RAYMOND

Food scientist with Minnesota roots created Cool Whip, Pop Rocks and Tang

Tom Cherveny — Tue, 24 Dec 2024 14:08:00 GMT

RAYMOND, Minn. — No Christmas meal is complete without dessert, and in many homes, it’s virtually become a tradition of its own to top the holiday pies and treats with Cool Whip.

It may surprise many to know that the food scientist who invented the popular whipped topping started life as a child in Raymond, Minnesota. He had a big role in developing the quick-setting, modern version of Jell-O we know today, which is certainly another holiday favorite for many Midwesterners.

The late William A. Mitchell was a prolific inventor of many popular convenience foods and treats. Cool Whip, Tang and Pop Rocks candy are the best-known among them. He invented powdered egg whites, which can be found on grocery shelves today under many labels.

He is often praised as one of the most prolific inventors during his career with General Foods in New York.

His first product of some renown was called “Mitchell Mud” by U.S. infantrymen in World War II. He developed the tapioca substitute due to the disruption of cassava supplies during the war, according to accounts of Mitchell’s career.

His career with General Foods spanned 35 years and coincided with America’s growing love for convenience foods. His best-known inventions became part of popular culture in the 1960s and 1970s.

Mitchell was born Oct. 21, 1911, in Raymond to William and Florence (Fletter) Mitchell. It’s believed he was born on a farm in Woods Township, Chippewa County, according to research by Bob Larson at the Kandiyohi County Historical Society.

Larson said he could not find any records indicating what brought the family to rural Minnesota. Nor could he find any records indicating that other relatives were living in the area, or other family who may have stayed.

The family shows up in census data as living in Colorado in 1920, although they may have moved years earlier.

It may be just an urban legend, but some in the Raymond area believe William Mitchell was no more than 3 months old when the family moved, according to Diane Macht of Raymond, who helped found the Raymond Museum. She said it is difficult to find much information about the Mitchell family’s local roots.

Unfortunately, she said many are probably not aware of Mitchell or his ties to the area. The community of Raymond has not really made a point of celebrating him as a native son, she said.

“For us at the museum, it’s a bit of an oddity,” she said. “I’d love to have more information.”

Accounts of Mitchell’s life describe his childhood years in Colorado as the most formative in his later career. Magazine and newspaper stories of his life describe him as a hard-working youth. As a teenager, he ran the sugar crystallization tanks at the American Sugar Beet Company in Colorado, according to a Wikipedia page on Mitchell.

The young Mitchell hopped a train to get to Cotner College in Lincoln, Nebraska, to begin his college studies, according to an account of his life in the Smithsonian magazine by author Emily Matchar. He earned a master’s degree in chemistry from the University of Nebraska. He went to work at the Agricultural Experiment Station in Lincoln, where he was badly burned in a lab explosion, according to Matchar’s article in the Smithsonian.

Mitchell and his wife of 60 years, Ruth, were parents to two daughters and five sons. Their youngest daughter, Cheryl Mitchell, also became a food scientist and is well-known for developing plant-based milks.

Mitchell invented Pop Rocks while working as a research chemist at General Foods, according to his obituary, which described the carbonated treat as “the hit candy craze of the ’70s.” He held more than 70 patents, but Pop Rocks “gave him a measure of fame and was the most personally satisfying,” the obituary reads.

Pop Rocks candy was invented in 1956 and patented in 1961. Mitchell was looking for a way to make instant carbonated soda by somehow trapping carbon dioxide into candy tablets, according to the website of the current Pop Rocks brand. That experiment did not turn out, and the formula was shelved for 20 years. According to the company, another chemist came across the formula, reworked it a little and turned it into Pop Rocks.

For the uninitiated, the Pop Rocks company describes the candy as “small pieces of hard candy that have been gasified with carbon dioxide under superatmospheric pressure. When these gasified sugar granules come in contact with moisture, in someone’s mouth or in water, milk, soft drinks, etc., the candy dissolves and the gas retained inside the carbon dioxide bubbles is released, causing characteristic crackling and fizzing sound.”

