Local News Headlines – Thursday, February 18th

THE MINNESOTA STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH HAS AN UPDATE ON COVID-19 VACCINATIONS.   AS OF FEBRUARY 13TH, MINNESOTA HAS RECEIVED JUST OVER 1-MILLION-158-THOUSAND DOSES OF VACCINE.  JUST OVER 914-THOUSAND DOSES HAVE BEEN ADMINISTERED.  OVER 12% OF STATE RESIDENTS HAVE RECEIVED A FIRST DOSE OF VACCINE.  4.3% OF STATE RESIDENTS HAVE RECEIVED TWO DOSES OF VACCINE.   IN COTTONWOOD COUNTY, 1,741 PEOPLE – 15.4% OF ALL RESIDENTS – HAVE RECEIVED A FIRST DOSE OF VACCINE.  615 PEOPLE HAVE RECEIVED TWO DOSES.   IN JACKSON COUNTY, 1,116 PEOPLE – 11.2% – HAVE RECEIVED A FIRST DOSE OF VACCINE.  380 PEOPLE HAVE RECEIVED TWO DOSES.   

 

THE WINDOM CITY COUNCIL HELD A REGULAR MEETING THIS WEEK.  THE WINDOM LION’S CLUB DISCUSSED ITS FUND-RAISING EFFORTS TO DEVELOP A NEW BAND SHELTER AND BATHROOMS AT TEGELS PARK.  THE COUNCIL RATIFIED THE RESULTS OF THE ELECTION OF OFFICERS FOR THE WINDOM FIRE DEPARTMENT.  BEN DERICKSON WAS RE-ELECTED AS FIRE CHIEF.  THE COUNCIL APPROVED AN APPLICATION FOR A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT FOR A NEW KWIK TRIP STORE AT 251-1ST AVENUE.   PRIMARY CONSTRUCTION WILL TAKE PLACE IN 2022.   THE COUNCIL ACCEPTED A BID FOR THE REPLACEMENT OF THE ROOF AT THE CITY ARENA.   THE COUNCIL APPROVED AN APPLICATION TO THE STATE OF MINNESOTA FOR FUNDING UNDER THE LOCAL ROAD IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM.   

 

THE MT LAKE SCHOOL BOARD MET THIS WEEK IN REGULAR SESSION.  THE BOARD REVIEWED A PLAN TO RE-FINANCE JUST OVER $10.6-MILLION IN GENERAL OBLIGATION SCHOOL BUILDING BONDS.  THE DISTRICT COULD SAVE UP TO $1-MILLION THROUGH LOWER INTEREST RATES.  THE BOARD REVIEWED AND APPROVED SENIORITY LISTS FOR CERTIFIED TEACHERS AND NON-CERTIFIED EMPLOYEES.  NATE BRINKMAN WAS HIRED AS A JUNIOR-HIGH SOFTBALL COACH.  THE BOARD REVIEWED AN UPDATED SPORTS-PAIRING AGREEMENT WITH MT LAKE CHRISTIAN AND COMFREY.  THE MT LAKE SCHOOL BOARD VOTED IN FAVOR OF AN AMENDMENT THAT WOULD ADD NEW VOTING MEMBERS TO THE EXECUTIVE BOARD OF THE MINNESOTA STATE HIGH SCHOOL LEAGUE.  

 

MEMBERS OF THE WINDOM HIGH SCHOOL ROBOTICS PROGRAM TOOK PART IN A RECENT EVENT.    SIX TEAMS OF WINDOM STUDENTS PARTICIPATED IN A VIRTUAL SKILLS COMPETITION.  EACH TEAM USED ITS OWN FACILITIES.   TEAMS RECEIVED POINTS FOR PROGRAMMING AND OPERATING THEIR ROBOTS TO PERFORM CERTAIN TASKS.  THERE WERE 30 TEAMS IN THE MEET.  A TEAM FROM CALIFORNIA WON THE MEET; A TEAM FROM MANKATO FINISHED IN 2ND PLACE.  A WINDOM TEAM FINISHED IN 3RD PLACE.  THE “PINEAPPLE POSSE” TEAM SCORES 158 POINTS – 93 FOR OPERATING THE ROBOT AND 65 POINTS FOR PROGRAMMING.  TEAM MEMBERS WERE DYLAN SERREYN, ETHAN BROCKMAN AND CARTER ALLEN.    

                                                                        

THE JEFFERS CITY COUNCIL HELD A REGULAR MEETING LAST WEEK.   THE COUNCIL DISCUSSED RECENT COMPLAINS INVOLVING GO-KARTS AND DIRT BIKES REPORTEDLY DRIVING RECKLESSLY DOWN CITY STREETS AND ALLEYS WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS.   THE COUNCIL DISCUSSED THE FORMS THAT ARE USED IN APPLYING FOR BUILDING PERMITS.  THERE WAS AN UPDATE ON A MAINTENANCE PROJECT AT THE WATER PLANT.  IT WAS REPORTED THAT A WATER-MAIN BREAK WAS REPAIRED.  THE ANIMAL CONTROL OFFICER HAS REQUESTED A PARTITION TO USE IN HER VEHICLE WHEN ANIMALS ARE TRANSPORTED.   SHE WILL CHECK ON QUOTES AND REPORT BACK TO THE CITY CLERK.  THE MONTHLY FINANCIAL REPORT WAS APPROVED.