The Ridge View boys track and field squad captured second place at the MVAO/COU This newspaper is part of the Mid-America Publishing Family. Please visit www.midampublishing.com for more information The SAD 1 school board met April 16 at Mapleton Elementary School Principal Dan Duprey welcomed the board and reviewed school achievements Fifth graders performed a medley of songs from their recent school play “European Explorers in the New World.”  Business Manager Lauren Kenneson reported the district was operating within budget Superintendent Ben Greenlaw reported on a visit by an accreditation team to Presque Isle High School He was pleased with the number of compliments he received regarding high school leadership and teaching staff and board members will adopt the budget on May 6 during a special meeting The district will ask for a 3.19 percent tax increase Following the regular school board meeting at 5:30 p.m Registrations for Mapleton pre-K classes have far exceeded the school’s capacity A waitlist has been created and some children will have to attend pre-K classes at Pine Street Elementary School.  Staff will be working with families to prepare them for the coming school year Greenlaw also addressed concerns about federal funding for district programs.  The district uses special education funds USDA nutrition funds and Department of Education program funds.  The total from the three sources is approximately $1.5 million and right now the district is uncertain what will happen based on decisions at the federal level Administrators are monitoring the federal changes that may impact the district The district’s position on Title IX aligns with state law that prohibits discrimination though that may not be in alignment with federal law the district will have to hold the line and wait to see how issue plays out in the courts.   The board also approved the appointment of Mapleton resident Joseph Greaves as director of career and technical education at the Presque Isle Tech Center.   Greaves will lead the center’s efforts to train students for entry-level and continuing employment opportunities and assisting them in making realistic educational and career decisions.  and three sons.  He is a 15-year member of the Mapleton Lions Club.   Greaves received a bachelor’s in science education from the University of Maine and a master’s in education from the University of New England He started teaching science at Presque Isle Middle School in 2010 then transferred to the high school.  In 2019 he became assistant principal Greaves will finish the school year as assistant principal and will become Tech Center director on July 1 The Mapleton Daze Committee will host the annual pageants on Sunday at Mapleton Elementary School starting at 3 p.m Tickets are $8 in advance or $10 at the door Young women will compete for  Little Miss Mapleton Junior Miss Mapleton and Miss Mapleton.  The 2024 misses include Princess Mapleton Skylaya Darrell Little Miss Mapleton Adelyn Grace Elliott (who became Little Miss Maine Potato Queen) Junior Miss Mapleton Molly Kinney and Miss Mapleton Olivia Locke.   Mapleton Little League registration ends May 9.  Players must be between 8 and 12 years old as of May 1 The Mapleton Little League has been active and growing for around 50 years and has been a summer highlight for generations of area kids.  sign up now at registration.teamsnap.com/form/25137.  For families unable to register online paper registrations will also be available upon request at the town office.    There was excellent attendance at the April 14 community meal held by the Aroostook Agency on Aging.   The nutritious sit-down lunch is for people 60 and older who do not receive home-delivered meals.  There is no charge for the meal Call the Aroostook Agency on Aging at 207-764-3396 The Mapleton Lions Club’s annual auction is online at Matt Gregg Auctions The auction website is greggauctions.com.  Items are being added each week until the last night of the auction on May 10.   The final auction evening will be in-person that evening at the Mapleton Lions Hall.  The auction is the club’s largest fundraising activity and funds many charitable activities The Mapleton Daze Committee will host a public supper prior to the auction.  Everyone is invited to dine downstairs at the hall and then come upstairs to the auction.  All funds raised will help support the work of the Mapleton Lions Club in our three communities Terry Sandusky is the Star-Herald correspondent for Mapleton Chapman and Castle Hill and can be reached at 764-4916 or at starherald.Tsandusky@gmail.com Please select what you would like included for printing: Copy the text below and then paste that into your favorite email application of Mapleton Utah passed away peacefully on April 26th to Roger Steed and Leslie Landures in Salt Lake City He married his beautiful wife Sarah Steed on April 18th Barry was an avid outdoorsman and loved spending time hunting with his close family and friends His favorite thing to do in his free time was golf He could always be found with his wife on the course or on a date at Top Golf he would grab whatever member of his family was closest and twirl them away He especially loved dancing with his wife and would take her out dancing most weekends He took any chance he got to take family vacations He worked as Vice President of Marketing for his family's company for many years and had the opportunity to travel the world for them He enjoyed meeting new people and making friends wherever he could His smile would light up a room and could make even the most timid person come out of their shell Sarah Steed of Mapleton UT; his two children Nicole (Arie) Sandman of Ogden UT and James Steed of Mapleton UT; his parents Roger (Diane) Steed of Washington UT and Leslie (Jim) Williams of Springville UT; 4 brothers Tom (Kathy) Mower Jr. Stephanie (Adam) Ludwig of Henderson NV and Mandy Steed of Washington UT; 4 grandchildren (Brock Brody and Arie) and 7 bonus children (Joshua He was preceded in death by his wife Jaimee L Steed (1976-2011) and baby brother Carrie (1965) A viewing for family and friends will be held Friday evening at Wheeler Mortuary located at 82 West 400 North in the Mapleton 19th ward chapel located at 1068 South 1600 West in Mapleton with a viewing held that morning from 9:30-10:30 am at the church prior to the services Burial will be in the Springville Evergreen Cemetery Springville directly following the funeral service His family would like to extend a big thank you to the team at Wheeler Mortuary and all of the wonderful people who have given their time and well-wishes Condolences for the family may be expressed on this page Enter your phone number above to have directions sent via text This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply Service map data © OpenStreetMap contributors Most travelers heading to the Oregon coast on Highway 126 know Mapleton as a quiet little junction where a bridge crosses the Siuslaw lazy river that are so smooth the water looks like glass it’s kind of hard to grasp the dire water problems this unincorporated town is having And the loss of federal funds meant to repair its failing drinking water system has only