Aug 21, 2013 belle plaine herald

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Another Lutheran Home Resident Strikes 100

Gray Tigers to Host State Tourney Game Friday

Scott County Considering Sales Tax Hike for Transportation Projects Page 18

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Page 2 ONE HUNDRED AND THIRTY-SECOND YEAR

BELLE PLAINE, MINNESOTA, AUGUST 21, 2013

75¢ SINGLE COPY

NUMBER 34

Tigers to Face St. Benedict in State Council Votes to Relieve City Tournament Opener This Saturday Administrator Murphy of Duties The Belle Plaine town baseball team is going to get a chance to face St. Benedict anyway. The Tigers were scheduled to open the 2013 season against the Saints back on May 3 at Tiger Park but the game was called off due to weather. Almost four months later, the two teams will square off in the second round of the 48-team single-elimination Minnesota Class C State Tournament 7:30 p.m. this Saturday at Municipal Stadium in Delano. St. Benedict edged Owatonna 3-2 in the tournament’s first round this past Friday in Delano. Belle Plaine, the champions of Region 6C, earned a first-round bye with a record of 15-16. St. Benedict is 20-11. Against Owatonna, St. Benedict pitcher Tanner Oakes tossed a complete-game four-

hitter. Chances are it will be Oakes, a graduate of Jordan High School, up against Belle Plaine ace Ryan Diers this Saturday night. The two hurlers are members of the Augsburg College and St. Cloud State University baseball teams, respectively. St. Benedict is one of four teams that qualified for the state Class C tourney out of Region 3C. The Saints, who are making their first-ever state tournament appearance, is the No. 4 seed from that region. New Market (1), New Prague (2) and Union Hill (3) are the other 3C teams that qualified. The Belle Plaine/St. Benedict winner will advance to face either Cannon Falls or Avon 11:30 a.m. Aug. 31 at Maple Lake (see updated brackets inside).

Area Teams Advance

Most of area teams that made it to the state Class C tournament are still in it after week one. Jordan squeezed past Spring Hill 3-2 in 13 innings on Sunday, New Prague pounded Springfield 8-1, Union Hill dumped Fairfax 6-1 and Green Isle slipped past Sleepy Eye 2-1. This Sunday at 1:30 p.m., New Market, which like Belle Plaine received a first-round bye, will take on Fairmont in Delano. Union Hill play Fergus Falls 1:30 p.m. Sunday at Maple Lake and Green Isle has a date with Morris 11 a.m. Saturday at Maple Lake. New Prague will go against Plato 5 p.m. Friday in Delano and Jordan takes on Bertha 5 p.m. Friday in Maple Lake.

by Dan Ruud As of about 7:30 p.m. Monday, City Administrator David Murphy is no longer employed by the city of Belle Plaine. During a closed session that followed Monday’s regular city council meeting, the council voted to part ways with Murphy, effective immediately. That was what Mayor Mike Pingalore told a gathering of nearly 20 city employees dur-

ing an impromptu briefing at city hall Tuesday morning. “I wanted all of you to hear it (Murphy’s dismissal) from me,” said Pingalore, adding that he could not go into any specific details about the matter until after the “separation agreement” is signed by both parties, which he said may be done by later in the day on Tuesday. Once the agreement is signed, Pinglaore said the details within it will be released. After Tuesday morning’s briefing, Pingalore would not say what members of the council voted for Murphy’s dismissal, only that the vote was “not unanimous.” During a closed session in

June, the council came to a consensus (no vote was taken) not to renew Murphy’s current contract when it expires on Dec. 31. Next January was to mark Murphy’s 10-year anniversary as the city administrator, a reign that has lasted longer than the combined time of the three previous city administrators – David Iverson, Todd Bodem and Luayn Murphy. After the council decided in June not to renew Murphy’s contract, Murphy, who lives in Hutchinson, said he would start applying and interviewing

Murphy

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City Council Hears Several Complaints About Street Work grass that was torn up during construction. “It’s the first time in my life I’ve ever seen anyone lay sod over piles of rock. Other than Ken Edaburn, who also lives that, I have no problems,” Edaon West Main Street, said his problem had nothing to do with City Council concrete, but rather the sod that (continued on page 6) was installed to replace the

