May 24, 8 p.m. – Dogs running loose were reported in the 600 block of Fifth Avenue. The owner was warned.

May 24, 11:55 p.m. – Heather McGhghy, 27, of Belle Plaine was arrested in the 7700 block of Highway 21 following a traffic stop for speeding. She was charged with illegal possession of prescription drugs and drug paraphernalia. She was transported to the Iowa County Jail.

May 25, 1 p.m. – Vehicle unlock at 402 7^th Street.

May 25, 2:35 p.m. – Police were called to 1540 15^th Street for a smoke detector going off. The Belle Plaine Fire Department checked the residence and determined there was no fire.

May 26, 11:47 a.m. – Officers investigated a report of a vehicle driving around town with the occupants throwing things at pedestrians. No vehicle was located.

May 26, 12:43 p.m. – Ambulance assist in the 600 block of Seventh Avenue.

May 26, 3:46 p.m. – Ambulance assist in the 600 block of 11^th Street.

May 26, 11:14 p.m. – William Snyder, 34, of Belle Plaine was arrested in the 100 block of 11^th Street and charged with public intoxication-enhanced, an aggravated misdemeanor. He was transported to the Benton County Jail.

May 27, 12:02 p.m. – Police were called to 13^th Street between Casey’s and the post office on a report of a motorcycle-vehicle accident. Both vehicles had left the scene when officers arrived. Later, Daniel Brodie, 39, of Belle Plaine reported he had been the operator of the motorcycle and sustained minor injuries. The incident remains under investigation.

May 27, 1:40 p.m. – Ambulance assist in the 900 block of Ninth Avenue.

May 27, 11:18 p.m. – A suspicious vehicle was reported in the vicinity of the Belle Plaine Western Exchange. It had left the area by the time officers arrived.

May 28, 9:32 a.m. – Police investigated a report of someone violating a protective order in the 600 block of 10^th Street.. It was determined no violation took place and no charges were field.

An arrest is merely an allegation and the suspect is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

First came the initial plans, then came the fund-raising efforts, then construction. Saturday, the many months of preparation are scheduled to come to completion with the grand opening of Belle Plaine’s new aquatics center.

City officials and others planning for the big event were hoping for good weather, the final piece of the puzzle and it looks like Mother Nature will be cooperating with a perfect day for a dip in a new pool.

The ribbon-cutting ceremony will take place at 10 a.m., followed by tours of the new facility. The pool officially opens at 11 a.m., after a ceremonial first trip down the new water slide and jump off the high dive by winners of a raffle conducted by the Belle Plaine Community Development Corporation (BPCDC).

The BPCDC will be grilling hot dogs and hamburgers for sale throughout the day and the center’s concession stand will also be open. There will be several contests during the day, including dives for $100 in gold dollar coins, sponsored by MidWestOne and Chelsea Savings banks.

Residents who tour the new facility will see quite a change in the outdoor facility. Several features were included to allow for recreation for all levels, from the youngest toddlers, to the accomplished swimmers, the daredevils who will will climb to the top of the tall water slide and to those who just want to spend a warm summer afternoon in the sunshine.

The National Weather Service is forecasting a bright, sunny day with a high of 84 degrees for Saturday. Special opening day admission rates are $3 for ages four and up and $1.50 for those under four.

Kyle E. Gunderson, 20, of Belle Plaine, died Wednesday, May 26, 2010 after a sudden illness. Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, June 1, 2010 at the Hrabak Funeral Home, Belle Plaine. Visitation will be from 4-7 p.m. Sunday, May 30 at the funeral home. Burial will be in Oak Hill Cemetery.

By Coach Mark Tegeler

Belle Plaine boys’ track team ended the season on a very positive note at the state track meet this season.  As a team we ended up placing third overall.  Madrid ran away with the team title scoring 59.50 points, Belmond Klemme scored 36 to finish second, Belle Plaine scored 35 to finish third and Lisbon scored 34 points finishing fourth.

