Local News Headlines – Thursday, July 15

THE SONS OF NORWAY STAVANGER LODGE WILL MEET AT 7:00 THURSDAY EVENING AT THE COTTONWOOD COUNTY HISTORICAL MUSEUM IN WINDOM.  A PROGRAM WILL BE PRESENTED BY ILENE CLARK TITLED “DOWNSIZE AND DE-CLUTTER.”  CLARK OWNS AN ANTIQUE BUSINESS AND HELPS PEOPLE WHO ARE MOVING.  SHE WILL PRESENT TIPS TO HELP PEOPLE WHO MAY BE THINKING ABOUT DOWN-SIZING OR MOVING OUT OF THEIR CURRENT HOME.  CLARK SAID PEOPLE NEED TO BE ABLE TO DETERMINE WHAT THEY REALLY NEED, ESPECIALLY IF THEY ARE MOVING INTO A SMALLER SPACE LIKE AN APARTMENT OR A SENIOR LIVING RESIDENTS.  THE PUBLIC IS INVITED TO ATTEND.  LIGHT REFRESHMENTS WILL BE SERVED. 

 

THE 2021 WATONWAN COUNTY FAIR IS BEING HELD THIS WEEK AT THE FAIRGROUNDS IN ST. JAMES.   ADMISSION IS FREE.  ENTRIES ARE BEING TAKEN TODAY FOR F-F-A CROPS JUDGING, SWINE AND POULTRY, OPEN-CLASS CROPS AND CREATIVE ARTS PROJECTS.  JUDGING EVENTS TODAY INCLUDE THE LAMB LEAD AND SHEEP SHOW; 4-H CROP JUDGING; 4-H HORSE JUDGING; THE 4-H AND F-F-A GOAT SHOW; AND THE POULTRY SHOW.  THERE WILL BE F-F-A DEMONSTRATIONS AT 6:30.  A TEEN DANCE WILL BE HELD FROM 7:00 TO 11:00 THIS EVENING.  DAILY ACTIVITIES INCLUDE FOOD BOOTHS AND THE CARNIVAL WITH ‘DES MOINES AMUSEMENTS.’  THE TRACTORCADE BREAKFAST WILL BE HELD FRIDAY MORNING. 

 

THE WINDOM SCHOOL BOARD MET THIS WEEK.   FURTHER DISCUSSION WAS HELD ON THE RENEWAL OF THE OPERATING LEVY.  WHILE NO FINAL DECISIONS HAVE BEEN MADE, THE BOARD HAS INDICATED IT IS GENERALLY IN FAVOR OF ASKING VOTERS TO RENEW THE CURRENT OPERATING LEVY AT THE SAME AMOUNT FOR ANOTHER 7-YEAR PERIOD.  THE BOARD HAS ALSO SHOWN SUPPORT FOR HAVING A SEPARATE BALLOT QUESTION TO APPROVE A CAPITAL TECHNOLOGY LEVY, WHICH WOULD PROVIDED DEDICATED FUNDING FOR TECHNOLOGY PURCHASES INCLUDING COMPUTERS AND SOFTWARE.  THE AMOUNT OF THE CAPITAL TECH LEVY IS STILL TO BE DETERMINED.  IF A CAPITAL TECH LEVY IS APPROVED, IT WOULD MEAN AN INCREASE IN PROPERTY TAXES.   

 

WINDOM IS HOLDING ITS “CRAZY DAYS” PROMOTION THIS WEEK.  WINDOM BUSINESSES WILL BE OFFERING CRAZY DAYS BARGAINS, SALES AND SPECIAL OFFERS ON THURSDAY, FRIDAY AND SATURDAY.  SEVERAL STORES AROUND THE COURTHOUSE SQUARE WILL BE HAVING OUTDOOR DISPLAYS AND SALES TABLES.   

 

MORE AMERICAN RED CROSS BLOOD DRIVES ARE BEING HELD IN THE AREA.   TODAY, THERE WILL BE A BLOOD DRIVE AT THE LAMBERTON AMERICAN LEGION FROM NOON UNTIL 6:00PM.  A TWO-DAY BLOOD DRIVE IS BEING HELD AT OUR SAVIOR’S LUTHERAN CHURCH IN JACKSON TODAY AND TOMORROW.  THERE ARE NO MORE APPOINTMENTS AVAILABLE TODAY, BUT SOME APPOINTMENTS ARE STILL AVAILABLE ON FRIDAY FROM 8:00AM TO 1:00PM.  YOU MUST MAKE AN APPOINTMENT TO DONATE BLOOD.  CALL 1-800-733-2767 OR GO ONLINE TO www.redcrossblood.org.  SOME LOCATIONS MAY ONLY HAVE A LIMITED NUMBER OF TIMES AVAILABLE.  

 

THE JACKSON COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS MET LAST WEEK.   THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR WAS AUTHORIZED TO BEGIN A REVIEW FO THE COUNTY’S FINANCE POLICIES.  THE ADMINISTRATOR IS ALSO PLANNING TO HOLD A COMPLETE REVIEW OF THE COUNTY EMPLOYEE HANDBOOK.  THE BOARD ADOPTED A JOINT-POWERS AGREEMENT FOR THE 9 COUNTIES SERVED BY THE RED ROCK RURAL WATER SYSTEM.  THE BOARD SCHEDULED A PUBLIC HEARING FOR AUGUST 3RD TO REVIEW THE COUNTY’S 5-YEAR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN.  THE BOARD VOTED TO ACCEPT THE LOW BID OF JUST OVER $1.2-MILLION FOR AN ADDITION TO THE GOVERNMENT CENTER WEST BUILDING.