🌱 Mayo Clinic To Ease Mask Requirements + County OCD Rates

Good morning, everybody! It's me, Nicole Fallon-Peek, your host of the Patch newsletter. Here's everything you need to know about what's happening in town.

But first, your local weather:

• Wednesday: Winds becoming strong; cloudy. High: 40 Low: 23.
• Thursday: Cold; breezy in the morning. High: 42 Low: 24.

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Here are the top three stories today in Rochester-Mason City:

1. Rochester's Mayo Clinic announced that it will be slowly easing its masking requirements across its local facilities. The organization stated that the change is being implemented because of “consistently low rates of hospitalizations, mortality and community transmission levels of COVID-19 observed at most Mayo Clinic locations.” Rochester-Mason area Mayo Clinic mask requirements will be lifted in most situations beginning Apr. 10. (KROC-AM)
2. Rochester-based Dr. Puja Uppal shared some information regarding new research on the struggles of OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder) patients. The latest research indicates that more people than previously thought have OCD, and its impact on quality of life can also be more severe than previously believed; 21 percent of adults in Olmsted County have depression and another 12.6 percent report that their overall mental health is poor. According to Uppal, it can take seven to nine years of mental health struggles before someone is diagnosed with OCD and is able to get the help that they need. Treatment resources for people with OCD and other mental health conditions can also be difficult to come by. (Subscription: Herald Review)
3. A Rochester man who has been wanted by local authorities for the last three years has reportedly been arrested after a traffic stop near the Assisi Heights Dr. Holiday gas station. Najib Ahmed, 29, was reportedly stopped a little after 2 a.m. on Apr. 3 because of an expired registration. Ahmed left his vehicle in drive, causing it to crash into a nearby snowbank, and fled the scene several blocks to the north where he was eventually apprehended. He was arrested on active warrants for third-degree assault, fifth-degree assault, and threats and could also face charges for fleeing a motor vehicle and fleeing on foot; his hearing in Olmsted County Court is not yet scheduled. (krforadio.com)

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Today and tomorrow in Rochester-Mason City:

Wednesday, April 5

• LIUNA Career Fair At Rochester Eagles Club (3:00 PM)
• Open Studio At Arts Head Emporium (6:00 PM)
• Kinney Creek Brewery Pub Quiz At Kinney Creek Brewery (7:00 PM)
• Open Mic On Zoom (10:00 PM)

Thursday, April 6

• The Garden Circus At Graham Arena Complex, Olmsted County Fairgrounds (6:30 PM)

From my notebook:

• Love a good brewery visit? Check out this guide on how to do the Minnesota brewery circuit on a budget! Explore Minnesota has brought back its Minnesota Sips Passport, which grants you access to some great deals with at least 64 local breweries, cideries, distilleries, and wineries from all over the state. (Minnesota's New Country)
• Mason City's crime rate dropped in 2022 according to early reports from the Iowa Department of Public Safety. Public Safety data shows a nine percent drop in overall crime in 2022 compared to 2021. Arrests are also down by eight percent, and the report demonstrates a slight downward trend in Mason City's crime in the past four years. (KAAL-TV)
• Minnesota Wild forward Mason Shaw is out for the remainder of the season after tearing his ACL. Shaw is 24 and has already had three ACL surgeries, all after being chosen by the Wild in the fourth round of the 2017 draft. (News Daily)

Now you're in the loop and ready to head out the door on this Wednesday! I'll see you around.

— Nicole Fallon-Peek

About me: Nicole Fallon-Peek is a journalist and copywriter with a degree in Media, Culture and Communication from New York University. She has served as a freelance reporter, managing editor, copy editor, and editorial director for a variety of B2B news outlets. She currently co-owns and operates content creation agency Lightning Media Partners.