News

By Reed Anfinson
Publisher
Swift County Monitor-News

First Security Banks, including the location in Benson, has donated facemasks to all students in the area it serves.

Overall, the Ohana Foundation has donated almost 10,000 reusable facemasks and other protective supplies to its 15 local public and parochial schools’ student and staff.  Each K-12 student and staff member will receive a reusable cloth face mask with their school logo on them.

“With locations spread throughout Minnesota, Iowa, and North Dakota, we knew we wanted to do more for our communications this school year,” said a press release highlighting the donation.  “At First Security Bank, we see ourselves as not just a location for business but a part of the communities that surround us.”

By Reed Anfinson
Publisher
Swift County Monitor-News

At a two-hour Benson Economic Development Authority (EDA) meeting Monday afternoon the non-profit Community and Economic Development Associates (CEDA) out of Chatfield gave its pitch to provide its services to the city.

Benson’s EDA and city council are studying four options for economic development services.

One option is hiring a person who works directly for the city as an economic development director...

For more on this story, and to keep up on all the latest in area sports, subscribe to the Swift County Monitor-News print edition or our PDF internet edition. Call 320-843-4111 and you can get all the local news and sports delivered to you!

By Reed Anfinson
Publisher
Swift County Monitor-News

Swift County has seen a rapid rise in the number of COVID-19 cases reported by the Minnesota Department of Health in the past week.

The county started September with 65 cases but jumped to 96 cases in two weeks. Just over the weekend 16 cases were added with 11 reported Saturday and another five Sunday. Monday saw two more cases.

While the MDH does not report where in the county the cases were located, some could be in the Benson area after the Northside Elementary had a case identified Wednesday, Sept. 9, that resulted in some students in one grade being sent home. It also affected some staff...

For more on this story, and to keep up on all the latest in area sports, subscribe to the Swift County Monitor-News print edition or our PDF internet edition. Call 320-843-4111 and you can get all the local news and sports delivered to you!

By Reed Anfinson
Publisher
Swift County Monitor-News

Many Swift County businesses should know by Sept. 15 if they have been awarded a $5,000 grant through the Coronavirus Relief Fund and Economic Assistance (CARES) Act funds the county received in July.

In all, the county was awarded $1,136,857 from the federal CARES Act and has until Dec. 31 to spend it or lose it. However, those funds must be spent on expenses tied to the fight against the COVID-19 virus.

In July, Swift County’s Board of Commissioners set aside $250,000 of its CARES Act funds to help businesses and non-profits in the county that had suffered a loss of business, or funding, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Applicaton for those funds are being handled through the county’s Rural Development Authority (RDA...)

By Reed Anfinson
Publisher
Swift County Monitor-News

Swift County will start charging 7 cents per pound for disposing of green and brown glass as of Oct. 1.

It will also mean that green and brown glass bottles will no longer go in the recycling bin but will go into the non-processible garbage starting in October.

“For 30 years, people have had a habit of doing it one way,” Environmental Services Director Scott Collins told the board of commissioners at their  meeting last Tuesday. Breaking recycling habits will not be easy to change, he acknowledged. “It is not going to change by Oct. 1, we all know that. We will have to do some strong education. Every resident is going to get a new brochure with the changes highlighted...”

By Reed Anfinson
Publisher
Swift County Monitor-News

A letter of intent between the City of Benson and Danish firm Nature Energy was signed by the city council in a special meeting last Thursday noon.

While discussions are in the very early stages, if they workout Nature Energy could be investing up to $60 million in a biogas operation that could create enough gas to heat between 11,000 and 12,000 homes. Nature Energy and the City of Benson have been in preliminary discussions for the past six months.

The new business, if it is developed, would also bring in 20 new jobs and create 30 to 40 indirect jobs...

For more on this story, and to keep up on all the latest in area sports, subscribe to the Swift County Monitor-News print edition or our PDF internet edition. Call 320-843-4111 and you can get all the local news and sports delivered to you!

Jane Kjos said the back of her yard was the best it’s been in many years, but she woke up after the storm to find a war zone of broken branches and fallen trees.  She was thankful that her house was spared from damage.

For more on this story, and to keep up on all the latest in area sports, subscribe to the Swift County Monitor-News print edition or our PDF internet edition. Call 320-843-4111 and you can get all the local news and sports delivered to you!

By Reed Anfinson
Publisher
Swift County Monitor-News

It has been a very wet summer.

Through June, July and August, the Benson area received 18.04 inches of rain. That is 6.49 inches of rain above the three-month average of 11.55 inches.

Storms Sunday evening into Monday morning brought another 0.73 inches of rain to the Benson area bringing the month’s total to 6.02 compared to an average of 3.46 inches.

Rainfall form the storms pushed 2020 into second place for the most rain in the three-month on record for the Benson area. Benson has kept daily records since 1953...

For more on this story, and to keep up on all the latest in area sports, subscribe to the Swift County Monitor-News print edition or our PDF internet edition. Call 320-843-4111 and you can get all the local news and sports delivered to you!

By Reed Anfinson
Publisher
Swift County Monitor-News

Swift County saw 14 more cases of the potentially deadly COVID-19 disease in August including one in the assisted living and memory care facility Scandi Haven Village. 

That case was identified in mid-August and resulted in some operational changes to ensure no future cases occurred and that the virus did not spread.

Swift County-Benson Health Services tested staff and residents Aug. 17 with the all coming up negative, Chief Nursing Officer Melissa McGinty-Thompson reported to the SCBHS board of governors at their meeting Monday night...

For more on this story, and to keep up on all the latest in area sports, subscribe to the Swift County Monitor-News print edition or our PDF internet edition. Call 320-843-4111 and you can get all the local news and sports delivered to you!

By Reed Anfinson
Publisher
Swift County Monitor-News

As Benson Public Schools prepare to open next Tuesday, with teachers back in their classrooms this week, the administration will be adopting a flexible approach to educating students.

However, the school year will start with all students will be back in the classroom. “We are very excited to have the kids back in class for many reasons,” Supt. Dennis Laumeyer said Monday.

Among those reasons are that teachers have expressed a desire to be back teaching in person. Also, studies have shown that students need the interactions with one another and the faculty for good mental health...

For more on this story, and to keep up on all the latest in area sports, subscribe to the Swift County Monitor-News print edition or our PDF internet edition. Call 320-843-4111 and you can get all the local news and sports delivered to you!