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

- Hunter Klaseus, 8, died in a hunting accident in Faxon Township early last Saturday evening. His father, Anthony, and the boy were hunting for wild turkeys. Anthony, 39, told Hunter to stay behind while the father tried to sneak up on some turkeys in a field near a wooded area. Instead, Hunter, who had worn camouflage, excitedly followed his father. As Hunter approached, Anthony mistook the boy for a tom turkey and fired a single shot from 12-gauge shotgun from about 20 yards away, hitting Hunter in the chest. The family lives in Belle Plaine Township. Hunter had attended school in New Prague and, according to family spokesman Vincent Klaseus, was the kind of person who could light up a room with his sense of humor, jokes, and imitations of other people.

- In hopes of convincing upperclassmen to take more rigorous courses,
Belle Plaine's school board members are considering doing away with
valedictorian and salutatorian honors at the high school next year. The
story ran on page 15 of the Herald.

- Ryan Soller, a senior at Belle Plaine High School, won the state speech title in the discussion category.

- The Belle Plaine City Council held a workshop session to discuss
the future construction of an interchange or overpass at the
intersection of County Road 3 and Highway 169. It was estimated that
the costs for an overpass, ramps, and frontage road could total $9.5
million.

- The Belle Plaine Tigers girls high school softball team coached by Angela Kalal is 2-5 (0-2 Minnesota River) this season. Recently, the Tigers beat Montgomery-Lonsdale and Mahtomedi.