LORETTO, MN – Hennepin County Road 19 will be closed and detoured between County Road 24 and Highway 12 from Monday, May 4, through mid-July for the installation of a new Metropolitan Council Environmental Services sewer pipe.

These are interesting times.  Herald Journal, Enterprise Dispatch, and Delano Herald Journal want to know how you and yours have been spending your time.

Is your family distance-learning?  Have you kicked off a new hobby?  How are you getting fresh air every day? How are you celebrating birthdays, graduations, and other events? What are you doing differently now than you were pre-COVID-19?

Please share photos with our staff.  Clear, high-resolution photos work the best for publication.

Please fully identify each person in the photos you send – first and last names –  and give us a short description of what is taking place in the photo.  Please also tell us what town, township, or part of the world in which the photo was taken.

Staff will review submissions, and use some in print and in blogs.

Submissions may be emailed to Nancy Dashwood at ndashwood@heraldjournal.com

Thank you in advance for sharing.  We will get through this together!

DELANO, MN – A number of changes are taking place at Delano Herald Journal and parent company Herald Journal Publishing.

New printing schedule and deadlines

A new schedule is being put in place at the printing plant for our newspapers.

Previously, we prepared the newspaper layouts on Thursdays with printing overnight Thursday and distribution early Friday morning. With the new schedule starting next week, we will need to prepare the papers on Wednesdays for printing Thursday morning.

This means deadlines need to move to an earlier schedule. Overall, we will try to accommodate as many late items as we practically can, but each case will depend on what our staff is physically able to handle in the final push of getting your newspaper ready.

Tentatively, these are the new working deadlines:

• news item submissions, public notices, and “camera-ready” advertising by noon Tuesdays.

• classifieds by 9 a.m. Wednesdays

• display advertising needing graphic design/proofing by end of day Mondays.

• inserts: commitment to run by end of the day Mondays with physical copies in-hand at our office by end of the day Tuesdays.

Again, we will accommodate anything we are able to as late as possible, but each item is on a case-by-case basis of the format it is received in, the amount of time it would take to handle, and what other elements it would affect in the overall process. Thank you for your understanding.

For distribution, newsstand copies will now be available during the afternoon Thursdays as deliveries are made. Local subscription delivery will remain Friday mornings as usual. Out-of-town subscriptions should be received a day earlier as those copies will enter the mail system a day earlier.

As with any weekly cycle, there will always be cases of items that just make it in and those that are too late. We will do our best to adapt and include the most timely information for you. Of course, our websites are kept up to date constantly in between newspaper publication.

DHJ office closed

With the Minnesota “Stay at Home” order in place, our goal is to keep our staff healthy so we can continue to keep you informed through the newspaper and website.

While the DHJ office is closed, the Herald Journal office in Winsted is open by appointment.

We encourage you to contact us by:

• phone: 763-972-1028

• email: delano@heraldjournal.com

•mail: PO Box 498 Delano, MN, 55328

• you may use the drop slot outside our office

• if necessary to see a staff member personally, please call 320-485-2535 for an appointment.

Some of our staff will be working in our offices; others primarily from home, depending on responsibilities, available technology, etc.

We will continue to provide the most complete, accurate, and current information to the best of our ability.

For businesses that need to reach your customers, we continue to have available newspaper advertising as well as direct mail, signage, and electronic distribution tools.

Keep a journal or diary

When the Coronavirus/COVID-19 threat has passed, we intend to do a special “Comeback” edition in some manner.

We ask that you as our local readers keep a journal or some notes along with any photos or videos of your experiences during this unprecedented time. We hope to gather them into a historical keepsake and celebration of returning to normal.

DELANO, MN — Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz announced Sunday morning that all schools throughout the state will be closed from Wednesday, March 18, through Friday, March 27, due to COVID-19.

“My top priority as governor is the safety of Minnesotans,” Walz said in a statement. “As a former teacher, and father of two teenage kids, I’m especially focused on the safety of our children. I am ordering the temporary closure of schools so educators can make plans to provide a safe learning environment for all Minnesota students during this pandemic. Closing schools is never an easy decision, but we need to make sure we have plans in place to educate and feed our kids regardless of what’s to come.”

During this time, school districts are expected to prepared distance learning plans for all students, which Delano Public Schools officials will provide more detailed information about in the near future.

The local district had already planned to extend spring break through Monday to make preparations for moving forward. Following Walz’s order, local schools will also be closed Tuesday.

The current plan is for schools to reopen Monday, March 30, if circumstances allow.

More information about the district’s response to COVID-19 will appear in the March 20 edition of the Delano Herald Journal.

WRIGHT COUNTY, MN – Spring load restrictions in the central frost zone, which includes Wright County, will begin at 12:01 a.m. Monday, March 9.

Overweight permits for more than 80,000 pound gross vehicle weight will continue and new permits will be issued if all axle and group weights are legal (axle weight limits).

Full-summer overweight permits can be issued, during the spring load restriction period, for travel on the interstate system only.

Middle-range overweight permits become available within each frost zone when spring load restrictions are lifted. Full-summer overweight permits become available two to three weeks after spring load restrictions are lifted.

Ending dates for spring load restrictions are variable and based on how weather is affecting roadway strength.

MONTROSE, MN – The City of Montrose is seeking applicants for city council following the resignation of Councilman Ben Kuehl, which was submitted Dec. 30, and accepted by the council Monday.

“I hope the citizens of Montrose are able to continue to move in a positive direction,” Kuehl’s resignation letter stated in part. “This time has been a great experience but, like all great things, they come to an end. I look forward to seeing many of you throughout our community.”

Mayor Michelle Otto noted that Kuehl resigned due to moving out of Montrose. Kuehl had served on the council for five years. His term was due to expire Dec. 31, 2020, so the seat will be on the ballot in November.

Now, the focus shifts to filling the vacancy.

“Couldn’t we just appoint someone?” Councilman Lloyd Johnson asked.

“We could,” Otto said. “We don’t know who all is interested. We need to look at all members interested.”

Councilman Kirby Moynagh said the council should not appoint someone without the full council present, as Councilman Tom Marszalek was absent.

Interested individuals may find an application on the city website (www.montrose-mn.com) or at Montrose City Hall, 311 Buffalo Ave. S.

Applications are due by 4:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 23.

Interviews will take place during a special city council meeting beginning at 7 p.m. Monday, Jan. 27. Applicants will be contacted Friday, Jan. 24, in order to schedule interview times.

Anyone with questions should contact City Clerk/Treasurer Deb Boelter at dboelter@montrose-mn.com or 763-575-7422.

For more coverage of this meeting, see Friday’s edition of the Delano Herald Journal.