exacerbated the situation the Trump administration abruptly halted a bi-partisan supported program called Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities The program is often simply referred to by its acronym: BRIC Administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency it provides federal funding to help states local governments and tribes build capacity to prepare for emergencies and natural disasters $140 million in grants to approved projects have been eliminated Art Donnelly is co-chair of the Mapleton Water District Board of Commissioners He knows a lot about the history of drinking water troubles here “What’s important to remember about the Mapleton Water District is that the system debuted in 1951," Donnelly said "Most of the infrastructure that we’re still using in terms of distribution and storage was built in those first several years.” the 11½ miles of water line laid down when Mapleton was a booming mill town are the same pipes being used today I would liken them to the bones of an 80-year-old man," Donnelly said That brittleness means the pipes continue to rupture we end up either with an outage or a boil notice,” he said Mapleton water outages can last for days—even months “It’s not just an inconvenience for the community," Donnelly said "It's been a health and safety hazard because—remember—we're not just making the community's drinking water we're also producing the water and sending it to the fire hydrants it's fire protection that we're talking about too.” The Sweet Creek Fire in 2020 burned several hundred acres near Mapleton the stress on the system caused a line to rupture and then the water treatment system burned out A natural disaster became a local water emergency “When you put a small under-resourced community like this into that kind of crisis mode it's difficult to make the kind of progress it needs to make in terms of repairing and replacing that infrastructure,” he said Water rates in Mapleton come nowhere near covering the $24 million estimated in a master plan for infrastructure replacement a household of two pays around $100 a month for water insisted that strides made by the water district in the last couple years have been mainly attributed to bringing in federal dollars the Mapleton Water District was on its way with approved and pending federal grants and state matching funds of nearly $4 million One of the biggest successes was a $2.7 million FEMA-BRIC grant awarded in 2023 to purchase a 300,000-gallon water storage tank and replace lines The notice described the federal BRIC program as “wasteful” and “ineffective.” Jeff Merkley (D-Ore) told KLCC the termination of BRIC is damaging especially for rural communities like Mapleton "They put in so much work and it’s so hard for a small community to identify a program and then write a grant—but they did it and they won it," Merkley said "And they were on the verge of buying this tank and then the rug is jerked out from under their feet.” Merkley recently led an Oregon delegation of lawmakers calling for an immediate restoration of BRIC grants The Democrat said cancellation of the funding appears to be part of a trend by the Trump administration to undermine FEMA's effectiveness and shift disaster preparedness responsibility solely to state and local governments Merkley said BRIC grant funding was allocated by law and to cancel the program “raises questions as to whether this is an impoundment “This program was created during a Republican administration under Trump 1," said Merkley "And now Trump 2 has killed it with no consultation or thoughtfulness about the importance of these projects." Merkley said both Democrats and Republicans are lobbying the administration to restore BRIC grants Mapleton’s new $3.7 million water treatment plant was paid for with loans and a federal grant through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA.) Lead Plant Operator Matt Ferkey said "this treatment plant makes sure that the water flowing from Mapleton taps is 99.99999% clean is losing the BRIC grant money already earmarked to update the water storage and distribution system “It means that we don’t have a way to get this clean water to our storage tanks and therefore to our customers,” Ferkey said a crystal-clear stream flows down the mountain over moss and stones Flowing through protected land of the Siuslaw National Forest Berkshire Creek is the sole water source for the Mapleton Water District the district does not have a clear funding path forward He hopes the next thing to come down the pipeline will be some help BAXTER — The Baxter City Council authorized a request to Crow Wing County to delay the 2026 County Road 170/Mapleton Road project after Sourcewell purchased three properties along the project area The county scheduled a mill and overlay project for County Road 170 and Mapleton Road from Mountain Ash Drive to the Isle Drive roundabout Sourcewell purchased three properties totaling 35 acres adjacent to the City owned land along Mapleton Road Sourcewell requested the City and County delay the road project to allow time for their organization to complete a strategic master plan to ensure that the property is utilized in the most effective manner for the organization as well as the community,” a city report to the council stated The city also owns land along County Road 170/Mapleton Road next to the newly acquired Sourcewell property Baxter city staff recommended it is in the city’s best interest to work with Sourcewell “as they complete their planning to allow their plans to evolve along with any potential planning that the City may develop for the City’s adjacent property Allowing time for planning could ultimately aid economic development by preserving time for planning before long term re-investment into County Road170 / Mapleton Road.” Will meet April 16 instead of its regular Tuesday night for the next council session because of the upcoming primary election for Senate District 6 set April 15 so the City Council moved its meeting to the night following the primary election the council appointed election judges for the primary and the special election on April 29 Baxter election judges will assist voters at its precincts — Precinct 1 East The city reported each precinct will have about 10 judges and two head judges Election judges are paid $14 per hour and head judges are paid $17 per hour Awarded Contract B of $1,124,854 to low-bidder Pratt’s Affordable Excavating for raw watermain and electrical improvements related to the project to construct Wells No Two alternates were included with the project One came with a $40,000 credit to use butterfly valves instead of gate valves on the 20-inch raw watermain with the understanding the valves should be cleaned twice a year to keep them in good condition The second alternate bid included is a $100,469 addition for a mill and overlay of the parking area for the water treatment plant and public works facility and it corrects the pedestrian ramp at the water treatment plant/public works facility that is currently not Americans with Disabilities Act compliant Approved a special event application for the Lakes Area Youth Soccer Association to host the Minnesota United FC