Local Headline News

Monday, November 21, 2022

The Windom Area Chamber held their year-end Gala on Friday the 18th. It was a great evening of good food and fun entertainment. Awards were presented in the following categories:

Lifetime Achievement Award– KDOM’s very own (retired) Dirk Abraham

Chamber Champion Award– the Windom Fire Department

Exceptional Achievement Award– Joel LaCanne

Rookie of the Year– Crystal Clean Car Wash

Chamber Directors Choice Award was presented to City Department Heads Tim Hogan and Jon Ketzenberg.

Dueling Duo created a colorful and fun night of entertainment. The Windom Chamber Executive Director, Tyann Hall-Marcy announced she was stepping out of the position of Director as of December 31st.

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Windom Police Department reported on the 17th around 10pm officers were informed of a wrong way driver on Highway 60. The reporting party stated that there was a vehicle coming from Mt Lake heading towards Windom going Westbound in the Eastbound Lane. Officers made a traffic stop on Highway 60 in the turn lanes by Dollar General Store and after investigation, possible charges for Gross DUI are pending blood test results on a 56-year-old female from Windom.

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Red Rock Central School District Board of Education will be meeting Tonight at 5pm in Lamberton.

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Mt Lake City Council will meet tonight at 6:30pm at Mt Lake City Hall.

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The Murray County Board of Commissioners will meet Tuesday, November 22nd at 8:30 am in the Murray County Government Center. If you would like to call in and listen or join via zoom you can find further information on the Murray County Home Page.

You may listen to the meeting by calling 312-626-6799 (Passcode: 402764) Meeting ID: 915 6931 9831 or view the meeting live via zoom  https://murraycountymn.com/

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There will be a Special Windom City Council Meeting on Tuesday November 22nd at 5pm in the Windom City Council Chambers. The Agenda will cover an EDA Hiring Recommendation.

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At the Windom City Council meeting on Tuesday the 15th there was discussion on the floodplain model and hydrology of the Des Moines River in Windom through a FEMA grant The council would like to have Perkins Creek added to the evaluation but they are not apart of the original plans. This would not be apart of the grant and would be at a cost to the City. This study could possibly lower the base flood elevations and narrow the flood way and flood fringe, which would allow for more buildable property and/or reduce the properties needing to have flood insurance in town.   The Council agreed to use money from the general fund to add Perkins Creek area to this study.  There is a call for a Public Hearing on December 6th The Windom Police Department would like to start using drones within the community. There are specific requirements for when drones can be used, record keeping and reporting to the BCA involved.   All the information and guidelines for the use of drones will be posted on the Windom Police Department Facebook Page. The Council approved an increase for on-call EMT pay from $3.50 to $5.00 per hour and also for Run Pay from $18.50 to $20.00 per hour.

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The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources will waive entrance fees to all 75 state parks and recreation areas Friday, Nov. 25 — the day after Thanksgiving.

This “Free Park Day” is one of four days each year on which the DNR waives the vehicle permit requirement to enter state parks and recreation areas. The goal of Free Park Days is to encourage Minnesotans to get outdoors and enjoy the health and wellness benefits of spending time in nature.

According to Ann Pierce, DNR Parks and Trails Division Director, “Minnesota state parks and recreation areas are open year-round and provide places of peace and beauty to recharge during the hustle and bustle of the busy holiday season,” she went onto say, “It’s a fantastic time to get out into nature with friends and family following Thanksgiving celebrations.”

According to the American Psychological Association, spending time in nature is linked to improved attention, lower stress, reduced risk of psychiatric disorders and even increased empathy and cooperation.

There’s a state park or recreation area within 30 miles of most Minnesotans. Free Park Days provide an opportunity to visit a state park or recreation area for the first time or return to an old favorite to discover something new.

Most state park offices and visitor centers will be lightly staffed on Nov. 25. Before and during their visit, visitors are encouraged to:

  • Check visitor alerts and find directions on state park pages via the DNR website (mndnr.gov).
  • Download GeoPDF maps (mndnr.gov/mobile/geopdf) before the trip. These maps will display a user’s current location, like other map applications, but the user does not have to be connected to the internet or have cell service to use them.
  • Visit the self-orientation signs near the park entrance for suggestions on what to see and do while visiting.
  • Help protect these special places for the future by staying on trails and leaving no trace.

For more information, visit the free entrance days to all Minnesota state parks page of the DNR website (mndnr.gov/freeparkdays) or contact the DNR Information Center by emailing [email protected] or by calling 888-646-6367 from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Saturday.