Danielle Killey
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Danielle Killey is the city reporter for the Republican Eagle, where she has worked since 2011. She graduated from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities with a journalism degree.
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Wendell Pittenger has proposed constructing a hotel at Mississippi National Golf Links, but bills in the state Legislature and zoning issues could make the prospect difficult. A data request from the group Save MNGL unearthed a proposal by Pittenger to build a hotel on the Mississippi National property.
The risk of major flooding has decreased due to recent cold weather, but some Red Wing area roads and parks are still seeing closures. On Friday, the Mississippi River was measured at 13.38 feet, the same as Thursday's reading. Minor flood stage is 14 feet. City officials said Friday's level should be the extent of the first crest. Depending on rainfall, water levels are expected to remain steady over the weekend and begin dropping next week, leveling out around 13 feet. But once warm weather returns, the water likely will rise again.
Spectators might soon be seeing advertisements alongside events at local athletic fields. A proposed ordinance that would allow advertising at the Red Wing Athletic Field, A.P. Anderson Park and fields at Red Wing High School and Twin Bluff Middle School is back before the Red Wing City Council. The ordinance would allow temporary advertisements that are put up and taken down the day of an event and are attached to an existing structure such as a building, fence or scoreboard.
Goodhue County has grown by more than 2,000 people in the past decade, according to 2010 census data. However, while all cities in the county grew, many township populations stayed roughly the same or decreased slightly. Eight townships gained residents, while 13 saw populations decrease. The county as a whole has been growing slowly over time, county Planning Supervisor Mike Wozniak said. And he said the latest numbers don't come as much of a surprise.
The first public meeting on the potential sale of Mississippi National Golf Links has been rescheduled for April 19. The meeting, which was originally planned for April 7, will give both the city and opponents of the sale a chance to present information, city officials said. Council members generally approved of the shift in date, but Council member Peggy Rehder said she was concerned about the later date. "There's been a lot of information flying around, some of it true and some of it not," she said. "It's not a healthy situation. ...
While recent predictions have waters reaching lower levels than originally anticipated, there are still safety issues that can stem from flood season - and many that can be prevented. Flooding of wells is a common risk during high waters. The Minnesota Department of Health recommends storing a supply of clean or bottled water and disconnecting the power supply to wells during flood season. If there is enough time before water is expected to reach the area, officials recommend having a contractor install a watertight cap on the well.
A bill that aims to clarify the right of Red Wing to sell Mississippi National Golf Links to a private developer is moving forward in the state Legislature. The bill, sponsored by Sen. John Howe, was approved by a Senate committee Wednesday - where City Council member Peggy Rehder and other city officials spoke - and has headed to the Senate for a vote. Some people lobbied for a requirement in the bill that the city make the sale public, but that ultimately was left out of the bill.
State and city leaders have begun sifting through the 2010 census data for Minnesota as it comes in, and Red Wing is no exception. The city saw a slight increase in its population, as did the rest of the cities in Goodhue County. City officials in Red Wing had been tracking population estimates through the state demographer's office before the census data was released, and the 343-person increase was just slightly above the predictions, said Brian Peterson, Red Wing planning director.
A proposed ordinance establishing a domestic partner registration in Red Wing is moving closer to approval. The Red Wing Human Rights Commission agreed Thursday to send the ordinance to the City Council with the commission's endorsement. The ordinance likely would be on the council's April 11 agenda for discussion. At that meeting, the commission would present the ordinance, HRC Chairwoman Joanne Pohl said, but council members would not vote on the ordinance that night.
Housed in a building that is nearly a half-century old - and showing its age - the Cannon Falls Library is due for a new home, some library staff and community members say. The city hasn't been able to commit to funding a new library, so the Cannon Falls Library Foundation has taken matters into its own hands.