Passenger rail line, with a stop in Cambridge, may be up and running by 2012
A decade ago it was obvious that a passenger rail line between the Twin Cities and Duluth would never work. There was nothing on the south end for it to connect to. There was little on the north end for people to want to travel that way for. Congestion on Interstate 35 was unheard of. No one had a lap top, and what were cell phones?
A lot has changed, noted Ken Buehler of the Lake Superior Railroad Museum.
Today, the Hiawatha Light Rail line runs between downtown Minneapolis and the airport. The Northstar Commuter Line will be operating this year between Big Lake and Minneapolis. Both will converge at the new Twin stadium. And riders can connect to the larger world by hopping aboard an Amtrak train bound for either the west or east coast.
People have spread out of the Twin Cities area and moved into the suburbs with some commuting as much as one and one-half hours a day. Others have built expansive vacation homes along the North Shore. Today there is a casino smack in the middle of the Twin Cities to Duluth journey that operates as though it were a city of one million people. And after paying $4 a gallon for gasoline last summer, folks are looking for ways to avoid pouring their entire paychecks into their gas tanks.
AN EXCITING INITIATIVE
Congressman James Oberstar (Minnesota District 8), chair of the House Transportation Committee, has been watching the conditions change. Under his leadership in the house, a national transportation policy is being developed, one that includes rail in addition to highways. Various rail projects across the nation have been prioritized. Number two on the list is the Minneapolis to Duluth line.
“That is an exciting initiative,” said Oberstar.
“We need to give consumers as many options and alternatives as possible,” he added. “If we can take just 10 percent of the trips that are currently being made by automobile, and convert them to some other mode of transportation, we will save the equivalent of all the oil that we import from Saudi Arabia each year – 550 million barrels.
“I will do all I can to support this visionary project.”
SERVICE TO START IN 2012
The Passenger Rail Alliance, a group with members from affected counties and cities, has completed the necessary feasibility study for the project. Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) railroad done modeling to show how freight trains and passenger trains could operate concurrently. The alliance is now starting its negotiations with BNSF. An environmental impact statement will be completed in a year, and will then be followed by an engineering study.
Most of the necessary funding for the rail line is expected to come through the Federal Rail Administration, which provides up to 80 percent for projects. Oberstar’s Amtrak bill, which passed in October with overwhelming bipartisan support, authorized $14 billion in funding for the national passenger railroad over the next five years. The alliance continues to seek funding to pay for needed groundwork, as well as the actual construction.
The intent is to start service in 2012.
As with most projects, the price tag for the Northern Lights Express (NLX) line has increased and is now at between $45 to $55 million. The reason for most of the increase is that to begin with, passenger rail representatives believed they could use the existing Burlington Northern Sante Fe rail line. While NLX trains will travel part of the time on the tracks that already exist, in many places dual and even triple tracks will need to be added, possibly all the way from Minneapolis to Sandstone. Another major cost is installing quad gates at each crossing along the 150-mile line; these are the type of gates drivers can’t snake through. “This will be a very safe operation,” Buehler promised.
Stops on the passenger rail line will be limited to six locations: the Twin stadium in Minneapolis, Foley Boulevard in Coon Rapids, Cambridge, Hinckley, Superior and Duluth. A maintenance facility will be built in Sandstone. Eight trains a day will travel at 110 miles per hour and carry an estimated 1 million people. Within 18 months, planners predict the line will become profitable.
Each city with a stop is responsible for providing its own depot. In Cambridge, a task force is investigating where the best place for a depot is. Among the options are locating it at the mall, which sits along the tracks.
Passengers on the train will travel between Duluth and Minneapolis faster than if they were driving. The cost will be comparable, noted Buehler. According to the AARP, it costs 55¢ to operate a car, which totals $80 between Duluth and Minneapolis. The cost for a one-way train ticket will be about $36. For those traveling from Cambridge to Minneapolis it will cost about $9 one way. Those who travel more frequently, such as every day or once a week, will be able to buy tickets at a discount; this may save them up to half.
While trains will reach a peak of 110 miles per hour, they will not be going that fast through towns. Stops at depots will be quick, and the train will pass through a crossing in seconds causing little disruption to traffic, said Buehler. These trains are also much smaller and lighter than the freight trains Cambridge residents are used to.
Each NLX train set will have five to six cars. There will be a quiet car, where no cellular phones, computers or MP3 players are allowed. At the lunch car, riders can purchase snacks. In another car, there will be a bar for those looking to relax. In the business car, a mini-Kinkos will be set up so that telecommuters can print their work, have copies made during the trip and have reports collated and bound.
“This is going to revolutionize where people live and how they do work,” predicted Buehler. Instead of windshield time, travel time will be billable hours. Relays will be set up allowing passengers access to wireless internet (for a fee) and ensuring they never drop a cell call.
TRAIN TO SPUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Supporters of the project note that rail projects are about more than transporting people from place to place.
“It’s more than transportation,” said Buehler. “It’s economic development.” The Hiawatha corridor has seen $2.5 billion in privately funded development. When a similar train was installed in Texas with a stop in the North Dallas area, a blighted area was completed turned around. “Now North Dallas is one of the trendiest metropolises – all because of a train stop nobody wanted,” noted Buehler. The Amtrak Downeaster, running between Boston and Portland, is Amtrak’s fastest growing route in the country right now.
