO SCHOOL IF THEY LIVED WITHIN THREE-QUARTERS OF A MILE FROM THE SCHOOL BUILDING. 

 

THE HERON LAKE CITY COUNCIL MEETS AT 7:00 THIS EVENING AT THE CITY HALL COUNCIL CHAMBERS.   THE 2019 CITY AUDIT REPORT WILL BE PRESENTED.  THE COUNCIL WILL DISCUSS PLANS FOR THE CERTIFICATION OF A PRELIMINARY 2021 PROPERTY TAX LEVY.  THE COUNCIL WILL DISCUSS FEDERAL FUNDING AVAILABLE UNDER THE ‘CARES’ ACT.  THEY WILL REVIEW A PLAN FOR THE DISTRIBUTION OF FUNDS.  A REPORT WILL BE PROVIDED ON THE SUMMER RECREATION PROGRAM.  THE COUNCIL WILL REVIEW A PLAN FOR THE SAFE DESTRUCTION OF SOME EXPIRED CITY RECORDS.  REPORTS MAY BE PROVIDED BY THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, POLICE DEPARTMENT AND AMBULANCE DEPARTMENT. 

 

A NEW MONTH HAS ARRIVED.  HERE’S AN UPDATE ON SPECIAL EVENTS BEING HELD – OR NOT HELD – IN THE AREA.  MOST EVENTS HAVE BEEN CANCELED DUE TO COVID-19 RESTRICTIONS ON CROWD SIZES AT PUBLIC EVENTS.  AMONG EVENTS ORIGINALLY SCHEDULED FOR SEPTEMBER:  TRACY HAS ANNOUNCED THE CANCELATION OF THE “BOX CAR DAYS” CELEBRATION.  THE ‘MISS TRACY’ SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM WILL BE HELD ON SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 6TH.   THE PRAIRIE ECOLOGY BUS CENTER HAS CANCELED THE ‘PRAIRIE WINDS KITE FLY.’   THE JACKSON AIRPORT HAS CANCELED THE FLY-IN BREAKFAST.  THE MT LAKE HERITAGE FAIR AND HOT IRON DAYS IN LAMBERTON HAVE BEEN CANCELED.   

 

 THE WOUND CARE AND HYPERBARIC HEALING CENTER AT WINDOM AREA HEALTH IS HOLDING A CELEBRATION THIS WEEK.  THE CENTER WAS RECENTLY HONORED WITH AN AWARD AS A “CENTER OF DISTINCTION” FOR 2019.  THE AWARD WAS PRESENTED BY ‘HEALOGICS,’ A NATIONAL PROVIDER OF ADVANCED WOUND-CARE SERVICES.   A DRIVE-THROUGH PIE AND ICE-CREAM EVENT WILL BE HELD ON THURSDAY AT THE TEGELS PARK SHELTER.   THIS IS OPEN TO PATIENTS, FAMILY MEMBERS AND THE PUBLIC.  STARTING AT 1:30 THURSDAY AFTERNOON, PEOPLE MAY DRIVE THROUGH TEGELS PARK AND RECEIVE PIE, ICE CREAM TREATS AND WATER FROM HOSPITAL STAFF AND PROVIDERS.