Local BPHS Tennis, Escapee from Cenex Volleyball Law Back in Previews Page 6 Store in Page 19 Custody Spotlight Page 2 ONE HUNDRED AND THIRTIETH YEAR BELLE PLAINE, MINNESOTA, AUGUST 24, 2011 75¢ SINGLE COPY NUMBER 34 Motorcycle Crash A 23-year-old Bloomington man, Justin Bergin, was trans- ported by helicopter to North Memorial Hospital after his motorcycle left County Road 40 near Belle Plaine about 7 p.m. Monday. According to the Carver County Sheriff’s Moving Day Offi ce, Bergin was in criti- cal condition as of late Mon- After 109 years in Le Sueur’s Lexington Township, Janesville House Movers slowly (3 miles day night. Bergin was one of per hour) transported St. Joseph’s Catholic Church some 10 miles to its new resting spot on about a half-dozen motorcy- the Le Sueur County Pioneer Power showgrounds on Thursday. The trip started south on clists traveling as a group. He County Road 32 (from the church’s original home) and then west on County Road 26 to the lost control of his motorcycle showgrounds. The 45- by 80-foot building was sold for $1 to the Le Sueur County Pioneer and landed in a cornfi eld. No Power Association in July. The cost to move it was approximately $75,000 (see related photo other members of the group on page 2). crashed. County Road 40 was closed for several hours as authorities reconstructed the crash, which remains under investigation. Belle Plaine fi re and ambulance were among the responders. Belle Plaine Students Post Higher MCA Science Scores After showing slow but steady In 2010, 47.69 percent of the hadn’t seen since sixth grade, improvement on the Minnesota district’s students passed the particularly physical science, Comprehensive Assessment science exam, just below the Lagergren said. (MCA) science exams the past state average of 48.48 percent. The district’s 10th-graders few years, many Belle Plaine In 2009, 36.26 percent of Belle were just under the state aver- students exceeded the state av- Plaine’s students passed the age (53.8 percent) with a 48.59 erages on the annual examina- exam compared to the state av- percent rate of passing the state tions last spring. erage of 45.79 percent. In 2008, exam. The district is making “This is reason to celebrate,” 31.43 percent of the Belle improvements in math and sci- said Carol Lagergren, the dis- Plaine students passed the sci- ence at the high school a prior- trict’s curriculum coordinator. ence test, well below the state ity this year, said Superinten- School board members got average 40.02 percent. dent Kelly Smith. their fi rst public look of the In 2011, 63.03 percent of Belle Lagergren said the overall scores from exams fi fth-, eighth Plaine fi fth-graders passed the success is in part of the result of and 10th-graders took last science exam, well ahead of the improved teaching techniques spring. state average (46 percent). The and more “hands-on” lab work. Tim Standafer, a Blakeley Township resident, transforms wood from trees on his property District wide, 52.26 percent of district’s eighth-graders passed “This says a lot to how focused into urns for cremated remains. Standafer’s craftsmanship will be presented in an upcoming Belle Plaine students passed the the exam at a 46.36 percent the staff has been,” she said. segment on KSTP TV’s “On the Road With Jason Davis.” The show typically airs Sundays, state test. The state average is rate, just better than the state 10:35 p.m., on Channel 5. 48.4 percent. It’s the fi rst time average (44.4 percent). The eighth-grade results from More to Come Belle Plaine has exceeded the The Minnesota Department of state average in the three years last spring were especially Area Craftsman Transforms the MCA science exams were promising since students were Scores Wood Into A Final Resting Place administered. tested on information they (continued on page 7) by John Mueller he engraved the names of her forests where the remaining Tim Standafer enjoys working children and grandchildren in it trees are too small for timber with his hands. Take a downed after their mom’s remains were companies to want. A forest maple tree from his property brought to Minnesota. destroyed by fi re or tornado in Blakeley Township, just off Since the temporary urn the “breaks my heart,” he said. “I German Road south of Belle family purchased for their hate to see wood go to waste.” Plaine, and he can transform it mom’s memorial service in into something lasting for near- Kansas cost $350, Tim and Lori eternity. fi gured he could make a far ‘Some Really Standafer and his younger more distinctive and personal- ized product. Cool Stuff’ sister, Lori, created Journey He accepts the