May 13, 2008, 1:36 pm
Send your favorite photo to  snapshots at Hutchinson Leader
Looking for a bargain? Check out our garage sale listings here.
Got a news tip? Email us, or call us at (320) 587-5000

User login

Email Edition
Type in your email address and click "Subscribe" to receive our E-mail Edition in your inbox.




Add our RSS feed to your favorite service.

Add to Google Reader or Homepage

Subscribe in NewsGator Online

Add to My AOL

Today's Poll

Get Firefox

Environment


Judges deliver major setback to Big Stone II project

ST. PAUL (AP) — The proposed Big Stone II power plant suffered a major setback Friday when two administrative law judges recommended against allowing transmission lines from the plant to be built across west-central Minnesota.

If the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission accepts that recommendation, the project could be doomed, said Dan Sharp, a spokesman for the five utilities that are seeking to build the plant.

“The transmission lines are critical and unless we can build the transmission lines in Minnesota, the project can’t go,” Sharp said.


Peterson announces conservation funding for 33 counties

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The United States Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Services has approved sending more than $12.9 in federal money to various agricultural producers in Minnesota’s Seventh District through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program.


Utilities to study wind power’s potential

Could wind power be in Hutchinson Utilities’ future? A motion by the city-owned company’s governing board last week to begin a preliminary study is the first baby step toward that potential goal.

The Utilities Commission authorized a $26,000 study by Geronimo Wind Energy that will analyze the feasibility of Utilities pursuing construction of a wind turbine development in the Hutchinson area. The work will take about two or three months.


Hutchinson harvests honors for emphasizing trees

The Hutchinson Utilities Commission has received an Outstanding Partnership award from the Minnesota Shade Tree Advisory Committee.

The April 24 presentation took place at the University of Minnesota Landscape Arboretum in Chanhassen. Utilities’ General Manager Michael Kumm and conservation coordinator Jon Guthmiller accepted the award from the MnSTAC President Ken Simons.


April 22, 2008 - 8:15am
Happy Earth Day

New Century Charter School juniors Rita Allen and Liz Marcus encouraged people to make sure the materials they bring to CreekSide composting are organic, unlike the stuffed Bob the Builder toy Marcus separated from the compost pile. The two students have been working with the Youth Energy Summit at Prairie Woods Environmental Learning Center in Spicer, their school and the local compost site in an effort to create more awareness of energy conservation and waste.

For this story and others involving Earth Day, see the April 22 print edition of the Hutchinson Leader.



April 19, 2008 - 2:00am

Flea market today

More than 100 vendors are expected at the Hutchinson Spring Indoor Flea Market at the McLeod County Fairgrounds Saturday, April 19. For the admission price of $1, visitors can look for deals and bargains from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.



April 18, 2008 - 7:59am

What’s with the dam?

Some Hutchinson residents may be wondering “What’s with the dam? Where is the wall of water rolling over it?” According to City Engineer Kent Exner, the new rock dam will function differently than the former dam, which was essentially a wall. Workers with Park Construction will be returning in early May to add small “chinking” rock around the large boulders. That should cause water to roll over the rocks more, instead of down and around them as it does now.



New gas-to-energy plant will help power Glencoe

Glencoe will soon receive nearly 25 percent of its electricity from a plentiful renewable energy source just a few miles down the road: the Spruce Ridge landfill.

If all goes according to plan, Waste Management’s newest gas-to-energy plant could come online as early as next week, according to the firm’s district manager, Mark Reinert.


Utilities designated a Tree Line USA utility

Hutchinson Utilities Commission is one of 149 utility companies designated a Tree Line USA utility by the Arbor Day Foundation and the National Association of State Foresters.

Hutchinson Utilities, which was nominated by City Forester Mark Schnoebrich, is one of only four Minnesota utilities, and the only state municipal power company, recognized this year. All were listed in an ad in the March 19 Wall Street Journal.

The Tree Line USA program recognizes public and private utilities that demonstrate practices that protect and enhance America’s urban forests.


Coming up: free information, training on local water quality

The next few weeks will bring a flood of information for those who want to learn more about water quality in McLeod County.

The McLeod County Farm Bureau will conduct an informational meeting about the state of local watersheds, and the Crow River Organization of Water will offer training for volunteers who want to monitor streams and lakes.


Our Other Sites

Newspapers

Hutchinson Leader
News, community information, and an online gathering place for residents of Hutchinson, Minnesota.
Litchfield Independent Review
News, community information, and an online gathering place for residents of Litchfield, Minnesota.

Community Guides

Guide to Hutchinson
Community guide highlights important people, places and events in Hutchinson, Minnesota.
Litchfield Community Guide
Community guide highlights important people, places and events in Litchfield, Minnesota.

Classifieds

JobsHQ
Looking to broaden your horizons? JobHQ.com has job openings from all over Minnesota, Wisconsin, North Dakota and South Dakota.
leaderrealestateguide.com
Real estate listings and homes for sale in central Minnesota, including the cities of Hutchinson and Litchfield.
Southwest Shop Now
Job listings, used items, garage sales, and everything you'd find in the classifieds. Items from central Minnesota and the southwest suburbs of Minneapolis and St. Paul, including the cities of Hutchinson, Litchfield, Chaska, Chanhassen, Eden Prairie, Jordan, Savage, Shakopee, and Prior Lake.
Motorbuys.com
Shop online for a great selection of vehicles from central Minnesota and the Southwest Metro Area.