Latest news with #ForumCommunications
Yahoo
29-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Longtime Agweek reporter Jonathan Knutson has died
Apr. 28—GRAND FORKS, N.D. — Longtime Agweek reporter Jonathan Knutson died Friday, April 25, 2025, under the care of hospice. He was 65. Knutson was a respected and renowned agriculture journalist and a past president of the North American Agricultural Journalists. "Jon was one of the best. A great reporter and writer, sure, but he also was a great mentor — both down and up. If we had a new reporter or a new editor on the team, he went out of his way to share his knowledge, which was unmatched. He made everyone around him better," said Kirsten Stromsodt, executive editor for Forum Communications who formerly served as director of content for Agweek. "Jon was a stellar reporter and an even better person," said Jenny Schlecht, director of content for Agweek. "He was an important part of the fabric of Agweek, providing steady, thorough reporting and insightful commentary, straight from someone who knew the world of agriculture personally. We're all better for having worked with him and learned from his experiences." Knutson always described himself as a "farm kid." He grew up on his family farm near McVille, North Dakota. He graduated from Concordia College in Moorhead, Minnesota, with a bachelor's degree, then received a master's degree in international management from the Thunderbird School of Global Management in Phoenix, Arizona. Knutson spent five years at the Bismarck (North Dakota) Tribune. He first came to Agweek in 1989. He spent two years there before moving on to The Forum of Fargo-Moorhead in February 1991, where he covered agriculture and business. Knutson returned to Agweek on April Fools' Day in 2010. Knutson was a big piece of the beginning of AgweekTV , which launched in January 2015. While a print reporter at heart, Knutson became adept at appearing on television, giving his reporting a new audience. He became a fixture on the program for years and helped bring accurate agriculture information into the living rooms of the region. After his retirement in August 2021, Knutson still regularly wrote his popular "Plain Living" column for Agweek and Forum Communications. Throughout his career, Knutson wrote many stories important to agriculture, agriculture policy and ag business, along with many insightful profiles on the agriculture community of the region. When he retired, he chose "five fairly representative stories of which I'm proud" and provided comments on them: 1. A long, wet ag disaster : "Many Agweek readers remember the long rise of Devils Lake adjacent to the North Dakota city bearing the same name. This story, which took first place in the annual North American Agricultural Journalists writing contest, examined how farmers were affected." 2. The man from Moccasin, Mont. : "I've had the great, good fortune to write many personality stories, or feature stories on individuals. This one involved a trip to Great Falls, Mont. — a long drive that proves Agweek's commitment to serving the region — to profile a wheat farmer and national commodity leader whom I dubbed 'the Man from Moccasin, Mont.' " 3. Cultured meat: Good or bad, promise or peril? "I'd like to think I've always written fair, balanced stories. Even though I grew up on a ranch and once owned cattle, this award-winning story, which looked at the pros and cons, friends and foes of cultured meat (aka cell-based meat) fairly reflected the cell-based industry's point of view, or so an industry official told me after the story ran." 4. Flood control creates tough times for farmers, ranchers : "This is the longest story I ever wrote. It looked at disastrous flooding around Towner, North Dakota. I received a second-place in the annual NAAJ writing contest; the first-place winner that year visited China for his story, the third-place winner went to New Zealand. Ah, well, Towner was fine by me; nice town, nice people." 5. 'Arrogant journalists' not found in Upper Midwest ag : "My "Plain Living" columns typically focus on the joys and challenges of modern agriculture. This one looks at the joys and challenges of being an ag journalist. A private graveside service for Knutson is planned for later this year. In lieu of memorials, his family believes the best way to honor his memory is to schedule a cancer screening, especially for colon cancer. To read his full obituary, visit
Yahoo
02-04-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Winter storm warning and advisory in central Minnesota extended until early Thursday
Apr. 2—CHANHASSEN — The has extended the current winter storm warning and the winter weather advisory in western and central Minnesota until 1 a.m. Thursday, April 3. Phase two of the April Fools spring storm brought widespread rain and snow to the region. Areas along the west and northern sides of the system will see renewed strength in snowfall, with the potential favoring western and central Minnesota, according to the National Weather Service. There is also potential for minor ice accumulations from sunrise through midday in western Minnesota as mid-level warmer air continues to wrap around the system. The winter storm warning has been expanded to include Stevens and Pope counties in addition to Douglas, Todd, and Morrison counties due to the greatest potential for seeing additional snowfall exceeding 4 to 6 inches and ice accumulations up to one-tenth of an inch. Winds gusting as high as 35 mph are possible. The winter weather advisory has been expanded to include Benton, Kanabec, Kandiyohi, Lac qui Parle, Mille Lacs, Stearns, Swift and Yellow Medicine counties. There will be a sharp cutoff in snow totals south of where the heaviest snowfall sets up. There is also potential for minor ice accumulations up to a glaze. Rain and snow, possibly mixed with sleet, is expected by 4 p.m. Wednesday, followed by a chance of snow after 5 p.m. with wind gusts up to 30 mph. All drivers are urged to slow down and use caution when traveling. Drivers can call 5-1-1 or visit for road conditions. Watch for weather-related announcements throughout the day at these Forum Communications websites: * West Central Tribune, Willmar: * Alexandria Echo Press: * St. Cloud Live: Gusty winds are also expected across southern Minnesota throughout the day.
Yahoo
01-04-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
An April Fools' spring storm arriving Tuesday will produce snow and more through Wednesday
Apr. 1—CHANHASSEN, Minn. — This is no April Fools' prank from Mother Nature. A spring storm is arriving Tuesday, April 1, which will bring periods of heavy snow to western and central Minnesota, then eastward into northwest Wisconsin. According to the National Weather Service, a band of heavy snow will spread across Minnesota and western Wisconsin on Tuesday afternoon and evening. The heavy snow is expected to linger into Wednesday morning across central Minnesota. In addition, late tonight into Wednesday morning, sleet and freezing rain may sometimes mix in with the snow. A winter storm warning is in effect from Douglas County eastward to Kanabec County through Wednesday morning. This area includes Alexandria, Long Prairie, Little Falls, Milaca, Hinckley, and northward. Snow is expected to last the longest in those counties, resulting in snowfall totals of 5 to 7 inches. Some locally higher amounts are possible in Douglas and Todd counties. The heavy snow in Douglas County will be mixed with some freezing rain and sleet late Tuesday night into Wednesday morning. There is a winter weather advisory through Tuesday until 1 a.m. Wednesday from Yellow Medicine County up to Stearns County and over to Chisago County. This area includes Benson, Clara City, Granite Falls, Madison, Marshall, Montevideo, Morris, Paynesville, St. Cloud and Willmar. Snowfall totals of 2 to 4 inches are expected with this advisory area. Some amounts closer to 6 inches are possible in the northern edge, including Pope, Stearns, Benton and Isanti counties. All drivers are urged to slow down and use caution when traveling. Drivers can call 5-1-1 or visit for road conditions. Watch for weather-related announcements throughout the day at these Forum Communications websites: * Alexandria Echo Press: * St. Cloud Live: * West Central Tribune, Willmar:
