Honoring award winning seniors THATE’S TREE SERVICE Specializing in large Windom’s high school and difficult tree projects! seniors recognized for academics, fine arts work 800-225-8733 n Pages 7-9 www.thatetree.com 138th year Cottonwood County 23rd edition $1.25 Moving on Eagles race toward section meet n Page 11 VISIT US ONLINE AT WWW.WINDOMNEWS.COM WEDNESDAY, JUNE 9, 2021 WHAT’S INSIDE Possible council Mt. Lake grad members sought Graduation Residents of Windom’s east side have one week serving in Japan to apply for a vacant seat n Page 2 reported missing gets a 35 years later: n Cpl. Eric-John Niss de Weiners to WSI Jesus graduated from thumbs-up MLPS in 2015 and enlisted Wiens brothers turn in the Marines in 2019. ‘Wieners’ becomes leader A Mt. Lake High School in athletic sportswear graduate who had recently n Page 3 received a promotion from the U.S. Marine Corps has been reported missing following an incident in ONLINE POLL Japan. Cpl. Eric-John Niss de Last Week’s Results Jesus, a 2015 Mt. Lake Pub- Do you think Gov. Walz’s lic High School graduate, decision to offer incentives was stationed at Okinawa, in exchange for getting Japan, when Cpl. Niss de Jesus and three other Ma- vaccinated is a good idea? rines were caught in a rip 4 % current off the Japanese o No .................. 66 coast. The incident was reported Sunday morning. SUBMITTED % CPL. ERIC-JOHN Niss de o Yes ................. 34 The other three soldiers Jesus was stationed at were able to return safely Okinawa, Japan, when he Next Week to shore, but searchers was reported missing after were unable to immediate- an incident off the coast. Do you favor the ly locate Cpl. Niss de Jesus. Windom Police A Facebook post from his Department getting body mother, Jessica Blom, said SEE MISSING cameras? that search efforts were • BACK PAGE 6/9 Windomgrad 84 HUNTER WALKLIN GIVES a thumbs-up to someone in the audience during the processional of Vote at Windom Area High School’s graduation Friday night. Graduation also got a thumbs-up with a www.windomnews.com very normal ceremony in the high school’s Blue Gym. DID YOU KNOW? Windom graduation enjoys return to normal After a school year in Weather which seniors dealt with stats the repercussions of a pandemic, their graduation for May ceremony will be especially memorable because it was May 2021 was very much the one event in their last on par with past couple nine months of high school of years in terms of that was normal. temperature. Indeed, commencement The average high temp exercises were a very nor- mal experience for the 77 was 68.9 degrees, while seniors who received their the low was 48.7. In 2020, diplomas Friday night in the average high and low Windom Area Middle High were 66.8 and 48.7. In School’s Blue Gym. 6/9 Windomgrad 21 2019, the numbers were a And, judging from the JADYN WORMSTADT TAKES a selfie with classmates Allie Ward, Katelynn Hunter and Allison Letcher while getting ready smiles and “thumbs-up,” the bit lower: 64.0 and 46.5. for graduation in the Blue Gym’s auxiliary gym. graduates liked it too. Precipitation, on the other hand, was a little bit less in 2021. Just 3.06 inches of rain fell on 11 days during the month, compared to 3.99 in 2021 and 6.69 in 2019. The high temperature for the month was 92 degrees on May 1; the low was 38 on May 4. DAVE FJELD 6/9 MRpageant 270 WEATHER Kaylan Donchez crowned A look back . H L P Tues. 80 56 — Miss Riverfest, begins reign Wed. 84 62 — Kaylan Donchez was initially in utter disbelief, but when Thurs. 90 68 — the realization that she had just been crowned the 2021 Miss Fri. 95 72 — Riverfest began to sink in, she was overcome with genuine Sat. 98 71 — excitement as she wore the sash and held the Miss Riverfest 6/9 Windomgrad 135 Sun. 91 69 — bouquet of flowers. The daughter of Julie Snelling-Donchez, Mon. 94 71 — EAGLE CHOIR SENIORS got together to sing one last song, without masks and in full voice, who will be a senior at Windom Area High School in the fall, before receiving their diplomas. The group sang the class song, “Life is a Highway” by Rascal became the 33rd Miss Riverfest. She also was voted Miss Flatts. Choir members include (from left) Bentley Guggisberg, Anthony Cihak, Kora Swan, Gracie Congeniality by her fellow contestants. For more details and Bucher, Kaleb LaCanne (mostly hidden), Allie Ward, Conner Redman (above), Allison Letcher photos from the pageant, turn to page 4. and Ethan Bordewyk. Huge week off and running for Riverfest ’21 Join Hy-Vee’s NEW premium