Snowy finish Eagles top Saints in snow-covered finale Page 7 Giving Tree sees big growth THATE’S TREE SERVICE Specializing in large Three-year-old program and difficult tree projects! serves 126 children of families in need 800-225-8733 n Page 4 www.thatetree.com 137th year Cottonwood County 51st edition $1.25 windomnews.com Check for updates 8 a.m./noon/5 p.m. and @CitPub on Twitter VISIT US ONLINE AT WWW.WINDOMNEWS.COM WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2020 WHAT’S INSIDE Smith Appliance EDA OKs option on apartment complex to change hands n Construction could start in on the EDA’s 8.3-acre spec become final until mid- Windom couple buys April on an 84-unit apartment building site. If all goes as March — meaning the longtime Windom complex in Windom. planned, the deal will lead to developer could still back appliance store. the completion a three-story out — there is financial It’s not quite a “done 84-unit apartment complex incentive to stay with the n Page 2 deal,” but the Windom Eco- by the end of 2021. project. In pairing the option nomic Development Authori- The purchase price is with a $15,000 development Teams hold ty took a major step, Monday, $250,000. The developer ex- agreement, the EDA has virtual practices in addressing a local hous- pects to use $12,180 per unit secured what amounts to a ing shortage. in Tax Increment Financing, $25,000 non-refundable down- In-person practices could By a 4-0 vote, the board which is less than Lakeside SUBMITTED begin Monday, pending approved granting a $10,000 Apartments (located nearby) THIS IS AN artist’s rendering of the 84-unit apartment complex Governor’s decision option to United Develop- was awarded. SEE APARTMENTS planned for the Windom Economic Development Authority’s ment Solutions of St. Cloud While the sale doesn’t • BACK PAGE spec building site, north of the Windom Community Center. n Page 9 ONLINE POLL Last Week’s Results Are you doing more Christmas decorating than usual this year? 4 % o No .................. 76 % o Yes ..................24 Next Week How do you plan to celebrate Christmas this year? Vote at www.windomnews.com DID YOU KNOW? William Windom’s DAVE FJELD 12/16 Decgolf 39 visit in 1970 LIGHT JACKETS WERE all that was needed Dec. 9 at the Windom Country Club, Merrihew tee off on No. 9 were (from left) Darin Arndt, Ray Elston, Bill Baumann which was a busy place as temperatures soared into the mid 50s. Watching Chad and Todd Sorenson. On June 5, 1970, as Cottonwood County held a big parade honoring its centennial, a key figure came to town. Silly Season Actor William Windom (then 45) served as the parade grand marshal in Local golfers enjoy Windom. Windom was the great-grandson of Sen. William Windom for rare December treat whom the city was named. When it comes to the PGA and LPGA tours, “silly season” is the term many golf- In addition to appearing ers — amateur and professional — use to in the parade, Windom describe events played between the end of was part of the 12/16 Decgolf 66 one tour season and the start of the next. AL PETERSON (LEFT) and John Brommer had already finished entertainment at the In Minnesota, silly season rarely exists. their round for the afternoon and enjoyed a beverage — and Cottonwood County From sometime in October (maybe even some lighthearted conversation — outside the clubhouse. Fairgrounds later that November) until March or April, Minneso- evening. At the time, ta’s favorite participatory sport is basically Windom portrayed John shut down. Indeed, temperatures turn cold Monroe on NBC’s “My and, for most of those late fall and winter World and Welcome to months, the white “stuff” makes it impos- sible to play. it.” But every once in a great while, Minnesota golfers get to enjoy their own silly season. That was the case Dec. 8-9. Temperatures WEATHER in Windom climbed to highs of 56 and 53 degrees on Tuesday and Wednesday, respec- A look back . tively, with calm conditions. Needless to H L P say, local golfers took full advantage of the Tues. 56 28 — beautiful weather. Some got out their carts Wed. 53 36 — that normally would have be put into hiber- Thurs. 