“Wherever we have seen high speed rail initiatives, economic development has accompanied it,”Oberstar noted. “You will see businesses that previously did not want to locate outside the metro area choosing to do so because there will be easy access for their personnel to the metro area.”
Monday, May 11, 2009
Isanti does its part to solve world energy crisis
Renewable fuel plant to open this spring in the city’s industrial park
Isanti will soon be home to a renewable fuel plant.
EverCat Fuels, LLC. will open this spring in the city’s industrial park. It will transform what was waste into fuel.
“It truly is a tremendous project,” Isanti Mayor George Wimmer observed.
NO LONGER FOOD VERSUS FUEL
This new procedure eliminates the food or fuel debate. “The Mcgyan process can use many alternatives to produce diesel such as waste oils and algae. This gives us a secure fuel source without raising the cost of food,” Wimmer observed.
Unlike other biodiesel systems that require expensive ingredients, the Mcgyan Process® can used items, such as algae, that are farmed on low-quality land. These raw materials that are needed can be locally produced, Wimmer remarked. He is particularly excited about the potential for the use of algae, which can easily be produced in the swamplands of Isanti County. The use of algae is about two to four years out; it is currently be studied at the Ever Cat research and development facility, noted Dave Wendorf of Ever Cat.
Developed by three inventors, the Mcgyan Process combines alcohol and oil or tallow and converts it into biodiesel.
Thus far, the process has been tested using a variety of ingredients, both liquids and solids, including refined lard, walnut oil, refined algae oil, olive oil, corn oil, peanut oil, coconut oil, acidulated soapstock, and yellow grease as feedstock and methanol, ethanol and propanol as the needed alcohols.
The plant is energy-efficient. The reactor is heated to about 300ยบ Celsius, but because it is so small the outgoing hot products can be used to heat the incoming cold reactants. Excess alcohol is separated out and added to the mix again. Any feedstock (i.e. oil) that is not used is sent back through the reactor.
The entire process is also environmentally-friendly. There are no strong acids or bases used, and thus there is no waste produced that needs to be disposed of elsewhere. The process does not add any carbon into the atmosphere. Additionally, no water is used. “Our city infrastructure will not be impacted from the biodiesel plant,” Wimmer said.
It takes other biodiesel plants hours to produce what EverCat can do in seconds.
BIODIESEL WILL LESSEN DEPENDENCE ON FOREIGN OIL
The 10,000-square-foot plant in Isanti will produce about 3 million gallons of biodiesel this year to begin with. The plant can easily be modified to produce 10 million gallons by adding another reactor, and long-term plans are to ramp that up to 30 million gallons once rail access is established.
Biodiesel is in demand right now, thanks to a state law requiring that two percent of the fuel in the state be biodiesel. That requirement increases to five percent by the end of this month, and must be 20 percent by 2015.
“It’s going to lessen our dependence on foreign oil sources,” Wendorf said.
He anticipates that the fuel being produced at EverCat will be sold to “blenders,” companies that blend biodiesel with diesel fuel and sell it to users like Metro Transit.
The cost of the biodiesel that will be produced will be less than ethanol or other forms. This is because the Mcgyan Process is so efficient and because it uses the materials others consider waste, explained Wendorf.
PLANT TO ADD 16 JOBS
Sixteen new jobs will be added at the Isanti facility. “The jobs produced are ones that you can raise a family on and afford to buy one of our many homes for sale in the city,” noted Mayor Wimmer. “This is a benefit any year, but especially in one where Isanti County has seen a near doubling in the unemployment rate.”
Jobs will pay between $15 to $20 an hour. They will not require more than a high school diploma and on-the-job training.
PUTTING ISANTI ON THE MAP
The EverCat facility in Isanti will not only be a production plant, but also a demonstration plant. To date Ever Cat has been contacted by 40 countries that are interested in the Mcgyan Process. Part of this is because mini-reactors can be set up anywhere, lessening the distance fuel travels between where it is produced and where it is consumed, noted Wimmer.
“We anticipate thousands of visitors coming to Isanti to learn the technology and be trained in plant operations as the Mcgyan Process is duplicated throughout the world,” Wimmer noted.
“This project puts Isanti on the high technology/green technology map.”
EverCat representatives are also working with the community college in Cambridge to train students on the new technology.
Recognizing the value of this effort, the Economic Development Association of Minnesota recently presented Isanti with its Business Recruitment Award.
SPIN-OFF BUSINESS ENCOURAGED
The city hopes to build off of the entrepreneurial spirit of EverCat by encouraging spin-off businesses to locate nearby.
Not only will they then provide more jobs and increase the tax base, but “this will add more revenue potential to our existing businesses as they serve the flow of visitors and newly created companies,” Wimmer noted.
He added, “The expansion of EverCat also helps the city of Isanti in the development of a rail industrial park which will lead to further economic development. This helps to reduce the roughly 80% of our working population’s need to commute to the Twin Cities for work.”
Learn more at evercatfuels.com
Isanti will soon be home to a renewable fuel plant.
EverCat Fuels, LLC. will open this spring in the city’s industrial park. It will transform what was waste into fuel.
“It truly is a tremendous project,” Isanti Mayor George Wimmer observed.
NO LONGER FOOD VERSUS FUEL
This new procedure eliminates the food or fuel debate. “The Mcgyan process can use many alternatives to produce diesel such as waste oils and algae. This gives us a secure fuel source without raising the cost of food,” Wimmer observed.
