Original article published in the Mower County Independent, Thursday, June 25, 2026.   Reprinted with permission and gratitude.

By David Phillips

 

Some Kingsland students found their creative spark while exploring the depths below the surface.

In May, students in Valarie McConnell’s art class ventured underground during a tour of Mystery Cave at Forestville/Mystery Cave State Park, southeast of Spring Valley, to find inspiration for their artwork to wrap up the school year. The cave’s passages, pools and rock formations became the foundation for their creations, which are now on display at the cave visitors center.

The idea came from Dawn Ryan, who oversees Mystery Cave. She used to work at a national park with an artist-in-residence program that visitors loved. Mystery Cave doesn’t have the budget for that, but she thought it would be a fantastic idea to invite art students from Kingsland, the closest school to the cave, to create art inspired by it.

“I’m a big fan of art in parks,” she said. “I really believe art and nature go hand in hand.”

McConnell was so excited about the idea that she took the students on a field trip in May. Many of them snapped photos to help guide their projects. The gallery opening was on Saturday, June 13, with many of the students on hand to chat with cave visitors about their art.

The student artwork showcased a wide range of techniques, from pencil on paper to abstract acrylic on canvas.

Elissa Schneider started the process for her acrylic on canvas project when she discovered a section of the cave that really grabbed her attention. At first glance, this small part of the cave seemed unimportant, she said, but when she looked closely, she found an incredible amount of detail and texture, so she wanted to capture that amazing beauty and complexity.

“One of the most important artistic choices I made was deciding to paint the entire piece using only shades of purple. Part of the reason was that I had often heard that painting with only purple is extremely hard to do because it can be hard to create depth and variation without introducing other colors. I wanted to challenge myself creatively,” she said.

“The other reason was inspired by the cave tour itself. The guide used both a regular white flashlight and a purple blacklight while showing us different features of the cave. The blacklight revealed glowing bacteria and highlighted details that were invisible under normal light. I wanted my painting to reflect that experience and show that there is often more than one way to see and understand a place.”

Carter Gilbert was drawn to a smooth area of the cave, a striking contrast to the jagged rocks and edges everywhere else. He used pencil on paper for his piece, called “Below,” because it shows what’s underneath when people are walking on top.

“The stalactites, flowing down, were all smooth because of the water dripping over time,” he explained. “I thought it looked really nice.”

Maddie Horton also used pencil on paper for her artwork, called “Darkness of the Cave.” She took lots of photos but picked one that showed a dark tunnel.

“I liked it because of how it was kind of like the structure of the cave. It’s not showing exactly what it looked like, of course, but there’s just definitely a lot of different rocks around and I don’t really know how to explain it. It was just going into somewhere kind of like an abyss or a void or something like that,” she said. “So I like the mystery of where it was going.”

Emily Sargent used acrylic on canvas for her project called “Into the Desolate Depths,” which is actually quite colorful. Her scene is near the beginning of the tour and includes a walking bridge over a water pool.

She said she was attracted to this scene because it has “a bit of everything seen in the cave, like some of the water pools, all the limestone,” and even the stalactites.

Reyna Campbell also explored acrylic on canvas with “Golden Cave to Crystal Waters.” Her inspiration came from two cave sections: one with a cave lake featuring light blue, teal, and brown hues, where a friend posed, and another with a lot of yellow lighting streaming through a large, round, black tunnel.

“It really gave me like a good idea on how really expansive this cave is, and the variety of all the different places inside the cave really inspired me,” she said. “I had a lot of fun with this piece.”

Brynn Fussy also used acrylic on canvas, but her piece, “Golden Waters,” is more abstract. She spread paint around, using a palette knife to smear it for an abstract effect.

“In the cave, we ended our little tour with this really cool pool of water. The gold comes from the really pretty reflection of gold that you get at the bottom of the pool,” she said. “And then the greens, the blues, and the dark blues come from the reflection from the top of the water, which I thought was really cool. The shimmering white also represents the dripstone in the cave that you get from the ceilings in the cave.

“So I kind of wanted to just represent the beauty of that pool, which I thought was really cool.”

