General Juror Guidelines

More information about Jury Duty can be found at:  http://mncourts.gov/jurors.aspx

MnDOT 2022 Statewide Multimodal Transportation Plan Update

Hally Turner, MnDOT Policy Planning Director, attended the Wright County Transportation Committee meeting on Tuesday, December 1st. Hally discussed and answered questions on the 2022 Statewide Multimodal Transportation Plan Update (click link below).

Delano CSAH 30 Project nears completion (for 2020 work)

Work on Highway 30 is on track to be completed for the season by mid-October (weather permitting). The Highway 30 Project is a collaborative effort between the county and city with both agencies sharing in the cost of the improvements. The project is a Ci...

Continuity in COVID

2020 has been a year that we will never forget. Every time you turn around something is changing and not always for the good. Battling the COVID-19 pandemic is one battle that we will all like to move past. The ever-evolving situation, not knowing what is...

Santa will visit Bertram Chain of Lakes on December 5!

Ho, Ho, Ho! Is it ever too early to start getting into the Christmas spirit? We will leave that debate between you and your family. What we do know is that Santa Claus is coming to Bertram Chain of Lakes Regional Park! This is the first time that the red-...

Winter Fun with Wright County Parks & Recreation

It has been an interesting year, to say the least, and here at Wright County Parks and Recreation we have been working hard to come up with a plan to provide some activities for you to get out and “Explore the Opportunities” with us. You will notice that ...

Wright County Sheriff Activity Report for period ending November 30, 2020

On November 23, Terry Henry Grunwald, 37, of Zimmerman, was arrested in Anoka County on a Wright County warrant for 2^nd degree DWI violations.

On November 23, Megan Jean McEachern, 29, of Elk River, was arrested in Hennepin County on a Wright Cou...

Wright County Sheriff Activity Report for period ending November 23, 2020

On November 15, Chintal Yoginbhai Patel, 31, of Buffalo, was arrested in Buffalo on the charge of trespassing.

On November 16, Melissa Anne Temen, 42, of Albertville, was arrested in Hanover on the charge of false information to law enforcement.

&...

Wright County Sheriff Activity Report for period ending November 16, 2020

On November 9, Wilbert Russell Wilcher, 40, of St. Louis Park, was arrested in Scott County on a Wright County warrant for financial transaction card fraud violations.

On November 9, Colgate Wood, 39, of Buffalo, was arrested in Buffalo on the charge of 5^t...

Wright County Sheriff Activity Report for period ending November 9, 2020

On November 2, Nathan Wade Brandt, 44, of Monticello, was arrested in Buffalo on the charges of 2^nd degree DWI refusal to test, 3^rd degree DWI and obstruction of legal process.

On November 2, Matthew Allen Wendland, 52, of St. Louis Park, was arrested in H...

Wright County Sheriff Activity Report for period ending November 2, 2020

On October 26, Daniel Leo Blemke, 31, of Montrose, was arrested in Montrose on the charge of disorderly conduct.

On October 26, William Tell, 37, of Clearwater, was arrested in Clearwater on a MN Department of Corrections warrant for a parole violation.

On ...

Wright County Sheriff Activity Report for period ending October 26, 2020

On October 19, Jonathan Roger Husted, 32, of Stillwater, was arrested in Washington County on a Wright County warrant for 1^st degree sale of a controlled substance violation.

On October 19, Daniel Kajika-James Harvey, 36, of Minneapolis, was arre...

Wright County's 2021 Proposed Budget, Levy Available for Residents to View

At its Dec. 15 meeting, the Wright County Board of Commissioners will have as one of its agenda items approval of its 2021 budget and certified levy.

The 2021 budget is scheduled to be $153,827,373 with a certified levy of $78,944,903, which represents a 5...

Wright County Public Health Releases Updated COVID-19 Dashboard

Wright County Public Health has released its most recent COVID-19 dashboard. Previously, the Wright County numbers were updated Thursday afternoons. Starting Nov. 30, the local numbers are updated twice a week on the county website – on Monday a...

U of M Extension to Hold Virtual Meeting Dec. 10 to Discuss Caterpillar Tunnels

By Adam Austing, University of Minnesota Extension

The University of Minnesota Extension and the Crow River chapter of the Sustainable Farming Association (SFA) have partnered to bring you a conversation about caterpillar tunnels, simple structures that ha...

Residents Facing Financial Difficulties Can Apply for Emergency Assistance

Wright County Health & Human Services wants residents who are facing severe financial difficulties to be aware that they may be eligible to apply for emergency assistance.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, there have been record numbers of people who were ...

A Message from the Wright County Compost & Recycling Facility

A Message from the Wright County Compost and Recycling Facility

The Wright County Compost and Recycling Facility will be establishing winter hours beginning on Tuesday, December 1.  The hours available for public drop-off of household hazardous wa...

Public Health Director Interviewed on Area Podcast

Wright County Public Health Director Sarah Grosshuesch was a guest on the most recent edition of the Buffalo Community Podcast. The hosts interviewed Grosshuesch at length about the COVID-19 pandemic and specifically how the pandemic has impacted Wright C...

Section of Westbound I-94 Reduced to One Lane Tonight

The westbound lane of I-94 between Co. Rd.180 and Hwy. 101 will be reduced to one lane starting at 8 p.m. tonight (Wednesday, Dec. 2) until 6 a.m. Thursday (Dec. 3). Motorists are advised to expect delays on that stretch of road, especially during the ear...

MnDOT Announces Completion of I-94 Road Work for 2020 Construction Season

The Minnesota Department of Transportation has announced that it has completed its 2020 work on I-94 between St. Michael and Albertville for this construction season. All four lanes will remain as they are between the Crow River Bridge in St. Michael and ...

Truth in Taxation Hearing Tonight to Be Live-Streamed on YouTube

At 6 p.m. tonight, the Wright County Board of Commissioners will conduct its annual budget/levy public meeting (often referred to as Truth in Taxation) in the Wright County Board Room. Due to COVID restrictions, seating will be limited, but the meeting wi...

Public Health Releases COVID-19 Dashboard

Wright County Public Health has released its new COVID-19 dashboard and, as expected, the surge in cases, hospitalizations and deaths are on a sharp climb in Wright County.

For the last several months, Wright County Public Health has been releasing its wee...

Sheriff's Office Releases Activity Report

The Wright County Sheriff’s Office has released its weekly activity report for the period covering November 23-29, 2020. To see the full report, click here: http://www.co.wright.mn.us/civicalerts.aspx?AID=2130

Truth in Taxation Hearing Tomorrow Night (Dec. 1)

The Wright County Board of Commissioners will conduct its annual budget levy public hearing (also known as the Truth in Taxation hearing) at 6 p.m. tomorrow (Tuesday, Dec. 1) in the Wright County Board Room. The meeting will be conducted in person with ac...

County Facilities Will Be Closed Thursday and Friday

All Wright County offices and facilities will be closed Thursday and Friday (Nov. 26-27) in observance of the Thanksgiving holiday. Offices and facilities will reopen at 8 a.m. Monday, Nov. 30 

Planning & Zoning to Close Office from Noon to 1 p.m. Daily Beginning Wednesday

Beginning tomorrow (Nov. 25), the Wright County Planning & Zoning Office public-facing counter will be closed from noon to 1 p.m. daily. The reason is due to a short staff and COVID-19 requirements for sanitizing surfaces and equipment. For those who ...

Public Health Issues Press Release on Isolation and Quarantining

As numbers of new confirmed COVID-19 cases in Wright County and throughout the country continue to surge as we near the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, Wright County Public Health has issued a press release dealing with quarantining and isolation and how th...

DNR to Offer Free Park Friday Nov. 27 In All 75 State Parks

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources has announced that Friday, Nov. 27 will be a Free Park Friday at all 75 Minnesota state parks. Those looking to enter a state park for a hike won’t need to have the required seasonal sticker on their...

No COVID-19 Dashboard This Thursday due to Thanksgiving Holiday

Due to the Thanksgiving holiday, Wright County Public Health will not be posting its weekly COVID-19 dashboard on Thursday, as is the custom. Starting Monday, Nov. 30, Wright County Public Health will begin updating county COVID-19 numbers on Mondays and ...

Parks & Recreation Department Announces Continuity of Operations Plan

The Wright County Parks & Recreation Department has issued a statement about the Continuity of Operations Plans for the Wright County parks system. To see the full statement, click here: http://www.co.wright.mn.us/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=2120

Wright County Sheriff's Office Releases Weekly Activity Report

The Wright County Sheriff’s Office has released its weekly activity report covering the period of Nov. 15-22. It can be viewed here: http://www.co.wright.mn.us/civicalerts.aspx?AID=2121

License Bureau to Open Up Driver's License Renewal Appointments Wednesday, Nov. 25

A Message from the Wright County License Bureau

The next round of appointments for the Wright County License Bureau for driver’s license renewals will be at 8 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 25. The appointments will cover the period from Monday, Dec. 7 to ...

Wright County Public Health Releases Weekly COVID-19 Dashboard

Wright County Public Health has released its weekly COVID-19 dashboard and, for the third straight week, the county has shattered the existing highs for the number of confirmed cases as the surge in new contractions throughout Minnesota and the United Sta...

County Board Asks Legislative Delegation to Help Get Buffalo DVS Exam Station Re-Opened

Wright County officials are going to be picking up the torch of trying to get the driver’s testing station in Buffalo re-opened in 2021 and they will have the backing of the county’s state legislative delegation.

On Wednesday, Nov. 18, ...

WCEDP Announces Cancellation of Annual Holiday Networking Social

The Wright County Economic Development Partnership regrets to announce that its annual Holiday Networking Social, scheduled for Thursday, Dec. 3 has been cancelled due to COVID-19. It has been one of WCEDP’s most popular annual events. Executive...

Full Text of Governor Walz's Executive Order 20-99

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz will announce a four-week dial-back of gatherings at 6 p.m. tonight. Here is the full text of Executive Order 20-99 and what it entails: https://beta.documentcloud.org/documents/20412665-executive-order-20-99-four-week...

Veterans Encouraged to Join Virtual Career Fair Thursday

CareerForce Veterans Employment Services and the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs will be conducting a Virtual Career Fair from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. tomorrow (Thursday, Nov. 19). All veterans, active military members and their spouses are invited to t...

Social Security Scam Calls Being Made to Wright County Residents

Residents are being warned about scammers attempting to obtain Social Security numbers under the threat of arrest.

The auto-message that comes with the call, many of which have out-of-state area codes from places like Texas and Georgia, claims that there h...

Walz to Address Minnesotans at 6 P.M. Today to Announce COVID-19 Related Restrictions

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz is going to address the state at 6 p.m. tonight to discuss further restrictions that are expected to be imposed as the number of new cases and deaths related to COVID-19 continue to skyrocket.

While no official pronouncements ha...

MnDOT to Reduce Eastbound I-94 to One Lane In Albertville the Next Two Nights

Those who travel on I-94 are being advised by the Minnesota Department of Transportation that the eastbound lane of I-94 in the Albertville area between Hwy. 241 and Co. Rd. 19 will be reduced to one lane for the next two nights.

Traffic will be reduced to...

Wright County Voters Turned Out In Record Numbers

Wright County residents came out in record numbers to vote earlier this month in the Nov. 3 elections and many of them did so by absentee/early mail-in voting.

In all, 82,723 Wright County residents voted, an increase of 18 percent above the number of resi...

License Bureau Reopens with New MNDRIVE Software System

At 8 a.m. this morning, the Wright County License Bureau and other DMV offices around the state re-opened with the new MNDRIVE software system to process requests from residents for new driver’s licenses, tab/plate renewals, title transfers, etc...

U of M Extension Hosting Crop Management Input Seminar Dec. 4

The Annual University of Minnesota Extension Crop Management Input Seminar will be held virtually Friday, Dec. 4. The online Zoom seminar is free, but preregistration is required by logging on to https://z.umn.edu/2021cropseminar.

The program runs from 8:4...

Sheriff's Office Releases Activity Report

The Wright County Sheriff’s Office has released its weekly activity report covering the period of November 9-15, 2020. To see the report, click here: http://www.co.wright.mn.us/civicalerts.aspx?AID=2106

MDH to Start Text-and-Call Contact Tracing for COVID-19

Starting today, the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) will be sending text messages to those who have been exposed to or have tested positive for COVID-19.

The text will inform the recipient that an interviewer from MDH will be calling them. The purpose...

Assessor Clarifies Special Budget/Levy Hearing Dec. 1 Is Not a Forum to Appeal Property Values

At 6 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 1, the Wright County Board of Commissioner will meet in special session to discuss the 2021 draft budget and certified levy – a meeting often called a Truth in Taxation hearing. Wright County Assessor Tony Rasmuson wants ...

Links to Follow for Specific Guidelines, Information for Impacts of COVID-19

There are numerous links that Minnesota residents can access to help better understand the requirements that have taken effect for different groups of people based up Gov. Tim Walz’s Emergency Executive Order 20-96.

The links include the full Exe...

Walz to Take Part in MDH Briefing at 2 P.M. Today

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz is going to join the daily briefing by the Minnesota Department of Health at 2 p.m. today (Nov. 13) to discuss measures being taken to dial back some business operations and social gatherings in an attempt to slow a significant...

U of M Extension Conducting Meetings to Discuss Farmland Rental Prices

Landlords, farmers, agri-business professionals should make plans to attend one of the informative meetings being held across Minnesota and online. These free meetings are being provided by University of Minnesota Extension. Farm land rental rates are the...

A Message from Wright County Public Health About the Recent Spike in COVID-19 Cases

A Message from Wright County Public Health

“Wright County Public Health officials are concerned with the recent COVID-19 case growth (now at 4,440 total cases), increase in people dying from the virus (25 total deaths) and the ripple effects we a...

Wright County Has More Than 1,000 Confirmed COVID-19 Cases in the Last Seven Days

Wright County Public Health has released its weekly COVID-19 dashboard, which mirrors the results statewide in record-setting surges in numbers of confirmed cases and deaths.

Positive cases of COVID-19 in Wright County exploded this week, shattering existi...

MnDOT Provides Update on I-94 Project from Maple Grove to Clearwater

The Minnesota Department of Transportation has released a detailed outlook for construction on I-94 between Maple Grove and Clearwater that includes current lane closures and what to anticipate during the winter months.

The outlook includes traffic impacts...

Department of Public Safety Warns of Dangers of Carbon Monoxide Poisining in Winter

This week is Winter Weather Awareness Week in Minnesota and the Minnesota Department of Safety’s Homeland Security and Emergency Management Division is warning Minnesota about the dangers of carbon monoxide poisoning and the reasons why it is vi...

License Bureau Closed Today and Friday for Software Changeover

A reminder to Wright County residents that the Wright County License Bureau will be closed today (Nov. 12) and Friday (Nov. 13) as the Minnesota Department of Public Safety switches over from the failed MNLARS software system to the new MNDRIVE system.

All...

Wright County Under Winter Storm Warning Until Midnight

The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Storm Warning effective until midnight tonight (Nov. 10) with the forecast of heavy mixed precipitation. The snow projection is between 4-6 inches of new snow with the potential of ice accumulation mixed in...

Nov. 9-15 Is National Traffic Incident Response Awareness Week

November 9-15 is National Traffic Incident Response Awareness Week, an educational campaign to remind motorists of the dangers and caution needed to assist first responders on the scene of traffic crashes.

Every minute of every day, emergency responders ac...

Compost & Recycling Facility Announces Holiday-Related Hours Modification

A Message from the Wright County Compost & Recycling Facility

The Wright County Compost & Recycling Facility has announced modified hours for the holiday season.

The facility has standard operating hours of 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays an...

Sheriff's Office Releases Weekly Activity Report

The Wright County Sheriff’s Office has released its weekly activity report for the period covering Nov. 2-8. To see the full report, click here: http://www.co.wright.mn.us/civicalerts.aspx?AID=2091

License Bureau to Close Wednesday Through Friday

A reminder from the Wright County License Bureau

The Wright County License Bureau will be closed from Wednesday, Nov. 11 to Friday, Nov. 13 (as well all other License Bureaus/DMVs throughout Minnesota) as part of a mandatory shutdown as the state replaces ...

County Board Appoints Lutes as New County Attorney Effective Jan. 1

On Sept. 30, Wright County Attorney Tom Kelly announced that he was going to be retiring effective at the end of 2020. In his statement, Kelly specifically asked that the Wright County Board of Commissioners appoint Brian Lutes, Chief of the Criminal Divi...

County Board to Welcome Two New Commissioners in January

When the Wright County Board of Commissioners convenes its first meeting of 2021 on January 5, it will do so with two new commissioners. 

Three commissioners were up for election earlier this week. In District 2, incumbent Darek Vetsch won re-elec...

Wright County Public Health Releases Weekly COVID-19 Dashboard

Wright County Public Health has released its weekly COVID-19 dashboard and, for the second straight week, the county has shattered the previous weekly record for new confirmed cases and saw a significant spike in the number of cases requiring hospitalizat...

Wright County Has Completed, Submitted All Absentee Ballots Received On or Before Election Day

As of 5 p.m. today, Wright County Elections announced that it had uploaded absentee vote totals to the State of Minnesota. That finishes out all absentee votes received on or before Election Day (Tuesday, Nov. 3). Any additional ballots postmarked on or b...

MnDOT Announces Road Work on Hwy. 12 in Cokato Will Be Completed Tomorrow

Travelers will experience smoother lanes, wider sidewalks and safer accesses along Highway 12 through Cokato as crews finish the four-month project Friday, Nov. 6, the Minnesota Department of Transportation announced in a statement today. 

Road si...

U of M Extension Offering Online Horse Certificate Courses in 2021

Adam Austing & Krishona Martinson, University of Minnesota Extension

Back by popular demand, five online horse certificate courses will be offered by UMN Extension in 2021! Courses include equine biosecurity, manure management, basic horse nutrition, g...

Santa Coming to Bertram Park Dec. 5

A Message from Wright County Parks & Recreation

Is it ever too early to start getting into the Christmas spirit? We will leave that debate between you and your family. What we do know is that Santa Claus is coming to Bertram Chain of Lakes Regional Par...

Wright County Turns Out in Record Numbers for 2020 Election

One of the talking points of the 2020 election as it pertains to Wright County is that, once again, county residents took the privilege of casting their vote extremely seriously and came out in record-setting numbers to let their voices be heard and their...

County Board to Have Two New Commissioners in 2021

The votes have been counted and the Wright County Board of Commissioners is going to have to two new members in 2021.

In District 2, Commissioner Darek Vetsch was elected to a second term with a win over Tom Perrault. With all eight precincts reporting, Ve...

Important Election Day Reminders for Those With Absentee Ballots

It’s Election Day and Wright County Elections has some important reminders for voters.

1. Voters can’t vote in-person at the Wright County Government Center today. It served as one of the sites for voting absentee prior to the election, but now voters need...

Minnesota OSS Offering Ballot Tracking Link for Those Who Voted By Mail, Absentee

A record number of Minnesotans have voted by mail. For those who are wondering if their ballot has been received, the Minnesota Secretary of State’s Office has a link where you can track your vote to determine it has been received and, if so, wh...

MDH Continuing to Offer Free At-Home COVID-19 Saliva Tests

With COVID-19 cases on the rise and many people wondering if they potentially are carrying and spreading the virus, the Minnesota Department of Health continues to offer free at-home saliva tests to those who think they might have COVID-19. Wright County ...

Sheriff's Office Releases Weekly Activity Report

The Wright County Sheriff’s Office has released its activity report for the period covering October 26 to November 1. The full report can be seen here: http://www.co.wright.mn.us/civicalerts.aspx?AID=2074

Today is the Final Day for Absentee Voting In-Person

Those looking to beat the crowds anticipated for Election Day tomorrow (Tuesday, Nov. 3) have one more day to vote absentee in-person today at the Wright County Government Center in Buffalo and City Halls in Albertville, Buffalo, Delano, Hanover, Howard L...

State Voter Registration Software Experiencing Difficulties This Morning

The statewide voter registration system is experiencing issues this morning and has been going down intermittently through the morning as most county and city early voting sites have been open since 10 a.m. today. Wright County Elections said that residen...

Reminder to Turn Back Your Clocks Saturday Night

A reminder to turn back your clocks Saturday night before you go to bed because Daylight Savings Time ends in the early morning hours of Sunday, Nov. 1. Enjoy the extra hour of sleep you have the chance to get.

Hwy. 24 in Downtown Annandale Closed This Afternoon for Trick-or-Treat Car Parade

Highway 24 in downtown Annandale will be closed from 2 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. today for the annual Trick-or-Treat Car Parade. Through traffic is asked to use Poplar Avenue or Highway 55 as alternate routes. Motorists are asked to use caution and slow down in t...

Wright County Public Health Releases Weekly COVID-19 Dashboard

October has been a brutal month for COVID-19 in Wright County. Over the last reporting period for Wright County Public Health’s COVID-19 dashboard (Oct. 23-29), the number of positive COVID-19 cases almost doubled the previous weekly high. There...

Auditor/Treasurer Dispels Social Media Rumors About Polling Place Closures Tuesday

The Wright County Auditor/Treasurer’s Office wants to dispel rumors that are making the rounds on social media this morning that claim polling places throughout the state will be closed on Election Day. That is not true. Seven cities in Wright C...

Important Message for Those Intending to Mail In Ballots

A message from Wright County Elections

Voters,

Late Thursday, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit overruled the State of Minnesota’s approved consent decree extending the deadline for submitting an absentee and mail ballots. The Court...

License Bureau Announces New Appointment Schedule, Office Hours Changes

At 8 a.m. today (Oct. 30), the Wright County License Bureau opened hundreds of new driver’s license appointment slots, which can be accessed on the main page of the county website (www.co.wright.mn.us).

License Bureau staff was residents to be aw...

Monticello City Hall Closed to Absentee Voting Due to COVID-19

In-person absentee voting at Monticello City Hall has been closed due to positive COVID-19 tests among the staff. Those looking to vote in-person prior to the Nov. 3 elections are being instructed to drive to the Wright County Government Center in Buffalo...

Hwy. 24 Traffic in Clear Lake Will Be Detoured Next Week

Those who drive from I-94 in Clearwater to Hwy. 10 in Clear Lake will be subject to a detour next week. Hwy. 24, which connects I-94 on the Wright County side of the Mississippi River to Hwy. 10 on the Sherburne County side of the River, will be closed in...

Early Voting Locations to Be Open Additional Hours Saturday and Monday

With in-person absentee voting underway at the Wright County Government Center and eight City Hall locations (Albertville, Buffalo, Hanover, Howard Lake, Delano, Monticello, Otsego and St. Michael), residents looking to vote prior to the Nov. 3 elections ...

An Open Letter from Safe Communities of Wright County

An open letter from Lieutenant Eric L Kunkel, Wright County Sheriff’s Office/Member of Safe Communities of Wright County

In Minnesota the months of October and November tend to be the transition months between fall and winter but in 2020 many thi...

U of M Extension Offer Tips on Storing Root Vegetables

By Katie Drewitz and Adam Austing, University of Minnesota Extension Educators

Since we got snow last week it’s pretty safe to say that the growing season has come to an end. With canning supplies being in short supply this year the question on how to prop...

Eight City Halls Open for Absentee In-Person Voting

A Message from Wright County Elections

Wright County residents are being advised that if you are a resident of the following cities, to avoid congestion in the early voting period between now and Monday, Nov. 2, your City Hall is open for absentee in-perso...