Unlike other biodiesel systems that require expensive ingredients, the Mcgyan Process® can used items, such as algae, that are farmed on low-quality land. These raw materials that are needed can be locally produced, Wimmer remarked. He is particularly excited about the potential for the use of algae, which can easily be produced in the swamplands of Isanti County. The use of algae is about two to four years out; it is currently be studied at the Ever Cat research and development facility, noted Dave Wendorf of Ever Cat.
Developed by three inventors, the Mcgyan Process combines alcohol and oil or tallow and converts it into biodiesel.
Thus far, the process has been tested using a variety of ingredients, both liquids and solids, including refined lard, walnut oil, refined algae oil, olive oil, corn oil, peanut oil, coconut oil, acidulated soapstock, and yellow grease as feedstock and methanol, ethanol and propanol as the needed alcohols.
The plant is energy-efficient. The reactor is heated to about 300ยบ Celsius, but because it is so small the outgoing hot products can be used to heat the incoming cold reactants. Excess alcohol is separated out and added to the mix again. Any feedstock (i.e. oil) that is not used is sent back through the reactor.
The entire process is also environmentally-friendly. There are no strong acids or bases used, and thus there is no waste produced that needs to be disposed of elsewhere. The process does not add any carbon into the atmosphere. Additionally, no water is used. “Our city infrastructure will not be impacted from the biodiesel plant,” Wimmer said.
It takes other biodiesel plants hours to produce what EverCat can do in seconds.
BIODIESEL WILL LESSEN DEPENDENCE ON FOREIGN OIL
The 10,000-square-foot plant in Isanti will produce about 3 million gallons of biodiesel this year to begin with. The plant can easily be modified to produce 10 million gallons by adding another reactor, and long-term plans are to ramp that up to 30 million gallons once rail access is established.
Biodiesel is in demand right now, thanks to a state law requiring that two percent of the fuel in the state be biodiesel. That requirement increases to five percent by the end of this month, and must be 20 percent by 2015.
“It’s going to lessen our dependence on foreign oil sources,” Wendorf said.
He anticipates that the fuel being produced at EverCat will be sold to “blenders,” companies that blend biodiesel with diesel fuel and sell it to users like Metro Transit.
The cost of the biodiesel that will be produced will be less than ethanol or other forms. This is because the Mcgyan Process is so efficient and because it uses the materials others consider waste, explained Wendorf.
PLANT TO ADD 16 JOBS
Sixteen new jobs will be added at the Isanti facility. “The jobs produced are ones that you can raise a family on and afford to buy one of our many homes for sale in the city,” noted Mayor Wimmer. “This is a benefit any year, but especially in one where Isanti County has seen a near doubling in the unemployment rate.”
Jobs will pay between $15 to $20 an hour. They will not require more than a high school diploma and on-the-job training.
PUTTING ISANTI ON THE MAP
The EverCat facility in Isanti will not only be a production plant, but also a demonstration plant. To date Ever Cat has been contacted by 40 countries that are interested in the Mcgyan Process. Part of this is because mini-reactors can be set up anywhere, lessening the distance fuel travels between where it is produced and where it is consumed, noted Wimmer.
“We anticipate thousands of visitors coming to Isanti to learn the technology and be trained in plant operations as the Mcgyan Process is duplicated throughout the world,” Wimmer noted.
“This project puts Isanti on the high technology/green technology map.”
EverCat representatives are also working with the community college in Cambridge to train students on the new technology.
Recognizing the value of this effort, the Economic Development Association of Minnesota recently presented Isanti with its Business Recruitment Award.
SPIN-OFF BUSINESS ENCOURAGED
The city hopes to build off of the entrepreneurial spirit of EverCat by encouraging spin-off businesses to locate nearby.
Not only will they then provide more jobs and increase the tax base, but “this will add more revenue potential to our existing businesses as they serve the flow of visitors and newly created companies,” Wimmer noted.
He added, “The expansion of EverCat also helps the city of Isanti in the development of a rail industrial park which will lead to further economic development. This helps to reduce the roughly 80% of our working population’s need to commute to the Twin Cities for work.”
Learn more at evercatfuels.com
Lowe’s first to locate in Spirit River Crossings
New retail area will add shopping opportunities for region
This fall, the well-known store with a blue roof will open in Cambridge.
Site work on the new Lowe’s started last fall just west of the Isanti County Fairgrounds. The store will sit on property that was formerly the Cambridge athletic complex. Next year, a Kohl’s will be added alongside Lowe’s.
“The new stores will offer more shopping opportunities and create a market for attracting more residents to the county,” said Cambridge Development Director Dave Carlberg.
He believes that the expansion of the Cambridge retail community benefits the region as a whole. “It’s going to bring more people in the area, not just to shop at these stores, but at existing stores, as well,” Carlberg said.
Once both Kohl’s and Lowe’s have opened, Carlberg expects the developers of Spirit River Crossings, Opus Northwest, to announce additional smaller stores and restaurants. Opening on the south side of Highway 95 this year will be Sonic Restaurant. The company has already submitted building plans and paid for a permit. The new restaurant will be located at the corner of Opportunity Boulevard and Second Avenue behind where Eastgate Mall used to be.
“I think 2009 might be a little quieter as far as smaller retailers developing in that area,” noted Carlberg. But he predicts that 2010 will be a big year for the city.