Youth Soccer Camp at Southdale Park soccer fields June 5-6 with about 50 people expected to attend in addition to about 10 coaches and training staff The council denied a request to allow overflow vehicle parking on Mountain Ash Drive because of the road’s narrow width and since it is signed for no parking Approved a temporary liquor license amendment to Jack Pine Brewery for three events in 2025 The application allows the business to expand its outdoor patio area for liquor sales during its Maker’s Market A fourth event may be in the future as city code allows up to four events annually Council member Patrick Sundberg abstained from voting as the owner of Jack Pine Brewery Approved permit for retail sales of fireworks for Costco Krystin Deck and Ella Nelson as seasonal park attendants opening and closing parks and monitoring Whipple Beach Applicants are paid based on years of experience working for the city and will earn between $16.18 to $17.68 per hour Adopted a resolution approving the sale of city-owned parcels in the Cedar Scenic Second Addition for $60,000 to Rock Solid LLC may be reached at 218-855-5852 or renee.richardson@brainerddispatch.com MAPLETON, Ore. — The Mapleton Water District is facing significant challenges following FEMA's recent decision to terminate the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program the Water District reports in a media release has led to the cancellation of all BRIC applications from Fiscal Years 2020-2023 that have been approved but not awarded impacting numerous projects aimed at enhancing community resilience against natural hazards," the Water District says The Mapleton Water District had submitted a grant application for the purchase and installation of a new 300,000-gallon water storage tank to ensure an emergency potable water supply The District says this project was deemed technically feasible and cost-effective with a federal cost estimate of $2,700,000 The cancellation of the BRIC program means that this infrastructure project will no longer receive the necessary funding Volunteers began working on applications for this program in Fall 2022 Lane County submitted the application with others within their jurisdiction in early 2023 the State of Oregon committed to a ten percent match from the Special Public Works Fund The application had been selected and approved the local application was submitted with technical support from Lane County and third-party assistance funded by the Oregon Community Foundation "The district has struggled to provide consistent clean water over the past several years and has been working with State and Federal partners to plan to address infrastructure challenges," the District states "In addition to the initial storage tank application two additional sub-applications for system improvements were recently submitted to the BRIC program These applications have also been cancelled." and County staff have been working on this for years so to see this all this work go to waste is disheartening particularly on the east side of our system remains and we hope that the work that was put into this application can be reused for a future funding opportunity,” said Vanessa West Chair of the Mapleton Water District Board of Commissioners Board Vice Chair and Grant Committee Chair Art Donnelly said that it is simply not feasible to complete the needed improvements without financial support from the State and Federal governments “According to our recently completed system master plan our system requires about $20 million in infrastructure improvements Even if the district could take out a loan to complete this the annual payments would be such that our customers could not afford to pay their bills There needs to be a way to keep the water running in small rural communities like ours,” Donnelly said He was employed as Deputy City Attorney for Provo City He was appointed to the Utah County Zoning Commission and worked as Mapleton City Attorney He served as City Councilman and Mayor for the city of Mapleton He was an active member of the Inns of Court He was appointed by Governor Gary Herbert to serve as a Judge in the 4th District Court in 2010 and spending time with his family and grandchildren His capacity for loving service is unmatched He served a mission for the LDS Church in Mexico and maintained his Spanish fluency for the rest of his life He and his wife were foster parents to more than 100 children He also opened his home to several exchange students over the years and seven of his eight children: Hilary Brady of Antioch California; Jill-Marie (Richard) Gwilliam of Lehi Arizona; Camary (Josh) Hackwell of Springville He is also survived by his siblings: Lorrie (Craig) Winter of Cedar City California; Dave (Paula) Brady of Manhattan Beach California; Leo (Rose) Tsosie of Low Mountain Arizona; 11 Grandchildren; numerous nieces and nephews Melvin and Randolyn Brady; and his son-in-law at 12:00 pm at the LDS Chapel located at 970 North 400 East with a viewing held that morning at the church from 10:30-11:30 a.m A viewing for family and friends will be held on Sunday from 6-8 pm at Wheeler-Sundberg Funeral Home Mapleton Interment will be in Mapleton City Cemetery In lieu of flowers, Jim would be honored if you would consider making a donation in his son's name to the Huntsman Cancer Institute at this website - https://hope.huntsmancancer.org/diy/eli-brady-memorial-fundraiser passed away peacefully in his sleep on January 7 He was selected for adoption prior to his birth and was welcomed into the loving home of Jim and Laurel Brady shortly after Eli graduated from Maple Mountain High School in 2016 He served a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Paris He loved deeply and cared profoundly for every person in his life and spent most of his time thoughtfully finding ways to serve those around him He loved all of his nieces and nephews and spent as much time with them as he could Eli’s lasting legacy will be his enduring faithfulness through the hardships he endured He was a cancer survivor whose firm and ever-growing testimony of his Savior lives on as an example to his family and friends His courage in sharing his story has helped and uplifted people across the globe Eli is survived by his parents: Jim and Laurel Brady of Mapleton Utah; his 7 siblings: Hilary Brady of Antioch California; Jill (Richard) Gwilliam of Lehi Utah; and his 10 nieces and nephews: Riley Holbrook He was preceded in death by his brother-in-law at 1 pm in the Mapleton Utah Stake Center located at 970 North 400 East A viewing for friends and family will be held Thursday evening from 6 to 8 pm at Wheeler Mortuary located at 82 West 400 North in Mapleton and on Friday prior to the service from 11:30 am to 12:30 pm at the church Burial will be in the Mapleton Cemetery.  So many have asked, "what can we do?" On Eli’s behalf, in lieu of lowers, we suggest that anyone who wants to honor him consider making a donation in his name to either Huntsman Cancer Institute at their website, https://hope.huntsmancancer.org/diy/eli-brady-memorial-fundraiser or register as a stem cell donor or make a donation to NMDP.org formerly known as “Be The Match.”   