Local News Headlines – Wednesday, September 15

THE WINDOM SCHOOL BOARD MET THIS WEEK.    THE BOARD RECOGNIZED LONG-TIME CHOIR DIRECTOR RACHEL AXFORD ON HER RECENT RETIREMENT.  THE BOARD REVIEWED INFORMATION ON A PRELIMINARY 2022 PROPERTY TAX LEVY LIMIT.  THE CURRENT FIGURES DO NOT INCLUDE THE DISTRICT’S OPERATING LEVY, WHICH EXPIRES THIS YEAR.  IF DISTRICT VOTERS APPROVE THE RENEWAL OF THE OPERATING LEVY, THEN THE 2022 LEVY WOULD SHOW A SLIGHT DECREASE FROM THE CURRENT YEAR’S AMOUNT.  AMONG THE CHANGES, THE DISTRICT IS NO LONGER LEASING SPACE AT THE ‘BARC’ BUILDING AND IS NO LONGER LEASING THE TEMPORARY CLASSROOMS THAT WERE LOCATED AT WINFAIR ELEMENTARY.  THAT RESULTS IN A SAVING OF ROUGHLY $95-THOUSAND IN THE LEVY.   
 
A REGULAR MEETING OF THE COTTONWOOD COUNTY BOARD WAS HELD LAST WEEK.  THE BOARD AUTHORIZED THE COUNTY TO APPLY FOR A STATE HISTORICAL GRANT, SEEKING FUNDS FOR A WINDOW REPLACEMENT PROJECT AT THE COURTHOUSE.  THE BOARD APPROVED A JOINT FUNDING AGREEMENT WITH WINDOM FOR NEW EQUIPMENT THAT WILL BE USED TO MONITOR RIVER LEVELS.  THE BOARD VOTED TO CREATE A NEW “ADOPT A HIGHWAY” POLICY FOR THE COUNTY.  THE COUNTY RECORDER MADE A PRESENTATION ON A REVISED PROPOSAL TO ADJUST WORK HOURS AND COMPENSATION FOR EMPLOYEES IN THE OFFICE.  NO ACTION WAS TAKEN.  A DISCUSSION WAS HELD ON HEALTH-CARE BENEFITS FOR 2022.   
 
JACKSON COUNTY IS CONSIDERING OPTIONS FOR IMPROVING A DANGEROUS INTERSECTION.    AT THE LAST MEETING OF THE JACKSON COUNTY BOARD, A DISTRICT ENGINEER FROM MINN-DOT GAVE A PRESENTATION ON THE INTERSECTION OF COUNTY HIGHWAY 29 AND COUNTY HIGHWAY 34 NEAR ALPHA.  THE INTERSECTION HAS SEEN A NUMBER OF ACCIDENTS INCLUDING TWO RECENT FATAL ACCIDENTS.  THE RATE OF ACCIDENTS AT THE INTERSECTION IS HIGHER THAN THE STATE AVERAGE.   THE REPORT LISTED THREE OPTIONS:  ADDING ADDITIONAL SIGNAGE AND RUMBLE STRIPS; MAKING THE INTERSECTION A 4-WAY STOP; OR TURNING THE INTERSECTION INTO A SINGLE-LANE ROUNDABOUT.  THE JACKSON COUNTY BOARD WILL STUDY THE OPTIONS AND CONSIDER THE POTENTIAL COST OF EACH OPTION. 
 
THE SONS OF NORWAY STAVANGER LODGE IS HOLDING A PROGRAM THIS WEEK IN WINDOM.   THE LODGE WILL MEET AT 7:00 THURSDAY EVENING AT THE COTTONWOOD COUNTY HISTORICAL MUSEUM.  A PROGRAM WILL BE PRESENTED, TITLED “IN THE STEPS OF MARTIN LUTHER.”  THE GUEST SPEAKERS WILL BE VAN AND MARCIA JOHNSON OF JACKSON.  IN 2017, THE JOHNSONS WERE PART OF A GROUP THAT VISITED GERMANY AS PART OF THE 500TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE PROTESTANT REVOLUTION.  THEY WILL DISCUSS THEIR EXPERIENCES ON THE TOUR.  THE PROGRAM IS FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. GUESTS ARE WELCOME.  LIGHT REFRESHMENTS WILL BE SERVED.  FACE COVERINGS AND SOCIAL DISTANCING ARE REQUIRED IF YOU HAVE NOT BEEN VACCINATED.   
 
THE “KING TURKEY DAY” CELEBRATION IS BEING HELD THIS WEEK IN WORTHINGTON.  THE EVENT RETURNS THIS YEAR AFTER HAVING BEEN CANCELED LAST YEAR DUE TO THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC.  EVENTS WILL BEGIN ON THURSDAY WITH A MIXER AT THE PIONEER VILLAGE.  ON FRIDAY, THERE WILL BE FOOD VENDORS AND MUSICAL ENTERTAINMENT IN THE BEER GARDEN. A FAMILY MOVIE WILL BE SHOWN FRIDAY NIGHT ON THE LAWN AT THE NOBLES COUNTY GOVERNMENT CENTER.  MOST EVENTS WILL TAKE PLACE ON SATURDAY.  THERE WILL BE A GUEST SPEAKER, FOLLOWED BY THE “GREAT GOBBLER GALLOP” AT 1:30 AND THE GRAND PARADE AT 2:00PM.  OTHER EVENTS WILL INCLUDE A FUN RUN, A FREE PANCAKE BREAKFAST, INFLATABLES FOR CHILDREN AND A FAMILY FUN BIKE RIDE.