Local News Headlines – Friday, February 12th

A MEETING OF THE JACKSON COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS WAS HELD LAST WEEK.   THE JACKSON FOOD SHELF MADE A PRESENTATION AND PRESENTED A REQUEST FOR FUNDING.  THE BOARD APPROVED AN EXTENSION OF THE COUNTY’S COMPREHENSIVE LOCAL WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN.  THE BOARD POSTED AN OPENING FOR A PART-TIME DEPUTY AUDITOR-TREASURER TO WORK ON AN AS-NEEDED BASIS.  THIS PERSON WOULD HELD WITH END-OF-THE YEAR REPORTING, TAX PREPARATION AND AUDIT PREPARATION.  RESTITUTION WAS APPROVED FOR WINTER RESCUE SERVICES.  THE BOARD WENT INTO CLOSED SESSION TO CONDUCT EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE EVALUATIONS. 

 

A SENIOR-HIGH KNOWLEDGE BOWL MEET WAS HELD THIS WEEK, HOSTED BY LAKEVIEW HIGH SCHOOL.   THE MEET WAS HELD IN A VIRTUAL SETTING.  THERE WERE 44 TEAMS PARTICIPATING FROM 23 AREA SCHOOL DISTRICTS.  FIRST PLACE WENT TO A TEAM FROM MURRAY COUNTY CENTRAL.  TEAMS FROM GLENCOE-SILVER LAKE TOOK 2ND AND 4TH PLACE.  ADRIAN-ELLSWORTH WAS 3RD AND JACKSON COUNTY CENTRAL FINISHED IN 5TH PLACE.  AMONG AREA TEAMS, THE MT LAKE “MAROON” TEAM FINISHED IN 6TH PLACE.  RED ROCK CENTRAL WAS 21ST.  THE WINDOM “BLUE” TEAM FINISHED IN 26TH PLACE.  TEAM MEMBERS WERE PARKER ALVSTAD, FAITH FORD AND RYAN FAUGLID.  

 

THE WINDOM E-D-A MET EARLIER THIS WEEK.    DISCUSSION WAS HELD ON THE POSSIBLE CREATION OF A LOAN PROGRAM TO ASSIST WITH THE COST OF INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS FOR SINGLE-FAMILY HOUSING PROJECTS.   THE E-D-A REVIEWED PLANS FOR A FACADE IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM.  AT LEAST ONE APPLICATION IS PENDING.   THE E-D-A REVIEWED AND APPROVED ITS ANNUAL REPORT FOR 2020.  INFORMATION WAS PRESENTED ON A ‘LIVABILITY’ LOAN PROGRAM BEING OFFERED THROUGH TEH WINDOM AREA DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION.   THE E-D-A HAD AN UPDATE ON THE ‘SPEC’ BUILDING ON NORTH REDDING AVENUE.  A DEVELOPER HAS AN OPTION TO PURCHASE THE SITE WITH PLANS FOR A NEW APARTMENT BUILDING.  THE E-D-A VOTED TO EXTEND THE PURCHASE OPTION THROUGH APRIL.   

 

THE WINDOM SCHOOL BOARD HELD A REGULAR MEETING THIS WEEK.    SEVERAL PERSONNEL MATTERS WERE HANDLED DURING THE CONSENT AGENDA.   THE BOARD VOTED TO DENY A REQUEST FOR A LEAVE OF ABSENCE FROM AN EMPLOYEE.  THE BOARD ACCEPTED A RESIGNATION FROM CUSTODIAN JAMES SMEDSRUD.  ADMINISTRATIVE REPORTS WERE PRESENTED.  THE ELEMENTARY PRINCIPAL REPORTED ON A PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT DAY THAT WAS HELD LAST FRIDAY.  THE HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPAL DISCUSSED WORK ON NEXT YEAR’S CLASS SCHEDULE.  THE MIDDLE-HIGH SCHOOL IS EXPLORING OPTIONS FOR INCLUDING SOME SHORTER CLASS PERIODS INTO THE BLOCK SCHEDULE.   THE FALL MUSICAL WAS PERFORMED FOR A SMALL AUDIENCE; IT WILL ALSO BE AVAILABLE ONLINE. 

 

 THE MURRAY COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY IS PRESENTING ANOTHER VIRTUAL PROGRAM.   DUE TO COVID-19 RESTRICTIONS, THE MONTHLY LECTURE SERIES IS BEJNG DONE AS ON-LINE PROGRAMS ON THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY WEBSITE.  A NEW PROGRAM WAS POSTED ONLINE THIS WEEK.  THIS IS A VIDEO BY JACOB ETRHEIM, SITE COORDINATOR FOR THE END-O-LINE RAILROAD PARK AND MUSEUM IN CURRIE.  THE VIDEO IS TITLED “THE RAILROADS OF MURRAY COUNTY.”  THE LECTURE WILL COVER THE HISTORY OF RAILROADS IN MURRAY COUNTY AND THE IMPACT IT HAD ON THE REGION, INCLUDING THE INCREASE IN POPULATION FROM 1880 TO 1900.  ACCESS TO THE VIDEO IS FREE AND OPEN TO ANYONE.  FIND IT ON THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY WEBSITE.