Spring Valley EDA

Tools for Economic Growth in Spring Valley, Minnesota.

Chris Hahn

Race Recap: Results – 2022 Spring Valley 100 Gravel Race

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Click here for the 2022 SV100 Race Results

2022 Overall Top Finisher – Chase Wark 5:33:33
2022 Top Female Finisher Jennifer Youngwerth – 7:01:39

 

Congratulations to all SV100 racers who formed up on the Starting Line on a brisk Saturday morning. I believe all in attendance will agree that after the first hill climb the conditions were ideal for gravel racing; previous days’ rains kept the dust in check, the temp was absolutely perfect, the wind was extremely favorable to push us to Preston and the sun/passing cloud mix was just right, although my son has a classic race kit sunburn he didn’t expect at the day’s outset…yes, the weather guessers missed the mark on predictions for Saturday, we all forgive you, yours can often be a thankless job.

Despite the rain during the week, not a single rider got their feet wet during the crossing this year, unless they went out of their way to hit the tadpole pool, Oriole Hill’s grade hasn’t eroded and the scenery was as fantastic as it ever is.

For those at the finish line when the first two bikes raced to the finish line you witnessed one of, if not the closest finishes since the routes’ inception.  Winona’s Chase Wark finished 2 seconds ahead of Wayzata’s Steve Marshall. Congratulations to Neenah, WI’s Jennifer Youngwerth who was this year’s top female finisher.

Many thanks to the community for welcoming us back, to the downtown businesses who took care of us before during and after the race, a special thanks to Hop n Barrel, Stellar 181, the Pizza Place, Root River Auto, Bus and Diesel, Sunshine Foods, Minnesota Metals, Ody’s Country Meats & Catering, the City of Spring Valley, Spring Valley EDA, Fire and Ambulance crews (who gave up their early Saturday morning activities) and County Law Enforcement who show up each year to provide a safe route to the race course. A big thanks to all the businesses that contributed to the best-of-the-best pop-up aid station at Forestville! We all owe a big thanks to Greg and Suzie Brooks, our perpetual hosts at Forestville; if you stopped there, you know how welcomed and comfortable you can get there…it’s downright hard to leave.

How about Cherry Grove?  Shout it out for the Community Center caretaker at Cherry Grove for opening up the Center and putting a pot of coffee on and providing a cozy recharge station to help prep us for the final 26-mile grind and last four major climbs of the day. Let’s not forget about those mystery race-angels who set out random water and snack stations; for those of us racing, it’s akin to someone seeing a mirage in the desert…only our mirages turn out to be real! Whoever you are, we salute you!

While we present ourselves as grassroots and barebones to the core; making the process as simple for the riders as possible, it takes many volunteers and coordination work to pull a race like this off, many thanks to all who keep this Granddaddy of all Gravel Routes alive. See you next year!

Check out some of this year’s Race Footage courtesy of the Hugo Gravel Group below!

Kingsland hires middle/ high school principal ~ Leadership team now in place for 2022-23 school year

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Original article published in the Mower County Independent, Thursday, May 21,2022.   Reprinted with permission and gratitude.

By Gretchen Mensink Lovejoy 

 

Kingsland school board members were pleased to announce the hire of a new middle/high school principal during the May 2 board work session.

Kingsland Elementary School (KES) Principal Scott Klavetter, recently named successor to retiring Kingsland Superintendent Jim Hecimovich, gave his K-6 principal’s report, one of the last he will give as such because Deana Dontje will become Kingsland’s new 5-12 principal, and the search for a dean of students continues. The district has had interviews scheduled and had identified a potential candidate, fourth grade instructor Erin Milz, as of the time of the work session agenda’s release. Furthermore, the district has several open teaching positions, including a Physical Education and Health position and numerous elementary instructors’ positions that Klavetter stated he hoped to have filled by the end of May to prepare for the 2022-2023 school year.

He told the board that Dontje has “a lot of experience…we’re excited to have her here.” He added, “We have a lot of things going on, and now that we have the leadership team in place, we’ve been busy, but we’re right where we want to be.”

Klavetter stated that curriculum updates are of importance as the district examines what is available and how much replacing dated curriculum will cost. He noted that language arts standards will dictate what the district purchases and that he has been working with Kingsland’s Spanish instructor to upgrade the Spanish curriculum to “the most current copyright” so that teachers don’t pass by the chance to upgrade their materials now and regret the choice later.