Going into the state meet I set our team points goal at 34, so we certainly were spot on as to what I expected out of our guys.  We ran a very good meet, we weren’t perfect but we were awfully close.  When your chance at a state title is depending primarily on hurdling and sprinting relay events you know that you are going to have a nerve-racking weekend.  It was well worth it however!

We broke the state meet record in the Shuttle Hurdle relay, a relay that we really wanted to win going into the state meet.  We had held the fastest time in the event for most the season so we knew we would have a target on our back.  We got through the pre-lims with the best time and broke the meet record.  We came back in the finals on Saturday and broke that record running a 58:79.  It was a time we needed since AHST Avoca broke our record in the finals.

Our 4×200 relay placed second breaking the school record in the process.  We ran a 1:32.06 with a shaky last hand-off, it slowed us down a little, but most likely didn’t cost us the title.  Northwood Kennsett had been running 1:31 flat for most of the season so it was going to be real tough to catch them.  Going in we figured second place was the worst we should do.

Our 4×100 relay placed third and this really probably was a little disappointment just because the guys ran it so well.  We just didn’t nail our hand-offs like we needed to.  We had a chance to beat Madrid in the finals and just came up short.  Our guys were probably a little more pumped up than normal and that probably threw our steps off a little bit and that can be huge in the 4×100.  The wind was blowing so hard by then that we really thought we should just keep them close to normal to make sure that we didn’t get outside the exchange zone and play it safe and see if any other relays made the mistakes.

Both Keegan DeMeulenaere and Seivon Steward did a nice job in the finals of the 110 High Hurdles.  Going in both were shooting to win the event and we went 3-4.  Keegan didn’t have one of his best blocks, but he did an excellent job of catching up to the main field to grab fourth.  Keegan went into the finals with the fastest pre-lim so he was a little disappointed. Seivon had a great block but clipped a few hurdles and that really slowed him up but just his raw speed was able to keep him in the top three.

Our events that did not score at the state meet did a real nice job as well.  Cooper Northrop moved up a couple of spots in the Long Jump placing 17^th.  It wasn’t Cooper’s best performance of the year, but considering it was his first trip to the state meet we thought he handled it very well.  Chris Janss also competed in the Long Jump and was unable to improve his place or distance.  Chris just looked real tight and couldn’t get his steps down.

Our 4×400 relay ran our best time of the year, so we were real happy with their performance.  We went in as the 24^th ranked 4×400 relay and we finished 16^th so that was a major improvement.  Brian Crow also failed to get to the finals in both the 100m dash and 200m dash.  Brian won his heat in the 100m dash, which was the event we really thought we could advance to the finals in.  Unfortunately Brian finished 10^th overall and failed to advance.  It was however the third best time that Brian had ran all year so he put out an awfully good performance.  The 200m dash we knew would be tough to get through and it was.  Brian moved up a couple of spots and ran his best 200 time of his career, so that was certainly good to see.   Brian had really been battling some knee and hip issues late in the season so he wasn’t at 100 percent.  He wasn’t practicing much and you could tell he just wasn’t 100 percent, but Brain battled really well we thought and gave himself and the team a chance to score more points.

It was a great season that concluded on a very positive note.  Conference champs for the second straight year and four out of the last five, district champs, not sure when Belle Plaine boys track has done that last and a top three showing at the state meet and again not sure when Belle Plaine boys track scored that high.

This was a great way for our seniors to go out, they have worked so hard over the past four years and we have had our share of disappointments at the state meet so I think they’ll look back on this weekend and be very pleased with the outcome.

It won’t be long now. The halls that once were filled with the sounds of loud voices and laughter will be eerily quiet. School ends this week for another year. By the time the students return in a few months, there will be plenty of changes, thanks to the extensive building projects underway in the district.

