Rebel Roundup
I hope that everyone had an enjoyable Christmas and I wish everyone a Happy New Year in 2020. It is hard to believe that the 2019-2020 school year is at the midpoint on January 20th. The second semester begins on Tuesday, January 21st. As the amount of daylight continues to grow each day now, we can look forward to the warmer days of spring!
I am a realist though and realize that we do have many days ahead of possible inclement weather and possible days where we will be late, cancelled, or let out of school early. Weather related delays and/or closures are usually a topic of concern this time of year, especially when there is a forecast of measurable amounts of snow, ice, or possible snow storms. We have had one snow day and one late start so far this school year that has been related to weather. It would be nice not to have any more but those chances are probably slim. As a reminder, the snow day that we did have is one that we do not make up as it is built into the calendar. Any additional days off will be added to the end of the school year.
Making the decision to cancel or delay school can sometimes be difficult. I do not take my responsibility for the safety of students lightly. When a decision is made either way, I do understand that weather conditions may vary throughout the District so there may be isolated areas where weather conditions have changed. With this in mind, the District has in policy that students will not be penalized for weather related absences as long as the District is notified. Parents have the option to keep their children home if they think conditions are not favorable. If conditions change during the school day, parents have the option to take their children home as well without any attendance penalties.
Bus safety and winter weather go hand in hand. Students are much safer riding the bus than in their personal vehicle during the winter months. The District will not compromise student safety if there is a question as to whether to have school or a late start but if it is determined that buses can travel safely throughout the school district we will most likely be in session.
As we begin the second half of 2019-2020 school year, parents please encourage your children to embrace the opportunity to finish strong and make this a great second half of the year. If we work together collaboratively, we can assure that each student in the District receives the best education possible. We expect that your children will respect the rules of their school, their teachers and the rights of other students. We will reaffirm with our staff the expectations to model respectful behavior toward students and parents as well.
As always; call, email, or stop into the District office if you have questions or concerns. Check out our website at www.mcc.mntm.org and download our school app on your Android or iPhone devices to stay up to date on everything MCC.
Joe Meyer – Superintendent
Minnesota Celebrates Ed Robert’s Day on January 23rd
Treatment of people with disabilities has advanced remarkably in the past half century. A society of inclusion and equal access is important for all people.
The Independent Living philosophy for people with disabilities is to achieve the same civil rights and control over choices in their own lives as people without disabilities… the ability to “Live my life as I choose.”
Ed Roberts, often called the father of the Independent Living movement, was a pioneer in the disabilities rights movement in the 1960’s. He was the first student with severe disabilities to attend the University of California, Berkeley as well as the head of the Berkeley Center for Independent Living (CIL), the first independent living service and advocacy program run by and for people with disabilities. Today, Centers for Independent Living exist in every state in our nation, supporting people to lead self-directed lives in community.
Take a moment to celebrate Ed Robert’s Day and stop by your local CIL at 109 South 5th Street in Marshall during an open house from 11:30am – 1:30pm, January 23rd. If you have questions about Independent Living Services in Southwest Minnesota please call the Southwestern Center for Independent Living at 507-532-2221 or visit www.swcil.com.
Murray County Historical Society to host a Spirit-Free Cocktail Event
The Murray County Historical Society and Museum begins a year-long commemoration of the Roaring Twenties. To bring that past to life the Historical Society and museum staff will kick off with a Spirit-Free Cocktail Event at the Dinehart Holt House on Thursday, January 23 from 5-8 PM. Donate $5 for a drink ticket and choose from a tempting array of gourmet drinks. Our “moxy mixologists” will be on hand to shake, stir and even brew up some tasty, and in some cases healthy, alternatives to booze. There will be snacks on every table and live music provided by The Carneys. All ages are welcome. This come-and -go event promises to be fun and Instagram Worthy!
Changes big and small came to America during the 1920’s. Prohibition, women’s suffrage, and the rural agricultural depression all put their mark on Murray County. On January 16th of 1920, seventeen thousand saloons and bars closed across the nation. Soda fountains and soft drinks took over the sales. But today’s non-alcohol drinks are far from just soda fountain fare. Called Dryuary by some, it has now become fashionable to go non-alcohol with concoctions designed to be enticing!
