Local News Headlines – Thursday, April 15th

THIS IS SEVERE WEATHER AWARENESS WEEK IN MINNESOTA.   THE STATE WIDE TORNADO DRILL IS BEING HELD ON THURSDAY.  MOST CITIES AND COUNTIES WILL HOLD TWO TORNADO DRILLS.  THE FIRST DRILL TAKES PLACE AT 1:45 THURSDAY AFTERNOON.  MANY CITIES AND COUNTIES WILL ACTIVATE THEIR OUTDOOR WARNING SIRENS.  THE SECOND TORNADO DRILL TAKES PLACE AT 6:45 THURSDAY AFTERNOON.   LAST YEAR IN MINNESOTA, THERE WERE 64 TORNADOES REPORTED ON 15 SEPARATE DAYS, INCLUDING 28 TORNADOES ON AUGUST 14TH.  THE TORNADOES LED TO ONE DEATH AND TWO SERIOUS INJURIES, WHILE CAUSING OVER $4-MILLION IN PROPERTY DAMAGE.  LOCALLY, A WEAKER “EF-0” TORNADO WAS REPORTED NEAR READING ON AUGUST 14TH. 

 

THE WINDOM SCHOOL BOARD MET THIS WEEK.  A MOTION WAS APPROVED TO RE-OPEN CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE BARGAINING UNIT FOR DISTRICT PARA-PROFESSIONALS, CUSTODIANS, SECRETARIES AND FOOD-SERVICE EMPLOYEES FOR THE 2ND YEAR OF THEIR CONTRACTS.  NOTICES HAVE BEEN RECEIVED FROM THE DISTRICT TEACHERS’ UNION AND THE PRINCIPALS WITH REQUESTS TO BEGIN NEGOTIATIONS ON NEW 2-YEAR CONTRACT AGREEMENTS.  THE BOARD VOTED TO RENEW ITS HEALTH INSURANCE COVERAGE THROUGH THE SOUTHWEST-WEST CENTRAL SERVICE COOPERATIVE, WITH A RATE INCREASE OF 12.5%.  THE BOARD DISCUSSED OPTIONS FOR ADDITIONAL STAFFING FOR NEXT YEAR AND POSSIBLE ADDITIONS IN FUTURE YEARS.   

 

THIS IS SEVERE WEATHER AWARENESS WEEK IN MINNESOTA.  TODAY’S TOPIC COVERS TORNADOES.  THE STATE-WIDE TORNADO DRILL IS BEING HELD TODAY IN MINNESOTA.  A TORNADO WATCH WILL BE ISSUED WHEN TORNADOES ARE LIKELY TO DEVELOP.  A WARNING WILL BE ISSUED WHEN A TORNADO IS INDICATED BY RADAR OR REPORTED BY A TRAINED WEATHER SPOTTER.  IF YOU ARE AT HOME, GO TO THE BASEMENT OR GO TO A SMALLER ROOM ON THE LOWEST FLOOR OF THE BUILDING.  STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS.   IF YOU ARE IN A CAR OR TRUCK, STOP – GET OUT OF THE VEHICLE – AND LOOK FOR SHELTER.  IF THERE IS NO IMMEDIATE SHELTER, LIE FACE DOWN ON THE GROUND AND COVER YOUR HEAD WITH YOUR ARMS.  DO NOT TRY TO OUT-DRIVE A TORNADO.   

 

THE SECTION 3-A HIGH SCHOOL SPEECH CONTEST WILL BE HELD THIS SATURDAY.   DUE TO COVID-19 RESTRICTIONS, SPEECH CONTESTS ARE BEING HELD IN A VIRTUAL FORMAT THIS YEAR.  SUB-SECTION CONTESTS WERE HELD LAST WEEK.  IN EACH CATEGORY, THE TOP SIX PLACE-WINNERS ADVANCE TO THE SECTION CONTEST.  FROM THE SECTION CONTEST, THE TOP 3 SPEAKERS IN EACH CATEGORY WILL ADVANCE TO THE STATE CONTEST.  AMONG AREA SCHOOLS, WINDOM HAS STUDENTS COMPETING IN ORIGINAL ORATORY, CREATIVE EXPRESSION, INFORMATIVE SPEAKING, EXTEMPORANEOUS READING AND HUMOROUS INTERPRETATION.  STUDENTS FROM WESTBROOK-WALNUT GROVE/RED ROCK CENTRAL AND FULDA ARE ALSO COMPETING IN THE SECTION SPEECH CONTEST.  

 

THE WINDOM ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY HELD A MEETING THIS WEEK.  THE E-D-A APPROVED AN INFRASTRUCTURE LOAN OF $50-THOUSAND TO THE GOVE ACRES DEVELOPMENT.  THE DEVELOPERS ARE ALSO SEEKING A $40-THOUSAND LOAN THROUGH THE WINDOM H-R-A.  THE E-D-A DISCUSSED THE CURRENT LOAN ON THE SPEC BUILDING.  A DEVELOPER IS CLOSE TO COMPLETING THE FINANCING PACKAGE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF A NEW 84-UNIT APARTMENT BUILDING.  IT WAS ANNOUNCED THAT WINDOM HAS RECEIVED A STATE GRANT OF MORE THAN $424-THOUSAND FOR WORK AT THE CEMSTONE REDEVELOPMENT AREA.  A CLOSED SESSION WAS HELD FOR LAND NEGOTIATIONS.  A COMMITTEE IS WORKING WITH CEMSTONE TO FINALIZE DETAILS OF THE PROPOSAL.   

 

THE GOVERNING BOARD FOR WINDOM AREA HEALTH HELD A SPECIAL MEETING THIS WEEK.  THE CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER PRESENTED A BUDGET PROPOSAL, COVERING THE PROPOSED OPERATING AND CAPITAL BUDGET FOR THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR.  THE BUDGET PROPOSAL WILL BE PRESENTED TO THE WINDOM CITY COUNCIL FOR FINAL APPROVAL AT THE APRIL 20TH COUNCIL MEETING.  THE GOVERNING BOARD ALSO REVIEWED A PROPOSAL FOR A NEW AGREEMENT BETWEEN WINDOM AREA HEALTH AND THE WINDOM POLICE DEPARTMENT.  THE PLAN CALLS FOR WINDOM AREA HEALTH TO SHARE THE COST OF A POLICE OFFICER WHO WOULD PROVIDE ADDITIONAL SECURITY AT THE HOSPITAL.