Local News Headlines – Thursday, August 12

THE DES MOINES VALLEY HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES AGENCY WILL HOLD A BOARD MEETING AT 9:00 THIS MORNING IN THE CAFETERIA AT THE JACKSON COUNTY GOVERNMENT CENTER EAST BUILDING.  STAFF REPORTS WILL BE PRESENTED ON CHILD AND TEEN CHECKUPS AND ON A STRATEGIC PLAN FOR COMMUNITY GARDENS.  THE PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT WILL PRESENT AN EVALUATION OF THE ‘WIC’ PROGRAM.  A REPORT WILL BE PRESENTED ON EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS.  THERE WILL BE AN UPDATE ON COVID-19 ISSUES.  THE BOARD MAY APPROVE AN AGREEMENT WITH A LAW FIRM TO ACT AS LEGAL COUNSEL FOR THE AGENCY ON A SOCIAL SERVICES CASE.  THE FISCAL REPORT WILL INCLUDE A 2022 BUDGET REVIEW AND A REVIEW OF RESERVE ACCOUNTS.   

 

THE WINDOM SCHOOL BOARD MET THIS WEEK.   A RESOLUTION WAS APPROVED, CALLING FOR THE WINDOM SCHOOL DISTRICT TO HOLD A VOTE THIS FALL ON RENEWING THE OPERATING LEVY REFERENDUM AND A SEPARATE VOTE ON APPROVING A NEW CAPITAL TECHNOLOGY LEVY.  THE ELECTION WILL BE HELD ON TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 2ND.  THE DISTRICT WILL BE SCHEDULING PUBLIC INFORMATIONAL MEETINGS THIS FALL TO DISCUSS THE PROPOSAL.  IN OTHER BUSINESS, A LIST OF COACHING ASSIGNMENTS AND ACTIVITY ADVISORS WAS APPROVED FOR THE NEXT SCHOOL YEAR.  A SUMMARY OF THE SUPERINTENDENT’S ANNUAL EVALUATION WAS PRESENTED AND APPROVED.  BOARD MEMBERS GAVE THE SUPERINTENDENT GRADES OF GOOD TO VERY GOOD IN ALL AREAS.   

 

THE 2021 COTTONWOOD COUNTY FAIR IS BEING HELD THIS WEEK.   AMONG TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS, THE RANCH WORKING RODEO WILL BE HELD AS A FREE EVENT IN THE ARENA AT 6:30PM.  THE BAND “4 PLAY” WILL BE PERFORMING EAST OF THE ARENA BY THE BEER GARDEN AT 8:30, SPONSORED BY THE WINDOM CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND THE CONVENTION AND VISITORS’ BUREAU.  “WOODY’S AXE THROWING” WILL BE FEATURED OUTSIDE THE ARENA STARTING AT 4:00PM.  LASER TAG WILL BE AVAILABLE IN THE SOUTH COMMERCIAL BUILDING TODAY THROUGH SATURDAY FROM NOON TO 9:00PM.  THE 4-H FOOD STAND IS SERVING THREE MEALS A DAY AND SHORT ORDERS.  A NUMBER OF 4-H, F-F-A AND OPEN CLASS LIVESTOCK SHOWS WILL BE HELD DURING THE DAY IN THE ARENA, THE BEEF BARN AND THE OLESON PAVILION.  

 

THE COTTONWOOD COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS MET LAST WEEK.  ENGINEERS FROM MINN-DOT DISTRICT 7 GAVE A PRESENTATION ON THE 10-YEAR CAPITAL HIGHWAY INVESTMENT PLAN.  THE BOARD ACCEPTED A BID FOR GRAVEL CRUSHING SERVICES.  RATES WERE SET FOR CROP DAMAGE PAYMENTS FOR ANY DAMAGE CAUSED DURING A HIGHWAY CONSTRUCTION PROJECT ON COUNTY HIGHWAY 7.  THE BOARD VOTED TO PARTICIPATE IN AN AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHY PROJECT.  A DISCUSSION WAS HELD ON POSSIBLE NEW LEASE AGREEMENTS FOR OFFICE SPACE WITH DES MOINES VALLEY HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES AND THE SOIL-AND-WATER CONSERVATION DISTRICT.  A STATE GRANT WAS ACCEPTED FOR THE VETERANS SERVICE OFFICE. 

  

HERE’S AN UPDATE ON COVID-19 VACCINATION IN SW MINNESOTA.  AS OF LAST SUNDAY, THE STATE-WIDE TOTALS FOR PEOPLE 12-AND-OLDER SHOWED THAT 64.3% OF MN RESIDENTS WERE FULLY VACCINATED.   LOCALLY, IN COTTONWOOD COUNTY, 56% OF RESIDENTS 12-AND-OLDER ARE FULLY VACCINATED.   THE VACCINATION RATES IN OTHER AREA COUNTIES FOR RESIDENTS 12-AND-OLDER INCLUDE:  NOBLES COUNTY 57.7%; WATONWAN COUNTY 55.8%; MURRAY COUNTY 54.9%; JACKSON COUNTY 51.9%; AND REDWOOD COUNTY, 51% OF RESIDENTS 12-AND-OLDER ARE FULLY VACCINATED.  VACCINATION RATES INCREASE AMONG OTHER RESIDENTS.  37% OF CHILDREN FROM 12-TO-15 YEARS OLD ARE FULLY VACCINATED, WHILE 89% OF PEOPLE 65-AND-OLDER ARE FULLY VACCINATED.