Local News Headlines – Friday, May 7

THE WINDOM CITY TELE-COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION MET THIS WEEK.   THERE WAS A PERSONNEL UPDATE.  AN OUTSIDE PLANT TECHNICIAN HAS RESIGNED.  THE OPENING WILL BE POSTED FOR TWO WEEKS FOR INTERNAL APPLICANTS.  IF ONE OF THE CURRENT EMPLOYEES APPLIES FOR THE POSITION, AN OPENING WOULD BE POSTED FOR A NEW CABLE TECH.  WORK CONTINUES TO HOOK UP NEW CUSTOMERS ALONG COUNTY ROAD 13 AND 17.  NEW SERVICE IS BEING INSTALLED FOR THE GUARDIAN INN APARTMENT RENOVATION PROJECT.  SERVICE WAS ALSO EXTENDED TO A HOUSE ON NORTH HIGHWAY 71.  DETAILS ARE BEING FINALIZED FOR A NEW STREAMING VIDEO SERVICE.  THERE WILL BE THREE TIERS OF SERVICE PLUS PREMIUM CHANNELS.   

 

HERE IS AN UPDATE ON COVID-19 VACCINATIONS IN SOUTHWEST MINNESOTA.  STATE-WIDE, JUST UNDER 59% OF MINNESOTA RESIDENTS 16-AND-OLDER HAVE RECEIVED ONE DOSE OF VACCINE, AND 45% ARE FULLY VACCINATED.  LOCALLY, IN COTTONWOOD COUNTY, AS OF LAST SATURDAY, 54% OF COUNTY RESIDENTS 16-AND-OLDER HAVE RECEIVED ONE DOSE AND 48% ARE FULLY VACCINATED.  IN JACKSON COUNTY, 42% OF RESIDENTS 16-AND-OLDER ARE FULLY VACCINATED.  IN WATONWAN COUNTY, 46% OF RESIDENTS 16-AND-OLDER ARE FULLY VACCINATED.   IN REDWOOD COUNTY, 42% OF RESIDENTS 16-AND-OLDER ARE FULLY VACCINATED.  AND IN NOBLES COUNTY, 51% OF RESIDENTS 16-AND-OLDER ARE FULLY VACCINATED. 

 

THE MT LAKE CITY COUNCIL HELD A REGULAR MEETING THIS WEEK.   THE COUNCIL HELD A PUBLIC HEARING AND APPROVED THE DIVISION OF A PARCEL OF LAND IN THE 17-HUNDRED BLOCK OF 6TH AVENUE.  IT WAS ANNOUNCED THAT DAVE WATKINS WILL ASSUME THE DUTIES OF THE ELECTRIC SUPERINTENDENT ON A 30-DAY TRIAL PERIOD.  THE COUNCIL WILL REVISIT THE ISSUE AT THE JUNE 7TH REGULAR MEETING.  THE COUNCIL VOTED TO PROCLAIM MAY 21ST AS “PETERSON DRUG AND GIFTS DAY” IN RECOGNITION OF THE BUSINESS.  KARIN STOESZ WAS HIRED AS A PART-TIME LIBRARY AIDE.  THE COUNCIL APPROVED AN EXTENSION FOR THE POW-WOW PARADE ROUTE, GOING TO THE END OF 3RD AVENUE.   

 

THE WINDOM CITY COUNCIL MET EARLIER THIS WEEK.   MINN-DOT OFFICIALS DISCUSSED THE SECTION OF HIGHWAY 60 FROM THE DES MOINES RIVER BRIDGE TO THE SOUTH JUNCTION OF 60 AND 71.  A GENERAL CONCEPT PLAN WAS APPROVED.  UNDER THE PLAN, THE HIGHWAY WILL BE RE-STRIPED.  TRAFFIC WILL BE ONE LANE IN EACH DIRECTION WITH TURN LANES ON EACH SIDE.  AS PART OF THE PLAN, THE ENTRANCE TO SUBWAY WILL BE RESTRICTED, ALLOWING ENTRY AND EXIT BY RIGHT TURNS ONLY.  A PLAN WAS ALSO DISCUSSED FOR EAST HIGHWAY 60.  MINN-DOT WILL PAY FOR A NEW TURN LANE BY THE DOLLAR GENERAL STORE, WHILE THE CITY PAYS TO CONSTRUCT A NEW CITY STREET TO PROVIDE ACCESS FOR THE NEW CAR WASH.  A DISCUSSION WAS HELD ON POTENTIALLY ADDING MORE SIDEWALKS ALONG 12TH STREET AND COLLINS AVENUE. 

 

AS PART OF THE WINDOM CITYWIDE CLEANUP, PEOPLE MAY RECYCLE MATTRESSES AND BOX SPRINGS.   THOSE ITEMS WILL BE PICKED UP NEXT THURSDAY AND FRIDAY.  PEOPLE WILL NEED TO PURCHASE TAGS FOR MATTRESSES AND BOX SPRINGS AT $8 APIECE, WITH A LIMIT OF TWO TAGS PER HOUSEHOLD AT THAT PRICE.  ADDITIONAL TAGS WILL BE $13 EACH. TAGS MUST BE PURCHASED ONLINE OR AT CITY HALL BY TUESDAY, MAY 11TH.  PEOPLE MAY ALSO RECYCLE CERTAIN APPLIANCES OR ELECTRONIC ITEMS FOR A FEE.  AGAIN, TAGS MUST BE PURCHASED BY TUESDAY.  THERE IS A FEE OF $15 FOR T-V SETS AND COMPUTER MONITORS WITH A LIMIT OF 1 TAG PER HOUSEHOLD AT THAT PRICE.  ADDITIONAL TAGS ARE $25 EACH.   

 

THE MURRAY COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS HELD A REGULAR MEETING LAST WEEK.  A MOTION WAS APPROVED TO ALLOW A LOCAL CHURCH TO RENT THE COUNTY 4-H BUILDING TO HOLD SUNDAY SERVICES.  THE BOARD VOTED TO ALLOW THE USE OF FEDERAL FUNDS FOR A PROJECT TO CONSTRUCT A NEW 24-BED ASSISTED LIVING FACILITY IN SLAYTON.  IF FEDERAL FUNDING IS NOT AVAILABLE, THE BOARD WOULD CONSIDER A GENERAL FUND LOAN OF $250-THOUSAND AT 4% INTEREST.  APPROVAL WAS GIVEN TO HIRE THREE PEOPLE AS SEASONAL PARKS MAINTENANCE WORKERS.  THE BOARD DISCUSSED THE CREATION OF A NEW POSITION IN THE COUNTY SHERIFF’S DEPARTMENT FOR A PATROL SERGEANT.