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THUMBS UP Brown County seeks moratorium on data centers Brown County’s Board of Commissioners has set a public hearing on Tuesday, Nov. 17 to establish an interim ordinance placing a moratorium in Brown County’s unincorporated areas. This would place a one-year block on any data centers looking to be established in Brown County. The moratorium is not about the merits of data centers. It is about making sure the county has appropriate regulations in place if and when developers decide to bring one to Brown County. The push for data centers is still relatively new and Minnesota ...

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THUMBS UP Rotary Club introduces students to ethics The New Ulm Rotary Club hosted its Ethics Workshop for area high school students on Tuesday. Rotary has organized the program since 2015 and it remains extremely popular. For many students, the ethics workshop is their first exposure to these concepts. Ethics is a difficult subject to introduce into a school curriculum. It is wonderful that New Ulm’s Rotary Club is able to offer this workshop year after year. THUMBS UP Permanent School Trust Fund a benefit for schools Sleepy Eye Public School is the most recent school in the area ...

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THUMBS UP Spotlight on banning books Last week, the American Library Association (ALA) celebrated banned book week. It is an annual tradition designed to put a spotlight on attempts to censor or restrict reading material in the United States. Every year the ALA tracks book challenges initiated in the county. Challenges are formal requests from individuals or groups to remove a book from a library or school curriculum. According to the ALA, few of last year’s challenges came from individuals but rather came from pressure groups and even government officials. Challenges among pressure ...

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THUMBS UP Oktoberfest starts in New Ulm It is the first weekend of Oktoberfest in New Ulm. The celebration began Friday with musical entertainment on Minnesota Street and at the Best Western. The traditional Oktoberfest Keg Tapping was held at the Best Western on Friday. At the same time, the US Steinholding Association State Championship Qualifying was held on Minnesota Street ahead of the State Finals Tournament held on Saturday. Both locations will be filled with music and other activities on Saturday. In addition to the Oktoberfest events, Brown County Fairgrounds will be hosting ...

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THUMBS UP NUMAS Haus fundraiser well attended New Ulm Ministerial Association (NUMAS) Haus held its annual fundraiser Thursday night. The fundraiser was designed to help cover the operating costs for the shelter. For nearly a decade, NUMAS Haus has provided shelter and support services to homeless women and children in the Brown County Area. It is a 90-day program that provides shelter in a home setting that also gives clients access to resources and services to help them get back on their feet. Currently, NUMAS Haus is working to expand its shelter space into the former First United ...

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THUMBS DOWN Brown County cow confirmed for rabies The Minnesota Board of Animal Health confirmed a Brown County Hereford heifer tested positive for rabies earlier this month. The cow’s owner noticed odd behavior on Sept. 1, including lying flat with its head down. By Sept 3. The animal began showing other symptoms including uncoordinated hind legs, was high-stepping, vocalizing, hyper-salivating, and had a high temperature. The animal was euthanized and tested for rabies, which came back positive. The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) recommended nine people obtain rabies ...