Jeff

Wow!!! What beautiful murals.  I have been on the Belle Plaine website Belle Plaine Now.com and was very touched impressed and inspired.

I was born and raised in Belle Plaine.  I graduated from BPHS in 1965.  I have always been a Hawkeye at heart and still sport a license plate with Herky the Hawk on the front of my car.  I have been gone from Belle Plaine for 40 years.  I do come back for class reunions and it is still feels like home.

My parents E Roger and Frances J Pyburn are buried at the Oak Hill Cemetery.  Also, my grandparents Edward S and Georgia S. Pyburn are buried there too.  Georgia is the one the can of white sweet corn was named after. I remember that was one of the labels my grandfather and father canned at the Belle Plaine Corn Cannery just across the tracks close to where your BP museum is now. Georgia died in 1950 when I was three but I heard many good things about her.  She was quite the cook and baked at least one pie a day from scratch.

My grandparents were in the corn canning business a number of years in several parts of the Midwest. Belle Plaine was there last cannery and the place they made their home. What an honor and I am deeply moved that my grandmother’s label and my family’s business was part of your remembrance. How did you happen to choose that as one of your murals? Are the murals permanent?

I must thank my sister-in-law, Connie Welch Pyburn and my third grade teacher, Beverly Winkie for telling me about what was going on in BP.

I hope to hear more about your wonderful tribute to history of a sweet little town in the Midwest that I call my childhood home.

Sincerely,

Francie Pyburn Metzger

Cape Coral, Fl  33904

Sept. 13, 4:10 p.m. – Ambulance assist at Gro Alliance.

Sept. 14, 3:50 p.m. – Officers responded to a harassment complaint at 1403 Sixth Ave. A person at the address was warned.

Sept. 15, 8:34 a.m. – Ambulance assist in the 700 block of 11^th Street.

Sept. 15, 9:54 a.m. – Police were called to Benco Manufacturing for a fire. The fire was put out by employees before the fire department arrived.

Sept. 15, 10 a.m. – Officers assisted with traffic control for the delivery of a prefab house at 11^th Street and Seventh Ave.

Sept. 15, 11 a.m. – Police were called to 503 Fifth Street on a report of an animal under a shed. The matter was referred to the property owner.

Sept. 15, 11:28 a.m. – A report of phone harassment at 1514 Sixth Ave. remains under investigation.

Sept. 15, 2:35 p.m. – There was a report of a semi truck leaking fuel at Highway 21 and 15^th Street. The matter was taken care of by the truck driver.

Sept. 15, 3:45 p.m. – A stray cat was picked up at 1506 Second Ave. and taken to the Countryside Veterinary Clinic.

Sept. 15, 5:30 p.m. – Officers checked out a complaint of a pit bull at 115 11^th Street. It was determined that the dog was owned by a third party visiting at the residence and the person was advised to remove the dog from the city.

Sept. 15, 5:54 p.m. – A loose dog was reported in the area of the 800 block of Seventh Street. Officers were unable to catch it.

Sept. 15, 8:30 p.m. – A cat was caught in a live trap at 1506 Second Ave. and taken to the veterinary clinic.

Sept. 15, 8:45 p.m. – Barking dogs were reported at 2004 11^th Ave. The owner was contacted and warned.

Sept. 15, 9:40 p.m. – Another cat was caught in a live trap at 1506 Second Ave. and taken to the veterinary clinic.

Sept. 17, 9:59 p.m. – Police responded to the 600 block of Fourth Street on a report of someone violating a protective order. William Scalf, 38, Auburn, IA, was charged with violation of a protective order and transported to the Iowa County Jail.

Sept. 18, 9:26 a.m. – Officers were dispatched to 13^th Street and Eighth Ave. where they found a two-year-old girl wandering alone in the area. She was staying at 1410 Eighth Ave., where an uncle was looking after her. It was determined that the uncle and two others were sleeping. The incident was referred to the Department of Human Services.

Sept. 18, 10 a.m. – Police assisted the fire department at an apartment fire at 1540 15^th Street. The fire started on the kitchen stove.

Sept. 18, 10:30 a.m. – Officers responded to the 900 block of Fifth Ave. where an elderly person was having trouble with an oxygen tube.