Startling but not dangerous, the popping candy became the subject of “exploded kid” rumors as early as 1979, four years after the product went to market, according to the Pop Rocks website.

General Foods took out ads, wrote letters to schools and sent Mitchell on the road in a publicity tour to explain that Pop Rocks “generate less gas than half a can of soda and ingesting them could induce nothing worse in the human body than a hearty, non-life-threatening belch,” the Pop Rocks FAQ web page reads.

A full-page ad in the form of a letter from Mitchell to parents, including a photo of him surrounded by children, was published in dozens of newspapers on Feb. 4, 1979. In it, Mitchell notes that with seven children and 14 grandchildren of his own, safety is a real concern of his.

“My seven kids grew up with Pop Rocks. I invented it in 1956 and I would make a little bit of it every once in a while to have it around the house for birthday parties and other fun occasions,” the letter reads in part. “I became very popular around our neighborhood!”

Within a year, the candy had disappeared, according to an Arizona Republic story.

“General Foods withdrew (Pop Rocks) from the market because it didn’t fit in with the long-term corporate strategy,” Paul Steidler, an account executive for Clarke & Company, said in the Arizona Republic account by Linda Helser.

The story published March 5, 1987, was written about the limited reintroduction of the candy in Arizona. Clarke & Company was the public relations firm promoting the candy at that time.

According to Helser’s account, the candy had disappeared in 1980, and a Buffalo, New York, company in April 1985 obtained the rights to produce and distribute Pop Rocks.

The Arizona Republic story published March 5, 1987, about Pop Rocks by West Central Tribune on Scribd

According to the Pop Rocks website, the candy was briefly discontinued in the mid-1980s. It is again a national brand, and Pop Rocks Inc. today is based in Atlanta.

Mitchell also developed the flavored drink known as Tang in 1957, but it was not a commercial success at its start. That came later, after NASA sent Tang into orbit in 1962 with astronaut John Glenn aboard a Mercury spacecraft.

It was in 1967, or five years after Glenn’s historic space flight, that Mitchell patented a quick-set form of Jell-O, according to “How Stuff Works.” The new Jell-O could be made with cold water instead of hot water.

Not all of his products met with fame. A coffee substitute known as Dacopa, made from dahlia tubers, did not find success.

Mitchell died at age 92 on July 26, 2004, in Stockton, California. His wife, Ruth, preceded him in death on June 2, 1999, at age 85.

Feb. 4, 1979, Pop Rocks ad by West Central Tribune on Scribd

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Red Cross declares emergency blood shortage, offers Super Bowl tickets as incentive

West Central Tribune staff report — Wed, 10 Jan 2024 19:18:47 GMT

The American Red Cross announced this week it is facing an emergency blood shortage as it experiences the lowest number of people giving blood in the last 20 years, according to its news release. The Red Cross is the nation's largest blood supplier.

Blood and platelet donations are immediately needed to help alleviate the shortage and enable lifesaving medical procedures to proceed without delay, a Sunday, Jan. 7 news release from the Red Cross said.

"One of the most distressing situations for a doctor is to have a hospital full of patients and an empty refrigerator without any bloods products," said Dr. Pampee Young, Red Cross chief medical officer, according to the news release.

The number of people donating blood through the Red Cross has fallen by about 40% over the past two decades, accordin to the Red Cross. Most recently, COVID-19 accelerated this decline as more people embraced remote work making it challenging for the Red Cross to meet people where they are with convenient blood drives.

Blood banks tend to see a dip in their supply during the winter months, largely due to holidays, travel, illness or inclement weather, according to Claudia Cohn, University of Minnesota Medical �� expert and chief medical officer for the Association for the Advancement of Blood and Biotherapies, in a news release.

