Local News Headlines – Friday, August 27

THE JACKSON COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS HELD A REGULAR MEETING LAST WEEK.   THE 2020 COUNTY AUDIT REPORT WAS PRESENTED.  DURING THE PAST YEAR, THE GENERAL FUND BALANCE INCREASED BY JUST OVER $755-THOUSAND.  LONG-TERM DEBT WAS REDUCED THROUGH THE RE-FINANCING OF AN OLDER BOND ISSUE.  THE BOARD APPROVED A BUSINESS LOAN OF $100-THOUSAND FROM THE REVOLVING LOAN FUND.  THE BOARD APPROVED AN UPGRADE IN COMPUTER SOFTWARE AND CLOUD STORAGE SERVICES.  THE BOARD VOTED TO RESCIND ITS APPROVAL OF AN OFF-SALE LIQUOR LICENSE.  IT WAS DETERMINED THE ESTABLISHMENT IS LESS THAN A MILE FROM THE WINDOM CITY LIMITS, SO THE COUNTY DOES NOT HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO ISSUE A LICENSE UNDER STATE LAW.   

 

THE 17TH ANNUAL JAMIE TORKELSON “FALLEN BIKER” MEMORIAL RUN WILL BE HELD THIS SATURDAY.   THE RIDE IS OPEN TO BIKES, TRIKES AND ANYTHING ON WHEELS.  SIGN-UP BEGINS AT 10:00 SATURDAY MORNING AT THE PHAT PHEASANT PUB.  THE RIDE LEAVES AT NOON FOR A TRIP OF ROUGHLY 90-MILES.   AFTER THE RUN, THERE WILL BE FOOD AT THE PHAT PHEASANT PUB.  MUSIC WILL BE PERFORMED BY THE BAND “HICKTOWN MAFIA.”  THERE WILL BE A REQUESTED DONATION OF $20 PER PERSON.  A RAFFLE DRAWING WILL BE HELD WITH A TOP PRIZE OF $5,000 CASH.  TICKETS ARE $30 EACH AND ONLY 550 TICKETS WILL BE SOLD. TICKETS ARE AVAILABLE AT ENSPIRED, EXPRESSWAY, THE PHEASANT, OR FROM MEMBERS OF THE WINDOM YOUTH HOCKEY ASSOCIATION.   

 

THE WINDOM CITY TELE-COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION MET THIS WEEK.    THE COMMISSION VOTED TO REMOVE CHANNEL 60- THE TRINITY BROADCAST NETWORK – FROM THE CABLE T-V SYSTEM.  THE NETWORK HAS MOVED ITS SIGNAL TO A DIFFERENT SATELLITE AND WINDOM-NET IS NOT ABLE TO RECEIVE THAT SIGNAL.  THERE WAS AN UPDATE ON HOW 9-1-1 EMERGENCY TELEPHONE CALLS ARE HANDLED.  SOME NEW EQUIPMENT MAY NEED TO BE ADDED.  IT WAS REPORTED THAT REPAIRS HAVE BEEN MADE TO THE TOWER THAT RECEIVES THE OVER-THE-AIR SIGNAL FOR K-E-Y-C T-V, CHANNEL 12 FROM MANKATO.  THE COMMISSION DISCUSSED PLANS FOR THE NEW STREAMING VIDEO SERVICE.  THEY REVIEWED A PROPOSED SET OF RATES FOR VIDEO SERVICE AND PACKAGED RATES FOR BUNDLED SERVICE. 

 

THE WINDOM SCHOOL DISTRICT HAS RELEASED A ‘RETURN TO SCHOOL PLAN’ FOR THE 2021-22 SCHOOL YEAR.  AT THIS TIME, THE ONLY FEDERAL REQUIRMENT IS THAT STUDENTS MUST WEAR FACE COVERINGS WHILE RIDING ON SCHOOL BUSSES.  THE DISTRICT IS NOT REQUIRING STUDENTS TO WEAR FACE COVERINGS IN THE SCHOOL BUILDINGS, BUT STUDENTS AND STAFF MAY CHOOSE TO WEAR A FACE COVERING IF THEY PREFER.  STUDENTS ARE NOT REQUIRED TO BE VACCINATED, BUT THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH IS RECOMMENDING THAT ALL STUDENTS 12-AND-OLDER SHOULD BE VACCINATED.  ANYONE WHO TESTS POSITIVE FOR COVID-19 WILL HAVE TO STAY AT HOME FOR UP TO 10 DAYS.  PARENTS WILL BE NOTIFIED IF A STUDENT IS A CLOSE CONTACT, BUT STUDENTS WITH A CLOSE CONTACT WILL NOT HAVE TO STAY HOME UNLESS THEY SHOW ACTIVE SYMPTOMS. 

 

HERE’S AN UPDATE ON COVID-19 VACCINATIONS IN SOUTHWEST MINNESOTA.   LOOKING AT THE STATE-WIDE TOTALS – AS OF LAST SUNDAY, 65.4% OF MINNESOTA RESIDENTS AGED 12-AND-OLDER ARE NOW FULLY VACCINATED.  JUST UNDER 70% OF RESIDENTS 12-AND-OLDER HAVE RECEIVED AT LEAST ONE DOSE.  LOCALLY, NOBLES COUNTY HAS THE HIGHEST RATE OF VACCINATION WITH 58.4% OF COUNTY RESIDENTS 12-AND-OLDER HAVING BEEN FULLY VACCINATED.  IN WATONWAN COUNTY, 57% OF RESIDENTS 12-AND-OLDER ARE FULLY VACCINATED.  COTTONWOOD COUNTY IS NOW REPORTING THAT 56.7% OF RESIDENTS 12-AND-OLDER HAVE BEEN FULLY VACCINATED.  AMONG OTHER COUNTIES, JACKSON COUNTY REPORTS THAT 52.5% OF RESIDENTS 12-AND-OLDER ARE FULLY VACCINATED.