Basil’s Pizza looking to add outdoor seating
A sliver of property owned by the City is being looked at for development. Community Development Director Chris Heineman says the City has over $70,000 into 219 Water Street, the old Barbershop next to Basil’s Pizza. That includes remediation and demolition. He said it’s very much a potential corridor to invest in a beautification project and offer better access to the river walk. It could also provide expansion for adjacent businesses including outdoor seating. Additionally, the Pitsavas family may be interested in expanding the building, however, that would trigger ADA compliance issues including the bathroom.
The Planning Commission held a public hearing and Heineman says the next step is a development agreement with the Pitsavas family. Mayor Graham said the, “drawings we saw are very nice, so we’ll see if it happens”. He said, “we don’t have any money on it yet”. The Pitsavas’s plan on getting a permit next week. The Mayor wrapped up saying, “so if it happens it’d be nice, I think they deserve to have an outdoor seating area like so many of our other places do”.
“Everything’s on the table” for the Hwy 246 & Jefferson Pkwy intersection
An Open House for public input on the intersection of Hwy 246 and Jefferson Pkwy took place Wednesday night. Public Works director Dave Bennett said there was a good crowd with neighbors, bicyclists, parents and other community members as well as representatives from the School District. He said, “everything’s on the table”. Including the all way stop (although that’s not working well at this point), signals, a roundabout, lane modifications and more. Cameras were placed at numerous intersections to monitor traffic while school was in session. Not only Hwy 246 and Jefferson Pkwy but also Jefferson Rd, Woodley, entrances and exits from all schools. They noticed that during the PM pickup at Bridgewater, traffic was backing up on Jefferson. Bennett added that, with all the data they have now, they will build a model and see how traffic would operate. There’s a reroute being considered for the Mill Towns Trail that would go through that area but there’s no funding set aside for it through the DNR or the City, so it’s on Bennett’s radar but it’s not at the top of the list. The City is accepting public input through June 30th. Call the Engineering department at 507-645-3020. They’ll hold a work session with council in July and then there will be another open house in August.
With commercial projects, Dundas looks to rebuild roads
Local roads need some work in Dundas as commercial projects bring more traffic. City Administrator John McCarthy said Stafford, the road that runs along Hwy 3 in front of Firehouse Liquor, needs to be rebuilt as does Cannon Road. They will extend the work that Northfield’s already done on that stretch. McCarthy then talked briefly about the possibility of Aldi’s building a store next to Firehouse. He says most of the other infrastructure is in good shape. Groundbreaking took place this morning for the new Dundas Dome. Co-owner Sherry Foster
Shooting suspect descripton
Yesterday, with the assistance of a BCA sketch artist, the Rice County Sheriff’s office has a composite sketch from a witness to the shooting of the female victim in Webster Township last Saturday. The suspect is described as being 5’7” – 5’8”, medium to dark skin, slender build, about 150 pounds in his early to mid-twenties. If you recognize the person in this sketch, we ask you to please contact the Rice County Sheriff’s Office Investigation Division at 507-334- 4391. If you have any other information that would assist us with this investigation, to please contact us. They’re offering a reward of $2,500 for information leading to the arrest and convictions of the subjects responsible for the shootings in this incident. I’ve posted all this information on our website and to our KYMN Facebook page. Please share it.
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