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CogniLocal

Waverly / Howard Lake

Your Community, More Completely.
Tuesday, September 29, 2026 · Permanent link to this edition
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City seeks multiple full-time police officersLocal 4-H leader presents county proclamationHLWW teams have a full competition slate todaySchool-board work session has passed, but minutes are not yet posted
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Today in Waverly / Howard Lake

NEW: City seeks multiple full-time police officers
NEW: Local 4-H leader presents county proclamation
NEW: HLWW teams have a full competition slate today
UPDATE: School-board work session has passed, but minutes are not yet posted
UPDATE: EDA meeting date passed without a published meeting record

NEW: newly reported developments or upcoming opportunities. UPDATE: later substantive information on a covered story. ONGOING: continuing useful information. RESOLVED: the reported issue has ended. BACKGROUND: dated historical context, not a new development or confirmation of current availability. UNCONFIRMED: a story, continuing story or detail that could not be confirmed against its cited source on the edition date; the note under the headline says what is not confirmed. Today and countdown lines carry "(unconfirmed)" for the same reason. All local times are Central Daylight Time.

Public Safety & Courts

NEWHoward Lake

City seeks multiple full-time police officers

Howard Lake is accepting applications for multiple full-time police officer positions to address current staffing needs and prepare for a possible expansion of the department's service area. Minnesota POST-licensed or license-eligible applicants may apply. The stated pay range is $39.48 to $53.70 per hour. Applications remain open until the positions are filled, with the first review scheduled for October 15 and initial interviews anticipated in the first week of November.

  • Publication date: Not stated on the detailed posting; verified September 29, 2026
  • Application milestone: First review October 15, 2026
  • Source: City of Howard Lake, Howard Lake Police Officer - Full Time

Schools & Youth

NEWHoward Lake

Local 4-H leader presents county proclamation

The Wright County Board proclaimed October 4 through 10 as National 4-H Week. Sophie Salmela, a member of Howard Lake's Handy Dandy 4-H Club and president of the Wright County 4-H Federation Board, presented the proclamation. The county says its 4-H program includes 21 clubs, more than 700 members and more than 180 adult volunteers.

NEWBoth

HLWW teams have a full competition slate today

The official HLWW calendar lists boys and girls varsity/JV cross-country at the DC Invite from 4 to 6 p.m.; seventh- and eighth-grade volleyball against Watertown-Mayer at 4:15 p.m.; seventh- and eighth-grade football against Delano at 4:15 p.m.; boys varsity soccer, Jordan versus Rockford/HLWW, from 5 to 7 p.m.; girls varsity soccer, Jordan versus Rockford/HLWW, from 7 to 8:30 p.m.; and varsity volleyball, HLWW versus Kimball Area, from 7 to 9 p.m. Locations and last-minute changes should be checked in the live calendar.

  • Publication date: Not stated; calendar verified September 29, 2026
  • Event date: September 29, 2026
  • Source: Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted Public Schools, District Calendar
UPDATEBoth

School-board work session has passed, but minutes are not yet posted

The HLWW School Board work session scheduled for September 28 at 6:30 p.m. is now past. The district calendar and BoardBook search listing confirm the meeting date and location at the HLWW High School Media Center. As of September 29, the public BoardBook archive does not yet expose minutes or an audio record, so no board action can be confirmed from the official record.

The scheduled meeting time passed; the story is now in the records-pending stage

  • Latest confirmed status: Meeting listing and agenda exist; minutes or another official account of action are not yet available
  • Unresolved: What was discussed, what action was taken and whether any votes occurred
  • Publication/status date: Verified September 29, 2026
  • Event date: September 28, 2026
  • Sources: HLWW District Calendar and BoardBook public archive

City, Roads & Planning

UPDATEWaverly

EDA meeting date passed without a published meeting record

Waverly's city calendar listed an Economic Development Authority meeting for September 28 at 6 p.m. The scheduled time has passed, but the city's BoardBook archive still does not show a September 28 EDA agenda, minutes or meeting record. The city calendar lists the next EDA meeting for October 26 at 6 p.m.

The September 28 calendar date passed

  • Latest confirmed status: The event remains on the city calendar; no official record confirming that the meeting occurred or documenting action was found
  • Unresolved: Whether the meeting was held and whether the EDA acted on its revolving-loan-fund review or any other development item
  • Publication/status date: Verified September 29, 2026
  • Event date: September 28, 2026
  • Sources: City of Waverly home and meeting calendar and BoardBook public archive

Business & Commercial Development

ONGOING

Nuvera fiber rollout nears another milestone in both communities

Nuvera's September 22 construction updates show fiber work continuing in both Waverly and Howard Lake .