Condolences may be expressed to the family on this page.  and a stuffed kangaroo named "Bunny" that journeyed to him with his dad all the way from Australia He would be on his bike every moment he could apologizing when someone got hurt and reminding close ones that He reminded everyone of the privilege it is to teach and love little children Luke always cheered for joy when visiting relatives chasing chickens and collecting their eggs loved him dearly and would take him go-karting could spend hours a day playing toys together and watching shows while eating dried mangos Luke would greet his dad at the door each day with cheers of excitement and a big hug His funeral will be held on Saturday March 22 A viewing will be held on the same day from 9:30 - 10:30am at the same location Condolences may be expressed to the family on this page — Tension is rising in the small Cass County town of Mapleton where some neighbors are pushing back against a plan to build twin homes on a vacant lot They say the project doesn’t fit the aesthetic of their quiet neighborhood The open space — once a peaceful spot where children played and families gathered residents said — is set to become home to 22 more families "Nobody wants a 35-foot-high twin home," Heley said that takes away any privacy fence that you have The new structures — 11 twin homes — will be taller than existing homes and come with smaller yards Though the character of the area may shift City Council members say the development could benefit Mapleton in the long run "It's a nice blend of making sure that we can keep homes affordable in the city so we can continue to grow along with making sure that it's not overcrowded and too much of an eyesore," council member Adam Laskey said who voted in favor of rezoning the land to allow VanDerson Properties to move forward with the project said he recognizes the concerns raised by neighbors "Those are understandable concerns for any resident we — the Planning and Zoning Committee and us — worked with the developers to make sure that all those needs were addressed and to the best of our ability," Laskey said Heley worries the additional housing will strain existing resources but developers agreed to reduce that number following discussions with city officials Heley feels the city hasn’t listened to residents "I think our City Council is not really concerned about our residents at this point," she said "They didn't hear what everybody had (concerns about) Council members say they’re continuing to work with developers and the Planning and Zoning Committee to finalize details with a handful of units added each year until the project is complete Kate Cooper is being remembered for her “kindness Robert (Bob) Howieson passed away peacefully on March 11 and he lived a life deeply rooted in love for his family and friends at the United Church of Mapleton with visitation one hour prior Burial will be at Sterling Cemetery.  and he measured the value of life through the love he gave to those closest to him He spent many years farming and tending the flower beds on the farm alongside his beloved wife Geraldine “Geri” (Hostetler) Howieson His passion for sports – including curling and basketball – fueled his quiet competitiveness and allowed him to form lasting bonds with others He always sought to bring positivity and meaningful conversation to his relationships leaving a legacy of kindness and camaraderie Geraldine; children: Deb Eisler Michael (Jennifer) Howieson; grandchildren: Bob (Christina Brescia) Durn His memory will forever be cherished by all who knew him if you can put the ball in the hoop at a high level Mapleton guard Scotty Hickey is all too familiar with that on the high school scene The senior is currently averaging 26 points per game this season for the 10-7 Mounties and he's not just been one of the top scorers in the Ashland-area over the course of his varsity years but there's a good case to be made throughout the entire state of Ohio in preps boys basketball Tempo it is! Hillsdale push the pace in energy-filled nonconference win over Mapleton The main question worth exploring here is: How does he go about handling the many defensive looks he faces on a nightly basis from opposing teams With a high school player who's the team's main offensive option defenses tend to be completely aware as to where that player is on the court The type of man-to-man defense where an opposing coach has a defender glued to that offensive threat all game Sometimes picking that player up full-court when they don't have the ball I just first read the help side defense and how they are," explains the 6-foot Hickey "If there's no help side underneath the rim just get the ball and go attack the basket Or if there is a defender right in front of me and I do have the ball I look to see if their hands are up or down As one of Mapleton's two primary handlers alongside senior Joe Foster If he has the ball on the top of the key or on the wing then spin move to get into the paint where he shoots a floater It's like a sudden burst once he gets by a defender he's likely to get smacked to the floor off a drawn foul who defended Hickey man-to-man for a large portion of the Falcons' 68-54 win last week over the Mounties described the acceleration in Hickey's game My biggest goal on him was to not let him get the ball," said Lewis the Division III All-Ohioan Honorable Mention choice last season still managed to score a game-high 31 points Another basketball term for it is face-guarding says that Scotty has been defended that way since he was young and got into he how proceeds while facing it "We've done it differently since he was little He's been face-guarded since he was probably a sixth-grader," said Coach Hickey "He used to get really nervous and run around like he was lost He does a better job now setting screens to get himself open Scotty says he'll walk his defender down to the block and seal his body while popping out to receive the ball or while setting a ball screen for his teammate he'll just pop right out on the perimeter to get the ball it's almost like I can set a screen and pretty much I'm setting a double because there guy isn't going to leave me," Scotty said A box-and-1 defense (uses elements of a zone defense with four players forming a box while one defensive player plays man-to-man defense) is another popular scheme that teams like to use against dangerous scorers Coach Hickey echos Scotty's views on the emphasis of screen setting also adding he won't allow how a team defends Scotty alter his gameplan "I've seen some teams against a box-and-1 put their player over to the side and let them play 4-on-4," Coach Hickey said "You're letting them get what they want by taking their best player out We knew he was going to get points," said Hillsdale head coach Ben Ferguson A vast majority of top-tier scorers at every level of basketball see double-teams "He's been getting double-teamed since he was a sophomore," said Coach Hickey "His highest scoring game was his first of his sophomore year at Black River he was seeing the face-guard from everybody." but I've definitely seen it a lot more as the years have gone on," Scotty said who's season-high last season was 44 points in a win