For information on these and other great programs contact the museum at 507-836-6533 or at museum@co.murray.mn.us
American Legion Auxiliary Scholarships
The American Legion Auxiliary Department of Minnesota if offering various scholarships to students throughout Minnesota. Scholarships are available to high school seniors or college students seeking further education. There are also Health Care Scholarships and Non-traditional Scholarships for American Legion Auxiliary members.
For information, eligibility requirements and a scholarship packet contact Mary Beech, MCC School Counselor at 507-836-6184 ext. 4100 or Sue Gass, American Legion Auxiliary, at 507-393-0718.
All scholarship packets must be completed and returned by February 28, 2020, in order to meet the deadline set by the American Legion Auxiliary Department of Minnesota.
Senior LinkAge Line Care Transitions Presentation
Slayton, MN, January , 2020 – Every person wants to live independently, in the least restrictive setting possible. Return to Community, a state initiative, helps older adults in in the community who are in danger of losing their independence, as well as those living in a nursing home who want to move home. People are eligible for the Return to Community service when they:
Have been in the nursing home 90 days or less and want to return home
Would have to stay in the nursing home, if they did not have other help
Discharge from a hospital or reach the end of Medicare-certified home care and they are at risk (i.e., memory and financial)
Are considering a move to a registered housing with services setting
At risk for nursing home placement
Are not receiving long-term care services paid for by Medical Assistance (MA)
The Senior LinkAge Line can help older adults successfully live in the home of their choice.
WHO: Senior LinkAge Line® and Minnesota River Area Agency on Aging (MNRAAA)
WHAT: Care Transitions Presentation
WHEN: Monday, January 27th, 2020 ,9:00 AM – 10:30 AM
WHERE: Center for Active Living, 211 11th Street, Worthington MN
Visit our website at: www.mnraaa.org
Dinehart Lunchbox Lecture Focuses on Women’s Suffrage
The January Lunchbox Lecture will be held Thursday January 9 at noon in the 4-H building on the Murray County Fairgrounds in Slayton. This month’s topic will be presented by the Murray County Museum Site Manager, Rose Schmit. She will speak on Women’s Suffrage: From Seneca Falls to Slayton.
It was a long road for women to achieve equal suffrage in the United States. The first American women’s voting rights conference was held in 1848. It would take another 72 years to receive the right to vote under the 19th Amendment. With splits in the movement, stereotypes of how women were supposed to act, and the task of amending the Constitution, the individuals fighting for suffrage had many challenges to overcome. As 2019 marks the 100th anniversary of Women’s Suffrage, join Rose while she guides us through the stories that led up to its ratification.
Rose graduated from Southwest Minnesota State University in 2018 with of a Bachelor of Arts Degree in History. She jokes that if one could both major and minor in History, she would have had done it. While attending SMSU she volunteered at the Lyon County Museum where she came to learn the importance of local history and connecting people with the amazing stories of the places they call home. She has a love for the Progressive Era, World War I, and Women’s History in general. Rose was born and raised in Marshall, Minnesota where she now lives with her best friend and many houseplants.
This program is sponsored by the Murray County Historical Society. The cost of the talk is $3.00 and Historical Society members get in free. Bring your lunch. Beverages are provided. For more information about this and other history programming call 507-836-6533 or email museum@co.murray.mn.us
U of M Beef Team to host Cow/Calf Days Seminar Tour and Trade Show in January and February
The University of Minnesota Beef Team is proud to host the annual Cow/Calf Days Seminar Tour and Trade Show at 10 locations across the state in January and February. This event has been held for over 45 years and continues to be the leading information, technology, and research outlet for cow/calf producers in the state of Minnesota.
The 2020 event will feature information on opportunities to evaluate carcass characteristics in your herd, calf scours prevention, finding profit in the cow calf sector, and management of calves before and after weaning. Updates from the Minnesota State Cattlemen’s Association and the Minnesota Beef Council will also highlight the event. The corresponding tradeshow will feature vendors with new information, technology, and products with a wide array of practical uses for the operators in the cow-calf sector.
The program is directed at cow/calf producers, allied industry representatives, and is open to the public. A meal will be served with the program and a registration fee of $10 will include the meal, proceedings book, and program materials.