Highway Department Provides Update on CSAH 30 Project in Delano

The Wright County Highway Department has provided an update on the CSAH 30 reconstruction project in Delano.

Over the coming week, the contractor will continue asphalt paving on CSAH 30, pave the trail along McKinley Parkway, perform asphalt patching along...

Emerging Leaders Launch Holiday Initiative Working with Local Food Shelves

Starting today (Oct. 26) and running through Monday, Nov. 23, the Wright County Emerging Leaders Program is preparing baking boxes – containing items used in baking holiday treats for the Thanksgiving and Christmas season that aren’t t...

Wright County Sheriff's Office Releases Weekly Activity Report

The Wright County Sheriff’s Office has released its weekly activity report for the period of Oct. 19-25. It can be viewed here: http://www.co.wright.mn.us/civicalerts.aspx?AID=2056

Absentee Voting In-Person Begins Tuesday, Oct. 27

Absentee voting in-person begins tomorrow (Tuesday, Oct. 27) at all absentee voting locations, including the Wright County Government Center. In addition, the absentee voting in-person locations be open additional hours on Saturday, Oct. 31 (10 a.m. to 3 ...

County Board Adopts Strategic Planning Initiatives to Plan for Future County Growth

What started as a suggestion to use a free product has become a focal point of where Wright County will be heading in its future as it takes a measured approach to strategic planning for the county’s future.

As part of a technology contract the c...

State Bonding Bill Includes $1.4 Million for Dental Clinic in New Government Center

It took five months longer than expected, but when the Minnesota State Legislature met in special session last week, it finally passed its enormous bonding bill – a collection of thousands of individual projects throughout the state – ...

KSTP Channel 5 to Air Story on At Home Saliva Testing for COVID-19

Tonight on KSTP Channel 5’s Eyewitness News at 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. the station will be airing a segment dealing with the new COVID-19 at home saliva testing program that was launched yesterday by the Minnesota Department of Health. The pilot project involve...

Minnesota Shattering Number of Votes Being Made Absentee

With less than two weeks remaining until the 2020 general election, Minnesota is shattering the record for absentee voting. Likely the result of the COVID-19 pandemic that is expected to keep many Minnesotans away from polling places, the numbers are impr...

Wright County Public Health Releases Weekly COVID-19 Dashboard

Wright County Public Health has released its weekly COVID-19 dashboard. The number of confirmed cases in Wright County rose to 2,334 – an increase of 191 from the previous week’s report. The number of cases requiring hospitalization in...

Wright County to Be Part of Free COVID-19 Saliva Test Pilot Project

The Minnesota Department of Health announced today that it has started a pilot project for the COVID-19 Test at Home Saliva Program. The program involves 23 counties, including Wright County, as well as the Red Lake Nation.

The testing is free and resident...

Highway Department Preparing for Second Wave of Winter Weather

Residents are asked to be on the lookout for Wright County Highway Department trucks because the storms that were predicted in Wright County have started popping up and the highway department is currently monitoring the roads closely in preparation of get...

Wright County Elections Office Has Important Message About Mail-In, Absentee Voting

A message from Wright County Elections Division

Options for Returning Absentee/Mail Ballots

Voters have multiple options for returning their absentee or mail ballot.

* Return it in the first-class, postage-paid envelope included with their ballot. Ballots mu...

Ready for Round 2 of Winter Storms in Wright County? Or Even Round 3?

As much of Minnesota digs out from the first snowstorm of the season, which dumped anywhere from four to eight inches of wet, heavy snow throughout a significant portion of the state, the hope was that it wouldn’t last long because Thursday was ...

View the Ballot You Will Be Filling Out

Those preparing to vote between now and Nov. 3 may not know the number of elections and the candidates in the races that will appear on the ballot specific to the city or township they live in. There are numerous federal, state, county and local races tha...

CSAH 19 Closure Over I-94 Bridge Postponed Until Tonight

Due to the snow that fell Tuesday, Oct. 20, the second night of closure of CSAH 19 in Albertville over the I-94 bridge was postponed until tonight (Oct. 21). Work crews were expected to do night closures of the bridge to install beams for the expansion of...

Highway Department Trucks Out in Force to Plow, Salt County Highways, Roads

Shortly after noon today (Oct. 20), the Wright County Highway Department sent out its trucks to plow and salt roadways that quickly became snow covered. The same is true for the Minnesota Department of Transportation. MnDOT trucks are out on I-94 and, wit...

Highway Department Preparing for First Snow Event of the Season

Minnesotans know the drill by now when it comes to driving in Minnesota weather. While a little earlier than most expect or prefer, this afternoon and into te evening commute, drivers in Wright County are going to be dealing with their first snow event of...

Public Health Issues Press Release on the Challenges Around Halloween This Year

Wright County Public Health has issued a press release about safety around Halloween and the fact that many will likely avoid taking children trick or treating or answering their doors for trick or treaters this year. To see the full release, click here: ...

License Bureau Warns Walk-Up Traffic Outside Government Center to Prepare for Wait, Weather

The Wright County License Bureau is asking residents who are coming to the Wright County Government Center for transactions other than driver’s license renewal appointments to dress accordingly for the weather. Other transactions (tabs, title tr...

Sheriff's Office Releases Activity Report

The Wright County Sheriff’s Office has released its weekly Activity Report, It can be viewed here: http://www.co.wright.mn.us/civicalerts.aspx?AID=2034

CMRP to Hold a Pair of Public Engagement Events in Monticello Oct. 19 and Oct. 26

A message from the Central Mississippi River Regional Planning Partnership

As we enter Round 2 of engagement on the Framework 2030 Plan, we encourage you to provide your feedback on the developing vision, strategic commitments, a...

Co. Rd 19 to Be Closed Monday, Tuesday Nights Over I-94 Bridge in Albertville

Motorists should plan for Wright County Road 19 to be fully closed under the Interstate 94 bridge in Albertville. Work is scheduled for Monday, Oct. 19 and Tuesday, Oct. 20 from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. nightly. These closures are necessary to set beams at the I-...

Wright County Public Health Releases Weekly COVID-19 Dashboard

It was a grim week of milestones for Wright County in its battle against COVID-19 as three one-week highs were reported by Wright County Public Health in its most recent COVID-19 dashboard. The county set a single-week high in the number of new confirmed ...

Scammers Claiming to be Representatives of the Social Security Administration

In recent weeks, several Wright County residents have been receiving both live calls and robot calls from individuals claiming to be from the U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA) saying that there is a problem with their Social Security Number and, i...

Northbound Lane of Hwy 101/169 Closed After Crash

The Minnesota Department of Transportation has announced that the northbound lane of Hwy. 101/169 at the Elk River/Otsego interchange has been closed due to a crash. Motorists are asked to use alternate routes until the crash site has been cleared. MnDOT ...

County Highway 38 Set to Open in Albertville/Otsego

With the completion of the roundabout at the intersection of Highway 38 (70^th Street NE) & MacIver Avenue NE, the Wright County Highway Department is excited to announce all-new lanes, roundabouts, and pedestrian trails along County State Aid Highway ...

Road Resurfacing Begins Today on Hwy. 12 in Cokato

As of today (Oct. 16), drivers traveling on Hwy. 12 in Cokato will be encountering an increase in work crew and equipment activity. Resurfacing of the road in the city begins today and is expected to last two weeks. For more information about the project,...

900 New Driver's License Renewal Appointments Now Open

As of 8 a.m. this morning, 900 new appointment slots have opened up at the Wright County License Bureau for driver’s license renewals. The appointments can be accessed at the county website (www.co.wright.mn.us). All other non-driver’s...

MDH, Local Public Health Officials to Conduct Free COVID Testing Oct. 20-22 in Monticello

The Minnesota Department of Health is partnering with local public health officials to conduct free COVID-19 testing for anyone who wishes to be tested – with or without COVID symptoms. Wright County Public Health has issued a press release for ...

CARES Act Wright County Funds Ready for Disbursement for Small Businesses

The Oct. 8 deadline for small businesses and non-profit organizations to apply for CARES Act grants has come and gone and the numbers are in. In all, 203 small business and 51 non-profits applied for grants for as much as $20,000 to help assist them in bu...

U of M Extension Discusses the Necessity of Raking Leaves

By Katie Drewitz & Adam Austing, University of Minnesota Extension Educator

Raking leaves is one of those fall chores that you likely aren’t thrilled about doing, especially if you have an abundance of trees. It seems that this time of year t...

Today Is the Deadline for Second Half Property Tax Payments

A reminder from the Wright County Auditor/Treasurer’s Office that today is the deadline for payment of 2020 second half property taxes. Those wishing to make their payments in person at the Government Center in Buffalo can go to the customer ser...

Parks & Rec Announces the Return of Some of Its Winter Programs

The Wright County Parks & Recreation Department has announced its annual winter program offerings that will start back up in January. The release from Parks & Rec can be seen here: https://www.co.wright.mn.us/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=2017

BNSR Railroad Crossing Project at CSAH 5 Won't Be Completed Until Thursday

Those who travel on CSAH 5 in Middleville Township are going to have an extra day of the road being closed north of Hwy. 12.

The project, being done by the Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSR) Railroad to do a reconstruction at the railroad crossing on CSAH...

Auditor/Treasurer's Office Closes Public Window Today After Potential COVID-19 Exposure

A statement from Bob Hiivala, Wright County Auditor/Treasurer:

“The public window of the Wright County Auditor/Treasurer’s Office will be closed for the remainder of today (October 14) due to potential COVID-19 exposure. In discussions ...

Highway Department Hosting Virtual Open House on the Co. Rd. 118 Project in Monticello

The Wright County Highway Department is holding a virtual open house concerning the Co. Rd. 118 (Fenning Avenue NE) reconstruction project in Monticello. To learn more about the project, visit https://cr118-wsbeng.hub.arcgis.com/ where you can learn about...

Buckthorn a Problem in Woodland Areas

By Karen Johnson, University of Minnesota Extension

Do you know if buckthorn is present in your woodlands? Buckthorn is one of Minnesota’s most damaging invasive plants. It can outcompete native vegetation and degrade wildlife habitat. Buckthorn ...

I-94 Closed in Both Directions in Albertville

The Minnesota Department of Transportation has announced that Interstate 94 is closed in both directions between Co. Rd. 18 (Exit 194)  and Co. Rd 37 (Exit 202) in Albertville after a significant crash took place shortly before 2 p.m. MnDOT said ...

CMRP Launches Second Round of Public Engagement

A message from the Central Mississippi River Regional Planning Partnership

The Central Mississippi River Regional Planning Partnership is seeking feedback on its regional vision and strategic commitments through the next phase of the Framework 2030 project...

Sheriff's Office Releases Weekly Activity Report

The Wright County Sheriff’s Office has released its weekly activity report covering the period of Oct. 5-11. The entire report can be seen here: http://www.co.wright.mn.us/civicalerts.aspx?AID=2009

Court Administration Announces Change of Address

A message from Wright County Court Administration/10^th Judicial District

As of Monday, Oct. 12, our office has moved to a new location. Our new address is 3700 Braddock Avenue NE, Room 1100, Buffalo, MN 55313. This is in the new Wright County Justice Cente...

Links for Residents Looking to Vote Absentee on the Front Page of the County Website

With less than four weeks remaining until the Nov. 3 election, those interested in voting absentee can access the information they seek about voting absentee by mail and in-person on the front page of the Wright County website (www.co.wright.mn.us) at the...

MnDOT Announces Completion of Road and Sidewalk Improvements on Hwy. 24 in Annandale

A statement from the Minnesota Department of Transportation

The Minnesota Department of Transportation is excited to announce all new lanes, cross street connections and sidewalks along Highway 24 between Highway 55 and Poplar Avenue will open this afterno...

Emerging Leaders to Start Holiday Initiative Working with Local Food Shelves

As challenging and, at times, depressing 2020 has been under the cloud of COVID-19, as the Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday season approaches, that angst may become even more pronounced – especially for families struggling to make ends meet.

In...

U of M Extension Offers Tips to Storing Bulb Plants Indoors

Katie Drewitz and Adam Austing, University of Minnesota Extension

Have you finished everything on your autumn to do list? It can be hard to get everything done. However, if you are hoping to enjoy some of your favorite flowers and save some money next spri...

County Records Most Confirmed COVID-19 Cases for a Single Week in Latest Public Health Dashboard

Wright County Public Health has released its weekly COVID-19 dashboard covering the period of Oct. 2-8. Wright County set a one-week high of 185 new cases, bringing the county’s total number of confirmed cases to 1,915. There have been 114 cases...

Public Health Offering Free COVID-19 Tests for Uninsured, Underinsured County Residents

Wright County Public Health has issued a press release offering uninsured and underinsured residents of Wright County access to free COVID-19 testing. Both adults and children are eligible. To see the full release, click here: http://www.co.wrigh...

MSHSL Announces Parameters for Attendance at High School Events

High school sports have returned to Wright County and throughout the state and the Minnesota State High School League has announced guidelines for attendees at indoor events for the 2020-21 school year, ranging from sports events to plays to band concerts...

County Organizations Combining for Prescription Drug Take Back Event Oct. 28

A Message from Wright County Public Health

Wright County Public Health, the Wright County Sheriff’s Office, and the Mentorship, Education, and Drug Awareness (MEADA) Coalition are partnering to host two medication disposal sites for this year&...

Free COVID-19 Testing Being Offered Next Week in St. Cloud

Those looking to be tested for COVID-19 will have the opportunity to get tested for free next week in St. Cloud. The testing will be done at the St. Cloud Rivers Edge Convention Center from noon to 6 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday, Oct. 13-15. The testing requires...

CSAH 5 in Middleville Township Will Be Closed Oct. 12-13 for Railroad Crossing Construction

CSAH 5 in Middleville Township will be closed north of Hwy. 12 on Tuesday and Wednesday Oct. 12-13 at the railroad crossing. Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) Railroad is reconstructing the railroad crossing on CSAH 5. This will be a two-day closure and...

Prospective Young Drivers Can Take Learner's Permit Knowledge Test Online Starting Thursday

Since the start of COVID-19, young prospective drivers looking to get their learner’s permit often had to travel many miles to one of the few Minnesota Department of Vehicle Services (DVS) exam stations that remained open around the state during the pande...

Sheriff's Office Releases Weekly Activity Report

The Wright County Sheriff’s Office has released its activity report for the period covering Sept. 28-Oct. 4. The report can be viewed here: http://www.co.wright.mn.us/civicalerts.aspx?AID=1994

Highway Department Has Update on CSAH 30 Project in Delano

A message from Virgil Hawkins, Wright County Highway Engineer

Work on Highway 30 is on track to be completed for the season by mid-October (weather permitting). The Highway 30 Project is a collaborative effort between the county and city with both agencies...

MnDOT Reminding Motorists of Increased Farm Equipment on Minnesota Highways in October

The Minnesota Department of Transportation is reminding drivers to be aware of slow-moving farm equipment on Minnesota highways this weekend and over the next couple of weeks. Harvest season is in full swing and farm equipment is on area roads transportin...

Four Offices Currently in Government Center to Move to Justice Center Oct. 12

Residents who have visited the Wright County Government Center recently have seen signage in the lobby, outside of Court Administration and on the Fourth Floor of the Annex that four offices currently located in the Government Center – Court Administratio...

County Adds Disclaimer to Beacon Parcel Summary Page to Reduce Confusion

Many Wright County residents use the Beacon interactive GIS (Geographic Information System) to view aerial photos of land parcels and specific information on those properties, such as the parcel ID, the section/township/range of the parcel, deeded acres a...

Wright County Public Health Releases Weekly COVID-19 Dashboard

Wright County Public Health has released its weekly COVID-19 dashboard. Over the past week, there have been 156 new confirmed cases – the second highest weekly total since the pandemic began recording cases in Minnesota – bringing the ...

900 New Driver's License Renewal Appointments Now Open

At 8 a.m. today (Friday, Oct. 2), 900 new appointment slots will open for those wishing to renew their driver’s licenses at the Wright County License Bureau. The appointments will cover the period of Oct. 12-23. To make an appointment, go the ma...

U of M Extension Offering Farmers Tips to Set Up Livestock Operations Contingency Plan

By Emily Krekelberg, University of Minnesota Extension

The University of Minnesota Extension Livestock Team has released a set of customizable forms that can be used to create an operations contingency plan for their farm. The contingency forms are meant t...

Construction, Detour on CSAH 39 in Otsego Completed for 2020 Construction Season

The Wright County Highway Department has announced that the roundabout construction on CSAH 39 is done for the 2020 construction season and the detour that had been in place has been taken down. The project has two phases. The first was officially complet...

MRBC Looking for Participants In Rural Minnesota to Take Broadband Speed Test

The Minnesota Rural Broadband Coalition (MRBC) is looking for participation from residents in rural areas of Minnesota to help identify issues they face with slow internet speeds by launching the Minnesota Speed Test Initiative.

This issue of the lack of b...

DNR Has Maps to Locate What Portions of the State Have Reached Fall Color Peak

As we flip the calendar to October, one of the annual rites of autumn is the vibrant change in the color of leaves, especially in the forests of Greater Minnesota. Many families make an annual pilgrimage to travel to parts of the state where the fall leav...

County Attorney Tom Kelly Announces Retirement

A Statement from Wright County Attorney Tom Kelly

I have been with the County Attorney’s Office representing the citizens of Wright County for almost 37 years, the past 22 as your elected County Attorney. I started my career as a prosecutor for W...

Auditor/Treasurer Reminds Residents That Polling Places Will Be Open Election Day

There has been a lot of confusion in recent weeks about the process of voting in the Nov. 3 election. As the result of COVID-19, there has been a push by many groups – government and independent alike – promoting absentee voting and vo...

MDH Announces Increases in Hot Spots, Hospitalizations Due to COVID-19

As Minnesota nears its 100,000^th confirmed case of COVID-19, the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) is cautioning that the worst of the pandemic may not be over.

Earlier today, MDH announced there were 16 deaths reported in the state attributed to COVID-...

Extension Offering Resources to Assist Farmers Suffering Stress from COVID-19

Midwest farmers and ranchers are facing unprecedented stressors and uncertainly imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic, weather related concerns, and the derecho storm that impacted parts of the Midwest. As a result, mental health experts are predicting an incr...

Voters Have Options for Voting Absentee and In Person for the November Elections

Amid concerns as to whether votes are going to be counted properly in the coming election and if the U.S. Postal Service will be able to handle the volume of ballots expected, there are a couple of simpler options for those who want to be sure their ballo...

U of M Extension Offers Tips for Fall Care of Vegetable Gardens Before Winter Hits

By Tracy Beaufeaux, University of MN Extension Master Gardener - Wright County

With the impending winter looming just on the other side of fall, we might be ready to call it quits on our gardens for the year. But, don’t put your tools away just y...

Wright County Sheriff's Office Releases Weekly Activity Report

The Wright County Sheriff’s Office has released its weekly activity report, covering the period of Sept. 21-27. To view the full activity report, click here: http://www.co.wright.mn.us/civicalerts.aspx?AID=1972

Potter to Renew Fight to Get Final Segment of I-94 Funded Between Albertville and Monticello

When Oct. 1 rolls around, Wright County Commissioner Mike Potter is going to renew his annual efforts to get highway funding for Wright County. That is when the federal fiscal year begins and funding for road projects starts being discussed.

Potter has bee...

CASPER Study Halted Due to Fears for Workers, But Wright County Had No Such Issues

In what was intended to be a research study to help determine how the COVID-19 virus is spread in communities throughout Minnesota, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) began dispatching two-per...

Compost & Recycling Facility to Be Open Additional Hours in October and November

A Message from Bill Stephens, Wright County Environmental Health Officer

The Wright County Compost and Recycling Facility will be providing additional public drop-off hours during the months of October and November through Thursday, Nov. 24. The hours avai...

Parks & Recreation Announces Seasonal Closing Date for Facilities in County Parks

A message from Wright County Parks & Recreation

Public restrooms in four Wright County parks are going to be closed for the season Sunday, Sept. 27. Those parks include Bertram Chain of Lakes Park, Beebe Lake Park, Clearwater/Pleasant Park and Otsego P...

Wright County Public Health Releases Weekly COVID-19 Dashboard

Wright County Public Health has released its weekly COVID-19 dashboard. Over the past week, there have been 97 new confirmed cases, bringing the county total to 1,574. Of those, 94 have required hospitalization, an increase of six from the previous week. ...

Highway Department Provides Update on CSAH 19 & 38 Road Project

The Wright County Highway Department has posted an update to the progress on the CDAH 19 &38 road improvement project. The update includes a map of the Stage 1B detour with a timeline, project background, an aerial map of the project layout, project v...

MDVA Has COVID Relief Program for Families of Veterans Forced into Distance Learning

To assist Minnesota Veterans impacted by distance learning expenses, the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs (MDVA) recently introduced the COVID-19 Distance Learning Support Grant. The purpose of the COVID-19 K-12 Distance Learning Support Grant is ...

A Pair of Roundabout Projects Will Be Completed by Next Week

A pair of roundabout projects are at or near completion in the northeast corner of Wright County.

The CSAH 19 roundabouts in Albertville have opened and roundabouts on CSAH 39 and 42 will be fully open next week. All that remains on the CSAH 39/42 roundabo...

Small Businesses Have Until Oct. 8 to Apply for CARES Act Grants

In July, the Wright County Board of Commissioners earmarked up to $3 million of its CARES Act funding for economic development – assisting small businesses that have struggled to keep their doors open during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The program is ...

U of M Extension Explains Why So Many Lilac Plants Are Dying

By Adam Austing, University of Minnesota Extension Educator

There are widespread reports of lilacs dying throughout Wright County and Minnesota this year. In many cases, affected plants were mature and never had noticeable issues in the past. The common li...

Project Update Provided on CSAH 19 and 38 Project

An update on the CSAH 19 and 38 Improvement Project

On Monday, Sept. 21, the contractor for the project closed the intersection of Hwy. 38 and MacIver Avenue to construct a roundabout. The intersection is expected to be reopened approximately Monday, Oct. ...

MnDOT Wants Public Input on Howard Lake Project

The Minnesota Department of Transportation invites the community of Howard Lake to an online open house to learn about future Highway 12 road and sidewalk improvements between 13th Avenue and Sixth Avenue in Howard Lake. 

The venue is open for pub...

Wright County HHS Seeking Foster Care Providers for Teens

Can you be the light for a teen in foster care?

Wright County Health & Human Services has an immediate need for foster care providers willing to care for teens. Orientation is now being offered online.

If you are interested or would like additional info...

MDH to Conduct COVID-19 Surveys in Wright County today Through Wednesday

Today through Wednesday (Sept. 21-23), the Minnesota Department of Health will be conducting in-person surveys in many Minnesota communities asking questions about the impact COVID-19 is having on communities. While specific areas that the interviews will...

Wright County Sheriff's Office Releases Weekly Activity Report

The Wright County Sheriff’s Office has released its weekly activity report covering the period of Sept. 14-21. It can be viewed here: http://www.co.wright.mn.us/civicalerts.aspx?AID=1956

Courts Will Continue to Conduct Most Hearings Virtually During Move to Justice Center

A message from Wright County Court Administration

The Wright County court system continues to hear the majority of court hearings virtually, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Parties receive hearing notices that provide the information needed to sign in to the...

Trailblazer Transit Groundbreaking Thursday A Sign of the System's Success in Wright County

A little less than 10 years ago, Wright County was at acrossroads when it came to public transit. The county had a bus service called River Rider that it shared with Sherburne County. But, when Sherburne County unilaterally decided to pull out of River Ri...

