Most of you who know me realize that I try to keep a pretty low profile. If Webster had an entry in the dictionary for “life of the party,” not only would I not be anywhere on that page, I probably wouldn’t even be in the book. If you ever found me in a bar, I would not be the one hustling pool games or in a heated dart competition. I would be the one sitting in a corner table, nursing a beer, quietly observing people.

I think you get the idea. That’s why what I am about to say will surprise a lot of you. I am here to take credit for the inspiration of the wide array of construction projects currently going on in our great city.

My first job in this crazy media business was in the city of Bettendorf. Our town’s slogan was “Iowa’s Most Exciting City.” Then it was changed to “Proud People Promoting Progress.” Sounds a little like Peter Piper, but it’s hard to argue with the commercial and residential development that continues today.

Then I moved to Independence, which had the slogan “America’s Fame is in Our Name.” It’s true that in recent years, the folks up there have failed several times to pass a bond issue to build a badly needed new high school. And in the last couple of years, they turned down what seemed to be a great idea to convert an abandoned grocery store into a new city hall, which would have solved a lot of problems regarding parking and handicapped accessibility.

Despite these slip-ups, the city has shown progress in a lot of areas. If you haven’t driven through the Buchanan County seat in a few years, you will be amazed at the amount of development on the south and west edges of the city.

So then about a dozen years ago, we moved to Belle Plaine. One of the first buildings we saw was the high school, a very modern-looking structure, especially in comparison to grand old Central Elementary. But on closer examination inside, you could soon see there are several problems with the design of the building. You have to be an acrobat to go to school there or teach there. No wonder we have so many great athletes at BPHS. You get quite a workout just going from class to your locker to lunch to physical education class, thanks to all the stairs!

So, you may ask, if I am such an inspiration, how come it took a dozen years for the things to happen that are going on this summer? My only defense is the true old saying, “Quality takes time,” or “Good things come to him who waits.” And it’s not like we’ve been standing still these past dozen years. The community center, fire station and library are great examples of modern structures that were completed just a few years before we arrived. Box Memorial Park and the Belle Plaine Area Museum were both constructed since I arrived.

So now, think about where we should be in one short year from now. Our students will be preparing to move into two renovated and expanded school buildings. The aquatics center will be closing for the season after its first year in operation. We will be enjoying historical murals on downtown walls and perhaps a renovated Main Street. Our cars will be rolling gently over a renovated railroad crossing on Seventh Avenue.

It’s fun driving around our town this summer. You can see progress happening in several locations. You can sense how great things will be in one short year and you can remember how tough times were before these and other projects were started.

Of course, by now you must realize that the preceding piece was written as satire, with tongue firmly placed in cheek. The real champions of these projects are numerous, including the city staff and city council, school board and administration, museum board, aquatics advisory committee and many others, especially the voters of this city and school district who supported their community several times with wise votes on tax measures and electing great board and council members.

We’ve still got a long way to go. But with these great projects now underway, perhaps it’s time I sit back and let my inspiration powers rest a bit. My next project will be to somehow inspire the Chicago Cubs to break their jinx and win a World Series. That may be my most daunting task to date. Older Cub fans have tried for over 100 years to get that one accomplished.

But in the meantime, as the old saying goes, Stay tuned!

When some high school football teams have the kind of success the Belle Plaine Plainsmen had in 2008, the temptation the next year might be for the returning players and coaches to sing “Thanks for the Memories” and rest on past accomplishments.

But the Plainsmen appear to be reloading rather than rebuilding this year, thanks to the return of 16 seniors on a roster of 53 players, including one of the best running backs in the state, Brian Crow and several experienced linemen to open holes for him.

Last year, the Plainsmen rolled to a record of 9-2, advancing to the postseason, where they rolled over North Linn at home before falling by just two points to Maquoketa Valley in the UNI-Dome. Their only regular season blemish was their old nemesis, West Branch, which beat the Plainsmen, 35-19 at the Rose Bowl in West Branch.

This season, the pollsters still expect West Branch to be good, putting them fourth in the preseason Class 1A rankings. But they also recognize the potential of the Plainsmen, rated as high as seventh in one poll. Then lurking in the shadows of District Five, aiming to right the ship is perennial power Pekin, which had an uncharacteristic 5-5 record in 2008, including a 24-0 thrashing by Belle Plaine on a rainy night in Pekin.

Plainsman Coach Todd Bohlen said Pekin looks to have the most experienced players returning this season. He agrees that West Branch looks pretty good, but he made it clear that while there’s plenty of respect for the potential of those teams and several others in the district, there is little fear this year in the Plainsman camp, but plenty of determination.

This season, Bohlen welcomed 16 seniors, 15 juniors, 10 sophomores and a dozen freshmen for preseason practice. In the early going, the coaches will have to do some juggling of responsibilities as eight players are facing team suspensions of two games or more due to academics or other infractions. But Bohlen said that their absence should give some of the younger players a chance to show what they can do.

It’s no secret that the goal of all of the Plainsman opponents this season is to try to find a way to stop Crow. That’s logical, since the senior running back rushed for 1,665 yards and 29 touchdowns as a junior. But this will certainly not be a one-man show this season, with the improvement of Seivon Steward who could see some action at tailback, Kyle Janss, who gained valuable experience starting for the junior varsity last year, the return of top receiver Chris Janss, who caught 14 passes for 276 yards and five touchdowns last year and the emergence of sophomore Cooper Northrop, another flanker prospect who had some good moments in Friday’s scrimmage.

Junior John Long has inherited the quarterback spot from the departed Tate DeMeulenaere this season. Devon Parr, Logan Baburek and Ryan Zumbach are also listed as quarterback prospects on the Plainsman roster.

There’s good size and experience returning in the offensive line, with Tony Jones, Bryce Buckley, Raymond Edgar and Austin Chekal joined by a couple of big possibilities, Zach Snyder and Reed Petersen. This year’s roster lists 10 players who tip the scales at 200 pounds or more.

On the defensive side of the ball. Bohlen says the offense has been ahead of the defense in the early going of summer practice. But while this year’s defensive unit may not be as big as last year, it could be faster.

In fact, overall team speed could be better this year. Four members of the team, Crow, Steward, Braden Morrow and Keegan DeMeulenaere, were state track qualifiers last year.

This year’s schedule should favor the Plainsmen and their fans. They have five home games on the schedule and two of their four away games are at non-district foe HLV this week and at Iowa Valley. West Branch and Pekin come here this season. The long trips for the Plainsmen are at Durant and at Van Buren Keosauqua.

Bohlen said Wapello and Eddyville-Blakesburg should also be improved this season with a number of returning starters.

It all gets underway for real Friday night when the Plainsmen travel to HLV. Bohlen said the Warriors have some good skill kids and good team speed, especially on defense. He also expects them to throw a lot. Last year, the opening game got the Plainsmen off to a good start as they rolled over the Warriors, 48-14.

2009 Plainsman football

Aug. 28           at HLV

Sept. 4             Highland Riverside

Sept. 11           Pekin

Sept. 18           at Durant

Sept. 25           West Branch

Oct. 2              at Iowa Valley

Oct. 9              Wapello

Oct. 16            at Van Buren

Oct. 23           Eddyville-Blakesburg

The Belle Plaine Police Department is interested in sponsoring a self defense class for women sometime in October or November in Belle Plaine at a location to be determined. Instructor will be Belle Plaine Police Officer Wes Sebetka. The class will run approx four hours in length. Cost is free will donation.

All donated money will be used to purchase either training equipment for the police department or for personal protective equipment for the officers. Interested parties contact Chief Kris Hudson by either email at bppolice@netins.net or by calling City Hall at 444-2200.

The trials for Jessica Dayton, 19, of Belle Plaine and Denise Frei, 42, Marengo in the death of Curtis Bailey have been set for Monday, Sept. 28 at 9 a.m. in Iowa County District Court in Marengo. A third defendant, Jacob Hilgendorf, 19, also of Belle Plaine, will appear in court on Oct. 12 to face charges.

All three are charged with first degree murder in the July 19 death of Bailey in his home in Marengo. Search warrants returned this week in Iowa County District Court indicated that Frei and Hilgendorf, her son, confessed to their part in the murder. But they said that Dayton, a friend of Hilgendorf and a waitress at the Lincoln Café in Belle Plaine which Frei operated, delivered the blow to the back of Bailey’s head that caused his death.

According to the warrant information, Dayton had not confessed to any role in the incident. The warrant contained little information on the police interview with Dayton, other than to indicate that she had called a friend after leaving the sheriff’s office. The warrant also stated that clothing worn by Dayton and Hilgendorf at the time of the alleged murder had not been recovered.

Frei reportedly admitted to authorities that she had tried to kill Bailey on July 3 with an injection of insulin. A mechanical injector was found in Bailey’s house.

Aug. 15, 10:15 p.m. – Officers were called to 904 Ninth Ave. on a report of a bat in the house. They were unable to locate it.

Aug. 17, 9:50 a.m. – A juvenile problem was reported at 1411 11^th Ave.

Aug. 18, 3:40 p.m. – A stray cat was picked up at 16-4 13^th Ave. and taken to the Countryside Veterinary Clinic.

Aug. 18, 4:40 p.m. – A woman reported that her car had been struck while she was in Cedar Rapids. She was referred to her attorney.

Aug. 18, 4:50 p.m. – Officers were called to 904 Seventh Ave. for a neighbor dispute.

Aug. 19, 9:25 a.m. – A person was reportedly bitten by a dog at 201 11^th Street. No charges were filed.

Aug. 19, 1:39 p.m. – Officers were called to 832 12^th Street, where a dog owned by Jean Vopelka bit an adult female. At the owner’s direction, the dog was transported to the veterinary clinic to be euthanized.

Aug. 19, 3:15 p.m. – Police were called to 1510 Eighth Ave. to remove a snapping turtle from a driveway.

Aug. 19, 7:45 p.m. – Officers investigated a possible violation of a protective order. No charges were filed.

Aug. 19, 9:25 p.m. – Andrew Markham, 19, Belle Plaine, was cited and released for possession of illegal fireworks.

Aug. 20, 9:15 a.m. – Ambulance assist in the 700 block of Seventh Ave.

Aug. 21, 1:30 a.m. – Ambulance assist at the Belle Plaine Nursing and Rehab Center.

Aug. 21, 11:45 a.m. – A stray dog was brought to the police station and taken to the veterinary clinic.

Aug. 21, 8:49 p.m. – Officers stopped Daniel Rynne, 23, Oak Park, IL in the 800 block of 13^th Street. He was subsequently arrested for possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia and having no driver’s license. He was transported to the Iowa County Jail.

Aug. 22, 1:38 a.m. – Gregory Delbert Parmenter, 30, Belle Plaine, was arrested at Seventh Ave. and Fifth Street and charged with public intoxication. He was taken to the Iowa County Jail.

Aug. 22, 10:15 p.m. – Officers responded to 801 Ninth Street on a complaint of loud noise. Kyle Gunderson, 20, Belle Plaine, was subsequently cited for being a person under the legal age in possession of alcohol.

Aug. 23, 12:44 a.m. – Ambulance assist in the 900 block of Sixth Ave.

Aug. 23, 3:11 p.m. – An eight-year-old boy reported that an adult male had stolen his Nintendo gaming system at Williams Park. Brian Rigler, 18, Belle Plaine, was arrested for fourth degree theft and taken to the Iowa County Jail.

Belle Plaine’s police department grew by one man this week as Ben Engle joined the force on a part-time basis. Engle, 24, is a resident of Blairstown and is the senior patrol officer on the Toledo Police Department, were he has worked since November, 2007.

Engle is a 2008 graduate of the Iowa Law Enforcement Academy in Johnston and is a certified police officer. He joins Wes Sebetka, a Tama County Sheriff’s deputy, as part-time officers for the Belle Plaine department.

Chief Kris Hudson said he would like to hire a couple more certified officers to work on an as-needed basis to fill in for officers on leave, on vacation and to provide extra patrol as needed. In his position in Toledo, Engle works either three or four days each week, 12-hour shifts.

Engle is a native of Cedar Rapids. He said he enjoys law enforcement in smaller cities, where the pace is quieter and slower and where residents have a chance to get to know the officers. When not on duty, he enjoys playing the drums, riding his 4-wheeler and spending time with his girlfriend.

On his first day on the job this week, Engle provided a funeral escort and patrolled with the chief, getting to know the city.

The annual Benton County Safety Fair will be held Saturday, Aug. 29, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Franklin Park in Belle Planie. There will be demonstrations, apparatus and personnel representing the Belle Plaine Fire Department, Belle Plaine Ambulance Service, Belle Plaine Police, search and rescue dogs, rural electric company, Rescue 6, Benton County Sheriff’s Office, Iowa Department of Natural Resources boat safety, narcotics awareness, Iowa State Patrol, Blood Center of Iowa, Lifeguard helicopter and much more.

The event is free and open to the public.

It’s a busy week in our fair city with the first day of school, the first football game and a detour that will temporary affect downtown traffic among some of the major points.

Wednesday is the first day of school for Belle Plaine students. Parents, students and visitors to Longfellow Elementary School should be aware that construction in the area will limit parking near the school. The construction will also limit access to the building to the main entrance.

Wednesday afternoon, the Belle Plaine Partners for Beautification will meet at the community center at 6 p.m.