In Waverly, one construction area is already ready for fiber while another remains on an estimated September completion schedule. Howard Lake shows the same pattern: one area ready for fiber and another still on an estimated September completion schedule.

For local businesses, expanded fiber availability can affect internet capacity, remote work, payment systems, cloud services and other digital operations.

Latest construction updates cited: September 22. Completion remains unconfirmed.

Sources: Nuvera Waverly updates · Nuvera Howard Lake updates

Community & Culture

ONGOING

Howard Lake Library offers public space; next Senior Group date needs confirmation

Howard Lake Library is at 817 8th Avenue . The city’s calendar identifies its community room as the location for Senior Group gatherings.

Correction to September 27 coverage: the calendar accessible for this review shows September meetings. The previously reported October 1 and 15 dates could not be confirmed. Check the city’s calendar or call 320-543-3670 before arranging an October visit. For library access and hours, call 320-543-2020 .

Calendar and library checked September 28; October Senior Group dates unconfirmed.

Sources: Howard Lake city calendar · Howard Lake Library

Arts, Culture & Events

ONGOING

HLWW offers an October 3 household cooking class on carnitas and tortillas

HLWW Community Education lists a live virtual class with Tess Georgakopoulos on October 3, 4 to 6:30 p.m. Participants prepare carnitas, flour and corn tortillas, and pickled red onions in their own kitchens.

The listed fee is $39 per household . An electric multicooker and a nonstick pan are listed equipment needs. The district page says online registration is over; contact Community Education to ask whether any places remain.

Source checked September 28; original posting date not stated.

Sources: HLWW class details and registration
ONGOING

Applications are listed for HLWW’s November 21 arts and crafts expo

HLWW Community Education lists its Creative Arts & Crafts Expo for November 21, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. , at the Middle School and Activity Center, 8700 County Road 6 SW, south of Howard Lake .

Exhibitors must participate in making what they sell. Applications are considered in order received, subject to available space; a standard 12-by-12-foot booth is listed at $69 . The district’s registration page provides exhibitor requirements, options and contact information.

Source checked September 28; original posting date not stated.

Sources: HLWW expo and exhibitor applications

AI in Your Community

CogniLocal tracks where artificial intelligence and related automated systems are already entering the institutions that serve this community, who is deploying them, what they are being used for and what changes next.

NEWWaverly

Wright County Sheriff wearables bring AI-powered law-enforcement technology to Waverly

Waverly contracts with the Wright County Sheriff's Office for police services. Oracle says that office is deploying its AI-powered Public Safety Wearable Computer System, making the technology directly relevant to the agency that provides Waverly's policing.

Oracle said the officer-worn devices automatically record interactions and were planned to add live video streaming to the command center. At the October 2025 announcement, Oracle said 70% of Wright County's 176 sworn personnel were already using the system, with full deployment planned.

  • Oracle announcement: October 20, 2025
  • Local connection: Waverly contracts with the Wright County Sheriff's Office for police services
Sources: City of Waverly, Public Safety · Oracle, Wright County deployment announcement
NEWWaverly / Wright County

Wright County's automated plate-reader network is already in active use

The Wright County Sheriff’s Office operates fixed and mobile Flock automated license-plate readers around the county. The sheriff says the system can alert deputies to stolen or wanted vehicles and can be searched after an incident to identify vehicles connected with criminal activity.

On September 3, 2026, the sheriff’s office said Flock cameras helped deputies locate a person of interest after a fatal stabbing in Monticello. The agency said the person was taken into custody roughly 10 miles from another residence investigators feared he was headed toward.

  • Current local footprint: Countywide fixed and mobile automated plate readers
  • Recent documented use: September 3, 2026 Monticello investigation
Sources: Wright County Sheriff, Flock transparency page · Wright County Sheriff, September 3 investigation
NEWWright County

AI-generated fake citations reached a Wright County court filing

The Minnesota Tax Court found that a Wright County filing contained five nonexistent case citations generated by artificial intelligence. The court concluded that including the false citations violated Rule 11.02(b) of the Minnesota Rules of Civil Procedure.

The court declined to impose monetary sanctions but referred the matter involving the assistant county attorney to the Minnesota Lawyers Professional Responsibility Board. The incident shows AI reaching local government not as a future proposal, but through actual county legal work.

  • Court order: May 29, 2025
  • Finding: Five AI-generated citations did not refer to real judicial decisions
Sources: Minnesota Tax Court, Delano v. Wright County sanctions order
NEWWright County

AI-driven data-center demand has already changed Wright County land-use policy

Wright County imposed an emergency moratorium on new data-center applications in county townships in May 2026 while officials study zoning standards and infrastructure impacts.

