MUFON Minnesota Newsletter

History

William I. McNeff edited the Minnesota MUFON Newsletter from its founding in approximately 1986, shifting the title to "Minnesota MUFON Journal" as the publication grew. The earliest archived issue (No. 35, August 1992) already shows a mature editorial voice: McNeff's opening discusses John Mack's entry into abduction research and reproduces the foreword to David Jacobs' "Secret Life." The latest issue in the archive (No. 182, November/December 2016) is identified as the "30th Anniversary issue," confirming the publication's start around 1986. McNeff continued writing his signature "Estimate of the Situation" editorial annually throughout, borrowing the title from the Air Force's suppressed 1948 report.

The chapter met monthly at the New Brighton Family Service Center, Room 224, 400 10th Street NW, New Brighton (a quarter-mile southwest of Highways 694 and 35W). Meetings ran Saturday afternoons, typically 1:30 to 5:00 pm or 2:00 to 5:00 pm. By 2011 the chapter had held monthly meetings continuously for 24 years. It incorporated as a Minnesota non-profit in 2007 with a nine-member board of directors. Lorna Hunter succeeded McNeff as State Director by 2011, though McNeff continued contributing the annual "Estimate" through at least 2016.

The chapter's technical capacity exceeded most state groups. Don Weatherbee, a computer programming expert and chapter member, created WUFOD (the World UFO/ET Database) with Wendy Ban, a tool that standardised case data across multiple MUFON chapters. By 2010, the chapter had implemented video conferencing in partnership with Colorado MUFON, allowing members in Hawaii and Canada to participate in meetings remotely. The first Minnesota UFO Conference was held on 8 October 2011.

Publication shifted from bimonthly to quarterly at various points but maintained remarkable consistency. The archive holds 146 issues spanning 24 years, with the main gap between the early "Newsletter" era (pre-Issue 35) and the surviving run. The publication included case investigations from across Minnesota, Wisconsin, and the Dakotas, speaker summaries from monthly meetings, book reviews, and McNeff's editorial commentary on national and international developments.