Just as sure as the leaves fall from the trees in autumn, the late afternoon skyline will soon be filled with smoke from residents burning yard waste. But Monday, a resident asked the Belle Plaine City Council to consider modifying the current burning ordinance to limit the burning hours.

George Burrows told the council that he and his wife are affected by the smoke caused by burning leaves and yard waste. He said people in his neighborhood have been burning before and after the hours prescribed in the ordinance. He added that one of his neighbors was burning garbage in his yard. He said that situation was fixed when he spoke with his neighbor.

Currently, residents are allowed to burn leaves and similar yard waste material seven days a week from 4-9 p.m. The practice is limited to Saturdays from noon to 4 p.m. in June, July and August.

Burrows suggested that the city might limit the open burning to two weeks in the spring and two weeks in the fall. He also asked if the city could inquire about alternate means of disposal of the material, such as collection by Waste Management Company or the creation of a community compost area.

He said he had contacted the city of Carlisle which has limited burning hours. He also contacted representatives of Waste Management, who said their firm can provide the yard waste collection service for an additional fee.

Councilmen Marv DeRycke and Harold Ealy both sympathized with the plight of those who are affected by the smoke, but they both said they are reluctant to add any more fees on the backs of the residents. Burrows said he enjoyed researching this topic and urged the council to consider alternatives to the current burning ordinance. He pointed out that city officials are always interested in attracting new residents and a cleaner environment might be a good step.

In another move toward community improvement, the council approved a scope of services agreement with Stanley Consultants to prepare an Iowa Brownfield Redevelopment Program Application. Melissa Tiedemann of Stanley Consultants met with the council during its work session preceding the regular meeting. She said the program, funded by the federal Environmental Protection Agency and administered through the Iowa Department of Economic Development, currently has $500,000 available. The program targets smaller communities and would provide up to 25 percent of the total cost of property acquisition, remediation and redevelopment.

It appears that funds would be available to pay for 25 percent of the estimated cost of the project, with little or no local committed funds upfront. Several unused, abandoned and dilapidated buildings in the downtown area could be targeted projects, city officials indicated.

Tiedemann said five or six applications could be approved during the current fiscal year. The cost of the scope of services agreement will be $2,500. She added that if the city’s initial application is rejected, her firm will submit a reapplication at no cost.

During the work session, the council agreed to consider an amendment to the animal control ordinance to allow for a foster dog program. Janice Zumbrunnen had earlier asked the council to allow her to temporarily house one additional dog as a part of a golden retriever rescue program. She owns three dogs, which is the limit in the current ordinance. She asked to be allowed to keep one additional dog on a short-term basis as needed to prevent the animal from being euthanized. The program has very strict qualification rules and the host residence must be inspected and certified by the national organization.

DeRycke complimented Zumbrunnen and her husband for wanting to take on this responsibility.

“It’s a heck of a program and I have no problem with it, except we spent a lot of time on the animal ordinance a few years ago and I am reluctant to change it,” he said. He also said that he knows the couple will care for the animal in a responsible manner and that their yard is fenced.

Zumbrunnen said she and her husband agree with the ordinance, but just want a chance to help rescue golden retrievers, one at a time and not necessarily all the time.

After more discussion, the council agreed to consider an amendment to the ordinance to allow for foster dogs at the first council meeting in October.

In a fiscal matter, the council directed staff to place funds from two mature certificates of deposit  from the water and sewer fund in the city’s checking account. The two local banks had quoted interest rates of 1.59 and 1.60 percent for one-year certificates of deposit. But the checking account earns three percent interest. So the fund shift was approved.

During his report to the council, Belle Plaine Commnity Development Director Jon Dayton thanked all the volunteers that helped make the city’s Weekend of Living History a success. He said the Civil War battle re-enactments were well attended and most people seemed to enjoy the activities. He said some of the activities were more popular than others and organizers will take a look at how future celebrations can be improved.

In his report, City Administrator Bill Daily said in his 27 years of public service, he has never been a part of anything like the hosting of the Walldog artists.

“The people (artists) were even greater than the artwork,” he said. He said lifelong friendships were established and the artists seemed to enjoy their time in the city. But he also said that the murals are just a part of the downtown streetscape puzzle and much more must be done.

Police Chief Kris Hudson introduced Amy Baldus, the city’s new part-time officer. Mayor Jim Daily administered the oath of office.

