HERE’S AN UPDATE ON COVID-19 VACCINATIONS IN SOUTHWEST MINNESOTA. AS OF LAST SATURDAY, FOR ALL MINNESOTA RESIDENTS 16-AND-OLDER, 53.1% ARE FULLY VACCINATED. IN COTTONWOOD COUNTY, 52% OF RESIDENTS 16-AND-OLDER ARE FULLY VACCINATED. IN JACKSON COUNTY, 44% OF RESIDENTS 16-AND-OLDER ARE FULLY VACCINATED. IN NOBLES COUNTY, 54% OF RESIDENTS 16-AND-OLDER ARE FULLY VACCINATED. IN REDWOOD COUNTY, 46% OF RESIDENTS 16-AND-OLDER ARE FULLY VACCINATED. IN WATONWAN COUNTY, 50% OF RESIDENTS 16-AND-OLDER ARE FULLY VACCINATED. IN MURRAY COUNTY, 48% OF COUNTY RESIDENTS 16-AND-OLDER ARE FULLY VACCINATED. OVER 4.8-MILLION DOSES HAVE BEEN ADMINISTERED IN MINNESOTA.
THE JEFFERS CITY COUNCIL MET LAST WEEK. THE JEFFERS LIONS CLUB DISCUSSED IDEAS FOR REPLACING THE ‘WELCOME TO JEFFERS’ SIGN, AND AGREED TO MAKE A DONATION TOWARD THE COST OF THE PROJECT. THE COUNCIL AGREED TO LOOK INTO OPTIONS FOR A NEW SIGN. THE COUNCIL VOTED TO APPROVE A PROJECT TO HAVE A NUMBER OF FILES TRANSFERRED TO USE WITH NEW COMPUTER SOFTWARE. THE MAINTENANCE DEPARTMENT REPORTED ON THE ESTIMATED COST OF RESURFACING THE TENNIS AND BASKETBALL COURTS IN THE CITY PARK. THE MAINTENANCE DEPARTMENT ALSO DISCUSSED THE COST OF A CAMERA SYSTEM FOR TELEVISING WATER AND SEWER LINES.
THE MT LAKE CITY COUNCIL MET THIS WEEK. A PROCLAMATION WAS ISSUED, RECOGNIZING THIS FRIDAY AS “PETERSON PHARMACY AND GIFTS APPRECIATION DAY.” THE ELECTRIC DEPARTMENT PRESENTED A NEW AGREEMENT WITH THE CENTRAL MUNICIPAL POWER AGENCY FOR THE FUTURE PURCHASE OF WIND-GENERATED ENERGY. THE COUNCIL APPROVED NEW CONTRACTS FOR THE AMBULANCE DEPARTMENT TO PROVIDE SERVICE TO NEIGHBORING TOWNSHIPS. A DISCUSSION WAS HELD ON THE PROPOSED REMODELING PROJECT FOR THE CITY HALL OFFICES. THE CITY HOPES TO FINALIZE ITS PLAN AND BE ABLE TO SEND THE PROJECT OUT FOR BIDS IN JUNE. THE COUNCIL APPROVED A $300 DONATION TO THE POW-WOW ROAD RACE.
THE WINDOM CITY COUNCIL MET EARLIER THIS WEEK. FURTHER DISCUSSION WAS HELD ON SETTING NEW RATES FOR FIRE PROTECTION SERVICES. NO CHANGES WILL BE MADE AT THIS TIME; THE MATTER WILL BE CONSIDERED THIS FALL AS PART OF THE NEW BUDGET-SETTING PROCESS. THERE WAS AN UPDATE ON THE ‘PIRATE SHIP’ AT ISLAND PARK. THE COUNCIL VOTED TO ALLOW THE PIRATE SHIP TO REMAIN AT ITS PRESENT LOCATION. THE WINDOM BASEBALL ASSOCIATION WILL AGREE TO IMPROVE THE APPEARANCE OF THE SHIP FOR THE SIDE FACING HIGHWAY 60, AND HANDLE ALL FUTURE MAINTENANCE. THE COUNCIL ACCEPTED A GRANT AGREEMENT PROVIDING FEDERAL FUNDING FOR A PROJECT AT THE WINDOM AIRPORT. EMPLOYEES WERE HIRED FOR THE RIVER BEND LIQUOR STORE AND THE STREET AND PARKS DEPARTMENT.
THE HERON LAKE-OKABENA SCHOOL BOARD MET THIS WEEK. A CONTRACT WAS APPROVED WITH GREATER MINNESOTA FAMILY SERVICES FOR A HALF-TIME MENTAL HEALTH WORKER. THE BOARD APPROVED A REVISED BUDGET FOR THE CURRENT SCHOOL YEAR. IN PERSONNEL BUSINESS, THE BOARD APPROVED THE HIRING OF BRANDON THURK AS A HIGH SCHOOL MATH TEACHER. KIMBERLY SHIDELER WAS HIRED AS A 6TH-GRADE TEACHER. A CONTRACT WAS APPROVED WITH LEONORA KAZEMBA TO SERVE AS TECHNOLOGY COORDINATOR. THE BOARD ACCEPTED RESIGNATIONS FROM 3RD-GRADE TEACHER SELINA LUDOLPH AND BUS DRIVER MARK BARTOSH. ADMINISTRATIVE REPORTS WERE PRESENTED INCLUDING AN UPDATE ON FACILITY PROJECTS.
A WINDOM MAN HAS BEEN SENTENCED TO 78 MONTHS IN PRISON AFTER PLEADING GUILTY TO MANSLAUGHTER IN THE 2ND DEGREE. 28-YEAR-OLD ZACH BAKER OF WINDOM PLED GUILTY TO CAUSING THE DEATH OF HIS INFANT SON. A SENTENCING HEARING WAS HELD IN COTTONWOOD COUNTY DISTRICT COURT BEFORE JUDGE CHRISTINA WIETZEMA. THE JUDGE FOUND THAT AGGRAVATING CIRCUMSTANCES WERE PRESENT DUE TO THE AGE OF THE VICTIM. UNDER STATE GUIDELINES, BAKER COULD HAVE RECEIVED A SENTENCE OF 74 TO 86 MONTHS IN PRISON. THE PROSECUTION ASKED FOR THE MAXIMUM SENTENCE TO BE IMPOSED, WHILE THE DEFENSE ARGUED IN FAVOR OF A LESSER SENTENCE. BAKER WILL SERVE 78 MONTHS IN PRISON WITH CREDIT FOR 902 DAYS SERVED IN JAIL WHILE AWAITING TRIAL. BAKER WAS ORDERED TO PAY $1,800 IN RESTITUTION.