Cross Country Teams Have Strong Outing
Harvest Coin Hunt Enters Second Week
Football Tigers Stay Unbeaten Page 13
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Page 13 ONE HUNDRED AND THIRTY-FIFTH YEAR
BELLE PLAINE, MINNESOTA, SEPTEMBER 21, 2016
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City Council Okays Preliminary Plat for Future Buesgens Commercial Center Center Would be Located Near Coborn’s
About 200 people participated in the Emma’s Hope Foundation walk and silent auction Saturday morning (Sept. 17) in Belle Plaine. The event included a walk, silent auction, and raffles to raise about $9,000 for children’s cancer research. The Emma’s Hope Foundation was started in Pepin, Wis. by Angie and Shaughn Laehn following their daughter Emma’s
fight with cancer. After the Laehns managed the walk for 15 years, it came to Belle Plaine in memory of Emma German, who passed away from cancer two years ago this month. Her mother and father, Keriann and Chris, and a team of volunteers put the benefit together. It will be held again next year.
‘Emma’s Hope’ Walk, Silent Auction for Cancer Research a Big Success in B.P. Inaugural Event in Belle Plaine Raises over $9,000
With about 200 walkers plus businesses and people supporting fund-raising for childhood cancer research, the inaugural Emma’s Hope benefit in Belle Plaine was deemed a big success Saturday (Sept. 17) morning. The event drew walkers and donors on about 75 items and
a handful of items raffled off. The walkers made their way around a 2-mile course around Belle Plaine. The course had sponsored stops where healthy snacks and refreshments were available for walkers. Overall, about $9,000 was raised for the childhood cancer research, said Keriann German. She and her husband, Chris, and a group of volunteers put together the event in memory of Emma German. She passed away from cancer two years ago this month. German credited the overwhelming generosity of Belle Plaine residents
and businesses for the benefit’s success. “I didn’t know what to expect. It went really well. We learned a lot of things on how to make it better next year,” Keriann German said. The Emma’s Hope fund-raiser for childhood cancer research will continue in Belle Plaine. It is already scheduled for Sept. 16, 2017. The benefit included a powerful presentation on cancer by Angie Laehn and the impact it has on peoples’ lives. Laehn and her husband, Shaughn, and their daughters, Allie and
Ryder Cup Volunteers Can’t Pass on ‘Once in Lifetime Opportunity’ Belle Plaine, Area Golf Fans Will Work at Tournament
They figured it was too big an event to let pass by, a once-in-alifetime opportunity worth the time and effort. Several Belle Plaine and area residents will be working at the Ryder Cup when the international event visits Hazeltine National Golf Club in Chaska next week. Belle Plaine’s Ellen and Al Van Ravenswaay knew right away they wanted to volunteer to work at the competition between the United States and Europe when the PGA of America announced in the summer of 2015 it would hold a lottery for volunteers. They are both avid golfers, members at Le Sueur Country Club. Ellen will be working in the merchandise tent, helping people purchase Ryder Cup apparel and memorabilia. Al will be working in the media department. He figures the tasks could range from running errands, holding a microphone during interviews of golfers as they come off the course or some other form of “gopher work” to assist the 1,000-plus credentialed members of the media
Belle Plaine’s Ellen and Al Van Ravenswaay will be among a small army of volunteers working at the Ryder Cup Sept. 30 through Oct. 2 at Hazeltine National Golf Club in Chaska. They paid a fee to be among the volunteers and received uniforms to wear while working. from around the world working Ryder Cup at the event. (continued on page 7) Ryder Cup volunteers pay $240 for the privilege of working at the tournament. In exchange for their service, they receive free passes to the competition for any time they are
Emma, made the trek from Pepin, Wis. to Belle Plaine. The Laehns started the Emma’s Hope benefit in 2001 after Emma Laehn had battled childhood cancer. The family ran the benefit for 15 years before deciding it was time to move on to other endeavors. Two families from Jordan who have faced childhood cancer were also at the benefit, German said. “I think Angie’s presentation really touched a lot of peoples’ hearts,” German said.
by Dan Ruud Although nothing specific is planned at this time, Les and Janice Buesgens sought and received approval by the Belle Plaine City Council Monday night for a preliminary plat presented as Buesgens Commercial Center. The plat consists of 40 acres traversed by Enterprise Drive and Hickory Boulevard (to the east of the Coborn’s complex) and includes four commercial lots ranging from approximately six to 11 acres. “The preliminary plat was drafted pursuant to a corridor readiness grant (about $20,000) received from Scott County,” reported Belle Plaine Community Development Director Cynthia Smith-Strack, adding that the grant is designed to create “shovel ready” commercial and industrial lots. She said parcels must be platted to be considered shovel ready and that the city engineering firm of Bolton and Menk drafted the plat. Street and utility extension information for the extension of Enterprise Drive
to the east is ongoing. Smith-Strack said the property is being subdivided “to facilitate the creation of shovel ready lots – not for an imminent development project.” Staff noted that notices of the public hearing were distributed to all property owners in the vicinity of the platted area and that no oral or written comments for or against the possible future development of the site were received. Likewise, no one from the audience spoke at Monday’s public hearing. In other business Monday night, the council unanimously approved a resolution pertaining to the financing of certain water and sewer connection fees in certain situations. During a council/staff workshop on Sept. 6, Community Development Director Cynthia Smith-Strack explained that in the past, the city has approved the assessing of water and sewer connection fees for institutional and nonprofit property owners rather than immediate payment at the time of permit issuance. The purpose of the sewer and water connection fee policy is to promote:
City Council
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Man Charged for Exposure in B.P. Arrested According to the Jordan Police Department, multiple indecent exposure incidents occurred within the cities of New Prague, Belle Plaine and Jordan between May and July of 2016. All incidents included reports of an adult male in a white minivan concealing his identity and exposing his genitals. All incidents were considered to have been perpetrated by the same suspect. The victims included both teenage and adult females. Investigators from the New Prague, Belle Plaine and Jordan police departments have been jointly investigating these cases while also receiving assistance from the Scott County Sheriff’s Office Crime Analyst. This joint investigation led to the arrest of 47-year-old Joseph Gill of rural Le Sueur. Gill was taken into custody in the late afternoon of Sept. 16 and was booked into the Scott County Jail. While being interviewed by investigators, Gill admitted to each incident. Gill has been charged with one count of felony level indecent exposure, one count of felony level fifth-degree criminal sexual conduct – lewd exhibition, four counts of gross misdemeanor level indecent exposure and five counts of misdemeanor concealing identity.
A Colorful Demonstration Members of the Belle Plaine City Council, staff and others recently took part in a colorful demonstration downtown. The council had authorized the city engineering firm of Bolton and Menk to prepare plans for a design committee proposal to “uplight” eight (possibly up to 14) trees in downtown Belle Plaine. The demonstration gave the council an opportunity to see what the trees will look like if the proposal becomes reality. Public Works Superintendent Al Fahey had reported that rather than “hanging” lights on the trees for decorative purposes, a viable alternative is to “uplight” the trees from the ground up with LED lights. The lights would be installed in-ground with the availability of colored light streams. The council this past Monday night directed the city engineer and public works superintendent to obtain further details on various lighting and wiring options that currently range from $60,245 to $146,300. The Belle Plaine Chamber of Commerce will donate some of the funding for the project.