Follow along, if you will, as a writer with a sometimes strange imagination takes you on a journey of what life might be like if school buildings had minds and souls. I know bricks and mortar don’t have a heartbeat, but what if?…

Like a mother saying goodbye to a child who is moving to adulthood, you could almost hear a sigh at the high school as more than 50 kids left for the last time on Sunday at a graduation. They received a grand sendoff, complete with a special address by a U.S. Senator and capped off with a shower of Silly String.

So now some of the kids have left home. This week, the rest are getting ready for grand adventures outside of the confines of the school building. But the building won’t be quiet for long. The plastic surgery and enhancement is already well underway. It is the newest building in the school district, but many people have questioned the functionality of a building with several levels. It offers a daily workout for students and staff, but is certainly less than ideal for those who are physically challenged.

The surgery gets more intense in the coming couple of months and by the time the students return in late August, the plan is for a totally renovated and expanded facility that will house not only the high school students, but junior high as well, in a building that should allow students who might be confined to a wheelchair or who use crutches to get to class in a more timely manner. The new construction includes a much-needed elevator.

Across the field, more cosmetic surgery and enhancement is underway to a building that has served as the first education experience for hundreds of local students over the years. Longfellow Elementary School will be expanded and will house several more grades starting in August. Some of the new classrooms are already in use. But just imagine the wide eyes and smiles of students and teachers when they come back in a few months and see all of the grand changes.

While the future looks bright for the school district’s south campus, across town the other two school buildings are on borrowed time. In other years, maintenance crews would be preparing to clean and wax floors and paint and provide other necessary maintenance to nurse an aging building through another year. Central Elementary, a building that would have nearly a century of stories to tell if a building could talk, will finally be retired. It’s final fate has not yet formally been decided, but it’s pretty clear that its days as a center for education are at an end. It would take considerable funds to renovate the structure for any other use and the wrecking ball might finally win.

Across Ninth Avenue, a much newer building, where hundreds of junior high students roamed for years, will also become silent. It is still a viable building, although not as a junior high building in an era where teaching, instruction materials and equipment must be used in the most economic way possible. It will be interesting to see how that building can be used in the future.

A school district is certainly much more than bricks and wood and window glass. Graduation is an annual celebration of the accomplishments of the seniors and a sad time as well. It’s time to wish them well, with a fervent hope that as they succeed in their future lives they might remember all of the good times they experienced in Belle Plaine.

It’s quite natural for graduates to look forward to getting away from home and experiencing some of the rest of the world, either through college, the military or perhaps their first full-time job. But just maybe at least a few of them will decide what they had as young Belle Plaine citizens is something they want to experience again. A community can only flourish if it continues to change in a good way. Much of that change can only come with new ideas. Ten years from now, maybe at least a few of the members of the Class of 2010 will come home to help make this community even better. Until that happens, we wish them all the best and thank them for some great memories!

The City of Belle Plaine contracts to have the town sprayed seven times at a total cost of $4,500 of taxpayer money in an attempt to control mosquitoes.  Although this effort is made you can be assured that this will not rid the community of mosquitoes, especially with the wet spring.

So what should you do?  Just remember, when you go outside, apply some mosquito repellent to your skin.  Repellents that contain DEET are the most effective, but make sure you rub them on according to the directions.  A good rule of thumb from the experts is that people should use mosquito repellent with less than 10% DEET.  Put it on your face but don’t get it in your mouth or eyes, and wash your hands after you apply it.  To be on the safe side about using repellents, you should check out the latest from the CDC (Centers for Disease Control) for more information.

It is also helpful to raise your protective barrier by wearing light-colored clothing so you can spot mosquitoes that might land on you, and long-sleeved shirts and pants to hide your skin from those pesky pests.  Top it off with a hat.  You can spray your clothes with mosquito repellent to keep them away.  Ask for help to spray all those hard-to-reach spots.

Also check out your surrounding environment, while some mosquitoes lay their eggs in ponds and swamps, other mosquitoes like to leave their eggs in standing water, like water left in buckets and wading pools.  Think about it…the fewer places mosquitoes can lay their eggs, the fewer mosquitoes there are.  Help cut down the number of mosquitoes by checking around your home, yard, and deck.  Clean gutters, empty flowerpot saucers, and turn over buckets.  If you have a bird bath, clean it at least once a week.

