Local News Headlines – Thursday, June 3rd

A LONG-TIME WINDOM BUSINESS IS CHANGING OWNERSHIP.  DAVE AND SHERYL EYEBERG, OWNERS OF HAMMER’S FURNITURE, RECENTLY ANNOUNCED THAT THEY ARE SELLING THE BUSINESS TO BILL AND VANESSA TJENTLAND OF WINDOM.  THE SALE WILL BE FINALIZED IN EARLY JUNE.  HAMMER’S FURNITURE WAS FOUNDED BY LOREN AND EVELYN HAMMER – THE PARENTS OF SHERYL EYEBERG.  THE STORE OPERATED OUT OF SEVERAL LOCATIONS, MOVING TO ITS CURRENT LOCATION IN 1995.  VANESSA TJENTLAND HAS BEEN WORKING AT HAMMER’S FURNITURE FOR ROUGHLY TWO YEARS.  SHE AND HER HUSBAND HAVE INDICATED THAT CUSTOMERS WILL SEE VERY LITTLE DIFFERENCE WHEN THE NEW OWNERS TAKE OVER OPERATION.  THE EYEBERGS WILL CONTINUE TO WORK AT THE STORE DURING THE TRANSITION PERIOD. 

 

THE JEFFERS PETROGLYPHS HISTORIC SITE IS RE-OPENING TO THE PUBLIC THIS WEEK.    THE STATE HISTORICAL SOCIETY HAS ANNOUNCED ITS PLAN FOR RE-OPENING A NUMBER OF STATE HISTORIC SITES.  THE PETROGLYPHS SITE WILL OPEN TO THE PUBLIC STARTING JUNE 3RD.  ADMISSION WILL BE $10 FOR ADULTS; $8 FOR SENIOR CITIZENS AND STUDENTS.  THE VISITOR’S CENTER WILL BE OPEN FOR RESTROOM USE AND ON-SITE TICKET PURCHASES.  THE MUSEUM STORE WILL BE OPEN WITH LIMITED CAPACITY.  SELF-GUIDED TOURS WILL BE OFFERED.  RESERVATIONS ARE NOT NECESSARY.  STAFF WILL BE STATIONED ALONG A DESIGNATED PATH TO DISCUSS THE ROCK CARVINGS AND ANSWER QUESTIONS.  THE PETROGLYPHS WILL BE OPEN ON THURSDAY, FRIDAY, SATURDAY AND SUNDAY.  AFTER LABOR DAY, THE SITE WILL BE OPEN ON SATURDAY ONLY.   

 

THE WINDOM CITY COUNCIL MET THIS WEEK.  A NUMBER OF LICENSE APPLICATIONS WERE APPROVED INCLUDE PERMITS FOR RIVERFEST EVENTS.  THE COUNCIL APPROVED THE PROPOSED ROUTE FOR THE RIVERFEST PARADE.  SEVERAL DONATIONS TO THE CITY WERE ACCEPTED.  THE COUNCIL SCHEDULED A PUBLIC HEARING FOR JUNE 15TH TO CONSIDER AN APPLICATON FOR A RESIDENTIAL HOUSING TAX ABATEMENT FOR A NEW HOUSE AT ‘GOVE ACRES.’  A PUBLIC HEARING WAS SCHEDULED FOR JUNE 15TH TO DISCUSS A PROPOSAL BY THE WINDOM POLICE DEPARTMENT TO PURCHASE BODY CAMERAS FOR USE BY ITS OFFICERS.  A RESOLUTION WAS APPROVED, ALLOWING THE SALE OF PROPERTY IN THE 800 BLOCK OF 1ST AVENUE.  THE PROPERTY IS LOCATED IN A TAX INCREMENT FINANCING DISTRICT, AND CITY APPROVAL IS REQUIRED FOR THE SALE TO PROCEED.  

 

THE MONTHLY WEATHER STATISTICS HAVE BEEN REPORTED FOR THE CITY OF WINDOM IN MAY.    TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE MONTH CAME TO 3.06” WITH MEASUREABLE RAINFALL ON 11 DAYS AND A TRACE ON ONE DAY.  FOR THE YEAR TO DATE, WINDOM HAS NOW RECEIVED JUST UNDER 8” OF TOTAL RECIPITATION – ABOUT 1.3” LESS THAN AT THE SAME TIME LAST YEAR.   THE PRECIPITATION THROUGH THE FIRST 5 MONTHS OF THE YEAR IS THE LOWEST SINCE 2014.  THE HIGH TEMPERATURE IN MAY WAS 92-DEGREES ON MAY 2ND.  THE AVERAGE DAILY HIGH TEMPERATURE WAS 68.9-DEGREES – 2 DEGREES WARMER THAN LAST YEAR.  THE LOW TEMPERATURE IN MAY WAS 32-DEGREES ON MAY 11TH.  THE AVERAGE DAILY LOW TEMP WAS 48.7-DEGREES – THE SAME AS LAST YEAR.   

 

THE JEFFERS CITY COUNCIL HELD A REGULAR MEETING LAST WEEK.   THE COUNCIL APPROVED A BUILDING PERMIT APPLICATION FOR A STORAGE SHED, AND APPROVED A PERMIT APPLICATION FOR A NEW DECK.  DISCUSSION WAS HELD ON REPLACING THE ‘WELCOME TO JEFFERS’ SIGN.  THE CITY CLERK WILL CONTACT OTHER CITIES AND A SIGN COMPANY FOR MORE INFORMATION.  THE MAINTENANCE DEPARTMENT REPORTED THAT BUG-SPRAYING WILL BE DONE EVERY TWO WEEKS.  LETTERS WILL BE SENT TO THE OWNERS OF PROPERTY WHERE THE LAWNS NEED TO BE MOWED.  THE CITY WILL ALSO BE DEVELOPING A LIST OF UNLICENSED VEHICLES SO THAT LETTERS CAN BE SENT TO THE OWNERS.    

 

HERE’S AN UPDATE ON COVID-19 VACCINATIONS IN SOUTHWEST MINNESOTA.   IN COTTONWOOD COUNTY, JUST UNDER 54% OF RESIDENTS 16-AND-OLDER ARE FULLY VACCINATED.  NOBLES COUNTY HAS THE HIGHEST PERCENTAGE IN THE AREA WITH JUST OVER 56% OF RESIDENTS 16-AND-OLD FULLY VACCINATED.   WATONWAN COUNTY HAS 52% OF RESIDENTS 16 AND OLDER FULLY VACCINATED.  IN MARTIN COUNTY, JUST UDER 52% OF RESIDENTS 16-AND-OLDER ARE FULLY VACCINATED.  IN MURRAY COUNTY, JUST UNDER 50% OF RESIDENTS 16-AND-OLDER ARE FULLY VACCINATED.  IN REDWOOD COUNTY, 48% OF RESIDENTS 16-AND-OLDER ARE FULLY VACCINATED.  AND IN JACKSON COUNTY, JUST UNDER 47% OF RESIDENTS 16-AND-OLDER ARE FULLY VACCINATED.