Local News Headlines – Wednesday, March 3rd

A SUB-REGIONAL SENIOR-HIGH KNOWLEDGE BOWL MEET WAS HELD LAST FRIDAY.   THERE WERE 11 TEAMS FROM SIX AREA SCHOOL DISTRICTS.  TEAMS COMPETED IN ONE ROUND OF WRITTEN QUESTIONS AND THREE ROUNDS OF ORAL QUESTIONS.  FIRST PLACE WENT TO A TEAM FROM MURRAY COUNTY CENTRAL.  THE MT LAKE “SILVER” TEAM TITED FOR 2ND PLACE WITH THE WORTHINGTON ‘SENIOR’ TEAM.  WINDOM HAD ONE TEAM IN THE MEET.  THE TEAM OF PARKER ALVSTAD, RYAN FAUGLID AND FAITH FORD FINISHED IN 5TH PLACE WITH 38.5 PIONTS, AND WILL ADVANCE TO THE REGIONAL MEET.  THE MT LAKE “MAROON” TEAM FINISHED IN 6TH PLACE.  THE REGIONAL MEET WILL BE HELD ON MONDAY, MARCH 8TH.   

 

THE MONTHLY WEATHER STATISTICS HAVE BEEN RELEASED FOR THE CITY OF WINDOM IN FEBRUARY.   TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE MONTH CAME TO 5.1”.  FOR THE CURRENT WINTER SEASON, WINDOM HAS NOW RECEIVED 28.9” OF SNOW –ABOUT 6” LESS THAN THE SAME TIME LAST YEAR.  THE HIGH TEMPERATURE WAS 47-DEGREES ON FEBRUARY 24TH & THE 29TH.  THE AVERAGE DAILY HIGH TEMP WAS 18.5-DEGREES.  THE LOW TEMPERATURE WAS 19-BELOW ZERO ON FEBRUARY 15TH.  THE AVERAGE DAILY LOW TEMP WAS 3.6-DEGREES.  WINDOM HAD 15 CONSECUTIVE DAYS WITH TEMPERATURES BELOW ZERO.  THERE WERE FIVE DAYS IN THE MONTH WHEN THE TEMPERATURE WAS BELOW ZERO FOR THE ENTIRE DAY. 

 

APPLICATIONS ARE BEING ACCEPTED FOR A PROGRAM DESIGNED TO HELP LOW-INCOME FAMILIES PURCHASE OR REPAIR A HOME IN A RURAL AREA.  THE “DIRECT HOME LOAN” PROGRAM IS OFFERED THROUGH THE U-S-D-A RURAL DEVELOPMENT OFFICE.  INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES CONSIDERED TO BE LOW-INCOME OR VERY–LOW INCOME MAY RECEIVE A LOAN OF UP TO $20,000 AT 1% INTEREST FOR 20 YEARS.  GRANTS OF UP TO $7,500 ARE AVAILABLE TO HOMEOWNERS 62-OR-OLDER TO DEAL WITH HEALTH AND SAFETY HAZARDS.  APPLICANTS MUST MEET INCOME AND CREDIT GUIDELINES AND DEMONSTRATE THE ABILITY TO REPAY A LOAN.  FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT THE U-S-D-A RURAL DEVELOPMENT HOUSING OFFICES IN WORTHINGTON OR MARSHALL. 

 

THE RED ROCK CENTRAL SCHOOL BOARD HOLDS A SPECIAL MEETING TODAY.   A WORK-SESSION WILL BE HELD AT THE SCHOOL BUILDING IN LAMBERTON.  BOARD MEMBERS WILL CONTINUE TO DISCUSS REFERENDUM PLANNING.  DURING THE LAST YEAR, THE RED ROCK CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT HAS HELD TWO BUILDING REFERENDUMS, SEEKING APPROVAL FOR A BOND ISSUE TO FINANCE THE CONSTRUCTION OF A NEW SCHOOL BUILDING.  IN EACH CASE, THE MEASURE DID NOT RECEIVE ENOUGH VOTES TO PASS.  THE BOARD WILL CONSIDER ITS OPTIONS FOR MOVING FORWARD.  THE DISTRICT MAY CALL FOR THE PUBLIC TASK FORCE TO HOLD ADDITIONAL MEETINGS.  ONE OPTION WOULD BE TO REVISE THE PLAN TO CALL FOR REMODELING OF THE EXISTING SCHOOL BUILDING AS OPPOSED TO A NEW BUILDING.  

 

THE MT LAKE SCHOOL BOARD WILL HOLD A SPECIAL MEETING AT 5:30 THIS AFTERNOON IN THE CHOIR ROOM AT THE PUBLIC SCHOOL BUILDING IN MT LAKE.   THE BOARD WILL CONSIDER A NUMBER OF PERSONNEL MATTERS.  A NOTICE OF RESIGNATION WILL BE PRESENTED BY THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PRINCIPAL.  THE BOARD MAY ACCEPT THE RESIGNATION AND POST AN OPENING FOR A NEW PRINCIPAL.  RESIGNATIONS WILL ALSO BE SUBMITTED BY A CUSTODIAN, A PART-TIME PARA-PROFESSIONAL AND A SCHOOL COUNSELOR.  OPENINGS MAY BE POSTED FOR A FULL-TIME GOUNDS KEEPER AND CUSTODIAN, AND A FULL-TIME CONSELOR.  THE BOARD MAY APPROVE THE HIRING OF A PART-TIME PARA-PROFESSIONAL. 

 

THE HERON LAKE CITY COUNCIL MEETS AT 7:00 THIS EVENING AT THE CITY HALL BUILDING.   THE COUNCIL WILL DISCUSS SOME WATER DAMAGE AT THE FALCON HEIGHTS BUILDING.  THE LEASE FOR FALCON HEIGHTS MAY BE UPDATED.   THE COUNCIL WILL CONSIDER THE RENEWAL OF TWO LIQUOR LICENSES.  AN UPDATE MAY BE APPROVED FOR THE CITY’S PERSONNEL POLICIES.  DISCUSSION WILL BE HELD ON TREE PLANTING AT LAKER FIELD.  A RESIGNATION WILL BE ACCEPTED FROM A MEMBER OF THE AMBULANCE SQUAD.  THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT WILL DISCUSS A SEAL-COATING PROJECT.  THE POLICE DEPARTMENT WILL REVIEW BIDS FOR SOME NEW RADIO EQUIPMENT.  THE COUNCIL WILL HEAR FROM A LOCAL RESIDENT INVOLVING A DISPUTE OVER PARKING VIOLATIONS.   

                                                                

A REGULAR MEETING OF THE MT LAKE CITY COUNCIL WAS HELD THIS WEEK.   THE COUNCIL APPROVED THE PURCHASE OF NEW EQUIPMENT FOR THE STREET DEPARTMENT.  FURTHER DISCUSSION WAS HELD ON PLANNING FOR A POSSIBLE NEW FIRE AND AMBULANCE HALL.  THE COUNCIL ACCEPTED A QUOTE FROM A COMPANY THAT PROVIDES SOIL BORING AND SOIL TESTING SERVICES.  THE CONTRACT WILL BE FINALIZED WHEN THE CITY DECIDES HOW MANY POTENTIAL SITES WILL BE TESTED.  THE COUNCIL REVIEWED A PLAN TO REMODEL THE OFFICE SPACE AT THE CITY HALL BUILDING.   MEETINGS ARE BEING HELD WITH AN ARCHITECT.  THE COUNCIL RENEWED THE CITY’S COVERAGE FOR WORKERS COMPENSATION INSURANCE.