Here's what's been going on in and around Belle Plaine lately, according to the Belle Plaine Herald:

- Cambria purchased the former Excelsior-Henderson Motorcycle Manufacturing Co. building -- you know, the big, empty one along Highway 169? Ryan Cos. constructed the 170,00-square-foot commercial facility in 1997, and the motorcycle manufacturer moved in shortly thereafter. Excelsior-Henderson went bankrupt in 1999, leaving the building empty. Beginning in 2004 Alfalfa America Inc. held offices there, but the startup company shut down in 2006. Cambria, which calls itself the second-largest quartz-producer in the U.S., employs 600 people and is based in Le Sueur.

- Belle Plaine held its Belle Plaine Historical Society-sponsored citywide garage sale April 17-19. Its cleanup and recycle day is scheduled from 8 a.m. to noon Saturday, April 26.

- James Koonst, treasurer for the Belle Plaine Rural Fire Protection Association, mailed a $104,543.84 check to the city of Belle Plaine, more than $13,000 short of what the city claims is due. Koonst said that the association had not budgeted for its share of a $32,000 grass fire rig because it was unaware of the city's plans to purchase new equipment. The city responded with a letter stating that if the association did not pay, one of the consequences could be termination of the contract to provide rural fire protection.

- Lower home values have led to a budget hurdle for the Scott County Board. In the past, "we could always count on new construction," County Administrator David Unmacht told the Herald.