Brady Johnson Signs College Letter of Intent
BPHS Winter Sports Previews
Page 17
Pages 7-10
ONE HUNDRED AND THIRTY-THIRD YEAR
BELLE PLAINE, MINNESOTA, NOVEMBER 26, 2014
75¢ SINGLE COPY
NUMBER 48
Bigaouette to Resign From Belle Plaine School Board Board to Appoint his Successor
Citing the demands of an increasingly active family and career, Belle Plaine School Board Chairman Matt Bigaouette announced Monday he is resigning from the board at the end of 2014. The school board unanimously accepted his resignation and approved plans to appoint a successor for the final year of Bigaouette’s term at its 2015 organizational meeting Jan. 12. People interested in serving for 2015 should apply at the Belle Plaine District Center. The board plans to interview
Bigaouette
(continued on page 4) Henrietta Stiles will light the Christmas tree at a holiday open house at the Hooper-BowlerHillstrom House next to Court Square Park Thursday (Dec. 4). Stiles grew up in the historic house. The festivities will run from 6-8 p.m.
B.P. Historical Society Hosting Special Holiday Celebration ‘It’s Like Coming Home for Christmas’
Henrietta Stiles has vivid memories of growing up in the historic Hooper-Bowler-Hillstrom House. Next week, she and the Belle Plaine Historical Society will open the house to share the coming Christmas holiday. A special open house Thursday (Dec. 4, 6-8 p.m.) will be held at the historic house next to Court Square Park. It will feature guided tours of Henrietta’s childhood home, Victorian music by Loretta and Curtis Simonet, horse and trolley rides, visits with Santa Claus, Christmas carols with the Belle Plaine Senior High
Traditions
The Belle Plaine Historical Society is hosting a special Christmas open house Hooper-Bowler-Hillstrom House Thursday, Dec. 4, 6-8 p.m. The house is located next to Court Square Park, just west of North Walnut Street. School Choir Advanced ensemble, Chamber of Commerce prize drawings and drawings refreshments between 6 and 8 p.m. At 6:45 p.m., there will be a formal welcome to the event, a tree lighting and Christmas carols. Henrietta will perform the honorary Christmas tree lighting at the open house at 6:45 p.m. before sharing her
treasured Christmas memories at 7 p.m. Henrietta joined her sister, Vera, living with her grandparents – Matilda and Alfred Hillstrom -- after their mother, Mildred, passed away from pneumonia during a visit to Minneapolis. Henrietta was about 5 when she moved to Belle Plaine. Her father returned to Virginia, Minn. to work as a mechanic. There was a year her father sent a large Christmas tree from Orr, Minn. for the family to enjoy. Henrietta recalls helping her grandmother decorate the tree. Henrietta has fond memories of a horse-drawn sleigh bringing she and Vera home
Monday evening (Nov. 24), Belle Plaine School Board Chairman Matt Bigaouette announced his resignation from the board effective at the end of 2014.
City Council to Hold Property Tax Levy Public Hearing Next Monday Revised Preliminary Levy Shows Smaller Increase
by Dan Ruud The Belle Plaine City Council will hold its annual budget and tax levy public hearing 6 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 1 at the Belle Plaine Government Center, 218 North Meridian Street downtown. In September, the council voted 3-2 to set the 2015 pre-
liminary property tax levy at $4,800,954, which would be a $275,959 (6.1 percent) increase over this year’s levy. The city’s total proposed levy for 2015 is $5,111,424, but with state local government aid totaling $310,470, the net levy amount would be reduced to the $4,800,954 figure. Accounting for the two no votes in September were council members Scott Schneider and Gary Trost, both of whom said the proposed levy increase
is too much. Mayor Mike Pingalore, who along with Cary Coop and Paul Chard voted yes, said there would be additional budget/ levy meetings before December, when the final levy has to be approved. According to Belle Plaine City Administrator Holly Kreft, staff and the council have worked together since September to re-
City Council
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B.P. Historical
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Holiday Express Set for Dec. 6 Belle Plaine’s 11th annual Holiday Express will take place Saturday, Dec. 6 from 9 a.m. to noon at BPHS. Santa will be available for visits and there will be holiday craft activities. You can also enjoy a continental breakfast. The event is sponsored by Belle Plaine Festivals and Events, Parent Teacher Organization and Early Childhood Family Education. Santa’s Store will be open for young shoppers to do their holiday shopping. The cost of items will range from $1 to $5. Toy donations and gifts for mothers will be collected for Southern Valley Alliance for Battered Women. Volunteers are sought to help set up and clean up, and/or to work during the event. To get involved, contact Sheri Prokosch at 952-873-2415, ext. 1, or by e-mail sprokosch@belleplaine.k12.mn.us.
Tree of Life Lighting Next Tuesday
ed to attend this program in the chapel of The Lutheran Home: Belle Plaine at 611 West Main Street. This is a special holiday celebration for family members and friends to honor their loved ones who are living and remember loved ones who have passed away. Pastor Ed Fredrich, campus chaplain, will lead the worship service and special ceremony. People also have the opportunity to honor or remember family members and friends by purchasing a light or a string of lights. Donations received for the Tree of Life will be used to help enrich the lives of the residents on The Lutheran Home Campus. For more information or to make a donation, call 952-8732215.
Police Department Toy Drive Continues Until Dec. 19
It’s that time of the season and the Belle Plaine Police Department is in the gift-giving spirit by sponsoring a popular holiday program that gives new toys to children in need. Now until Dec. 19, the department is accepting donations of toys for the Marine Toys for Tots program. All donated toys will be picked up on Dec. 19 for distribution to local children who are less fortunate than others. Any cash donations can be done online through toysfortots. org. This is the first year that Belle Plaine police along with
Holiday Express
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Sign Up Now for Home Holiday Lighting Contest
The Lutheran Home Campus You can sign up now to enter will celebrate its annual Tree the Belle Plaine Rotary Club’s of Life Lighting Ceremony on Holiday Home Lighting ConTuesday, Dec. 2 at 5:30 p.m. test. Community members are invit- Judging will take place the weekend of Dec. 19-21 and winners will be announced in the Herald on Dec. 24, includ-
ing photographs of the top decorated homes. Prizes will also be awarded, for which the Rotary is seeking contributions from local business and organizations. To have your home placed on the list for judging, contact Diane Skelley at 952-873-2467.
Ready for Another Holiday Season Members of the Belle Plaine Rotary Club and Belle Plaine Boy Scouts troop again teamed up to set up the community’s Nativity Scene on the police department grounds on the corner of East Main and North Elm streets Saturday morning. This marks the 63rd holiday season that the scene, which was made locally, has been on display. Among those helping put it up this year were, from left, David McMurray, Dan Willing, Josh Sellner, Janel Schmidt, Fred Keup, Zander Hallgren (blue coat), Tim Halloran, Cade and Wynn Strait, Tasha Strait, Danny Townsend, Allen Schmitz and Kelly Smith. Pictured below is Cade Strait pounding in a support stake for one of the pieces.