Hudson also reported that a transmission must be replaced on one of the city’s two patrol cars, which will take it out of service for a few days.

Belle Plaine’s downtown area, as well as a large grain bin northeast of the city, are sporting new art work this week, thanks to the weekend work of more than two dozen visiting artists and local volunteers.

Four murals depicting some of the scenes Belle Plaine is known for were created and installed on walls of three downtown buildings and on a grain bin at the intersection of Highways 30 and 131 by a group of artists known as “The Walldogs.”

The artists, from as far as Colorado and Canada, arrived in the city Thursday night, guests of local residents. That night, Highway 21 near Seventh Avenue was blocked off for several hours as images of the designs, which the artists had created, were projected on to white panels. The artists meticulously traced the designs on the panels and on Friday, they went to work, turning the white pieces of metal into works of art.

All four of the murals were mounted on the walls of the Country Foods store, where the artists spent all day Friday and Saturday and a good deal of Sunday painting them Many passersby stopped to watch them at work. Several local artists volunteered their expertise and some school classes also stopped to observe and take up paint brushes to help with the work under the close supervision of the professionals.

One of the artists came from Boston and learned only on Monday that she would be coming to Iowa after another artists was forced to pull out of the project. She said this was only her second trip to Iowa. She had been a part of an earlier Walldog team in the state. She said she is also in charge of the lettering at Fenway Park.

“I have the park all to myself (when she is on the job),” she said. “So when I go to games there, I look around and wonder what all the people are doing there!”

By all accounts that was the mood of most of the visitors, who seemed to enjoy the Iowa hospitality and the unseasonably warm and dry weather. Installation of the murals went without a hitch on Sunday afternoon, except for the work at the round grain bin. That mural was installed Monday morning and the last bolt was driven just as the rain began to fall.

The City of Belle Plaine paid for the project as a part of its streetscape project.

A record number of re-enactors, more than 100 students and perfect weather combined for a great weekend for Belle Plaine’s Weekend of Living History. The sixth annual “Battle for the Bridge” at Franklin Park drew 160 Civil War re-enactors from throughout the Midwest. Many of them were camped in the park by Friday and presented several seminars on life and battle during the Civil War era to students from several area schools.

On Saturday, the afternoon battle was preceded by Union and Confederate drills in the park and a morning parade of colors down Main Street. Following the afternoon battle, which featured infantry, cavalry and cannon troops, an actor portraying Abraham Lincoln addressed the crowd. Saturday night there was a Civil War Ball at the park.

Disciplinary charges have been filed against Belle Plaine physician Robert A. Bischoff, M.D. by the Iowa Board of Medicine. The charges were filed on Sept. 2, 2009 against the physician who has been a member of the staff at the University of Iowa Family Practice Clinic.

Charges are simply allegations and do not assume guilt or innocence.

According to a press release from the board, “…The board charged Dr. Bischoff with engaging in a pattern of sexual misconduct, unprofessional conduct and disruptive behavior. The board alleged that Dr. Bischoff engaged in an inappropriate sexual relationship with a former patient in 2007, and the patient stole his prescription pad and illegally obtained prescription drugs. Dr. Bischoff was reprimanded by his former employer for making inappropriate sexual advances toward a female co-worker in 2006, he was the subject of a number of complaints from female patients who alleged that he engaged in inappropriate touching and unprofessional comments and he viewed and stored pornographic images on a computer at his workplace. The board also alleges that Dr. Bischoff frequently becomes angry and yells at co-workers and other healthcare providers. On June 18, 2009, the board ordered Dr. Bischoff to complete a comprehensive physical, neuropsychological, mental health, sexual misconduct and substance abuse evaluation and he completed the board-approved evaluation on July 29-31, 2009. After careful consideration, the board has serious concerns that Dr. Bischoff has engaged in a pattern of sexual misconduct, unprofessional conduct and disruptive behavior. A hearing has been scheduled on October 21, 2009.”

Requests for further information and Bischoff’s current status with the local practice were referred to Tom Moore at the University of Iowa. Moore said the university has had a long-standing practice of not commenting on matters involving employees and pending litigation. When pressed further on what patients of Dr. Bischoff should do and if he is still employed at the local clinic, Moore advised the patients should call the clinic and make appointments as necessary.