Tuesday is National Voter Registration Day

There has been as big a movement to get people to vote in the 2020 election as any election cycle in our history. Voter advocacy groups as both as the political parties and the Minnesota Secretary of State’s Office are going to great lengths to ...

U of M Extension Explains Evergreen Needle Drop in the Fall

By Adam Austing and Katie Drewitz, University of Minnesota Extension

Despite their name, evergreen needles do not stay green forever. Older, inner needles discolor and drop off after one or more years, depending on the species. Sometimes the drop occurs sl...

Wright County Public Health Releases Weekly COVID-19 Dashboard

Wright County Public Health has released its weekly COVID-19 dashboard. After four straight weeks of having 100 or more new positive cases of the coronavirus, over the last week the number of new cases rose by 71, bringing the county total to 1,477. A tot...

What Is the Start-to-Finish Process of Voting Absentee?

Absentee voting for the Nov. 3 general election has opened today and voters are expected to use the absentee option more than ever before due to concerns over crowds at the polls amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Because of concerns about community spread of COV...

Department of Health to Conduct In-Person Survey Dealing with COVID-19

Wright County Public Health would like to inform residents
that on Monday, Sept. 21 through Wednesday, Sept. 23, the Minnesota Departmentof Health (MDH) will be conducting voluntary in-person surveys with residents
to understand the effect COVID-19 is...

900 New Appointment Slots Open Tomorrow for Driver's License Renewals

At 8 a.m. tomorrow (Friday, Sept. 18), 900 new appointment slots will open for those wishing to renew their driver’s licenses at the Wright County License Bureau. The appointments will cover the period of Sept. 28 to Oct. 9. To make an appointme...

Temporary Signal System Coming to Albertville and Otsego Next Monday

The intersection of County Highway 137 (60^th St NE) and MacIver Ave NE/MacKenzie Ave NE, just east of I-94 in the Cities of Albertville and Otsego, will be temporarily controlled by a signal system beginning on Monday, Sept. 21.

The signal system is tempor...

U of M Extension Looking for Those Interested In Joining Its Master Gardener Program

By Adam Austing, Wright County, University of MN Extension

BUFFALO, Minn. (09/14/20) – Do you have an active interest in gardening? Do you have a desire to share your gardening interest with others? Are you willing to learn more about ga...

Absentee Ballots to Start Being Mailed Out Next Week

A Message from the Elections Division of the Wright County Auditor/Treasurer’s Office

The start of the period prior to the Nov. 3 general election for people to vote absentee by mail opens Friday, Sept. 18. The Wright County Auditor/Treasurer&...

Veterans In Need of Counseling Assistance Have Resources at Their Disposal

The Disabled Veterans National Foundation wants to remind vets and non-vets alike that September is Suicide Prevention Month and wants to shine a light on the crisis of suicide among veterans.

DVFN data shows that, on average, approximately 22 veterans a d...

County to Adopt Preliminary Budget, Levy at Tuesday's County Board Meeting

At its meeting tomorrow (Tuesday, Sept. 15), the Wright County Board of Commissioners has on its agenda adoption of its 2021 preliminary budget and levy. At a time when the world has changed dramatically due to the global COVID-19 pandemic, Wright County ...

U of M Extension Offering Webinar for Sheep and Goat Producers

University of Minnesota Extension will be hosting a webinar 6:30 p.m. Wednesday September 30 focusing on the different factors and steps to connect goat and sheep producers with consumers.

Discussion will center on the different types of processing and dir...

Wright County Sheriff's Office Releases Weekly Activity Report

The Wright County Sheriff’s Office has released its activity report for the period covering Sept. 7-13. The report can be seen in full here: http://www.co.wright.mn.us/civicalerts.aspx?AID=1938

One Southbound Lane of Hwy. 25 in Monticello Closed for Road Repairs

The Minnesota Department of Transportation has closed one of the southbound lanes of traffic on Hwy. 25 in the City of Monticello between the Mississippi River and I-94 for roadway maintenance. Traffic delays are possible in the area of the work and drive...

Absentee Voting In Person Starts Friday

The Wright County Auditor/Treasurer’s Office has provided on update on absentee voting, which is scheduled to open Friday (Sept. 18).

For those wishing to absentee vote in-person, that process will begin Sept. 18. For a full list of polling place...

Court Administation Provides Update on Court Schedule, Planned Move to Justice Center

A message from Wright County Court Administration

The Wright County court system continues to hear the majority of court hearings virtually, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Parties receive hearing notices that provide the information needed to sign in to the...

Highway Department Provides Update on CSAH 30 project in Delano

The Wright County Highway Department has provided a project update as of today (Sept. 11) on the CSAH 30 project in Delano.

Here are some of those updates:

• The contractor is completing the aggregate base work throughout the project.

• The...

Auditor/Treasurer's Office Has Links for Those Interested in Absentee Balloting

One week from today (Friday, Sept. 18), the Wright County Auditor/Treasurer’s Office will begin accepting absentee ballots for the Nov. 3 general election. As part of this effort, there are two web pages on the county’s elections web p...

Wright County Public Health Releases Weekly COVID-19 Dashboard

Wright County Public Health has released its weekly COVID-19 dashboard. For the fourth straight week, Wright County has topped 100 new confirmed cases. Over the last seven days, 107 cases have been reported, down from 162 the previous week. The total numb...

County Board to Adopt 2021 Preliminary Budget and Levy At Its Sept. 15 Meeting

The Wright County Board of Commissioners is scheduled to adopt its 2021 Preliminary Budget and Levy at its next meeting (Tuesday, Sept. 15).

To see a breakdown of the budget and levy amounts from 2020 and 2021, click here: http://www.co.wright.mn.us/Agenda...

County Residents Asked to Be On Alert for Rising Number of Catalytic Converter Thefts

Residents are being warned to be on the lookout for thieves
involved in catalytic converter thefts. Throughout the 11-county metropolitanarea, which includes Wright County, the number of catalytic converter thefts
has skyrocketed over the past few mon...

CARES Act Funding for Small Businesses Application Forms ARE Live On WCEDP Website

The Wright County Board of Commissioners earmarked up to $3 million of its CARES Act funding for economic development – assisting small businesses that have struggled to keep their doors open during the struggles of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The pro...

Highway Department Looking for Public Input on Its 5-Year Plan for Future Road Projects

A Message from Wright County Highway Engineer Virgil Hawkins

Wright County updates its Five-Year Plan periodically, and we welcome your input and feedback as part of that process.

The update involves adding new years to the end of the previous five-year pro...

It's Not Too Late to Be Counted in the 2020 Census

With the 2020 United States Census expected to shut down its tabulation at the end of September, Minnesota continues to lead the way with self-reporting data for the state and national total population.

As of data collected through Sept. 8, Minnesota curre...

Fingerprinting No Longer Being Done at Government Center

The Wright County Sheriff’s Office would like to inform residents in need of fingerprinting that those services are now located exclusively in the Wright County Law Enforcement Center, 3800 Braddock Ave. NE, Buffalo. The LEC has always done fing...

Residents Being Warned About Scammers Dealing with Social Security Numbers

Residents are being warned about scam calls being made
regarding problems with Social Security numbers. Several Wright Countyresidents have been receiving robo-calls claiming there is something wrong with
their Social Security numbers that needs to be...

Farmers Warned About Invasive Weed Species In Minnesota Found In Contaminated Cattle Feed

By Nathan Drewitz, Jared Goplen, Adam Austing, Chryseis Modderman - UMN Extension

Keep an eye out for Palmer amaranth hitching a ride into Minnesota via contaminated feed ingredients. Minnesota has at least one infestation in the state that arrived via con...

Wright County Sheriff's Office Releases Weekly Activity Report

The Wright County Sheriff’s Office has released its weekly activity report for the period covering Aug. 31 through Sept. 7. It can be viewed here: http://www.co.wright.mn.us/civicalerts.aspx?AID=1919

CSAH 30 Project Nearing Completion

The CSAH 30 project in Delano is nearing completion. The project contractor is completing the aggregate base work on the west end of the project, as well as near the intersection of CSAH 30 and McKinley Parkway. Following the completion of the aggregate b...

Wright County HHS Prepared to Assist Care Providers and Families with CARES Act Funds

On March, 27, 2020, the United States Congress passed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security CARES Act with overwhelming, bipartisan support. The intent of the CARES Act funding is to provide fast and direct economic assistance for American wo...

Construction at Bertram Chain of Lakes Parks Near Completion

In a year that many people would just as soon get through and forget, one of the rare positives of 2020 has been Wright County residents enjoying the county’s robust parks system.

The crown jewel of the system is Bertram Chain of Lakes Regional P...

U of M Extension Explains Warning Signs of Bur Oak Blight

By Karen Johnson, UMN Extension Educator in McLeod & Meeker counties

Does your oak tree have brown leaves? If it is a Bur Oak tree, then it may be affected by Bur Oak Blight.

The Extension office has seen several pictures over the last couple of weeks o...

Public Health Releases Weekly COVID-19 Dashboard

Wright County Public Health has released its weekly COVID-19 dashboard and, for the third consecutive week, the county registered a one-week high in the number of new confirmed cases.

Since cases started being reported in March, Wright County had never had...

County Offices Closed Monday in Observance of Labor Day

All Wright County buildings will be closed Monday, Sept. 7 in observance of the Labor Day holiday. All county facilities will re-open at 8 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 8.

Road Work on Hwy. 25 Starting Sept. 8

Those driving on Highway 25 south of School Boulevard in Monticello in the Kjellberg neighborhood may have noticed road signs in both directions stating that road work is going to be taking place starting Tuesday, Sept. 8. While not a city or county proje...

MnDOT Looking for Residents to Complete Survey Dealing with Pedestrian Safety

The Minnesota Department of Transportation is looking for public input as it prepares to start a new educational campaign designed to improve pedestrian safety throughout Minnesota. MnDOT is asking for feedback to assure its new campaign messages are easy...

Master Gardener Explains His Lifelong Passion for Gardening

This article was written and submitted by Gary Cobus, UMN Extension Master Gardener, Wright County

I have enjoyed gardening since I was 5 years old and had the honor to be asked by my grandfather to help him in his garden. He grew vegetables, but he also h...

A Message to Parents Who Will Be Driving Their Children to School

A message to parents from Wright County School Districts

Wright County school districts are anticipating a dramatic increase in traffic levels in and around the schools’ properties as many more families are choosing to self-transport their childr...

License Bureau to Open 900 Appointment Slots Tomorrow

The Wright County License Bureau will be opening 900 new appointments for driver’s license renewals tomorrow (Friday, Sept. 4). The appointments, which can be accessed on the front page of the Wright County website (www.co.wright.mn.us) by click...

Court Services Employee Wins Award from National Guard

Whenever an employer hires a member of the Minnesota Army National Guard, they are aware that the potential exists that the call to duty can come at any time and the employer needs to adjust on the fly. In the four years Danny Heikkinen has been employed ...

Minnesota to Be Part of COVID-19 Vaccine Trial

Minnesotans will be among the first to volunteer for a COVID-19 vaccine trial. Today (Sept. 2), Bloomington-based HealthPartners announced that it is seeking 1,500 volunteers for a study for the vaccine AstraZeneca’s Phase III study.

Previous tri...

AMC Fall Policy Conference Faces Significant Challenges Being Conducted Virtually

In a typical September, the Wright County Board of Commissioners cancels a Tuesday board meeting so the commissioners can attend the Association of Minnesota Counties (AMC) Annual Fall Policy Conference. The conference is designed to bring commissioners a...

Sirens to Sound at 1 P.M. Today, But Why?

At 1 p.m. today, Wright County will observe a ritual it has done for more than 50 years – sounding sirens at 1 p.m. to make sure they are operational during an emergency.

Commonly known as “tornado sirens” because that is what...

County to Allocate Up to $3 Million of CARES Act Funding to Small Businesses

When Wright County received $16.5 million from the federal CARES Act to help with costs associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, $3 million of that funding was earmarked for economic development – helping small businesses that have struggled to ke...

MnDOT to Host Online Open House to Learn About Hwy. 12 Project Coming to Howard Lake

The Minnesota Department of Transportation is inviting the community of Howard Lake to an online open house to learn about future Highway 12 road and sidewalk improvements between 13^th Avenue and Sixth Avenue in Howard Lake.

The venue is open for public re...

U of M Extension Offering Advice for What Is Ailing Your Trees and Plants

By Adam Austing, Wright County, University of Minnesota Extension

With fall quickly approaching, we are in our last weeks of being able to accurately diagnose most plant issues. Once leaves start to change color, it becomes much more difficult to find out ...

CSAH 39/42 Roundabout in Otsego Now Open to North/South Traffic

The roundabout at CSAH 39 and 42 (Parrish Avenue) in Otsego has re-opened to north-south traffic as of this morning (Aug. 31).

East-west traffic remains closed to through traffic. There remains paving to be done west of Parrish Avenue to Page Avenue that w...

Sheriff's Office Releases Weekly Activity Report

The Wright County Sheriff’s Office has released its weekly activity report for the period covering Aug. 24-30. It can be viewed here: http://www.co.wright.mn.us/civicalerts.aspx?AID=1896

License Bureau Appointments Filled Through Sept. 11, Some Walk-Ups Available

The Wright County License Bureau has announced that all appointments for driver’s license renewals are booked through Friday, Sept. 11. However, the office is accepting limited walk-up business for license renewals, pointing out that those with ...

DPS, State Patrol Reminding Drivers to Be Aware of School Buses Returning to Roadways

With schools starting to open throughout Minnesota, the Minnesota Department of Public Safety (DPS) and the Minnesota State Patrol are co-branding the message of driver awareness now that school buses are back on the roads.

Despite the efforts of alerting ...

Vetsch: The Work of CMRP Continues to Move Forward Despite the Challenges Posed by COVID-19

As with many ongoing projects, COVID-19 has thrown a hurdle in the planning process of the Central Mississippi River Regional Planning Partnership (CMRP) – a collaborative effort between cities and townships along the Mississippi River in both W...

Tour the Virtual Hot Zone As Part of Celebrating Fire Prevention Day at the State Fair

Like so many aspects of our life in 2020 under the COVID-19 pandemic, one of the pleasures Minnesotans derive that they have missed out on is the State Fair, or as the locals call it, The Great Minnesota Get-Together because almost two million people atte...

Wright County Election Officials Provide Resources for Absentee, Mail-In Voting

The November 3 general election is a little more than two months away and many Minnesotans are looking at the options for voting – from showing up at the polls on Election Day as has been the common practice of voters for centuries to voting ear...

Wright County Public Health Releases Weekly COVID-19 Dashboard

Wright County Public Health has released its weekly COVID-19 dashboard for the period ending Thursday, Aug. 27. For the second consecutive week, Wright County set a one-week high for confirmed cases with 118, bringing the county’s total number o...

MnDOT To Post Road Closures, Detours on Hwy. 12 in Cokato From Aug. 31 Through Sept. 5

The Minnesota Department of Transportation has announced that motorists who travel on Highway 12 through Cokato will encounter a detour and road closure starting Monday, Aug. 31 and expected to continue through Saturday. Sept. 5, as crews replace an under...

Minnesota Department of Housing Looking to Help Those Facing Eviction, Foreclosure

For those struggling to make mortgage or rent payments during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Minnesota Department of Housing has a program that can assist those struggling to make ends meet.

The COVID-19 Housing Assistance Program provides assistance payments ...

License Bureau Online System Back Up and Running

The Wright County License Bureau has announced that, shortly after 10 a.m. today, the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators (AAMVA) national online system that went down overnight is back up and running. Anyone with driver’s licen...

License Bureau Temporarily Unable to Process Driver's Licenses Due to National Outage

The Wright County License Bureau wants to inform those with appointments to get driver’s license renewals inside the Government Center today that the national connected system for the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators (AAMVA) ...

How to Combat White Grub Lawn Infestations

By Adam Austing, Wright County, and Robin Trott, Douglas County, University of MN Extension

If you are seeing unsightly brown patches in your lawn, you might be having a problem with white grubs. White grubs are soil-dwelling larvae of beetles. The adult b...

MDH to Announce Saliva Testing for COVID-19 Coming to Minnesota By Early-October

At its daily press briefing at 2 p.m. today, the Minnesota Department of Health is expected to announce the establishment of a new saliva testing lab in Minnesota that will double the state’s current test processing capacity.

Gov. Tim Walz announ...

Road Closure in Monticello Tuesday

Edmonson Avenue in Monticello will be closed between Dundas Road and Chelsea Road tomorrow (Tuesday, Aug. 25). Suggested alternate detour routes are Cedar Street or Fallon Avenue. The closure is the result of watermain work related to the Deephaven projec...

Wright County Parks & Rec to Allow Food Trucks to Operate in Five Parks

If you’re heading to a Wright County park in the future, you may see something different as you enter – food trucks.

Food trucks have become increasingly popular because of their mobility and a way for restaurateurs to serve their speci...

U of M Extension Accepting Applications for Master Gardener Program

By Adam Austing, Wright County, University of Minnesota Extension

Do you have an active interest in gardening? Do you have a desire to share your gardening interest with others? Are you willing to learn more about gardening and other horticultural topics? ...

Wright County Sheriff's Office Releases Weekly Activity Report

The Wright County Sheriff’s Office has released its weekly activity report for the period covering Aug. 17-23. The full report can be found here: http://www.co.wright.mn.us/civicalerts.aspx?AID=1879

Minnesota Department of Health Links Howard Lake American Legion to Outbreak of COVID-19

Earlier this week, the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) tied 29 Minnesota restaurants to outbreaks of COVID-19, including Howard Lake American Legion Post 145.

MDH considers an outbreak to be where at least seven people who tested positive for COVID-19...

U of M Extension Offers Advice on How To Prepare Lawns and Gardens for Autumn

This article was written and submitted by Alannah Sperr, UMN Extension intern, Wright County

In Minnesota, we can usually expect fall to come at the end of September or beginning of October. Fall freeze dates can start as early as September 22, which means...

Wright County Public Health Releases Weekly COVID-19 Dashboard

Wright County Public Health has released its weekly COVID-19 dashboard for the period ending Thursday, Aug. 20. It includes several milestones to the pandemic. The county had a one-week high for positive COVID tests with 101, the number of confirmed cases...

Next Round of Driver's License Renewal Appointments Opens Today

The Wright County License Bureau has announced that the next round of 900 appointments for renewing driver’s licenses at the Wright County Government Center became available at 8 a.m. today (Aug. 21).

The timeframe covered under the new release w...

Options for Those Looking to Vote Early, Absentee or By Mail

In the Minnesota Primary Election last week, a record number of Minnesotans cast votes, despite there not being a contentious statewide contest that typically brings and uptick to the numbers. In a typical primary, approximately 10 percent of eligible vot...

Swimming Beach at Beebe Lake Park Re-Opens

After being closed since Wednesday, Aug. 12, Wright County Parks & Recreation has announced that the swimming beach at Beebe Lake Park has reopened this afternoon.

On Aug. 12, the beach was closed through the weekend after water quality testing discove...

Why Are Flags at Half-Mast Today?

For those wondering why flags at several buildings are being flown at half-mast today (Aug. 19), it is because Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz directed all flags at state and federal buildings to be flown at half-staff from sunrise until sunset to remember, mourn...

Sheriff's Office Reports Drowning in Granite Lake

The Wright County Sheriff’s Office has reported a drowning at Granite Lake in Albion Township. To see the sheriff’s new release, click here: http://www.co.wright.mn.us/civicalerts.aspx?AID=1869

U of M Extension Discusses White Mold on Soybeans

By Eliza Carlson, University of MN Extension intern, Stearns, Benton, and Morrison County

White mold or Sclerotinia Stem Rot is a destructive disease that is quite common throughout Minnesota. The occurrence of white mold varies widely from year to year an...

River Street In Monticello Closed to Thru Traffic Today As Part of Storm Sewer Project

As part of the Maple Street storm sewer project in Monticello, River Street will be closed to through traffic at Maple Street today (Aug. 18). The street is closed to allow a crane to install a new storm sewer structure. The purpose of the new structure w...

MDH Announces More Than 1 Million Minnesotans Have Been Tested for COVID-19

The Minnesota Department of Health announced this morning (Aug. 17) than more than 1 million Minnesotans have been tested for the COVID-19 coronavirus (approximately 18 percent of the population of the state), including almost 13,000 in the previous 24 ho...

Wright County Sheriff's Office Releases Weekly Activity Report

The Wright County Sheriff’s Office has released its activity report for the period covering the week of Aug. 10-16. The report can be found here: http://www.co.wright.mn.us/civicalerts.aspx?AID=1864

Work Begins Tuesday on the Removal of The Corner Bar in St. Michael

The Minnesota Department of Transportation has issued a statement for those who will be driving on Hwy. 241 in St. Michael this week.

Work will be done at the intersection of Hwy. 241/St. Michael Parkway and Main Street S. The work being done is the demoli...

Aug. 25 Webinar to Have Industry Experts Discussing Dairy Outlook for U.S., Global Markets

There has been unprecedented milk and product price volatility over the last few months. Rabobank’s global dairy strategist Mary Ledman and Vice President of Dairy Research Ben Laine discuss their outlook on the global and U.S. dairy markets on ...

License Bureau Not Accepting Walk-Up Traffic for Driver's License Renewals Today

The Wright County License Bureau announced this morning (Aug. 17) that, due to staffing shortages today, the office won’t be taking any walk-up business inside the Wright County Government Center for driver’s license renewals.

The other...

Wright County to Be One of 13 Counties Targeted with Extra DWI Patrols Through Labor Day

Wright County is going to be one of 13 Minnesota counties targeted with increased DWI enforcement patrols thanks to a program enacted by the Minnesota Office of Traffic Safety – starting today (Aug. 14) and continuing through Labor Day (Sept. 7)...

Highway Department Releases Construction Project Updates

A message from the Wright County Highway Department

Here are the latest updates for each county road project on the 2020 construction schedule (see map attached for locations):

• 2020 Pavement Preservation (Highways 8, 31, 106, 145): All work complete except ...

Trailblazer Transit Project In Buffalo Comes In Almost 25 Percent Under Projections

Wright County has had extremely good luck in recent years when it comes to the timing of putting projects out for bid. When it put its new Government Center out for bonds, the low bid came in $6 million under projection and many other recent projects have...

Wright County Public Health Releases Weekly COVID-19 Dashboard

Wright County Public Health has released its weekly COVID-19 dashboard for the period ending Thursday, Aug. 13. After five straight weeks of increases in confirmed cases in July, the number of new cases dropped for a second week in a row to bring the coun...

MnDOT Announces Revised Timeline for I-94 Project from Maple Grove to Clearwater

The Minnesota Department of Transportation sent out an update Thursday (Aug. 13) concerning the I-94 project between Maple Grove and Clearwater. The project is in its second year (it will be completed in 2021) and MnDOT provided both a project update and ...

Beebe Lake Park Beach Closed At Least Through This Weekend

The Wright County Parks and Recreation Department has temporarily closed the Swimming Beach at Beebe Lake County Park (St. Michael, MN) as of Thursday, Aug. 13 and will remain closed through the weekend. Regular sampling of bacteria found that E. coli bac...

Invasive Turf-Eating Beetle Found in Minnesota for the First Time

As if 2020 hasn’t witnessed enough misery, the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) is warning residents about swarms of an insect that has been found in Minnesota for the first time.

The European chafer beetle has been spotted in large swar...

