By Rich Larson, News Director
Taking guidance from the Minnesota Department of Health and the Centers for Disease Control, and after vaccinating the majority of frontline health
care workers and those in long term care facilities in the Northfield area, Northfield Hospital and Clinics have begun to offer vaccination appointments to people 80 years of age and older.
Nicole Strusz Mueller, the Director of Northfield Clinics said they are beginning to contact patients of Northfield Hospital and Clinics who meet the age requirement, beginning with the oldest people first and offering them Covid-19 vaccinations. She said appointments are limited to the amount of vaccine the hospital receives at any given time, but they have been able to at least expand the scope of their vaccination program.
Strusz Mueller said that patients can expect either a phone call or a text message from NH&C giving them a phone number to call and schedule an appointment. They are also working with Allina Clinics, who are contacting their patients as well to offer them vaccinations under the same guidelines. Those who are not patients of either NH&C or Allina will have an opportunity to put their name on a waitlist that she said should be up and running next week.
Strusz Mueller said she understands the eagerness of those waiting to be vaccinated, but she asked that people not call their clinic repeatedly, as this puts undue stress on the program. She said a little more patience in a situation where being patient is difficult, can go a long way.
“At this point, with the plan of us reaching out to patients, and then having the ability to fill out a form next week, I think that’s where I would really encourage people to start. We will get to everyone at some point. It’s just going to take a little time.”
She also encouraged people to look for multiple vaccine options. The more waitlists at different clinics a person can get on will increase their odds of getting vaccinated. The best place to look for other vaccinating options is right here at the Minnesota Health Department website.
Jeff Johnson’s full conversation with Nicole Strusz Mueller can be heard here.
Child Pornography Charges for Faribault Man
A Faribault man is in custody facing charges associated with child pornography.
Authorities say 49 year old Salvador Esparza-Conde was found to have sexually explicit images and videos of children on his phone, more than one of which had been distributed to another party or parties. They believe at least one of the children is younger than 13 years old.
According to the complaint, Faribault police received information in September from the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension indicating that child pornography had been disseminated from a residence in the City of Faribault. The ensuing investigation found multiple sexually explicit images on two cell phones belonging to Esparza-Conde, and that child pornography had been sent from at least two his social media internet accounts. Esparza-Conde was taken into custody on Monday.
If convicted he would face up to ten years in prison, a $10,000 fine and would be placed on the Minnesota Predatory Offender Registry.
Nominations sought for State-of-the-City Awards
The City of Northfield is inviting Northfielders to submit nominations for three different awards to
be announced during the annual State of the City Address.
The Mayor for a Day Essay Contest is for Northfield 4th and 5th graders to express their thoughts on civic engagement, and in this year’s case, leadership traits. Three essays from each grade will be selected as the winners. The authors of those essays will receive a commendation signed by the Mayor, $20 in Chamber Bucks, and the opportunity to ride on the city float during the Defeat of Jesse James Days Parade.
The Ethical Leadership Award is for a Junior or Senior Northfield student who exhibits “high standards and demonstrates a consistent approach to excellence as a student.”
And the Board & Commision Member Excellence Award is for a current individual or group of board members who have demonstrated outstanding work in service to the City of Northfield.
All submissions can be made online. The deadline for submissions is February 19. For more information visit the Awards & Contests page on the Northfield City website.
