Windom Police reported on December 27th at 1:27am an officer on patrol on Highway 60 near 10th Street observed a vehicle in front of them driving irracticly. After initiating a traffic stop on Highway 60 near 24th Street and investigating, an arrest was made of a 24-year-old Windom male for Driving While Under the Influence. A citation was issued and the driver was released once sober. On the 28th at approximately 3:38am an officer observed a vehicle that had very dark tinted windows and no front license plate. The officer initiated contact upon the vehicle pulling into a gas station. After investigation, it was learned that the 33-year-old male driver from New Ulm had a Revoked status in Minnesota. He had 8 prior convictions for no proof of insurance. The driver was informed due to priors it is a gross misdemeanor offense to not provide proof of insurance. This case was forwarded to Prosecuting Attorney’s Office for review.
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Jackson County Sheriff’s Office reported 24 calls from December 29th to January 1st. Deputies issued multiple Snow Emergency Violation Citations in downtown Jackson and two ordinance citations for inoperable vehicles in Heron Lake, assisted other agency with medical and traffic calls, notified the Water Department of a water line break in Jackson, and responded to a juvenile issue. A full listing of all calls for the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department is available by clicking link below.
Jackson County Sheriff’s Office Report December 29th to January 1st
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Residents in Madelia will notice a different law enforcement presence in town following the city’s decision to shut down its police department. According to sources city officials voted in November to disband the Madelia Police Department, which went into effective on January 1st. The decision came after the department lost several officers and was down to just a couple of staffers and officials say it simply wasn’t sustainable to keep it running. Mayor Cody Eager stated with the department shrinking to just one officer, contracting with the Watonwan County Sheriff’s Office was the best way to keep consistent law enforcement coverage in the city. The new arrangement will save the city about $150,000 a year, officials say, and sheriff’s deputies will now handle patrol duties in Madelia. Officials emphasize this change is designed to maintain public safety and provide stable coverage for Madelia residents moving into the new year.
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Residents in St. James and across Watonwan County are being encouraged to sign up for a new emergency weather and alert notification system. Watonwan County has partnered with ReGroup Emergency Notifications, a free service designed to deliver important alerts directly to residents. Notifications may include severe weather warnings, missing persons, chemical spills, bomb threats, and other emergency situations where timely information is critical. The system uses address-based information to make sure alerts are sent only to those affected. It works with both landlines and cell phones, helping emergency officials reach residents quickly and accurately. To register, residents will need to provide their name, physical address no P.O. boxes city, state, ZIP code, and a primary phone number. Sign-up can be completed online, or residents can get help by calling the Watonwan County Emergency Management Office at 507-375-5841. Officials also remind residents that anyone previously signed up for CodeRED will need to re-register in order to continue receiving emergency alerts through the new ReGroup system. Again, that number for assistance is 507-375-5841.
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Today’s meetings include:
- Fulda City Council at 5pm in Fulda City Hall Council Chambers.
- The Mountain Lake Public School Organizational Board Meeting at 5:30pm at the School in Room 101.
- Mountain Lake City Council at 5:45pm in the Mt Lake City Hall..
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Murray County Board of Commissioners will be meeting Tuesday January 6th at 8:30am in the Murray County Government Center. If you would like to listen in by calling or view the meeting via zoom you can find the information on the Murray County Homepage.
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Jackson County Board of Commissioners and the Drainage Authority will meet on Tuesday January 6th at 9am at the Jackson County Court House Commissioners Board Room
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The Cottonwood County Board of Commissioners will be meeting Tuesday January 6th at 9:00am at the Cottonwood County Courthouse in the Commissioners’ Room.
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The St James City Council will be meeting on Tuesday January 6th at 5:30pm in St. James City Hall Council Chambers. Meetings can be viewed live or anytime on the City of St James’s YouTube Channel.
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The Windom City Council will be meeting Tuesday January 6th at 6:30 pm at Windom City Hall in the City Council Chambers
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