ABOUT THE CAMBRIDGE LOWE’S
The Cambridge Lowe’s store will be the 13th in the state. Other locations include: Hibbing, Mankato, Rochester, Blaine, Coon Rapids, Maple Grove, Oak Park Heights, Rogers, Plymouth, Owatonna, Shakopee, and West St. Paul. Each week, about 14 million shoppers walk through the doors of 1,650 stores in the United States and Canada. This year, Lowe’s will expand to Mexico while adding 60 to 75 stores.
Lowe’s began small. It started in North Carolina when H. Carl Buchan, part owner of the North Wilkesboro Hardware Company, envisioned creating a chain of hardware stores. At the time, Lowe’s was a typical, small town hardware store selling everything from overalls and snuff to wash tubs, work boots and even horse collars. Buchan began concentrating on hardware, appliances and hard-to-find building materials in the post-World War II building boom. Sales grew as Lowe’s established a reputation for low prices. Stores were added in neighboring towns throughout western North Carolina.
The company went public in 1961. In 1982, Lowe’s had its first billion-dollar sales year, earning a record profit of $25 million. Its customer base began changing from professional builders to do-it-yourself homeowners. By 1994, the modern Lowe’s was established and the only stores being built were large. In metro markets, Lowe’s builds stores that are 117,000 square feet. The Cambridge store will be the same size as those built in small to mid-sized markets at 94,000 square feet.
The Cambridge store will employ about ?? people. Approximately ?? percent of the jobs will be full-time.
Lowe’s stores stock 40,000 products and have hundreds of thousands more available by special order. On the shelves find Kichler lighting, Hitachi tools, John Deere lawn tractors, Samsung and Whirlpool appliances and Valspar paint. The Cambridge store will feature an adjacent garden center. A store of this size represents an average investment in the community of approximately $12 million.
This fall, the well-known store with a blue roof will open in Cambridge.
Site work on the new Lowe’s started last fall just west of the Isanti County Fairgrounds. The store will sit on property that was formerly the Cambridge athletic complex. Next year, a Kohl’s will be added alongside Lowe’s.
“The new stores will offer more shopping opportunities and create a market for attracting more residents to the county,” said Cambridge Development Director Dave Carlberg.
He believes that the expansion of the Cambridge retail community benefits the region as a whole. “It’s going to bring more people in the area, not just to shop at these stores, but at existing stores, as well,” Carlberg said.
Once both Kohl’s and Lowe’s have opened, Carlberg expects the developers of Spirit River Crossings, Opus Northwest, to announce additional smaller stores and restaurants. Opening on the south side of Highway 95 this year will be Sonic Restaurant. The company has already submitted building plans and paid for a permit. The new restaurant will be located at the corner of Opportunity Boulevard and Second Avenue behind where Eastgate Mall used to be.
“I think 2009 might be a little quieter as far as smaller retailers developing in that area,” noted Carlberg. But he predicts that 2010 will be a big year for the city.
ABOUT THE CAMBRIDGE LOWE’S
The Cambridge Lowe’s store will be the 13th in the state. Other locations include: Hibbing, Mankato, Rochester, Blaine, Coon Rapids, Maple Grove, Oak Park Heights, Rogers, Plymouth, Owatonna, Shakopee, and West St. Paul. Each week, about 14 million shoppers walk through the doors of 1,650 stores in the United States and Canada. This year, Lowe’s will expand to Mexico while adding 60 to 75 stores.
Lowe’s began small. It started in North Carolina when H. Carl Buchan, part owner of the North Wilkesboro Hardware Company, envisioned creating a chain of hardware stores. At the time, Lowe’s was a typical, small town hardware store selling everything from overalls and snuff to wash tubs, work boots and even horse collars. Buchan began concentrating on hardware, appliances and hard-to-find building materials in the post-World War II building boom. Sales grew as Lowe’s established a reputation for low prices. Stores were added in neighboring towns throughout western North Carolina.
The company went public in 1961. In 1982, Lowe’s had its first billion-dollar sales year, earning a record profit of $25 million. Its customer base began changing from professional builders to do-it-yourself homeowners. By 1994, the modern Lowe’s was established and the only stores being built were large. In metro markets, Lowe’s builds stores that are 117,000 square feet. The Cambridge store will be the same size as those built in small to mid-sized markets at 94,000 square feet.
The Cambridge store will employ about ?? people. Approximately ?? percent of the jobs will be full-time.
Lowe’s stores stock 40,000 products and have hundreds of thousands more available by special order. On the shelves find Kichler lighting, Hitachi tools, John Deere lawn tractors, Samsung and Whirlpool appliances and Valspar paint. The Cambridge store will feature an adjacent garden center. A store of this size represents an average investment in the community of approximately $12 million.
Expect great things in Cambridge
Kohl’s to open in 2010
Although Kohl’s won’t be opening this year as planned, the department store is still coming to Cambridge.
The current plan is to begin construction this fall. The store will then open in the spring of 2010. It will be located next to Lowe’s in Spirit River Crossings.
Cambridge Community Development Director Dave Carlberg has been closely monitoring the progress of both Kohl’s and Lowe’s, which will also be constructed in Spirit River Crossings.
Some have asked him if Kohl’s will be backing out due to the current economic situation. “To me it’s a question of timing,” said Carlberg. “There’s too much of an investment here for them not to come, but timing is what we’re always monitoring.”