A check of the UI Family Care web site lists Bischoff and Michelle Malloy, ARNP, who has been with the practice since 1998 on staff.

Belle Plaine bounced back from its lone loss of the season the week before to hand Durant a 27-7 setback Friday night at Wildcat Stadium.

The Plainsmen won in several aspects, timely passing, strong running and stout defense. The lone Wildcat score came on a long kickoff return to start the second half.

An 11-yard pass from John Long to Chris Janss got the scoring underway for the Plainsmen with 5:31 remaining in the first quarter. The touchdown came at the end of a 13-play, 62-yard opening drive and was capped by Keegan DeMeulenaere’s two-point conversion run on a fake kick.

The defensive highlight of the night for Durant came at the start of the second quarter, when the Wildcats turned back a Plainsman threat on fourth down at the Durant three yard line. But the next time Belle Plaine got the ball, the Plainsmen started deep in Wildcat territory and despite two fumbles, they scored with 3:32 left in the half on Brian Crow’s two-yard run. DeMeulenaere’s kick made it 15-0.

Then on Durant’s next drive, Damon Rhoades picked off a pass and the Plainsmen were once again in business on the Durant 13. Rhoades got the call two plays later for a three-yard touchdown run and with 1:56 left in the half, the visitors had a 21-0 lead.

The Wildcats struck right away in the second half. A combination of out-kicking the coverage and some coverage mistakes by the Plainsmen allowed Shane Sheahan to race 94 yards for the Wildcat score. The extra point kick made it 21-7.

The was the end of the scoring until the 3:22 mark of the fourth quarter, when Crow broke free for 56 yards and the final touchdown.

“Our line was more physical than it has been in the past,” Coach Todd Bohlen said. “We still made some mistakes on center-quarterback exchanges, etc.”

Rhoades had a good night on both sides of the ball. He had nine carries for 44 yards and a touchdown and on defense, he had five tackles, including one for loss, two pass interceptions and a fumble recovery.

Crow led the team with 26 carries for 145 yards and two touchdowns. Ryan Rupp had one carry for nine yards, Chris Janss had two for 10 yards, Long had five carries for nine yards, Seivon Steward had four for nine yards and Cooper Northrop had two carries for 15 yards.

Long completed four of seven passes for 42 yards and a touchdown. Janss caught three of them for 29 yards and a score and Steward had one catch for 13 yards.

Rupp led the team with 10 tackles with one for loss. Janss had seven with one for loss, Steward had three, Austin Chekal had four with two for loss, DeMeulenaere had five, Devon Parr finished with six with one for loss, Northrop had six, Scott Wheeler had seven with three for loss, Garrett Rollins had three with a sack, Blake Chekal had one, Kyle Janss had two and Jacob Miller had an interception.

This week is another District Five showdown week when West Branch comes to town. The Bears are 4-0 on the season. They held Tipton and Wilton to six points each in their two non-district games, then gave up 28 points in wins over Eddyville-Blakesburg and Wapello. Last week, they beat Wapello, 55-28, as Cole Kelly rushed 19 times for 281 yards, giving him 731 yards for the year.

Bohlen said West Branch will feature a good, big, tough, skilled line. He said the game plan is to force them to throw the ball.

The injury report going into this week is generally favorable. The schedule for the return of Raymond Edgar, out with a knee injury, is still uncertain, the coach said.

Other Plainsman team results

Before Friday’s varsity contest, the Belle Plaine junior varsity dropped a 12-6 decision to the Wildcats. Lance Hinschberger scored the touchdown for the Plainsmen.

On Saturday, the Plainsman junior high teams traveled to North Mahaska. The eighth graders took a 34-14 win. The seventh graders, the “Iron Men,” led 20-0 at the half, then dropped a 22-20 decision. The team includes just nine seventh graders and two first-year eighth grade players. They played every down in the contest, Bohlen said.

Belle Plaine                 8          13        0          6          -           27

Durant                         0          0          7          0          -             7

BP                   D

First downs                 12                    7

Rushing                       49-241             30-142

Passes                          4-7-0                4-13-3

Pass yds.                     283                  167

Punts                           2-53                 4-20

Fumbles                       3-0                   1-1

Penalties                      5-45                 7-65

As many local residents continue to reflect on an amazing weekend of activity in Belle Plaine, a new week brings plenty of activities to the schedule.

