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Mayo Clinic Health System is resuming operations at five area clinics that had been closed for several weeks to reallocate staff to respond to the surge of patients hospitalized with COVID-19. The clinics at Mankato-Northridge, Le Sueur, Janesville and Waterville, Minnesota, will reopen Monday, Jan. 18. The clinic in Belle Plaine, Minnesota, will reopen Monday, Jan. 25. In addition, the visitor policy for hospitalized patients in Mankato, New Prague, Fairmont, St. James and Waseca, Minnesota, will change to allow one visitor per patient, effective Friday, Jan. 15. Previously, due to the COVID-19 surge, visitors were not allowed, aside from compassionate exceptions [...]

MARTIN COUNTY HAS 12 NEW CASES OF THE CORONAVIRUS. TOTAL CONFIRMED 1,635. ACTIVE 79. NEWLY LISTED AS HOSPITALIZED 0. TOTAL HOSPITALIZATIONS 100. CASES BEYOND INFECTIOUS PERIOD 1,566. COVID RELATED DEATHS 26. FARIBAULT COUNTY HAS 8 NEW CASES. TOTAL CONFIRMED 1,016. ACTIVE 76. NEWLY LISTED AS HOSPITALIZED 0. TOTAL HOSPITALIZATIONS 74. CASES BEYOND INFECTIOUS PERIOD 935. COVID RELATED DEATHS 14. WATONWAN COUNTY HAS 5 NEW CASES. TOTAL CONFIRMED 1,046. ACTIVE CASES 17. CURRENTLY KNOWN HOSPITALIZED 10. TOTAL HOSPITALIZATIONS 51. OUT OF ISOLATION 1,022. COVID RELATED DEATHS 7. Minnesota health officials reported on Wednesday 1,504 new cases of the coronavirus and 50 more [...]

MARTIN COUNTY HAS 6 new cases of the coronavirus. Total confirmed 1,623. ACTIVE 69. NEWLY LISTED AS HOSPITALIZED 1. TOTAL HOSPITALIZATIONS 100. CASES BEYOND INFECTIOUS PERIOD 1,564. COVID RELATED DEATHS 26. FARIBAULT COUNTY HAS 8 NEW CASES. TOTAL CONFIRMED 1,008. ACTIVE 77. NEWLY LISTED AS HOSPITALIZED 0. TOTAL HOSPITALIZATIONS 74. CASES BEYOND INFECTIOUS PERIOD 926. COVID RELATED DEATHS 14. WATONWAN COUNTY HAS NO NEW CASES. TOTAL CONFIRMED 1,041. ACTIVE 11. CURRENTLY KNOWN HOSPITALIZED 10. TOTAL HOSPITLAIZATIONS 51. OUT OF ISOLATION 1,030. COVID RELATED DEATHS 7. Minnesota health Officials reported on Tuesday 1,335 new cases of the coronavirus and 13 more deaths. [...]

The Fairmont School Board heard the district’s plan for students’ return to in-person school next  week . Elementary students will return on Monday, Jan. 18 full-time in-person, and high school students will begin on the same day in a hybrid model. Elementary co-principal, Andy Traetow, pointed out that this week marks 10 months of COVID-19 and distance learning for schools. He said since June alone there have been six changes and updates to the state’s learning plan. The board approved the 20-21 Adopted Budget. Supt. Joe Brown presented the Review and Comment required by the Minnesota Department of Education in order [...]

The Martin County Board Tuesday : Approved the creation and implementation of the Martin County Covid Relief Grant Program to local businesses and non-profits. The program will provide grants in an amount up to $10,000 to eligible businesses.The businesses must the criteria established by the board. The grants under this program must be awarded by March 15,2021. Applicants can use grant funds only for eligible expenses not already covered by other funds Commissioners approved signing an Administrative Services Contract in the amount of $100.00 per application with the Fairmont Area Chamber of Commerce related to the economic assistance grants generated through [...]

