Archive for General

MDR announces online portal for updates to payment addresses for one-time rebate checks

This morning (July 10), the Minnesota Department of Revenue announced that it has opened an online portal for anyone who needs to update their street address, bank information or both ahead of receiving a payment from the state later this year as part of the 2023 legislative budget.

In the budget, a one-time rebate check of $260 for individuals making less than $75,000 and $520 for joint filers making less than $150,000 was approved, as well as tax credits for families making less than $35,000 with children.

The only other requirements are that you had to live in Minnesota during all or part of 2021, were not listed as a dependent on someone else’s taxes in 2021 and filed either a renter’s property tax refund or homestead credit refund by Dec. 31, 2022.

For more information and to find the form that needs to be filled out, click here: https://taxrebate.mn.gov/submit If your address and banking information haven’t changed, you will receive your refund the same way you get other tax refund checks.

Wright County Sheriff reports drowning in City of Buffalo

At approximately 4:15 p.m. Monday, July 3, deputies from the Wright County Sheriff’s Office and the Buffalo Police Department responded to the 1700 block of Pulaski Road in the City of Buffalo for a report of an adult male who had been swimming and had gone underwater. The Sheriff’s Office dive team was eventually able to locate a male underwater and brought him to shore where lifesaving measures were initiated. The adult male was transported to a hospital by Allina Ambulance where he was pronounced deceased. The male has been identified as Jair Sanchez Loya (20-year-old, from Mexico). Information from the scene, as well as from witnesses show Jair was initially on a flotation device, but became separated from the device.

Wright County in Air Quality Alert issued through Thursday

Anyone who has been outside this morning likely already knows that the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency has issued an Air Quality Alert through 6 p.m. Thursday for all of northern Minnesota and much of southeastern Minnesota, including Wright County.

The Minnesota counties in the Air Quality Alert are in the Orange designation, which is unhealthy air for sensitive groups such as children, the elderly and people with respiratory conditions. Those groups are encouraged to strictly limit outdoor activities.

The smoke and ozone in the air is from Canadian wildfires with the worst expected in Wright County between noon and 8 p.m. today (June 14).

Wright County Has Three Different Drought Designations

The most recent U.S. Drought Monitor map has Wright County in three different designations, as spotty heavy rainstorms that have popped over the last month have left some areas of the county ranging from no drought to Abnormally Dry to Moderate Drought.

The southwest corner of the county – in the Cokato and Howard Lake area – is listed as having no drought conditions. The northeast section of the county – including Otsego, Albertville, Monticello and Clearwater – is in the Moderate Drought designation. The middle third of the county – a swatch from the northwest to the southeast – is in the Abnormally Dry designation.

The U.S. Drought Monitor updates conditions weekly. Minnesota is still recovering from the severe drought of 2021 and the significant drought last summer.

The Drought Monitor map can be seen here: https://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/CurrentMap/StateDroughtMonitor.aspx?MN

Photo Gallery – Dassel-Cokato Class of 2023 Graduation

Click the link below to see photos from this evening’s commencement exercises at Dassel-Cokato High School.

Congratulations, Class of 2023!

https://photos.dasselcokato.com/Class-of-2023-Dassel-Cokato-High-School-graduation-/

Correct graduation date for 2023 Dassel-Cokato High School is Friday, June 2 at 7 p.m.

Hi, all: it has come to our attention that the day of DC’s graduation was listed incorrectly in this week’s paper. The ceremony is TONIGHT, Friday, June 2, 2023, at 7 p.m.