Tonight (Monday) the Belle Plaine City Council will meet in a committee-of-the-whole session at 5 p.m. to discuss a policy on fostering dogs, insulation at city hall, Brownfield redevelopment program, sidewalks in the Longfellow Elementary School area and a rental property ordinance.

The regular council meeting follows at 6 p.m. Some of the items on the agenda include reports from Belle Plaine Community Development Director Jon Dayton and Police Chief Kris Hudson and reports from City Administrator Bill Daily on the Walldog event, sewer projects and the aquatics facility construction. Both meetings, open to the public, will be held at City Hall.

On Tuesday, a representative from Congressman Lowell Bosworth’s office will be at City Hall to meet with the public from 11 a.m. to noon.

The Library Board meets at 5 p.m. at the Belle Plaine Public Library.

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

Belle Plaine Schools will dismiss at 12:30 p.m. on Thursday.

Preschool storytime is scheduled for Friday at 9:30 a.m. at the Belle Plaine Public Library.

On Sunday, “Memories of Chelsea” will be presented by Marvin Kucera at the Belle Plaine Museum at 2 p.m.

The local sports slate is also a full one this week. The Belle Plaine cross country teams have one of those tough weeks with back to back meets. Today, they travel to BGM and Tuesday, they travel to Vinton-Shellsburg. The volleyball squad is at Sigourney Monday and Anamosa on Saturday.

The varsity football team has another crucial game Friday night when the Plainsmen host West Branch.

Mabel Louise (Hansen) Duncalf of Belle Plaine, Iowa died September 18, 2009 at the Belle Plaine Nursing & Rehab Center. A funeral service will be held at 10 a.m. Tuesday, September 22, 2009 at St. Michael Catholic Church in Belle Plaine with Deacon Joe Behounek officiating.  Burial will take place at Holy Cross Cemetery near Keystone.  A visitation will be held from 4-8 p.m. Monday, September 21, 2009 at the Hrabak Funeral Home where there will be a Rosary at 7:30.
Mabel was born at home on a farm near Keystone.  The daughter of Nichalus Hansen and Caroline (Selken) Hansen.  Mabel attended Kane Rural School through eighth grade and attended Keystone High School, graduating in 1939.  On June 28th, 1945 Mabel married Gerald William Duncalf of Luzerne where they farmed together until July 20th, 1983 when Gerald passed away suddenly.  Mabel moved to Belle Plaine in 1986 where she resided until her death.
Left to honor her memory is a son David (Julie) Duncalf of Cedar Rapids; three grandchildren: Leann (Charles) Gatewood of Eagle Grove, Staff Sargent Jacob (Monicia) Duncalf of Urbandale, Benjamin (Marcy) Duncalf of Goldfield; seven great grandchildren Marcus and Alexis Gatewood of Eagle Grove, Zackery, Cael and Walker Duncalf of Urbandale, Jordyce and Daven Duncalf of Goldfield; a brother Wilbur Hansen of Anamosa and a sister Evelyn Fike of Evansdale.
Preceding her in death were her husband,  parents, seven brothers, Willie, Edwin, Johnnie, Raymond of Keystone, Alfred of Amana, LeRoy of Waterloo, Harold of Cedar Rapids, two sisters Helen Macek and Alice Hughes of Belle Plaine.
Mabel was a member of the Immaculate Conception Church at Van Horne from 1945 to 1986 when she then moved to Belle Plaine and attended St Michael Church.

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

Virginia E. Bergert, 92, of Belle Plaine, died Wednesday, September 16, 2009 at the Belle Plaine Nursing and Rehab Center following a short illness.  Memorial services will be 10:30 a.m. Monday at St. Michael’s Catholic Church by Deacon Joe Behounek.  Inurnment will be in Oak Hill Cemetery, Belle Plaine.  Visitation will be 4-7 p.m. Sunday at the funeral home.  Her body has been cremated.

She is survived by: son, Gerry (Marge) Bergert of Belle Plaine; daughter, Janice (Dave) Bruns of Cedar Rapids; sister, Jenny Huedepohl of Marengo; also one grandchild and two great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her husband Richard and daughter, Nancy.

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