MINNESOTA’S UNEMPLOYMENT RATE HAS REACHED EXACTLY THE LEVEL IT WAS IMMEDIATELY BEFORE THE GLOBAL PANDEMIC WAS DECLARED IN MARCH OF 2020 AT 3.5%, THAT’S DOWN FROM 3.7% IN SEPTEMBER. THE NATIONAL UNEMPLOYMENT RATE IS 4.6%. THE STATE’S LABOR FORCE IS 84,000 WORKERS SMALLER THAN IT WAS PRIOR TO THE PANDEMIC, AND NOW HAS A LABOR FORCE PARTICIPATION RATE OF 67.8%, DOWN FROM PRE-PANDEMIC LEVELS, BUT STILL WELL ABOVE NATIONAL AVERAGES.
MAYVILLE STATE UNIVERSITY ACCIDENTALLY OVERPAID SOME RANK-AND-FILE EMPLOYEES, AND NOW MORE THAN DOZEN EMPLOYEES MAY FACE REPAYMENT OF FOUR OR EVEN FIVE FIGURE AMOUNTS. THE OVER-PAYMENTS WERE SMALL ENOUGH, AND OVER A LONG ENOUGH PERIOD OF TIME THAT THEY WERE NEVER NOTICED. THE UNIVERSITY IS LOOKING AT THE BEST WAY TO RECAPTURE THAT MONEY, WHILE MANY OF THE EMPLOYEES ARE TALKING WITH UNIONS TO SEE WHAT THEIR OPTIONS ARE. ONE EMPLOYEE SAYS HAVING TO PAY THAT BACK WILL MEAN HAVING TO SIGNIFICANTLY RESTRUCTURE THEIR HOUSEHOLDS FINANCES.
THE CITY COUNCIL ALSO TALKED AGAIN ABOUT NEXT YEAR’S LEVY AND BUDGET. THE CITY’S PRELIMINARY BUDGET PROJECTED AN APPROXIMATE SIX HUNDRED FIFTY THOUSAND DOLLAR DEFICIT IN 2022, BUT THAT BEEN REDUCED TO ABOUT TWO HUNDRED SEVENTY THOUSAND DOLLARS. THE CURRENT YEAR’S BUDGET PROJECTS AN APPROXIMATE THREE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLAR DEFICIT.
A MEMORIAL SERVICE FOR HELEN V. HORNTVEDT OF BAUDETTE WILL BE HELD ON MONDAY (11 AM) AT WABANICA LUTHERAN CHURCH IN BAUDETTE, VISITATION WILL START AT 9:30. INTERMENT WILL BE HELD AT WABANICA CEMETERY. HELEN HORNTVEDT WAS 91.
TURKEY BINGO IS THIS SUNDAY AT THE CATHOLIC CHURCH IN ROSEAU AT 6:30 PM.
THE ANNUAL ROSEAU HOLIDAY ARTS AND CRAFTS SHOW IS ONCE AGAIN ABLE TO BE HELD AT THE ROSEAU SCHOOL. THAT WILL TAKE PLACE NOVEMBER 26 AND 27. VENDORS CAN RESERVE SPACE BY CALLING 463-1472.
THE BENTLEYVILLE LIGHT SHOW IN DULUTH HAS ALWAYS BEEN POPULAR, AND YET THEY’VE RARELY GONE A SEASON WITHOUT AT LEAST ONE GRINCH OR TWO COMMITTING ACTS OF VANDALISM. THIS YEAR, A LOCAL COMPUTER SELLER AND REPAIR SHOP HAS DONATED A NUMBER OF SURVEILLANCE CAMERAS AND CLOSED CIRCUIT TELEVISIONS TO ATTEMPT TO WARD OFF THE CRIMINALS. ALREADY THIS SEASON THEY HAVE HAD SOME WINDOWS BROKEN. BENTLEYVILLE OPENS FOR THE SEASON TOMORROW.
ACCORDING TO A REPORT YESTERDAY BY THE CBC, THE REQUIREMENT OF SHOWING A NEGATIVE COVID-19 TEST BEFORE CROSSING INTO CANADA WILL BE DROPPED AT THE END OF THIS MONTH, BUT THAT WILL ONLY APPLY TO CANADIANS WHO HAVE BEEN IN THE UNITED STATES FOR FEWER THAN 72 HOURS. IT SHOULD BE WELCOME NEWS FOR BORDER TOWN ECONOMIES WHO CONTINUED TO SEE BORDER CROSSING RELUCTANCY DUE TO THAT TESTING COMPLICATION.
Last modified: 11/19/2021
