Two Arrested by Drug Task Force
Scott County to Address By the Yard Plans
Season Comes to Close for Football Tigers Page 13
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ONE HUNDRED AND THIRTY-SECOND YEAR
75¢ SINGLE COPY
BELLE PLAINE, MINNESOTA, NOVEMBER 6, 2013
NUMBER 45
Speed Limit on Hwy. 169 in Belle Plaine to Increase to 65
State Bound The Belle Plaine High School volleyball team will head to St. Paul this this week for the 2013 Minnesota State High School Tournament. The Tigers defeated Kenyon-Wanamingo in Saturday night’s Section 2AA championship at Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter (see story on page 13). Standing, from left, are head coach Cassie Koch, Ally Anderson, Elizabeth Johnson, McKenzie Koepp, Kaylee Hentges, Dakotah Poitra, Amelia Kahle, Danielle Taylor, Taylor Kruger, Mariena Hayden, and assistant coaches Chelsea Buesgens and Chelsey Earney. Kneeling are Emily Vinkemeier, Amara Meyer, Marykay Nasby and Devin Lehman. Missing from the photo is assistant coach Lyle Noah.
by Dan Ruud Belle Plaine City Engineer Joe Duncan reported Monday night that the Minnesota Department of Transportation “issued an e-mail” stating that the speed limit on Highway 169 through Belle Plaine will increase from 55 to 65 miles per hour. “Reportedly, this comes as part of a standard review of all trunk highway speed limits,” Duncan stated. “Mn/DOT does not expect a significant change in actual traveled speeds.” Duncan added that the speed change will go into effect sometime this month, based on availability of signing crews. Duncan’s report was included in the Belle Plaine City Council’s packet Monday night. No one from the council questioned the speed limit increase. However, the increase was commented on by a number of people on the Herald’s Facebook page, many of whom were in favor of the increased speed limit. “About time” was among the most popular comments. Others said the corridor is already a speed trap of sorts and raising the limit to 65 won’t make much of a difference. But
some people expressed concern over the change, including: “There are cars turning onto 169 from Belle Plaine. It’s hard enough now trying to merge with traffic when they are going 55. I don’t think they should increase it until the overpass is in place. We are at a dead stop, trying to blend in with traffic coming at us – not a good combination. If there was an onramp from Meridian, it would be a lot safer.” Belle Plaine Police Chief Tom Stolee expressed the same concern when asked if he was okay with the increase to 65, and that he is “not a fan” of the increased speed limit. “If an overpass was there, I’d be okay with it,” Stolee said. However, Highway 169 is the state’s jurisdiction and Belle Plaine has little to no say on the issue.
replace the existing four-way stop signs. Formal agreement papers were recently presented to the council regarding cost share and longterm maintenance. Duncan said the bid letting for the project is scheduled for Nov. 22. The city’s share of the approximate $300,000 Mn/ DOT-initiated project will be $61,208.57. The city will also be responsible for initial electrical and monthly electrical service costs, minor signal system maintenance, pedestrian ramps and emergency vehicle preemption emitter units. Meanwhile, Belle Plaine Acting City Administrator Dawn Meyer reported that city staff and Mayor Mike Pingalore met with representatives of the Highway 169 Corridor Coalition regarding the city’s letter requesting that an interchange and overpass at Highway 169/ Traffic Signal Update County Road 3 be among their Duncan also reported that final recommended list of projects plans have been completed by for funding. Mn/DOT for the construction “The city was informed that of a traffic light signal system at the intersection of Highway Speed Limit 169 and Old Highway 169 (continued on page 8) Boulevard. The system will
First-Time Voters Belle Plaine Junior-Senior High students got their first taste of participation in Democracy Tuesday when they registered to vote in the school board election. John Wellner, a social studies teacher, brought his students -- Corey Krautkremer, Erica Selly, Maddie Studnicka and Ashley Morrison -- from the school to the Belle Plaine Government Center. Results from the election were not available when the Herald went to press. They will be on the Herald’s Web site Wednesday morning.