The Pipestone program will be held on Wednesday, January 29, 2020 at the MN West Community & Technical College, Room 103. The address is 1314 N Hiawatha Avenue, Pipestone. The program will begin at 9:30 am and conclude at 3:00 pm. While not required, RSVP’s are appreciated by contacting the Pipestone County Extension Office at 507-825-1190.
More information on other locations around the state can be found at the Cow/Calf Days Seminar Tour and Trade Show website: www.extension.umn.edu/beef or contact Eric Mousel at 218.398.1916, emmousel@umn.edu.
BY Melissa Runck is an Extension Educator-Ag Production Systems with University of Minnesota Extension in Murray and Pipestone Counties.
USDA Commodity Loans Available to Producers
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) reminds producers that Marketing Assistance Loans (MALs) and Loan Deficiency Payments (LDPs) are available to help producers through periods of low market prices. MALs and LDPs provide financing and marketing assistance for wheat, feed grains, soybeans and other oilseeds, pulse crops, rice, peanuts, cotton, wool and honey.
With market prices above average the last few years, there hasn’t been a demand for commodity loans, however, with prices approaching harvest-time lows this year, it’s important that producers consider their options. FSA is now accepting requests for MALs and LDPs for all eligible commodities after harvest.
MALs provide interim financing and allow producers to delay the sale of the commodity until more favorable market conditions occur. A producer who is eligible to obtain a loan, but agrees to forgo the loan, may obtain an LDP.
To be eligible, producers must have and retain beneficial interest in the commodity - having control or a title of the commodity - until the MAL is repaid or the Commodity Credit Corporation takes title to the commodity. Before MAL repayments and LDP disbursements can be made, producers must meet the requirements of actively engaged in farming, cash-rent tenant and member contribution.
To schedule an appointment to apply for a commodity loan or for more information on eligibility requirements, please visit your local FSA office. Visit https://www.farmers.gov to find your local office.
MNRAAA Announces Board of Directors Changes
Mankato, MN, December 31, 2019 – The Minnesota River Area Agency on Aging announces changes in their Board of Directors with a new member starting in 2020 and two board members terms expiring at the end of 2019. Matthew Johnson will begin serving on the board effective January 1, 2020, while Mary Perry and Rose Schlieman’s terms expire on December 31, 2019.
Matthew Johnson, from Sunburg, currently works with the Mid-Minnesota Development Commission (MMDC), which aids area businesses, organizations and other entities in Kandiyohi, McLeod, Meeker, and Renville counties. Mr. Johnson has been with the MMDC since 1998 serving as a Community Development Director. He has also worked as an Assistant Professor, an Assistant Editor and created a non-profit to raise funds to assist people with disabilities to participate in athletic events. Mr. Johnson, who holds a master’s degree in Regional Planning from Washington State University, will begin his term in 2020.
“I look forward to the addition of Mr. Johnson to our board of directors. He brings a wealth of experience and insight to our leadership group,” commented Robert Roesler, Board Chair.
Mary Perry, from Slayton, has served on the board in various capacities for the past four years. Ms. Perry, a former public health nurse, has been instrumental in recent years as MNRAAA went through numerous changes. She has served on many committees, been an outstanding spokesperson on older adult issues, and previously a member of the Advisory Council for MNRAAA.
Rose Schlieman, from Holloway, served as the Vice-Chair of the Board. Ms. Schlieman, a Big Stone County Human Service employee, has been with MNRAAA for five years. She was an active member and former chair of the Planning Committee, where her knowledge of older adult issues was vital in awarding appropriate Title III grants. Ms. Schlieman will continue serving on the Planning Committee as a volunteer committee member.
“Mary and Rose have both contributed so much to MNRAAA’s mission over the past years with their knowledge, leadership, and guidance. They have been influential in making MNRAAA what it is today. Although their terms are up, they still will be active within our organization,” stated Jason W. Swanson, Executive Director of MNRAAA.
The MNRAAA Board of Directors features professionals from the 27-county service area, ranging from a retired hospital administrator to the current Executive Director of an assisted living facility. For more information about the board or MNRAAA, please contact 507-387-1256.
About the Minnesota River Area Agency on Aging
As the designated area agency on aging for 27 counties in southwest Minnesota, the Minnesota River Area Agency on Aging is a catalyst in building communities where older adults live with dignity, mutual respect and shared responsibilities across generations and cultures. To learn more about MNRAAA, visit www.mnraaa.org.