Buffalo Driver's Exam/Testing Station Won't Open Any Time Soon

At Tuesday’s workshop meeting of the Wright County Board of Commissioners, the board received an update on some of the legislative actions that have taken place over the last two special sessions. As it turned out, not much was accomplished in t...

County Commissioners Races Set After Tuesday's Primary Election

The field of candidates for two of the open Wright County commissioner seats was reduced down to two in Tuesday’s primary, setting the stage for the November general election.

In the District 4 primary, Mary Wetter led the three candidates for th...

Wright County Shatters Record for Number of Absentee, Mail-In Votes

There was a lot of discussion in the weeks and months
leading up to today’s Primary Election that the option of voting absentee or bymail would be the preferred option for many more voters due to the COVID-19
pandemic and the wish for some t...

Sheriff's Office Issues Release Informing Residents That Census Takers Will Be Knocking on Doors

The Wright County Sheriff’s Office has issued a release informing residents who have yet to fill out the 2020 U.S. Census that census takers will be visiting residences in person between now and Sept. 30. The release also includes information as...

P&Z Releases Public Notice Concerning Low-Interest Septic System Loan Program

A Public Notice from Bill Stephens, Wright County Environmental Health Officer

“In previous years, Wright County has been able to provide low-interest loans to homeowners to upgrade failing or non-compliant septic systems on their property. Fundi...

What You Should Know If You're Going to Own a Horse

By Alannah Sperr, University of MN Extension intern, Wright County

Hay burner and lawn ornament are two of the more popular terms used to describe horses in the ag world. If you’re looking to invest in a horse, you should know the facts first.

Acc...

Where Is My Polling Place Location?

Despite a record number of absentee and mail-in balloting for the primary election tomorrow (Aug. 11), the majority of votes that will be cast will be done at the polls on Election Day.

There are a total of 45 voting precincts in Wright County. Six cities ...

Wright County Sheriff's Office Releases Weekly Activity Report

The Wright County Sheriff’s Office has released its weekly activity report covering the period of Aug. 3-9. It can be viewed here: http://www.co.wright.mn.us/civicalerts.aspx?AID=1840

Primary Elections Often Don't Mirror General Election Results

For as much as Wright County residents take voting in the general election seriously – routinely turning out in higher numbers than almost any county in the nation – the turnout in primary elections has been surprisingly low.

The number...

Wright County HHS Has Message for Recipients of SNAP or Cash Assistance

A message from Wright County Health & Human Services

If you are currently receiving SNAP or Cash Assistance, you were recently notified by the Department of Human Services (DHS) the requirement to recertify monthly benefits will begin effective Sept. 1...

MnDOT Has Timeline Schedule of I-94 Construction-Related Road Closures

Starting this week, there have been a number of changes in the I-94 road construction project between Rogers and Clearwater. These current changes impact Wright County Road 19, Wright County Road 37and Hwy. 101 in Otsego.

Co. Rd. 19 closed Monday (Aug. 3) ...

Absentee, Mail-In Voters Can Track Their Ballots to Assure That They're Counted

Amid largely unsubstantiated concerns about the sanctity of mail-in or absentee voting, the Minnesota Office of the Secretary of State has provided a link that allows absentee voters to track their ballots to make sure that they are processed and included...

Wright County Public Health Releases Weekly COVID-19 Dashboard

Wright County Public Health has released its weekly COVID-19 dashboard for the period ending Thursday, Aug. 7. After five straight weeks of increases in confirmed cases, the number of new cases leveled off this week at 87 to bring the county’s t...

Next Round of Appointments for License Bureau Open at 8 a.m. Friday, Aug. 7

The Wright County License Bureau has announced that the next round of 900 appointments for renewing driver’s licenses at the Wright County Government Center will become available at 8 a.m. Friday, Aug. 7.

 The timeframe covered under the...

Office of Traffic Safety Providing Refresher Material on One-Year Anniversary of Hands Free Law

Saturday, Aug. 1, marked the one-year anniversary of the Hands Free Law, which prohibits the use of cell phones in vehicles. To mark the anniversary, the Minnesota Office of Traffic Safety, a sub-division of the Minnesota Department of Public Safety, has ...

Road Work On Highway 12 Between Montrose and Delano to Begin Aug. 17

Drivers who use Highway 12 between Montrose and Delano may be looking for alternate routes later this month.

Road work is scheduled to begin Monday, Aug. 17, between Zephyr Avenue in Montrose and Bridge Avenue in Delano, which will result in lane closures ...

Sheriff's Office On the Lookout for New Deputies

The Wright County Sheriff’s Office is hiring for the position of deputy sheriff. The office is seeking extraordinary individuals with strong communication skills who are passionate about being involved in the communities they serve. If you are l...

U of M Extension Offers Tips for Growing Peonies Late in the Season

This article was written and submitted by Laurie Jensen, Wright County Extension Master Gardener

Peonies in July, August or even September? Peonies are a favorite wedding flower, yet they flower in our Minnesota gardens in late spring and early summer &...

Health & Human Services Looking for Child Foster Care Providers

Wright County Health & Human Services has cancelled its Child Foster Care Orientation classes for the foreseeable future due to the restrictions brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, but has made the orientation courses available online.

Wright County c...

County Board Prepares for 2021 Budget Meetings with Department Heads Aug. 17-26

The Wright County Board of Commissioners will be in for a busy 10 days later this month, as it begins the process of determining a budget for 2021 with a 10-day flurry of activity Aug. 17-26.

At the Aug. 4 meeting of the Wright County Board of Commissioner...

Timelines, Deadlines Explained for Those Wishing to Vote Absentee in the Aug. 11 Primary Election

With Primary Election Day one week from today (Aug.
11), those voting by mail are encouraged to get their ballots in this week. Tobe eligible, mailed ballots must be postmarked by Tuesday, Aug. 11, and be received
on or before Thursday, Aug. 13. In-pe...

Department of Education Provides Links for Safe Learning Plan for 2020-21

The Minnesota Department of Education has released a comprehensive “Safe Learning Plan for 2020-21” to address the numerous unanswered questions related to the state’s three-tiered, individualized-by-district plan to open sch...

Families Urged to Have A Spending Plan in Place in the Event of an Emergency

A message from Wright County Emergency Management

With the uncertainties surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s more important than ever to prepare your finances for an emergency. Develop a spending plan to keep household costs down and build up...

U of M Extension to Host a Six-Part Webiner Series for Beef Farmers

The University of Minnesota Extension will host a six-part webinar series titled: Key Components of a Successful Beef Operation: Cow/Calf to Consumer! The series will be held on Aug. 12, 13, 18, 20, 25, and 27 from 6 to 7:30 p.m. The series will ...

Law Enforcement Increasing Hands Free Cell Phone Driving Law This Week

The Minnesota Department of Public Safety is informing drivers that this week (Aug. 2-8), there will be increased enforcement of the Hands Free cell-phone driving law. Over the last year since Hand’s Free driving has been a requirement in Minnes...

Sheriff's Office Releases Weekly Activity Report

The Wright County Sheriff’s Office has released its activity report for the period ending Monday, Aug. 3. It can be viewed here: http://www.co.wright.mn.us/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=1822

License Bureau Issues Statement Regarding Changes in Services Available to Residents

A message from the Wright County License Bureau

The License Bureau now has two separate Service Counters:

License Bureau Indoor Service Counter, located inside the Wright County Government Center, Room 160; Hours: Monday-Friday 8 a.m. to 12pm and 1 p.m. to ...

Missing Person Alert Issued By Sheriff's Office

The Wright County Sheriff’s Office is requesting the public’s assistance in locating Tony Conley Perry, age 52. He was reported missing July 9 and was last seen in the area of Howard Lake.

 To see the full Bureau of Criminal Ap...

Highway Department Shares Videos Dealing with Roundabouts

Earlier this week, Wright County posted a story about the increase in the number of the roundabouts that are going to be on the county’s highway systems – two projects that will increase the number of roundabouts on Wright County highw...

Wright County Public Health Releases Weekly COVID-19 Dashboard

Wright County Public Health has released its weekly COVID-19 dashboard, and, for the second straight week, the county hit a one-week high for confirmed cases with 96.

Wright County numbers for confirmed cases have steadily been on the rise in July. After c...

State Lays Out Plans for Opening Schools

As announced by the
State of Minnesota today, school administration will be using the 14-day countylevel case rate to inform their decisions regarding in-person learning this
school year. The Minnesota Department of Health will update that information...

Potter Explains Ramifictions of State Legislature Being Unable to Pass Bonding Bill

When the Minnesota Legislature recessed July 21 without
passing a bonding bill – the third time in 2020 state legislators adjournedwithout a bonding bill agreement – reasons cited was that it was different than
the previous bonding...

Governor to Announce Plans for How Schools Will Open in September

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz has scheduled a press conference today (July 30) at 2 p.m. to discuss the state’s plan for how to open schools in September.

Given the anticipation of the announcement and the gravity of the consequences of the selection o...

Absentee Voting Can Be Done In Person at Government Center, Seven City Halls

The primary elections in Minnesota are less than two weeks away (Tuesday, Aug. 11) and many residents are taking the option of voting absentee. Absentee voting can be done of two ways – by mail or in person prior to the election.

There are eight ...

Great American Outdoors Act Approved by Both Houses of Congress

One of the benefits Wright County has over many areas of the state is a robust county parks system. There is no way the county could have afforded to pay for the land acquisition and park and trail improvements on its own. Part of the reason the parks sys...

Borrell Returns to County Board Meeting for the First Time in Four Months

Tuesday’s meeting of the Wright County Board of Commissioners saw a familiar face come back to an unfamiliar place in recent months, as Commissioner Charlie Borrell returned to the county boardroom for the weekly county board meeting for the fir...

Highway Department Releases Construction Update on CSAH 19 & 38 Project in Albertville

The Wright Highway Department has provided an update on the progress of the CSAH 19 & 38 construction project in Albertville.

The project will be entering the next phase of Construction starting August 3. The following is a breakdown of proposed schedu...

County Board Repeals Mask Policy, Adopts Executive Order 20-81 from State

Today (July 28), the Wright County Board of Commissioners approved repealing its policy on face coverings and replaced it with Gov. Tim Walz’s Executive Order 20-81, which took effect at midnight Saturday, July 25.

The county’s policy w...

Roundabouts in Wright County on the Rise

Whether you love them or hate them, roundabouts on major roadways have become the trend in road design when improvements are being made. By next summer, the number or roundabouts on Wright County highways is going to nearly double.

While there are several ...

U of M Extension Offering Three-Day Lunchtime Discussions with Dairy Farmers

University of Minnesota Extension will be hosting a three-part Dairy Discussion Series on topics of interest to dairy farmers from noon to 12:30 p.m. Aug. 1-3. The discussions will be interactive and participants are encouraged to share ideas, ask questio...

Wright County Receives $98,000 In CARES Act Funding for Elections

The CARES Act has provided numerous funding streams for governmental units, businesses and non-profits to assist them in trying to maintain business as usual while preparing themselves and their polling places during the COVID-19 pandemic.

With the primary...

Wright County Sheriff's Office Releases Weekly Activity Report

The Wright County Sheriff’s Office has released its weekly activity report for the period ending Monday, July 27. It can be seen here: http://www.co.wright.mn.us/civicalerts.aspx?AID=1802

County Highway 100 in Cokato Township Will Be Closed Aug. 3-13 for Road Repairs

The Wright County Highway Department has announced that County Highway 100 in Cokato Township will be closed from Aug. 3-13 for soil correction work being performed by the Highway Department Maintenance Division.

Starting at approximately 7 a.m. Monday, Au...

County Administering Low-Interest Septic System Loan Program Through the MPCA

For Wright County residents who have failing or non-compliant septic systems, there is an affordable option for them to find the assistance they need through a low-interest septic system loan program administered by the county through the Minnesota Pollut...

Emmer Urging Residents to Be Aware of EDA Grant Scams

Congressman Tom Emmer has released a statement warning residents of fraud alerts for people claiming to represent the U.S. Economic Development Administration.

The EDA has become aware of incidents over the past few weeks of fraudulent emails, letters and ...

CDC Provides Guidance Urging the Reopening of Schools in September

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the foremost public health organization in the United States, has issued updated guidance for schools during the COVID-19 pandemic. The CDC has placed an emphasis on the importance of reopening classrooms to...

Wright County Public Health Releases Weekly COVID-19 Dashboard

Wright County Public Health has released its weekly COVID-19 dashboard. Over the past week (figures through Thursday, July 23), Wright County has experienced its largest weekly total of new confirmed cases with 88, bringing the county’s total of...

Parks & Rec Releases a Statement Dealing with the Face Covering Mandate and County Parks

The Wright County Parks & Recreation Department has released a procedures statement as it pertains the Minnesota’s face covering mandate and county parks. Executive Order 20-81 is very specific in terms of indoor settings, but county parks b...

Next Round of Driver's License Renewal Appointments Open July 24

The Wright County License Bureau will be opening the next round of 900 appointments for driver’s license renewals at 8 a.m. Friday, July 24. It will cover the period of Aug. 3-14.

License Bureau staff wish to remind residents that the walk-up win...

County Board Approves Bid for Demolition of The Corner Bar in St. Michael

As the City of St. Michael
continues to grow, one of the casualties of that growth was discussed by theWright County Board of Commissioners this week.

The county board approved a
contract for the demolition of The Corner Bar, a landmark business in St....

Department of Health Releases Answers to Questions Dealing with Face Covering Mandate

As part of Minnesota’s mandatory wearing of masks and face coverings, the Minnesota Department of Health has released answers to frequently asked questions regarding face coverings and links that provide more detailed analysis of some of those q...

Governor Enacts Exective Order 20-81, Masks Become Mandatory at 11:59 p.m. Friday

At 2 p.m. today (July 22), Minnesota Governor Tim Walz announced the enactment of Executive Order 20-81, which will mandate that masks be worn. The order goes into effect at 11:59 p.m. Friday (July 24).

As it pertains to wearing face coverings, the Executi...

Walz Expected to Announce Statewide Mask Requirement at Today's News Conference

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz has scheduled a news conference for 2 p.m. today (July 22) at which time he is expected to announce a statewide mandate to wear masks or face coverings at all “indoor places of public accommodation.”

The mask...

Information About How to Vote Absentee

With COVID-19 numbers continuing to rise, many people are taking the option of voting absentee. As of July 20, Minnesota has sent out a record number of ballots – more than 350,000 of them – as the primary election Tuesday, Aug. 11 is ...

Public Health Adds FAQ Section to Weekly COVID-19 Dashboard

Wright County Public Health has added a “Frequently Asked Questions” section to its COVID-19 weekly dashboard. The new section provides answers to such questions as why more specific information about positive cases isn’t ava...

County Board Redistrictng History Featured in Spotlight Profile

For the first time since the 1960 Census, Wright County won’t have to conduct a redistricting of the county commissioner districts. For the last 50 years, redrawing commissioner district lines have been a way of life in Wright County –...

Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport Announces Face Covering Requirement Starting July 27

For those who have scheduled vacations that will have them flying to their destination, Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport has been added to a growing list of businesses and areas where people congregate in large numbers that will be requiring face coverings. M...

Extension Offers Tips for Farmers and Gardeners to Reduce Damage Done by Deer

By Alannah Sperr, University of MN Extension intern - Wright County

The white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) is a popular species of wildlife in Minnesota. Hunters and wildlife watchers enjoy seeing these deer make a home on their property, but deer ...

U of M Extension Hosting Webinar to Discuss Aid Programs Available to Dairy Farmers

University of Minnesota Extension will be hosting a webinar from 1 to 2 p.m. Tuesday, July 28 to discuss the 2020 financial programs available for dairy farmers.

COVID-19 caused significant agricultural market upheaval, with milk prices experiencing some o...

Department of Health Announces Highest Single-Day Total of COVID-19 Cases in Minnesota

At its daily press briefing today (July 20), the Minnesota Department of Health reported 922 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 – the highest single-day total since the pandemic began experiencing cases in Minnesota in March.

It was reported the fir...

Video of Wright County Area Crisis Nursery TV Story Available to View

On Friday, July 17, TV station KSTP Channel 5 aired a news story on the Wright County Area Crisis Nursery – a collaboration between Wright County Health & Human Services and Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota.

 Wright County has op...

Sheriff's Office Releases Weekly Activity Report

The Wright County Sheriff’s Office has released its activity report for the period ending Monday, July 20. It can be seen here: http://www.co.wright.mn.us/civicalerts.aspx?AID=1780

Campers Advised to Take Precautions with Severe Weather Expected Overnight

For those who will be heading out on camping trips over the weekend, the National Weather Service is advising that those people be aware of the potential for significant storms that are expected to be rolling through the state early Saturday morning.

Many ...

Parks & Rec Planning to Do Crack Filling on Trail System in Otsego County Park

The Wright County Parks & Recreation Department is in the process of finalizing a timeline for crack filling on its trail system in Otsego County Park that will require a temporary closure. A date for the crack filling to be completed has yet to be fi...

FCC Unanimously Approves Creation of 988 Number for National Suicide Hotline

During the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a spike in suicides – a growing national problem that has only been magnified during a global pandemic.

On Thursday (July 16), the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) unanimously approved a three-d...

Wright County Public Health Releases Weekly COVID-19 Dashboard

Wright County Public Health has released its weekly COVID-19 dashboard for the period ending Thursday, July 16. For the third straight week, there have been increases in the number of confirmed cases with 71 new confirmed cases reported this week. Through...

Wright County Area Crisis Nursery to Be Featured on KSTP Channel 5 New Tonight

On the 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. newscasts on KSTP Channel 5 tonight (July 17), the Wright County Area Crisis Nursery will be highlighted.

The Wright County Area Crisis Nursery is a joint venture with Wright County Health & Human Services and Lutheran Social S...

Potter Says Transportation Alliance Hopes to See Bonding Bill Passed

Wright County Commissioner Mike Potter was in St. Paul Monday in his capacity as 2020 president of the Minnesota Transportation Alliance, which met for its monthly meeting to discuss the current impasse between Gov. Tim Walz and the State Legislature in g...

DNR to Host Virtual Open House to Discuss Deer Population Management on Aug. 18

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) will be hosting a one-hour virtual open house starting at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 18, to discuss deer and deer management. The meeting will include a presentation from Barbara Keller, the DNR’s bi...

Target, CVS Added to List of Corporations Requiring Customers to Wear Masks

Target Corp. and CVS Pharmacies have joined the growing list of retailers that are going to require customers entering their stores to wear a face covering.

CVS will start imposing the mask/face covering requirement Monday, July 20. Target will initiate it...

County Board Pledges $4 Million in CARES Act Funding to Assist Schools for COVID-19 Costs

The changes that have needed to be made by all Americans during the COVID-19 pandemic have required the federal government to take unprecedented steps to keep the economy from collapsing.

For the last three months, the unemployed have been given $600 a wee...

Wright County Has Surpassed 500 Confirmed Cases of COVID-19 Four Months After First Case

Today (July 15), Wright County reported that the number of county residents who have confirmed COVID-19 cases had surpassed 500, including five deaths attributed to the coronavirus. The first confirmed case was reported March 13.

Wright County Public Healt...

Parks & Rec to Host a Family Fishing Clinic Saturday at Bertram Chain of Lakes Regional Park

The Wright County Parks & Recreation Department will be co-hosting a Family Fishing Clinic from 10 a.m. to noon, Saturday, July 18, at Bertram Chain of Lakes Regional Park in Monticello.

The clinic will be presented by Minnesota Trout Unlimited, which ...

Walmart to Require All Shoppers to Wear Face Coverings Starting Monday, July 20

Wearing face coverings or masks during the COVID-19 pandemic has been a polarizing issue for many. Some see it as an essential way of preventing the spread of the virus, while others see it as an invasion of their Constitutional rights. There is the belie...

Dental Clinic Gets Increase in Funding in Both House and Senate Bonding Bills at Legislature

The proposed dental clinic that has been a component piece of the construction of the new Wright County Government Center got some surprisingly good news this week despite political in-fighting at the State Legislature.

The Legislature is back in special s...

Auditor/Treasurer's Office Publishes Sample Ballot for Voters to See

The 2020 primary election is four weeks away (Tuesday, Aug. 11) and for those wondering what the ballot will look like, the Wright County Auditor/Treasurer’s Office, which oversees elections in the county, has published a sample ballot of what a...

Federal and State Aid Programs Available for Farmers

A message from University of Minnesota Extension

You’ve likely seen that both the Minnesota State Legislature and the U.S. Congress passed financial relief laws in response to the COVID-19 situation. But what do they mean financially for farmers ...

Minnesota Added to To List of States on New York's Travel Restriction List

Anyone with travel plans to the State of New York may have to make some changes to those plans if they aren’t more than two weeks out.

As New York attempts to re-open as part of phased in approach to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic, Minnesota has...

Wright County Sheriff's Office Releases Weekly Activity Report

The Wright County Sheriff’s Office has released its weekly activity report for the period ending July 13. It can be seen here: http://www.co.wright.mn.us/civicalerts.aspx?AID=1761

License Bureau Appointment Schedule Fully Booked Through July 31; 900 More Spots Coming July 24

The Wright License Bureau announced this morning (July 13) that its appointment calendar is completely booked through July 31 for those looking to renew their driver’s licenses or upgrade to REAL ID or an enhanced license. A total of 900 slots w...

Farm Health and Safety? There's an App for That

By Emily Krekelberg, University of Minnesota Extension

Technology plays a vital role in agriculture today, and it can even help us stay safe and healthy on the farm. There are a variety of applications—or apps—available for our smart ph...

State Demographer Projections Show Continued Steady Growth in Wright County

For much of 2020, the United States Census Bureau is tracking the official count of U.S. residents. However, populations can change significantly over the course of 10 years and states take that into account. In the years in between Census periods, state ...

County Creates Task Force to Study the Formation of an Economic Development Authority

Many cities and counties in Minnesota have established Economic Development Authorities (EDA) to oversee the economic growth of their jurisdiction. An EDA’s primary objective is to aid, assist and promote the growth and expansion of commercial, ...

Wright County Public Health Releases Weekly COVID-19 Dashboard

Wright County Public Health has released its weekly COVID-19 dashboard for the period ending Thursday, July 9. For the second straight week, Wright County saw an increase in the number of confirmed cases of COVID-19. The county’s total number of...

Department of Education Study Shows 64 Percent of Parents Comfortable Sending Kids Back to School

The Minnesota Department of Education released the results of a survey of more than 134,000 respondents (parents of students) dealing with questions about whether or not to re-open schools in the fall and the results were significant in the feelings of pa...

REAL ID Causing Issues for Recorder's Office Due to Documentation Confusion

With all requirements and associated headaches with the implementation of REAL ID and enhanced driver’s licenses, the situation has become more complicated for people who have changed their name over the course of their lives – typical...

Bidding for Construction of Trailblazer Transit Facility in Buffalo Set

Construction on the Trailblazer Transit Center in Buffalo is getting closer to getting underway. Wright County and Trailblazer have announced that the bidding process will be completed in July with work scheduled to start in August.

A pre-bid conference am...

Next Round of Driver's License Renewal Appointments Open July 10

The next round of appointments to renew driver’s licenses at the Wright County License Bureau will be available at 8 a.m. Friday, July 10 and will cover the two-week period from July 20 to July 31. The appointments can be made by going to the ho...

Courts to Require Face Coverings Beginning July 13

The Minnesota Supreme Court ruled Wednesday, July 8 that face coverings are going to be required in all court spaces.

