Independent Review staff writer Kristin Holtz and news intern Abigail Popp explore Minnesota's growing interest in wind energy in four-story special report in the July 31 Independent Review.

Local Meeker and Kandiyohi landowners could be Giving wind a turn by partnering to build industrial-sized wind turbines.

Minwind Energy, LLC, in southwestern Minnesota has made its community-owned wind turbines a community success. Farmers boost local economy with group wind project

McLeod County landowner Chuck Hausladen is reaping the rewards of his residential turbine in Hausladen captures big savings with own turbine

In 2007, Minnesota lawmakers gave the state one of the most aggressive renewable energy standards in the country, which is Changing the energy landscape.

Look across the vast corn and soybeans fields of southern Minnesota and you will see not only silos, groves and grain elevators, but also dozens of wind turbines slowly churning and turning.

Individual risk can be a scary prospect. But what if an entire community decided to take a leap together?

More than 300 farmer-investors in southwestern Minnesota are reaping the rewards of a risk they took to keep their community’s economy viable.

Minwind Energy LLC is a series of nine farmer-owned wind projects in Rock County, Minn., hatched from an idea to stimulate the community’s local economy by harnessing one of the area’s most available resources — wind.

Alternative energy has been on many peoples’ minds for years. Some have focused on cheaper sources of energy, others have looked for cleaner energy, and most were searching for both.

While they’ve been probing for a solution to the problem of pollution and expensive energy, the answer might have been blowing in the wind.

National Wind, a company focused on sharing wind energy, has partnered with Lakes Country Wind Energy LLC of Meeker and Kandiyohi counties to build industrial-sized wind turbines in the area.

Jack’s BP station at 241 Service Drive in Watkins will cut the cost of E85 fuel by 85 cents per gallon from 2 to 5 p.m. on Aug. 1.

Litchfield soon will be home to a new discount store.

Construction of a Dollar Tree store has begun on a lot located just to the south of the Wal-Mart Supercenter along U.S. Highway 12 East in Litchfield.

“We’re very excited,” said Shelly Davis, a spokesperson for Dollar Tree Inc., a national chain with headquarters in Chesapeake, Va. “We like to be where Middle America is.”

Meeker County tobacco retailers recently received a thumbs up for giving the red light to underage smokers.

All 22 Meeker County establishments licensed to sell tobacco passed a compliance check in the past year. The check, conducted by the Meeker County Sheriff’s Office and Meeker County Public Health, is an unannounced investigation to determine whether retailers are selling tobacco to underage youth.

The lunch hour is slowly winding down at Cricket Meadow Tea when owner Julianne Johnson finally takes a break on a leather couch in the back of the shop.

Surrounded by tea pots and cups of her own collection and inviting kitchen tables and chairs, Johnson recalls the long months of getting the shop off the ground.

“Now in retrospect, you don’t start a tea shop because you have china,” Johnson said chuckling.

Jack Higgins can’t wait until CentraCare Dialysis clinic starts seeing patients in Litchfield.

For nearly three years, the 82-year-old has traveled to Hutchinson three days a week for dialysis. Now, he can go right down the road, and he already has his chair measured out.

“I’m glad it fits,” Higgins said Tuesday at the Litchfield dialysis clinic’s open house.

Troy Atkinson is like most Americans — tired of the rising gas prices.

However, instead of complaining, Atkinson decided to do something about it. He purchased a 49-cc motor scooter in late April and is now feeling the savings all the way to the gas pump.

“I really enjoy it,” Atkinson said. “You feel a little funny riding it at first, but after a while you get used to it and actually it’s kind of fun.”