Local News Headlines – Thursday, March 18

A REGULAR MEETING OF THE MT LAKE SCHOOL BOARD WAS HELD THIS WEEK.   THE BOARD APPROVED A NEW MEMBERSHIP AGREEMENT WITH THE SOUTHWEST-WEST CENTRAL SERVICE COOPERATIVE.  THE BOARD REVIEWED A LIST OF POTENTIAL SUMMER BUILDING AND REPAIR PROJECTS.  THE BOARD APPROVED A LIST OF COACHING ASSIGNMENTS AND ADVISORS FOR EXTRA-CIRRICULAR ACTIVITIES.  OPENINGS WILL BE POSTED FOR PART-TIME SUMMER EMPLOYEES.  A PRELIMINARY 2022 BUDGET WAS APPROVED FOR THE ACHIEVEMENT AND INTEGRATION PROGRAM.  IN PERSONNEL BUSINESS, THE BOARD ACCEPTED RESIGNATIONS FROM SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHER LAURA HARDER AND PARA-PROFESSIONAL EMILY EMMONS.  

 

MARIA SCHNEIDER RECEIVED TWO GRAMMY AWARDS ON SUNDAY.   SCHNEIDER – A WINDOM HIGH SCHOOL GRAUDATE – IS A WORLD-RENOWED JAZZ COMPOSER AND ORCHESTRA LEADER.   AT THIS YEAR’S GRAMMY AWARDS, SCHNEIDER WON IN THE CATEGORIES OF BEST INSTRUMENTAL COMPOSITION FOR THE SONG “Sputnik,” AND BEST LARGE JAZZ ENSEMBLE ALBUM FOR “Data Lords,” HER MOST RECENT ALBUM WITH THE MARIA SCHNEIDER JAZZ ORCHESTRA.  THE AWARDS WERE PRESENTED REMOTELY; SCHNEIDER ACCEPTED THE AWARDS FROM HER HOME NEAR NEW YORK CITY.  MARIA SCHNEIDER HAS NOW WON SEVEN GRAMMY AWARDS. THAT TIES HER WITH BOB DYLAN AND PRINCE FOR THE MOST GRAMMYS WON BY A MUSICIAN BORN IN MINNESOTA.   

 

THE WINDOM CITY COUNCIL MET THIS WEEK.  PUBLIC HEARINGS WERE HELD ON THREE APPLICATIONS FOR SINGLE-FAMILY HOUSING TAX ABATEMENTS.  A PUBLIC HEARING WAS HELD ON AN APPLICATION FOR A REMODELING TAX ABATEMENT.  THE COUNCIL VOTED TO APPROVE THE ABATEMENTS.  THE COUNCIL SCHEDULED A PUBLIC HEARING ON A NEW APPLICATION FOR A SINGLE-FAMILY HOUSING TAX ABATEMENT.  THE COUNCIL PASSED A RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF A BILL BEING CONSIDERED AT THE STATE LEGISLATURE.  THE BILL WOULD CREATE A NEW FUND THAT WOULD PROVIDE GRANTS TO SUPPORT THE DEVELOPMENT OF WORKFORCE HOUSING.  THE COUNCIL APPROVED THE RENEWAL OF ITS INSURANCE COVERAGES FOR PROPERTY, LIABILITY AND EQUIPMENT AND WORKER’S COMPENSATION INSURANCE.  

 

THE MT LAKE CITY COUNCIL HELD A REGULAR MEETING THIS WEEK.  THE COUNCIL APPROVED A NEW 3-YEAR CONTRACT WITH HOMETOWN SANITATION FOR THE ANNUAL CITY-WIDE CLEANUP PROGRAM.  THIS YEAR’S CLEANUP WILL BE ON MAY 1ST.  FURTHER DISCUSSION WAS HELD ON THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT OF A NEW FIRE HALL AND AMBULANCE BUILDING.  THE BUILDING COMMITTEE WILL BE MEETING TO PLAN THE NEXT STEPS IN THE PROCESS.  THE COUNCIL POSTED OPENINGS FOR SEVERAL PART-TIME OR SEASONAL POSITIONS WITH THE STREET AND PARKS DEPARTMENT.  JILL FALK WAS HIRED AS AN ASSISTANT UTILITY OFFICE MANAGER.  THERE WAS AN UPDATE ON SOME PUBLIC NUISANCE VIOLATIONS. 

 

THE WESTBROOK-WALNUT GROVE SCHOOL BOARD MET THIS WEEK.   THE BOARD APPROVED A DISTRICT CALENDAR FOR THE 2021-22 SCHOOL YEAR.  THE BOARD REVIEWED A LIST OF POTENTIAL BUILDING REPAIR AND MAINTENANCE PROJECTS SCHEDULED FOR THIS YEAR, AND A LIST OF PROPOSED PROJECTS FOR THE 2022 SCHOOL YEAR.  THE LIST INCLUDES A REMODELING PROJECT FOR THE HIGH SCHOOL LIBRARY IN WESTBROOK.  THE BOARD APPROVED A PLAN TO CONTINUE SHARING THE SERVICES OF THE SUPERINTENDENT WITH THE FULDA AND LAKE BENTON SCHOOL DISTRICTS.  A BUDGET WAS APPROVED FOR THE ACHIEVEMENT AND INTEGRATION PROGRAM.  THE BOARD HEARD A REPORT ON PLANNING FOR THE HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION PROGRAM.  THE PRE-SCHOOL AND KINDERGARTEN ROUND-UPS TOOK PLACE RECENTLY.  

 

THE WINDOM WOMEN OF TODAY ANNOUNCED THE FINAL TOTALS FOR THE 2020 WINDOM UNITED DRIVE.  THE DRIVE COLLECTED DONATIONS TOTALING JUST OVER $19-THOUSAND-800.  AFTER EXPENSES, JUST OVER $17-THOUSAND-100 WAS DISTRIBUTED TO 32 DIFFERENT GROUPS AND ORGANIZATIONS, INCLUDING 10 ORGANIZATIONS THAT RECEIVED WRITE-IN DONATIONS.  THE LARGEST AMOUNT WENT TO THE WINDOM SHARING CENTER AT $2,214.  THE ALZHEIMER’S ASSOCIATION RECEIVED $2,009.   OTHER GROUPS RECEIVING FUNDS INCLUDED MEALS WITH WHEELS, THE SOUTHWEST CRISIS CENTER, THE WINDOM STATE THEATRE, ‘BARC,’ THE YOUTH HOCKEY ASSOCIATION, COTTONWOOD ANIMAL RESCUE, THE FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY, THE DARE PROGRAM, REINBOWS INCORPORATED, THE BUSY BEE PRE-SCHOOL AND THE COTTONWOOD COUNTY 4-H PROGRAM.