News stories from Hutchinson, Minnesota

Power Limited Training courses will take place in December at Ridgewater College’s Hutchinson campus. Both an eight-hour and a 16-hour option will be available. The eight-hour program is 8 a.m.

The Hutchinson SuperAmerica gas station at 1210 State Highway 7 W. has been hit by the what is apparently the same person stealing gas three times in recent weeks.

Monday’s announcement that the long-planned 500- to 600-megawatt Big Stone II power plant near Big Stone, S.D., will not be built should not leave Hutchinson residents without electricity.

Election Day 2010 is exactly one year away. You wouldn’t know it by the number of gubernatorial candidates who have visited McLeod County in recent weeks. We counted a dozen, and then lost count.

Residents of the 1200 block of Lewis Avenue Southwest have become increasingly frustrated by ongoing work being done to a home at 1209 Lewis Ave. S.W., owned by Steve and Cindy Wadsworth.

Election Day 2010 is exactly one year away. You wouldn’t know it by the number of gubernatorial candidates who have visited McLeod County in recent weeks. We counted a dozen, and then lost count.

From Rep. Ron Shimanski
District 18A, R-Silver Lake

From Kylie Jacobsen
Hutchinson

From Paul Thompson
Executive director, United Way of McLeod County

The biotechnology field continues to experience rapid growth and development as the science around healthcare, agriculture, and energy evolves.

By Nathan Winter
Extension Educator – Agricultural Productions Systems
McLeod and Meeker counties

Hundreds of Hutchinson area children and their parents flocked to two Halloween events Saturday afternoon.

People who want to teach but don’t have the full credentials will have an opportunity to become certified as short-call substitute teachers under the Minnesota Limited Short-Call Substitute program.

The Hutchinson Police Department has been operating without a second-in-command since the retirement of Lt. Dave Erlandson at the end of June.

Bushmills Ethanol Inc. will pay a civil penalty totaling $425,000 for a variety of alleged violations at it's ethanol production facility outside of Atwater.

When Carreen Pierson and her husband were planning their move to Hutchinson two years ago from the Truman area she looked forward to the Crow River Arts Inc. shop at Hutchinson Mall.

By Kim Asche
University of Minnesota Extension
Regional Office, Hutchinson

It wasn’t a solid “yes,” but Hutchinson City Council members seemed agreeable Tuesday night to considering a contract to do building inspections for Glencoe.

Formation of a joint school facility advisory committee will be on the agenda for the Hutchinson City Council and School District 423 Board at their first meetings in November.

Hutchinson, a city known for its quick and thorough snow removal, is considering a seasonal parking ban to go into effect starting at 2 a.m. Monday, Dec. 1.

From Marie Klinghagen
for Warm Coats for McLeod Communities

From Brad Emans
Hutchinson fire chief

Cheers to the Knights of Columbus, parents, students, staff and community members who helped make the Marathon for Nonpublic Education at St. Anastasia a success in 2009.
The Marathon Committee

By Jim Salfer,
a dairy educator with University of Minnesota Extension

Gerhard “Gary” Duesterhoeft, 82, of Hutchinson, passed away Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2009, at St. Vincent Healthcare in Billings, Mont.

The public will be able to comment next month on a proposal to ban overnight parking along all Hutchinson streets for 3 1/2 months of winter.

By Mary Caskey,
a health and nutrition educator, University of Minnesota Extension

In the 19th century, prospectors headed off to the mountains of California, Colorado and South Dakota and came back proclaiming “Thar’s gold in them thar hills.”

Caroline Kobow, 79, of Hutchinson, passed away Monday, Oct. 26, 2009, at the Hutchinson Community Hospital.