Former Tiger Goes on the Air
Updated State Tourney Brackets
Page 12
See Who Needs A Step Stool Page 2
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ONE HUNDRED AND THIRTY-THIRD YEAR
BELLE PLAINE, MINNESOTA, AUGUST 20, 2014
75¢ SINGLE COPY
NUMBER 34
Council Okays Expenditures for Bridge, Library Projects
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Calls for Final Assessment Hearing on Street Project by Dan Ruud The Belle Plaine City Council Monday night authorized expenditures in order to obtain more precise cost estimates for the proposed overpass and library expansion projects. Overpass The council unanimously authorized staff to proceed with services related to the proposed construction of the overpass near the intersection of Highway 169 and County Road 3/ Meridian Street. The total cost of the expenditures is $51,500, which will come from the city’s capital fund budget. At a workshop on July 21, the council directed staff to obtain quotes for the relocation study, soil borings and surveying. Gerry “Mize” Meyer, president of the Belle Plaine Baseball Association, tossed out the ceremonial first pitch Friday night at Tiger Park. Preparing for just about anything behind the The relocation study, which plate was Meyer’s grandson, Jake. Meyer’s granddaughter, Allie, sang the National Anthem.
will cost approximately $3,300, involves the potential purchase of a house and property at 702 South Meridian Street. The study will provide the council and property owner(s) the opportunity to “fully understand the acquisition process and costs prior to finalizing the purchase.” The soil borings and survey services, expected to cost about $26,100 and $22,100, respectively, are required to determine the scope of the work and verify acquisition needs and property impacts. “The quote for the soil boring is from Braun Intertec and the quote for surveying is from Bolton and Menk. Both of these services are included in the preliminary project costs and are required to move forward to the design phase,” reported City Administrator Holly Kreft. Library Expansion The council unanimously approved the hiring of UrbanWorks Architecture of Minneapolis to provide design documents and cost estimates
for the proposed addition to the public library downtown. UrbanWorks will provide the services at a cost of $12,000. Earlier this month, the council authorized staff to request proposals for architectural services for the project. Community Development Director Chelsea Alger had explained that Minnesota Department of Education Library Construction Grant applications for 2015 are due Oct. 2, and in order to apply for a grant to assist with the cost of the library expansion, the city needs to have an architect develop architectural drawings and a cost estimate. On Monday, Alger reported that there is currently about $150,000 in the library fund, which includes what the Belle Plaine Friends of the Library has donated and what the city has budgeted for the project so far. Alger added that the cost of the architectural services will
City Council
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State Baseball Tourney Belle Plaine, Jordan, Green Isle Advance to Second Round by Dan Ruud The 48-team Minnesota State Class C Amateur Baseball Tournament has been narrowed to 32 teams following opening round games this past weekend in Belle Plaine and Jordan.
And Arlington. Due to the downpours late Sunday afternoon and early evening, the field at Jordan’s Mini Met became unplayable, so the end of the Plato vs. Kimball game and the entire Ada vs.
Le Sueur County Pioneer Power Show This Weekend
It will be “History in Action” when the Le Sueur County Pioneer Power Association holds its 41st annual festival this Friday through Sunday. Gates open at 7 a.m. daily and there will be all forms of exhibitions and displays demonstrating farming and rural life activities of decades ago. Friday’s activities include the 13th annual Antique Tractor and Machinery Auction. It starts at 9:30 a.m. This year’s show will also include the Classic Tractor Showcase, featuring tractors from the 1910s through the 1970s – 60 years of tractor history. The 60s and 70s vintage tractors have become very popular with many collectors and will be showcased at this year’s show. Many regional tractor clubs and shows will be represented with a great variety of different brands of tractors. The parade of antique tractors and other machinery will begin at 12:30 p.m. all three days. The Antique Tractor Pull will begin at noon Saturday and the state-sanctioned Kids Pedal Pull will start at 3 p.m. Saturday. There will also be a Vintage Snowmobile Expo. Snowmobiles from the early 50s thru the 80s will be on display both inside and outside the Feature Building. Many snowmobile clubs have been contacted to help out with this feature. The historic Lexington Church will be open, as well as the Dresselville Creamery and Halloran one-room schoolhouse. Showgoers can enjoy the many
exhibits and displays in the Ladies Building, including the Hat Lady demonstration, broom making and quilting. Live entertainment is featured on the main stage in Pioneer Hall all weekend. Also, the Threshers Kitchen serves a variety of home-cooked food. A pancake and sausage breakfast will be available Saturday and Sunday mornings. A number of vendors will be serving various food items, too. A Catholic Church service will be held at 6 p.m. Saturday and an Ecumenical service on Sunday at 7:30 a.m. Admission to the Pioneer Power show is $10 for the purchase of a collector button, which is good for admission on all three days. Watch for signs directing you to the show grounds, located 13 miles south of Belle Plaine, 11 miles west of Montgomery, six miles northwest of Le Center and six miles east of Le Sueur. For more information, call Tom Graham at 507-248-3515 or visit pioneerpower.com.