On Friday, high school football gets underway as the seventh-rated Belle Plaine Plainsmen travel to HLV for a 7 p.m. kickoff. Plan to stop on Main Street near the Jumbo Well fountain near the museum for the Belle Plaine Rotary Rib Fest. Treat yourself to a rib dinner, featuring “Sloppy Lon’s Ribs.” Proceeds will benefit several Rotary Club causes, including the scholarship fund and the drive to eliminate polio. Frozen ribs will also be available for sale.

Don’t forget the annual Benton County Safety Fair to be held on Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Franklin Park. There will be representatives from a wide array of emergency services

There will be bingo at the museum Sunday starting at 2 p.m.

If you’re going to be driving in the downtown area this week, remember that Seventh Avenue is closed at the railroad crossing due to crossing repairs. There is a temporary stop sign on 12^th Street (Main Street) at Eighth Avenue. Drivers going north or south on Eighth Avenue have the right of way. There is also a temporary stop sign on 13th Street for east and westbound traffic, creating a four-way stop at that intersection. Also, there is no parking allowed on Eighth Avenue in the detour area.

Ruth E. Toney, 72, of Belle Plaine and formerly of Waterloo died Saturday, August 22, 2009 at the Dennis and Donna Oldorf Hospice House of Mercy in Hiawatha following a short illness.  Graveside services will be held Wednesday, August 26 at 11:30 a.m. in Rector Cemetery, rural Chelsea, by Rev. Dean Duncan.  Friends may call at the Hrabak Funeral Home in Belle Plaine from 10-11 a.m. on Wednesday.

Survivors include: three sons, Ron Toney, Jr., and Jim (Crystal) Toney, all of Elberon, and Brian (Kassey) Toney of Belle Plaine; two daughters, Deb (Larry) Stull, and Peggy (Trelys) Mitchell, all of Belle Plaine; two brothers, Paul (Edie) Wolters of Shawnee Mission, KS and Carl (Darla) Wolters of Independence, MO; a sister, Ann Wolters of Concordia, MO; fifteen grandchildren, and twelve great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by: her parents, Rev. Herman and Anna Wolters; a sister, Shirley Fredrickson; brothers, Donald and John Wolters; son, Bruce Toney; and great-grandson, Blake Stull.

Ruth started the Cedar Valley Food Bank in Waterloo where she had lived for many years.

A memorial fund has been established.

John B. Lyman, 71, died Friday, August 21, 2009 at his home after a long battle with cancer.

John Barclay Lyman was born May 10, 1938, in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, the son of Glenn L. and Lucille (Tatge) Lyman. He graduated from Franklin High School in Cedar Rapids in 1956 and Iowa State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in industrial education in 1961.  On June 24, 1962, he married Florence Fuller of Princeton, Missouri, who survives.

A strong advocate of education, John taught industrial arts and computer science in the Cedar Rapids school system for more than 20 years, then was service manager of Quad County Implement, Blairstown, for 14 years before retiring in May of 2008.  John also was a farmer and cattle feeder.  He was a member of the Iowa and Benton County Cattlemen’s Associations.

John was an active member of Hope Lodge #175 of Belle Plaine, Crescent Lodge #25, Scottish Rite and El Kahir Shrine of Cedar Rapids.  John was born into a family that loved music, and throughout his lifetime he played in numerous area bands including the Iowa State Concert Band, El Kahir Shrine Band, Belle Plaine American Legion Czech Polka Band, Party Time Polka Band, and the Skylarks Dance Band.

Additional survivors include a son, Alan (Karen) of Cambridge, Illinois; a daughter Karen Jeanne Lyman of St. Joseph, Missouri; three grandchildren, Andrea, Lauren and Justin Lyman of Cambridge; sister June Agnew (William D.) of Summerville, South Carolina; niece Patricia Fodor (Steve) and nephew John Agnew of Columbus, Ohio; uncle Albert F. (Ruth) Lyman of Belle Plaine.  John was preceded in death by his parents, his aunt Nell Tatge, uncle John Tatge, and cousin Jack Tatge.

Visitation will be from 4-7 p.m. Sunday at Hrabak Funeral Home, Belle Plaine, with Masonic services to follow.  Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Monday, August 24, 2009 at the First Congregational United Church of Christ, Belle Plaine, by Pastor Pete Hagglund.  Burial will be in Oak Hill Cemetery, Belle Plaine

Memorial contributions may be made to First Congregational UCC, Belle Plaine; El Kahir Shrine, Cedar Rapids; American Cancer Society/Benton; Hospice of St. Luke’s, Cedar Rapids, or a charity of your choice.

Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.hrabakfuneralhome.com under “obituaries.”