against Rittman Here's a situation to assess: When bringing the ball up court or when you immediately pass half-court how do you deal with a double-team waiting for you He answers it like it's not going to make one difference or another for the other team Scotty mentions it repeatedly: If a double-team comes "It's almost like I can be a decoy for my shooters." Another way to beat a double-team: anticipate it and just beat it Most high-caliber scorers will get an angle and turn the corner quickly he'll pull-up quickly for a 3-pointer (43 3-pointers made this season) or dribble to a spot for a short jumper as a defender tries to recover Scotty has come to embrace the many double-teams he faces who's scored 30 or more points in six games this year "Seeing a double is almost respectful of my game I've honestly learned to love it because it is a badge of honor." "He's seen some triple-teams this year," said coach Hickey "Which is the first time he's been triple-teamed." battling against many defensive looks can become overwhelming to say the least That's why if you ask Scotty what's the one area offensively that he's improved on the most his response has nothing to do with an actual skill "Sometimes you have to sit there and breath," Scotty said who became Mapleton's all-time leading scorer last week "I've put in a lot of work over the offseasons It's just playing my game and letting the game come to me One would think that calming mindset would come in handy when facing teams that like to get physical with him One area Mapleton uses Scotty regularly in is moving without the ball and that can open up his offense as he can get hot in a hurry Plymouth players were doing plenty of grabbing and holding while chasing Scotty around the court or when they decided to switch the defense made Scotty work for a hard-earned 20 points they were grabbing his waist and against Plymouth he got an offensive foul called against him when he was trying to use his body to get open," Coach Hickey said who mentioned he would like to see referees allow offensive players to be physical when trying to get open just as much as defensive players "I try to keep him from getting frustrated because I get frustrated with it." "I mean basketball is a physical game," Scotty said who briefly touched on his interest in playing college ball in the future Let's see where Scotty Hickey's scoring sprees lead him next Caterpillar is challenging fines of more than $30,000 brought forth by the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration for a pair of violations levied against it after the death of an employee last June The agency began an investigation following the death of 28-year-old Daulton Simmers on June 6 He died after molten metal he was carrying spilled out and engulfed him in flames OSHA said that Caterpillar failed to ensure that the workspace was free of fire hazards that could cause death or serious injury and that it had failed to ensure a suitable fall protection system was used The initial fines of a combined $32,262 were issued on Dec More: Four deaths since 2021: Timeline of accidents at Caterpillar facilities near Peoria Caterpillar did not provide a comment or statement on the investigation by the time of publication Caterpillar said in a statement that it was "deeply saddened" by Simmers' death and that it would cooperate with authorities during an investigation Simmers' death was the third in two years to take place at the Mapleton foundry and one of four in that two-year period at a Peoria-area Caterpillar facility not evaluating the site for hazards and not taking appropriate precautions for workers' safety The fines were reduced after OSHA and Illinois Crane settled Caterpillar was not cited in this incident the agency said Caterpillar didn't ensure that employees were protected from fall hazards while working four feet from containers of super-heated molten iron More: Death of West Peoria man at Caterpillar foundry 'leaves a void in the hearts of many' now is the time to make plans for summer recreation The Mapleton Recreation Department has opened Little League summer registration and is now live As a result of some behind the scenes work by one of the great parent volunteers the program has the ability for online registration this year.  Recreation Director Jake Graham is thankful for this parent’s willingness to volunteer the time and effort to make online registration possible Everyone involved in managing and coaching the Little League Summer Program is more excited than ever as the start of this season The Mapleton Little League has been active for approximately 50 years and has been slowly growing over time and has been a summer highlight for generations of area kids The last three has been special because the program has seen rapid growth and expansion with many more boys and girls wishing to play in the Mapleton Little League the second discount window ends Sunday April 27 Registration for this season closes on May 9 so don’t miss out Players must be between 8 and 12 years old as of May 1.  Ready to step up to the plate, then sign up now at: https://registration.teamsnap.com/form/25137 paper registrations will also be available upon request at the town office Graham is excited about the coming season and asks that everyone spread the word — let’s make this the best summer yet Mapleton Lions start planning for new recreation area At the Mapleton Lions Club meeting on April 7 engineer and surveyor at B R Smith Associates Inc. joined the club members to begin the preliminary development planning of the Willard C Roix conducted the land survey of the donated property next to the Mapleton Castle Hill and Chapman Recreation Park.  The evening’s discussion focused on what work would be needed to prepare the donated land The first two installations for the park will be a parking area attached to the Mapleton Pool parking area and the start of the new baseball diamond Roix pointed out the need for bringing in considerable fill in order to properly grade the property and deal with water flow and drainage Also some of the trees on one side and the back of the property will need to be cleared as well.  Fournier will serve as the liaison between the Mapleton Lions Club and the town government She discussed the possibility of seeking community development grants when the time comes to pay for the work and materials that will be needed to develop the property The Lions Club hopes to have an official groundbreaking this summer and an open public forum to collect public reaction to the planned development should anyone have additional suggestions as to what is needed in terms of new and expanded recreation opportunities please feel free to give them to Mapleton Lions Club President Rick Fowler at 227-3656 Going shopping into Presque Isle on Mondays There was excellent attendance at the April 14  community meal held by the Aroostook Agency on Aging.   