Early this month, Bert Raney Elementary School began a new program, titled Bert’s Crew. The program provides 5th-grade students the opportunity to assist with end-of-the-day clean-up at the elementary school.
There were nearly 1,500 new COVID-19 cases reported in area counties this week, according to Minnesota Department of Health reports, and 16 newly reported deaths. Meeker and Swift counties each had four new deaths attributed to COVID-19.
Minnesotans continued to test positive at an average rate of more than 4,285 a day in the past week, and deaths increased by 256. Hospitalizations are approaching totals last seen in the fall 2020 surge, which occurred before vaccines were available.