Gary Kuphal, acting as interim superintendent while Hecimovich is on family and medical leave, registered that he was uncertain as to who would be serving as the official superintendent at the Kingsland graduation ceremony because he hadn’t discussed the possibilities with Hecimovich. He did point out that the approaching commencement observations would require the board to review the list of seniors eligible to graduate.

Board member Natasha Howard asked about Kingsland’s determination on how to recognize foreign exchange students departing the district at the end of the school year, as one student’s host family had inquired whether that student would be allowed to participate in graduation as part of the 2022 class. Previous board conversation with Hecimovich had led board members to conclude, as board chairwoman Jackie Horsman said, “they don’t meet the standards to actually get those other things” – with “other things” defined as the right to be awarded a Kingsland diploma. The board had considered letting exchange students stand and speak about their experiences at Kingsland and what they had enjoyed about being able to attend school here.

Kuphal then broached the topic of high school course offerings and how to shift students from one class to another if that class’s registration shows that there are too many students interested in such a course, as is the case with the high school’s welding class. The chemistry class’s registration “is too low” and leaves the administration and guidance counselor Bruce Rohne concerned that not enough interest exists to fill out an attendance roster.

Horsman commented that her own concern is that students choose to take college-level chemistry classes because they feel they can conquer the syllabus but find that it’s too difficult once they’ve signed up, after which they distribute the message that “that class is too hard,” in turn discouraging other students from taking any chemistry classes. She also relayed that “it seems like interests shift from year to year” with regard to students’ class choices.

Activities director Laurie Hendrickson reported that most games and tournaments have had to be rescheduled because fields and tracks are too wet for competition. “It’s been crazy,” she commented, adding that the recent bad weather has also disrupted spring sporting progress because the April 11 windstorm damaged a ballfield dugout as well as the football ticket booth. The district needs to obtain quotes for materials and labor for insurance purposes before accepting assistance from a local contractor who would like to donate labor to the reconstruction efforts.

Hendrickson then spoke of supply chain issues for ordering new athletic uniforms, “experiencing incredible delays” even as the uniforms were ordered a long time ago.

Also, Kingsland Athletic Booster Club (KABC) members have approached the district with support for tearing out the existing track and resurfacing it.

The board reviewed capital outlay requests and how to spend reserved funds. Kindergarten teachers have placed tile flooring on their wish lists to replace carpeting that was installed in 2008 when the former Art and Tech Ed classrooms were converted to kindergarten rooms. The existing carpeting has served its purpose and is “not comfortable to sit on anymore,” especially because it’s under students’ desks and has caught years of milk spills, crumbs, art project bits, glue and more.

The unusual situation that the district finds itself in is that it must spend funding allocated from pandemic education intervention monies and is having difficulty identifying items that fit the guidelines and that it truly needs to buy, but there is time left to choose what to purchase because the allotment’s deadline isn’t until September 2023.

The Kingsland May and early June calendar is very full – the Junior Knightette dance recital is set for this Saturday, May 14; the kindergarten through third grade concert is at 1 p.m. and the fourth through sixth grade concert is at 2 p.m. on Friday, May 20, followed by preschool graduation at 3:30 p.m. Saturday, May 21 brings the Kingsland School Parents (KSP) Color Run – a fundraising run that has become popular among sprinters of all ages; Thursday, June 2 features the Kingsland High School scholarship awards ceremony at 7 p.m., and graduation is slated for Friday, June 3 at 7 p.m.

Kingsland’s school board meets the third Monday of each month for its regular meeting and holds a workshop two weeks prior to manage business in advance. Meetings are held in the elementary conference room at 6 p.m. unless otherwise noted, and the public is welcome to attend. For more information, log onto the Kingsland website at www.kingsland.k12.mn.us, or call the district office at 507-346-7276.

 

 

Courtesy of the Mower County Independent, 135 E Main St. LeRoy, MN 55951, (507)-324-5325

Kiwanis Student Spotlight: Nathan O’Connell

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Name: Nathan O’Connell

Parent: Kathrynn and Bryan O’Connell

School Activities: Cross-country, robotics, golf, Knowledge Bowl, National Honor Society.