The county ordinance explicitly identifies artificial intelligence, cloud services and other digital infrastructure as drivers of demand for physical data centers. The county later formed a workgroup to examine environmental, fiscal, infrastructure and land-use effects.

  • Moratorium adopted: May 19, 2026
  • County workgroup announced: June 2026
Sources: Wright County, data-center moratorium · Wright County, moratorium ordinance materials · Wright County, data-center workgroup
BACKGROUNDHoward Lake / Waverly / Winsted

HLWW’s 2024 catalogs listed adult and youth AI classes

Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted Community Education listed a practical ChatGPT class for adults and an “Extreme Coding: Artificial Intelligence” course for students in its summer and fall 2024 catalogs. Those catalogs document past offerings; they do not establish a current class or registration opportunity.

The youth course described machine learning and activities such as building a chatbot and a rock-paper-scissors game. The adult class focused on practical use of ChatGPT for research, writing and everyday tasks.

  • Adult offering: Practical ChatGPT instruction
  • Youth offering: Artificial intelligence and machine-learning coding
Sources: HLWW Community Education, Summer 2024 catalog · HLWW Community Education, Fall 2024 catalog

Still Developing

The latest confirmed movement, the open question and the next checkpoint.

OPEN

Waverly Public Works superintendent search

The city continues to advertise the superintendent position at $43.98 to $48.55 per hour.

Still unresolved: The hiring outcome.

Next checkpoint: October 11 application deadline, followed by a hiring announcement.

Current bulletin lists October 11 closing date

Sources: Current job bulletin
AWAITING RECORDS

Howard Lake Sept. 21 City Council actions

The City Council met September 21 at 7 p.m. at Howard Lake City Hall.

Still unresolved: Final actions from that meeting when minutes or another official meeting record become public.

Next checkpoint: Approved minutes or another official meeting record.

Council meeting September 21 Status confirmed 2026-09-21.

Sources: Howard Lake meeting calendar
AWAITING RECORDS

HLWW September 28 Board work session

The September 28 agenda lists procurement policy, overnight student trips and employment matters at the 6:30 p.m. work session.

Still unresolved: Discussion, actions and votes.

Next checkpoint: BoardBook minutes or audio.

The scheduled work session time passed; minutes were not posted by September 29. Status confirmed 2026-09-29.

Sources: September 28 BoardBook agenda
OPEN

Waverly water lead exceedance

Waverly’s municipal notices continue to list a lead exceedance. The underlying notice says residents were sent a letter August 28.

Still unresolved: Subsequent sampling, corrective action and confirmation of whether the exceedance has been resolved.

Next checkpoint: An official water-quality or corrective-action update.

Resident notification sent August 28 Status confirmed 2026-08-28.

Sources: Waverly lead-exceedance notice
OPEN

Howard Lake residency-restriction ordinance

Ordinance 26-02 creates a residency-restriction section in the city code. The city held its separate community-notification briefing September 10.

Still unresolved: Full codified text and implementation details.

Next checkpoint: The updated city code or an implementation notice.

Ordinance summary published September 25 Status confirmed 2026-09-25.

Sources: Herald Journal ordinance notice · Howard Lake briefing
OPEN

Howard Lake refuse and recycling transition

A September 9 agenda packet contemplated assigning existing refuse and recycling agreements to Waste Management of Minnesota. The transaction was then expected around September 14, with existing terms continuing through the contract period.

Still unresolved: Confirmation of the completed transition and any resident-facing rate or service changes.

Next checkpoint: Approved minutes, a contract notice or resident-service information.

Contract assignment appeared in September 9 materials Status confirmed 2026-09-09.

Sources: September contract summary
OPEN

Waverly EDA Revolving Loan Fund application

The EDA discussed adding the Business Subsidy Policy, clarifying collateral language and making the application fillable online. The existing application appeared to date from 2018.

Still unresolved: Final adoption of the application and policy changes. The subject is not confirmed on the September 28 agenda.

Next checkpoint: A revised application or recorded EDA action.

Revisions remained unfinished April 27 Status confirmed 2026-04-27.

Sources: April 27 meeting account
AWAITING RECORDS

September 28 Waverly EDA meeting

The city calendar confirms the meeting; discussion subjects were not established in the available materials.

Still unresolved: Whether the meeting occurred and what action was taken.

Next checkpoint: Agenda, minutes or a revised calendar notice.

The scheduled EDA meeting time passed; no meeting record was posted by September 29. Status confirmed 2026-09-29.

Sources: Waverly calendar

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