LOCAL

Tenth annual celebration has many events scheduled Worthington and Nobles County will be the focus for pheasant hunters this weekend as southern Minnesota hosts the Minnesota Governor’s Pheasant Hunting Opener.

ST. PAUL, Minn.—Minnesotans who need health insurance can now shop and compare medical and dental plans for 2023 through MNsure, Minnesota’s health insurance marketplace. MNsure’s open enrollment period starts November 1 and runs through January 15, 2023, but Minnesotans can use MNsure’s plan comparison tool this month to check out their options and get a cost estimate so they are ready to sign up for coverage when open enrollment begins.

Celebration to be part of tenth annual Minnesota Governor’s Pheasant Hunting Opener New public hunting land will be dedicated in Nobles County at 4:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 14, as part of the Minnesota Governor’s Pheasant Hunting Opener. The ceremony celebrates 295 acres added to Ransom Ridge Wildlife Management Area, located three miles south and 1.5 miles east of Rushmore.

SAINT PAUL – On Monday, Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon awarded Winona State University with the 2020 Democracy Cup. Minnesota's Democracy Cup is the statewide collegiate voter turnout competition. In 2020, Winona State University had the highest voter turnout of participating 4-year public state universities in Minnesota with 73.8% of its students voting.

The University of Minnesota- Crookston hosted a blood drive with Vitalant on October 5 at University of Minnesota-Crookston which helped collect a total of 36 units of blood products for patients in need. A total of 38 individuals volunteered to donate blood and 32 individuals were able to successfully donate at the Vitalant blood drive on October 5. A total of five donors also came forward to donate Power Red Cells (2RBC) which collects two units of red blood cells while returning platelets, plasma and a saline solution back to the donor. There were nine people who volunteered for the first time!

Rydell National Wildlife Refuge will be closed to the general public during two special deer hunts that will be held on the Refuge in October of 2022. This closure also applies to archery deer hunters and small game hunters who intend to use the Refuge. The Accessible Deer Hunt is conducted in cooperation with the Options Interstate Resource Center for Independent Living and will take place Thursday, October 13 through Saturday, October 15. The Mentored Youth Deer Hunt is a cooperative effort with the Minnesota DNR for youth between the ages of 12 and 15. It will take place Saturday, October 29 and Sunday, October 30. Both of these hunts have a limited number of participants that were selected through a drawing, earlier in the year. Signs will be posted at Refuge entry points during both of these closures. For more information on these closures or if you have questions, contact Gregg Knutsen, Refuge Manager, at 218686-4329 or gregg_knutsen@ fws.gov.

On Oct. 3 the Polk County Sheriffs Office received a burglary report in rural Warrenin which more than $100,000 of property was reported stolen. The incident was investigated, and the stolen property was recovered. Christopher Arnet Wilson, age 42, of Alvorado, MN, was arrested and is being charged with Burglary, Felony Theft, and 2 counts of unauthorized use of a motor vehicle. This investigation isstill ongoing and no further information is being released at this time.

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources reminds anyone whose autumn plans include spending time on or around the water to keep safety in mind. While more boating-related accidents happen during the summer, boating fatalities are higher during the cold-water season. As water temperatures drop, water- based activities become riskier. A fall into a cold lake, pond or river can result in even a strong swimmer becoming incapacitated quickly. Further, cries for help can go unheard and rescues can take longer than in the warm-weather months when more people are on or near the water.

Winners will be announced by The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Upper Midwest Chapter on Oct. 15 The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (NATAS) Upper Midwest Chapter has announced that Minnesota Public Radio (MPR) has been nominated for two Upper Midwest Emmy awards for The Current’s “Minnesota Sessions” video series. The winners will be announced at the 23rd annual NATAS Upper Midwest Chapter Emmy awards gala on Saturday, Oct. 15 at the Radisson Blu Mall of America.

Motorists traveling on Minnesota roads this fall should be aware of large farm equipment transporting crops to markets, grain elevators and processing plants, according to the Minnesota Department of Transportation.