Rice County Public Health is reminding all county residents of the dangers associated with high heat and humidity, saying heat is the number one weather related killer in the United States, and those deaths are preventable.
Rice County and indeed most of Southern Minnesota is currently in one of the hottest stretches of the summer. The high temperature yesterday was 96° with a heat index that made things feel closer to 114°, and today is expected to be even hotter.
A statement issued by Rice County Public Health said awareness is vitally important. Listen to, watch and read local weather forecasts to be aware of heat advisories. Drink plenty of fluids, stay indoors, slow down, and try to avoid overly strenuous work outdoors.
The statement stressed that one should never leave pets or children in enclosed vehicles.
It is also important to be aware of the dangers of heat stroke and other heat related illnesses. Cramps and heat exhaustion can be very dangerous and should receive immediate attention and treatment. Heat stroke is the most serious condition caused by extreme heat and robs the body of the ability to cool itself. Should symptoms like hot skin, confusion, vomiting and seizures arise, call 911 immediately.
People without air conditioning may need to find a cool place to go for relief from the heat and humidity and may need to consider public places with air conditioning, such as a shopping mall or the public library.
The county is also asking everyone to be vigilant for the elderly. Remember to call and check on friends and neighbors who are homebound or without air conditioning to make sure they are safe and staying cool as well.
Overall, the statement said, be prepared to protect yourself and those around you.
Rice County remains under an Excessive Heat Warning until 10pm tonight, and a heat advisory until 7pm on Thursday.
Complaint names City Councilors, Mayor individually
During their regular meeting last night, the Northfield City Council authorized the issuance and sale of $7.8 million in bonds that will, among other things, pay for the 2023 street construction projects. The seemingly benign vote, however, could have repercussions for the city, five of the individual City Councilors, and Mayor Rhonda Pownell.
Representing a pair of homeowners who had signed a petition asking for a referendum on the funding of the street projects, local attorney David Ludescher passed copies of a Complaint Prior to Litigation to councilors Kathleen Holmes, Jami Reister, Jessica Peterson White, and George Zuccolotto as well as Mayor Pownell. When filed, he said, the complaint will be a lawsuit naming each individual as a defendant for failing to observe the law in the handling of a petition.
Council Davin Sokup, who was not in attendance at the meeting, is also named as a defendant.
At issue is an objection many homeowners in the Heritage Drive, Lincoln Ave South area made to the bicycle lanes being built adjacent to their property. The petition that was circulated was found to be insufficient when presented to the city. No referendum was called, and the project has continued as planned.
Attorney Ludescher has made it widely known that this complaint has been prepared, and during the public comment portion of the meeting prior to the vote, he accused the members of the council of acting unlawfully as he has done repeatedly at other meetings.
During the discussion of the bonding process, City Administrator Ben Martig made a statement for the public record, saying “To be clear, the City did everything legally right in this situation and even above and beyond to take added input and meetings to hear from constituents on this project.”
When asked if he had filed the lawsuit, Ludescher replied, “We will.”
The vote passed 5-1. Council Brad Ness, who was not named in the complaint, voted against the authorization.
Legvold, Malecha, Rudebusch all to present at the State Fair on Saturday
The Minnesota State Fair begins tomorrow. As has been the case for several years, Dave Legvold, a local farmer, educator, and longtime advocate and practitioner of responsible farming practices, will give a series of presentations on conservation issues and solutions to help all Minnesotans better understand the nuances of modern farming.
Legvold has once again partnered with local friends for his presentations. Hannah Malecha of the Malecha Custom Beef Farm will present “A View from the Tractor Seat” with Legvold as she did last year. Legvold said this presentation is an overview of how technology has transformed agriculture over the years, and how agriculture has contributed to new technology in genetics, chemistry, and other areas.
He will team with Becca Rudebusch for another presentation called “Organic & Conventional Farming: The Real Dirt.” That conversation, he said, will explain the differences between his operation, and the SEED Farm, run by Rudebusch.
“She produces good, fresh food that you can pick right out of the field and eat. My production is corn and soybeans. What I produce is ingredients for many other forms of food production. So, I’m a commodity farmer. Becca is a food producer.”
There are other differences as well, he said. For example, SEED Farm hires seasonal help and offers educational opportunities to teach people organic farming techniques. Meanwhile, the 800-acre farm Legvold operates with his son Mark no longer requires help from the outside. He said the equipment and technology they have makes their farm, as he put it, “pretty self-sustaining.”
Overall, he said, so many different labels have been created for different types of farming that it becomes a little confusing to the non-farming community. Legvold said he would like this presentation to get down to the fundamentals of their operations.
“There is restorative farming. There’s regenerative farming. There’s pasture-based farming. There’s grass fed farming. There’s all kinds of stuff. And I think it’s important that Becca and I take the opportunity to really tell people what it is that we do. Not what our handle is, but what our practices are.”
Legvold and Rudebusch will make presentations on Saturday, August 26th, at 10am and 2pm. His presentation with Malecha is set for Saturday at 4pm. All presentations will be held in the Eco Experience Building at the State Fair.
Rich Larson is the KYMN News Director. Contact him at rich@kymnradio.net
