Minnesota briefs: Stanley Cup visit to Renville County will benefit local foundation

Jason Serbus will bring the trophy to the Broaster restaurant in Bird Island from 1 to 3 p.m. July 23. Serbus is a Bird Island native and a 1997 graduate of BOLD High School.

The Capitals won the Stanley Cup last month. By tradition, players and other members of the winning organization are each allowed to take it for a day to a destination of their choice.

Serbus is asking fans to make a donation to the Tim Orth Memorial Foundation before snapping a photo of the trophy.

The Tim Orth Foundation helps the families of children in west-central Minnesota who are facing significant medical expenses. Orth was a BOLD student and athlete who died of a brain tumor in 1997.

JOHN REINAN

The Willmar Municipal Utilities Commission voted unanimously last week to sell off its 3,200-ton coal pile — the last of its stocks.

Chris Carlson, power supply manager for Willmar Municipal Utilities, said the supply of natural gas the plant uses to generate electricity is so stable that it no longer needs to hang on to the coal as a backup.

The company has a prospective buyer, John Harren, the utility's general manager, said in an e-mail. "However, we will be soliciting quotes for the sale of the coal and it will be sold to the highest responsible quote/bid."

Justin Mattern, vice president of the utilities commission, asked if there was some value to keeping coal on hand in case there's a hiccup in the natural gas supply.

Harren said that made sense a couple of years ago, but coal no longer is needed because gas volumes are adequate.

Dan Browning

More than 30 cities in greater Minnesota have received grants for housing and infrastructure rehabilitation from the Small Cities Development Program of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.