Many mosquitoes are night flyers so you may be more likely to get bitten around sundown or around sun-up.  So if you don’t want to get bitten at these times, play it safe, either head indoors or be extra sure to cover up and use repellent.

First Lutheran Church, Belle Plaine, has been approved as a host site for Angel Food Ministries.  Orders for the first month’s shipment will be taken on Wednesdays, June 23, 30 and July 7, from 6-7 p.m. with delivery on Saturday, July 17, from 9-10 a.m. at the church.

If you are not familiar with this program, please read on . . .

With a heart to help others and a generous spirit, Joe and Linda Wingo founded Angel Food Ministries in 1994 to provide food for friends and neighbors who were struggling financially. Today the Angel Food program now is helping provide food relief to more than 500,000 families across 44 states each month. Angel Food Ministries is a non-profit, non-denominational organization.

About The Food
Each month’s menu is different and consists of fresh, frozen and packaged food with an average retail value of approximately $60, however, your cost is $30. Comparison shopping has been done across the country in various communities using a wide range of retail grocery stores and has resulted in the same food items costing from between $42 and $78. Angel Food is purchased from the nation’s top food suppliers. There is no purchase limit for boxes of Angel Food. There are no applications or qualifications necessary to purchase. Everyone qualifies!

Generally, one unit of food assists in feeding a family of four for about one week or a single senior citizen for almost a month. Also offered are specialty boxes such as steaks, chicken and pork.

Food Stamp Program
To better help families in need, Angel Food Ministries also participates in the U.S. Food Stamp program, using the Off-Line Food Stamp Voucher system.  Everyone is encouraged to participate. This program is designed to help low-income families buy the food they need for good nutrition.

Order Processing

Orders and distribution are handled by church host sites. Orders are collected by the host sites during the first part of each month. These orders are then turned in to the Angel Food main office in Monroe, Georgia, on a predetermined date. Several days later, in the same month, the host site drives to a designated area to pick up food that was ordered and transports it back to the host church. The orders are then picked up by people that ordered.

THERE ARE NO APPLICATIONS OR PREQUALIFIERS TO PARTICIPATE IN THE ANGEL FOOD PROGRAM, AND PARTICIPATING IS EASY.

1. 1. Your Host Site – First Lutheran Church in Belle Plaine
2. 2. You can place your order a couple of different ways
   1. a. Online
   2. b. In person at First Lutheran Church – Orders for the following month can be placed the day of pick-up or we will take orders on Wednesday evenings (for 3 weeks) from 6PM-7PM at First Lutheran Church.

1. The food is delivered and available for pick-up the 3^rd Saturday of the month from 9AM-10AM (You must be available to pick-up your food during this time frame or give your voucher to someone  who can pick it up for you.  Food that is not picked up will be given to people in the community that we feel could benefit.)  Please bring a box or laundry basket along to pick up your food.

We are hoping to make this a community effort.  We would like to bring all denominations together to volunteer with this project in order to make our community better by providing a HAND UP NOT A HAND OUT!!

For more information please contact Johnette Petersen, Host Site Director, First Lutheran Church via e-mail: johnette.petersen@hotmail.com or cell #319-330-6257 or work #319-730-1154.

Listed below is the May 2010 Menu for your review . . .

MAY SPECIAL #1

6.4 lb. Assorted Meat Grill Box                         $23.00

1.5 lb. Bone-In New York Strip Steaks (2 x 12 oz.)

2 lb.    Baby Back Ribs

1.5 lb. Hamburger Patties (4 x 6 oz.)

1.5 lb. Mild Italian Sausage with Cheese

MAY SPECIAL #2

4 lb. Steak Box $22.00

4 lb. Sirloin Strip Steaks (8 x 8 oz.)

