Thursday, October 29, 2009

Volume 97; Number 20

www.bladepublishing.net

A community newspaper serving Browerville, MN and surrounding areas. USPS 067-560

County denied radio Central Minnesota
communications hopes incubator
building will create jobs about
grant
By Tim King.
Todd County did not receive a
federal grant for more than
$400,000 to upgrade police and fire
radios communications. The grant
was part of an ongoing discussion
to improve the communications
systems to comply with a federal
mandate that goes into effect in
2013. County Administrator
Nathan Burkett said the grants
were highly competitive and Todd
County's application did not get
accepted because it did not create
any jobs. The grant program was
part of the federal economic stimu-
lus legislation.
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AWARE-
NESS MONTH
At the request of the Hands of
Hope Resource Center staff, com-
missioners declared October to be
Domestic Violence Awareness
month in Todd County. The staff
members said that they had
served 100 victims of domestic vio-
lence during the last twelve
What’s all
the buzz
months. That number is down
from 184 last year, according to
Jamie St. George, the Domestic
Violence Coordinator at the
Center. St. George said that she
believed more people were staying
in violent relationships because of
the poor economy.
"We are getting calls from par-
ents, and other third parties, ask-
ing why someone is staying in a
violent relationship," St. George
said.
St. George will be presenting a
program on domestic violence, and
the response to it, at Staples
Technical College Thursday,
October 29. There will be a morn-
ing program directed to profession-
als and an evening program for the
general public. For more informa-
tion call the Hands of Hope
Resource Center at 320-732-2319.
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
The University of Minnesota
has completed an assessment of
Continued on page 16.
By Nancy Leasman
The business incubator build-
ing in Long Prairie’s new 64 acre
industrial park west of city hall
is nearing completion. The
15,000 square foot building has
tall ceilings and is designed to
attract small manufacturers
that will employ workers and
enhance the regional economy.
“I don’t necessarily agree with
‘build it and they will come,’”
says Lyle Danielson of the Long
Prairie Economic Development
office. “But if you don’t build it,
they’ll have no reason to come.”
The 1.3 million dollar project
is funded by a pledge of a half
million dollars from Steve Klick,
who was born and raised in Long
Prairie, and a $600,000 grant
from the Federal Economic
Development Office in Chicago.
“Two or three years ago, we
looked around and there just
weren’t any buildings available
for manufacturing and we had
companies asking for space,”
says Danielson. They had scruti-
nized not only Long Prairie but
75¢
organization will help in work-
ing with these new boundaries.
“We’ve formed a county-wide
brooms?
mayors’ association. I think it’s
going to work well in promoting
county-wide,” he says.
Promoting individual economic
efforts but also communicating
needs and developments
throughout the county to encour-
age communal initiatives of ben-
efit to the whole area.
“This is not a spec building.
It’s never going to be for sale,”
says Rasmussen. Business ten-
ants will rent from the city. The
city will pay for heat and main-
tenance regardless of the num-
ber of tenants. “Here’s a chance
to get into a new building for
three years.” If all goes well, at
the end of that time the business
will build its own structure in
the industrial park and another
entrepreneur will have the
opportunity to use one of the
three or four spaces the building
offers.
Some “green” features are
built into the structure:

Public Health plans other areas in the county, too.

“We’ve all been to the Blandin
Leadership Training Program,”
says Mayor Don Rasmussen of
H1N1 Vaccination the Long Prairie’s community
leaders. “They (Blandin) told us,
‘your city is no longer the bounds
Clinics of your economy.’” He’s hopeful
that another newly formed
Energy efficient windows on
the south side are raised so the
sun can come nearly halfway
across the interior (barring any
dividers that hinder it).
In-floor heat
Well insulated ceiling
Continued on page 16.

By Tim King CCD Breakfast sells out

Vaccinations for H1N1 influenza won't be available until at
least early November, according to Todd County Public Health
Director Cheryl Schneider. Schneider released the discouraging
news during the October 20 meeting of the Todd County Board of
Commissioners. Schneider's department has been preparing for
a possible H1N1 out break for months. She came before the com-
missioners to get approval to accept $66,430 in federal funds to
pay for past and future planning.
When vaccine does become available Schneider said her Perhaps it has something
department intends to hold vaccination clinics in all of Todd to do with Halloween? Or,
County's schools. The clinics will be held twice over a two-month some say it is the Fall
period. Children and students who are vaccinated will have to be Equinox. No matter what
accompanied by a parent. Schneider said the clinics will be held the reason, balancing
from one to six p.m. so workers from various shifts will be able to brooms have caused quite a
stir in the community lately.
attend. The H1N1 vaccine will also be available at local clinics in
For nearly a week, three
Todd County. People who are 25 to 64 years old are being asked brooms have “magically”
to go to their regular doctor to receive vaccinations. However, balanced upright in the win-
people of that age would not be turned away from the clinics at dow of Browerville
the schools. Schneider said she was not sure how much vaccine Hardware. Some say that
will initially be available. this is only possible this par-
Commissioners approved Schneider request to accept the fed- A cold, drizzly Sunday morning brought a large crowd to ticular time of year.
eral funds. the Annual CCD Breakfast held this year at Christ the King. However, have you ever tried
The group had such a good turnout, they actually ran out of before to balance a broom
food early. upright anytime else?

WEEKLY WEATHER REPORT

Wed Oct. 28 Thu Oct. 29 Fri Oct. 30 Sat Oct. 31 Sun Nov. 1 Mon Nov. 2 Tue Nov. 3 Wed Nov. 4
Cloudy Showers Showers Rain/Snow/Wind Cloudy Sunny Showers Showers
52°/45° 50°/45° 51°/34° 40°/30° 41°/27° 38°/28° 38°/29° 38°/27°