Local News Headlines – Tuesday, June 8th

THE 2021 WINDOM RIVERFEST CELEBRATION IS TAKING PLACE THIS WEEK.   MOST ACTIVITIES WILL TAKE PLACE AT TEGELS PARK NEXT TO COTTONWOOD LAKE.  ON THURSDAY, THERE WILL BE FREE MUSIC AT TEGELS PARK.  FRIDAY’S EVENTS WILL INCLUDE A COMMUNITY COOKOUT, A CRAFT AND VENDOR SHOW, AND FIREWORKS.  SATURDAY EVENTS INCLUDE A SAND VOLLEYBALL TOURNAMENT, PICKLEBALL TOURNAMENT, THE KIDS FISHING CONTEST, TURTLE RACES, AN ALL-CLASS REUNION, FOOD VENDORS AT THE PARK AND THE RIVERFEST PARADE.  SATURDAY NIGHT, THE LIONS CLUB WILL HOLD A PORK-CHOP FEED AND STREET DANCE.  ON SUNDAY, THERE WILL BE A BEAN-BAG TOURNAMENT, BINGO, THE RIVERFEST RAFFLE DRAWING, AND CANOE AND KAYAK RACES AT THE LAKE.   
 
THE WINDOM COMMUNITY CENTER COMMISSION MEETS AT 5:30 THIS AFTERNOON AT THE COMMUNITY CENTER.  COMMISSION MEMBERS WILL REVIEW RENTAL SURVEYS.  THE CENTER DIRECTOR WILL HAVE AN UPDATE ON THE REPLACEMENT OF A 10-TON HEAT EXCHANGER UNIT.  A DISCUSSION WILL BE HELD ON COVID-19 RELIEF FUNDS.  THE WINDOM OF WINDOM HAS APPLIED FOR MORE FEDERAL FUNDING WHICH COULD BE USED TO OFFSET LOSSES FOR THE COMMUNITY CENTER.  A LIST OF SCHEDULED EVENTS WILL BE PRESENTED FOR REVIEW.  THE COMMISSION WILL HEAR THE MONTHLY FINANCIAL REPORT.  
 
HERE’S AN UPDATE ON COVID-19 VACCINATIONS IN SOUTHWEST MINNESOTA.   FOR THE STATE-WIDE TOTALS, AS OF LAST SATURDAY, JUST OVER 60% OF STATE RESIDENTS 16-AND-OLDER ARE FULLY VACCINATED.  ROUGHLY 5.4-MILLION DOSES OF VACCINE HAVE BEEN ADMINISTERED.  IN COTTONWOOD COUNTY, 54.5% OF COUNTY RESIDENTS 16-AND-OLDER ARE NOW FULLY VACCINATED.   IN JACKSON COUNTY, JUST OVER 47% OF RESIDENTS IN THAT AGE GROUP ARE FULLY VACCINATED.  NOBLES COUNTY HAS THE HIGHEST VACCINATION RATE IN THE AREA WITH 57% 16-AND-OLDER NOW FULLY VACCINATED.  WATONWAN COUNTY HAS 54% OF RESIDENTS IN THAT AGE GROUP FULLY VACCINATED.  MURRAY COUNTY HAS 50% OF RESIDENTS 16-AND-OLDER FULLY VACCINATED.  
 
THE COTTONWOOD COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS MET LAST WEEK.  A PUBLIC HEARING WAS SCHEDULED ON AN APPLICATION FOR A RESIDENTIAL HOUSING TAX ABATEMENT FOR A NEW HOUSE IN WINDOM.  THE BOARD APPROVED AN APPLICATION FOR A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT FOR AN R-V PAD AND SHED IN MT LAKE TOWNSHIP.  THE BOARD AGREED TO MAKE A DONATION OF $5,000 TO HELP PROMOTE THE ACQUATIC INVASIVE SPECIES PROGRAM.  THE BOARD APPROVED A JOINT-POWERS AGREEMENT FOR THE 9 COUNTIES SERVED BY THE RED ROCK RURAL WATER SYSTEM.  THIS COVERS BOND PAYMENTS FOR THE NEW WATER TREATMENT PLANT IN GREAT BEND TOWNSHIPS.  THE BOARD APPROVED A MEMO OF AGREEMENT WITH THREE EMPLOYEE UNIONS.