The Red Cross and the National Football League (NFL) are partnering this January, during National Blood Donor Month, to urge individuals to kick off 2024 with a blood or platelet donation. Those who come to give blood, platelets or plasma in January may be automatically entered for a chance to win a trip for two to Super Bowl LVIII in Las Vegas. For more information, go to RedCrossBlood.org/SuperBowl.

Common questions about blood donation

How often can someone donate blood?

Blood donors can give every 56 days, and platelet donors can give twice per month. If you are donating plasma, you may donate every 28 days; and power red donations are accepted once every 112 days.

Do I have the right blood type?

No matter your blood type — A, B, AB, O or unknown — all blood is used to save lives. You can also donate whole blood, or just certain components like red cells, platelets or plasma.

How long does it take?

Appointment duration depends on the type of blood, or blood component, being donated.

Whole blood: Donations take approximately one hour; ideal blood types are all blood types; you may donate whole blood once every 56 days, up to six times a year. Power Red: Donations take approximately one and a half hours; ideal blood types are O positive, O negative, A negative and B negative blood types; you may donate once every 112 days, up to three times a year. Platelets: Donations take approximately two and a half to three hours; ideal blood types are A positive, A negative, B positive, O positive, AB positive and AB negative; you may donate once every seven days, up to 24 times a year. Plasma: Donations take about one hour and 15 minutes; ideal blood types are AB positive and AB negative; you may donate once every 28 days, up to 13 times per year.

What if I don't like needles?

The American Red Cross provides three tips to help people face their fear of the needle prick:

Take pride: Try to focus on the good you are doing — your blood donation can help save more than one life. Be prepared: Before your appointment, read up on the donation process so you know what to expect at every step. Relax: Listen to music, read a book, talk to our staff, or simply close your eyes and rest for a few minutes.

What if I faint?

Each donation is roughly one pint of blood. The average human being has 10 pints of blood running through them at any given time.

So while you may feel a bit faint or fatigued, lying down for a brief rest and taking it easy will restore those blood levels within a short time.

Am I eligible to donate?

For most donations, the basic requirements are three simple items: you must be in generally good health, you must be 17 or older and you must weigh more than 110 pounds.

The Food and Drug Administration recently lifted several blood donor eligibility restrictions. To view current eligibility guidelines, visit mbc.org or call 1-888-448-3253.

Is it safe to donate blood?

The Red Cross uses new, sterile needles for every donation, so there is no risk of cross-contamination or infection. In addition, donors will receive a mini-physical to check their temperature, blood pressure, pulse and hemoglobin levels during their appointment.

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'Incredible' response — and luck — kept fiery train derailment in check

Tom Cherveny — Fri, 31 Mar 2023 23:38:57 GMT

RAYMOND, Minn. — Just over two weeks ago, area firefighters trained on how to respond to incidents just like Thursday's fiery derailment of 22 BNSF Railway cars in Raymond.

That training made a difference, according to Raymond Mayor Ardell Tensen and Fire Chief Brian Neal. The firefighters realized quickly they were not going to be able to "just put this one out," and instead focused on preventing its spread as well as evacuating those at risk, the fire chief told the West Central Tribune.

The firefighters were among those receiving the applause of U.S. Sens. Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith, as well as U.S. Rep. Michelle Fischbach and State Sen. Andrew Lang, at a news conference Friday after the elected officials toured the site of the derailment.

“I can tell you what, folks. We were very lucky on this one that the train didn’t derail right in town where there are all these huge grain bins and all these other items that could have been catastrophically affected,” Lang said. “So we were very lucky.”

“There was some luck, but there was also a lot of incredible work that contained the derailment,” Klobuchar said, addressing reporters.

The 22 cars that left the tracks held corn syrup and ethanol. The cars holding the ethanol are known as J117 cars and considered state-of-the-art for reducing the risk of explosion.