46 32 — nation, while others used push- or pull-carts Fri. 40 23 — and walked the course. Sat. 32 21 — Pins on the greens had been put away for Sun. 32 6 — the season, but golfers improvised by putting Mon. 19 7 — sticks in the holes to mark their locations. Alas, silly season was short-lived. By Thursday, a steady wind had switched to the 12/16 Decgolf 16 12/16 Decgolf 10 pharmacy north and temps began to dip. Although still JIM ENGLEHORN WATCHED his putt track toward the hole on ENGLEHORN’S PLAYING partner, Tom Riordan, free of snow, winter is beginning to settle in. the No. 5 green, only to see it come up short. chips toward the hole, marked by a stick. E A R N $ 00 P 1 E OFF N R GALLO ON YOUR FIRST Board hears tentative return to school plans TRANSFERRED AND FILLED PRESCRIPTION n for in-person learning. case, 11 total staff members forecasts soon break on Jan. 4. *Purchase of a transferred prescription A meeting to finalize the IN DEPTH from a non-Hy-Vee pharmacy is required. plans will be held Monday. The district has been in a in quarantine and five active dropping the “Right now, we’re plan- Limit one per household. Restrictions n apply. See store for details. Fuel savings full distance learning model student cases,” Wormstadt Threat total below ning to bring grades PreK-5 are limited to 20 gallons of fuel per causes lock- purchase, per vehicle. Beneficiaries By JOEL ALVSTAD since before the Thanksgiv- said. “It’s hard to track 200. and grade 9 back first,” of government-funded healthcare ing break. the number of students in down at Win- Additionally, Wormstadt said. “We’ve programs, including but not limited to Students in the Windom Medicare, Medicaid and TRICARE are Wormstadt said that COV- quarantine due to distance dom schools. a survey of seen the importance of not eligible for this offer. Beneficiaries of Area School District will re- /page 12 the Federal Employees Health Benefits ID-19 numbers in the county learning, but those numbers staff showed having our youngest learn- Program are eligible, unless transferring turn to school after the first are still high but are starting are all going the right direc- 112 were will- ers attending in-person. But a controlled substance prescription. of the year — but probably Valid through Thursday, December 31, to trend downward. tion.” ing to receive the vaccine as we also are seeing a higher 2020 at your Windom Hy-Vee store. not all at once. More importantly, the Wormstadt added that soon as it became available. number of students in grade At Monday’s regular number of staff and stu- information from the Uni- That could allow the 9 struggling with distance monthly meeting, the dents with active cases or in versity of Minnesota showed district to begin bringing learning. Grade 9 is a criti- Windom Area School Board quarantine has dropped. the two-week total number students back for in-person heard a report from Supt. “Right now, we have one of cases had dropped from a learning when school re- SEE SCHOOL Wayne Wormstadt regarding staff member with an active high of 298 down to 234, with sumes from the Christmas 7 28028 20721 7 plans to bring students back • PAGE 12 ■ COTTONWOOD COUNTY CITIZEN WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2020 2 ■ DISTRICT COURT THE EDGE Speeding: Samya฀J.A.฀ Gramberg, Clayton, Wis., Deadline extended Rangou, Windom, $125; $385. for Hwy. 60 review Matthew P. Schweigert, Mt. Hands-Free Law-en- Keeping it local Windom residents have Lake, $120; Kayla B. Bar- gage in cellular phone more time to offer com- rington, Wauchula, Fla., or video call: Thomas฀E.฀ ments on the Highway 60 $140; Matthew O. Bollero, Johnson,฀Lake฀View,฀Iowa,฀ Corridor Study. Lake Geneva, Wis., $140; $130;฀Lance฀A.฀Seidl,฀Sleepy฀ Windom couple buys Smith Appliance The Josephine฀R.฀Cosby,฀Sioux฀ Eye,฀$135. ■ The sale of Smith Appliance deadline for City, Iowa, $220; Bogdan M. Marijuana in motor takes effect at the start of 2021. submitting Cretu, St. Cloud, $120; Paul vehicle (less than 1.4 comments on A.฀Egbe,฀Brooklyn฀Park,฀ grams): Marchaman Ku- A฀prominent฀Windom฀ MnDOT’s design has been $225;฀John฀J.฀Jimenez,฀Lam- nati, Brookings, S.D., $135. business that has been extended to Dec. 31. berton, $125; Dina Koula- Hands-Free Law-access around since 1981 is about to “Your feedback will vong, St. Paul, $120; Helena video content, images, get a new local owner. help the project team C. Lafave, Minneapolis, games or software ap- Smith฀Appliance฀has฀ determine a layout for $130; Shelley R. Method, plications: Samuel฀Nayou,฀ been sold by Rob and Tami a future reconstruction Maplewood, $140; Brittany Sioux Falls, $135. McMenimen to Travis and project and ultimately the A.฀Nolte,฀Windom,฀$220;฀ Window tint violation: Bridget Hodkin of Windom. future of this important Kojo฀E.฀Prempeh,฀Minne- Connor฀J.฀Nelsen,฀Slayton,฀ The sale takes effect the first corridor,” MnDOT of- apolis, $120; Lindsey S.P. $130;฀Cole฀G.฀Nolte,฀Heron฀ week฀of ฀January. ficials said. Trossen, St. Cloud, $130; Lake, $130. Bridget Hodkin said the In addition to the Xiao Q. Wan, Plymouth, Speeding/seat belt vio- appliance store fits well with virtual open house, resi- $140;฀Scott฀R.฀Andresen,฀ lation: Timothy฀J.฀Shima,฀ the couple’s Windom-based dents can do self-guided, New฀Hope,฀$135;฀Sophie฀M.฀ Minneapolis, $245.