Abigail Carlson took a bold step by trying watercolor for the second time ever in her piece called “The Eyes of the Beholders.” She enjoyed how the red values showed up in a rock formation with stalagmites and stalactites, but when she took a photo for reference, two of her classmates were accidentally included. However, she liked the lighting on them, so she included them in her painting.

“The blue of the figures contrasts very nicely with the nice red and orange tones of the rock formation. I really liked all the depth and composition of just the two figures looking at it,” she said.

McConnell also contributed to the gallery with the largest piece on display. Her acrylic on cotton is based on a spot in the cave that looked like a desert scene. “I thought it was really cool that you could find a desert in a cave,” she said.

“Mine is called Stone Remembers because stone is kind of like water and it has memory. And it just kind of fit because maybe once upon a time there was a desert,” she said.

The Kingsland instructor mentioned that Ryan’s request came out of the blue, but she loved the idea, which was great for her class, so she hopes to make this an annual trip with a bigger group next year.

The students also found it beneficial. For example, Campbell explained, “I have not really had the time or the determination, I suppose, to find a place and be like, ‘I want to paint here and take inspiration from here.’ So this was kind of a first for me. But it was a really fun experience, and I hope I get to do it sometime again because it was a good learning experience.”

Schneider said she really enjoyed the project because it gave her the opportunity to “spend time with a group of amazing people, all of whom had great personalities and made the experience enjoyable.” She also appreciated the quiet time painting, as it was calming to focus on one aspect of the artwork.

“I really appreciate them coming,” said Ryan. “It brings some added value to the visitor center, to the visitors. They like to see changing exhibits as well.”

 

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

Original article published in the Mower County Independent, Thursday, June 11, 2026.   Reprinted with permission and gratitude.

By David Phillips 

 

A living memorial is often a tree or garden, but the family of the late Bobby Jones is, in some ways, creating a different type of living memorial, one that encourages people to run and jump all over a plot of land that has two poles planted in a bed of sand.

“Our goal is to fully refresh and improve the area so it becomes something the entire community can be proud of; a place for kids, teens, families and adults to gather, stay active and enjoy some time together,” Brianna Losey, daughter of Jones, told Kiwanis during a presentation to the Spring Valley club at the end of May.

The courts are functional but outdated and underused, she said. “The poles were literally being held up by a ratchet strap, and the existing white pole was found to be completely rotted at the bottom,” she explained.

The family, in conjunction with Spring Valley Parks and Recreation, plans to add new sand, properly space the courts, install new light poles with updated light fixtures for better visibility and safety, upgrade the pads on the poles to increase safety, add fencing along the backside of the courts, and install aluminum bleachers for spectators and families.

Although cleaning up and modernizing the facility is important to Losey, who also plays volleyball, one of the most meaningful aspects of the project is dedicating the courts to her father.  They will be named the Bobby Jones Memorial Volleyball Courts.

“He truly loved volleyball, especially sand volleyball, and we still have medals and trophies from tournaments he played in, including one from the ‘90s Ag Days sand volleyball tournament,” said Losey. “After my dad passed, our family wanted to donate the memorial money towards something meaningful that could also give back to the community. This project just felt right.”

The effort involves more than just physical improvements.  Youth sand volleyball has already been added to the Spring Valley Parks and Rec program for this summer, a way to encourage future growth in the sport.  Losey is a member of the nine-person Parks and Rec Committee, which was created last November to assist the city in expanding recreation opportunities.

The courts are used by adults all summer long with a Thursday night league that had six teams last summer and a big tournament during Ag Days in August that draws teams from out of town along with the local teams.

Renovating the courts involves some costly items, but the family has been quite successful raising funds. The funding was initiated with the funeral money, which paid for things such as the standards and lines, said Losey. Bobby’s wife, Lori, has donated a substantial amount, she added. Spring Valley Public Utilities has also donated some labor and Todd Jones, brother to Bobby, has donated some materials.

There have also been some successful fundraisers, such as a rubber duck race held on

May 29 that brought in close to $1,500. The ducks were released into the Spring Valley Creek between Broadway Avenue and Main Street with the finish line at the bridge next to S & S Bait Shop, owned by Steve Volkart, who helped with the duck race. Tallie Bernard, another member of the Parks and Rec Committee, also helped with this project as well as the presentation to Kiwanis.