The elected officials said BNSF Railway officials told them they hoped to have the rail line reopened to train traffic within 48 hours. But that came with a caveat: Anticipated blizzard conditions could delay the work to remove the cars and rebuild the rail.

There were more than 100 workers on site Friday, and large trucks and machinery were lined up in adjacent areas of the community.

Officials with the National Transportation Safety Board were at the site investigating the cause of the derailment as the elected officials briefed reporters. They were expected to give the go-ahead later Friday to remove the rail cars, according to the lawmakers.

No one was injured in the derailment, and there is no danger to the public of exposure to toxic substances, they reported.

Smith and Klobuchar said they are optimistic that federal legislation being considered in the wake of the train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, will be approved. It will increase safety standards and inspections, they said.

Smith cited the importance of rail traffic to rural Minnesota and the agriculture economy, but said improved safety standards are needed. There are more than 1,000 train derailments in the country each year, she said.

All of the elected officials took time to praise what they described as the “incredible” response of firefighters, law enforcement and other first responders, as well as help from the community.

“Southwest Minnesota came together on this,” Lang said.

Agriculture is critical to Raymond’s economy, and the community is situated on a busy rail line. Tensen said the community averages one train every hour and a half each day. Willmar is the second busiest rail yard in Minnesota, second only to Minneapolis, he said.

That’s why the mayor, who is among the town’s 21 volunteer firefighters, pointed to the importance of that training.

Fire Chief Neal said he was in immediate contact with partners in the Willmar Fire Department at the time of the derailment. They were able to quickly learn from BNSF Railway what the train was hauling. That information was important in knowing how best to respond, he said.

Firefighters from Raymond and Willmar were joined by crews and equipment from 26 other departments.

“That is what it is about in rural Minnesota,” Fischbach said. “When you are in need, your family and friends and neighbors come to help.”

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Walz, BNSF Railway promise safe, transparent cleanup after Raymond derailment

Tom Cherveny — Thu, 30 Mar 2023 22:36:56 GMT

RAYMOND, Minn. — Gov. Tim Walz and company officials with BNSF Railway promised residents of Raymond on Thursday that everything will be done to assure a safe and transparent cleanup following the overnight derailment of 22 rail cars containing ethanol, which caught fire, and corn syrup.

“The safety of the community is our utmost priority,” Matt Garland, vice president of transportation for BNSF, told evacuated Raymond residents and members of the media at the Unity Christian Reformed Church in Prinsburg on Thursday morning.

“We apologize for this and take full accountability for it,” Katie Farmer, CEO of the Fort Worth, Texas-based company, told the gathering. “We are working very hard to get you all back in your homes as quickly as possible.”

Company officials said they did not know the cause of the derailment, which happened around 1 a.m. Thursday on the western edge of the community. They were waiting for representatives of the National Transportation Safety Board to reach the site and begin their investigation.

No one was injured, and no property was damaged as a result of the derailment and subsequent fire, which involved a northbound train that originated in Sioux City, Iowa. BNSF gave the all-clear for residents to return to their homes at 11 a.m. Thursday, although Minnesota Highway 23 and Chippewa County Road 13 remained closed. There was no word on when roads would reopen.

Gov. Tim Walz toured the site of the derailment, where firefighters and emergency responders from more than 25 agencies were on site. He saw rail cars strewn about and stacked upon one another, and flames. He said what he noticed most was the number of responders on site and the number of community names on the fire and emergency vehicles there.

“When something happens, your neighbors are there,” Walz said.

“Typical of a small-town response,” Kandiyohi County Sheriff Eric Tollefson said of the multi-agency response to the crisis. The sheriff said that BNSF was very responsive and recommended quickly that a half-mile area surrounding the rail line be evacuated.

“Well, that’s all of Raymond,” the sheriff said.

Volunteers and law enforcement personnel knocked on the doors of an estimated 250 houses and residences in the community of around 800 people in the middle of the night.

