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Time to celebrating Easter weekend

Sunday is Easter and that’s reason enough to celebrate. Outside of the religious observations at area churches on Sunday, there are a few Easter events being held on Saturday. Easter egg hunts were scheduled in New Ulm Ulm’s Harman Park; Sleepy Eye’s Allison Park; Fairfax’s St. John’s church grounds and Hanska’s City Park. The forecast for the holiday weekend is a little mixed. Saturday is expected to be partially clouded but with a low chance of rain. The chances of rain on Easter Sunday are higher, but the temperatures are fairly moderate.

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Three train incidents in three weeks alarming trend

Wednesday afternoon there was an incident near Lake Crystal in which a train collided with a semi-trailer. Fortunately, no one was injured as a result of the collision, but the incident represented an odd trend. This Lake Crystal train-semi collision was the second incident of this kind to happen in the region this month. On April 4, a semi-trailer was bisected by a train while attempting to cross a track near Sleepy Eye. At least three people received minor injuries during the Sleepy Eye accident. Train-semi accidents are not common occurrences. Having two happen less than two weeks apart and within 40 miles of each is highly irregular. In addition to the semi-accidents, New Ulm also had an incident in which a pedestrian was struck by a train. On April 11, a man was walking along the side of the tracks in New Ulm, wearing ear headphones when he was hit by a Canadian Pacific Railroad train. That’s three train-related accidents in a single month. This is an alarming trend. It would seem the general public needs a refresher course on railroad crossing safety. Remember, trains cannot swerve!

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Planting season arrives early

It is mid-April, but many area farmers have already begun planting for the season. For some, this is the earliest start to the planting season they have seen. Typically, April in Minnesota is known for being rainy and cold. If the previous winter was extra snowy, the melt will further soak the ground creating a mucky mess. That combination is not suitable for crops, but this year is different. Last winter was relatively snow-free. None of the snow lasted into April. It has rained recently, but not to an excess. Few fields are flooded out. Overall, the temperatures have been relatively warm; above average for April. This means the majority of soil is suitable for planting. With the early start, many farmers are planting soybeans, but some might begin planting corn before May 1.