Local News Headlines – Wednesday, November 11th

TODAY IS VETERANS DAY.  THE HOLIDAY BEGAN AS ‘ARMISTICE DAY,’ MARKING THE END OF WORLD WAR 1 ON NOVEMBER 11TH, 1918.  ARMISTICE DAY BECAME A NATIONAL HOLIDAY FOLLOWING AN ACT OF CONGRESS IN 1938.  AFTER WORLD WAR II, A VETERAN FROM ALABAMA ORGANIZED AN EVENT HE CALLED NATIONAL VETERANS DAY.  IN 1954, A NEW BILL WAS PASSED IN CONGRESS, CHANGING THE NAME OF THE HOLIDAY TO VETERANS DAY.  VETERANS DAY PAYS TRIBUTE TO ALL AMERICAN VETERANS.   DUE TO COVID-19 CONSIDERATIONS, THE TRADITIONAL VETERANS DAY PROGRAM IS NOT BEING HELD AT WINDOM AREA HIGH SCHOOL.  

 

THE WINDOM SCHOOL BOARD MET THIS WEEK.   THE BOARD APPROVED PAYMENT OF CONTRACTORS’ BILLS FOR WORK AT THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, THE CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION CENTER, AND THE HIGHLAND SCHOOL BUILDING.  SEVERAL CHANGE ORDERS WERE APPROVED.  THE FALL 2020 DISTRICT CENSUS REPORT WAS PRESENTED, SHOWING THE NUMBER OF PRE-SCHOOL AGE CHILDREN WHO ARE LIVING IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.  THERE WERE 116 CHILDREN IN THE 4-YEAR-OLD AGE GROUP, CREATING THE POSSIBILITY OF A LARGE KINDERGARTEN CLASS NEXT YEAR.  A CALENDAR CHANGE WAS APPROVED, CHANGING THIS FRIDAY TO NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS AND A FULL WORK-DAY FOR TEACHERS.   

 

THIS IS WINTER HAZARD AWARENESS WEEK IN MINNESOTA.   TODAY’S TOPIC COVERS WINTER FIRE SAFETY.  MOST HOME FIRES TAKE PLACE IN THE WINTER, WITH JANUARY THE MOST COMMON MONTH FOR FIRES IN THE HOME.  ALL HOMES SHOULD HAVE SMOKE DETECTORS ON EVERY LEVEL, INCLUDING ONE BY EACH BEDROOM.  KITCHEN AND COOKING ACCIDENTS ARE THE LEADING CAUSE OF FIRES IN THE HOME.  OTHER POSSIBLE CAUSES OF FIRES INCLUDE WOOD-BURNING STOVES AND FIREPLACES AND SPACE HEATERS.  IF YOU HEAT WITH WOOD, CLEAN YOUR FIREPLACE OR STOVE AND HAVE YOUR CHIMNEY CHECKED AND CLEANED ON A REGULAR BASIS.   

 

THE HERON LAKE CITY COUNCIL HOLDS A SPECIAL MEETING AT 8:30 THURSDAY MORNING AT THE CITY HALL COUNCIL CHAMBERS.     COUNCIL MEMBERS WILL CANVASS THE RESULTS OF THE 2020 GENERAL ELECTION.  THE COUNCIL WILL ALSO REVIEW APPLICATIONS FOR GRANTS USING FEDERAL FUNDING THROUGH THE ‘CARES’ ACT.  THE COUNCIL MAY VOTE TO APPROVE NEW ALLOCATIONS OF FUNDING.  A DISCUSSION WILL BE HELD ON CLEANING SERVICES.  THE HERON LAKE COUNCIL MAY ALSO HANDLE SOME FINANCIAL BUSINESS.  

 

THE DES MOINES VALLEY HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES AGENCY WILL HOLD A BOARD MEETING AT 9:00 THURSDAY MORNING IN THE CAFETERIA AT THE JACKSON COUNTY GOVERNMENT CENTER “EAST” BUILDING.  THE PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT WILL HAVE A COVID-19 UPDATE.   THE BOARD WLIL CONSIDER APPROVING A CONTRACT WITH THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH TO ASSIST WITH REGIONAL CONTACT TRACING, AND CONSIDER HIRING TEMPORARY OR PART-TIME POSITIONS FOR A COVID CASE INVESTIGATOR OR CONTACT TRACER.  A PORTION OF THE MEETING WILL BE HELD IN CLOSED SESSION TO CONDUCT A PERFORMANCE EVALUATION FOR THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR. 

 

A SPECIAL MEETING OF THE MT LAKE CITY COUNCIL WILL BE HELD AT NOON THURSDAY AT THE CITY HALL COUNCIL CHAMBERS.    THE COUNCIL WILL BE MEETING TO OFFICIALLY CANVASS THE RESULTS OF THE 2020 GENERAL ELECTION.  THE ELECTION INCLUDED VOTING FOR MAYOR AND TWO SEATS ON THE CITY COUNCIL. 

  

 THE WINDOM CITY COUNCIL WILL HOLD A SPECIAL MEETING AT 3:45 THURSDAY AFTERNOON AT THE WINDOM CITY HALL COUNCIL CHAMBERS.  THE COUNCIL WILL CANVASS THE OFFICIAL RESULTS OF THE ELECTION FOR MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL SEATS.   UNDER OLD BUSINESS, THE COUNCIL MAY CONSIDER A RECOMMENDATION FROM THE PLANNING COMMISSION INVOLVING AN APPLICATION FOR A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT FOR TEMPORARY HOUSING.