BPHS Fall Sports Teams Getting in Stride
A Number of Area Incumbents Facing Challengers in November Page 6
Gray Tigers Two Wins Away from State Championship Page 13
Page 13
ONE HUNDRED AND THIRTY-FIFTH YEAR
BELLE PLAINE, MINNESOTA, AUGUST 24, 2016
75¢ SINGLE COPY
NUMBER 35
School Board OKs Contract for New Community Services Director Chevalier Will Spend 40 Percent of Her Time As Assistant Principal
After weeks of behind-thescenes discussions, the Belle Plaine School Board finally approved a contract with Mindy Chevalier, the school district’s director of Belle Plaine Schools Community Services and high school assistant principal. Monday evening (Aug. 22), the board unanimously ap-
proved a two-year contract with Chevalier. The contract is for 260 days in each year. Chevalier will earn $117,959 in salary and benefits in 2016-17 and $119,561 in salary and benefits in 2017-18. She will spend 60 percent of her time working on community services and 40 percent of her time as an assistant principal. She is continuing her education to complete the necessary licensure as a community education director. That work should be completed in next year, Superintendent Ryan Laager told the board Monday night. The district has retained
the former director of Community Services, Nelson Ladd, on a part-time basis to keep a licensed director on staff. The city is funding a portion of Chevalier’s position. It will pay $21,233 in 2016-17 and $21,521 the following year. The city council agreed to its share of the contract last week. In other action at Monday’s meeting, the Belle Plaine School Board: • Paid bills totaling $784,113.60.
School Board
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The Greek Still in Cleats Dave Wagner One of State’s Oldest Active Baseball Players
Ron and Heather Fry, who own Belle Plaine Dairy Queen, have purchased the Borough Bowl business from longtime owners Judy Otto and her son, Tom Otto. Pictured with the Frys are their children, from left, Libby, Jarrett, Weston and Aubrey.
Frys Purchase Borough Bowl from Ottos Ron and Heather Fry, owners of the Belle Plaine Dairy Queen for the past 3 1/2 years, have purchased the Borough Bowl from Judy Otto and her son, Tom Otto. The purchase was finalized Thursday. The eight-lane bowling alley with bar and restaurant was built by the late Ivan Otto and opened in 1976 at 235 South Ash Street. Prior to that the business was located downtown. Ron Fry, who purchased the bowling, restaurant and bar business and is leasing the
building from the Ottos, said a number of big changes are on the way. Included will be a fully-remodelled restaurant and bar, as well as a new menu. The restaurant/bar is currently closed for remodelling but could reopen early next week. The Frys plan to continue with the current bowling leagues and may be adding at least one more. The Frys also plan to continue operating their Dairy Queen, which is located just a few blocks away from the Borough Bowl. Ron Fry said it will be
interesting owning two businesses with contrasting busy seasons – Dairy Queen in the summer and Borough Bowl in the winter. Ron Fry said that he does not plan to continue operation of the party/banquet room but rather convert a portion of it into a game room. Tom Otto, who grew up in the family business, said Judy is retiring and he is not yet sure about his future plans, only that he will remain at the Borough Bowl through the transition period.
In Wake of Fatal Crash, Family Left Searching for Answers In the days after the fatal hitand run crash and funeral services, members of Derek Fath’s family have more questions than answers. Why would a person driving a vehicle hit him on Highway 169 and not stop, leaving him to die? What was he doing on the highway? Where was he walking from? And most importantly, will investigators ever find the person responsible for Derek’s tragic death? “We don’t know what happened. All we know was that he was on his way home,” said Sarah Graham, Fath’s older sis-
ter and the family’s spokesperson. According to the Minnesota State Patrol, Fath was found dead in the northbound Lane of Highway 169 at the intersection of Belle Plaine Trail last Sunday morning (Aug. 14) around 5:15 a.m. A spokesperson for the state patrol said investigators believe be was hit crossing the highway sometime between 4:30 and 5 a.m. Investigators are looking for a 2010 to 2012 Ford Fusion or Mercury Milan that was traveling on Highway 169 around the time of the crash. Investigators would also like to speak to the driver and any oc-
cupants. Anyone who may have been involved or witnessed the crash is asked to call the State Patrol at 651-582-1503. Investigators from the Minnesota State Patrol have shared little information with the family, Graham said. The unanswered questions only add to the family’s anguish. “It’s so frustrating because we just don’t know what happened,” she said. “We’re hoping someone has a conscience so my family can have some answers.” The family is “devastated” by the tragic nature of the crash, she said. Fath had many friends. Over 400 people attended his wake last Thursday (Aug. 18). Fath leaves behind a son, Tucker, who’ll soon turn 2 years old. lar donors delay giving while “He doesn’t really understand they take vacation and partici- what happened,” Graham said. pate in summer activities. The His co-workers at Systems need for blood doesn’t take a summer break though. Fatal Crash The Red Cross will be accept(continued on page 7) ing donors in Belle Plaine on Monday, Aug. 29 from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at Kingsway Retirement Living, 815 West Main Street.
