Presentation at 6 p.m.

Public Library Foot Room

Where would you like to improve safety on streets and sidewalks in Red Wing? Attend our City Open House to tell us! Come to the Public Library on Wednesday, April 24, between 5:30 and 7 p.m. A short presentation will be at 6 p.m. The City is creating a Road Safety Action Plan to decrease serious and fatal injuries, and your opinions are important for determining future projects. Students, adults, and seniors – we want to hear from you. If you can’t come on the 24th, there will be other chances online and in person to give your input. Stay tuned!

What happens when you combine a cold spring morning with some of the hottest topics around Red Wing? You get the City Council Spring Tour. Each year, the Council tours locations of interest for future or current projects to see everything up close. On Saturday, City Council, City staff, and members of the public toured seven sites around town, including potential locations for a new public safety facility, the kiln improvements at He Mni Can-Barn Bluff, the Bauer Built building in the West End District, and possible housing and economic development spots. Listen to the complete audio from the tour here, and check City Beat and Council meetings throughout the year for updates.

PFAS or "forever chemicals" have increasingly been in the news, including recent reports that some Minnesota communities have unsafe levels of them in their public water systems. Red Wing is not one of them. How do we know? Unlike the contaminants reported in the annual Consumer Confidence Water Quality Report, PFAS don't have a regular testing schedule (yet). However, the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) did test Red Wing's water system in 2022 and found no PFAS. Plus, our water is well-protected in the aquifer that feeds city wells. It's composed of layers hard enough that surface water takes an estimated 100 years to penetrate through. The City also has a Wellhead Protection Plan, which is a series of actions to prevent contamination in our drinking water sources. View the 2022 PFAS testing results and find links to more information on PFAS from MDH on our website, and rest easy knowing that we continue to do everything possible to make our drinking water safe.

Xcel Energy has requested approval of an increase to natural gas rates, but before the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission makes a decision, you have a chance to add your voice to the conversation. Actually, you have eight chances. Six in-person and two virtual public hearings will be held between April 30 and May 9. For more information on Xcel's request and public hearing dates and times, view the Notice of Public Hearings.

Good news for local small- to medium-sized businesses looking to go green! You're the target audience for the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency's environmental assistance loans. The loans provide assistance for capital costs (think machinery and equipment) associated with implementing environmental processes and technologies. Participatory loans offer up to a maximum of $250,000 at zero interest, and direct loans offer up to $50,000 at low interest rates. Applications are accepted on continuous basis, but why wait? View program details and submit your application now.