News stories from Hutchinson, Minnesota

From Diane Robinson
Hutchinson

This past year the McLeod County Corn & Soybean Growers Association and the University of Minnesota Extension in McLeod County teamed up for the McLeod County Corn and Soybean Growers Plots.

Imagine visiting some exotic overseas country without all the hassles of getting a passport, going through labyrinth of airport security and worrying about whether your luggage will make the trip safely, too.

In an age of unprecedented large-daily newspaper circulation losses and rising attention given to bloggers as primary news sources, we were heartened in recent weeks by two news items:

From Diane Robinson
Hutchinson
I have found myself becoming increasingly upset as the recount for the Coleman/Franken Senate election continues.

From Sen. Steve Dille
District 18, R-Dassel
In the last election many politicians blamed lobbyists for some of the problems our state and nation face.

Jeers to the person who picked up a $17 box of laundry soap that apparently slipped off my grocery cart unnoticed while going from the packing up counter to the car and not returning it to me or the check-out lane.

If there is one thing you can count on besides death and taxes, it is that most people don’t understand how real estates taxes are calculated.

Automotive Parts Headquarters Inc., a St. Cloud-based after-market distributor, has completed the changeover of Forbes Auto, formerly doing business as Parts Plus, into what is now known as Auto Value of Hutchinson.

A 21-year-old Hutchinson woman has been charged by the McLeod County Attorney’s office with driving while intoxicated and motor vehicle theft following an incident Sunday, Nov. 23.

A Hutchinson family of four escaped unharmed early Tuesday morning from a fire in the basement of their Washington Avenue home.

Gene and Tamela Schultz have moved their Name Your Frame and Photography studio to Hutchinson Mall where they will continue to offer studio and location photography, as well as custom framing.

Sarah Popp recently received loan assistance from the Southwest Initiative Foundation’s Microenterprise Loan Program for the start-up of CORE Exercise Studio, a group aerobics fitness business at 101 Main St. S, in downtown Hutchinson.

Hutchinson Area Health Care’s forward-thinking plan for a 288-unit senior care/housing campus has won initial green lights from the Hutchinson Planning Commission and City Council.

From Keith Kamrath
Chairman, Hutchinson Board of Education
If you had developed an opinion based on a certain set of facts, and then later discovered that some of the facts were incorrect, would that cause you to change your opinion?

From Karen Altena
Pregnancy Services, Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota
Thousands of children and families have been touched by adoption in its many forms. Newborn infants have joined families chosen by birth parents that made loving adoption plans for their babies.

Hutchinson city staff are working on a possible ordinance designed to provide control over the increasing problem of houses left vacant because of foreclosure or other reasons.

A review three weeks ago of the 2009 budget for Hutchinson’s wastewater treatment plant revealed rates may need to increase about 36 percent.

Slow Food Minnesota will host a presentation by local farmers who traveled to Turin, Italy, in October to participate in Terra Madre.

A count of 238 people were thankful Thanksgiving Day for the Hutchinson area Disabled American Veterans chapter and its auxiliary.

Darrell “Smitty” Elmer Schmidt, 89, of Rapid City, S.D., died Monday, Nov. 24, at the Good Samaritan Center in New Underwood, S.D.

By Gary A. Hachfeld,
University of Minnesota Extension

ST. PAUL — Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development Commissioner Dan McElroy announced today (Nov. 26) that the federal Emergency Unemployment Compensation program has been extended in Minnesota.

By Kim Asche
University of Minnesota Extension, Regional Office, Hutchinson

The annual Truth in Taxation hearing for the city of Hutchinson takes place at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 2, in the council chambers of City Center, 111 Hassan St. S.E.

John Dobihal, of Gibbon, died Saturday, Nov. 22, at his home. Funeral services will be 1 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 26, at The Catholic Church of St. Willibrord, Gibbon.

From State Rep. Ron Shimanski
District 18A, R-Silver Lake
Crews recently finished a State Highway 7 construction project from Silver Lake to St. Bonifacius, the latest in a string of highway upgrades that will benefit this area. Highways 15, 22, and 212 also have received extensive work the past few years as Minnesota bucks a popular misconception that its infrastructure is eroding.

If you want to keep McLeod County’s economy strong over the holidays, why not buy an Inspectra StO2 System made by Hutchinson Technology or a case of Scotch Brand Transparent Tape manufactured at the 3M plant in Hutchinson?

From Keith R. Kamrath
Chairman, Hutchinson Board of Education