MAY SPECIAL #3

12 ct. Gourmet-Flavored Chicken Breast Box $19.00

4      Mesquite Chicken Breast (6 oz. ea.)

4      B-B-Q Chicken Breast (6 oz. ea.)

4      Italian Chicken Breast (6 oz. ea.)                              

MAY SPECIAL #4

4 for 4 Family Meals                                         $35.00

4 complete meals with all you need to feed a family of 4.

Beef Tips and Gravy – 1.5 lb. Beef Tips and Gravy, 1 lb. Egg Noodles, 1 lb. Vegetable Blend (zucchini, carrots, Italian beans and cauliflower)

Split Whole Chicken – 3 lb. (avg.) Whole Split Chicken, 1 lb. Stir Fry with Vegetables, 1 lb. Green Beans

Choice Roast Beef  – 1.5 lb. Choice Roast Beef, 1.5 lb. Potato Medley, 1 lb. Green Beans

Baby Back Ribs – 2 lb. Baby Back Ribs, 1 lb. Corn, 1 lb. Green Beans

May is National Salad Month!

Why not celebrate with a Premium Fresh Fruit and Veggie Box from Angel Food?

MAY SPECIAL #5
Premium Fresh Fruit and Veggie Box $22.00

1 head             Cello Lettuce

1 head             Sleeved Romaine Lettuce

1 lb. bag          Fresh California Carrots

(1) 6 oz. pack  Radishes

1                        Red Onion

(1) 5 oz. bag   Fresh Gourmet Salad Croutons

1 (16 oz.)         Salad Dressing

3 lb. bag          Idaho Potatoes

2 lb. bag          Jazz Apples

3 lb. bag          Oranges

1                        Package Roma Tomatoes

6                        California Lemons

MAY SPECIAL #6  (Supplies are limited so order today!)
Bit O’ Blessing Box $21.00

28 oz Salisbury Steak and Gravy Dinner Entrée

12 inch Supreme Pizza

1 lb. Steak Fajita Strips

1 lb. Kielbasa Sausage

2 lb. Heat and Serve Broccoli and Cheese Soup

2 lb. Heat and Serve Green Beans

1 lb. Corn

1 lb. Hash brown Patties

1      Pie

Please visit their website for more information . . .

www.angelfoodministries.com

In the effort to save dollars all schools except Keota and Iowa Valley in the SICL are electing to play both softball and baseball at the same sites and there are considerable changes listed below for the school calendar this summer, according to Belle Plaine Activity Director Greg Walton.

Here are the following changes:

1.   Wednesday, May 26 Tri-County – switch in sites due to their baseball field not completed.  We will be playing both the softball and baseball games here.   We will then play both softball and baseball @ Tri-County there on Monday, June 21.

2.   Thursday, May 27 – Softball here vs. Iowa Valley instead of playing Friday May 28(they play in a tournament)

3.   Tuesday, June 1 – Softball and baseball play HLV HERE. We then play both @ HLV on Wednesday, June 23.

4.   Friday, June 4 -  Softball and baseball play @ BGM.  We then play both HERE on Monday, June 28.

5.   Monday, June 7 – Softball and baseball play @ Sigourney.   We then play both HERE on Wednesday., June 30.

6.   Tuesday, June 8 – Softball plays Vinton-Shellsburg not on Wednesday, June 9.

7.   Friday, June 11 -  Softball and baseball play @ Montezuma.  We then play both HERE on Tuesday, July 6.

8.   Monday, June 14 – Softball(DH) and baseball play @ English Valleys.   Baseball then plays EV HERE on Wednesday, July 7.

9.   Wednesday, June 16 – BOTH Softball and baseball play Varsity double headers HERE vs. Lynnville-Sully and then baseball will not play @ Lynnville-Sully on Friday, July 9.

19.  Saturday, June 26 – The softball tournament is @ Pella Christian not @ Pekin.

May 15, 10:05 p.m. – A barking dog was reported in the 1400 block of Fifth Avenue. The owner was warned.

