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Local/state briefs

Upcoming Marshall Community Services’ activities

Oct. 23: Learn to Skate lessons

Oct. 25: Driver Education Session 5

Oct. 30: Rock on Ice

Nov. 2: Gentle Yoga

Nov. 4: Instant Piano for Hopelessly Busy People, Shrink Plastic Isn’t Just for Kids Anymore

Nov. 6: Youth Gymnastics, Pasta Night Out

Nov. 8: Your Book is a Present! Fantasies and Science Fiction

For more information about these activities and more: https://bit.ly/MCS2021Registration.

MCS Red Baron Arena Open Skate will begin for the season on Friday, Oct. 29, and will be on select Friday and Saturday evenings from 7-9:30 p.m., Sunday afternoons from 2-4 p.m. and Sunday evenings from 7-9 p.m. Open Adult Hockey will be on Wednesday evenings from 7-9 p.m. Admission for open skate and open hockey is $5 per skater with rental skates available for $3. Please visit marshallcommunitycalendar.org for up-to-date Open Skate hours.

Halloween Rock on Ice will be held on Saturday, Oct.30 at the Red Baron Arena & Expo. Rock on Ice is a fun filled event for students in 8th grade and under. Come in your Halloween costume and enjoy a day of ice skating, games, music, and prizes. Rock on Ice will include three sessions of skate time in which all participants must pre-register for one session. If an adult must accompany a child on the ice, they must also pre-register to reserve a spot. The fee is $10 per person and includes skate rental. Concessions will also be available.

The organizational meeting for adult winter leagues (volleyball, basketball and curling) was on Oct. 6. If you are interested in being a part of one of these leagues, please contact Cam Bailey at 507-537-6781.

2nd man charged in crash that killed woman in Minneapolis

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A second suspect has been charged in the death of a bystander who was struck and killed by one of two vehicles whose drivers were involved in an exchange of gunfire in downtown Minneapolis.

Eighteen-year-old Autumn Rose Merrick was riding a scooter near Target Field when she was struck and killed while standing on a street corner Oct. 6.

A passenger in one of the vehicles, 33-year-old Marvel Williams, was charged Wednesday with second-degree murder and illegal possessing a firearm, the Star Tribune reported.

An arrest warrant has been issued for a second man, Christopher Walker of Minneapolis, who is accused of being one of the drivers. Walker is facing the same charges.

Prosecutors say one driver was chasing another at a high rate of speed when shots were exchanged.

Williams is jailed on $1 million bond. Two other men, both in their 30s, are suspects in the case but have not been charged.

It was not clear whether Williams or Walker have an attorney who could speak on their behalf.

Teachers ask for virus protocols after student, staff deaths

ST. PAUL (AP) — Members of Minnesota’s teachers union are calling on school leaders to do more to protect students and staff after the state Department of Health reported the first student death from COVID-19 this school year.

Health officials said the student and two staff members died last week. That increased the total number of school fatalities since the start of the pandemic to two students and 13 school employees, including five workers this year.

“Five school staff members and one student have died of COVID-19 this school year and it’s only October,” Denise Specht, president of Education Minnesota, said Thursday. “There is no excuse for any district leader to ignore the guidelines for masking, social distancing, quarantining and vaccinations set out by state and federal public health authorities.”

Specht also asked parents to reduce the risk “of another tragic death of a student” by having their teens vaccinated. About 85% of the nearly 12,000 school cases detected since mid-August have been among students.

The trendline seems to be moving in the right direction. Cases of the coronavirus in Minnesota pre-K-12 schools have dropped by nearly 70% since mid-September, the Star Tribune reported.

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz visited a new COVID-19 rapid testing site on Thursday to highlight options for residents to get checked for the virus.

South Dakota ready to inoculate state’s young people

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) — Health officials in South Dakota say they’re prepared to handle the vaccination of the state’s young people as federal regulators weigh the safety and effectiveness of giving COVID-19 shots to children ages 5 to 11.

The White House detailed plans Wednesday for the Pfizer shot to be given to elementary school youngsters with federal authorization expected in a matter of weeks.

Sanford Health chief physician, Dr. Jeremy Cauwels, says the health care provider has been able to maintain a vaccine supply in all of its clinics, so when approval is given, they will be ready, KSFY-TV reported.

“I’m looking forward to the possibility of partnering with schools or other agencies around town to vaccinate more kids if that’s helpful, but I think we will be able to handle a good bit of the numbers simply by making sure they know where our local clinics are and how to get to them,” said Cauwels.

Roughly 28 million children nationwide will soon be able to get a COVID-19 vaccine at their pediatrician’s office, local pharmacy and possibly even their school.

Strong economic growth continues in rural parts of 10 states

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Strong economic growth continues in rural parts of 10 Plains and Western states, according to a new monthly survey of bankers in the region.

The overall economic index for the region improved in October to 66.1 from September’s already-strong 62.5 reading. Any score above 50 suggests a growing economy, while a score below 50 suggests a shrinking economy.

Creighton University economist Ernie Goss, who oversees the survey, said the region is benefitting from solid grain prices, continued low interest rates and growing agricultural exports. USDA figures show that agricultural exports are up more than 25% so far this year.

Farmland prices in the area continue growing even though the price index for cropland slipped in October to 81.5 from September’s record high of 85.2.

Demand for workers remains high but businesses are having a hard time finding people to hire, Goss said.

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