The site work for the new store has already been done, and the parking lot is in. In addition, Lowe’s realligned Second Avenue Northeast last fall.
Carlberg noted that he gets frequent calls from people wondering when Kohl’s will be opening. “I’m amazed at how many people are waiting for that retailer to come to town,” he remarked.
ABOUT KOHL’S
Kohl’s has grown from one store in Wisconsin to 1,004 in 48 states since opening in 1962. The company plans to open 50 new stores in 2009 and remodel 60 locations.
Based in Menomonee Falls, Wis., a suburb of Milwaukee, Kohl’s strives to be family-focused and value-oriented. Find national brands like KitchenAid®, Dockers® and Dyson™, as well as Chaps, daisy fuentes®, apt. 9®, Croft & Barrow®, Sonoma LIFE+style™, Candie’s® and Tony Hawk®. Kohl’s also has exclusive agreements with the Food Network™ and fashion designer Vera Wang.
Last year, Kohl’s added several more lines: Jumping Beans®, a new children’s private brand; Gold Toe, a national hosiery brand; the Bobby Flay™ line, an expansion of its Food Network™ relationship; the Abbey Dawn line, a juniors' lifestyle brand that blends authentic rock with a feminine edge, inspired by rock sensation Avril Lavigne; and FILA SPORT®, an elite sportswear brand that includes a full line of active apparel for women, men and children as well as accessories including sport bags and footwear.
Although Kohl’s won’t be opening this year as planned, the department store is still coming to Cambridge.
The current plan is to begin construction this fall. The store will then open in the spring of 2010. It will be located next to Lowe’s in Spirit River Crossings.
Cambridge Community Development Director Dave Carlberg has been closely monitoring the progress of both Kohl’s and Lowe’s, which will also be constructed in Spirit River Crossings.
Some have asked him if Kohl’s will be backing out due to the current economic situation. “To me it’s a question of timing,” said Carlberg. “There’s too much of an investment here for them not to come, but timing is what we’re always monitoring.”
The site work for the new store has already been done, and the parking lot is in. In addition, Lowe’s realligned Second Avenue Northeast last fall.
Carlberg noted that he gets frequent calls from people wondering when Kohl’s will be opening. “I’m amazed at how many people are waiting for that retailer to come to town,” he remarked.
ABOUT KOHL’S
Kohl’s has grown from one store in Wisconsin to 1,004 in 48 states since opening in 1962. The company plans to open 50 new stores in 2009 and remodel 60 locations.
Based in Menomonee Falls, Wis., a suburb of Milwaukee, Kohl’s strives to be family-focused and value-oriented. Find national brands like KitchenAid®, Dockers® and Dyson™, as well as Chaps, daisy fuentes®, apt. 9®, Croft & Barrow®, Sonoma LIFE+style™, Candie’s® and Tony Hawk®. Kohl’s also has exclusive agreements with the Food Network™ and fashion designer Vera Wang.
Last year, Kohl’s added several more lines: Jumping Beans®, a new children’s private brand; Gold Toe, a national hosiery brand; the Bobby Flay™ line, an expansion of its Food Network™ relationship; the Abbey Dawn line, a juniors' lifestyle brand that blends authentic rock with a feminine edge, inspired by rock sensation Avril Lavigne; and FILA SPORT®, an elite sportswear brand that includes a full line of active apparel for women, men and children as well as accessories including sport bags and footwear.
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Isanti County’s injured deputy anxious to return to work
Fund at Cambridge State Bank set up for Chad Meyer
ISANTI COUNTY – It’s been 10 weeks since he was struck by a car while on duty, but Isanti County Sheriff’s Deputy Chad Meyer can’t wait to get back to work.
The only problem is, he’s not sure when that will be.
Meyer’s broken left leg is still healing. Doctors aren’t yet sure what the extent of damage is to his dislocated left shoulder. He went in recently for an MRI to evaluate the nerve damage and will get the results in another week.
LIFE CHANGES IN A SECOND
Saturday night, Dec. 13, 2008 was just another night on the job for the rookie cop. He was one of several assisting at a crash scene at Highway 95 and County Road 48 midway between Cambridge and North Branch.
The scene was nearly cleaned up, and Meyer asked the State Patrol officer in charge if there was anything else he needed. While the State Patrol vehicle was parked along Highway 95 alerting westbound traffic to slow down, the patrolman asked Meyer to remain on County Road 48.
There is a corner on the county road that hides the Highway 95 intersection, noted Meyer, and his car was there to make sure another crash didn’t happen.
He recalls walking back to his squad car and removing his traffic vest. That’s where his memories end.
Others have told him he was struck by a car on Highway 95. He’s not sure how he got back up to the highway. He has also been told that his body flew quite a ways after being struck, but he’s still waiting for the incident report from the state patrol to learn just how far it was.
The next memory Meyer has is of getting to the hospital, and then it’s blank until he woke up in the intensive care unit.
In a way, he’s glad he doesn’t remember being hit. Still, knowing he was, when he sees crashes on television it gives him “the willies.”
Despite that he’s determined to return to work. After all, he’s wanted to be a law enforcement officer since he was a kid. He was on the job just seven months before he was injured. “I love my job,” said Meyer.
The past 10 weeks on the couch have left him with plenty of time to think. He’s already decided to handle traffic stops differently. “I’ll perform traffic stops in certain ways that allow me to be safe, as well as the driver of the vehicle,” noted Meyer.