May 18, 8:10 p.m. – A reckless driver was reported in the 1000 block of Seventh Avenue. Officers were unable to locate anyone.

May 19, 7:29 a.m. – A dog was reported on the loose at 1536 Sunset Drive. It was later captured and taken to Countryside Veterinary Clinic.

May 19, 2:58 p.m. – A vehicle accident was reported in the Dollar General parking lot. Alyce Vermace, 89, of Hartwick, struck the side of the building with her 1988 Chevrolet Celebrity. The building sustained some damage. The driver was cited for failure to provide proof of insurance.

May 19, 8:08 p.m. – Jerry Gerard, 62, of Belle Plaine was arrested in the 500 block of 14^th Street and charged with OWI-first offense following a traffic stop for failure to yield. He was taken to the Benton County Jail.

May 20, 1:10 a.m. – Officers were called to 116 11^th Street for a report of a domestic dispute. There was no assault and no charges were filed.

May 20, 6:21 p.m. – Vehicle unlock in the 800 block of 12^th Street.

May 20, 11:22 p.m. – Steve Rethman, 1002 Third Avenue, reported receiving harassing text messages.

May 21, 7:46 a.m. – Belle Plaine Police were involved in a high speed pursuit. Officers observed a 1971 Chevrolet Camaro, driven by Corey Matthew Ary, 19, of Belle Plaine. The license plate on the car didn’t match the car and a pursuit ensued. It proceeded eastbound on 78^th Street Trail and further eastbound on Benton County roads. A Benton County Sheriff’s deputy joined the chase and employed stop sticks on the roadway ahead of the car. After it hit the stop sticks, it continued on three flat tires until coming to a stop on a mud road. Ary was then arrested and charged with driving while revoked, eluding, possession of drug paraphernalia, speed, running a stop sign and fraudulent use of registration. He was taken to the Benton County Jail. The chase reached speeds of 70-80 mph. The Iowa State Patrol and Iowa County Sheriff’s deputies assisted in the arrest.

May 22, 12:05 p.m. – Ambulance assist in the 600 block of Seventh Avenue.

May 23, 11:22 p.m. – Ambulance assist in the 1400 block of Sunset Drive.

A criminal charge is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

Law enforcement agencies from around the state, including the Belle Plaine Police Department, will join other agencies across the country to participate in the National “Click It or Ticket” campaign.  Officers will be out in force beginning May 24th and through June 4^th enforcing traffic laws and making sure you are buckled up and driving sober.  During Memorial Day weekend last year 12 fatalities occurred on Iowa roadways.

Randy Hunefeld, sTEP Coordinator with the Governor’s Traffic Safety Bureau advises that, “Iowa’s law enforcement community is serious about saving lives.”  Iowa currently has a 93 percent statewide seat belt daytime average which ranks in the top 10 in the nation, however our night-time seat belt average is only 39 percent.  This year we are asking our law enforcement partners to continue their efforts in daytime enforcement but to take the fight to the night.  Fifty percent of our fatalities occur in the daytime with 88 percent of the motoring public, while the other 50 percent occurs during the nighttime hours with only 12 percent of the motoring public.

During 2009, Iowa had 372 fatalities, in which 172 occurred between 6:00 p.m. and 5:59 a..m. Added enforcement efforts around the State like nighttime seat belt projects, safety checkpoints and added patrols appear to have been effective. Iowa law enforcement is committed to saving lives and they will enforce our seat belt law to do it.

Last year during the “Click it or Ticket” campaign, there were 245 agencies and 1,823 officers that participated recording 43,906 traffic violations ranging from operating while intoxicated to minor equipment violations and everything in between.  Officers investigated 1,492 crashes and reported 2,064 motorist assists.

“Local motorists should be prepared for stepped up Click It or Ticket activities that will take place around the clock.  If law enforcement finds you on the road unbuckled anytime or anywhere, you could receive a $93.75 ticket.  If you buckle up, you’ll save the cost of a ticket and may even save a life.  For additional information contact: