Boys’ Basketball Team Wins Two More Games Page 15
B.P. Girl Takes Shot at High School Hockey
Scott West Wrestlers Have Big Week
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ONE HUNDRED AND THIRTY-SECOND YEAR
BELLE PLAINE, MINNESOTA, JANUARY 15, 2014
75¢ SINGLE COPY
NUMBER 3
Wolf, Wagner Retain Scott County Board Leadership Posts At its annual organizational meeting last Tuesday (Jan. 7), the Scott County Board reappointed Commissioner Tom Wolf of Credit River Township as board chairman for 2014 and Commissioner Joe Wagner of Sand Creek Township as vice chairman. Wolf has served as board chairman, Wagner the vice chairman, since 2011. They are respectively paid $1,800 and $900 for their additional leadership responsibilities, on top of their $50,860 annual salaries.
Belle Plaine’s Orville Heitkamp and his grandson, Drew Keup, regularly feed birds out at Ney Environmental Learning Center along Highway 19 just east of Henderson.
Taking Care of the Birds
Heitkamp and His Wing Man Make Sure the Birds are Well Fed
There’s no reason for Orville Heitkamp to make the trek to the Ney Environmental Learning Center every few days other than a feeling that it’s the right thing to do, especially in the winter when the weather is cold and the need for food is increased. But the 20-mile round trip trek Heitkamp has made every four days for several years – three when it’s really cold -- isn’t just about feeding the birds. It’s about instilling a value and cementing a tradition. For the past three or four years, his grandson, Drew Keup, has accompanied Heitkamp. He also uses the time with his grandfather to soak up as much knowledge
and insight as a teenager possibly can. “I like to spend time with grandpa,” the 16-year-old said. “He has a lot of wisdom and answers to things.” The two bring black oil sunflower seeds, Niger thistle and peanut butter – creamy or chunky will do – for the halfdozen feeders just outside the main office and conference room building at the Ney Center. Their visit is gladly welcomed by cardinals, blue jays, juncos, nut hatches, chickadees, a variety of woodpeckers, sparrows, gold and purple finches and other birds that have stayed here through the winter. Heitkamp buys the seed him-
self. He substituted peanut butter when he found demand for suet was growing and the price jumped. “The butchers figured out the demand for suet was going up. They used to use lard but nobody uses that anymore,” he said.
Common Sense
Heitkamp adapted the black oil sunflower feeder for the weather. He mounted the feeder on a rotating platform and added pieces of metal to it so when the wind blows during rainfall, the feeder turns away from the
In other area county organizational business, the Carver County Board named commissioners Gayle Degler of Chanhassen as county board chairman and Randy Maluchnik of Chaska the vice chairman. They will be paid $615 for the duties as chairman, $540 as vice chair. The other Carver County commissioners receive an additional $515 to cover their expenses. In Le Sueur County, commissioners reappointed Commissioner Steve Rohlfing of Madison Lake as the board chairman
and Commissioner Joe Connelly of Sharon Township as vice chairman. In Sibley County, commissioners Joy Cohrs of New Auburn Township and Jim Nytes of Henderson Township were named the county board’s chairperson and vice chairperson. Commissioners in Le Sueur and Sibley counties are not paid additional sums for serving as chairperson and vice chairman of their respective county boards
Belle Plaine Passed by for Trail Dollars by Dan Ruud Belle Plaine will not be among the beneficiaries of a combined $366,000 in trail/sidewalk improvement grants that the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community (SMSC) is awarding to various communities in Scott County. The tribe announced its picks last week. In October, the SMSC invited local governments and charitable organizations in Scott County to apply for grants to fund local projects that would fill trail gaps, augment existing trail systems, improve access to existing public natural areas, or provide additional environmental benefit beyond simple access. Each grant recipient
will be required to fulfill a 20 percent match. Grant recipients are also encouraged to involve local volunteers in the project. According to Belle Plaine Community Development Director Chelsea Alger, the city applied for $70,000 that would have been used to help fill trail/ sidewalk gaps at three locations in the community. Included were: – Raven Street between Market and Meridian streets. – Heritage Park trail connection. – Eagle Street sidewalk connection (adjacent to Trinity Lutheran School) between State and Main streets.
