Local News Headlines – Wednesday, July 21st

FUNDING IS AVAILABLE TO HELP LOW-INCOME FAMILIES TO BUY A HOUSE OR REPAIR THEIR CURRENT HOME.  THE U-S-D-A RURAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM HAS A ‘DIRECT HOME LOAN’ AVAILABLE.  THIS IS FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE CLASSIFIED AS LOW-INCOME OR VERY LOW INCOME AND CANNOT QUALIFY FOR TRADITIONAL BANK LOANS.  NO DOWN PAYMENT IS REQUIRED AND INTEREST RATES MAY BE AS LOW AS 1%.  APPLICANTS MUST MEET INCOME AND CREDIT GUIDELINES AND DEMONSTRATE THE ABILITY TO REPAY A LOAN.  THE MAXIMUM LOAN AMOUNT IS $20-THOUSAND FOR 20 YEARS.  THE MONEY CAN BE USED TO PURCHASE A HOME OR TO MAKE REPAIRS TO AN OLDER HOUSE.  CONTACT A HOUSING SPECIALIST IN WORTHINGTON OR MARSHALL FOR DETAILS. 

 

THE MURRAY COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY WILL BE HOLDING A SUMMER CONCERT SERIES.  THE “FRONT PORCH” CONCERTS ARE HELD AT THE HISTORIC DINEHART-HOLT HOUSE IN SLAYTON.  CONCERTS ARE FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.  REFRESHMENTS WILL BE AVAILABLE.  EACH CONCERT BEGINS AT 7:00PM.  THIS THURSDAY, THE CONCERT WILL FEATURE “KORDAL KOMBAT,” A BARBERSHOP AND ACAPELLA GROUP.  CONCERTS WILL ALSO BE OFFERED ON THE NEXT TWO THURSDAYS.  FUNDING HAS BEEN PROVIDED THROUGH A GRANT FROM THE SOUTHWEST MINNESOTA ARTS COUNCIL.  THE DINEHART-HOLT HOUSE WAS BUILT IN 1891 BY CHRISTOPHER DINEHART.  HIS WIFE FLORA IS BELIEVED TO HAVE OWNED THE FIRST PIANO IN MURRAY COUNTY.   

 

THE MT LAKE SCHOOL BOARD HELD A REGULAR MEETING THIS WEEK.   A NUMBER OF PERSONNEL ITEMS WERE HANDLED. A 10-YEAR PLAN AND BUDGET WAS APPROVED FOR LONG-TERM FACILITY MAINTENANCE.  THE 2021-22 STAFF HANDBOOK WAS REVIEWED.  THERE WAS AN UPDATE ON SCHOOL BOARD ELECTIONS.  THREE SEATS ON THE BOARD WILL BE UP FOR ELECTION THIS FALL.  CANDIDATES WILL BE ABLE TO FILE NOTICE FROM JULY 27TH TO AUGUST 10TH.  THE BOARD APPROVED HIRING THE KULSETH LAWN SERVICE TO HANDLE MOWING AND UPKEEP AT MUNSON FIELD.  THE BOARD VOTED TO AUTHORIZE KRAUS-ANDERSON TO PERFORM AN ASSESSMENT OF DISTRICT FACILITIES.   

 

HERE’S AN UPDATE ON COVID-19 VACCINATIONS IN SOUTHWEST MINNESOTA.   INCLUDING TOTALS THROUGH LAST SUNDAY, 63% OF MINNESOTA RESIDENTS AGED 12-AND-OLDER ARE NOW FULLY VACCINATED.   IN GENERAL, THE OLDER PEOPLE ARE, THE MORE LIKELY THEY ARE TO BE VACCINATED.  89% OF PEOPLE 65-AND-OLDER ARE FULLY VACCINATED, COMPARED TO JUST 34% OF CHILDREN FROM 12-TO-15 YEARS OLD.  LOCALLY, IN COTTONWOOD COUNTY, JUST OVER 55% OF PEOPLE 12-AND-OLDER ARE FULLY VACCINATED.  IN  JACKSON COUNTY, JUST OVER 51% OF RESIDENTS 12-AND-OLDER ARE FULLY VACCINATED.  NOBLES COUNTY HAS THE HIGHEST RATE IN THE AREA, WITH NEARLY 57% OF RESIDENTS 12-AND-OLDER HAVING BEEN VACCINATED. 

 

THE BUSINESS, ARTS AND RECREATION CENTER IS HOLDING A SILENT AUCTION FUND-RAISER.   THE AUCTION WILL FEATURE OVER 100 ITEMS THAT HAVE BEEN DONATED BY LOCAL BUSINESSES AND SUPPORTERS OF THE ‘BARC’ CENTER.  BIDDING WILL TAKE PLACE IN THE ‘BARC’ LIBRARY.  HOURS ARE NOON TO 5:30PM WEDNESDAY, THURSDAY AND FRIDAY; 9:00AM TO NOON ON SATURDAY; AND NEXT MONDAY FROM 9:00AM UNTIL THE END OF THE ANNUAL BUSINESS MEETING.  WINNERS WILL BE NOTIFIED BY PHONE STARTING ON TUESDAY, JULY 27TH.  SOME OF THE FEATURED ITEMS WILL INCLUDE GIFT CARDS, GIFT CERTIFICATES, HOUSEHOLD ITEMS, DECORATIONS, TOOLS, CLOTHING AND TICKETS TO SPORTING EVENTS.   

 

A REGULAR MEETING OF THE MT LAKE CITY COUNCIL WAS HELD THIS WEEK.  A CONTRACT WAS APPROVED WITH ANKENY BUILDERS OF BLUE EARTH TO REMODEL THE OFFICE SPACE AT THE CITY HALL BUILDING. THE WORK WILL BEGIN IN EARLY AUGUST.  THE CITY HALL WILL REMAIN OPEN TO THE PUBLIC DURING THE PROJECT.   THE COUNCIL APPROVED HIRING HANSON PLUMBING AND NICKELS CONSTRUCTION TO PERFORM EMERGENCY REPAIRS AT THE PUBLIC LIBRARY TO FIX A PROBLEM WITH THE SEWER SYSTEM.  THE COST WILL BE ROUGHLY $10-THOUSAND.  THE COUNCIL REVIEWED THE CURRENT YEAR’S BUDGET.  THERE WAS AN UPDATE ON SOME VANDALISM AT THE CITY PARK BANDSHELL.  A DISCUSSION WAS HELD ON THE 2022 CITY BUDGET.