Local News Headlines – Wednesday, April 14

THE WINDOM SCHOOL BOARD MET THIS WEEK. THE BOARD RECOGNIZED SEVERAL STAFF MEMBERS WHO HAVE RETIRED RECENTLY.  CONSULTANT HAZEL REINHART PRESENTED A NEW DISTRICT CENSUS STUDY.  A NUMBER OF PERSONNEL ITEMS WERE HANDLED DURING THE CONSENT AGENDA, INCLUDING THE HIRING OF SEVERAL LONG-TERM SUBSTITUTES, AND THE HIRING OF A NEW AG BUSINESS TEACHER, A 1ST GRADE TEACHER, TWO 5TH-GRADE TEACHERS, THREE KINDERGARTEN TEACHERS, AND A SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHER.  ADMINISTRATIVE REPORTS WERE PRESENTED.  THE ELEMENTARY PRINCIPAL REPORTED ON KINDERGARTEN REGISTRATION.  THE HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPAL REPORTED THAT PLANS ARE BEING DEVELOPED FOR HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION.    

 

THE HERON LAKE CITY COUNCIL MEETS TONIGHT AT THE CITY HALL BUILDING.   THE LOCAL BOARD OF APPEAL AND EQUALIZATION WILL TAKE PLACE AT 7:00PM.  LOCAL RESIDENTS MAY ASK QUESTIONS ABOUT THE ASSESSED VALUATION OF THEIR PROPERTY, OR REQUEST THAT THE BOARD MAKE AN ADJUSTMENT.   THE COUNCIL WILL HOLD AN ABATEMENT HEARING ON A PARCEL OF PROPERTY IN THE 100 BLOCK OF 10TH STREET NORTHWEST.  DURING THE REGULAR PORTION OF THE MEETING, THERE WILL BE A REPORT FROM THE BLUE HERON DAYS COMMITTEE.  AN UPDATE WILL BE PROVIDED ON THE JACKSON COUNTY HOME INITIATIVE PROGRAM.  INFORMATION WILL BE PRESENTED ON THE CITY’S INSURANCE COVERAGE.  THE CITY’S PERSONNEL POLICY MAY BE UPDATED. 

 

THIS IS SEVERE WEATHER AWARENESS WEEK IN MINNESOTA.    TODAY’S TOPIC COVERS FLOODING AND FLASH FLOODS.  FLASH FLOODS MAY OCCUR WITHIN 6 HOURS AFTER A HEAVY RAINFALL.  LAST YEAR THERE WERE 36 HEAVY-RAIN EVENTS IN MINNESOTA, INCLUDING HEAVY RAIN IN ROCK AND NOBLES COUNTIES ON JULY 6TH.  THERE WERE 33 REPORTS OF FLASH FLOODS IN THE STATE, INCLUDING REPORTS IN THE WORTHINGTON AREA ON JUNE 18TH.  MINNESOTA HAD 23 REPORTS OF FLOODING, WITH FLOODING REPORTED NEAR WESTBROOK ON MARCH 4TH, NEAR WINDOM ON MARCH 6TH AND APRIL 2ND, AND FLOODING IN PIPESTONE COUNTY ON JULY 6TH.     

 

THE PRAIRIE ARTS CONTINUUM IS PRESENTING A MUSICAL COMEDY PRODUCTION THIS WEEK.  “SHREK-THE MUSICAL” WILL BE PERFORMED AT THE ‘BARC’ AUDITORIUM IN WINDOM WITH SHOWS AT 7:00PM ON THURSDAY, FRIDAY AND SATURDAY, AND 2:00PM SUNDAY AFTERNOON.  ALL SEATS MUST BE RESERVED AT $10 EACH.  TICKETS ARE AVAILABLE AT THE BARC BOX OFFICE FROM 1:00 TO 5:00PM ON WEEKDAYS, OR CALL 831-2375.  ANY REMAINING SEATS MAY BE RESERVED AT THE DOOR ONE HOUR BEFORE EACH PERFORMANCE.  ‘SHREK-THE MUSICAL’ IS BASED ON THE POPULAR SERIES OF ANIMATED MOVIES ABOUT A GIANT GREEN OGRE AND HIS FRIENDS, INCLUDING MANY FAIRY-TALE CHARACTERS.  THE SHOW IS BEING DIRECTOR BY LORI GROTE OF JACKSON, WITH SUNNY OSLAND AND WENDY ROGOTZKE AS ASSISTANT DIRECTORS.   

 

THIS IS SEVERE WEATHER AWARENESS WEEK IN MINNESOTA.   THE STATE WIDE TORNADO DRILL IS BEING HELD ON THURSDAY.  MOST CITIES AND COUNTIES WILL HOLD TWO TORNADO DRILLS.  THE FIRST DRILL TAKES PLACE AT 1:45 THURSDAY AFTERNOON.  MANY CITIES AND COUNTIES WILL ACTIVATE THEIR OUTDOOR WARNING SIRENS.  THE SECOND TORNADO DRILL TAKES PLACE AT 6:45 THURSDAY AFTERNOON.   LAST YEAR IN MINNESOTA, THERE WERE 64 TORNADOES REPORTED ON 15 SEPARATE DAYS, INCLUDING 28 TORNADOES ON AUGUST 14TH.  THE TORNADOES LED TO ONE DEATH AND TWO SERIOUS INJURIES, WHILE CAUSING OVER $4-MILLION IN PROPERTY DAMAGE.  LOCALLY, A WEAKER “EF-0” TORNADO WAS REPORTED NEAR READING ON AUGUST 14TH.