Local News Headlines – Thursday, August 19

THE WINDOM AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE IS HOSTING ANOTHER “3rd THURSDAY” EVENT.   MOST OF THE EVENTS TAKE PLACE AROUND THE COURTHOUSE SQUARE IN DOWNTOWN WINDOM.  THIS WEEK’S EVENT WILL BE HELD FROM 4:30 TO 7:30PM.  THERE WILL BE LIVE ACOUSTIC MUSIC FROM NATE BOOTS.  THE CARZ-N-TRUX CLUB WILL HAVE A ROLL-IN CAR SHOW.  LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS WILL HAVE BOOTHS WITH GAMES AND ACTIVITIES FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES.  GRAB-AND-GO FOOD WILL BE AVAILABLE FROM PLAZA JALISCO, RIVER CITY EATERY AND THE CHINA RESTAURANT.  THERE WILL BE AN ICE CREAM TRUCK, SHAVED ICE AND A BOUNCY HOUSE FOR KIDS.  THE CHAMBER YOUTH AMBASSADORS WILL BE HOSTING AN OUTDOOR MOVIE AT TEGELS PARK, SHOWING THE MOVIE “SPLIT” AT 9:30PM.  PIZZA AND CONCESSIONS WILL BE AVAILABLE. 

 

A WINDOM BUSINESS IS CELEBRATING AN ANNIVERSARY THIS WEEK.    SCHWALBACH ACE HARDWARE HAS BEEN IN BUSINESS FOR 75 YEARS.  HOWARD SCHWALBACH AND JERRY VOGEL OPENED THE BUSINESS IN 1946. SCHWALBACH LATER BECAME THE SOLE OWNER OF THE BUSINESS, AND ADDED A PLUMBING AND HEATING DEPARTMENT.  HOWARD’S SON MIKE SCHWALBACH PURCHASED THE BUSINESS IN 1985.  THE BUSINESS CHANGED FROM ‘TRUSTWORTHY’ HARDWARE TO ACE HARDWARE IN 1991.  IN 1996, SCHWALBACH ACE HARDWARE MOVED TO ITS CURRENT LOCATION ON HIGHWAY 60/71.  IN 2000, AN ADJACENT BUILDING WAS PURCHASED TO ALLOW FOR AN EXPANSION OF THE PLUMBING AND HEATING SERVICE. 

 

THE WINDOM CITY COUNCIL MET THIS WEEK.   WINDOM FIRE CHIEF BEN DERICKSON REPORTED THAT HE WOULD LIKE TO BEGIN RECRUITING NEW MEMBERS FOR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.  THE COUNCIL AUTHORIZED DERICKSON TO ADD UP TO SIX NEW MEMBERS.  DONATIONS TO THE CITY WERE ACCEPTED INCLUDING A DONATION OF $20,000 FOR NEW PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT AT TEGLES PARK AND A DONATION OF $5,000 TO REPLACE AIR CONDITIONERS AT THE PUBLIC LIBRARY.  THE COUNCIL HEARD THE ANNUAL AUDIT REPORT FOR WINDOM AREA HEALTH.  THE COUNCIL CALLED FOR A ‘REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS’ FROM AUDITING FIRMS.  SEVERAL REQUESTS WERE APPROVED TO HAVE CITY STREETS TEMPORARILY CLOSED FOR UPCOMING EVENTS. 

 

THE RED ROCK CENTRAL SCHOOL BOARD WILL HOLD A SPECIAL MEETING AT 5:00 THIS AFTERNOON IN LAMBERTON.   THE BOARD WILL HAVE AN UPDATE ON THE MOST RECENT BUILDING REFERENDUM PROPOSAL.  THE DISTRICT HAS SUBMITTED ITS PLAN TO THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION UNDER THE “REVIEW AND COMMENT” PROCESS.  THE STATE IS EXPECTED TO MAKE ITS DECISION ON WHETHER TO GIVE THE PLAN A FAVORABLE REVIEW.  AFTER THE DECISION IS ANNOUNCED, THE BOARD WILL DISCUSS ITS OPTIONS.  A FAVORABLE REVIEW AND COMMENT MEANS THAT THE DISTRICT NEEDS A SIMPLE MAJORITY VOTE TO PASS A BUILDING REFERENDUM.  IF THE REVIEW AND COMMENT IS UNFAVORABLE, A 60% VOTE IS NEEDED TO PASS A REFERENDUM.   

 

KDOM RADIO SALUTES ITS “GOOD NEWS” BUSINESS OF THE DAY, AG BUILDERS.   AG BUILDERS IS A FAMILY-OWNED BUSINESS, SPECIALIZING IN FULL-SERVICE COMMERICAL AND FARM SYSTEMS.  PRODUCTS AND SERVICES OFFERED BY AG BUILDERS INCLUDE GRAIN BINS, HOLDING TANKS, GRAIN STORAGE, MATERIAL HANDLING, CONDITIONING AND DRYING EQUIPMENT, GRAIN STORAGE ACCESSORIES, CUSTOM-BUILT GRAIN PITS, CRANE SERVICE, AERATION FANS, CONVEYORS, GRAIN DRYERS, MOTORS AND PORTABLE AUGERS WITH USED AND RE-CONDITIONED EQUIPMENT AVAILABLE.  WICK BUILDINGS ARE AVAILABLE FOR LARGE AND SMALL COMMERCIAL AND RESIDENTIAL PROJECTS.  SEVERAL OF THEIR PROJECTS HAVE RECEIVED AWARDS FOR DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION.   

                                                               

THE MT LAKE SCHOOL BOARD HELD A REGULAR MEETING THIS WEEK.    THE BOARD APPROVED A NOTICE FOR THE FALL SCHOOL BOARD ELECTION.  THREE SEATS ON THE BOARD ARE UP FOR ELECTION; TWO INCUMBENTS HAVE FILED TO RUN FOR ANOTHER TERM.  THE THIRD SEAT WILL BE FILLED BY A WRITE-IN CANDIDATE.  ADULT MEAL PRICES WERE SET FOR THE NEW SCHOOL YEAR.  DONATIONS TO THE SCHOOL DISTRICT WERE ACCEPTED.  THE BOARD REVIEWED THE DISTRICT’S ‘RETURN TO SCHOOL’ PLAN FOR THE NEW SCHOOL YEAR.  FACE COVERINGS AND VACCINATIONS ARE RECOMMENDED BUT NOT REQUIRED.  SEVERAL PERSONNEL ITEMS WERE HANDLED INCLUDING HIRING TRAVIS SMITH AS THE FALL PLAY DIRECTOR.   

 

A REGULAR MEETING OF THE WESTBROOK-WALNUT GROVE SCHOOL BOARD WAS HELD THIS WEEK.   THE BOARD VOTED TO RENEW ITS INSURANCE COVERAGE FOR PROPERTY, LIABILITY AND WORKERS’ COMPENSATION INSURANCE.  AN UPDATED ‘RETURN TO SCHOOL’ PLAN WAS APPROVED FOR THE UPCOMING SCHOOL YEAR.  A REVISED POLICY WAS ADOPTED INVOLVING THE USE OF FEDERAL FUNDS.  A NUMBER OF PERSONNEL ITEMS WERE HANDLED, INCLUDING THE HIRING OF AN ELEMENTARY SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHER.  THERE WAS AN UPDATE ON BUILDING MAINTENANCE PROJECTS.  IT WAS REPORTED THAT THE WESTBROOK-WALNUT GROVE SCHOOL DISTRICT NEEDS MORE BUS DRIVERS.  ANYONE INTERESTED IN DRIVING BUS SHOULD CONTACT THE DISTRICT OFFICE.