Hutchinson Leader - Activities - Comments

Timely article with three

Partsmissing — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 11:04:12 -0500

Timely article with three weeks to go before school resumes.

Dr. Remulak, if the train

Terry Davis — Fri, 30 May 2008 11:32:50 -0500

Dr. Remulak, if the train your grandfather engineered passed a depot down by the dam he likely worked for the railroad known today as the Luce Line. It became the Minnesota Western in about 1924 until being purchased by the Minneapolis & St. Louis in 1956. The M&StL renamed it the Minneapolis Industrial Railway but was in turned acquired itself by the Chicago & North Western in 1960.

The C&NW operated it until about 1971-72, when the tracks were pulled up, making it a still unfinished state trail. Trains actually stopped running west of Hutchinson several years before that. After that, trucks brought grain, etc. from points west to Hutchinson where they were transloaded onto the railroad tracks then along Third Avenue Northwest.

The Luce Line/MN Western never made it to South Dakota. It ran out of construction money in about 1927 at Gluek, a few miles west of Clara City. That was its western terminus with a depot, turntable and enginehouse there — all gone today.

The Chicago & North Western Historical Society published a lengthy article in its North Western Lines quarterly magazine about 10 years ago by a man named Gary Lenz of Winsted. It is a pretty complete history of the Luce Line/MN Western/M&StL operation with several pictures, including trains and crewmen. The Luce Line and Mn Western operated a gas-electric, self-propelled passenger car as its passenger train until about 1947-48. If your grandfather operated passenger trains, he might have ran that. There are also pictures of steam engines used on the line. You might be able to get a back issue of that magazine on the society's Web site: www.cnwhs.org under its "C&NWHS store" department.

Try using this Web address: www.cnwhs.org/shopping/index.php?cPath=25&sort=2a&page=3
It should take you right to the page that magazine is listed on, third from the bottom. It costs $6 for the back issue. There might be adding shipping. It is issue: Vol. 26, No. 4, Fall 1999. I believe the Hutchinson Public Library and McLeod County Museum should have copies of that issue available for viewing by asking at their desks. I donated a copy to each several years ago.

Good luck.

Terry Davis
(Leader reporter Terry Davis is a model railroader and rail historian familiar with Hutchinson's rail history.)

Readers can click the

Matt McMillan — Fri, 30 May 2008 09:56:56 -0500

Readers can click the "Community" button at the top of the page and scroll down to "Lost Hutchinson" to see a batch of buildings lost during the city's past.

More than 50 buildings were featured in the "Lost Hutchinson" book published by the Leader late last year. Most of the copies have sold, but a few are still available at the Leader office.

I agree - I think that we

JaneDoe_22 — Fri, 30 May 2008 09:19:00 -0500

I agree - I think that we are way to anxious to tear down buildings and build something new. The present poor economy is probably a blessing because now we are not so quick to destroy buildings and build new ones (i.e. Park Elementary School). If you look around at college campuses you will see many old, old buildings that have been renovated to present code, and by golly, you can even plug in a computer and it will work just fine. There have been many buildings destroyed in this town to make room for "new" but now I think we are seeing those "new" buildings now vacant because the rent is too expensive for the tenants. Just food for thought!!

I am Dr. Remulak and my

Dr.Remulak — Thu, 29 May 2008 11:18:51 -0500

I am Dr. Remulak and my Grandfather used to pass through Hutchinson depot on his way to the Dakotas as a railroad Engineer. When I was 7 years old, he let me "drive" the train through the Twin Cities allowing me blow the horn at every crossing. We made the run West and I think passed the small old station by the dam, when Hutchinson had a REAL dam! I digress... The point I would like to make is that too many historical buildings have been torn down seemingly without any community involvement. The Mill Pond stone building would have been a perfect community tourist resource center or something similar. The Masonic Temple could have had a multitude of possibilities. Before another building in Hutchinson is torn down, some sort of historical preservation group should be formed to help preserve Hutchinson's beautiful and historic past, or be prepared to see many more less than historical parking lots! By the way, props to I believe one of former Mayor D.J. Black's sons, that saved the top of the old city hall that contained the siren that blew every day at 12 noon and sometimes at the 10pm curfew as I recall.

Does anyone know why they

Matt McMillan — Fri, 16 May 2008 14:40:57 -0500

Does anyone know why they were "happy" Danes?

Where's the beef?

Aura_Lee — Mon, 12 May 2008 07:28:18 -0500

Where's the beef?

Here is a response from

cjkarstens — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 11:11:54 -0600

Here is a response from Coleman on the farm bill, as I wrote to him my concerns about it. Feel free to comment on it or write him as well.

Given your interest in the reauthorization of the 2007 Farm Bill, I would like to take a moment to update you on the latest developments.

As a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, I worked with my colleagues from both sides of the aisle to draft and pass a balanced Farm Bill that not only strengthens the farmer safety net, but helps meet the food security challenges of America's low income families, makes a bold commitment to rural renewal, and boosts investment in renewable fuels and conservation. I am proud of our collective efforts, and worked hard to persuade my Senate colleagues to map out a path forward for the bill, which had stalled for weeks. On December 14, 2007, the Senate finally passed the Farm Bill (also known as the Food and Energy Security Act of 2007), with my support, by a vote of 79-14. The bill is currently awaiting a joint Senate-House conference to reconcile the differences between the two versions.