The next Monday Meal will be April 28 and will continue weekly through May 19 Castle Hill and Chapman folks aged 60 and above who may be going into Presque Isle to shop you can come by the Aroostook Agency on Aging for their congregate lunch that is served each Monday at 11 a.m A nutritious sit-down meal is held every Monday for persons 60 and older who do not receive home-delivered meals Preregistration is required to hold a place for each diner Older residents in/and around Presque Isle are welcome to attend call the Aroostook Agency on Aging at 764-3396 and ask to be put on the registration list Mapleton Lions Club to hold Annual Charity Auction The Mapleton Lions Club’s Annual Auction will begin online at Matt Gregg Auctions where bids can be entered online starting on May 6. The auction website will be  https://www.greggauctions.com/ The last night of the auction will be in-person on May 10 at the Mapleton Lions Community Hall Their auction has been the largest fundraising activity of the Lions Club and the largest source of funding for many charitable activities of the club The Mapleton Daze Committee will host a public supper prior to the auction Everyone is invited to dine downstairs at the hall and then come upstairs to the auction All funds raised will help support the work of the Mapleton Lions Club in our three communities May 4 Mapleton Pageants sponsored by Mapleton Daze at the Mapleton Elementary School starting at 3 p.m.  For more information: https://www.facebook.com/events/603157565825725 May 10 Mapleton Lions Annual Charity Auction and Dinner at the Mapleton Lions Hall 4:30–6 p.m. dinner and 6:30 p.m. auction.  The online portion of the auction will begin on May 6 at: https://www.greggauctions.com/.  May 26 Mapleton Lions Club Memorial Day Parade and Remembrance Ceremony – parade starts at 2 p.m with ceremony starting immediately after the parade at the Mapleton Elementary School June 23–29 Mapleton Daze 2025 will be held throughout Mapleton at various locations.  They are  planning a fun filled week, with everyday having an event that readers will not want to miss. The full schedule will be coming out in May at https://www.facebook.com/MapletonDaze Terry Sandusky is the Star-Herald correspondent for Mapleton, Chapman and Castle Hill and can be reached at 764-4916 or at starherald.Tsandusky@gmail.com John’s Lutheran Church in Mapleton with visitation starting at 9am Please share a memory of Robert with his family and view his service livestreamed at www.mankatomortuary.com 1939 in Mapleton to Arthur and Eleanor (Rabenhorst) Annis He attended school in Mapleton and served in the Army from February 7 1962 until completing his reserve obligation on February 6 Robert was united in marriage to Carol Rader on August 5 they returned to Mapleton and Robert began farming Robert and Carol farmed 1,200 acres and built their home in 1983 riding his Goldwing trike that he had specialty painted chameleon paint going to bike rallies in Sturgis and Algona One of Robert’s favorite places was LynDel’s Cafe in Mapleton visiting with friends and enjoying coffee with other farmers Dillon (significant other Danielle Taylor) Schmidt and Vickie (Bryce) Walters; and numerous great-nieces and great-nephews He was preceded in death by his parents; son Timothy “Tim” Annis; and sister The live stream link below is a complimentary service provided by Mankato Mortuary.Unforeseen technical and/or acoustical circumstances may produce a diminished end product. Please note we are attempting to record and publish the service for later viewing Click to watch Visitation will be Thursday from 1:00-2:00 p.m Burial will be at a later date at Union Cemetery Mankato Mortuary is assisting the family with arrangements.  She graduated from Adams High School in 1957 Shirley then graduated from Winona State University with a degree in Elementary Education Shirley was united in marriage to Larry Bowen Shirley taught in elementary schools in Goodhue and Blue Earth She also worked at Country Neighbors in Mapleton Shirley was involved with circle at United Church and part of the quilting group She was preceded in death by her parents and husband Burial to follow at Calvary Cemetery- Mapleton She graduated from Mankato East High School She lived and worked in Luverne for over 20 years then returned to Mankato and worked for MRCI.  she loved spending time with her family.  Jody is survived by her siblings: Shari (Ron) Ward and Suz Carey (Gary); Nieces and nephews: Cory and Holly Jody’s Family would like to extend a special thank you to the staff at Mapleton Community Home and Mayo Hospice The live stream link below is a complimentary service provided by Mankato Area Funeral Homes and/or acoustical circumstances may produce a diminished end product This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page some of the top researchers studying "eating disorders" have done their work in Fargo And one of the most comprehensive treatment centers for the disease is in downtown Fargo woman who has worked hard to change her life following her battle when people would express concerns about my well-being I really didn't see what other people saw when I looked in the mirror," Sara Bond said I was barely alive and I remember my mom would come in at night and check on me Bond's eating disorder started as she transitioned from high school to college She vividly remembers what a boyfriend at the time told her "He made a comment that it wouldn't hurt if I lost a few pounds," she said Bond became obsessed with calorie intake and exercise 'You just need to gain weight or just eat a hamburger," she said It got to the point where her doctors in Minot knew she needed help loss of my cycle and even kidney problems," she said And after months at Sanford's Eating Disorders and Weight Management Center: "They told me that if I hadn't sought help and I will never forget that moment as long as I live," she said "It is hard to look back now because I remember that I was so scared that I wasn't going to live and I would pray at night that I would have another chance," Sara said The eating disorder center attracts patients from across the country because it takes those who are seriously ill from the disorder "I think that it is wonderful that there is expanded awareness because early treatment is one of the best indicators for a good outcome," Dr She talks with young people about her disease and gives them tools to cope or get help in hopes she can get help early to someone just like her DALTON — After watching a 5-4 deficit balloon into a 9-4 hole in an 8-5 opening game setback to Mapleton The Bulldogs erased a 9-5 Mounties lead with one in the fourth and six in the fifth to gain a split on the day with a 12-9 win “I was really proud of the way we battled back in the second game,” Dalton (8-5) coach Rob Fiesler said “We had some mental errors in the field that hurt us in the opener so the bounce back and the focus was super important with our young group More: Wooster boys' tennis rallied past Glen Oak to advance in the OTCA state team tournament Kenna Doty got the rally going when she hit into a fielder's choice that scored Hannah Wenger in the fourth the floodgates opened wide as the Bulldogs plated six runs Pitching and also swinging a powerful bat was Skylar Fletcher who launched a solo homer to cut it to 9-7 in the fifth inning Maya Wenger reached by error and Hannah Wenger loaded them up with a single back through the box Mei Simmons strode to the plate with