Just a friendly reminder that it is officially 2024 so when writing checks or signing anything it is NOT 2023…. WRITE 2024…. I tell you this from having to scratch out 2023 20-million times yesterday while paying bills… My goal is to have 2023 out of my system by March this year! GOALS!!!!
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Windom Police Department reported a hit and run on December 27th at approximately 6:04pm in the 200 block of 10th Street. The Reporting party stated that a white vehicle struck their 2012 Chevy Cruze. Upon further investigation, it was noted that Riverview Apartments had video of the suspect vehicle and after confirming a citation was issued to an 81-year-old Windom Male for Traffic Collision-Collision with unattended vehicle, failure to notify victim or police. Then at approximately 7:48pm an officer observed a vehicle with suspicious driving conduct and ultimately the vehicle was stopped on Highway 60 and 24th Street. The driver a 47-year-old female from Sioux Falls SD was arrested for DWI with possible additional charges of Child Endangerment. Charges are being reviewed and pending blook test results. On the 28th at 1:40pm, a two-vehicle accident with no injuries on the 100 block of 10th Street. Minor damage to both vehicles. A 19-year-old male from Windom was arrested on December 29th for engaging in sexual penetration with a child that was under the age of 18 and while he was more than 36 months older than the child, between October 19, 2022 and December 29, 2023 in Windom. Also on the 29th an officer took a report of a theft from 1307 6th Ave in Windom. It was reported that a tackle box was stolen sometime in the early morning hours. Estimated value of equipment was $120.00. On the 1st of January at 1:40am, an officer was on patrol in the area of 9th Street and 5th Ave and observed a vehicle he was behind turn into post office parking lot.The driver waved his hand at the Officer waving him down. After investigation, and observing the drivers speech being slurred and the smell of alcohol emanating from the person, charges are pending on a 59-year-old male from Sanborn for DWI, Operating Motor Vehicle with alcohol concentration of .08 within 2hours, pending review by the City Attorney’s Office. At 10:55pm an officer arrived in the 300 block of Buckwheat Ave for a possible assault/disturbance. After investigation, an arrest was made of a 23-year-old female from Windom for Domestic Assault, who caused fear of immediate bodily harm to another family member.
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Jackson Sheriffs Department reported on the 31st a Drug Recognition Expert deputy assisted the Mt. Lake PD with a drug evaluation on a possible impaired driver. Deputies responded to a civil issue over property in Jackson and worked a two-vehicle accident and Dispatch transferred a 911 report to the MN State Patrol of a wrong way driver on I-90 near the Heron Lake exit. The vehicle was later located in the ditch on I-90 in Nobles County. On the 1st a deputy responded to a civil dispute over property in Jackson and also to a juvenile issue in Jackson.
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December Weather Stats 1/2/24
The monthly weather statistics have been reported for the city of Windom in December. The information is compiled by Dave Fjeld, the local weather observer and reported to the National Weather Service Office in Sioux Falls. December rainfall was two and sixteen hundredths of an inch compared to one and nine hundredths in 2022. Total rainfall for the year was 28 and six tenths of an inch compared to 22 and nineteen hundredths in 2022. Snowfall totals are nearly non-existent so far this winter. We have only received one point seven inches so far this season compared to 22 inches of snowfall last November and December. Our high temperature for the month was 62 degrees on December 8th and the low of 10 occurred on December 11th. Last year’s low was-15.
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Minnesota children got more stable access to Medicaid health insurance at the beginning of 2024. According to Human Services Commissioner, Jodi Harpstead continuous eligibility will help prevent unnecessary, harmful and expensive gaps in children’s health care coverage. Governor Tim Walz signed into law a new continuous eligibility policy for children to help provide a healthier and more equitable start for the youngest Minnesotans. All children under age 19 who are eligible for Medical Assistance will have 12 months of continuous coverage at a time. Medical Assistance is Minnesota’s Medicaid program. This change will prevent paperwork issues due to temporary changes in a parent’s income from disrupting a child’s health insurance. Families with low and moderate incomes may experience fluctuations in income during a year that briefly exceeds the Medicaid limit because of temporary employment, variable work hours or occasional overtime pay. Statistics show that Minnesota has significant racial disparities in health outcomes, with Black and Hispanic children more likely to experience gaps in coverage.
Medical Assistance in Minnesota covers:
- 64% of Black children
- 54% of American Indian/Alaskan Native children
- 52% of Hispanic/Latino children
- 31% of Asian children
- 17% of white children
Although children in Medical Assistance will maintain coverage for a year at a time, they will still be subject to annual eligibility renewals. Renewals were suspended during the COVID-19 emergency but have since resumed. To avoid gaps in coverage, Medical Assistance enrollees are urged to update their contact information and watch their mail for important renewal paperwork.
For more information about Medical Assistance renewals, visit mn.gov/dhs/renewmycoverage
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