The nation’s first large-scale commercial plant that would convert wind energy to hydrogen could be located just south of Bird Island, reports Tom Cherveny of the West Central Tribune. Norfolk Wind Energy and Emerald H2 will develop the project. Norfolk Wind Energy, made up of farmers and landowners south of Bird Island, wants to erect 40-megawatt turbines with the opportunity to expand to 100 megawatts, said founder and president Dave Scheibel. Emerald H2 of Minneapolis has technology that can use electricity to produce hydrogen from water. The project would be the first to demonstrate whether hydrogen can be produced from wind-produced electricity on a large scale. Ultimately, the companies hope to use the hydrogen to make anhydrous ammonia, a common ingredient in fertilizer that is currently made from natural gas.
Police arrested 35 people in Winona Monday during two protests against frac sand mining, reports Mary Juhl of the Winona Daily News. More than 100 people split into two groups, one of which protested at the commercial dock where frac sand is shipped out on barges, the other at a sand processing plant on Winona’s west end. The Winona Police Department and other area law-enforcement agencies arrested 19 protesters at the dock and 16 at the processing facility. All were arrested without incident. Winona Catholic Workers organized the protests, which consisted of area people who oppose the frac sand industry as well as others in the region’s Catholic Worker community. Volunteers from Iowa, Missouri, Wisconsin, Michigan and other states traveled to Winona to participate. Protester Dan Wilson said, after his release, “As long as this industry is in town, we will be protesting it. Our end goal is to have a Minnesota without frac sand, and until we reach that goal, we’ll be working to meet it.”
Weather/farm stories popped up throughout state newspapers last week. The St. Cloud Daily Times carried the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s weekly crop report, which said Minnesota farmers have begun only limited field work, mainly on higher ground and well-drained fields. Full-scale fieldwork should begin around May 7, about two and a half weeks later than the five-year average. Corn yields in Minnesota don’t suffer unless planting is delayed past mid-May, though there is some concern about yields for spring wheat and other small grains.
Meanwhile, water woes continue in southern Minnesota, writes Julie Buntjer of the Worthington Daily Globe. Despite recent moisture, the U.S. Drought Monitor released last week showed Worthington on the line between a moderate and severe drought along with area communities such as Luverne, Pipestone, Marshall and Windom. “Right now, the outlook for May calls for equal chances for above normal and below normal precipitation and temperatures,” said National Weather Service Hydrologist Mike Gillispie in Sioux Falls. Worthington Public Utilities Manager Scott Hain was hoping to lift the city's watering ban, but he doesn’t want to lift the ban only to put it in place again if the area doesn’t return to a normal precipitation pattern. “This is a serious situation,” Hain said. “If we go through another season like we have the last two, things are going to get really touchy around here as far as water goes.”
More than 40 Duluth school district teachers and administrators have announced their retirements, and more are expected before the end of the school year, writes Jana Hollingsworth of the Duluth News Tribune. The announcements from 44 teachers and administrators is the highest number in five years and among the highest in 10 years. Frank Wanner, president of the Duluth Federation of Teachers, said most are just weary. “We’re getting close to 20 years of cutbacks. … People have been around for years and years and things don’t get better. They get worse. … This isn’t just Duluth, but it’s reflected here.” Teachers who began working before 1989 can retire with full benefits when their age plus the number of years they’ve worked in the district equal 90. Teachers who began working after 1989 receive full benefits at age 66 but can retire as early as 55 with reduced benefits.
Demetrius Lewis, 31, of Austin, was charged Monday with first-degree burglary, a felony, and obstructing the legal process, a misdemeanor, reports Matt Peterson of the Austin Daily Herald. According to the court complaint, Lewis entered an Austin home at about 11:30 p.m. Friday, went into a bedroom and started yelling. The homeowner awoke and told the man to go downstairs while another in the home called police. Officers said Lewis refused to get off the coach (sic), and sprayed him with mace. Police had to place a spit hood on Lewis at the jail. According to the court complaint, Lewis had been drinking and may have known someone who previously lived at the home.
Moorhead city employees make about 5.7 percent less than employees with similar jobs in similar cities in the region, according to a study commissioned by the Moorhead City Council, reports Wendy Reuer of the Fargo Forum. Springsted Inc. of St. Paul was commissioned by the council to study staff salaries and compare them to other cities such as Mankato, Bemidji, Fargo, East Grand Forks, and Cass and Clay counties. On Monday, Sharon Klumpp, senior vice president of Springsted, said the study found that 42 employees fall below market average. She recommended the city increase salaries in 2014 by 2 percent and allow a 3.12 percent step increase for eligible employees to align the city with the job market. The 2 percent increase in 2014 would cost about $253,779. The step raise would cost $395,894. “Our staff members have bent over backwards for us during those tough economic times,” Councilman Mike Hulett said. “I think we as a council really need to dig in and find a way to reverse these variances.” Not so fast, Councilwoman Nancy Otto said. “There are a number of things competing with salaries in the city, (such as) bond payments, and we have street repairs that have gotten behind. I think we’ll have to take a balanced look at the whole picture to make sure we get a complete look.” The council took no action but plans to discuss it May 21.
The Minnesota River Valley Scenic Byway group’s first Byway-Long Garage Sale on Saturday aims to combine bargain-hunting with site explorations in what will be, in effect, a 287-mile-long garage sale, writes Brian Ojanpa of the Mankato Free Press. New Ulm Convention and Visitors Bureau Manager Terry Sveine said the goal is to get people up close and personal with natural and historic sites along the river valley corridor. The event involves no licenses, fees or paperwork. Sellers need only put up red balloons and signage along the byway. The Minnesota River Valley Scenic Byway runs from Browns Valley in western Minnesota, through New Ulm and Mankato, and ends at Belle Plaine. Details and sightseeing information will be available on the group’s website or by calling 888-463-9856.
A Winona-area NRA-approved firearms instructor shot his finger Thursday, writes Jerome Christenson of the Winona Daily News. Fred Petersen, 66, of rural Stockton was showing his wife a .38 Special handgun Thursday in their home, Winona County Sheriff Dave Brand said. Petersen’s wife asked him if it was possible to pull the trigger when the weapon was holstered. In attempting to answer, Petersen triggered the action while holding the gun and holster in his left hand, accidentally firing a shot. The slug struck his left index finger between the first and second joint, Brand said. Petersen received successful surgery to repair the finger, Brand said. “The gun was pointed in a safe direction,” Petersen said Monday, “but my finger was not in a good spot.” Petersen is a certified instructor for classes required to qualify for a Minnesota concealed-carry handgun permit.
St. Cloud State University’s “Husky Howl” could appear in the Guinness Book of World Records, according to the St. Cloud Daily Times. Students — 296 total — gathered under watch of observers to make sure the strict Guinness requirements were met. Participants were required to howl for one full minute. A howling record did not exist, and it took at least 250 people to set one. The Husky is SCSU’s mascot.
New Ulm’s Big Tree award for 2013 went to an elm at 710 N. Franklin St. that measures more than 10 feet in circumference, according to the New Ulm Journal. Joshua Grau of New Ulm won the $200 competition by finding the tree. The prize is applied toward a purchase of a tree of his choice. This is the fifth year of the competition and this year's category was elm trees. The next biggest elm measured 9.7 feet. The program is hosted by the New Ulm Tree Advisory Commission to help build awareness of the beauty and importance of trees.