Local News Headlines – Thursday, February 25th

THE GOVERNING BOARD FOR WINDOM AREA HEALTH HELD A REGULAR MEETING THIS WEEK.     THE REPORT OF PATIENT ACTIVITY FOR JANUARY WAS MIXED.  AREAS WITH ACTIVITY THAT WAS ABOVE BUDGET INCLUDED BIRTHS AND OUT-PATIENT PROCEDURES.  AREAS THAT WERE BELOW BUDGET INCLUDED SURGERIES AND EMERGENCY ROOM VISITS.  THE FINANCIAL REPORT FOR JANUARY SHOWED A NET INCREASE OF JUST OVER $205-THOUSAND.  THROUGH THE FIRST NINE MONTHS OF THE FISCAL YEAR, THE HOSPITAL IS SHOWING A NET INCREASE OF MORE THAN $1.9-MILLION.   THERE WAS AN UPDATE ON COVID-19 VACCINATIONS.  THIS WEEK, WINDOM AREA HEALTH WAS EXPECTED TO RECEIVE ROUGHLY 500 DOSES OF VACCINE.  PATIENTS ARE NOTIFIED WHEN VACCINE IS AVAILABLE. 

 

AREA RESIDENTS CONTINUE TO RECEIVE THE COVID-19 VACCINE.   AS OF LAST SATURDAY, OVER 1-MILLION-118-THOUSAND DOSES OF VACCINE HAVE BEEN ADMINISTERED IN MINNESOTA.  13.7% OF STATE RESIDENTS HAVE RECEIVED THEIR FIRST DOSE OF VACCINE, AND 6.5% OF MINNESOTA RESIDENTS HAVE RECEIVED TWO DOSES.  LOCALLY, IN COTTONWOOD COUNTY, 15.8% OF COUNTY RESIDENTS HAVE RECEIVED A FIRST DOSE OF VACCINE.  IN JACKSON COUNTY, 11.4% HAVE RECEIVED THEIR FIRST DOSE.  IN MURRAY COUNTY, 16.9% OF COUNTY RESIDENTS HAVE RECEIVED A FIRST DOSE OF VACCINE.  IN WATONWAN COUNTY, 12.3% OF RESIDENTS HAVE RECEIVED THEIR FIRST DOSE OF VACCINE.  IN REDWOOD COUNTY, THE FIGURE IS 15.6%.   

 

THE WINDOM SCHOOL BOARD HELD A WORK-SESSION THIS WEEK.    THE BOARD APPROVED AN UPDATED LIST OF ATHLETIC COACHES AND ACTIVITY ADVISORS.  THE BOARD REVIEWED A PROPOSAL FOR A NEW HOUSING TAX ABATEMENT PROGRAM, INVOLVING THE REMODELING OF EXISTING STRUCTURES TO CREATE NEW HOUSING UNITS.  THIS WOULD INCLUDE THE REMODELING OF THE GUARDIAN INN MOTEL TO CREATE NEW APARTMENTS. A PUBLIC HEARING ON THAT PROPOSAL WILL BE SCHEDULED FOR A FUTURE MEETING.  A DISCUSSION WAS HELD ON A CHANGE IN THE CLASS SCHEDULE.  MARCH 5TH WILL BE DESIGNATED AS A DISTANCE LEARNING DAY TO ALLOW TEACHERS AND STAFF MEMBERS TO RECEIVE THEIR 2ND DOSE OF COVID-19 VACCINE.   

 

THE JACKSON COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS MET LAST WEEK.   THE BOARD APPROVED THE ANNUAL REPORT FROM FORT BELMONT AND APPROVED A 2021 BUDGET FOR THE MUSEUM AND VISITORS’ CENTER.  THE BOARD AGREED TO SPONSOR AN APPLICATION TO THE STATE OF MINNESOTA, SEEKING FUNDING FROM THE LOCAL ROAD IMPROVEMENT PROJECT FOR A PROJECT IN THE CITY OF JACKSON.  A CONTRACT WAS AWARDED FOR THE 2021 SEAL-COATING PROJECT.  BOARD MEMBERS APPROVED A JOB DESCRIPTION FOR THE NEW POSITION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR.  A CONSULTING FIRM WILL BE WORKING WITH THE COUNTY TO IDENTIFY AND SCREEN CANDIDATES AND ASSIST WITH THE HIRING PROCESS.  A NEW CONTRACT WAS APPROVED FOR CUSTODIAL SERVICES. 

 

THE WINDOM STATE THEATER WILL BE OFFERING A SERIES OF FREE “MERCHANT MATINEE” FAMILY MOVIES.  THE MOVIES ARE BEING OFFERED ON WEEKENDS.  A NUMBER OF LOCAL BUSINESSES ARE HELPING TO SPONSOR THE MOVIE SERIES.  DUE TO COVID-19 RESTRICTIONS, TICKETS WILL NOT BE HANDED UOT.  THE MOVIES WILL BE LIMITED TO AN AUDIENCE OF 50 PEOPLE.  DOORS WILL OPEN A HALF-HOUR BEFORE THE SHOWTIME.  MOST WEEKENDS, THERE WILL BE ONE SHOWING AT 1:00PM ON SATURDAY AND ONE SHOWING AT 1:00PM ON SUNDAY.  THIS WEEKEND, THE FEATURED MOVIE WILL BE “TROLLS WORLD TOUR.”  MOVIES ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE.  UPDATES WILL BE PROVIDED ON THE WINDOM STATE THEATRE FACEBOOK PAGE.    

 

THE MINNESOTA STATE HIGH SCHOOL LEAGUE HAS ANNOUNCED THE REGIONAL WINNERS FOR THE “TRIPLE-A” AWARDS PROGRAM.   THE TRIPLE-A AWARD RECOGNIZES HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS WHO HAVE A GRADE-POINT AVERAGE OF 3.0 OR HIGHER AND PARTICIPATE IN ATHLETIC AND FINE ARTS ACTIVITIES SPONSORED BY THE HIGH SCHOOL LEAGUE.  ONE BOY AND ONE GIRL ARE CHOSEN TO REPRESENT EACH REGION IN CLASS ‘A’ AND CLASS “2-A.” LOCALLY, IN REGION 3-A, THE BOYS TRIPLE-A FINALIST IS NATHAN KUEHL OF WESTBROOK-WALNUT GROVE HIGH SCHOOL.  THE GIRLS’ FINALIST IS JOSIE HARMS OF MURRAY COUNTY CENTRAL.  IN REGION 2-A, THE BOYS FINALIST IS CONNOR SLETTE OF NEW ULM HIGH SCHOOL.  SLETTE IS A FORMER STUDENT AT WINDOM AREA HIGH SCHOOL.