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“Where Fillmore County News Comes First” Weekly Edition
2016-2017 Progress Edition
Inside this issue
Erasing it from a website... page
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Monday, January 30, 2017
Rushford’s Fire & Ambulance report page
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Volume 32 Issue 19
Chatfield’s water meters page
Spring Valley’s big purchases
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page
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R-P’s Brianna Koop Canton • Chatfield • Fountain • Harmony • Houston • Lanesboro • Mabel • Ostrander • Peterson • Preston • Rushford • Rushford Village • Spring Valley • Whalan • Wykoff
Fillmore County Sheriff’s Department upgrades technology
A plea for health insurance premium relief By K aren R eisner karen@fillmorecountyjournal.com
Last October, Governor Mark Dayton admitted that the projected significant jump in premiums for 2017 is making the Affordable Care Act “no longer affordable.” He proposed one fix for the estimated 123,000 Minnesotans faced with surging premiums of 55% or more. By providing a 25% premium rebate to those who purchase health insurance on the individual market, who are not eligible for federal tax credits/subsidies, the affective premium increase for these individuals will be reduced to about 16%. Dayton stated early in January, “For more than two months, I have proposed this relief, so that 125,000 Minnesotans can better afford the health care Sheriff Kaase appreciates the increased efficiency the new laptops provide for the department. Photo by Hannah Wingert By H annah Wingert hannah@fillmorecountyjournal.com
“Having the benefit of advancement of technology is good for our staff and for our community,” Sheriff Tom Kaase said about the new laptops or “mobiles” in the squad cars. In the fall of 2016, laptops were installed in each of the 19 squad cars across Fillmore County. The laptops are manufactured by Panasonic and are specifically made for law enforcement with programs that make their job easier and more efficient. Each laptop sits on a swiveling stand in the squad car, but can easily be pulled from the vehicle and taken on calls. This allows the officer on duty to quickly type notes on scene rather than
having to scribble information on a notepad and then transfer it to a computer later. The laptops, called Toughbooks, are made to withstand a lot of wear and tear from being taken on calls. “This is brand new for Fillmore County,” Sheriff Kaase said, pointing out that many agencies throughout Minnesota have had computers in their squad cars for some time now. “We’ve got 864 square miles that we patrol on any given day or at any given hour,” he continued. Prior to the installation of the squad laptops, officers would have to stop at the Fillmore County Sheriff’s Department to use a computer there to fill out his or her report. If the officer wasn’t near Preston, he or she would have to use a computer
at the whatever local city offices were closer instead. “Doing it that way takes that deputy out of the car and potentially further away from an emergency that may take place, whether it’s a crime in progress or a medical,” Sheriff Kaase pointed out. In addition to decreasing response time to emergencies by keeping officers in their squad cars, the mobiles provide essential information to them right at their fingertips. Deputies used to have to write down or remember the information for calls that came over their See LAPTOPS Page 3
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they need and deserve.” Farmers, small business owners, independent contractors, and others who purchase individual health insurance are encouraged to first go to MnSure to confirm whether or not they are eligible for federal tax credits. About 5% of Minnesotans purchase their health insurance on the individual market. It has been estimated that as many as 100,000 Minnesotans who could qualify for financial assistance with their heath insurance costs have failed to take advantage of federal assistance. Individuals with incomes over $47,520 or families of four with incomes over $97,200 do not qualify for federal tax credits. They are at 400% or above of the federal See PREMIUMS Page 8
Blending Learning Days creating some ‘hiccups’ for R-P By K irsten Zoellner kirsten@fillmorecountyjournal.com
The Rushford-Peterson School District is trying a new approach this winter to counter the unpredictability of weather. Rather than make up snow days later in the year, the district plan utilizes Blended Learning Days, attempting to continue students’ learning opportunities. Essentially, each cancelled day will include a combination of online, traditional paper/pencil activities, and/or other class related activities for all K-12 students. District policies futher state, “Winter and spring months of the year bring school closings and make-up days that over the
Prices Effective January 30th - February 5th, 2017
years have proven very disruptive to the school calendar and to the instructional programs of our students. Unscheduled closings compromise the quality of the learning process that R-P carefully and deliberately plans and prepares for its students.” Five pages of policy, provided by the district, highlight general procedures for Online Snow Days and procedures specific to elementary, middle, and high school students. These include logging in to the R-P School website to check assignments on course or teacher pages and completing assignments by a specific time period, as specified See LEARNING DAYS Page 11