News

Warmer than average temperatures throughout the month of March meant some early ice-out dates on area lakes. The ice on Lake Minnewaska officially was off March 30, 16 days ahead of the average ice off date of April 15.

Artichoke Lake at Swift County’s western border went off April 1, seven days ahead of the average ice off date of April 8. Norway Lake in Kandiyohi County saw the ice go off March 24, 15 days earlier than the average of April 8.

Early ice out dates in the state are the result of a very mild winter. The January to March period saw temperatures 7.5 degrees above average.

February 2017 went down as the second warmest on record for the Benson area and one of the warmest in the history of the State of Minnesota. Five record high temperatures were broken during the month and three high low temperatures were either tied or broken....

More Buffer Law Options Available for Minnesota Landowners

Six alternative practices offer flexibility for landowners to meet water quality improvement goals
 

Implementation of Minnesota’s buffer law is well underway, and landowners around the state are making good progress ahead of the first compliance date set for Nov. 1.

To help landowners figure out the most effective way to comply with the buffer law, the Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources (BWSR) released another set of tools last week to help soil and water conservation districts (SWCDs) and landowners identify alternative options. 

The Common Alternative Practices guidance provides water quality solutions for common situations where practices other than buffers may make sense.

Less than six months after winning his second two-year term in the Minnesota House of Representatives, District 17A Rep. Tim Miller, R-Prinsburg, has announced that he will seek his party’s endorsement to run for Congress in 2018.

Miller, 51, said last week that he will see the 7th District U.S. House seat held by conservative Democratic Collin Peterson since 1991. Peterson, 72, who is from Detroit Lakes, has not yet said whether he will seek a 15th term in Congress or retire.

If Miller gets the Republican endorsement to run for the 7th District seat next year, he would be giving up his state House seat. District 17A is made up of Swift and Chippewa counties, most of Renville County, and the four southwestern Kandiyohi County townships of Edwards, Holland, Roseland and Lake Lillian.

Before going on its Easter break, the Minnesota House of Representatives approved a bill that calls for the state to either buy or lease the 1,600-bed Prairie Correctional Facility in Appleton.

However, passage of the bill in the Republican-controlled House doesn’t mean it will eventually be approved. It now goes to a conference committee between members of the House and state Senate – which is also controlled by Republicans.

However, even if the bill comes out of the Legislature it still has to get signed by Democratic Gov. Mark Dayton. So far, Dayton has not favored the state’s purchase or lease of the privately-owned prison.

CoreCivic, formerly known as Corrections Corporation of America, is the owner of the prison. It has sat empty since February 2010. CoreCivic does keep a maintenance staff at the prison to keep it ready to use and has made significant investments in improvements over the past seven years.

Solar power is rapidly growing in Minnesota and now Swift County is seeing some land owners expressing an interest in putting up the panels.

While the current proposal is small, there are some very large solar arrays coming on line around the state. In a rural area north of the Twin Cities an array covering more than 1,000 acres of land that once was planted to corn and soybeans is now producing electricity.

The Chisago County solar panel farm is producing enough power to energize more than 20,000 homes, Minnesota Public Radio reported in a story last fall.

Back in 1996, Minnesota was only producing enough solar energy to power 16 homes. By 2015, 35 megawatts of capacity was generated, or enough to power more than 39,000 homes, MPR’s story said. And last year, that capacity jumped to 250 megawatts.

The North Star project in Chisago County has the capacity to produce 100 megawatts of electricity, which it sells to Xcel Energy.

Xcel Energy seeks to undo state’s biomass mandate

The City of Benson has been pitted in a David versus Goliath showdown at the Minnesota Legislature this week as it works to prevent Xcel Energy from pushing through a bill that could potentially lead to Benson Power, LLC, closing down.

If the proposed legislation passes, it would undo the state’s biomass mandate that is at the heart of the financing agreement that allowed the poultry-fired power plant to be built.

It would allow Excel Energy to renegotiate the rate it pays for power from Benson Power, and if it couldn’t, to offer to buyout the power purchase agreement. A buyout could lead to Xcel closing down the plant city officials fear.

Former Benson Bakery longtime owner Jerry Johannessen was inducted in the Upper Midwest Bakery Association’s Hall of Fame during the organization’s annual convention in early March.

“The bakers hall of fame was established to ensure that memories of outstanding bakers be recognized and preserved,” the association says of its award. “It is to honor those whose hard work and dedication has been significant and outstanding achievements to the baking industry, community and the American way of life.”

Longtime Benson Bakery employee Becky Halverson nominated Johannessen for the award. By nominating him, she also took on the responsibility of speaking to the 300-person crowd about why she nominated him.

I can’t wait to go back! The Redhead Creamery near Brooten is warm and welcoming. When you meet Alise, you will remember meeting her: Huge smile, red hair and a warm laugh.

It was Alise who had the vision for the Redhead creamery. After three years they are still growing and developing. She grew up on the dairy farm, in which the creamery now stands.

What is so interesting is that everything happens on the farm. They grow there own alfalfa and corn, make silage, feed their cows, harvest their own milk and within 24 hours the cheese is made. Her family, including her parents and sisters, have help her achieve her dreams!

Spring arrived Monday with nearly all the snow in the area gone and the high temperature reaching 55 degrees – 14 degrees above the March 20 average high of 41 degrees. Sunday was even warmer with the high hitting 64 degrees.

But it is spring in Minnesota. While we can see a high of 73 degrees (March 6) early in the month, we could still see some cold temperatures and snow in the weeks ahead.

Last year the Benson area saw its third warmest March on record with highs reaching into the 70 both March 11 and March 12. The Benson Golf Course even saw one of its earliest openings ever with golfers teeing off March 12.

But one month after those same golfers would have had to go a long ways south of Benson to find temperatures warm enough for golf. The low in Benson fell to a record low of 12 degrees March 12, 2016. While temperatures warmed considerably after that, the area still saw low fall to 27 degrees May 15.

RDA purchasing building with eye toward future economic development

As plans for a $4.1 million renovation of the Swift County Courthouse proceed, courthouse staff is planning to move to a temporary location for at least six months later this year.

That move will include nearly 30 staff, their record files, computers, and other equipment that are currently spread round the three-story courthouse. Eighth Judicial District Court Judge Dave Mennis will be moving to space in the basement of the Swift County Law Enforcement Center.

If plans proceed as scheduled, bids for the renovation project will be let in June with work starting in July and lasting into January.

It is looking like the temporary location for county staff will be the former Lewis Drug building on Atlantic Avenue downtown Benson.