Activities/Work Outside of School: I work at the Pizza Place, serve/usher at the Catholic Church (St. Ignatius), and help with the American Legion and Knights of Columbus breakfasts.

Your favorite class and why? My favorite class is basic electricity because it is the most hands-on. I get to learn by making the circuit with my own two hands.

Why is a solid education important? It allows people to think for themselves and make life decisions in tough situations.

Immediate plans after High School Graduation: I am enlisted in the Army for four years of active duty and four years of Ready Reserves. I will be maintaining satellites for the U.S. Army.

Long-term Plans/Goals: Get a stable job in the trades, buy/build a home, and start a family in the next 15 or so years.

 

Note: The Spring Valley Kiwanis Club annually recognizes the top academic performers at Kingsland High School. Kiwanis will recognize Nathan and his parents during the May 18 meeting at the Spring Valley Community Center.

 

Race Report: Hello All Gravel Grinders

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My favorite recharge stop! Ahhhh!!!  Deer Creek in Masonic Park, mile 95; one final climb and it’s rollers to the finish line.

The long-term forecasts for the SV100 are hitting the weather sites, and today’s version looks sweet. Cloudy, rain unlikely, high of 65 and moderate winds (18 mph SSW) for this area. Having just ridden portions of the course in crazy winds and 90 degree temps this week, I think we should all hope this forecast holds. The forecasted winds will help on that mind bending stretch from the river crossing to Oriole Hill where some will hit the wall…but press on.

Over the past 3 days, I’ve (Alan, one of your tri-chair race stewards) ridden most of the 2nd half of the course–some of it backwards. Roads are quite dry (dusty) and there’s a lot of fresh gravel but the farm equipment is giving us some well-packed tracks. That same farm equipment, though, tends to create instant washboard–so the rides have been firm and bumpy.

I am currently riding 700×33 tires, and they’re what I’ve ridden on gravel for years. Only speaking for myself, I would probably prefer a slightly wider tire, but I’m a bit too lazy and cheap to upgrade at this point.

Finally, given everything I see this week, I expect we’ll see some really fast times (others) and at least one really slow time (me). Hope to see you all at bid distro!

 

Not where you plan to end your ride—but there is plenty of shade and a pop machine near the Cherry Grove Cemetery, mile 76.

NOTICE OF INTENT BY MINNWEST BANK, REDWOOD FALLS, MINNESOTA TO RELOCATE A DETACHED FACILITY WITHIN SPRING VALLEY, MINNESOTA

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Courtesy of the Fillmore County Journal, April 4, 2022

 

Notice is hereby given that Minnwest Bank, Redwood Falls, Minnesota has notified the Minnesota Department of Commerce of its intent to relocate a detached facility from 112 West Main Street, Spring Valley, Fillmore County, Minnesota 55975, as well as its extension located at 100 South Broadway, Spring Valley, Fillmore County, Minnesota 55975, a distance of approximately 0.6 miles to 640 Broadway Avenue North, Spring Valley, Fillmore County, Minnesota 55975.  The notice of intent to relocate the detached facility was filed with the Minnesota Department of Commerce on March 29, 2022.

Click to read the complete notice of intent in the Fillmore County Journal 

Race Report: See You At The Starting Line!

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See you at the starting line real soon! I hope you are as excited as we are to get the journey started.  Two weeks until one of the ultimate tests of mind, body and soul rolls out from historic downtown Spring Valley; welcome to the race.

I hear the graders are busy fluffing up the gravel on the roads throughout the region; working on the boils from the spring thaw and spreading a fresh bed of mis-shapen limestone marbles where needed.

As you’re preparing your kits, tuning your bike and calculating what and where to carry your nutrition and hydration needs, perhaps consider packing your favorite service or patriotic outer layer…it is Armed Forces Day; what a simple way to recognize those who fought for our many freedoms…and one of the freedoms that we’ll all personally celebrate on the 21st…the freedom to roam on scenic public roads.

So, grab a friend, pick up your race day bib and see you at the starting line, along the route and at the afterglow on E. Jefferson, we are looking forward to meeting you…afterglow is come as you are…or Race Day tip: with a beach towel, washcloth and two bottles of water we can almost see you as you were when the day started.

SV100: “Where Superheroes Come to be Humbled.”

Grassroots and still free!