Walking in Nature, Domestic Violence Awareness, Absentee Voting, Zumbro River Cleanup and Fall Awareness!

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Posted By: greggwright October 4, 2019

  • A Walk in Nature is Healthy

In the future you may visit a doctor for an ailment and the “prescription” you receive may be a walk in the Park.  Olmsted County will be piloting a program with our local medical community that will provide “prescriptions” to take time to walk in the park.  Chesterwoods will be the designated Park.  To learn more about health and the outdoors see: Park Rx America:  https://parkrxamerica.org

 

Domestic Violence Awareness
October is Domestic Violence Awareness month.  I support the county’s efforts to end domestic violence and to provide assistance to victims of domestic violence.  Here are some the resources available for domestic violence victims:  https://www.co.olmsted.mn.us/cs/dfo/victimservices/resources/Pages/default.aspx

 

Absentee Voting / Early Voting is Increasing

It is expected that absentee/early voting will continue to increase.  For the 2020 election, the county will add two additional sites for early voting.  Until June 2020 the main early voting cite will be the County Building at 1421 3rdAvenue (by the fairgrounds).  After that the early voting site will be at the county’s Building and Safety location 2122 Campus Drive SE.

 

To reduce voting time, two additional sites will open closer to election day.  One site will be at the Government Center building and the other site will be in the lower lever of 125Live.

 

Zumbro River Cleanup – October 12

Olmsted County is partnering with Oronoco Township and the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency on a special clean up of the Zumbro River downstream from Oronoco.  The event is meant to collect tires and other items that were deposited into the river after the summer floods.  Call the City of Oronoco for more information.

 

Falling is a Major Contributor to early death and Falls Prevention

Minnesota has the 3rd highest death rate in the country from falls for those age 65 and older.  A 2019 report from the Olmsted Medical Examiners office shows that Olmsted County has the highest death rate from fall in all of Minnesota (KIMT 3, 9/23/19) .  Most falls occur in the home.  Most falls are preventable.  I have posted on the first page of my website things that homeowners can to prepare their homes for retirement and to prevent falls.  I have also worked to increase the amount of money available to rehab low-income elderly homes to prevent falls.