An estimated 150 to 175 residents drove to Prinsburg, where they initially were sheltered at the Central Minnesota Christian �� and later moved to the Unity Christian Reformed Church, where they were fed breakfast. Other residents took shelter at Cheers, located just outside of Raymond, while others went to the homes of friends and family in the region. The Raymond Ambulance transported some of the evacuees to Prinsburg.

Walz and BNSF officials told residents that there will likely still be fires at the site on Friday. The derailed cars were leaking ethanol, and the fires could flare as the cars are moved, they said.

The governor and officials also said there was no danger to groundwater. The ethanol leaking from the cars was burning on partially frozen ground. There were no toxic exposures that resulted from the derailment. Air monitoring was being conducted, according to the company representatives.

Walz praised BNSF officials for their decision years ago to replace their entire fleet of rail cars for ethanol with an encapsulated tanker that does not explode. Firefighters have to use foam to squelch the burning ethanol, the governor said. The foam being used at the site does not contain PFAS, the “forever chemicals" that are a cause for health concerns.

Of the 22 cars that derailed, “approximately 10” held ethanol, Garland said. The fuel is classified as a hazardous material, and is the only hazardous material the train was moving, according to company officials.

Farmer and Garland said BNSF Railway will have claims representatives in Raymond through the week to assist residents who experienced losses due to the derailment. They can be reached at 866-243-4784 and the Willmar Area Community Foundation has activated the Willmar Area Response Fund to help affected residents. More information can be found on the foundation website at www.communitygiving.org/WACF.

“We are just grateful that everybody was safe right away,” said State Rep. Dave Baker, R-Willmar, who joined the governor and company officials in applauding the local response to the emergency. He also cited the way that people in Prinsburg and around the region joined to support those affected.

Pastor Steve Zwart of the Unity Christian Reformed Church in Prinsburg said the church was “inundated” with help for the evacuees in the hours following the derailment. He called the response a tribute to the “powerful movement of small town helping small town helping small town.”

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Tankers carrying ethanol start on fire after BNSF train derails in Raymond, Minnesota

Susan Lunneborg — Thu, 30 Mar 2023 19:50:25 GMT

5:40 p.m. update:

Minnesota Highway 23 remains closed at Raymond, from Kandiyohi County Road 1 to Chippewa County Road 1, due to the BNSF Railway derailment and fire on the Marshall Subdivision line southwest of Raymond.

The highway will remain closed to allow local responders, rail inspectors and cleanup crews to continue their work, which could take into the week end.

Traffic is detoured to Kandiyohi County Road 1, Highway 7, and Chippewa County Road 1.

2:45 p.m. update: The Willmar Area Community Foundation activated the Willmar Area Response Fund to help those who have been displaced due to the train derailment. The foundation is working with other local agencies to disseminate charitable funds.

The foundation also is prepared to offer their expertise in disaster philanthropy once the active emergency phase has ended, considering uncertainties in short- and long-term needs, according to a news release from the foundation.

A gift via credit card may be made online at www.communitygiving.org/donate. Select "Willmar Area Response Fund" from the dropdown menu.

Checks may be sent to the Willmar Area Community Foundation, 1601 E. Highway 12, Suite 9, Willmar MN 56201. Please specify "Willmar Area Response Fund" on the memo line.

1:10 p.m. update: Gov. Tim Walz traveled to Raymond to survey the site of the derailment, meeting with residents and offering the state's full support.

Walz is coordinating with the United States Department of Transportation, Minnesota Department of Transportation, Minnesota Department of Public Safety, and Homeland Security and Emergency Management.

“I am immensely grateful for the swift, coordinated response between local state, and national partners to ensure the immediate safety of the Raymond community,” Walz said in a news release. “The state’s multi-agency emergency response team will continue working on the ground to ensure health and safety. This incident has highlighted the critical need to invest in rail safety and the state’s emergency management response to prevent incidents like this from happening again.”