Beginning Monday, July 13, face coverings will be required in all court facilities in Minnesota. If someone does not have a face covering,...

Notice of an Open Seat on the Clearwater River Watershed District Board of Managers

OPEN SEATCLEARWATER RIVER WATERSHED DISTRICTBOARD OF MANAGERS

Notice is hereby given by the Wright County Board of Commissioners that an opening currently exists for a three-year term for one of the seats on the Clearwater River Watershed Board of Managers...

P-EBT Applications Extended Through July 31

The Minnesota Department of Human Services (MDHS) has some updates regarding Pandemic Electronic Benefits Transfer (P-EBT) for those who receive SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) benefits.

The deadline to apply for P-EBT benefits has been ex...

Recycling & Compost Facility Now Operating Under Normal Business Hours

A message from Bill Stephens, Wright County Solid Waste Administrator

The Wright County Compost & Recycling Facility is operating again at its regular hours – Tuesdays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and the second Satu...

License Bureau Walk-Up Window Open for Business

As of today (July 8), the Wright County License Bureau
has opened its walk-up window facing the south parking deck of the WrightCounty Government Center.

The walk-up window was installed this week and will
allow residents to have several services proce...

2020 Census Timeline Pushed Back Due to COVID-19 Pandemic

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many of the standard timelines for the 2020 U.S. Census have been pushed back approximately three months and, in some cases, more.

Many of the timelines for collecting Census data were focused on April and May, but much of the...

CSAH 32 Segment in Rockford Township Closed Until Thursday

The Wright County Highway Department has announced that a 1.5-mile segment of CSAH 32 east of CSAH 14 in Rockford Township will remain closed until approximately 5 p.m. Thursday, July 9, weather permitting.

A deteriorated centerline pipe underneath CSAH 32...

I-94 Construction Between St. Michael and Albertville Falling Behind Schedule

The construction of a six-mile segment of Interstate 94 between St. Michael and Albertville is approximately a month behind schedule and, by the time it is completed, it will likely have taken two months longer than initially projected.

Wright County Commi...

Wright County Board Accepts Highway Department Annual Report

At its meeting this morning (July 7), the Wright
County Board of Commissioners accepted the annual report from the Wright CountyHighway Department.

The report covers all activities of the department in
2019, including a financial statement, accounts re...

New Driver's Manual Includes Section About Being Stopped with a Legal Firearm In Vehicle

The Minnesota Department of Public Safety (MDPS) has
updated its Minnesota Driver’s Manual to address growing concerns dealing withdrivers being pulled over by law enforcement, including those legally in
possession of a firearm inside a vehi...

Wright County Residents Responding to 2020 Census In High Percentages

The Wright County Board of Commissioners was presented with updated 2020 U.S. Census data last week that showed the progress that has been made in the self-response portion of the census data collection.

The United States Census Bureau makes every effort t...

U of M Extension Provides Resources to Identify What Is Wrong with Plants

By Jamie Stang, Wright County Extension Master Gardener

Have you ever looked at something growing in your yard and asked, “I wonder what’s wrong with that plant”? If so, you may want to check out the University of Minnesota Ex...

Wright County Sheriff's Office Releases Weekly Activity Report

The Wright County Sheriff’s Office has released its weekly Activity Report for the period ending July 6. It can be seen here: http://www.co.wright.mn.us/civicalerts.aspx?AID=1739

Two County Park Beaches to Close Tuesday, July 7 for Treatment

A pair of beaches in Wright County parks will closed Tuesday, July 7 for preventative treatment for Swimmer’s Itch.

The beaches at Clearwater/Pleasant and Schroeder Parks will be closed for 24 hours while the treatment is done. There haven&rs...

Wright County Deputy Completes Leadership Course

Wright County Sheriff Sean Deringer recently presented Deputy Austin Henre his certificate for completing the Institute for Credible Leadership Development (ICLD) course. Those who choose to take this course do so with development of their leadership skil...

Wright County Public Health Releases Weekly COVID-19 Dashboard

Wright County Public Health has released its weekly COVID-19 Dashboard, which has replaced the weekly Surveillance Reports. After four weeks of consistent declines over the previous four weeks, the number of new confirmed cases spiked upward over the last...

Parks & Rec Provides Update for Those Who Will Be Using the Parks Over Holiday Weekend

The Wright County Parks & Recreation Department has released a statement wishing parkgoers a safe and happy 4^th of July weekend, along with several links dealing with safety guidance at campgrounds, protocol for safety at crowded beaches, the &ldq...

All County Buildings Closed Friday, July 3

A reminder that all Wright County buildings and offices, as well as the Tenth Judicial District courts, will be closed Friday, July 3 in observance of the Independence Day holiday. Buildings will reopen at 8 a.m. Monday, July 6.

DNR to Be Patrolling Lakes and Rivers to Promote Boating Safety On Holiday Weekend

A Message from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources

Minnesota’s lakes and rivers have been particularly popular this season as people ignite or reignite their passion for the water and take advantage of abundant opportunities to boat and...

Growth of Hobby Farms Can Conflict With County's Feedlot Ordinance

Over the last several years, Wright County has witnessed a significant increase in the number of hobby farms in townships. Whether it be families with a horse or two, those who raise chickens for eggs or as pets or those with children in 4-H or FFA, the n...

Upper Lobby of Law Enforcement Center to Reopen to Walk-Up Traffic July 6

Starting Monday, July 6, the upper lobby of the Wright County Law Enforcement Center will reopen to general walk-up traffic. Appointments will no longer be necessary for the Sheriff’s Office records window, civil process window or to apply for a...

MnDOT Has Dash Cam Video Showing Lane Change Construction on I-94 East of Wright County

The Minnesota Department of Transportation wants to make those traveling on the 4^th of July weekend aware of changing lane configurations on eastbound I-94 between Rogers and Maple Grove.

MnDOT has a short dash cam video showing the route in question and w...

Safe Communities of Wright County Has Message About the Dangers of Speeding

A message from Virgil Hawkins, Wright County Highway Engineer/Safe Communities of Wright County Board Member

You may have noticed extra law enforcement on the roads recently. They are working extra speed patrols for those motorists who drive above the spee...

Absentee Ballot Drop Box Installed at Government Center

Anyone who has visited the Wright County Government Center this week has likely noticed a new addition – a large red, white and blue container similar to a mailbox.

It is the county’s drop-off spot for absentee ballots from voters who w...

Today Is the Deadline To Apply For P-EBT Funds

Today (June 30) is the final day for individuals to sign up for the Minnesota Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer (P-EBT) program – a partnership between the Minnesota Department of Human Services and the Minnesota Department of Education.

P-EBT...

License Bureau Waiting On Walk-Up Window to Fully Reopen

The Wright County License Bureau has been playing the waiting game throughout the month of June as the office prepares to fully open for business. The holdup has been the arrival of a retrofitted window for the south side of the License Bureau on the park...

DEED Grant Program Deadline Coming Thursday, July 2

The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) is making $62.5 million in grants available for small businesses that don’t require repayment. The deadline to apply is 5 p.m. Thursday, July 2.

The grants target businesses i...

U of M Extension Taking Applications for Master Gardener Program

By Adam Austing, University of Minnesota Extension 

Do you have an active interest in gardening? Do you have a desire to share your gardening interest with others? Are you willing to learn more about gardening and other horticultural topics? Are y...

Sheriff's Office Releases Weekly Activity Report

The Wright County Sheriff’s Office has released its weekly activity report for the period ending June 29. To see the full report, click here: http://www.co.wright.mn.us/civicalerts.aspx?AID=1718

List of Voting Sites In Wright County for Absentee Voting

For those interested in absentee voting in person prior to the Aug. 11 primary election, there are eight voting sites available. It should be noted that only residents of the seven cities that conduct absentee voting (Albertville, Buffalo, Delano, Hanover...

Applications for Absentee Voting Begins Today

As of today (Friday, June 26), Wright County residents can start receiving absentee ballots for the Aug. 11 primary election.

There are two options voters can use to complete an absentee ballot application – online or filling out a standard paper...

Wright County Public Health Releases Weekly COVID-19 Surveillance Report

Wright County Public Health has released its weekly COVID-19 Surveillance Report. There have been 410 confirmed cases in Wright County, an increase of 19 cases from the same period last week. That represents the fourth straight week of declining weekly co...

Parade Outside Government Center Honors Three Graduates of The Turn Program

At 1:30 p.m. today, approximately 70 people gathered on the north sidewalk of the Wright County Government Center to celebrate a participation recognition parade for three graduates of the The Turn program.

In 2016, The Turn – an alternative prog...

New Round of Driver's License Renewal Appointments Coming Friday

The next round of appointments for renewing driver’s licenses at the Wright County License Bureau will become available starting at 8 a.m. tomorrow (Friday, June 26) and will cover the period of July 6-17.

 A total of 900 appointment slo...

I-35 Bridge, Target Field to Salute Graduating Class of 2020

The Minnesota Department of Transportation and Minnesota Department of Education have announced that over the next two nights (June 25-26) the I-35 bridge over the Mississippi River will be illuminated to honor the graduating class of 2020 throughout Minn...

Economic Development Partnership Looking To Assist Small Businesses

The Wright County Economic Development Partnership has
been assisting small businesses get on their feet since 1993 with low-interestor no-interest loans. With COVID-19 creating a new problem for struggling small
businesses, WCEDP is looking to step u...

Sheriff's Office Receives $39,000 Grant To Help Pay COVID-19 Related Expenses

In response to the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic, there are several grant programs that have emerged to assist in the effort to help pay the staggering costs associated with combatting the virus.

The Wright County Jail and Sheriff’s Office announ...

Wright County HHS, Lutheran Social Service Collaborating On Crisis Nursery

Wright County Health and Human Services is teaming up with Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota to offer Crisis Nursery services in the county. The Crisis Nursery will provide short-term child care to families during medical emergencies, child care challe...

Despite COVID-19 Pandemic, County Local Option Sales Tax Doing Surprisingly Well

There was concern in the Wright County Highway Department that, due to COVID-19 issues, it would be losing much-needed funding support from the county’s half-cent Local Option Sales Tax (LOST), which is used by more than half of Minnesota&rs...

Highway Department Submits Annual Report

The Wright County Highway Department submitted its 2019 annual report to the Wright County Board of Commissioners at its June 23 meeting for review and approval. The full report can be seen here: http://www.co.wright.mn.us/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Item/8242?...

Emergency Management Provides Tips on Fire Prevention

With recent dry conditions and high winds, it is important to keep fire safety in mind this year. Brush and grass fires can sometimes start from natural causes, like lightning. However, these types of fires can often be prevented by following a few simple...

St. Michael Fire Department Will Conduct Training Exercise Wednesday

The St. Michael Fire Department will be using the St. Michael-Albertville High School parking for a fire training exercise tomorrow (Wednesday, June 24). As part of the training, Life Link Air Care will be landing a helicopter in the parking lot. The fire...

Appointments for Passport Applications Available June 24

The Wright County Auditor/Treasurer’s Office will resume accepting passport applications on June 24 by appointment only. Initially, only two weeks of appointments will be available as staff determine whether the appointment times need to be adju...

U of M Extension Warns Residents About the Dangers of the Spread of Wild Parsnip

Source: Karen Johnson UMN Extension Educator – McLeod & Meeker Counties 

Wild parsnip, a noxious weed on the control list in Minnesota, has continued to spread throughout the state. Otherwise known as Pastinaca sativa, wild parsnip f...

Construction on Hwy. 12 in Cokato Set to Begin July 6

Those who travel Hwy. 12 through the City of Cokato will experience delays starting Monday, July 6 and running through October. Motorists should expect narrow lanes, lane shifts, flaggers and the use of pilot cars. Pedestrians should expect sidewalk closu...

Wright County Sheriff's Office Releases Weekly Activity Report

The Wright County Sheriff’s Office has released its weekly activity report. It can be viewed here: http://www.co.wright.mn.us/civicalerts.aspx?AID=1699

U of M Extension Offers Advice on Watering Lawns, Trees and Plants

Source: Katie Drewitz and Adam Austing, University of Minnesota Extension

We seem to have rushed straight into summer the last couple weeks. We have seen heat and very little moisture this year. Your trees, lawn and gardens are likely noticing the lack of ...

Stockholm Township In Need of Election Judges

Stockholm Township is in need of election judges to serve at the polling place on Primary (Tuesday, Aug. 11) and General Election Day (Tuesday, Nov. 3).

 Individuals interested in serving as an election judge in Stockholm Township should contact T...

Many May Be Eligible to Renew Driver's Licenses Online Through Minnesota DVS

In an effort to reduce lines at license bureaus and DMVs throughout the state, the Minnesota Department of Driver and Vehicle Services is allowing those looking to renew a standard Class D driver’s license online provided there are no changes to...

Wright County Dental Clinic Caught in the Middle of Political Fight

Time is ticking down on the special session of the
Minnesota Legislature (set to end today) and whether or not a bonding bill willcome out of it. For Wright County, there is a vested interest in the bonding
bill because the funding of a dental clinic ...

Parks & Recreation Starting to Ramp Up Summer Programming with Restrictions Lifted

The Wright County Parks & Recreation Department
has started offering events and programs after being closed down by COVID-19 inMarch. Although it had to cancel the Bertram Blast triathlon that was scheduled
for Saturday (June 20), the plan is to b...

Wright County Public Health Releases Weekly COVID-19 Surveillance Report

Wright County Public Health has released its weekly COVID-19 Surveillance Report. The total number of confirmed cases sits at 391.That represents an increase of 24 cases over the last week – the third straight week of declining confirmed cases a...

Vetsch Testimony to Be Streamed Live on Minnesota Legislature YouTube Channel

Wright County Commissioner Darek Vetsch will be providing testimony at today’s session of the Minnesota House of Representatives to discuss the massive backlog of driver testing centers in the state. Vetsch previously explained his rationale for...

Education Officials to Join MDH News Conference to Discuss Fall School Plans

At 2 p.m. today, the Minnesota Department of Health will be conducting its daily COVID-19 briefing. MDH officials will be joined by Minnesota Department of Education leaders. The expectation is that there will be discussion of new fall planning guidance f...

Red Cross Looking for Blood Donations, Will Test for COVID-19 Antibodies

The American Red Cross is in desperate need of blood donations as shortages have been reported due to fears surrounding COVID-19. For a limited time, when someone donates blood, platelets or plasma with the Red Cross, the donation will be tested for COVID...

Vetsch to Testify Before State Legislature Over Problems with DMV Testing Stations

As the deadline looms on the special session of the Minnesota Legislature, Wright County Commissioner Darek Vetsch will be in St. Paul today (June 18) to provide testimony on a bill that has become of significance to anyone with children nearing the age o...

Parks Department Returns to Offering Summer Programming, But with Some Limitations

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, few businesses or operations were immune from closure or significant reduction in what was open and what was closed. From the Minnesota State Fair to schools to sports to concerts, just about every event scheduled after mid...

License Bureau Appointment Schedule Running Smoothly Thanks to Two Employees

As COVID-19 temporarily slowed county government to a crawl, the Wright County License Bureau was quickly deemed to be the highest risk area in any county building for the potential spread of the coronavirus. Tucked in a corner down a narrow hallway, when...

Park & Rec Seeking Grant to Stock Rental Equipment for Bertram Chain of Lakes Park

Next summer, Bertram Chain of Lakes Regional Park is going to open its new campground. As part of that process, the Wright County Parks & Recreation Department is going to need equipment for rental and program offerings.

Parks & Rec Director Marc M...

Drone Gives Bird's Eye View of Justice Center, Government Center Construction

Wright County has released a video showing the progress on the construction of the Justice Center and new Government Center outside of Buffalo. The view is from a drone camera that circles the project to show both buildings taking shape. The Justice Cente...

County Looking to Access MPCA Funds to Help Repair Failing Septic Systems

On Jan. 1, 2020, the Crow River Organization of Water (CROW)
was disbanded as Minnesota transitioned into the “One Watershed, One Plan”initiative. The CROW served 10 counties in a joint powers capacity – Carver,
Hennepin,...

Minnesota Ranks No. 1 in Census Response Percentage

Despite the challenges posed by COVID-19, the United States Census is continuing to count the population and Minnesota is leading the way in percentage of responses already received, according to the Census monitoring website publictableau.com.

Minnesota r...

U of M Extension Provides List of Financial Aid Programs for Farmers

COVID-19 has caused unprecedented economic repercussions for agricultural producers. Several federal and state programs have been created to help farmers, and others in the food and agricultural industry, weather the difficult economic situation. But it c...

Wright County Sheriff's Office Releases Weekly Activity Report

The Wright County Sheriff’s Office has released its weekly activity report for the period ending June 15. It can be seen here: http://www.co.wright.mn.us/civicalerts.aspx?AID=1679

Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development Offering Free Webinars

At a time when many workers have been displaced due to COVID-19 and many businesses have been shut down or forced to work to limited capacity, the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development’s CareerForce is offering a pair of fr...

County Board Using Financial Modeling to Keep Future Budgets, Levies Consistent

In the summer of 2018, the Wright County Board of Commissioners was facing a dilemma when it started its budget process. Due to decisions made years earlier by a previous county board, a significant payment on the county’s jail bonds was going t...

Fatal Crash in Franklin Township Saturday

The Wright County Sheriff’s Office responded to a fatal crash in Franklin Township Saturday, June 13. The sheriff has issued a statement on the particulars of the crash that can be seen here: https://mn-wrightcounty.civicplus.com/CivicAlerts.asp...

A Statement from the Wright County Board of Commissioners

WRIGHT COUNTY DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION STATEMENT

The Wright County Board of Commissioners affirms a strong allegiance to the principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Wright County, working with other entities, helps people meet their basic ne...

Driver's License Renewal Date Extended By Governor

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz announced this afternoon (June 12) that he was extending the Peacetime Emergency Declaration he put in place March 13. The Peacetime Emergency Declaration was scheduled to expire June 13, but has been through July 13.

Legislatio...

Court Administration Counters in Wright County Government Center to Open Monday

Wright County Court Administration has announced that its public service counters and public access terminals will re-open Monday, June 15. Court Administration is keeping all options in place to allow individuals to conduct their business without coming ...

County to Honor Three Graduates of The Turn Program June 25

In 2016, Wright County created a program called The Turn – an alternative program also known as Adult Drug Court that serves as an adult treatment court for Wright County residents. At 1:30 p.m. Thursday, June 25, three graduates of The Turn wil...

Driver's License Renewal Appointments for June 22-July 2 Almost Fully Booked

The appointment schedule for booking a driver's license renewal with the Wright County License Bureau is almost completely full. All appointment slots from June 22 to July 1 are booked and only a limited number of July 2 appointments remain

Department of Human Services Issues 'Make a Plan, Minnesota' News Release

The Minnesota Department of Human Services has released a Child Safety and Permanency Update called “Make a Plan, Minnesota.” The news release deals with parents having a plan in place in the event they contract COVID-19 and aren&r...

Traffic Will Be Re-Routed Early Saturday Near Albertville Outlet Mall

The Wright County Highway Department has provided an update for motorists concerning the CSAH 19/38 project in Albertville.

On Saturday morning (June 13), the northbound lanes of CSAH/Labeaux Avenue NE at the Albertville Outlet Mall will be closed from 5 a...

Public Health Releases Weekly COVID-19 Surveillance Report

Wright County Public Health has released its weekly COVID-19 Surveillance Report. There have now been 367 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Wright County – an increase of 29 over the last week. The 29 new cases represent the lowest increase since t...

Master Gardener Offers Tips on How to Create Compost In Your Backyard

This article was written and submitted by Wright County Extension Master Gardener, Gary Cobus.

One of the best natural fertilizers and soil builders is available free. You make it yourself. It’s compost!

You can create compost in your own backyard...

Second Round of Driver's License Renewal Appointments to Go Online Friday

The second round of appointments for driver’s license renewals at the Wright County License Bureau will open tomorrow (Friday, June 12). The time frame covered will be a two-week period from June 22 to July 2. Approximately 780 spots will be ava...

Portion of CSAH 8 Closed Due to Emergency Culvert Repair

The Wright County Highway Department has announced there is an emergency culvert repair taking place on CSAH 8 between 70^th St NW and 73^rd St NW, north of Maple Lake. This is in the already detoured section of CSAH 8, however local traffic may need to use...

Public Health Encouraging People Who Attended Large Events to Get Tested for COVID-19

Wright County Public Health has issued a news release dealing with those who attended mass gatherings over the two weeks, including protests, community clean up/recovery efforts, vigils and neighborhood defense meetings. Those individuals are asked to get...

Secretary of State Encouraging Residents to Vote from Home

The Minnesota Secretary of State’s Office has started its “Vote from Home” program, encouraging eligible voters to vote absentee to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and keep communities healthy.

The Secretary of State is also ask...

Safety Tips Provided For Dealing with Tornadoes During the Peak Summer Months

With summer kicking into full gear, Wright County Emergency Management Director Seth Hansen wants to remind residents about the dangers of severe weather that spawn tornadoes. In a typical year, Minnesota gets hit with 28 confirmed tornadoes – w...

Minnesota Department of Argiculture Won't Enforce Appeals Court Ruling on Herbicide Ban

In reaction to a decision by the 9^th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals late last week that banned three dicamba herbicides, the Minnesota Department of Agriculture has decided not to enforce the ruling and reinstated the use of the herbicides.

In a release sen...

License Bureau to Discontinue Friday Drive-Thru Pickup of Transactions

The Wright County License Bureau has announced that it will be discontinuing Friday curbside pickup service of non-driver’s license-related transactions.

The program, which began in mid-May while public counters to the Wright Government Center, w...

U of M Extension Provides Advice to Farmers After Courts Ban Three Herbicide Brands

By Lizabeth Stahl, Jared Goplen, UMN Extension educators - crops

On June 3, 2020, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals issued a ruling that vacated U.S. registrations for Engenia, FeXapan, and XtendiMax herbicides. These are three of the four dicamba products ...

Wright County Sheriff's Office Activity Report for Period Ending June 8

The Wright County Sheriff’s Office has released its weekly activity report for the period ending June 8. The full activity report can be viewed here: http://www.co.wright.mn.us/civicalerts.aspx?AID=1655

License Bureau to Increase Number of Appointments for Driver's License Renewals

After re-opening the Wright County License Bureau last
week, License Bureau Supervisor Becky Aanerud has announced that when the nexttwo-week round of appointments for driver’s license renewals become available
Friday, June 12, there will be...

A Statement from Wright County Sheriff Sean Deringer

Like all of you, when I saw the video that captured the death of George Floyd while in custody of Minneapolis Police Officers on May 25, I was shocked and horrified. It once again put a spotlight on law enforcement and how we interact with people of color...

Voters Have Option to Vote Absentee in Primary and General Elections

We are still a little more than two months away from the primary election Tuesday, Aug. 11, and five months from the general election Tuesday, Nov. 3, but many Minnesotans may want to consider the option of registering for absentee voting.

Absentee voting ...

Bertram Construction Project On Schedule

Those who have visited Bertram Chain of Lakes Regional Park over the last month have witnessed a hotbed of activity, as the road project on Briarwood Avenue NE and construction inside the park is nearing completion.

The project was altered in March after t...

Wright County Public Health Releases Weekly COVID-19 Surveillance Report

Wright County Public Health has released its weekly COVID-19 Surveillance Report. The total number of confirmed cases as of June 4 is 339, an increase of 59 cases over the last week, as well as the second confirmed death in Wright County. This week, the S...