Sale of Former BP Station Property in County’s Hands

by Dan Ruud The Belle Plaine City Council Monday night held the final assessment public hearing for this year’s street and utility improvement project, at which only five people spoke up. And most of what was said did not pertain to assessments, but rather were complaints about the work itself. The first to speak was Bret Krick, who wanted to know why his “perfectly good sidewalk” along West Main Street A Belle Plaine pilot safely about 40 feet off the ground was ripped up and replaced, landed a helicopter after col- and did not spill any of the liqcosting him an additional $717. liding with some power lines uid pesticide he was spraying, He said he was told before the in near Green Isle Friday eve- said Scott Churchill, owner of Scott’s Helicopter Service in Le After interviewing witnesses, investigators from the Carver County Sheriff’s Office compared project started that his exist- ning. Daniel Lee, a pilot with Scott’s Sueur. ing sidewalk would remain in notes and began their investigation of last Thursday’s robbery of Klein Bank in Cologne. place. He added that the width, Helicopter Service of Le Sueur, The helicopter sustained modlength, placement and eleva- was crop-dusting when he col- erate damage to the bubble tion of the new sidewalk are the lided with utility power lines compartment around the pilot. near the intersection of 331st Both Lee and the helicopter same as the one it replaced. “Why are we in the business Avenue and 170th Street, north- were back in service the next Investigators are looking for a counter. The woman took it and of replacing perfectly good east of Green Isle, in Washing- day. woman they say robbed the Co- left the bank. sidewalks?” Krick asked City ton Lake Township. Lee was Churchill downplayed the inlogne branch of Klein Bank last No one was injured during the spraying pesticides when the cident, noting that Lee was unEngineer Joe Duncan. Thursday afternoon. encounter, according to a press crash occurred just after 7:30 aware of the power lines until Duncan stated the sometimes p.m. Just before 12:30 p.m. Aug. release from the sheriff’s ofafter his helicopter hit them. it’s necessary to replace side- After the accident happened, Excel Energy responded to 15, a woman entered the bank fice. walks when utilities beneath Lee, 27, maintained control of the area to repair the damaged at 210 Paul Avenue N. She The woman is a white female, them are being replaced. Krick the helicopter and landed it in a power lines. The Federal Aviahanded the teller a note de- approximately 5-feet-8, in her indicated that he would like his nearby alfalfa field. He was not tion Administration is reviewmanding money. The woman early to mid-20s. She wore a sidewalk case to be explored injured when clipping the lines ing the crash. did not brandish any weapons, black head scarf, a loose black further. but implied she had a gun, ac- blouse and loose black slacks. cording to the Carver County She also wore black framed Sheriff’s Office. sunglasses with gold trim on the robbery or the suspect. The teller placed an undis- the temples. closed amount of cash on the Investigators declined to offer It’s the second time the bank any additional information on has been robbed in the past few years. March 9, 2011, a man – dubbed the Fishing Hat Bandit – robbed the bank. He was eventually arrested and convicted of several bank robberies. Anyone with information reFrom a humble beginning in sic tractors will be working lated to the most recent robbery a local farmers stubble field, for visitors’ pleasure. A horse- can contact the Carver County to one of the largest antique powered sweep and horse pow- Sheriff’s Office at 952-361agricultural exhibits in the na- ered treadmill will be in action, 1212 or 952-361-1231, or call tion, the 40th annual Le Sueur along with many antique heavy the tip line at 952-361-1224 to County Pioneer Power As- construction implements. A leave an anonymous message. sociation Show is this Friday bumper crop of spring wheat The FBI is available to receive through Sunday. will be threshed with several information about this case at Situated on a 110-acre site 13 763-569-8000. Pioneer Power miles south of Belle Plaine, (continued on page 7) this year’s show features the Rumely products line of farm equipment. Gates open at 7 a.m. daily and visitors will enjoy all forms of exhibitions and displays demonstrating farming and rural life activities of yesteryear. Belle Plaine Community Edu- vide carnival games, interactive Log sawing, threshing, shingle cation will present the Explore booths and fun demonstrations. mill, steam engines and clas- Belle Plaine Community Youth Lollipop the Clown will also be Fair on Thursday, Aug. 22 from there. 6:30-8:30 p.m. at Oak Crest El- This is a free opportunity for Aerial work on the CapX 2020 power line resulted in periodic traffic backups on the southementary School. you to learn how your child can bound and northbound lanes of Highway 169 near Stoppelmann Boulevard in Blakeley TownLocal organizations will pro- get involved in sports, arts and ship last week. Once the all-clear was given during the lane closures, the traffic flow would other after-school activities. return to normal in a short period of time before the next closure went into effect.

Belle Plaine Pilot Lands Helicopter Safely After Crash

Woman Wanted in Cologne Bank Heist

40th Annual Pioneer Power Show This Weekend

Explore Belle Plaine Youth Fair This Thursday

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Aug 21, 2013 belle plaine herald by Belle Plaine Herald - Issuu