The City of Northfield is once again reminding all residents ages 18 and older that early voting for the August primary elections has begun in Minnesota.
Some Northfield voters will have choices in two separate local elections. There are seven candidates for mayor and there are three candidates for City Council in Ward #2. The candidates with the top two vote totals will move on to the general election. Those who identify as Republicans and Democrats will also be asked to select a candidate for the United States Congressional Second District where Democratic incumbent Angie Craig is being challenged by Marc Ives, and Joe Teirab is one of several Republicans vying for that party’s nomination. There are eight Republican candidates for United States Senator, and five Democratic candidates, including incumbent Amy Klobuchar. Those with the highest vote totals by party will be the names on the November ballot.
Northfield voters may cast their votes at City Hall by filling out an absentee ballot in the second-floor training room. An absentee ballot may also be filled out and returned by mail and must be received before the primary election date in order to be valid.
Northfield City Hall is open for voting on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 7:30am – 4:30pm, Tuesdays from 7:30am – 6pm, and Fridays from 8am – noon. Voting will also be open on Saturday, August 10th from 9am – 3pm, and on Monday August 12th from 7:30am – 5:00pm. Voters must be in line to vote 15 minutes prior to poll closing time.
The Primary Election Day is Tuesday, August 13th. General Election Day is Tuesday, November 5th.
Progress on new Rice County Safety Center moves along
Finishing touches are being put on the new Rice County Safety Center, which will house both the Rice County Sheriff’s Office and the Rice County Jail. Sheriff Jesse Thomas said the carpeting has been installed, all the furniture is in, and office equipment is being installed as well. The flooring for the jail is being installed, and Thomas said most of the incarceration furniture has been installed.
The real work will start once the Sheriff’s office takes possession of the building.
Moving an entire law enforcement department, to say nothing of the incarcerated individuals in the jail, is not an easy or quick process. Thomas said it must be done meticulously, carefully and with great attention to detail. Files have to be handled carefully, as does the department’s equipment that is used for law enforcement. The handling of evidence requires a well-placed system that Thomas said has to be thought through completely before it can begin.
“So when we move those items, we have to make sure that they’re logged out of that building, escorted to the new building by law enforcement, and then logged back into that building. So it’s a, it’s a long process. We have a great crew that works in our evidence, and I think they’ll be a great do a great job.”
Once everything is in place, he said, then the County Detainees can be moved. Thomas said that will be the most difficult challenge in the entire process. He said the transfer date has been set for a Tuesday, which are generally lighter days at the Sheriff’s office.
Thomas said the careful process is necessary for obvious reasons, but the care they take will be worth it when it is finished. The Rice County Safety Center is expected to be running and fully operational, he said, by the end of October.
Rice County offers well water testing kits to those in need
Rice County is giving away well water testing kits at no charge while supplies last. The kits are for residents who drink water from a private well if pregnant or have an infant less than 1 year old in their household regardless of financial need or those with a private well and financial need.
Funding for the program comes from a Minnesota Department of Health grant for the nine-county region of southeast Minnesota including Rice County. This grant prioritizes assistance to households with infants under the age of 1, households with pregnant women, or households experiencing financial hardship. Southeastern Minnesota Soil and Water Conservation Districts, and county environmental services and public health departments are collaborating in these efforts. There is also an opportunity to apply for funding assistance to fix contamination issues through the TAP-IN Safe Drinking Water Program.
A statement issued by Rice County said several different contaminants can be found in well water, including coliform bacteria, manganese and lead.
If water has high levels of any of these contaminants, well owners can apply for remediation financial assistance. This can include installing water treatment equipment, fixing wells, or sometimes even installing a new well.
Assistance depends on eligibility. Local county offices may cover 50%-100% of the cost of installing a water treatment system.
Well water test kits can be picked up at Rice County Public Health Office at the Government center in Faribault.
KYMN Daily News 8/2/24
Rich Larson is the KYMN News Director. Contact him at rich@kymnradio.net