“Due to the nature of the improvements, it is difficult to solicit the assistance of volunteers for the work to be performed,” stated the city’s application. “Recognizing difficulty in meeting this goal of the application, the city has identified a 40 percent cash match (double that required) to the project cost.” That offer was not enough to prevent the city from receiving a rejection letter. “We received a number of excellent applications, and we appreciate the enthusiasm expressed by local governments
Belle Plaine Passed (continued on page 9)
Birds
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New Edward Jones Rep. Comfortable in Belle Plaine
Nobody would have blamed Jenna Boulton if she might have momentarily second-guessed her new assignment as a financial advisor at Edward Jones in Belle Plaine. She arrived last month from Tempe, Ariz. via Sartell, Minn., during a nasty cold snap. From the desert to the rolling hills of Belle Plaine, Boulton is happy to be back home. Boulton grew up in southwest Minnesota. She’s more than comfortable in Belle Plaine and already has enjoyed meeting people and getting to know existing Edward Jones clients and other community members. As a true Minnesotan, she’s happy to be back in the state, even if the weather in southern Arizona is a bit easier to take. “It was quite a transition,” Boulton said. Boulton is at ease in here because of her background. She grew up on the family farm in Porter, Minn. and graduated from Minneota High School. She was a longtime member of 4-H and enjoyed showing cattle and participating in 4-H programs. “I know all about picking rocks and bailing hay,” she said.
‘19 to 169’
She and her family knew of Belle Plaine growing up. It was one of many towns they drove through – “Highway 19 to 169,” she said -- and visited in during trips to the Twin Cities. One of four girls who played volleyball in school, Boulton was an all-state volleyball player and has played around the country in Junior Olympics volleyball. She also played high
said, is focusing on what you want to achieve. Boulton’s background and the lessons she learned in a small town – hard work and making sure the job is done -- has helped her relate well and understand clients’ personal goals. She hopes to meet many Belle Plaine and area residents at an open house Edward Jones is hosting Jan. 23 at its office at the intersection of Main and Meridian streets in downtown Belle Plaine.
Jenna Boulton school basketball and looks forward to seeing the Belle Plaine Tigers play a home game soon. She enjoys the opportunity to sit down and establish relationships, talk volleyball, ice fishing, agri-business or what’s happening in the community. Boulton also enjoys hiking, biking, horseback riding and camping. With a big family that includes several nieces and and nephews, she likes to cook and recently impressed her roommates with her homemade chicken wild rice soup. “They loved it,” she said. Boulton graduated from the University of North Dakota with a degree in finance. She has used her education when working in small businesses, whether it was helping a relative in northern Minnesota establish a truck repair shop or working at her family’s business, Country Estate Fencing and Boulton Trailer Sales. The key to success in business, she
St. Patrick’s Planning Meeting Jan. 16 The Belle Plaine St. Patrick’s Committee will hold its first planning meeting for this year’s celebration on Thursday, Jan. 16 at Neil’s Pub downtown. All committee members and bar/ restaurant owners are asked to attend. It begins at 5:30 p.m. This year’s celebration will take place on Saturday, March 15.
Queen Candidates Sought
High School girls of Irish descent interested in becoming a candidate for Miss Shamrock are asked to contact the school office. For more information, call Jeanette Gloege at 952873-6684.
Belle Plaine Cub Scouts, Webelos and Girl Scouts competed jointly in a pinewood derby Saturday at Belle Plaine Junior-Senior High School. Winners were recognized in the various age groups.
B.P. Scouts Take Different Paths to Fastest Pinewood Derby Racers The owner and designer of the fastest pinewood derby racer Saturday wasn’t even on hand to see her car race. The other top entrant took a less-is-better approach. Saturday at Belle Plaine Junior-Senior High School’s North Gym, several dozen Belle Plaine youth in Girl Scouts, Cub Scouts and Webelos programs competed in the annual Pinewood Derby races. Hannah Tharaldson’s car turned in the fastest time (2.308 seconds) for the Girl Scouts. Teddy Sellnow’s car was the fastest among the boys (2.325 seconds). The times were the fastest of the four runs each car made down the track. Cars we re also recognized for their creativity of design. For Tharaldson, she opted for her team’s traveling team basketball tournament in Farmington over the Pinewood Derby
event. She let her dad, Leif, take care of the car at the derby since her little brother, Niklas, was there racing with other Cub Scouts. “I really wanted to see my car race, but I really wanted to play, too,” she said. “My mom said I probably wouldn’t be a winner this year.” The first place finish and time were a bit of a surprise. The block of pine in the kit the father-daughter tandem used to create her racer was imperfect. One of the slots for the axles was not evenly cut. Leif used a handsaw to try and even it out. “We didn’t think it was going to be that fast,” Hannah said. As a master plumber, he’s used to working with his hands and using tools for adjustments. Hannah, a fifth-grader at Oak Crest Elementary School, designed the car and her dad cut it. She handled the sanding and
helped him paint it – black with copper color on the top part of the car. He handled the application of graphite, grinding it into wheels and axles. “It’s a pretty nasty process,” he said. As a former Boy Scout and Pinewood Derby racer himself, Leif knows his way around the car. “It’s always a fun time.” With dad on hand, Leif handled any needed last-minute adjustment. He sent his daughter a text message indicating the car was fast but not how fast. Hannah only saw the message between games at the tournament. When Hannah and Niklas’ cars were both done, there was a small matter of competition between siblings to address. The two cars raced against each
B.P. Scouts
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