12:20 p.m. update: The Kandiyohi County Sheriff’s Office in a noon update confirmed the evacuation order has been lifted in Raymond, and residents may return home. Sheriff Eric Tollefson in the release said there is no impact to the groundwater.

There will be road detours in the area for the time being. The main track remains blocked and the cause of the derailment is still under investigation.

11:20 a.m. update: Raymond residents who had evacuated were advised they could return to their homes as of 11 a.m. Thursday. The announcement was made by Matt Garland, BNSF vice president of operations, during a news conference in nearby Prinsburg. Gov. Tim Walz and others spoke.

"When something happens, your neighbors are there," Walz said while speaking at the Prinsburg church that served as an emergency shelter for evacuees.

The Central Community Christian �� had served as a shelter immediately after the 1 a.m. report of the derailment, and residents were later moved to the church for breakfast.

It is not yet known when Minnesota Highway 23 will reopen near the derailment site. That is expected to be determined after the National Transportation Safety Board arrives.

10:31 a.m. update: Raymond residents and businesses may contact the BNSF Claim Line at 1-866-243-4784. BNSF requests callers leave their name and contact information and someone will follow up.

10:30 a.m. update:

. @GovTimWalz has arrived at Unity Church in Prinsburg. Will address the community after overnight @BNSFRailway train derailment in Raymond MN @WCCO pic.twitter.com/KFgEOleSsV
— Pauleen Le (@PauleenLe) March 30, 2023

10:15 a.m. update: Heavy equipment is currently being delivered by a third party to the Raymond derailment scene to assist BNSF Railway to address the derailment wreckage, according to scanner traffic.

10 a.m. update: State Rep. Dave Baker, R-Willmar, is encouraging those interested in helping community members impacted by the Raymond train derailment to visit www.communitygiving.org/donate and select "Willmar Area Response Fund" from the drop-down menu to provide a financial donation to help those in need during this difficult time.

9:45 a.m. update: Some Raymond residents who were evacuated early Thursday are still waiting in the commons area of Unity Christian Reformed Church in Prinsburg. The governor was speaking there this morning.

9:30 a.m. update: Approximately 22 rail cars — carrying mixed freight including ethanol and corn syrup — are reported to be derailed, according to a post minutes ago on the BNSF Railway Twitter account. Four cars are reported on fire.

There are no other hazardous materials on the train, according to the post, and there have been no injuries.

"BNSF field personnel are onsite to assess the derailment site and are working closely with local first responders," the tweet reads. "... The main track is blocked and an estimated time for reopening the line is not available. The cause of the incident is under investigation."

The railway also provided a contact for assistance for residents and businesses impacted by the incident: 866-243-4784.

https://twitter.com/BNSFRailway/status/1641446284799393795

9:15 a.m. update: The Kandiyohi County Sheriff's Office in a Facebook post said officials at the local, state and federal level are working to determine when families can return to their homes.

"We would like to extend our sincere thanks to all the volunteer fire and EMS departments for their assistance thus far and to everyone else who has transported, sheltered and fed those folks displaced from their homes," the post reads.

8:50 a.m. update: The Minnesota Department of Public Safety in a Facebook post said initial reports suggest eight cars were directly involved in the derailment — four containing corn syrup and four containing ethanol. BNSF reported that the ethanol caught fire.

There are no requests for hazardous materials teams, but the State Fire Marshal's Office has sent a fire service specialist to provide additional water to help extinguish the fire.

https://www.facebook.com/MnPublicSafety/posts/pfbid02y3sZhaCHnHQxUCtbnrVNd92q6St5YPKiP9tepzGEWsPgxkrYuayVDSymw1mzfgkHl

8:40 a.m. update: The Kandiyohi County Sheriff's Office on its Facebook page has confirmed the earlier report from U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg that there have been no injuries as a result of the crash or emergency response.

According to the Sheriff's Office, BNSF specialists are on scene and continued mitigation is occurring.