That includes how he approaches the vehicle, as well as where they park.
What happened is an eye-opener for everyone on his department, noted Meyer. “We just have to learn from it. We can’t change what happened.
“We move on and make sure we’re all safe out there. We make sure we all go home at the end of the day.”
He hopes others will learn from what happened to him.
“I just hope that everybody slows down and watches out for my co-workers out there,” he said.
“Slow down and concentrate on driving. It takes one second, and your life can change.”
SHOULDER, ARM, HEAD INJURED
Meyer’s injuries were severe, albeit not life threatening.
He had several deep cuts on his head and arm. Something impaled his left hand and cut the tendon completely. He received stitches on both sides. Twelve staples were put in his head.
His left leg was fractured in two places, the fibia and the tibia. To aid in the healing, doctors inserted a permanent rod with a screw at both the top and bottom. This rod allowed him to have only a soft cast (essentially a splint with wrapping) rather than the traditional hard cast. He’ll always need a doctor’s note in order to fly because of the metal in his leg.
Since Feb. 9 he has been able to remove the soft cast in order to do range-of-motion exercises such as rolling his ankle around. To mimic walking, Meyer uses a large rubber band while performing a variety of exercises. It doesn’t help him regain muscle as he still can’t put any pressure on the leg, but it does keep the leg looser. He should be able to use the leg more quickly than if it had been in a hard cast, Meyer pointed out.
Doctors are starting to see bone growth in the leg now, as well.
His shoulder is a trickier matter.
While many dislocations aren’t serious, in about 15 percent of the cases there is nerve damage. Right now, Meyer can’t feel anything in a section of his tricep area. “I know it’s there, but I can’t feel the spot,” Meyer noted. The entire back side of his shoulder also remains very tight, and is still painful. He isn’t able to put his arm over the top of his head, or put it around to his back. He can do push-ups, but to hold a gallon of milk out in front of him is impossible.
During his recovery, Meyer has been staying with his parents in Wisconsin. However, at the end of February he had recovered enough to move back into his Isanti apartment.
At this point, because he’s right handed, he could still hold a gun, but he wouldn’t be able to use his left hand to cuff a suspect.
A fund has been set up to raise money for Meyer. It will be used to pay for the various trips to North Memorial Medical Center (which he has been making from his parents’ home in Wausau, Wis. three and one-half hours away), as well as to purchase equipment to replace what was damaged when he was hit by the car.
Mail checks to Cambridge State Bank, c/o Chad Meyer, 127 South Main Street, PO Box 472, Cambridge, MN 55008.
GIVING BACK
Serving as a law enforcement officer is Meyer’s way of giving back.
“We’re not out there to write people a ticket for everything they do,” said Meyer. “We’re out there to keep people safe.”
He wants to be able to prevent what happened to him from happening to others.
“I don’t like to see people hurt,” noted Meyer. “It has a permanent effect on your life. I’ve seen it firsthand.”
He added, “If I can be of service and help people … that’s my goal every day I go to work.”
He recalls one incident last year that he responded to. A teenage girl had landed her car in a stand of trees on County Road 1. He was there as they worked on helping her breathe and when they took her away in an ambulance; he saw her injuries and her pain. He then had the tough task of notifying her parents.
One week later, he saw the girl again, as well as her parents. Meyer noted, “I could just see in their faces how grateful they were that we did what we could to save their child’s life.”
It’s stories such as that one that keep Meyer dedicated to his job.
Local author pens children’s tale
‘Miki: the most unusual German frog’ was inspired by his grandchildren
After writing two books about the horrors of growing up in Germany during and after World War II, local author Walt Horcher has turned his attention to children’s tales.
His latest book is “Miki: the most unusual German frog.”
It is the first in what he anticipates to be a three-book series.
Horcher was inspired to write this children’s book by his eight grandchildren, who range in age from six to 21. “When I started, I realized how fun it is,” said Horcher, 70. “I made up the story as I went. It came to me like a dream.”
It’s the type of book he wishes he would have had to read when he was a child.
“Miki: the most unusual German frog” is 150 pages long. Miki is German because “I’m a Kraut,” explained Horcher.
Miki embarks on many adventures, all the while searching for a place for his family to live in peace. He befriends a heron – despite the fact that herons typically prey on frogs.
The underlying themes of the book are faith and trust, according to the author.
OVER 300 SOLD SINCE JANUARY
Horcher began the book one year ago; it took six months to write, and longer to get it printed. Once it was formatted one way, Horcher learned it needed to be redone. He’s grateful for assistance from a friend, Bill Leigh.
The first copies were in his hand the second week of January 2009. In the last two months, Horcher has sold over 300 books.
Many people have attended a book signing and bought half a dozen or more, one for each of their grandchildren, noted Horcher.
“It feels like an accomplishment,” noted Horcher. “It makes me happy that I plowed my way through it. If you don’t give up, you usually come up with something that is enjoyable.”
He’s especially thrilled that his own grandchildren love the tale.
GET YOUR OWN COPY
“Miki: the most unusual German frog” is available at Bear Books in Isanti and Scout and Morgan Bookstore in Cambridge, as well as at Walgreens and the Cambridge Medical Center gift shop. Horcher and his distributor are also working to place it in larger chains, such as Barnes and Noble and Border Books. The price is $11.95.