imperfections Urns, a startup company where His creations are anything but of the wood, taking advantage he harvests downed trees from ordinary. Like people, his urns of them to create a product that 10 of the 14 acres he bought in come in an array of different is unlike mass-produced. The 1995 and transforms the raw shapes and sizes, with threaded, butternut from his property has wood into a fi nished urn. Lori screw-on lids to be glued shut shallow wormholes. It adds handles the marketing and busi- or covers that with a few small character to the wood, a quality ness side of the operation. wood screws can be perma- Standafer won’t sand over. nently closed. “He’s really the creative end “It makes some really cool of this,” she said. Standafer looks for special stuff,” he said. “I like the de- Standafer’s fi rst urn was a trees on his property that could fects. It adds a lot of charac- uniquely personal project. He make the perfect wood for an ter.” made it for his father in 2001. urn once they go down. His property includes birch, butter- He won’t discard a tree, even Years later, his mother asked if it is laden with knots. Trees, him to make an urn for her. She nut, cherry, maple and walnut Victory Slips Away trees. He also works with the Standafer says, are like people. wanted to see the urn before They have a distinct character. it was needed and displayed grain and color of the wood. From left, Josh Terrio, Dan Huber, Adam Johnson and manager Jeff Miller of the Belle Plaine it in her apartment. When his He’d like one day to use some “They have a life. They die mother passed away in 2009, truly unique wood, like red- because of illness or disaster,” town baseball team were among the many dejected Sunday evening after failing to secure a wood, but isn’t sure if he could he said. spot in this weekend’s second round of the Minnesota State Amateur Class C Baseball Tour- purchase redwood and have it nament in Glencoe. The Tigers led 2-1 before Miltona scored three runs with two outs in the delivered to Minnesota. He’s Area Craftsman top of the ninth inning to grab a 4-2 lead. The Tigers failed to respond in the bottom half of considering visiting logged-out (continued on page 9) the inning as Miltona upset the Region 6C champions (see story inside). PAGE TWO BELLE PLAINE HERALD, BELLE PLAINE, MINNESOTA WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 24, 2011 Addressing the Church’s Relocation On the Set Le Sueur County Pioneer Power Association President Tom Graham addressed the media A production crew was in Belle Plaine Monday shooting television commercials for Cenex fuel during Thursday’s relocation of St. Joseph’s Catholic Church from Lexington Township to station and convenience stores. The photo below was taken in the Belle Plaine Vets Club to the Pioneer Power Showgrounds. In the distant background is the church slowly making its help give the commercial(s), which will air later this year, a small-town fl avor. The production way along County Road 26 on its way to the showgrounds. In October, 2008, the Archdiocese company is Sticks+Stones of Los Angeles but most of the crew and cast are from the Twin Cit- of Saint Paul and Minneapolis chose to consolidate the St. Joseph parish with St. Wenceslaus ies. A group that included Carol Schultz of Belle Plaine (seated in the back third from left) was parish in New Prague. St. Joseph parishioners were concerned their church, which was built selected to sing “The Star Spangled Banner” with actor Don Fadell of Richfi eld, who is seated in 1902 with its gleaming white steeple and stained-glass windows, would deteriorate over time in the front discussing the next take with concertina Jerry Minar of New Prague. Others with as many vacant buildings do. “We’ve been looking to add a church to the grounds for years,” Schultz seated in the back and will appear in at least one of the commercials are Liz and Gene Graham said. “We never quite found the right fi t. This is an opportunity to not only acquire a Musil of New Prague, Schultz, Mike Rademacher of New Prague, Lil Kafka of New Prague, sound structure, but it’s also a big part of this county’s history.” and John and Jackie Henle of New Prague. Back Home for a Good Cause Early Childhood Screenings Set As children growing up in Belle Plaine, Bev and Dale Chard played in Court Square Park. Faith Last Wednesday, the couple brought their children from their home in Prior Lake to a taco It’s time to schedule your screening required by the state child’s Early Childhood Screen- for all children before enter- Adelmann dinner benefi t to help defray costs from their daughter Kylie’s cancer treatments.