Gov. Tim Walz is on his way, and will meet this morning with residents and offer the state’s full support. The governor has been briefed by Buttigieg, according to a news release from Walz's office.

https://twitter.com/GovTimWalz/status/1641423167276175362

Homeland Security and Emergency Management Interim Director Kevin Reed, Department of Public Safety Commissioner Bob Jacobson and Minnesota Department of Transportation Commissioner Nancy Daubenberger are also expected to visit the site.

Chopper 5 video of train derailment aftermath in Raymond. The community is about 100 miles west of the Twin Cities. No one was hurt, but residents are being asked to evacuate. pic.twitter.com/zvIA4e5sR2
— Chris Egert (@ChrisEgertTV) March 30, 2023

Original story posted 7:17 a.m.: BNSF train derails near Raymond, Minnesota

RAYMOND — Several tanker cars carrying ethanol started on fire early Thursday after a BNSF train derailed on the western edge of Raymond.

Residents within a half-mile were evacuated, and an emergency site was established at the Central Minnesota Christian �� in nearby Prinsburg for residents with nowhere else to go, according to a news release from the Kandiyohi County Sheriff’s Office.

The tankers were determined to be carrying a form of ethanol, and others carried corn syrup liquid. Fire departments from Raymond and numerous area departments responded. The call to the Kandiyohi County Sheriff's Office Communication Center was made at about 1 a.m. Thursday.

The Twitter account of U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said no injuries or fatalities have been reported and that the Federal Rail Administration is on the ground. "We are tracking closely as more details emerge" and will be involved in the investigation, the tweet said.

https://twitter.com/SecretaryPete/status/1641395937074466816

According to Sheriff Eric Tollefson’s news release, issued about 4 a.m. Thursday, the site remains active as the fire is being contained.

No travel is advised to the city of Raymond.

Minnesota Highway 23 is temporarily closed from Kandiyohi County Road 1 to Chippewa County Road 1. The Minnesota Department of Transportation says traffic is being detoured on local roads by flaggers. Drivers are asked to take alternate routes until the roadway has cleared.

The location of the emergency evacuation shelter is expected to be moved later this morning to the Unity Church in Prinsburg.

The MACCRAY �� District, which serves Raymond, Clara City and Maynard, announced on its website that school would be in session today at the central campus in Clara City. Bus pickup in Raymond was limited to two locations due to the derailment, and any Raymond students displaced by the derailment would be excused from classes.

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3 killed, 2 injured in west-central Minnesota crash

Forum News Service — Fri, 05 Aug 2022 15:09:39 GMT

WILLMAR, Minn. — Three people from Missouri were killed Thursday evening in a crash west of Willmar that also injured two others.

According to the Minnesota State Patrol, the three killed were in a Lexus SUV that was northbound on Kandiyohi County Road 7 when it collided in the intersection with a Volvo semi that was eastbound on Minnesota Highway 40.

Killed in the Lexus were driver, Justin M. Ecker, 41, of Lee Summit, Missouri, and passengers Jonathan M. Ecker, 39, of Rosendale, Missouri, and Carol Catherine Ecker, 64, of Kansas City, Missouri.

Passenger Jennifer Michelle Mcginness, 35, of Elmo, Missouri, was transported to CentraCare — St. Cloud Hospital with life-threatening injuries.

Semi driver Ralph John Enderle, 57, of Raymond, was transported to CentraCare — Rice Memorial Hospital in Willmar with non-life-threatening injuries.

The State Patrol report said Mcginness and Carol Ecker were not wearing seat belts, and the others involved were. The report said alcohol was not involved for four of the five people involved, but listed alcohol as unknown in relation to Justin Ecker.

Roads were dry at the time of the crash, which was reported at 5:54 p.m. Thursday.