As the Ranking Member of the Nutrition Subcommittee of the Senate Agriculture Committee, I am proud of this bill's efforts to assist those Americans having trouble putting food on the table. In fact, the Nutrition provisions make up over 66 percent of the spending in the Farm Bill. During Committee consideration, I worked with my colleagues to bring the bill from a $4.5 billion increase in nutrition funding to a $5.6 billion increase over ten years. This funding will strengthen critical programs such as Food Stamps, which provides nutrition assistance to over 260,000 Minnesotans and The Emergency Food and Assistance Program (TEFAP) that keeps food in our food banks and homeless shelters. The bill includes my amendment to increase funding for TEFAP, which provides valuable resources to Minnesota food banks and homeless shelters, by an additional $10 million each year.

Meanwhile, I have worked to provide farmers with the tools necessary to continue feeding and fueling the nation. Throughout my time in office, I have met with farmers across Minnesota who consistently expressed the need for another strong Farm Bill - one that protects the safety net they depend on to succeed. The Senate Farm Bill kept the basic structure of the safety net as well as making needed updates for critical Minnesota crops, such as corn, sugar, barley, wheat, and soybeans, among others. The bill also includes a reauthorization of the dairy safety net, including the MILC program, restoring it to the 45% payment rate. The bill includes the farm storage loan program I have fought for in order to help Minnesota farmers cope in today's agriculture. And, I proudly support the new permanent agriculture disaster program that will lend farmers a helping hand when faced with natural disaster.

Beyond preserving the safety net for Minnesotans who work in agriculture, which provides more jobs in Minnesota than any sector except manufacturing, the Senate Farm Bill also provides significant, mandatory funding for key rural development programs. The bill includes priorities I have pursued including $50 million to rehabilitate small rural hospitals, $20 million to protect rural drinking water, and provisions to encourage local ownership of ethanol plants. To revitalize rural Minnesota communities, I was able to attach my Rural Renaissance legislation that provides $400 million in tax credit bonds to finance rural infrastructure projects, such as water and wastewater treatment projects, rural broadband, and telehealth and distance learning projects.

Another key for rural economic development in Minnesota is the renewable energy industry. In order to continue developing the industry, this bill delivers $1.1 billion in additional investment in the energy title. The energy title will help equip our existing corn ethanol plants with the latest in renewable technologies, while enabling the construction of cellulosic ethanol plants through $422 million for competitive grants and loan guarantees. The Senate Farm Bill also provides over $200 million to help farmers with production, harvesting, transportation, and storage costs for biomass. Finally, a sugar ethanol program, which I have long called for, will help diversify our biofuel feedstocks. These investments in the renewable energy industry are critical for rural economic development, as well as promoting energy independence and environmental protection.

At the same time, the Senate Farm Bill represents the single largest investment in conservation in history. Specifically, the bill increases funding for major programs such as the Wetland Reserve Program, the Conservation Stewardship Program and the Grassland Reserve Program, as well as protecting the 39.2 million acres allotted for the Conservation Reserve Program. The bill also includes Open Fields, a voluntary program I have co-sponsored in the past to encourage property owners to allow public access for hunting and fishing. Altogether, the bill increases conservation funding by over $4 billion above the current budget baseline, which will mean increased wildlife habitat, cleaner water and a healthier environment for all of us.

This Farm Bill also contains important reforms to prevent non-farming millionaires from getting farm payments and close loopholes used by some to get around payment limitations. The bill contains the most aggressive farm payment reforms to date, lowering the adjusted gross income limit from $2.5 million to $750,000 by 2010, while eliminating the three-entity rule, and commodity certificate loopholes. I support these reforms.
As this bill moves closer to the President's desk, you can be sure I will keep fighting for Minnesota's agriculture, energy, nutrition, and conservation priorities.

Thank you once again for contacting me. If I may be of further assistance to you in the future, please do not hesitate to contact me again.

This is definitely written

TW — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 21:35:11 -0600

This is definitely written by a "city slicker" that has no idea what farming costs or is even about for that matter! If Mr. Roebke had his way milk would cost $15-$20 a gallon and a loaf of bread would be $5-$10!!!

Just an update: Both G-SL

Jorge Sosa — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 15:43:54 -0600

Just an update: Both G-SL and McLeod West expect to have unofficial election results sometime after 10 p.m. tonight. The results won't be official until the ballots are canvassed. This usually happens a day or so after the election.

You can expect to see the initial vote counts on the Leader Web site sometime after 10 p.m. tonight (Nov. 6).

(Jorge Sosa is a staff writer for the Hutchinson Leader. He can be reached at sosa@hutchinsonleader.com)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MINNY, YOU

Corner Pocket — Sat, 13 Oct 2007 16:33:32 -0500

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MINNY, YOU DON'T LOOK A DAY OVER 129.

It's good to get people more

sfjeske1 — Fri, 28 Sep 2007 07:21:58 -0500

It's good to get people more technically
educated . How many really know their cell phone or vcr / dvd player?

Just a thought.

Steve , N0CRS - licensed 33 years .

This is what people should

sunseeker — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 16:20:22 -0500

This is what people should be concerned with rather than RV's and vehicles parked in driveways. Very disturbing.

I got chills when I read

Kate — Wed, 11 Jul 2007 17:13:05 -0500

I got chills when I read this arcticle! How Wonderful!

Maxine, This tribute to your

splishsplash — Wed, 11 Jul 2007 11:29:40 -0500

Maxine,

This tribute to your son is absolutely beautiful. I think it's great to make a unique tribute to a loved one which will help people remember that they were someone special. You did a wonderful job of choosing a "one of a kind"...and as a mother to a son, it's a perfect way to remember your own one of a kind.

Take care Maxine