HBC TV 25 News

A limited amount of H1N1 vaccine has made its way to Winona County. However, heathcare officials say the supplies are already almost gone. It is not known when additional doses will arrive. Winona Health has started vaccinating pregnant women, one of the groups deemed to be most at–risk. After expectant mothers have been vaccinated, young children will begin receiving the vaccine. The vaccine has arrived in greater proportions for some neighboring counties. Mayo Clinic has been offering the vaccine for its at–risk patients for several weeks.

Winona residents looking to buy their first home can get help from the city. City of Winona program development director, Lucy McMartin told council members Monday night the program, called the Community Activity Set Aside Program, is available through the Minnesota Housing Finance Agency. It is designed to assist first-time home–buyers with their down payment. The program is available on a first come–first served basis for eligible home buyers. The loans will be financed through local participating lenders.

School closings seem more likely following last night's Winona Area Public Schools board retreat. The school in the board's cross–hairs is Central Elementary. Board members cited the increase in student rental housing in the area and the fact that a portion of the building has been used to house the district's Community Education program. According to district numbers, only 43 of Central's 154 students actually live in the school's attendance boundry area. Overall when figuring in current class sizes, the district needs about 80 classrooms.

More research will need to be conducted before the Winona City Council addresses a local organizations annexation request. At last night's council meeting, Winona city planner Mark Moeller requested that council direct staff to look further into the request. Moeller said staff will have the study completed within six months. At that time, council will readdress the issue. The Winona Area Industrial Development Association has request the council consider annexing 210–acres located in Wilson Township, into the City of Winona.

Charges are being referred for Winona man who police say ordered his dogs to attack another man. Winona Police Deputy Chief Tom Williams said Brenden Lee Thatcher is in custody in the Winona County Jail. He has been referred to the county attorney's office on charges of Second Degree Assault and Gross Misdemeanor Domestic Assault. According to Williams, police were called to Thatcher's home on North Baker Street Monday. An officer arrived as Thatcher was letting a dog out into the fenced backyard. After ordering Thatcher to come out, he went back in the home.

Winona residents received a treat from Winona Police Halloween night and they may not have even noticed. Alternate Side Parking was to begin at 2:00 a.m. Sunday November 1, but because of the extra activities on Halloween night, police did not begin enforcement of the parking ordinance until last night. So how many tickets were issued the first night of parking enforcement?

A man wanted on a warrant by Winona County authorities for fleeing police, was arrested over the weekend in Elba. Scott Allen Ball of St. Charles was arrested after he was found sleeping in a van on Governor Road in Whitewater Township. On Friday night, sheriff's deputies from the Olmsted County Sheriff's department were pursuing Ball who was driving a Dodge Durango that was said to be stolen from Olmsted County. Reports say Ball was able to elude officers after leaving the vehicle.

Winona Health has announced that its Urgent Care Clinic is now the Flu Clinic seeing only patients with flu symptoms. Patients looking for other urgent care issues are being asked to go to the main clinic building on Mankato Avenue. The change took effect today and will remain in effect until further notice. Winona Health vice–president of Patient Care Services, Sarah Gabrick, said the change will help control the spread of the flu. To accommodate walk–in patients, Winona Clinic is extending its hours to Monday through Thursday 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Friday through Sunday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The Winona City Council will take its first look at a local organization's request for annexation of land located in Wilson Township into the city. Earlier this week the Winona Area Industrial Development Association filed papers with the city to annex a total of 210–acres owned by several businessmen in Wilson Township to Winona. At its Monday meeting, council is expected to ask city staff to prepare a preliminary study. The study would then be brought before the council for further discussion. The Winona City Council will meet Monday night at 7:30 in Winona City Hall council chambers.

Well we finally get that hour of sleep back this weekend. We fall back to Central Standard Time as of 2:00 a.m. November 1. In 2005, Congress passed an energy bill that included extending daylight saving time by about a month. The change starts the second Sunday of March and ends on the first Sunday of November. You've probably wondered why we mess with Father Time like this. Originally the rationale for doing so was to save energy.