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EDUCATOR AWARD: Oneka teacher honored PAGE 14
Good Neighbor Days go-around
Spike finders repeat winners BY DEBRA NEUTKENS EDITOR
The Gerrell family is good at treasure hunting. They do their research. Mom Kelly explained that they’ve researched Victor Hugo, as in Victor Square Park, and found he was a poet (Clue No. 6). That knowledge turned them onto the right park this year, she said. That clue also said “Four ways to treasure,” and the pavilion is square. The family was out Friday evening at a few parks, including Spire and Victor Square, but no luck. They almost gave up due to a busy weekend of sports and dance recitals, Kelly said. On their way to a baseball game in Woodbury, son Cole asked his dad to drive by Victor Square for one last look. He found it right away. There was also a clue that said “Stay in the dry” and there was water next to where Spike was hidden. They’ve lived in Hugo 10 years and have searched for Spike the last eight. Last year, Mike Gerrell found Spike in Beaver Ponds Park. The children really enjoy the hunt. Mike and Kelly have made up clues for a few Friday night practice hunts at their children’s request. “We have a lot of fun doing this as a family and creating family memories,” she said.
DEBRA NEUTKENS
Two friends share a laugh on the carousel during the Lion’s Good Neighbor Days festival June 11. The annual four-day event celebrated its 40th year in 2016. All proceeds go back into the community for projects sponsored by the Hugo Lions Club.
Neighbors worry new housing development will bring more traffic woes BY DEBRA NEUTKENS EDITOR
HUGO — The words translate to “land of water.” The developer, Excelsior Group, isn’t sold on the French name of its new development, Terre De L’Eau, but that’s the least of their worries. Excelsior Vice President Ben Schmidt, in charge of residential land development, held a neighborhood meeting
June 15 for residents who live near the 300-home project on the northeast corner of 130th Street and Highway 61. Some of those neighbors didn’t like what they heard. His company likes Hugo, Schmidt said. Excelsior owns about 70 lots in the Prairie Village development and is in the process of selling them to builders. In business 20 years, Excelsior builds apartments and owns
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commercial and industrial properties. They buy land and work with cities and contractors to divide it into lots for resale to builders. “We don’t build houses ourselves,” Schmidt noted. “We sell to good Minnesota builders. Pratt Homes has done a lot of stuff in Hugo. We anticipate they will be one of our builders.” The farm land and wetlands that piqued Excelsior’s interest SEE TERRE DE L’EAU, PAGE 15
PATTI CARLSON | PRESS PUBLICATIONS
Pictured: (all last name Gerrell) Kelly (wife), Connor (middle), Mike (husband), Carly and Cole (orange shirt, the one who found Spike).
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