two outs and she didn’t disappoint the home faithful She collected her second hit of the day when she deposited a 2-1 pitch over the leftfield fence for a grand slam Just as impressive as that outburst offensively was the arm of Fletcher which posted three straight donuts on the scoreboard to make it stick Fletcher finished the complete-game effort with five strikeouts for Dalton “That really felt great to see,” said Fiesler of Fletcher’s performance “We also have hit the ball really well; these girls' hard work in the offseason is showing Hopefully we keep hitting the ball the way we are More: Talon Beichler, Shane Coblentz two names with big weeks up for athlete of the week Fiesler went on to talk about his young pitching duo of Simmons and Fletcher who are coming of age as the season wears on “This was very promising to see,” he added “That is the silver lining with our young group is that we have two very young pitchers Backing up the pitching and swinging the bats well were Lily Teague with a solo homer in the third as she Arabella and Hannah joined Mei with two hits on the day Simmons finished with a team-high five RBIs Fletcher had three and Teague finished with two Dalton players seem to be finding their swing and putting the game together at the right time of year as they prepares for a tough stretch of games the Bulldogs will play Wayne County Athletic League contenders Northwestern and Hillsdale They will then wrap it all up later with a matchup with Norwayne “We’ve been stressing complementary softball focusing on the game and seeing the play happen in our mind before working hard and taking constructive criticism well and we are seeing little success in every game.” A group of Mapleton residents will keep their affordable apartments thanks to the Presque Isle Housing Authority and a Brunswick loan fund The housing authority now owns the 12-unit Living Easy Apartments complex on Pulcifur Road in Mapleton which will retain federal rent assistance for its tenants The apartments were built as part of the U.S Department of Agriculture Rural Rental Housing Program But owners Lester and Debbie Hersey wanted to sell and a new buyer might have exited the federal plan 12 families could have had to pay higher rent or move Presque Isle Housing Authority Executive Director Jennifer Sweetser said “We are thankful that the Herseys were willing to leave the Rural Development program in this way because they didn’t have to do this,” Sweetser said “It’s a good thing for the community that they were willing to preserve the subsidy for the people that live there.” The Brunswick-based Genesis Community Loan Fund which works to create and preserve affordable housing The USDA contacted Genesis to notify them the property’s mortgage was coming due so the property was at potential risk of losing subsidies Genesis reached out to Presque Isle Housing and they worked together the authority bought the building for $240,000 The arrangement continues the mortgage — and the USDA subsidies — for another 30 years Under the federal rental assistance program tenants pay 30 percent of their income on rent and utilities If the Herseys had sold to a private buyer and the building was removed from USDA Rural Development it likely would have resulted in the tenants having to move “We’ve had the building since the 1970s and we were ready to sell,” Debbie Hersey said Tuesday The apartment complex was built under Rural Development Section 515 which offered loans to build housing in rural areas for very low- to moderate-income households Maine has 7,700 apartments under that program The Genesis Fund is a certified nonprofit community development financial institution that provides project guidance and financing to develop new affordable housing and preserve existing housing The fund started in 1992 as a group of midcoast Mainers that united to help a family that was unhoused They launched a loan fund that helped build more than a dozen affordable homes The fund also administers grants and helps develop other community resources such as health care facilities and food pantries Executive Director Liza Fleming-Ives said.   The fund has overseen the purchase of five other Maine properties with a combined 142 units in the past five years The Housing Authority of the city of Old Town acquired Main View Apartments in Orono in a deal similar to that in Mapleton “What’s at stake is if this property had paid off the USDA mortgage and not transferred the rental assistance would have been lost,” Fleming-Ives said “Mapleton would have no longer had 12 apartments that were assisted by that support from the USDA.”   Genesis administered USDA grant funds so the Presque Isle Housing Authority could buy the complex, Fleming-Ives said. Genesis will also loan the authority money from the Maine Affordable Housing Tax Credit Program to complete renovations The move caught the attention of Maine Gov “This partnership will help a dozen Aroostook County families stay in their homes safely and affordably in the place they have set down roots and lived with dignity and comfort,” Mills said in a press statement The Presque Isle Housing Authority manages 185 public housing apartments and 179 section 8 vouchers The authority has formed an LLC to manage the Mapleton property and will spend about $200,000 on upgrades to take the building through the next 30 years.   Staff have already met with tenants of Living Easy Apartments “They’ve known for a couple of years [that] the Herseys were looking to sell I think they’re glad that they don’t have to move anywhere.” damage from a severe winter storm nearly took out the entire water supply system of Mapleton the unincorporated community 15 miles east of Florence received a federal grant to make some permanent repairs With about 850 people relying on the water service Donnelly–who serves as vice-chair on the district’s board–said volunteers struggled to patch up the system temporary repairs for two full years now," he said "Wishing and praying every time it rains that everything we’ve done isn’t going to fail again and put us completely out of water.” The $925,000 emergency assistance grant from the U.S Department of Agriculture will be used to replace the water line repair the access road and install a flood protection wall around the water treatment plant Donnelly says all of Mapleton’s water infrastructure is failing and needs replacement at a projected cost of $23 million While the district is grateful to receive the emergency federal funds right now—he admits it’s just a drop in the bucket The Mapleton Water District is run by volunteers As chair of the district’s Grant Committee Donnelly said his goal is to raise $7 million in 2025 That’s in addition to what has already been awarded through the Emergency Community Water Assistance Grant and pending grants with the Environmental Protection Agency and FEMA He thinks he can do it— but noted that the special district model for unincorporated communities is challenging and the path to funding is narrow very long history and its own traditions," Donnelly said "But it’s never been incorporated because it was a mill town Mills built the water system—and then left.” Donnelly said a lot of