Visual Arts Team Sends Four To State
BPHS Prom Saturday at Mall of America
Chatfield Kindergartners Meet All-Americans from “U” Page 12
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ONE HUNDRED AND THIRTY-SIXTH YEAR
BELLE PLAINE, MINNESOTA, may 3, 2017
75¢ SINGLE COPY
NUMBER 18
City OKs Satanic Temple’s Request for Memorial in Veterans Park Like ‘Joe,’ Temple’s Memorial Will Be in Limited Public Forum
Feeling it had little choice but to approve a request for a second memorial to veterans and those who died in service of their country, the City of Belle Plaine has approved an application from The Satanic Temple to place a monument in Veterans Park. In accordance with city ordinance the council approved earlier this year, the monument was approved administratively, shortly after the application was received Feb. 24. The temple’s monument will be placed within the limited public forum in Veterans Park, an area designated for free speech. The original non-city-placed monument to brought an array of items for disposal. Staff from Waste Man- the fallen, a steel silhouette of agement and members of the Belle Plaine Lions Club helped a soldier known as ‘Joe’ kneelmake the event a big success. ing at a fallen comrade’s crossmarked gravesite is within the
In Line & Ready to Go
Belle Plaine’s Kenneth Hunt was in line bright and early Saturday morning pulling a wagon-load of items for disposal at Belle Plaine Community Cleanup at the police parking lot on Willow Street. People in an estimated 300-plus vehicles
limited public forum area. Hundreds of Belle Plaine and area residents boisterously supported ‘Joe’ be allowed to remain in Veterans Park to honor those who served and those who died for their country. After the council ordered it removed from a spot adjacent to the granite marker ‘Joe’ was replaced last month after the council OK’d the creation of the limited public forum area. City Administrator Mike Votca said the application from Salem, Mass.-based Reason Alliance, Satanic Temple’s fund-raising entity, left him little choice but to approve the monument because it met the criteria within the ordinance the city council approved. The temple’s monument is within the size requirements and is covered by the appropriate level of insurance, he said. Rejecting the application would have invited potentially expensive litigation, Votca said. No date has been set for the installation of the Satanic Tem-
City OKs
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Ridgeview Will Open New Belle Plaine Clinic June 5
Ridgeview Medical Center will open its new Belle Plaine Clinic will open Monday, June 5. Located on the Ridgeview Health Campus in Belle Plaine (165 Commerce Drive W. on Highway 169), Ridgeview Belle Plaine Clinic will offer comprehensive primary care and family medicine services. One of Ridgeview’s 12 primary care clinics located in the southwest metro, Ridgeview Belle Plaine Clinic will offer same-day care for acute illnesses and minor injuries, annual physicals and other preventive health services, on-site laboratory and X-ray, and access to Ridgeview’s comprehensive network of specialty care ser-
vices and providers. “We are very excited to provide residents in Belle Plaine, the surrounding communities and commuters along the Highway 169 corridor with convenient, local access to the health care they need – right here in their own Belle Plaine backyards,” said Mike Phelps, chief operating officer, Ridgeview Medical Center. “What makes this especially exciting is our partnership with The Lutheran Home Association, as we are truly building a health destination for people of all ages and needs. Having KingsPath Senior Living co-located on the Ridgeview Health Campus allows us a unique opportunity to provide senior residents with
on-site access to medical care, therapy services and more without having to leave the campus. “Belle Plaine has been very welcoming to Ridgeview, and we thank everyone for their interest and support as we planned and continue to build the campus,” Phelps added. “We look forward to learning more about community members’ health care needs and interests, and to adding more on-site services – including urgent care and specialty services – in the coming months.” Ridgeview Rehab Specialties will also provide on-site physical therapy, athletic training and access to a full spectrum of therapeutic and medical fitness services. Area residents will also find BPHS science instructor Rich Foust assists students in a human anatomy class conducting other on-site health and well- tests using high-end equipment on loan from the Mayo Clinic. The equipment is worth about ness services opening in June $50,000. It will be returned to the clinic next week. on the new Ridgeview Health Campus, including FirstChoice Pharmacy (including driveup), ShapeItUp Fitness-Belle
Ridgeview
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Tuesday Morning Crash Closes Highway 169 A semi truck load of corn was spilled all over Highway 169 just north of Scott County Road 59 yesterday morning (May 2) around 8 a.m. According to the Minnesota State Patrol, preliminary crash information indicates the driver of a Chevy pickup truck, Justin Kubiczki of Elko, was heading south on Highway 169 and made a U-turn at County Road 59 (Delaware Avenue). The truck and a semi heading north on Highway 169 hauling a load of corn, crashed into each other. The driver of the semi, Grant Annexstad of St. Peter, Minn., suffered non-lifethreatening injuries, according to a State Patrol trooper on the scene. The road was expected to be reopened by 10:45 a.m.
BPHS Science Students Enjoying Benefits of Advanced Equipment Belle Plaine Senior High School science students have the opportunity to use and learn from equipment conducted with high-end equipment, tools the district couldn’t begin to afford but should help better prepare students for similar classes in college. Last week, the science department at the senior high received a bevy of high-tech equipment for temporary use. The equipment is worth about $50,000. How temporary? It goes back to the Mayo Clinic next week. The equipment includes micropipettes, a small device for measuring tiny amounts of fluids, amounts in the neighborhood of 1/1,000th of a milliliter. Other equipment the students have access to include a vortex mixer -- a simple device used commonly in laboratories to mix small vials of liquid -- ultraviolet light boxes, a microwave to heat and maintain temperatures, and several other pieces of equipment typically found in doctor’s labs and crimescene labs. The equipment also includes plenty of disposable equipment, like rubber gloves and other substances.
The equipment comes from the Mayo Clinic via the Southeast Service Cooperative. BPHS Science Teacher Rich Foust
Science Students (continued on page 4)
CR 1 in Blakeley Among Scott County Road Pavement Projects
County Road 1 Closing Today for Culvert Fix
Scott County commissioners recently approved a series of road paving projects. They awarded a $6.82 million contract for paving work to Valley Paving of Shakopee. The list of projects the company will take on includes a 1.79-mile section of County Road 1 in Blakeley Township. The span runs from Highway 169 west 9,434 feet. The current pavement condition index (PCI) on the segment is 47 (of a possible 100). The roadway segment was overlaid in 1983 and 2002, and seal-coated in 1993.
The project is broken into two segments. Near Highway 169, 4½ inches of existing bituminous will be reclaimed and overlaid with 5½ inches of new blacktop. On the north end of the project, six inches of bituminous to the top of the aggregate base material will be removed. Once removed, the surface will be reconditioned and re-compacted and five new inches of bituminous pavement surface laid down. Before the work can begin on County Road 1, the county is closing the road beginning to-
CR 1
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