THE FAIRMONT CITY COUNCIL AT MONDAY'S MEETING APPROVED NEW AGREEMENTS WITH THE AMERICAN FEDERATION OF STATE, COUNTY AND MINCIPAL EMPLOYEES (AFSCME) AND THE INTERNATIONAL BROTHERHOOD OF ELECTRICAL WORKERS (IBEW) UNIONS REPRESENTING CITY WORKERS. THE NEGOTIATED AGREEMENTS WITH BOTH UNIONS ARE TWO YEAR CONTRACTS THAT PROVIDE FOR A 2.25% WAGE INCREASE IN 2021 AND A 2.75% WAGE INCREASE IN 2022.. THE NEW CONTRACTS HAVE ALSO ADJUSTED THE WAGE SCALES FOR THE TWO UNIONS PUTTING A TEN-STEP SCALE IN PLACE THAT IS CONSISTENT ACROSS BOTH UNIONS AND AND WILL BE ADOPTED FOR NON-UNION EMPLOYEES AS WELL ACCORDING TO CITY ADMINISTRATOR CATHY REYNOLDS. THE [...]

THE FAIRMONT CITY COUNCIL MONDAY HELD A WORK SESSION ON THE PROPOSED NEW PUBLIC WORKS FACILITY. AT THE REGULAR MEETING THE COUNCIL APPROVED ADVERTISNG FOR BIDS ON THE PROJECT ON A 4-1 VOTE WITH COUNCILOR RANDY LUBENOW THE LONE DISSENTING VOTE. HE EXPRESSED HIS CONCERN ABOUT THE COST. THE PROJECT ESTIMATE IS $9,800,000. THE COUNCIL APPROVED A DIFFERENT AGREEMENT WITH KRAUS-ANDERSON FOR THEIR WORK ON THE PROJECT. THE NEW AGREEMENT WOULD CHANGE THE ARRANGMENT FROM A CONSTRUCTION MANAGER AT RISK TO A CONSTRUCTION MANAGER AS ADVISOR. THE MAIN OUTCOME OF THE CHANGE WOULD BE TO ALLOW THE CITY TO APPROVE CONTRACTS [...]

THE MARTIN COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS WILL HAVE A SPECIAL MEETING TUESDAY MORNING AT 9 AM. THE MEETING WILL BE TO CONSIDER ESTABLISHING AND IMPLEMENTING THE COUNTY RELIEF GRANT PROGRAM FOR COVID FUNDS, CONSIDER AN ADMINISTRATIVE AGREEMENT WITH FAIRMONT AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE TO COORDINATE THE EFFORT AND WILL CONSIDER USE OF A COUNTY FACILITY BY FARIBAULT/MARTIN COUNTIES HUMAN SERVICES AND COMMUNITY HEALTH FOR COVID-19 IMMUNIZATIONS. THE MEETING AT 9 AM TUESDAY WILL BE AT THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS MEETING ROOM AT THE MARTIN COUNTY COURTHOUSE AND VIA VIDEO CONFERENCING.

MARTIN COUNTY HAS 9 NEW CASES OF THE CORONAVIRUS. TOTAL CONFIRMED 1,612. ACTIVE 74. NEWLY LISTED AS HOSPITALIZED 0. TOTAL HOSPITALIZATIONS 100. CASES BEYOND INFECTIOUS PERIOD 1,548. COVID RELATED DEATHS 26. FARIBAULT COUNTY HAS 4 NEW CASES. TOTAL CONFIRMED 998. ACTIVE 80. NEWLY LISTED AS HOSPITAIZED 0. TOTAL HOSPITALIZATIONS 74. CASES BEYOND INFECTUOUS PERIOD 913. COVID RELATED DEATHS 14. WATONWAN COUNTY AT LAST REPORT HAS 1 NEW CASE/ TOTAL CONFIRMED 1,038. ACTIVE 7. CURRENTLY KNOWN HOSPITALIZED 10. TOTAL HOSPITALIZATIONS 51. OUT OF ISOLATION 1,024. CIVID RELATED DEATHS 7. Minnesota on Sunday reported 2,165 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 44 more [...]