Red Cross to Hold Blood Drive in Belle Plaine Aug. 29 The American Red Cross urges blood donors to give in the final weeks of summer to help overcome a critical summer blood shortage. The summer months are among the most challenging times of year to collect enough blood and platelet donations to meet patient needs. Many regu-
by Dan Ruud Dave (Greek) Wagner of Belle Plaine said he may be in the twilight of his baseball career that has spanned six decades, ranging from Pee Wees to Babe Ruth to high school to college to town team to senior league, the latter of which he still competes in with men up to 30 years younger than him. Wagner, 65, commonly known as Greek, is a longtime member of the Belle Plaine Gray Tigers age 35 and over team that is currently playing in the state senior baseball tournament that began this past weekend at Carlos (near Alexandria) and will resume this weekend in Belle Plaine and other nearby communities (see separate article and brackets). Getting the nickname Greek had nothing to do with Wagner’s heritage, which is German. Instead, it began in his youth following a brief exchange he had with a school teacher. “The teacher asked me a question and I said ‘that’s Greek to me.’ That’s where it got started and it stuck,” Wagner said. Wagner, a 1969 graduate of Belle Plaine High School, was a standout for the high school Tigers for several years. He was on the freshman team at the University of Minnesota before becoming hospitalized with an illness, and before he could get his Gophers career back on track, he was drafted into the Army, serving in Vietnam in 1971-72. After the Army, Wagner returned to college, this time at St. Cloud State University, where he resumed his studies and baseball career for a couple of years before returning to Belle Plaine and becoming a Scott County Sheriff’s deputy, from which he is now retired. Wagner played for the Belle Plaine town team regularly for more than 20 years and has since spent most of his time on the diamond as a member of the Gray Tigers, as well as playing some age 50 and over ball with Hanska and Union Hill (Belle Plaine does not have a 50 over team). Wagner’s son, Ben, is a current member of the Belle Plaine town team, and for one game last year in Arlington, Greek suited up and batted once so that he and Ben can say they both played in the same game, which is one of Greek’s many baseball memories. “It’s the one and only we’ll play in together – I’m sure,” Greek said. Another best memory occurred
decades ago when Wagner was young, spry and fleet-footed. It was his first Belle Plaine town team game. “I was 15 years old and I think I was 4-for-5 with three doubles, all down the left-field line in the opposite direction. I could run pretty well then,” said the lefthanded hitting Wagner, who went on to play town ball until 1992, after which he focused on the senior circuit. Through the years, which also included a stint with the Green Isle town team, Greek
Greek
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Dave Wagner
Le Sueur County Pioneer Power Show This Weekend One of the largest antique agricultural exhibits in the nation will take place this Friday through Sunday at the 43rd annual Le Sueur County Pioneer Power Association Show Situated on a 120-acre site 13 miles south of Belle Plaine on County Road 26, this year’s show features Cockshutt Tractors and Equipment, and Lawn and Garden Tractors and Equipment. Some rare and interesting items will be displayed. 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. Log sawing, threshing, shingle mill, steam engines and classic tractors will be working for visitors’ pleasure. A horsepowered sweep and horse-powered treadmill will be in action, along with many antique heavy construction implements. A bumper crop of wheat will be threshed with several vintage threshing machines. The 114-year-old Lexington Church will be open, as well as the Dresselville Creamery and Halloran one-room schoolhouse. Check out the new barn out in the threshing area. Showgoers can enjoy the many exhibits and displays in the Ladies Building, including the Hat Lady demonstration, broom making and quilting. Stop at the Post Office for a special stamp cancellation.
Friday’s activities feature the popular Consignment Auction featuring the sale of vintage farm equipment and accessories. Saturday’s Antique Tractor Pull is one of the best in southern Minnesota and takes place right after the daily parade, which starts at 12:30 p.m. each day. There will be a local onehour tractor ride leaving the showgrounds at 6:30 p.m. and taking a nine-mile route back to the showgrounds. Live entertainment will be featured on the main stage in Pioneer Hall all weekend. On Friday morning it’s The Flemming Fold. On Friday afternoon, RFD TV personality Mollie B will be back again. The Marv Nissel Band is on stage Saturday morning, and Craig Ebel and DyVersaCo polka band is on stage Saturday afternoon. Closing out the weekend is Windy Creek on Sunday morning, with local favorites Downtown sound Variety Band returning on Sunday afternoon. Check out the Pioneer Power Fire Departments display of vintage fire fighting equipment, including the ladder truck recently donated by the city of New Prague. The ever popular air ambulance is scheduled to make a visit. Also, the firemen put on several safety demon-
Pioneer Power (continued on page 7)
Jessenland Irish Festival Aug. 28 Minnesota’s First Irish Settlement is the site of the Jessenland Irish Festival on Sunday Aug. 28. Irish music will fill the air on the historic church grounds of St Thomas the Apostle in rural Henderson. Tour the church built in 1870 and walk the grounds of this parish established in 1855. Mass will be at 10:30 a.m. in
the historic Jessenland church, followed by a chicken dinner (advance tickets only). The beer garden will feature beer from U4IC Brewery and live Irish music featuring Broken SpokeIrish Dancers. There will also be a food stand and beverages, a children’s area and a silent auction, raffle and more.