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Soil pathogen leads to sour times for popular west-central Minnesota berry patch

Tom Cherveny — Mon, 01 Aug 2022 17:47:49 GMT

RAYMOND — Brouwer Berries of rural Raymond announced to its customers this June that it could not welcome them to pick the crop. For the second year in a row, the nine-acre, you-pick farm suffered a crop failure, according to a social media post by owners Sarah and Dan Brouwer.

It took 10,000 people to harvest the strawberry crop, and that's just a small measure of how many people are disappointed by the news.

In previous years, the you-pick farm attracted roughly 10,000 customers during the three-week harvest season in May and June, according to the Brouwers. Their customers came from an area ranging from Duluth to Fargo. Brouwer Berries was one of the westernmost you-pick strawberry farms in Minnesota.

It’s an award-winning operation. WCCO honored the farm as “Minnesota’s Best” in 2016. The Minnesota Department of Agriculture and farm organizations have also recognized it for its ability to connect customers with farm-fresh produce.

The Brouwers learned the cause of their crop failure just a few weeks ago, Sarah Brouwer told an audience at the Ag Innovation Conference held Tuesday on the MinnWest Technology campus in Willmar. A type of fungus that lives in soil and moves with the underground water has infested their strawberry farm.

“The grief has been really, really real,” she told the audience.

Afterward, Sarah and Dan told the Tribune that they are continuing to work with researchers from Cornell University and the University of Minnesota to explore their options in hopes that someday they can resume strawberry cultivation.

They have plowed under most of the strawberries. Dan and Sarah Brouwer said it could be three to six years before the soil can be free of the pathogen and production could begin again. Since the fungus is underground, there is no effective way to attack it with a fungicide.

Other options, such as covering the affected land in plastic to bake the fungus, appear to be cost-prohibitive, they explained.

The Brouwers and their five children began raising strawberries on their 80-acre farm in 1999. That’s the year that Dan Brouwer casually mentioned to Sarah over dinner that he had picked up some strawberry plants.

“How many?” she told her MinnWest audience she asked him. He replied: “1,500.”

The operation grew from a quarter of an acre to three acres to six and, more recently, nine acres, she told the audience.

Each year, Dan would express his disbelief to Sarah, marketing manager for operations, that she could find the customers they would need to harvest the crop. “'Watch me,'” she said she replied.

Like the field of dreams, the customers came.

The friendships with customers are not the only loss the Brouwers are grieving. Sarah Brouwer also spoke of how Karen refugees who have made Willmar their home helped the family tend the crop each year.

And, of course, the Brouwer children played star roles in producing the crop and orchestrating the annual harvest. Root beer floats were the incentives used to entice the children to keep on weeding away, Sarah said.

While disappointed, the Brouwers are resilient. They had been tracking their per acre production and watched it begin a decline after peaking in 2016. Worried by the drop, they began diversifying to include raising sheep as part of their farm operation, which also includes goats and free-range chickens.

Today, the sheep production allows Dan to continue to pursue his life-long love for farming on the relatively small acreage. Sarah continues to pursue her own passion for teaching as a middle school science instructor with the Minnesota Christian �� in Prinsburg.

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Woman dies in crash with garbage truck in west-central Minnesota

Forum News Service — Tue, 26 Jul 2022 21:54:15 GMT

RAYMOND, Minn. — A 56-year-old Willmar, Minnesota, woman died as a result of injuries she suffered in a crash at approximately 9:44 a.m. Tuesday, according to a news release from the Kandiyohi County Sheriff's Office.

The woman was driving a 2003 Dodge Caravan at the intersection of 60th Street and 105th Avenue Southwest in Edwards Township, which is about five miles east of Raymond, when the crash occurred with a garbage truck driven by a 47-year-old man from Atwater.

The woman was pronounced dead at the scene, and the man suffered minor injuries and was treated on scene by ambulance personnel.

The case remains under investigation and the names of both drivers will be released Wednesday, according to the news release from Sgt. Tim Fischer.

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