By Teri Knight, News Director
Rice County Sheriff Troy Dunn confirmed that a person jumped from the bridge off I-35 over Hwy 19 this morning. We received numerous calls of traffic backups. Lifelink was called to the scene landing at Lakes Gas on Hazelwood. Traffic was stopped as First Responders worked to clear the scene. The traffic camera in the area was blocked. As of 10:36 this morning, the individual was still alive. No further details were given. MN State Patrol Sgt. Troy Christenson told KYMN at 1:24 this afternoon that the person was alive when they were airlifted out. After that they have no other information and will not release any other details to media. KYMN is sending our thoughts and prayers to the families.
Erickson’s Furniture burglarized
Erickson’s Furniture in Faribault was broken into late last evening. Faribault Captain Severson reports that the office was ransacked, a small safe was broken into, a computer and keys were stolen along with one of their vans. He didn’t know how much was stolen from the safe and said this is an open investigation.
PreK through 5th to return to school, secondary grades will go hybrid
Northfield School District parents receive an email today on how the school year will start. Superintendent Dr. Matt Hillmann said based on the Minnesota Departments of Health and Education Safe Learning Plan guidance and other local considerations, PreK through 5th-grade students will return to school in-person five days a week. They will work to create as much physical distancing as feasible. Face-coverings will be required and regular hand-washing will be emphasized. Both the Middle and High Schools as well as the ALC will return to school in a hybrid model. He will be on the air with Jeff Johnson tomorrow morning at 7:20 with much more.
Vendor shares story of RMF – looks forward to next year
Amid the chatter about the “non open” of this years Riverwalk Market Fair were rumors of moving the fair somewhere else and anger between the vendors and the Board. In June, Riverwalk Market Fair Board members Rick Hirsch and April Kopack were on the air with KYMN’s Jeff Johnson. This season would be their 10th anniversary. Hirsch said, “we didn’t take this lightly. It was very difficult for all of us. It was obviously something we wanted to do in closing down the market, we understand how important it is to the fabric of this community to have a market”. Kopack added that they did a lot of homework, consulted with other markets and listened to feedback from their vendors, who overwhelmingly did not want to open. A survey sent to each vendor listed a litany of rules to open including a requirement for each vendor to purchase a $1 mil insurance policy and name RMF as the insured. It also required two people at the booth at all times, one for money, one for product and cleaning after each transaction. The survey is posted: Riverwalk Mkt Fair Important Vendor Survey – Please Respond! Final Dick Zawacki is a woodworking artist and the insurance coverage alone would have cost him an estimated 33% of his profits, with an already shortened season, there was no way it was worth his time and effort. With that said, he praised the Riverwalk Market Fair and the Board of Directors, saying they were “painted into a corner” and had no other option but to follow federal, state, and CDC guidelines when they published their requirements in May. He didn’t like the idea of having to take out a liability policy, but said he understood why the board proposed it. Zawacki is very hopeful for next year and wrote, April Kopak, the new manager, brought a fresh perspective and new energy to the fair. During a vendor’s meeting early this spring, she offered a number of thoughtful ideas about how to expand and improve the fair. The board supported these ideas and also was investigating other possible ways to grow the fair.He added, I believe that the current board is doing the best that can be done during a very difficult time and I support their efforts. For this year, they offered a Virtual Market which some vendors have chosen to do. Zawacki said his pieces are better made for an in-person experience. Go to riverwalkmarketfair.org. The vendors that KYMN spoke with want the Riverwalk Market Fair to remain in Northfield.
