WINONA, MINN. (KWNO)-As COVID restrictions lift later this month, businesses are facing a new challenge; finding employees.
Winona Area Chamber of Commerce President Christie Ransom said restaurants, manufacturers, and businesses across the board are looking for workers.
“We’re here to help them fill those needs but I think we’re going to have to start being a little unique in how we do that,” said Ransom.
In its most recent update, the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) showed Winona County with a 3.7% unemployment rate. That figure was 3.1 % before the pandemic struck last March.
Winona County’s labor force, which is the sum of employed and unemployed people, dropped from 28,753 pre-pandemic to 27,106 as of March 2021, according to DEED.
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Progress on COVID vaccines, reopening (3/17/2021)
Local coronavirus vaccination drives continued their strong pace this past week, COVID-safety restrictions on businesses in Minnesota and nursing homes across the country were loosened, and Wisconsin announced plans to immunize the medically vulnerable.
Scores of Winonans waited in a line that wrapped around Winona Health’s Parkview Office Building last Thursday for a walk-in COVID vaccination clinic that distributed 400 doses in a single day before running out. Winona County and partners delivered a steady stream of shots, as did local pharmacies. Altogether 3,919 Winona County residents received a shot last week, according to the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH), which is roughly on par with last week’s record-setting number. As of Sunday, 29 percent of the county’s population had received at least one dose and 12.6 percent had received a complete vaccine series.
By TJ
Feb 23, 2021 10:02 AM
(KWNO)- Sen. Tina Smit D-MN heard from local leaders about issues surrounding childcare during a virtual roundtable Friday. Â
Winona Area Public Schools Community Education Director Ann Riebel told Sen. Smith she and other community members were working on solutions to childcare shortage in Winona County, then COVID-19 hit. Â
âWe had a subcommittee that was working really hard all of the way up to last February to start some new initiatives,â Riebel said. âThe COVID hit and that really slowed the progress of that one down.â Â
Riebel also shared difficulties added to the childcare shortage when restrictions meant to slow the spread of COVID-19 limited space of childcare centers. Â