Articles

All Curt Brown ever wanted to do was fly

Hudson can now boast of being home to not only an astronaut - but a Hall of Fame astronaut. Space shuttle commander Curt Brown was inducted into the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame in a ceremony at the Kennedy Space Center on April 20.

• Astronaut and wife

Knudson expects some increase in state aid for schools

Gov. Scott Walker’s budget calls for no increase in state aid, but Republican legislators, especially in rural areas with declining enrollments, have heard from school administrators who say they need an increase in aid to avoid drastic cuts for their schools.

• State Rep. Dean Knudson

Hudson-based Procentive pioneered software as a service

Now the company founded by Randy Zimmermann and Jeff Burton has a new 6,300-square-foot building in St. Croix Business Park East, bringing it some well-deserved attention.

• Owners
• New building

City will pursue grant for Vine Street reconstruction

The unanimous decision followed a report from Karen Erickson of Foth Infrastructure & Environment on the potential cost of the project, and how much a state requirement for bike lanes and sidewalks would add to the cost.

Winter delivers a final punch in Hudson area

It’s hard to believe now, but just a week ago Hudson was hit by what was hopefully the final snowstorm of a seemingly unending winter. The heavy, wet snow snapped tree branches, bringing down power lines and cutting off electricity to some homes and businesses.

• Slushy street
• May 1-2, 2013, snowstorm

Council withholds renewal of Golf Club liquor license

The Hudson Golf Club was removed from the list of 39 license applications submitted for approval after Council President Rich Vanselow questioned whether the club has been compliance with an ordinance requiring continuous operation by businesses that hold liquor licenses.

St. Paul man identified as likely scam artist

Police caught up with the 29-year-old St. Paul man at Family Fresh Market after an employee of Hudson County Market reported that he had been there asking for money.

Actors attend Hudson opening of made-in-Minnesota film

Emily Fradenburgh and Dustin Booth chatted with moviegoers and autographed posters advertising the independent film, shot over two winters at Minnesota locations along the Mississippi River near Hastings.

• Movie actors

Hudson Rotarian will lead group to Czech Republic and Slovakia

Rob Howard and the four other non-Rotarian team members from Minnesota will be staying with host families for three- and four-day periods as they travel through the two eastern European countries.

• Rob Howard

City ponders how much to spend on infrastructure, equipment

The Finance Committee of the Hudson City Council didn’t like the bottom line of a five-year financial management plan it was presented with on April 16. If all of the projects and purchases proposed for the next five years were to occur, city taxes would increase dramatically.

• Sixth Street

Columns

Randy's Ramblings: Clergy wielded influence in Hudson of yesteryear

Opinion
The recent relocation of the Star-Observer news office forced me into a job I try to avoid like a dog shuns a bath: house-cleaning. Or in this case, office-cleaning. The effort proved worthwhile, however.

RANDY'S RAMBLINGS: Public facilities reflect community pride

Opinion
I’m weighing into this debate with considerable trepidation. Some of the toxicity of national and state politics has seeped into our local discussions. Voicing an opinion can make you a target...

Randy’s Ramblings: There’s a lot to like about the Affordable Care Act

Opinion
The Republican Party seems to have hitched its wagon to the idea that undoing the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act will be a political winner in the 2012 elections. But I wonder how Americans would feel about having the benefits of Obamacare, as it is commonly called, pulled away from them if the GOP does regain the White House and total control of Congress.

Randy's Ramblings: A showdown over mining is under way in Madison

A lot has been happening downstate that folks on the western fringe of Wisconsin, under the orb of the Twin Cities media, probably aren’t aware of unless they make an effort to follow our home-state news.

Randy’s Ramblings: Decent pay and a good nursing home are worth preserving

There they go again, to adapt a line from a former president. Three years after citizens voted 27,219 to 14,648 for St. Croix County to continue to operate a nursing home, the county board has set another referendum on the issue.

• Randy Hanson

Randy’s Ramblings: We’ll miss it when it’s gone

I can’t help but think that the city will miss the Hudson Golf Club if it really does become a school site and commercial district. Maybe I’m wrong, but I know I’ll be a little sad to see it go.

Randy's Ramblings: The election is over; no end in sight to the recrimination

By the time this hits the press, Tuesday’s recall elections will have been decided. Well, most of them should be decided anyway. Considering the vote-counting problems that plagued April’s state Supreme Court election, there’s no certainty that the results will be cut and dried.

Randy's Ramblings: Recent shenanigans aren’t a reason to abandon the open primary

Some conservative bloggers are gloating over the Republican Party’s use of Wisconsin’s open primary system to play shenanigans with the upcoming state Senate recall elections.

Randy's Ramblings: A bird-watching report from North Hudson

Nature has been on riotous display in our backyard in recent weeks. The cattail-ringed drainage pond beyond the lawn — together with neighborhood bird feeders — are magnets for an amazing diversity of wildlife.

Randy's Ramblings: Computers aren’t ready to run the world

Toyota’s trouble with revving engines reminded me of my own encounter with technology gone wild. No, my 10-year-old, four-cylinder import didn’t take off like a bat out of heck. My problem was with the phone/cable TV/Internet provider.