Minnesota Department of Commerce, Health Warning of COVID-19 Text Scam

The Minnesota Department of Commerce and Department of Health are warning Minnesotans about COVID-19 contact tracing text scams that have arisen in recent weeks.

Contact tracing is a key tool used by Public Health employees to slow the spread of an infecti...

License Bureau Appointment Schedule Completely Booked Through June 19

The Wright County License Bureau has opened its public counter this morning (June 4) and the office has been flooded with calls from residents trying to schedule an appointment only to learn that the initial run for appointments has been filled.

License Bu...

County Fair Board President Outlines Decision to Cancel 2020 Fair

Despite delaying a decision until it absolutely had to in hopes that the situation would change with the current COVID-19 pandemic, on Monday (June 1), the Wright County Fair Board reluctantly voted unanimously to cancel the 2020 Wright County Fair.

Fair B...

County Campgrounds Open, Prepared for First Big Weekend of the Season

For the Wright County Parks & Recreation Department, this weekend will be a “better late than never” scenario. The county’s two park campgrounds – in Collinwood and Schroeder Parks – were supposed to o...

Important Reminders from the Wright County License Bureau Related to Public Re-Opening

The Wright County License Bureau has important reminders associated with its re-opening tomorrow (Thursday, June 4) that it hopes will prevent people from making unnecessary trips to the Wright County Government Center in Buffalo.

First and foremost is tha...

Filing Period for Wright County Offices Closed

The filing period for county offices in the Wright County 2020 elections closed at 5 p.m. Tuesday, June 2. Seven offices were up for election, but only three will be contested – all county commissioner seats with two of those requiring primary e...

U of M Extension Offers Advice for Horse Owners Buying Hay

By Krishona Martinson, University of Minnesota Extension 

Summer signals a new season in hay making, buying, and selling. Horse owners who have an established relationship with a hay supplier (or suppliers) likely know details surrounding where, h...

2020 Wright County Fair Officially Cancelled

The 2020 Wright County Fair has officially been cancelled.

The Fair Board met Monday night (June 1) and came to the decision to cancel the fair due to restrictions that would have needed to be met, including social distancing and sanitizing of rides that m...

Veteran Services highlighted in Spotlight Feature

The latest Spotlight feature on the home page of the Wright County website has been posted. It highlights the work of the Veteran Services staff. To read the story, either scroll down to the bottom of the page or click here: https://www.co.wright.mn.us/95...

Sheriff's Office Activity Report for Period Ending June 1

The Wright County Sheriff’s Office has released its activity report for the period ending June 1. It can be viewed here: www.co.wright.mn.us/civicalerts.aspx?AID=1638

Supreme Court Orders Public Counters at Court Facilities to Open By June 15

For the last two months, the typically bustling courts
area of the Wright County Government Center has been silent as the state hasfollowed the guidance put forth by Executive Orders from Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz.
But, that is about to change.

On May 28...

License Bureau Driver's License Appointment Schedule Has Gone Live

After being shut down for two-and-a-half months, the License Bureau in the Wright County Government Center has “gone live” on the county website (www.co.wright.mn.us) with an online scheduling tab (“Make an Appointment&rd...

Listing of County Department/Office Phone Numbers for Those In Need of County Services

Many offices and departments in the Wright County
Government Center and other county facilities have re-opened to provide servicesto residents, but for those with concerns about going out in public as COVID-19
cases in Minnesota continue to be on the ...

County, Buffalo Township Agree to Swap of Roads

As the construction of the Wright County Justice Center and new Government Center continues, the question of who would be responsible for the road currently known as Braddock Avenue NE has been a topic of conversation for several months. The road has been...

Economic Development Partnership Initiates Small Business Loan Program

At a time of massive, sustained business closures, the Wright County Economic Development Partnership is looking to provide assistance for small businesses struggling to remain afloat during these difficult times.

The WCEDP has initiated the COVID-19 Busin...

Wright County Dealing with Two Separate Crow River Watershed Districts

For decades, watershed districts throughout Minnesota created plans specific to their area to protect those waters and design plans for dealing with water runoff, typically associated with a river that flows through their county.

That was until the Minneso...

Wright County Public Health Releases Weekly COVID-19 Surveillance Report

Wright County Public Health has released its weekly COVID-19 Surveillance Report. The number of confirmed cases in Wright County sits at 280 as of today, an increase of 80 from last week and 150 over the last two weeks.

To see the latest report, click here...

Department of Human Services Approves SNAP Recipients to Buy Groceries Online

The Minnesota Department of Human Services (MDHS) announced today (May 28) that low income families who use the federally funded Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) in Minnesota have more options to safely buy food.

Effective immediately, SNAP...

County Administrator, Board Chair Discuss Limited Opening of License Bureau June 4

The Wright County License Bureau is going to open on a limited basis Thursday, June 4 and will resume issuing driver’s licenses on an appointment-only basis.

Wright County Administrator Lee Kelly said the reason for the limited opening of the Lic...

Court Services to Conduct Virtual Graduation for Adult Drug Court Graduates June 4

Judge Michele A. Davis and The Turn Team from Wright County Court Services are pleased to announce the graduation of three participants from the Wright County Adult Drug Court Program.

Friends and families are invited to join in on the virtual celebration ...

License Bureau Installs Drive-Up Drop Box on East Side of Government Center

In an effort to ease potential foot traffic congestion
inside the Wright County Government Center, the Wright County License Bureau hasinstalled a drive-up outdoor drop box near the east entrance to the Government
Center.

There are also drop boxes at t...

U of M Extension Discusses the Economic Woes Facing Hog Farmers Amid COVID-19

From University of Minnesota Extension

Hog farmers generate significant economic gains in Minnesota. What could disruptions in the pork supply chain mean for producers and their communities?

That was what University of Minnesota Extension researchers set ou...

10th Judicial District Trying to Catch Up with Case Backlog from COVID-19

The lives of just about everyone has been significantly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, but one area that is finding it difficult to operate anywhere resembling normal has been the courts system.

Cases have been pushed back. Hearings have been cancelled...

U of M Extension Discusses Damage to Yards and Plants Done by Voles

By Randy Nelson and Adam Austing, UMN Extension

Voles are small brown rodents about the size and shape of a mouse. They have small ears and a short tail. Voles are common in yards and fields where they spend a lot of time eating grasses and roots and makin...

Sheriff's Office Releases Weekly Activity Report

The Wright County Sheriff’s Office has released its weekly activity report through the period ending Monday, May 25. It can be found at this link: http://www.co.wright.mn.us/civicalerts.aspx?AID=1621

Recorder's Office to Continue Contactless Transactions for Licenses, Certificates

The Wright County Recorder’s Office is going to be
providing services as the county phases in opening its public counters starting Wednesday, May 27.Wherever possible, the office will strive to retain as little contact as
possible to adhere ...

Great River Regional Library to Keep 2021 Budget Less Than 2020

At a time of financial uncertainty as the COVID-19 pandemic has shut down or severely curtailed many businesses, the Great River Regional Library (GRRL) is taking steps to lessen the impact on its six member counties – Benton, Morrison, Stearns,...

County and Court Offices Closed Monday, May 25 In Observance of Memorial Day Holiday

All Wright County facilities will be closed Monday, May 25 in observance of the Memorial Day holiday. Office and departments will re-open at 8 a.m. Tuesday, May 26

Planning & Zoning Explains Plans for Re-Opening Public Counters May 27

The Wright Planning & Zoning Department will be opening its public counter Wednesday, May 27, but want the public to call before they come to the Government Center because many of the tasks the department does, including building and sewer permits, we...

County Approves Employee Face Covering/Mask Policy

The Wright County Board of Commissioners voted this week to adopt a face covering/mask policy for county employees. While the policy doesn’t require employees to wear masks or face coverings, it is recommended that they do so.

Some departments th...

Highway Department Releases 2020 Pavement Preservation Construction Update

The Wright County Highway Department has released a 2020 pavement preservation construction update. This year’s projects include CSAH 8 from Maple Lake to Hasty, CSAH 31 from the west county line to Hwy 12 between Cokato and Howard Lake and Co. ...

Public Health Releases Weekly COVID-19 Surveillance Report

Wright County Public Health has released its weekly COVID-19 Surveillance Report. The current number of confirmed cases in the county is 200 – an increase of 70 from last week’s total (130). The number of active cases in the county has...

Veteran Services Presents Re-Opening of Public Counters Plan Starting May 27

As part of the reopening of public counters in Wright County, the Veteran Services Department has announced the following:

• The office will continue using the call-in option to make appointments for its internal calendar. The office number is (763) 682-7325...

Applications Being Accepted for Absentee Voting

With growing concerns being expressed about the length
of time COVID-19 will impact our lives, many are going to use the option of votingvia absentee ballot during the coming elections.

The State of Minnesota is now taking applications for absentee ball...

Parks & Recreation Department Campgrounds Scheduled to Open June 1

Wright County Parks & Recreation is set to open
its campgrounds June 1 after Gov. Tim Walz lifted the campground restrictionsat his press conference Wednesday.

Parks & Recreation Director Marc Mattice has released a comprehensive plan about camp...

Construction on CSAH 30 In Delano Will Begin Thursday, May 21

The Wright County Highway Department has announced that construction on CSAH 30 between CSAH 13 and Third Street SW in Delano will begin Thursday, May 21.

The project is expected to be substantially completed in October and will be reopened to through traf...

A Message from U of M Extension Concerning Re-Opening, Summer Activities

A message to Wright County residents from University of Minnesota Extension

Extension in-person events and meetings have been cancelled through June 30. Our U of MN staff will be working remotely through that time as well, but County Support Staff will be ...

Assessor's Office Provides Plan for Re-Opening Public Counters Starting May 27

The Wright County Assessor’s Office is scheduled to re-open public counters Wednesday, May 27 and the department has come up with a plan for working with county residents while maintaining social distancing guidelines.

The department is taking vi...

Filing for Federal, State and County Offices Officially Open

The candidate filing period for federal, state and county offices officially opened at 8 a.m. today and will remain open until 5 p.m. June 2.

A complete affidavit of candidacy and applicable filing fee must be received by 5:00 p.m. on June 2.

Individuals in...

Extension Provides List of Resources for Farm Families During COVID-19 Crisis

A message from University of Minnesota Extension

We know times are difficult for Minnesota farm families, but you are not alone.

As we face an unprecedented time of uncertainty and worry, we feel the impact of even the slightest change. It can make us feel ...

License Bureau to Conduct Two Drive-Thru Pickups for Memorial Day Weekend

The Wright County License Bureau took a unique approach of delivering services to customers Friday, May 8 prior to the opener of the Minnesota fishing season. Staff knew that there would be request for tabs for boats, trailers and campers and they came up...

Sheriff's Office Activity Report Released

The Wright County Sheriff’s Office has released is weekly activity report for the period ending May 18. It can be found here: http://www.co.wright.mn.us/civicalerts.aspx?AID=1598

County Officials Explain Obstacles to Opening Public Windows, Scheduled for May 27

The lifting of Minnesota’s “stay at home” order has opened up many businesses that had been closed, but Wright County public counters will remain closed until Wednesday, May 27.

Wright County Administrator Lee Kelly explained ...

Public Health Releases Statement Dealing with Questions Surrounding COVID

Wright County Public Health has issued a news release dealing with the frequently asked questions residents have about testing for COVID-19 as the situation continues to unfold and change from week to week and day to day.

Among the questions dealt with in ...

County to Open Public Counters on Appointment Only Basis Starting May 27

At a special meeting of the Wright County Board of
Commissioners this morning (May 15), the board responded to the announcedlifting of Gov. Tim Walz’s stay at home Executive Order – which will expire
Monday, May 18.

The board wrestl...

Public Health Clarifies May 13 News Release on First COVID-19 Cluster Identification

On Wednesday, May 13, Wright County Public Health issued
a news release regarding the first confirmed case of a COVID-19 cluster at anunidentified business in Wright County. The release generated quite a bit of
feedback on social media – bot...

Courts Facing Backlog of Cases as COVID-19 Changes Business as Usual

There is a saying that goes, “The
wheels of justice turn slowly.” Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, those wheels havealmost ground to a halt.

Over the last month-plus, the
courtrooms at the Wright County Government Center have become akin...

Candidate Filing for 2020 Elections Opens Tuesday, May 19

The candidate filing period for federal, state and county offices begins on May 19 and ends on June 2 at 5:00 p.m.

A complete affidavit of candidacy and applicable filing fee must be received by 5:00 p.m. on June 2.

Individuals interested in filing for stat...

County Mulling Mask/Face Covering Policy When Public Returns to County Facilities

Anyone who has been out in a public venue over the last few weeks has seen the growing number of people who have chosen to wear masks and face coverings. It has become a personal decision for many – some who feel a mask is a necessary precaution...

Wright County Public Health Releases Weekly COVID-19 Surveillance Report

Wright County Public Health has released its weekly COVID-19 Surveillance Report. As of today (May 14), there have been 130 confirmed COVID-19 cases in Wright County and 84 active cases – an increase of 57 confirmed cases and 48 active cases fro...

Wright County Parks & Recreation Reveals Updated Operations Plan

The Wright County Parks & Recreation Department has issued a policy statement regarding operations following Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz’s Executive Order 20-56 that will allow the stay at home order to expire Monday, May 18.

The Parks & Recr...

Sheriff Discusses the Plight Facing Small Businesses During the COVID-19 Closure Order

Wright County Sheriff Sean Deringer has found himself
in an unenviable position in recent weeks. He has heard heartbreaking storiesfrom small business owners asking him to allow businesses to open up while Gov.
Tim Walz’s stay-at-home order ...

Wright County Public Health Announces First Case of a COVID-19 Cluster At a Business

Wright County Public Health has issued a press release regarding the first COVID-19 cluster identified at a Wright County business.

Cluster contraction has been a common occurrence throughout the state and the country, which is why some counties have marke...

License Bureau Friday Drive-Through Deemed a Success and Will Continue

In the aura of COVID-19, many
decisions as to how to conduct business have been made on the fly. The WrightCounty License Bureau found itself in that position last week with the Minnesota
fishing opener coming Saturday (May 9) and decided to take a pr...

County Board Chair, Administrator Respond to Data Security Issue

On Jan. 31, 2019, the Wright
County Information Technology Department discovered unusual activity in thecounty’s email system, as an unknown party was able to enter an individual
email account in the county’s Office 365 system. The...

Notification of Data Security Incident

May 13, 2020

Wright County, Minnesota - Notification of Data Security Incident

This notice is to inform Wright County residents of a data security incident that potentially affected the personal information of county residents and non-residents in...

Neaton Family Named 2020 Wright County Farm Family of the Year

By Adam Austing, University of Minnesota Extension

On behalf of University of MN Extension and the Wright County Farm Family of the Year selection committee, it is my honor to announce that the Neaton family of Sweet Beet Farm is the 2020 Wright County Fa...

Highway Department Seasonal Sealcoating to Begin Thursday, May 21

The Wright County Highway
Department has announced that its seasonal sea lcoating of county highways willbegin Thursday, May 21 and will continue through mid-June.

To access links to a map of where the 36 miles of seal coating will be done, as well as a...

Auditor/Treasurer Discusses First Half Property Taxes, Which Are Due Friday

As Wright County and the rest
of the world continues to try to get back to business as usual, some thingsremain in place and on schedule, among those being first-half property tax payments
– which are due by Friday, May 15.

Last month, Wright...

U of M Extension Discusses the Benefits of Developing a Rain Garden

By Dawn Cole, Wright County Extension Master Gardener

Rain gardens are a way to add beauty to your property while decreasing dangerous surface water runoff that ultimately makes its way into our lakes and rivers.

We all understand erosion. Nobody likes the ...

Congress Nearing Decision to Approve Great American Outdoors Act

One of the benefits Wright County has over many areas of the state is a robust county parks system. There is no way the county could have afforded to pay for the land acquisition and park and trail improvements on its own. Part of the reason the parks sys...

Sheriff's Office Releases Weekly Activity Report

The Wright County Sheriff’s Office has released its weekly activity report for the period ending May 11. It can be viewed here: www.co.wright.mn.us/civicalerts.aspx?AID=1575

Great River Regional Library Offering Curbside Service for Members

The Great River Regional Library is opening its branch
offices to curbside service. Mike Potter, who represents Wright County on theGRRL Board of Directors, said that the process had started at some branches,
but has now been expanded to all branches ...

Compost & Recycling Facility Reopens to Steady Flow of Traffic and No Problems

One of the first opportunities for Wright County to
start serving residents in person came yesterday (May 7) when the Wright CountyCompost & Recycling Facility reopened for business.

Wright County Solid Waste Administrator Bill Stephens
said he kne...

Public Health Releases Updated COVID-19 Surveillance Report

Wright County Public Health has released its weekly Surveillance Report of COVID-19 data as of Thursday, May 7.

The number of confirmed cases in the county is at 73, up from 43 the previous week, and 36 of those 73 cases are currently active, up from 21 la...

Wright County Board Addresses Constituent Requests for County to Reopen On Its Own

At Tuesday’s meeting of the Wright County Board of Commissioners, the discussion turned to correspondence the commissioners have received requesting the county board unilaterally open businesses in Wright County.

Commissioner Darek Vetsch explain...

County Board Sets a Special Board Meeting for Friday, May 15

The Wright County Board of Commissioners has become far too accustomed to having meetings on days other than their regularly scheduled Tuesday morning board meetings and workshops.

It has become commonplace since Wright County declared a state of emergency...

CMRP Trying to Move Forward Amid COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic has taken many victims – from those who have contracted the coronavirus to businesses that have been forced to close to schools being shut down.

Not all victims of the pandemic are obvious. One is the Central Mississippi Riv...

County Receives Grant to Get Closer to Completion of Next Generation 911

For almost a decade, Minnesota has been in the process of creating an enhanced Next Generation 911 emergency calling system. Catching up with the challenges created with technological advancements that don’t use the traditional means of accessin...

Minnesota Department of Agriculture Offering Grants for Meat, Poultry, Egg or Meat Processors

A Message from University of Minnesota Extension

The COVID-19 outbreak has severely affected the market supply chain for animals and animal products, causing serious bottlenecks and an urgent need for additional processing.

This week, the Minnesota Departme...

County Continues Facility Preparation for Eventual Re-Opening

Over the last few days, there have been numerous indications that, slowly but surely, businesses around Minnesota are going to be allowed to reopen in one form or another. The same goes for county government facilities, which are preparing for a phased re...

Potter Writes Op/Ed Piece on Behalf of the Minnesota Transportation Alliance

Wright County Commissioner Mike Potter has written an op-ed piece in his role as president of the Minnesota Transportation Alliance that has been picked up by numerous news sources over the last two weeks. Potter and the MTA are asking both the state and ...

Wright County to Be Part of Air National Guard Flyover Wednesday

For
those around the Centra Care Health Clinic in Monticello between approximately11:15 and 11:30 a.m. Wednesday are going to be in for a thrill of sound and
speed as the hospital is part of a statewide flyover to salute health careworkers.

The
Unit...

License Bureau to Provide Curbside Delivery Friday at Government Center

Due to the increases in requests for license tab
renewals for campers, boats, RVs, trailers and vehicles as we lead up theMinnesota fishing opener Saturday, the Wright County License Bureau is going to
try to make that process go a little easier for c...

County Board Declares May 3-9 Correctional Officers and Employee Week in Wright County

There are many facets of law enforcement that provide a service to the public. One that that doesn’t get a lot of credit for the important work they do are the correctional officers that work the jails and prisons around the country who oversee ...

Residents Warned About COVID-19 Related Scams That Are Duping People Out of Money

When in crisis, we’re often at our most vulnerable. It’s important to be aware of possible scams related to the COVID-19 virus. Scammers are preying on the elderly, the vulnerable and the general public during this pandemic.

People have...

First Half Real Estate Taxes Are Due May 15, 2020

Robert J. Hiivala, Wright County Auditor/Treasurer, would like to remind all County property owners that first half property taxes for real estate properties are due May 15, 2020 If for some reason you cannot locate your 2020 property tax statement and wo...

A Segment of CSAH 32 Will Be Closed Thursday for Railroad Track Repair

On Thursday, May 7, Canadian Pacific Railroad will be closing a section of CSAH 32 at the railroad crossing between Highway 55 and Farmington Avenue SE in Rockford Township, in order to repair a defect on the track. This will be a single day closure, from...

County Preparing for Logistics of Reopening Facilities When Stay at Home Order is Lifted

With Minnesota’s stay at home order extended to Monday, May 18, Wright County is looking at different options moving forward to the time when business at county facilities will return to some sense of normality.

County Administrator Lee Kelly exp...

U of M Extension Offering Tips to Farmers in Planting Season Amid COVID-19

By University of Minnesota Extension

Spring planting is always a busy time for farmers and a worldwide pandemic only amplifies the stress and uncertainty that accompanies the season.

"Planting season means long hours and lots of unknowns for area farme...

Wright County Public Health Updates Weekly COVID-19 Data

Wright County Public Health updated its weekly COVID-19 Surveillance Report. Wright County currently has 43 confirmed cases and 21 active cases, up from 32 confirmed cases and 15 active cases last week. The see the full report, click here: http://www.co.w...

Wright County Residents Step Up with Homemade Mask Donations

Two weeks ago, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz asked residents throughout the state to help fight the shortage of masks by asking them to make cloth masks from their homes and coordinated a statewide drop-off last Saturday (April 25) at their local fire departmen...

Wright County Public Health Issues Stay at Home Extension Press Release

In response to Gov. Tim Walz’s announcement that the stay at home executive order has been extended from May 4 to May 18, Wright County Public Health has issued a press release. The full release can be viewed here: http://www.co.wright.mn.us/Adm...

Wright County Campgrounds to Remain Closed Through May 17

May is the time of year when the first glimpses of
summer start showing up in Minnesota. People congregate outdoors and take thenumerous lakes and parks that dot the landscape of the state.

But, due to COVID-19 restrictions, many of those activities
ha...

Governor Walz Extends Stay at Home Executive Order Through Monday, May 18

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz has extended the current stay at home order until Monday, May 18. This is the second time that the governor has extended the stay at home protocol, which was first instituted March 25.

While the restrictions on stores was loosened s...

Census Bureau Making Digital Push May 1-3 to Increase Response Rate

Despite results being adversely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, the United States Census Bureau has received responses from more than half the households in the country, but the bureau is making a push this weekend to get the count higher.

The Census Bu...

Neighboring County Sees Confirmed COVID-19 Cases Triple in Two Days

Wright County’s number of confirmed COVID-19 continues to rise, but the numbers have remained relatively low – as of this morning’s announcement from the Minnesota Department of Health, Wright County has 42 confirmed cases &a...

A Statement from Wright County Administrator Lee Kelly Concerning Opening County Facilities

A statement from Wright County Administrator Lee Kelly related to plans to reopen county facilities:

Wright County’s current closure of public counters extends through Sunday, May 3 which coincides with the State of Minnesota’s current ...

Parks & Recreation Prepared for Opening, Awaiting Go-Ahead from Governor Walz

A lot of eyes and ears will be focused on Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and his daily press briefing today because he is expected to announce whether his current “stay at home” Executive Order is going to be extended, allowed to expire or be...

Governor Expected to Announce Tomorrow Whether Stay at Home Protocol Is Extended

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz is expected to announce tomorrow whether he will extend his current statewide stay at home order beyond Monday, May 4.

At a press conference in Worthington today, Governor Walz hinted that he will announce that more businesses will ...

County Board Adopts Fee Reduction for Specific Permit to Carry Applications

Earlier this month, the Wright County Board of Commissioners received a request from Sheriff Sean Deringer to modify a portion of the fee schedule for his office. The proposed change would reduce the cost for a permit to carry application specific to curr...

Auditor/Treasurer Issues Candidate Election Filing Notification

2020 NOTICE OF OFFICES TO BE VOTED FOR AT THE STATE GENERAL ELECTION

The following is the notice of federal, state and county offices that will be voted for at the state general election to be held on Tuesday, November 3, 2020. The filing period for United...

Child Foster Care Orientation Scheduled for May 12 Has Been Cancelled

Wright County Health & Human Services has announced that its Child Foster Care Orientation scheduled for Tuesday, May 12 at the Wright County Law Enforcement Center has been cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

 There remains a significant ...

Compost & Recycling Facility to Reopen Thursday, May 7

At today’s meeting of the Wright County Board of Commissioners, it was announced that starting Thursday, May 7, the Wright County Compost & Recycling Facility will re-open with a self-service drive-through and drop off for hazardous material...

County Board Continues Today's Board Meeting to 10 A.M. Thursday

For the last month-plus, the Wright County Board of
Commissioners has met in special session outside of its standard Tuesday boardmeeting three times – all dealing with the response and reaction to the growing
COVID-19 pandemic.

Those meeting...

U of M Extension Offering Advice to Farmers and Gardeners How to Maximize Their Corn Yield

By David Nicolai, Extension Crops Educator

Maximum corn yield in Minnesota is typically achieved when planting occurs in late April or early May. In years when warm weather arrives earlier than normal, planting in mid-April can produce similar yield if you...

CDC Adds Six More Symptoms That May Indicate Contraction of COVID-19

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced
today it has added six more symptoms that could be a sign someone hascontracted COVID-19.

Initially, the symptoms that have been warning signs
of potential contraction included a fever, a d...

U of M Extension Offering Free Four-Day Webinar on Improving Gardens May 12-15

By Adam Austing, University of Minnesota Extension 

When looking to start a garden or improve your current garden it is best to start from the ground and work up. University of Minnesota Extension local educators are excited to bring you the Garde...

A New Approach Being Tried to Get I-94 Funding Between Albertville and Monticello

For decades, the volume of traffic along Interstate 94
between the Twin Cities metro area and St. Cloud has been increasing at asignificant rate and the goal for the last 20 years has been to expand the
freeway from two lanes in each direction to thre...

Master Gardener Offers Tips on Planting Container Gardens

By Tracy Beaufeaux, Wright County Extension Master Gardener.

Container gardens are ideal for people with little or no garden space, and they are an easy way to grow a wide variety of flowers, veggies and herbs with easy access right outside your door. Cont...

Wright County Public Health Updates COVID-19 Data

As of today (April 24), Wright County has had 32 confirmed cases, with 15 of those being active cases in isolation.

 To see the complete numbers including cases, age ranges and likely exposure setting, click here: http://www.co.wright.mn.us/Docume...

Wright County Offices Remain Operational to Meet Resident Requests for Service

While the Wright County Government Center and other county
facilities are closed to the public for services as the result ofCOVID-19-related precautions and statewide closure/social distancing orders, it
doesn’t mean that the county can&...

County Board Asks for Review Process on Hiring or Backfilling Open Positions Due to COVID-19

As with most weekly agendas for the Wright County
Board of Commissioners, on the April 21 agenda was a pair of consent agendaposition replacement requests. Given the size of Wright County, having position
turnover in the numerous county departments is...

Public Health Releases Short Video of Its Role in the Fight Against COVID-19

Wright County Public Health has produced a short video
explaining its role in the battle against COVID-19.

Public Health Director Sarah Grosshuesch narrated thevideo from the Department of Operations Center in Buffalo. She explains the job
that her tea...

Governor Expected to Announce Schools Will Stay Closed Through the End of the School Year

At his daily press briefing today (April 23), Minnesota
Gov. Tim Walz is expected to announce the closing of Minnesota schools for theremainder of the 2019-20 academic year.

The governor closed public and charter schools more
than a month ago and direc...

Local Fire Chiefs Caught By Surprise in Governor's Homemade Mask Initiative

During his daily press
briefings, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz has made some bold statements about the expectationsof Minnesota being a leader in the national fight against COVID-19. He has
promoted aggressive timelines to get things done and sweeping ...

License Bureau Reminds Drivers That Law Has Changed Pertaining to Expired Licenses

The Wright County License Bureau has been receiving numerous calls from residents regarding driver’s licenses that have expired or are set to expire and are unable to renew them due to the COVID-19-related closures. Wright County License Bureau ...

Sheriff Sean Deringer Has Warning for Residents Regarding On-Line Permit-to-Carry Training

The Wright County Sheriff’s Office has issued a statement regarding on-line training for permit-to-carry applications, cautioning that residents by wary of using on-line training courses, which Sheriff Sean Deringer believes are in violation of ...

County Board Approves Reducing Penalty for Those Who Pay First-Half Property Taxes Late

With much of the country shut down or limited due to stay at home/shelter in place orders, the business of government has kept moving forward because it can’t shut down completely. But, like everything else in our new reality, taking COVID-19 in...

Parks & Rec Department Submits 2019 Annual Report to County Board

As part of the consent agenda at the April 21 meeting of the Wright County Board of Commissioners, Wright County Parks & Recreation Director Marc Mattice submitted the department’s 2019 annual report.

The report includes the department&rs...

Wright County Fair In Jeopardy of Being Cancelled, But Organizers Still Holding Out Hope

Less than two months ago, plans were going full steam ahead for the 150^th anniversary of the Wright County Fair, scheduled for July 22-26 at the Wright County Fairgrounds in Howard Lake.

Special anniversary-themed events were being planned. Prize giveaways...

Highway Department Provides Timeline, Detour Routes for CSAH 39/42 Project in Otsego

The Wright County Highway Department has provided an update to the CSAH 39/42 construction project in Otsego. The project, which is expected to start next week, is going to be done in two stages – one that will be completed in the fall and a sec...

NACo Releases Video on the Role of Counties During the Fight with COVID-19

The National Association of Counties (NACo) has produced a video explaining the important job counties are playing in the fight against COVID-19. The three-minute video explains the front-line role of counties in the pandemic battle. It includes the criti...

Election Equipment Used in Presidential Nomination Primary Was A Big Success

Given the ongoing COVID-19 situation, it seems like
March 3 was an eternity ago. But, that was the date of Minnesota’s PresidentialNomination Primary (PNP). As Wright County voters came out to the polls to cast
their ballots, behind the scen...

Wright County Sheriff's Report for April 13-19

The Wright County Sheriff’s Office has released its activity report for the week of April 13-19. To see the report, click here: http://www.co.wright.mn.us/civicalerts.aspx?AID=1508 

U of M Extension Discusses Grain Bin Safety for Minnesota Farmers

Grain Bin Safety for Minnesota Farmers

By Adam Austing, University of Minnesota Extension

Last week was Stand Up 4 Grain Safety Week. This is a great time to remind all of our Minnesota farmers to stay safe this growing season. Growing up on a dairy farm, g...

Highway Department to Start Roadside Spraying Program May 26

On Tuesday, May 26, the Wright County Highway
Department will begin its annual roadside spraying/vegetation managementprogram along all Wright County highways to remove unwanted brush and noxious
weeds. Because the spraying is done with herbicides, so...

Governor Signs Executive Order to Allow More Outdoor Recreational Activities

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, signed Executive Order 20-38 today (April 17) and it brings some good news for those who enjoy the outdoors. The order allows for safe outdoor recreation for specific activities, including golf and boating.

The Executive Order, whi...

Assistance Programs Available to Wright County Veterans Struggling During COVID-19 Pandemic

The Wright County Veterans Services Department is advising all veterans and/or surviving spouses who live in Wright County that the Minnesota State Legislature has approved a special appropriation to provide veterans with assistance during the COVID-19 pa...

Construction Projects Proceeding Through COVID-19 Pandemic

Of the numerous concerns
related to COVID-19 that have impacted Wright County, one aspect that has beencritical to keeping the economy moving has been the construction industry being
deemed essential and allowed to continue.

Currently, Wright County ha...

Highway 55 to Experience Delays Starting Monday, April 20

Those who drive Highway 55 between Buffalo and Maple Lake need to be prepared for a longer drive than normal starting Monday, April 20.

The Minnesota Department of Transportation has announced that there will be delays on Highway 55 as work crews fill in a...

Strange Snow Squalls Earlier This Week Were A Weather Rarity in Minnesota

For those who live along the Great Lakes, when spring comes they are subject to what are called snow squalls – as the warmth of the sun runs into a cold air mass and creates thin bands of quickly-forming clouds that drop heavy amounts of snow in...

County Board Exploring Option of Creating a County Economic Development Authority

Wright County has had a problem over the years when it has come to growth. The county’s population has exploded, but the business climate hasn’t grown to the same degree.

From 1990 to 2010, the population of the county grew by 82 percen...

License Bureau Remains Busy, Looking at Options for Eventual Reopening

The methods of doing business have changed markedly in the Wright County Government Center over the last month, but it hasn’t stopped the demand for service, especially at the county’s license bureau.

The public counters have been close...

April 16 County Board Special Meeting Cancelled

A special meeting of the Wright County Board of Commissioners scheduled for Thursday, April 16 has been cancelled.

Last week, the meeting was tentatively scheduled because there was no board meeting scheduled for its standard time of 9 a.m. Tuesday, April ...

County Board Discusses Launch of CMRP's Framework 2030

Earlier this month, the Central Mississippi River Regional Planning Partnership (CMRP) launched its Framework 2030 project – an initiative to do collaborative planning for the future of cities and townships in Wright and Sherburne counties on bo...

Bertram Regional Park Will Be Busy with Construction Projects This Summer

For much of the coming summer, the Bertram Chain of Lakes Regional Park is going to be a hotbed of construction activity as two significant projects will be taking place – a campground construction project inside the park and a road project at t...

April 13-17 Is Severe Weather Awareness Week in Minnesota

With the last vestiges of winter holding on for a final prolonged gasp of cold weather this next few days, it seems appropriate that this week (April 13-17) is Severe Weather Awareness Week in Minnesota, a collaboration between the Department of Homeland ...

Recorder's Office Lifts Suspension on Issuance of Marriage License Requests

Much of the Wright County Government Center remains closed to the public at department and office counters, but the county is finding ways to get the services provided to the public that are needed.

One such change has come to the Wright County Recorder&am...

Wright County Public Health Issues News Release of Interest to 'Snowbirds'

Wright County Public Health has issued a news release geared toward Wright County residents who are returning home from a winter residence in another state. The release can be read here: http://www.co.wright.mn.us/DocumentCenter/View/19216/Wright-Co-COVID...

U of M Extension Offers Soil Testing For Farmers and Gardeners

By Adam Austing, University of Minnesota Extension

It is suggested that gardeners and farmers of all kinds get their soil tested at a minimum every few years. Why? Soil tests help find potential nutrient deficiencies and other issues in your soil. A test w...

May is Foster Care Month in Wright County

Wright County Health & Human Services would like to remind residents that May is Foster Care Month. The county’s Licensing & Therapeutic Services Division licenses both child and adult foster care providers and is looking for those who w...

First Confirmed Death of Wright County Resident From COVID-19

Wright County Public Health has confirmed the first death due to COVID-19 in Wright County.

The death occurred April 9 to a Wright County resident in theirs 80s who tested positive for COVID-19 two days earlier.

 Here is the full release from Wrigh...

Commisioner Darek Vetsch Says Thank You to Foster Parents During Stay at Home Protocol

Wright County Commissioner Darek Vetsch comes from what he likes to refer to as a “blended family.” He has a mixture of biological and non-biological children, totaling nine. All the children in this large family may not be his biologi...

Highway Department Releases Detailed Project Timeline for the Hwy 19 and 38 Project

The Wright County Highway Department announced that
construction on Highway 19 and Highway 38 between the cities of Albertville andOtsego will begin Monday, April 13.

Highway Engineer Virgil Hawkins has included a
brochure on the construction website (...

Wright County Community Action Offering Frozen Meals Program for Seniors

When Wright County Community Action started a program
to give senior citizens frozen meals to eat healthier, COVID-19 had yet todominate our daily lives. It was a program that WCCA Executive Director Jay
Weatherford realized was a need and WCCA wanted...

Recorder's Office Reminder That Residents Can Use LandShark to Search Land Records

Up until January 2020, if an individual wanted to access documents pertaining to land records in Wright County, they were required to come to the Wright County Recorder’s Office to obtain copies of those documents. But, that changed thanks to th...

5th Annual Just Drive Day to Be Virtual This Year Due to COVID-19

For the last four years, the organization Just Drive has been working to meet its mission of ending distracted driving and to raise awareness by creating a day recurring each year on a Saturday in April in Monticello.

This year, however, due to the COVID-1...

County Board Approves Extending Public Counter Closures in County Facilities Until May 4

This afternoon (April 9), in keeping with the order by Governor Walz to extend his "stay at home" executive order through 11:59 p.m. Sunday May 3, the Wright County Board of Commissioners voted to keep public counters closed until Monday, May 4....

Parks & Rec Director Addresses Potential Scenarios for Campground, Shelter Reservations

During
these troubling times dealing with the day-to-day changes that have beenevolving as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to dominate the lives of most
people, there need to be plans in place for the future after the worst of thecoronavirus has run...

CMRP Launches Its Framework 2030 Initiative

The Central Mississippi River Regional Planning Partnership launched its Framework 2030 initiative Wednesday (April 8) with a press release announcing the collaboration between Wright and Sherburne counties for mutual planning and economic development.

For...

Wright County Parks & Recreation Department Provides a COVID-19 Operations Update

This afternoon Governor Walz extended the “Stay at Home order (EO 20-20)” and EO 20-04 (Public Accommodations) to expire on May 4, 2020. As a department we have been preparing for many different scenarios over the past few wee...

Governor Extends Minnesota's Stay At Home Protocol Through 11:59 P.M. Sunday, May 3

At his daily COVID-19 briefing today, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz extended the stay at home executive order that was scheduled to expire Friday. The extension runs through 11:59 p.m. Sunday, May 3.

The same rules are expected to apply as in his initial stay at...

Trailblazer Using Its Fleet to Deliver Meals to Those in Need in Wright County

With many Wright County residents forced to stay at home and many others struggling to make ends meet, Trailblazer Transit has stepped up its efforts to help alleviate some of that burden.

Wright Commissioner Darek Vetsch, who sits on the Trailblazer Joint...

County Board Sets Public Hearing to Discuss Reduced Concealed Carry Permit Fee

For decades, Wright County has been known as a county that issues a lot of concealed carry gun permits. Currently, there are more than 13,000 active permits to carry for residents of Wright County and Sheriff Sean Deringer wants to make it more affordable...

County Board Applauds Effort IT Department Has Put In During COVID-19 Crisis

There aren’t many who haven’t been impacted in a profound way by the COVID-19 pandemic. Thousands have died across the country. Places where people typically gather in large groups have been eliminated, whether it has been schools, mal...

License Bureau Has Table Set Up With Forms for Most Frequent Requests

The Wright County License Bureau re-opened for business Monday to re-start the process vehicle-related requirements like license plates/tabs and vehicle title transfers. But, after being shut down for two weeks by the state, the license bureau is attempti...

Wright County Public Health Has Produced a Flyer About COVID-19 Precautions

Wright County Public Health has created a flyer reminding
residents of the importance of social distancing and staying at home as part ofprotocol being brought forward by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The flyer puts in simple terms the...

Construction on CSAH 19/38 Project To Start Monday

Wright County Highway Engineer Virgil Hawkins has released the timeline for the Highway 19 and 38 project between Otsego and Albertville, which is going to begin Monday, April 13. Here is that timeline:

Construction to begin on Highway 19 and Highway 38 Re...

Extension Has Hotline for Residents to Contact Master Gardeners with Lawn and Garden Questions

By Adam Austing, University of Minnesota Extension Educator

University of Minnesota Extension events have been canceled through Friday, May 15. However, Extension is still fully operational; the ways in which we work have just been changed. This is also tr...

Wright County Health & Human Services Releases Annual Report

Wright County Health & Human Services has released its 2019 annual report “Strengthen, Support and Serve Our Community.”

The report includes a message from Wright County HHS Director Jami Goodrum Schwartz, an executive summary, stra...

Parks & Recreation Department Using Facebook to Take Our Minds Off COVID-19 With Daily Posts

For those looking to get a break from the inundation of COVID-19 pandemic, the Wright County Parks & Recreation Department has been updating its Facebook page daily with information and tips for Wright County residents.

Among the topics that have been ...

License Bureau Now Able to Process Motor Vehicle Paperwork After Two-Week Shutdown

At 5:07 p.m. Friday, Emma Corrie, director of Driver and Vehicle Services for the Minnesota Department of Public Safety, released a memo stating that local license bureaus and deputy registrars can begin processing motor vehicle title and registration doc...

Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs Has Programs to Assist Wright County Vets

Wright County veterans who are having struggles during the COVID-19 crisis can access services being offered through the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs.

These services include COVID-19 financial assistance, disaster relief grants and special need...

Wright County Public Health Issues Press Release Dealing with Mental Wellness During COVID-19

Wright County Public Health has issued a press release dealing with mental wellness during the COVID-19 pandemic. The release includes links to Wright County Public Health, the Minnesota Department of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevent...

IT Department Has Connected Employee Voicemail and Email for Remote Workers

During the time of people being asked to stay at home and, if possible, work remotely from home as well, in Wright County, a lot of employees have been asked to step up and take on the challenges associated with living in a world that has been altered dra...

County Parks Continue to Provide Respite from COVID-19

As the weather has started to warm up as the calendar flipped from March to April, the impact of the isolation of COVID-19 is starting to take as big a mental toll on people as it has a physical and financial toll.

One area that has remained robust through...

County Saves $1.5 Million Under Estimate for CSAH 39 Construction Project

In June 2017, the Wright County Board of Commissioners
followed suit with numerous other counties in the state that were struggling tokeep up with the funding needs for county highway and road infrastructure by
implementing a half-cent Local Option Sa...

Wright County Extends Public Counter Closure Period Through April 18

The Wright County Board of Commissioners met in special session today (April 2) and accepted the minutes of the March 24 Committee of the Whole meeting. As part of those minutes, the board, which had closed all public facing counters until Saturday, April...

MnCHOICES Offering Help for Those in Need of In-Home Assistance

A MESSAGE FROM WRIGHT COUNTY HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES

Are you concerned about the welfare of a loved who needs extra help with taking care of themselves at home? Do you know someone that needs senior living care? Services to help with dressing, bathing,...

Decision to Switch to VPN Has Helped County Get Through First Wave of COVID-19

When Mark Kellogg was hired by Wright County as an
Information Technology (IT) Technical Services Manager in July, 2019, one ofhis first assignments was to assist a county department in equipping its
employees with the ability to work remotely outside...

CSAH 8 in Maple Lake Expected to Be Closed for Most of the Summer

For a lot of Wright County residents, CSAH 8 serves as a feeder road to access the lakes areas of the county as it runs between Maple Lake at Hwy. 55 and I-94 in Hasty.

But, this summer, that stretch of road will be under construction and the portion that ...

Commissioner Charlie Borrell Explains Decision to Self-Isolate During COVID-19 Crisis

Anyone who has attended or streamed
a Wright County Board meeting the last couple of weeks has noticed a significantchange – there are only four commissioners sitting at the board dais instead of
five. Commissioner Charlie Borrell and his wi...

Trailblazer Transit Expands Service Area to Assist Veterans to Get to Medical Facilities

Trailblazer Transit, which serves Wright County’s bus transit needs, has announced that it will be expanding the locations it typically provide rides outside of their service area to assist veterans in need.

In a press release issued today, Trail...

U of M Extension Offers Advice As Farmers Deal with COVID-19

By Adam Austing, University of Minnesota Extension Educator

As we learn more and more about the COVID-19 pandemic, it seems to be harder and harder to predict how long this crisis could last. So as we creep closer and closer to the growing season, I have b...

Recorder's Office Places Drop Box at Office Door to Assist in Processing Documents

Several Wright County departments are attempting to come up with solutions to dealing with the public during the time of public facing counter closures in the Wright County Government due to the COVID-19 pandemic. One of them is the recorder’s o...

Governor Extends Driver's License Expiration Dates by Two Months

A notification from the Minnesota Department of Vehicle Services: “Governor Tim Walz signed a bill Monday that includes an extension for Minnesotans whose driver’s licenses or ID cards expire during this time. The law extends ...

Spotlight Stories Highlighted on Main Page of County Website

A portion of the Wright County website includes the Spotlight section located at the bottom of the main page. The Spotlight focuses on the issues, programs and people of Wright County. Whether it’s a deep dive on the budget process, the changes ...

Court Administration Issues Release Dealing With Court Forms and Contact Numbers

The following is a message from the 10^th Judicial District, which has been operating during the COVID-19 pandemic under changing state laws that include three different Minnesota Supreme Court rulings. Cases are still being heard. The following is a list ...

Court Administration Has Amnesty Box to Accomodate Large Filing Paperwork

The Court Administration Office of the 10th Judicial District located in Buffalo at the Wright County Government Center wants to inform residents that there is an alternative to bringing large document packets to its office.

Most of the documents people ar...

Department of Veterans Affairs Commissioner Sends Message to Minnesota Vets

Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs (MDVA) Commissioner
Larry Herke has sent out a message to all Minnesota Veterans containing thenumbers of Veterans Administration health care facilities for those who are experiencing
symptoms of COVID-19. He u...

Parks & Recreation Department Urging Families Not to Use Playground Equipment in County Parks

Wright County Parks & Recreation is advising residents that, despite the need for children to get the opportunity to play outside, families should not be using the play structures in county parks.

Parks & Recreation Director Marc Mattice said that,...

A Message from Wright County Sheriff Sean Deringer to County Residents

I have received several phone calls and emails since Governor Tim Walz released Executive Order 20-20 on Wednesday, also known as the “stay home order” so I thought that I would release some information that you may find helpful.

The Wr...

Highway Department Maintaining Operations

Due to the current COVID-19 pandemic the Highway Department will be implementing the following procedures beginning Monday, March 30, 2020.  These procedures have been put in place to protect both the public and county employees in following the ...

License Bureau Looking for Solutions to Line Issues When It Re-Opens

One of the more frustrating aspects for many of those who have come into the Wright County Government Center in recent months been consistently long waiting lines at the county’s license bureau. The combination of the length of time it took to p...

Food Shelf and Health Care Facilities Need Donations During Difficult Time

At a time when all Americans are being asked to pull together to fight the spread of COVID-19, the need for assistance at food shelves and health care facilities are becoming more desperate as the crisis deepens.

Wright County Public Health has sent out a ...

Recorder's Office Still Providing Vital Services for County Residents Needing Vital Records

While a lot of our daily lives are being adversely impacted by the COVID-19 coronavirus, essential job duties are still being performed in Wright County. One of those positions deemed essential is the county recorder’s office.

Wright County Recor...

County's Compost and Recycling Facility Closed to Public Drop-Off Until Further Notice

Due to the Emergency Declaration by the Wright County Board of Commissioners that was adopted earlier this month to close public facing counters in the battle against the COVID-19 coronavirus and the potential for community spread, the Wright County Compo...

Residents Have Until 3 PM to Drop Off License Tab Renewal Paperwork

With yesterday’s announcement that the State of
Minnesota was shutting down local license bureaus statewide after Governor TimWalz enacted a Shelter in Place stay at home Executive Order that takes effect
shortly before midnight tonight, the...

County Board Chair, County Administrator Release Statement on Facility Operations

March 26, 2020

A Statement from Wright County Board of Commissioners Chair Christine Husom and Wright County Administrator Lee Kelly

On March 25, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz sent out an Executive Order for Minnesotans to stay at home and shelter in place, a...

REAL ID Enforcement Deadline Pushed Out One Year to Oct. 1, 2021

The
U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Public Affairs announced today(Thursday, March 27) that the deadline for people to switch over to the REAL ID
has been extended one year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Thedeadline for REAL...

State to Close All License Bureaus at the End of the Business Day Friday

Part of

Read on...

Governor Makes Shelter in Place Order, Updates for Child Care Providers and Foster Families

As part of his daily COVID-19 address, Minnesota Governor
Tim Walz announced that a two-week “Shelter in Place” order in an attempt to flattenthe spread of the virus and buy more time to put other plans in place will be
begin at 11...

County Board Approves Nature Preschool at Ney Park

A growing educational tool around the country has been
exposing youngsters to nature by having outdoor-themed preschools that teachand, at the same time, getting impressionable young minds feeling comfortable
with the outdoors in a learning environmen...

County Departments Collaborating to Assist Residents During COVID-19 Crisis

At a time of crisis, it is essential that individuals
and organizations alike work collaboratively for the better good. As we waitfor the next response from the Minnesota Department of Health and the Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention to provi...

Wright County Public Health Issues Release Listing Resources for Residents

Wright County Public Health has been the lead agent on the local front of the preparation and implementation for combatting the COVID-19 coronavirus at the local level. Today (March 25), WCPH issued a news release that lists many of the resources that res...

Sheriff's Office Receives Federal Grant for Water Patrol This Summer

At a time of isolation like most of us are experiencing at the moment and will be for the short-term future, thoughts of being out on a boat on a Wright County lake in the summer seems like a dream. However, the Wright County Sheriff’s Office is...

Assessor Announces Cancellation of Open Book Meeting Scheduled for April 9

A Memo from Wright County Assessor Tony Rasmuson

Cancellation of the Wright County Open Book Meeting on April 9th, 2020

“Due to concerns over the health and safety of Wright County property owners and employees, the Open Book meeting scheduled to ...

2020 Will Be A Big Year for Central Mississippi River Regional Partnership

For years, there have been mutual interests of cities, townships and drivers on both sides of the Mississippi River, primarily focused on getting a third bridge crossing on the Mississippi River to connect Wright and Sherburne counties. The two existing b...

Wright County Board of Commissioners to Conduct Special Meeting April 2

Last week when the Wright County Board of Commissioners declared a state of emergency and instituted its Continuity of Operations Plan (COOP), it put a two-week employment window in place to address social distancing and allow those with the ability to do...

County Surveyor Lays Out Operations Plan During Public Distancing Period for Wright County

Wright County Surveyor Steve Jobe has provided information as to how his department will be operating under the constrictions placed on his office by the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic.

“We are committed to keeping everyone as safe as possible,&am...

Parks & Recreation Department Recommending Children Not Use Playground Equipment in Parks

Wright County Parks & Recreation is advising residents that, despite the need for children to get the opportunity to play outside, families should not be using the play structures in county parks.

Parks & Recreation Director Marc Mattice said that,...

Wright County Assessor Issues Statement Concerning Boards of Equalization

A memo from Wright County Assessor Tony Rasmuson to county residents and representatives of cities and townships concerning the schedule for Local Boards of Equalization:

As local governments adjust to protect their citizens during the COVID-19 pandemic, w...

Be Aware of the Potential Danger of Mixing Cleaning Products As Part of Home Sanitization

Wright County Planning & Zoning, which oversees the county’s Compost and Recycling Facility, wants residents to be informed about the potential hazards of mixing cleaning products, which can be deadly if the wrong chemicals are mixed togethe...

Court Administration Remains Operational, But Public Windows Have Been Closed

The following Administrative Order was released from the 10th Judicial District pertaining to closing the public windows of Court Administration at the Wright County Government Center. Those with court cases pending or looking for forms should contact the...

County Board Meets In Emergency Session to Take Action on COVID-19 Issues

The Wright County Board of Commissioners met in emergency session this morning (Friday, March 20) to make official what the county leadership has been working on this week with the rapid response to the COVID-19 coronavirus.

The meeting began with Wright C...

Public Health Issues News Release on Importance of Social Distancing

NEWS RELEASE

March 20, 2020

Importance of Social DistancingEvery person can work to halt the spread of COVID-19

BUFFALO, MN – The ideal goal in fighting a pandemic is to halt the spread of disease. As the number of COVID-19 cases in Minnesota conti...

County Recorder Releases Policy for Residents Seeking Documents

Many of the functions of the Wright County Recorder’s Office have been changed. With the closure of public counters Tuesday, Wright County Recorder Tanya West has released the following statement of procedures moving forward:

Wright County Record...

Auditor/Treasurer's Office Offering Alternative Options for Some Services

Many Wright County residents find themselves looking for services from the county’s Auditor/Treasurer’s office and are looking for options with the public counters currently closed. The A/T office has made the following suggestions to ...

Wright County Parks Are Open and Being Used As an Oasis of Outdoor Activity

Wright County is proud of its parks system and
residents utilize them throughout the year. But, there are slow times in betweenseasons, with March being one of them. With no snow left for winter activities
and it is too early for the springtime warmup...

County Public Counters Closed, But Departments and Offices Are Still Open

Wright County government has closed public access to
window counter service to most areas (exceptions being the Sheriff’s Office,Court Administration and Court Services/Probation), but that doesn’t mean that
the Government Center, ...

Court Administration and Court Services/Probation Counters Remain Open

Earlier today (March 17), the Wright County Board of Commissioners declared a State of Emergency that included closing public facing counters in the Government Center. However, two areas of the Government Center remain open – Court Administratio...

Trailblazer Transit Remains Open for Business

Trailblazer Transit released a statement today (March 17) informing the public that it plans to remain fully operational while many schools, businesses and government entities are closed or cutting back on services.

Here is the statement from Trailblazer:

&...

Wright County Government Center Closing Most Public Counters

With the Wright County Emergency Declaration that was adopted this morning (March 17) in the battle with the COVID-19 coronavirus, in preventing community spread of the virus, the Wright County Board of Commissioners voted to close all public facing count...

County Board Adopts Emergency Declaration In Response to COVID-19

Wright County Emergency Declaration

WHEREAS, Novel Coronavirus Disease 2019, commonly known as COVID-19, a respiratory disease-that can result in serious illness or death, is caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which is a new strain of coronavirus that had not...

License Bureau Requesting That Residents Avoid Long Lines if Possible

At a time when the COVID-19 outbreak has schools and businesses
cutting back hours or closing their doors completely, one place that hasn’tseen a change is the License Bureau in the Wright County Government Center.

With the guidance from the M...

Parks and Recreation Releases a Statement in Response to COVID-19 Restrictions

Wright County Parks and Recreation Administrator Marc Mattice has released a statement about the operations of Wright County parks facilities moving forward in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The press release can be seen by clicking here: http://www.c...

First Confirmed Case of COVID-19 Indentified in Wright County

The first confirmed case of COVID-19 has been identified in Wright County. A press release dealing with the issue has been sent out by Wright County Public Health and can be accessed by clicking here: http://www.co.wright.mn.us/DocumentCenter/View/19004/W...

County Administrator Releases Statement Dealing with Wright County Government's Operation Plan

A statement from Wright County Administrator Lee
Kelly:

The outbreak of COVID-19 has resulted in many changesto the daily lives of our residents. With the first confirmed case of COVID-19
identified in Wright County, we want to inform our residents tha...

Methamphetamine Remains a Critical Issue in Wright County

Last month, the Wright County Sheriff’s Office
coordinated with local police departments in a multi-jurisdictional investigationof several suspects believed to be trafficking methamphetamine. It was a
reminder that, while meth was a scourge ...

Second Case of Coronavirus Confirmed in Minnesota

The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) stated a month ago that it wasn’t a matter of if Minnesota would see its first case of the COVID-19 coronavirus, but when. On Sunday, the state confirmed the second case of coronavirus in Minnesota, as a ...

Bertram Chain of Lakes Parks Campsite Project Expected to Finish Ahead of Schedule

Whenever there is a construction project of any kind,
one of the biggest fears is that the project will take longer than anticipatedand the potential for cost overruns come in. Just the opposite is true with the
Bertram Chain of Lakes Regional Park pr...

County Roads and Highways Are In Awful Shape, But Not for Long

Anyone who has driven any distance over the last couple of weeks has likely noticed that many of the roads are choppy and make smaller vehicles bounce up and down as if they’re driving on a rumble strip.

Wright County Highway Engineer Virgil Hawk...

Why Do County Highways and Roads Have Spring Load Restrictions?

Every spring, in an attempt to preserve the more than
500 miles of roads on the county’s road system, the Wright County HighwayDepartment places weight restrictions for vehicles on County State Aid Highways
(CSAH) and county roads. The weigh...

Trailblazer Ridership on the Rise

When Wright County joined Trailblazer Transit, it
wasn’t by choice, it was by force. The State of Minnesota had mandated thatfunding for transit systems be regional, including multiple counties to create
fewer, more uniform systems. For deca...

Wright County Dental Clinic Passes A Big Hurdle at the State Legislature

The proposed inclusion of a dental clinic in the new
Wright County Government got a big boost Tuesday when a bill introduced at the MinnesotaState Legislature (House File 3644) got a hearing before the House Capital
Investment Committee.

One of the big...

Trump, Biden Winners in Wright County in Tuesday's Presidential Nomination Primary

For the first time in 28 years, Minnesota conducted a
Presidential Nomination Primary and President Donald Trump and former VicePresident Joe Biden were decisive winners in Wright County.

President Trump ran unopposed on the ballot and
received 3,298 v...

Minnesota Department of Commerce Urging Residents to Consider Flood Insurance

The Minnesota Department of Commerce is informing
Wright County residents that they may want to look into purchasing floodinsurance due to risks of flooding during the spring runoff season and may want
to act soon because of policy requirements.

The Na...

Wright County Board Adopts Second Amendment Dedicated County Resolution

On Tuesday, March 3, the Wright County Boardroom was
filled to capacity as the county board of commissioners voted to make WrightCounty the sixth county in Minnesota to adopt a “Second Amendment Dedicated
County” Resolution, joinin...

University of Minnesota Extension Looking for Wright County Farm Family of the Year Nominations

By Adam Austing, University of Minnesota Extension

Wright County has over 1300 farms and ranks in the top ten in Minnesota in the following categories according to the 2017 Census of Agriculture: horses (#1); fruits, nuts and berries; poultry and eggs; and...

Compost & Recycling Facility Taking On-Line Appointments for Drop-offs

With spring right around the corner, a lot of Wright
County residents will look to the annual rite of passage spring cleaning –getting rid of some of the clutter in their houses, garages and yards.

The Wright County Compost & Recycling Fac...

County Adds Link to Latest COVID-19 Information to Its Website Main Page

With concerns growing about the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus, Wright County Public Health has established a link the county’s website home page.

The link is on the left side of the main page under the heading “Coronavirus (COVID-1...

Wright County Public Health Issues Press Release Dealing with COVID-19

Wright County Public Health has sent out a press
release on developments with the COVID-19 coronavirus dealing with preparednessin the event cases start being confirmed in Minnesota. The release also has
valuable links to the Minnesota Department of H...

Twin Cities Public Television to Air Weekly Programs Dealing With COVID-19

Amid the growing concerns over the potential impact locally of the worldwide spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) Twin Cities Public Television (TPT) announced that it will be partnering directly with the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) to brin...

Potter Pushing for Legislative Bonding for Highway 55 Project

Wright County Commissioner Mike Potter has been spending
a good portion of the last two weeks between Wright County and the State Capitolin St. Paul. One of the proposals he is trying to shine a light on is bonding
for the beginning stages of a propos...

HHS Special Needs Fund Gets a $10,000 Donation From Wright County Area United Way

Wright
County Health and Human Services has a program called the Special Needs Fundthat helps Wright County residents in significant financial straits meet their
basic needs when no other resources are available.

TheSpecial Needs Fund seeks out donat...

County Assessor Explains Process of Appealing House Valuations

In March, Wright County residents are going to start
receiving the valuation notices for their homes, businesses and properties fromthe Wright County Assessor’s Office.

County Assessor Tony Rasmuson said that his department
oversees 67,000 pa...

Sheriff's Office Special Investigations Unit Partners With City Police for Meth Bust

The Wright County Sheriff’s Office is tasked as the lead law enforcement agency in all of the county with three exceptions – the cities of Annandale, Buffalo and Howard Lake, all of whom have city police forces.

But, it was the collabor...

Extension Office to Run Weekly Stories From Master Gardeners On How to Be Successful Gardeners

Submitted by Adam Austing, extension educator

What is the University of MN Extension? In 1914, the
Smith-Lever Act created a “Cooperative Extension Service” associated with the landgrant institution in each state. For us, that would ...

Minnesota Department of Health Releases Information Pertaining to Northern Metals Fire in Becker

The information below was developed by the Minnesota Department of Health and shared with local public health agencies on February 20, 2020 in dealing with the fire and smoke emanating from the Northern Metals facility in Becker. Wright County Public Heal...

The Census is Coming and Why It Is Important That Everyone Is Counted

In less than a month, citizens throughout the United States will be receiving their 2020 United States Census forms, as the country’s population is counted. The early projection is that the U.S. population is going to grow to approximately 333.5...

County Looking for Legislative Relief to Reduce Long Wait to Take a Driver's Test

Among the issues of interest to Wright County officials
during the current session of the State Legislature is a problem that has been growingover the last several years and may finally be hitting a tipping point –
scheduling a road test wit...

Wright County Public Health Issues a Press Release Discussing COVID-19

Much of the news in recent weeks has been dominated
with the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) outbreak that began in Wuhan, China in Decemberthat has created a worldwide public health emergency to be declared by the
World Health Organization and in the United S...

For the First Time In 40 Years Wright County Won't Have to Change Commissioner Districts

For the first time in 40 years, barring a shocking
development when the 2020 United States Census is completed, the five Wright Countycommissioner seats will not be subject to redistricting.

Redistricting is the process of redrawing political ...

County Board Receives Annual Medical Examiner's Report of 2019 Deaths In the County

One of the more unpleasant rituals the Wright County Board of Commissioners undertakes every year is to accept the annual Medical Examiner’s Report, which details all deaths that occurred in the county over the course of the previous year.

Dr. A....

County To Change a Pair of Road Designations in Buffalo, Buffalo Township

Having nothing in the bank typically isn’t something positive,
but when it is in the realm of the Wright County Highway Department, havingnothing in the mileage bank is ideal and the department is going to be close to
getting their balance d...

Residents Can Use Drop Boxes to Avoid Lines When Renewing License Tabs

Anyone who has gone to the License Bureau in the Wright County Government Center knows that, thanks to the failed MNLARS computer system that routinely extends transaction times as well as the conversion to Real ID for driver’s licenses, the wai...

County Preparing Comprehensive Strategic Planning Update

One of the more significant projects Wright County is
going to embark on in 2020 is going to be tackling strategic planning for thecounty’s future – assessing the wants and needs of county residents in
determining the county&rs...

Wellness Program Showing Results for Wright County Employees

For almost 30 years, Wright County has made a
concerted effort to promote employee health through its Wellness Committee. Themission of the Wellness Committee is to provide educational and physical activities
and programs that contribute to the overal...

Local Option Sales Tax Funding Several Needed County Highway Projects

At a time when state funding for road projects fluctuates
and the need to improve and repair an aging infrastructure system is becomingmore of an issue, for more than a decade Minnesota counties and larger cities
have looked for ways to increase reven...

Auditor/Treasurer's Office Wins Prestigious Award for Financial Reporting and Disclosure

For years, Wright County officials have expressed the desire to have full transparency with the public on how they conduct business. At the core of that pledge is making their financial books accessible to the public to scrutinize.

On Jan. 28, the Wright C...

Husom Reflects on County Plans for 2020

As part of the Feb. 4 meeting of the Wright County
Board of Commissioners, Christine Husom, the board chair for 2020 opened themeeting with a statement of where she feels Wright County has been and where it
is going.

Husom was the chair in 2015 and ref...

New Flagger Law Empowers Road Crew Employees to Report Dangerous Drivers

It may not always seem like it, but spring isn’t that
far away and, with the change of seasons, Minnesota drivers will beencountering road construction work zones, which can be a dangerous place for
workers and drivers alike.

From 2014-18, th...

Wright County Leading a Push to Get a Medical Assistance Dental Clinic

Earlier this week, the Wright County Board of Commissioners and several department employees met with three state legislators that represent the county to discuss issues of importance to Wright County for the coming legislative session. Among those topics...

County Officials Meet with State Legislators to Discuss Key Issues for the 2020 Legislative Session

On Tuesday, Jan. 28, the Wright County Board of
Commissioners and several staff members had a sit-down visit with three statelegislators that represent Wright County in St. Paul – Sen. Bruce Anderson
(IR-Buffalo Township), Rep. Eric Lucero (...

Full List of Presidential Nomination Primary Polling Places in Wright County

The Presidential Nomination Primary is coming Tuesday,
March 3 and there are 45 voting precincts in Wright County. Six cities and one townshiphave multiple precincts within their borders (Albertville, Buffalo, Hanover,
Monticello, Otsego, St. Michael ...

Official Notice of Presidential Nomination Primary

Pursuant to Minnesota Statute 207A.11, a Presidential Nomination Primary will be held on March 3, 2020, in the State of Minnesota, the County of Wright.

Presidential nomination primary voters must be registered to vote pursuant to Minnesota Statute 201.054...

Potter Begins Term as Minnesota Transportation Alliance President for 2020

Wright County Commissioner Mike Potter oversaw his
first meeting Monday, Jan. 27 as the 2020 president of the MinnesotaTransportation Alliance (MTA).

The MTA is in its 127th year, making it the
oldest transportation lobbying firm in the country. It is ...

County Board Approves Moving Forward With Turn Lane Project at Bertram Chain of Lakes Park

There are often times when a project needs to get done,
whether it’s a small home remodel or a larger government project, and thequestion comes up, “Where will the money to pay for it come from?”

That was a topic of discuss...

County Board Approves Carrying Over Department Budget Dollars to Complete Projects

Every year, the Wright County Board of Commissioners deals with budget issues that include carrying over unused portions of county budgets from one budget year to the next – often referred to as turnback dollars.

At its Jan. 28 meeting, the count...

Wright County Looking to Connect Two of the State's Largest Bike Trail Systems

For more than a decade, the State of Minnesota has
prioritized enhancing bike trail systems that can connect large segments of thestate. That commitment included Minnesota residents voting to approve a half-cent
sales tax in 2008 to create Legacy fund...

Survey: More Than Half of Wright County High School Juniors Still Text and Drive

The Hands-Free Law, which prohibits talking or texting on a cell phone while driving, has been the law in Minnesota since Aug. 1, 2019, but compliance with the law among teens hasn’t fully caught on with teens.

Wright County Commissioner Christin...

Highway Department Looking for Alternatives to Salt to De-Ice Roads in Winter

Whenever there is a snow or ice event in Minnesota,
you don’t need to see the area that got impacted to know where it hit. All youneed to do is look at vehicles that are streaked with road salt. However, the
day may be coming soon where high...

County Board Tables Discussion of Refugee Resettlement Amid Legal Battle In Federal Court

An Executive Order issued September 26, 2019 by
President Donald Trump requiring state and local governments to provideofficial consent to allow refugee resettlement in their jurisdictions has been
the source of nationwide discussion over the last fou...

Recorder's Office Now Offering Option for Residents to Download Land Records

Prior to this week, if an individual wanted to access
documents pertaining to land records Wright County, they were required to cometo the Wright County Recorder’s Office to obtain copies of those documents.
But, that has changed thanks to t...

Sheriff's Office Presents Rivers of Hope $14,805 Raised From 2019's Beard Challenge

In November and December of 2019, Wright County
Sheriff Sean Deringer ran a contest in his office – the Beard Challenge. Itallowed deputies and sheriff’s office staff to grow beards, which they are
forbidden to do ordinarily. The p...

Backpack Buddies Program Helping Hungry Families

Sometimes the reality of those who are struggling
the provide their kids with the basic necessities of life can be a little overwhelming.Not every child gets three meals a day and Buffalo-Montrose-Hanover School District
has decided to do something ab...

Bertram Chain of Lakes Regional Park Constructing Camping Sites for a 2021 Opening

One of the most beautifully aesthetic pieces of property in Wright County is the Bertram Chain of Lakes Regional Park in Monticello Township. It is a pristine park that, on weekends in the summer, will attract more than 800 visitors a day.

But, those who v...

County Board Makes Commitee/Advisory Board Assignments for 2020

When someone typically thinks of the job of a county commissioner, it involves their Tuesday board meetings that are live-streamed on YouTube. But, their jobs go far beyond that.

In reality, the primary job of the commissioners – or at least the most time-...

Confusion Remains Over New T-21 Law

There has been a lot of confusion raised in recent
days about the changes made to the federal law that raised the legal age topurchase tobacco/e-cigarette products from 18 to 21. If you’re confused, you’re
not alone.

There have been...

Sheriff's Office Seeking Information From the Public Concerning Death Investigation

The Wright County Sheriff’s Office is seeking anyone with information to assist the department in an active death investigation.

On Dec. 29, a body was found in Kingston Township in Meeker County, near the western border of Wright County. The body was iden...

Qualified County Residents Can Apply for First-Time Home Buyer Program

For many, the dream of home ownership is a goal set at
a young age, but often can be a daunting challenge for young people looking toavoid building a debt burden early in life or have difficulty coming up with
the needed money to make a down payment a...

County Board Likely To Continue Lobbying Effort for 2020 Legislative Session

The Dec. 31 agenda of the Wright County Board of Commissioners will include a consent agenda item dealing with retaining the lobbying firm of Flaherty & Hood to represent Wright County’s interests during the 2020 session of the Minnesota Sta...

WCCA Gets Grant Award From Otto Bremer Trust

For the last 75 years, the Otto Bremer Trust, a
philanthropic arm of Bremer Banks, has given out grants to worthy causes inMinnesota, North Dakota and western Wisconsin. Each year, there is a lot of
competition for grant funding because the trust, whi...

Sheriff's Office Beard Challenge Raises Money For Rivers of Hope

During the month of December, things were pretty hairy at the Wright County Law Enforcement Center, as more than 90 deputies, correctional staff and sheriff’s office employees took part in the Wright County Sheriff’s Office Beard Chall...

Parks & Rec To Partner Up To Combat Aquatic Invasive Species

Less than a year ago, Wright County was looking to
expand its pilot project to require boat inspections for Aquatic InvasiveSpecies (AIS) on county lakes from three lakes to nine. One of the six lakes that
was to be part of the expansion was Cedar Lak...

Sign Up for Free Alerts of County News and Programs

Want to have your devices connected to Wright County
events or programs of interest to you? You’re only a couple of clicks away withthe county’s Notify Me system, which is located on the county’s homepage at www.co.wright....

Long Range Transportation Plan Adoption

On September 17, 2019 the Wright County Board of Commissioners adopted the Long-Range Transportation Plan (LRTP), a document that will prepare the County’s transportation system for continued growth and corresponding travel needs over the next 2...