Horcher’s earlier books, “Born into Hell” and “Guns for Sales,” are also still available. They are currently being sold all over the world, including South Africa, Brazil, Australia and Germany.
After writing two books about the horrors of growing up in Germany during and after World War II, local author Walt Horcher has turned his attention to children’s tales.
His latest book is “Miki: the most unusual German frog.”
It is the first in what he anticipates to be a three-book series.
Horcher was inspired to write this children’s book by his eight grandchildren, who range in age from six to 21. “When I started, I realized how fun it is,” said Horcher, 70. “I made up the story as I went. It came to me like a dream.”
It’s the type of book he wishes he would have had to read when he was a child.
“Miki: the most unusual German frog” is 150 pages long. Miki is German because “I’m a Kraut,” explained Horcher.
Miki embarks on many adventures, all the while searching for a place for his family to live in peace. He befriends a heron – despite the fact that herons typically prey on frogs.
The underlying themes of the book are faith and trust, according to the author.
OVER 300 SOLD SINCE JANUARY
Horcher began the book one year ago; it took six months to write, and longer to get it printed. Once it was formatted one way, Horcher learned it needed to be redone. He’s grateful for assistance from a friend, Bill Leigh.
The first copies were in his hand the second week of January 2009. In the last two months, Horcher has sold over 300 books.
Many people have attended a book signing and bought half a dozen or more, one for each of their grandchildren, noted Horcher.
“It feels like an accomplishment,” noted Horcher. “It makes me happy that I plowed my way through it. If you don’t give up, you usually come up with something that is enjoyable.”
He’s especially thrilled that his own grandchildren love the tale.
GET YOUR OWN COPY
“Miki: the most unusual German frog” is available at Bear Books in Isanti and Scout and Morgan Bookstore in Cambridge, as well as at Walgreens and the Cambridge Medical Center gift shop. Horcher and his distributor are also working to place it in larger chains, such as Barnes and Noble and Border Books. The price is $11.95.
Horcher’s earlier books, “Born into Hell” and “Guns for Sales,” are also still available. They are currently being sold all over the world, including South Africa, Brazil, Australia and Germany.
Governor urges legislature to tighten its belt
Pawlenty visits Cambridge to discuss budget priorities.
CAMBRIDGE – “You can’t continue to spend beyond your ability to reasonably pay for it,” stressed Governor Tim Pawlenty during a visit to Cambridge on Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2009.
He was in the area to announce transportation stimulus projects for rural Minnesota, while also discussing his budget proposals.
Pawlenty spoke to about 100 people gathered for lunch at the Isanti County Historical Society. The event was sponsored by the Cambridge Area Chamber of Commerce.
The governor explained that the state creates budgets in two-year cycles. In the last one, the state spent $34 billion. This current cycle calls for a $37 billion budget. According to the latest forecast, the state will be earning $5 billion fewer in revenue than at first expected.
Pawlenty noted that it’s not really a $5 billion deficit yet. Rather, the amount the state expects to spend is being affected.
Thus he is pushing the legislature to approve cutting the overall state budget by two percent.
“The government should live within its means just like families and small businesses,” said Pawlenty.
He is urging the state to tighten its belt.
Legislators have questioned how they can cut state spending. Citizens have asked him why he didn’t shoot for a higher reduction.
State needs to be job-friendly
To identify areas for reductions, Pawlenty first ranked services according to a value system. In this way, he hopes to fundamentally change how the state’s budget is compiled.
At the top is to protect and defend, he said. Agencies like the National Guard, military, veterans, and public safety won’t see any cuts.
He is also pushing for Minnesota to change how it treats businesses. “We need to be a more job-friendly state,” said Pawlenty, “not to give businesses a break, but because citizens need access to jobs.”
He added, “You can’t be pro-job and anti-business. It’s like being pro-egg and anti-chicken.”
Pawlenty noted that if Minnesota were a sovereign nation, it would rank third highest in the world in terms of high business taxes. Minnesota charges businesses 9.87 percent. He proposes cutting that in half to 4.8% over the next six years.
He would also offer up-front tax sales tax exemptions for the purchase of new capital equipment, and allow businesses to write off the expense completely the first year rather than depreciate it over several. He would also like the state to begin offering a capital gains exemption.
And he plans to retain the JobZ program.
Supporting “clean and green” jobs is also a priority for Pawlenty who believes that is a growing field.
“We can’t have an economy where everyone is working on government buildings,” noted Pawlenty.
Schools need to revamp outdated sytem
Another top priority is education. He is proposing that schools actually get more funding.
But to receive it, they will have to revamp a system Pawlenty said was designed for the 1950s. “How many of you in this room get paid for seniority?” he asked.
Instead, Pawlenty advocates a pay scale that rewards merit and achievement, which is easily measured by various tests given to students.
He questioned why the state’s funding formulas are tied to the number of buses in a district and the number of students, rather than results.
“This is very controversial,” he admitted.
Health care system needs to be fixed
Pawlenty is also focused on fixing the health care system. He noted it is driving much of the financial pressure families and businesses are currently facing.
Again, Pawlenty believes the entire system needs to be fixed. First, he is pushing for one common billing code system for all health care and insurance providers. Second, he wants the fees being charged to be something patients can easily find out. He noted that there is nothing else citizens buy that they aren’t given the price ahead of time.
