Local News Headlines for Friday, February 26th

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.   

 

THE WESTBROOK-WALNUT GROVE SCHOOL BOARD MET THIS WEEK.  A NUMBER OF PERSONNEL ITEMS WERE HANDLED.  THE DISTRICT WILL POST OPENINGS FOR A FULL-TIME ART TEACHER, A FULL-TIME SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHER AND A FULL-TIME SCHOOL COUNSELOR.  A RESIGNATION WAS ACCEPTED FROM LONG-TIME FOOTBALL COACH LEO THEISEN.  JOHN BENSON WAS HIRED AS A NEW FOOTBALL COACH.   A DONATION WAS APPROVED TO THE WESTBROOK WOMENS’ CLUB.  THE BOARD APPROVED A REVISED BUDGET FOR THE CURRENT SCHOOL YEAR.  THE DISTRICT IS PROJECTING THE YEAR TO END WITH A SMALL SURPLUS.  THE SUPERINTENDENT DISCUSSED HOW FEDERAL COVID-19 FUNDING MIGHT BE USED FOR VARIOUS PROJECTS. 

 

THE WINDOM SCHOOL BOARD HELD A WORK-SESSION EARLIER THIS WEEK.    THE BOARD CONTINUED TO DISCUSS A PROPOSED SCHOOL CALENDAR FOR THE 2021-22 SCHOOL YEAR.  THE NEW SCHOOL YEAR WOULD BEGIN ON SEPTEMBER 7TH.  THE CALENDAR HAS A SHORTER CHRISTMAS BREAK AND A TWO-DAY EASTER BREAK.  INFORMATION WAS PRESENTED ON THE PROPOSED CONTRACT FOR SERVICES WITH THE SOUTHWEST-WEST CENTRAL SERVICE COOPERATIVE.  THE TOTAL COST WILL BE GOING UP BY ABOUT 7% DUE TO INCREASED SERVICES FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION.  THE BOARD AND ADMINISTRATION DISCUSSED THE DEVELOPMENT OF NEW STATE STANDARDS FOR SOCIAL STUDIES CLASSES.  IT WAS NOTED THAT POLICIES ARE BEING REVISED TO ALLOW MORE FANS TO ATTEND HOME SPORTING EVENTS.  

                                                                          

THE COTTONWOOD COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS HELD A SPECIAL MEETING THIS WEEK.  THE BOARD VOTED TO AMEND ITS APPROVAL OF A NEW HOUSING TAX ABATEMENT PROGRAM.  DISCUSSION WAS HELD ON A PROJECT AT THE COUNTY COURTHOUSE.  THE BOARD APPROVED A PLAN TO HAVE TUCK-POINTING DONE ON THE COURTHOUSE. OTHER PROJECTS MAY INCLUDE CAULKING AND PAINTING WORK.  THE BOARD AWARDED COVID-19 BUSINESS RELIEF GRANTS TO 62 SMALL BUSINESSES AND 34-NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS, WITH THE AWARDS TOTALING $250-THOUSAND.   THREE APPLICATIONS WERE APPROVED FOR BUSINESS RELIEF THROUGH THE MINNESOTA CARES FUND. 

 

THE RED ROCK CENTRAL SCHOOL BOARD MET THIS WEEK.    THE BOARD WENT INTO CLOSED SESSION TO MEET WITH THE SCHOOL ATTORNEY.  A DISCUSSION WAS HELD ABOUT THE RECENT SCHOOL REFERENDUM.  AT THIS TIME, IT APPEARS UNLIKELY THAT THE DISTRICT WILL PURSUE ANY LEGAL ACTION AGAINST THE MINNESOTA STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION.   THE BOARD HELD A WORK-SESSION ON REFERENDUM PLANNING.  NO DECISIONS WERE REACHED.  THE DISTRICT MAY CONSIDER RECONVENING ITS PUBLIC TASK FORCE TO DISCUSS BUILDING ISSUES AND CONSIDER NEW OPTIONS.  THE NEXT DATE THAT A BUILDING REFERENDUM COULD BE HELD WOULD BE IN AUGUST, BUT DISTRICT OFFICIALS SAID IT IS NOT LIKELY THAT THEY WOULD BE READY WITH A NEW PLAN BY THAT DATE.