“We’ve already put a lot of time and effort into fundraising and planning, and the community support so far has been incredible,” said Losey. “We’re asking for support because we believe this project can become something really special, not just volleyball courts, but a space that brings people together.”

Work is still underway on the project, although Losey hoped that enough work has been done so they are playable for the leagues and the summer recreation program, which began this week. The family wanted to make sure it is a quality project with, for example, good filtration so the sand doesn’t turn to concrete when it rains as it did in the past, explained Losey. The look of the courts is also important, she added, since they are one of the first things people see when they are driving on Highway 63. “We want it to look welcoming and well-cared for,” she said.

The final touch will be placing a memorial sign by the courts, “a lasting way to honor my Dad’s memory while creating something positive for the future generations to enjoy,” said Losey.

In other words, a living memorial that will serve a useful purpose for the community for decades.

 

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

 

 

Original article published in the Mower County Independent, Thursday, May 21, 2026.   Reprinted with permission and gratitude.

By Gretchen Mensink Lovejoy 

 

“The goal is to improve pedestrian safety, accessibility, and connectivity in downtown Spring Valley. Construction is currently planned to begin in the week of May 18, starting at the Broadway intersections with Jefferson Street and Courtland Street,” stated Bolton & Menk engineer Drew Weber, speaking of Spring Valley’s Broadway Project walkability initiative, for which construction is set to begin this week and continue through the next month or be yond to make the town’s historic Broadway Avenue friendlier to those who live here and who are visiting.

Pedestrian safety along the street where Spring Valley’s local businesses operate has been an issue that brought the project forward, as Weber pointed out that “wide crossings, limited sight lines, non-compliant curb ramps, and missing sidewalks were identified as safety concerns during project planning and community out reach,” so “the project includes shorter pedestrian crossings, Americans with Disabilities Act- (ADA) compliant curb ramps, improved sidewalks, drainage upgrades, and a new sidewalk connecting downtown to Willow Park.” Ultimately, he predicted, “Pedestrians will have shorter crossings, better visibility and continuous sidewalks, while motorists will benefit from clearer intersection layouts and safer, more predictable pedestrian movements.”

The Broadway Project is underwritten by three separate entities. Weber listed them, saying, “The project is funded in part by the Minnesota Department of Transportation’s (MnDOT) Active Transportation Program, Fillmore County and the city of Spring Valley. It is being completed in coordination with Fill more County.” The Fillmore County Highway Department is responsible for the improvements on Main Street reaching to Willow Park on the other side of Highway 63, a popular destination for bicyclists, pedestrians, and the dogs that accompany them, as the county had already chosen to upgrade that portion of the roadway because Main Street is concurrent with County State Aid Highway (CSAH) 1. There were no additions after funding sources were identified, but “minor refinements may occur during construction to ad dress field conditions or business access, but the overall scope and goals remain unchanged…no future phases have been planned at this time.”

Bolton & Menk has been engaged in the Broadway Project’s informational and design processes and will remain as a consulting entity as the work progresses. Weber stated, “Bolton & Menk has supported the city from early downtown visioning and public engagement in 2024 through grant coordination, design and construction preparation. We will continue providing construction observation, contract administration, agency coordination, and public communication support through out construction.” He commented, “The biggest challenge is coordinating construction in an active downtown while maintaining access for businesses and pedestrians. Multiple contractors will be involved, and weather can affect scheduling and sequencing, as can construction phasing, and coordinating the multiple contractors can affect timing. Traffic impacts will vary by phase, including temporary detours and a short-term closure at Main Street and Broadway, but the pedestrian access to businesses will be maintained. Construction will be inconvenient at times, but the project team will coordinate closely with each business to maintain pedestrian access and minimize disruption.”

The city council and administration have attempted to inform residents and business owners regarding the project’s impact. “The city has hosted workshops, open houses and neighborhood meetings and will continue sharing updates through the project website – residents and business owners can contact the project team through the project website at https://clients.bolton menk.com/springvalley2026active/.”

Weber concluded that while construction may be frustrating, it is temporary for a long-term solution. “This project is one step in a community-driven downtown vision, focused on long-term safety and accessibility, even if construction is temporarily inconvenient.”

 

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