Hinckley game were played at Arlington. As one Tweeter summed up: This is why town ball is so awesome. Can’t play on your field? Call the neighbors. Thanks for the help. The two host teams, as well as Green Isle, were among the winners, all rather easily. Belle Plaine drubbed Detroit Lakes 10-2 Friday night (see details inside), Green Isle handled Lamberton 9-1 Saturday and Jordan sank Luxemburg Sunday (see below). Belle Plaine has no easy task this Saturday as the defending state Class C champion, the Sartell Muskies, will visit Tiger Park for an 11 a.m. start. All 16 regional champions received first-round byes and will be in action this weekend. Sartell, the champion of Region 1, took full advantage of a depleted Belle Plaine pitching staff in last year’s state championship game in Maple Lake, winning 10-0 in seven innings. The Tigers had played two games the day before (one in Delano and one in Maple Lake), including a 17-inning affair against Howard Lake. There can be no excuse this time around as the Tigers will have had an eight-day off period and will be at home. Ace pitcher Ryan Diers is expected to start on the mound for Belle
State Baseball
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Jessenland Irish Fest Sunday The annual Jessenland Irish Festival will take place Sunday, Aug. 24 at the Oratory of St. Thomas in Jessenland. Mass starts at 10:40 a.m. and entertainment on the grounds will take place from noon to 3 p.m. The Tim Malloys band will provide music and the Ellis Academy of Irish Dance will
also perform. A catered chicken dinner will be served from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. (advance tickets only). To order, call 507-964-5514 or 507-248-3506. You can also visit http://jessenland.weebly. com/irish-festival.html.
Belle Plaine High School seniors Courtney Bristlin and Patrick Schaefer have been working for weeks preparing 1,600 iPad minis for distribution to the district’s students in kindergarten through 12th grades this fall. About 775 junior and senior high school students will receive iPad minis this week.
Board Wants Teachers to Make Good Use of iPads, Technology Investment
By the end of the 2018-19 school year, the Belle Plaine School District will have invested over $2 million over six years in improved technology. As teachers come back to school this week and next, the school board has a clear mes-
sage. Make good use of the investment. This week, students in seventh through 12th grades will receive the iPads the board approved last year as part of a district wide academic improvement
initiative. Eventually, all of the school districts’s approximately 1,600-plus students will have access to an iPad and/or Chromebook for their use. The
iPads
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Scott County, Blakeley Twp. Hosting Separate Meetings on What to Do With County Roads Blakeley Twp. Hosting its Own Input Meeting Tomorrow; County Says ‘Difficult Decisions’ Must Still be Made
Scott County will host an information and input meeting on cleanup and repairs to stormdamaged roads – county roads 1, 6, 51 and 60 -- in Blakeley Township. It will be held (Monday) Aug. 25, 7 p.m., at Oak Crest Elementary School. But first, Blakeley Township supervisors want input from township residents. They’re
hosting a meeting tomorrow night (Thursday, Aug. 21, 8 p.m.) to collect input from township residents and others who use the county roads. The meeting will be held at Belle Plaine City Hall, 218 Meridian Street N. Robert Wagner, a Blakeley Township supervisor, said the town board wants to hear what residents have to say about the county’s intentions for the damaged roads. Scott County is planning to repair county roads 6 (Union Trail/the Blakeley road) and 1 (Union Trail). It is considering a proposal to potentially close county roads 60 and 51.
County Roads
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Two Meetings
Two meetings are planned to take input on what should be done about storm-damaged county roads 1, 6, 51, and 60 in Blakeley Township. n Blakeley Township: Input meeting for township residents and people who use the roads. Thursday, Aug. 21, 8 p.m., Belle Plaine Government Center, 218 Meridian Street N. (use north entrance). n Scott County: Input from township residents, representatives. Monday, Aug. 25, 7 p.m., Oak Crest Elementary School, 1101 Commerce Drive W.