membership today! n Saturday’s Riverfest The community is brim- ALREADY UNDERWAY windomnet.com, each day. can be found on page 5. For only $99 per year, get: Grande Parade begins at ming with excitement and The first two clues were: + Fuel savings every time 4 p.m. and will be held on anticipation of things like Windomnet •฀฀“The฀time฀has฀come฀for฀ THURSDAY EVENT + Exclusive monthly deals Windom’s east side. musical concerts, Friday’s fun in the sun. If you can fireworks, the fishing contest Medallion Hunt find me the hunt will be Riverfest Kickoff! + Free 2-hour pickup Things are definitely and Saturday’s Grande Where: Within Windom’s done.” Where: Tegels Park at Cot- + Free grocery delivery getting back to normal in Parade. city limits. •฀฀“Mayflower฀is฀closed,฀so฀ tonwood Lake. + Get and give real-time Windom. There have been a few When: Began Monday I can’t be there. So fun times When: 5-8 p.m. feedback as your online tweaks in the schedule and and runs until Friday at 5 with friends is what I will Sponsor: Windom Area order is shopped There is no greater example than this week’s some events have relocated. p.m., or until the medallion share.” Chamber of Commerce. + Much, much more! arrival of Riverfest 2021. But, for the most part, it’s is found. The person finding the me- Contact: Tyann Marcy, We’ve already seen the start Riverfest as folks know it, on Sponsor: Windomnet. dallion is asked to promptly 831-2752. of the Riverfest Medallion the second week of June. The annual Windomnet turn it into Windom City Riverfest gets underway Hunt and the crowning of Here are a few snapshots Medallion Hunt returns in Hall. The winner receives Miss Riverfest. But there is of what the rest of the week 2021. six free months of 1 gigabyte so much more to come. has in store. A new clue is posted on internet from Windomnet. SEE RIVERFEST 7 28028 20721 7 Windomnet’s website, www. More details on the event • PAGE 6 ■ COTTONWOOD COUNTY CITIZEN WEDNESDAY, JUNE 9, 2021 2 ■ DISTRICT COURT INSIDE EDGE Speeding: Aniso A. Ali, attendance at a MADD Vic- Dentist feels at home Deadline extended Minneapolis, $140; Lucas F. tim Impact Panel, report to for council seat Baehr, Deforest, Wis., $130; agent as directed, remain Deanna K. Behler, Anoka, law-abiding. It appears a Ward 2 $140; Marty D. Block, Swan- Speeding/driving after Dr. Karels joins Dr. Gary Nelson practice Windom city council seat ville, $140; Kelly J. Castillo- revocation: Demarco J. will remain vacant for at Argueta, Sioux Falls, $130; Percy, St. Paul, $340. ■ Windom’s newest dentist is care. I realized I could do well as state least another week. Troy C. Duron, Lead, S.D., No proof of motor ve- married and the couple has well for a community, trying parks and At last week’s Windom City Council meeting, $120; Breana K. Halvorson, hicle insurance: Timothy two young children. to provide access to care and lakes,” Bran- Jeffers, $130; Ann M. Kas- R. Peterson, Sioux Falls, keeping people out of pain.” don said. “I Mayor Dominic Jones When Dr. Brandon Karels Brandon enjoyed working also enjoy said he had tensen, Minneapolis, $120; $280. graduated from dental Joseph M. Louangsaphak- Speeding/marijuana in in chemistry labs during biking and decided to give school and began looking for college, but realized that the running, so I local residents dy, Mt. Lake, $120; Sarah motor vehicle (less than a starting place, it did not M. McGoldrick, Vermil- 1.4 grams): Donavon L. impact of his research was will have to hit a little more take long to realize Windom far removed from the popula- up some of the time to apply lion, S.D., $140; Alexa A.-H. Robinson, Richfield, $190. is a good fit. tion that it helps. Dr. Brandon trails this sum- for the vacancy. Newman, Little Falls, $140; No Minnesota driv- Brandon and his wife, Arielle C. Overby, Min- er’s license/no insur- “Dentistry was a way to Karels mer.” Mayor Jones will han- Natalie, and their two sons, combine that,” Brandon And then, dle the appointment, with neapolis, $130; Amanda D. ance owner: Logan W. Emmett, 4 and Ezra, 2, Ramdeen, Brooklyn Park, VanEtten, Sioux Falls, $380. said. “I’m helping people when he isn’t working, one the council’s approval. moved to Windom a couple see immediate benefit while of Brandon’s greatest joys of Anyone interested $220; Sarah A. Richter, Speeding/no Minne- of weeks ago. Soon, Brandon Sioux Falls, $220; Levi R. sota driver’s license: Kyle being able to combine my in- all is spending time with his in applying is asked to will join Dr.