Busy Schedules Delay Opening Night for ‘A Christmas Carol’ The approximately 50 members of the cast and crew of Belle Plaine High School’s presentation of “A Christmas Carol” rehearsed as a group for the first time Sunday, just 11 days before the original opening night date. The schedules of students splitting time between the play and the football and volleyball teams that made runs through the section playoffs and into the state tournament, as well as
musicians in the pep band that accompanies the teams, has the play not quite ready for prime time, said Allison Jacobson, one of the two directors overseeing “A Christmas Carol.” Last week, Jacobson and her fellow director, Allison Burmeister, decided the group would not be ready for opening night. The scheduled performances have been switched to Nov. 22-24 from Nov. 14-17. “We’re not going to present
B.P. Area Food Shelf Hosting Annual Fund-raiser Nov. 16 The Belle Plaine Area Food Shelf is hosting its annual fundraiser Nov. 16 at Valley View Golf Course. The benefit begins with a social hour at 5:30 p.m. followed by a buffet-style dinner at 6:30 p.m. Entertainment, the raffles and auctions will follow dinner. The event includes raffles for
$500 cash, $150 cash, a golf package and many other prizes. Tickets for the event and the raffles are available at State Bank of Belle Plaine (201 Main Street W.), CornerStone State Bank (406 Commerce Drive E.), Coborn’s Superstore (1010 Enterprise Drive E.) or from Betsy and Pat Ollhoff (8736142). All net proceeds of the event will go to the Belle Plaine Food Shelf. Thrivent Financial will provide supplemental funding.
The Show Will Go On
Thanks to the busy schedules of cast and crew members alike, BPHS’s presentation of “A Christmas Carol” is a week later than initially planned. It will be presented Nov. 22 (7 p.m.), 23 (1 and 7 p.m.) and 24 (2 p.m.). the play with this little rehearsal time,” Jacobson said Sunday “Today is the first day we were all together. It’s still pretty rough.” There will be no Thursday night show because of parentteacher conferences Nov. 21. “A Christmas Carol” opens Friday (Nov. 22) at 7 p.m. and with two shows Saturday at 1 and 7 p.m. A matinee performance is slated for Sunday at 2 p.m. Jacobson is concerned about the challenge of two shows in a day. She compared it to the football team playing two games in a day. Parents of the cast and crew members will feed the group between performances. “Jake Hartmann (who plays
Opening Night
(continued on page 8)
Welcome Back, Coach Former Belle Plaine High School football coach Roy Henderson and his wife, Kate, were the special guests of the BPHS football team before Friday night’s section championship game. Henderson coached the Tigers for 19 seasons, winning about 60 percent of the time. Details of the game are on page 13.
For Former Coach, Invitation Back to BPHS Was an Honor
all the way yet noted the difficulty they faced, suffering miscues and having trouble with Fairmont’s defensive pressure. “They blitzed up the middle and that hurt Belle Plaine’s passing game,” Henderson said. “But overall, it was a pretty good game between two teams that deserved to be there (playing for a state tournament He’s grown accustomed to sitberth).” ting in the stands watching high Belle Plaine has invited Henschool football games. Almost derson back as a special guest 20 years after retiring, Roy Henderson still watches the game with a coach’s eye. Friday, when the Tigers hosted Fairmont in the section championship game, Henderson was Belle Plaine’s special guest. After he and his wife, Kate, were The Belle Plaine Education introduced, Henderson flipped Association (the union reprethe coin allowing the contest to senting the school district’s 110 begin. teachers) OK’d the proposed The coin flip, like the outcome, contract for 2013-14 and 2014went the Cardinals’ way. 15 school years Thursday. “They called tails and it was The school board is set to tails,” he said. formally approve the contract He was cheering for the Tigers tomorrow morning (Nov. 7, 7
Roy Henderson Reminisces Fondly on Years as BPHS Coach
several times. But each time, he was unable to come back since his son, Don, who played quarterback for the Tigers, was coaching Triton High School in Dodge Center. Triton’s loss in the playoffs last week allowed Roy to fulfill the invitation. “It was great to be back. The program and the facilities are in very good hands,” he said.
Former Coach
(continued on page 7)
Teachers Ratify Contract Proposal
a.m.). The $15.5 million agreement reflects a 6.55 percent increase over the existing contract. The tentative agreement includes wage increases, more money into insurance and additional compensation for leading cocurricular activities.