By changing how it provides health insurance, he noted the state of Minnesota has seen huge savings in the past few years. Staff are encouraged to go to low-cost, high-quality providers rather than high-cost, low-quality providers.
Health and Human Service costs need to be controlled
Pawlenty also advocated for containing the rapidly increasing health and human service costs.
“The health and human service budget is out of control,” said Pawlenty.
He noted that the programs are important, but the state can’t continue to see 20 to 26 percent increases in one area. It’s affecting how much money Minnesota has to spend on other things. Thus, he advocates holding the increase to 10 percent instead. This will involve shrinking eligibility for some programs.
‘We will get through this’
Overall, Pawlenty remains confident that the state will pull through its current budget issues. “We’ll find a way through it, but we need everybody to pull together,” he said.
“We will get through this,” promised Pawlenty.
Questions
An audience member questioned whether the state would be accepting the economic stimulus money being offered by the federal government.
Pawlenty assured the audience that the state will. He noted that currently Minnesota is ranked fifth in the nation in terms of how much money it gets. “For every $1 we send to Washington, we get 72¢,” he noted.
“We’re not going to be bashful about taking money because we’re paying the bill,” he added.
CAMBRIDGE – “You can’t continue to spend beyond your ability to reasonably pay for it,” stressed Governor Tim Pawlenty during a visit to Cambridge on Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2009.
He was in the area to announce transportation stimulus projects for rural Minnesota, while also discussing his budget proposals.
Pawlenty spoke to about 100 people gathered for lunch at the Isanti County Historical Society. The event was sponsored by the Cambridge Area Chamber of Commerce.
The governor explained that the state creates budgets in two-year cycles. In the last one, the state spent $34 billion. This current cycle calls for a $37 billion budget. According to the latest forecast, the state will be earning $5 billion fewer in revenue than at first expected.
Pawlenty noted that it’s not really a $5 billion deficit yet. Rather, the amount the state expects to spend is being affected.
Thus he is pushing the legislature to approve cutting the overall state budget by two percent.
“The government should live within its means just like families and small businesses,” said Pawlenty.
He is urging the state to tighten its belt.
Legislators have questioned how they can cut state spending. Citizens have asked him why he didn’t shoot for a higher reduction.
State needs to be job-friendly
To identify areas for reductions, Pawlenty first ranked services according to a value system. In this way, he hopes to fundamentally change how the state’s budget is compiled.
At the top is to protect and defend, he said. Agencies like the National Guard, military, veterans, and public safety won’t see any cuts.
He is also pushing for Minnesota to change how it treats businesses. “We need to be a more job-friendly state,” said Pawlenty, “not to give businesses a break, but because citizens need access to jobs.”
He added, “You can’t be pro-job and anti-business. It’s like being pro-egg and anti-chicken.”
Pawlenty noted that if Minnesota were a sovereign nation, it would rank third highest in the world in terms of high business taxes. Minnesota charges businesses 9.87 percent. He proposes cutting that in half to 4.8% over the next six years.
He would also offer up-front tax sales tax exemptions for the purchase of new capital equipment, and allow businesses to write off the expense completely the first year rather than depreciate it over several. He would also like the state to begin offering a capital gains exemption.
And he plans to retain the JobZ program.
Supporting “clean and green” jobs is also a priority for Pawlenty who believes that is a growing field.
“We can’t have an economy where everyone is working on government buildings,” noted Pawlenty.
Schools need to revamp outdated sytem
Another top priority is education. He is proposing that schools actually get more funding.
But to receive it, they will have to revamp a system Pawlenty said was designed for the 1950s. “How many of you in this room get paid for seniority?” he asked.
Instead, Pawlenty advocates a pay scale that rewards merit and achievement, which is easily measured by various tests given to students.
He questioned why the state’s funding formulas are tied to the number of buses in a district and the number of students, rather than results.
“This is very controversial,” he admitted.
Health care system needs to be fixed
Pawlenty is also focused on fixing the health care system. He noted it is driving much of the financial pressure families and businesses are currently facing.
Again, Pawlenty believes the entire system needs to be fixed. First, he is pushing for one common billing code system for all health care and insurance providers. Second, he wants the fees being charged to be something patients can easily find out. He noted that there is nothing else citizens buy that they aren’t given the price ahead of time.
By changing how it provides health insurance, he noted the state of Minnesota has seen huge savings in the past few years. Staff are encouraged to go to low-cost, high-quality providers rather than high-cost, low-quality providers.
Health and Human Service costs need to be controlled
Pawlenty also advocated for containing the rapidly increasing health and human service costs.
“The health and human service budget is out of control,” said Pawlenty.
He noted that the programs are important, but the state can’t continue to see 20 to 26 percent increases in one area. It’s affecting how much money Minnesota has to spend on other things. Thus, he advocates holding the increase to 10 percent instead. This will involve shrinking eligibility for some programs.
‘We will get through this’
Overall, Pawlenty remains confident that the state will pull through its current budget issues. “We’ll find a way through it, but we need everybody to pull together,” he said.
“We will get through this,” promised Pawlenty.
Questions
An audience member questioned whether the state would be accepting the economic stimulus money being offered by the federal government.
Pawlenty assured the audience that the state will. He noted that currently Minnesota is ranked fifth in the nation in terms of how much money it gets. “For every $1 we send to Washington, we get 72¢,” he noted.
“We’re not going to be bashful about taking money because we’re paying the bill,” he added.
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