crucial infrastructure in Mapleton is in the same boat—it’s failing “It’s a sad situation but there’s nothing coming in to pick up the slack We have to find the resources out there to fix our problems here,” he said John’s Lutheran Church in Mapleton with visitation one hour prior Burial will follow at Union Cemetery in Mapleton Please share a memory of Betty with her family and watch her service livestreamed at www.mankatomortuary.com memorials may be given to Ecumen Hospice or St 1928 in Mapleton to Elmer and Lina (Mischke) McFarland 1946 to Luverne “Red” Alschlager Betty was known for her red and white polka outfits and being on Bandwagon She and Red enjoyed traveling to dances across the area Betty worked at various jobs over the years from factory jobs to family restaurant LynDel’s Café of Mapleton Betty enjoyed shopping on Sundays and church pulling weeds from every crack in the driveway or sidewalk and designating many chore to the “kids” as she supervised Betty moved to the Mapleton Community Home in 2021 where she enjoyed many different experiences and stuffed animals for her pride and joy great-grandkids She also enjoyed Marv Nissel Band coming to play Betty will be missed by her family and friends We are happy she’s reunited with Red dancing away and enjoying vodka cokes or screwdrivers Lisa (Chris Hill) Schultz of Delavan and Abby (Tim) Tomisin of Minnesota Lake; great-grandchildren Luverne “Red” Alschlager; siblings Fred and Alma Alschlager; as well as many extended family members Betty’s family would like to extend gratefulness to the staff at Mapleton Community Home for being part of Betty’s extended family and Ecumen Hospice Services for guiding us all through these last few months Click to watch ASHLAND − If you are a fan of quick-pace basketball then Tuesday night at Mapleton High School was a swell place to be just maybe too fast for home team Mapleton (9-6 as the Falcons came through with a 68-54 nonconference win Through many stretches throughout the game Hillsdale would go on quick spurts where they pushed the tempo made an extra pass that led to another pass More: At 5-4 and 125 pounds, Lowen Ferguson has made a big impression on Hillsdale basketball Nothing exhibited that more then at the start of the second quarter Hillsdale went on a brisk 6-0 run that involved players sharing the ball at a fast pace whether in half-court or full-court situations What I will say is that there is a big difference between Wayne County basketball and folks outside Wayne County basketball," said Hillsdale head coach Ben Ferguson "It is hard to have that kind of tempo in a Wayne County league game We have a good point guard that pushes the ball Today was exactly that and we really pushed the tempo." Because of the tempo the Falcons played with on Tuesday everybody seemed to get in on the action as point guard Lowen Ferguson (11 points) Hayden McFadden (7 points) and Troy Bennett (9 points) all were able to score because of just how quick the team was playing The third quarter was an excellent demonstration of that as the Falcons outscored the Mounties 23-10 "We have a bunch of athletes and we're just trying to run," said Hillsdale's Kael Lewis "We practice running the floor a lot in practice We were just trying to focus on that extra pass and at some point it will open up for BK (Bradey Krichbaum)." Ferguson said that Krichbaum had 23 rebounds in the game which is one rebound short of the school's single game record Rebounding and getting possession of the ball will surely help a team be able to play at a fast tempo Mapleton head coach Nick Hickey said he found his team trying to match Hillsdale playing at their pace Did he like the tempo his team was playing at "We were trying to slow it down a bit but at the same time we didn't want it to be where we weren't aggressive so I couldn't get too upset with the quick shots But that was definitely a quicker pace then what we wanted." their plan to contain Mapleton's Scotty Hickey the leading scorer in the Firelands Conference Hickey scored 31 points and became Mapleton's all-time leading scorer at 1,357 career points Lewis had the defensive assignment guarding him and his main goal was to keep Hickey from getting the school record I wanted to hold him to that record," Lewis said He's a really good player and he's super chill too." "We put Kael Lewis on him and he did a phenomenal job on him," Ferguson said "We played really well but it's not like we held him completely down A state inspection investigating the death of a 17-year-old boy at a Mapleton residential treatment center found that the center failed to provide the teen proper supervision or care to protect him from self-harm The Utah Department of Health and Human Services found Discovery Ranch Academy to be noncompliant with multiple rules while treating Biruk Silvers, who died at Discovery Ranch on Nov. 5 including services and supervision to meet each client’s needs and protection from abuse provider records and additional documents were reviewed and professional evaluations were considered The information gathered substantiated that a client who had expressed suicidal ideation and a plan was not provided with the care required to keep them safe.” A $10,000 civil penalty was assessed for one of the violations provided to the Daily Herald by the attorney representing the Silvers family also found Discovery Ranch did not follow its suicide prevention policy and claims the center violated critical incident reporting requirements on multiple occasions in the past year filed a notice of intent and notice of claim against Discovery Ranch and other respondents last month medical malpractice and systematic failures at the center regarding the death of their son The case has to go through a prelitigation hearing before it can be filed in court It currently is before the state’s Division of Licensing and Background Checks Discovery Ranch currently has a conditional license that runs through the end of February told the Daily Herald in an email he believes it’s a “possibility” that the teen center’s license will not be renewed due to the noncompliance found acknowledged to the Daily Herald on Thursday that the license currently is conditional but said the academy is working closely with the licensing division to get it reinstated “Discovery Ranch has completed all the re-training requirements licensing requested and has striven to learn from the tragedy that occurred,” Spencer said in an email “Discovery Ranch has hosted a few licensing visits and completed its annual license renewal today hopes to have its license fully reinstated as soon as licensing sees fit which we hope will be soon.” Spencer also provided the Daily Herald with a statement from Discovery Ranch on Wednesday we lost a member of our family when a young man committed suicide,” a portion of the statement read “This was a trauma to his parents but also to our staff and the young people we serve We have extended our condolences to his parents and we are working to heal the pain and shock caused to them “A lawsuit is being filed by the parents of the young man who took his life We are advised by legal counsel not to comment on the facts that will now be part of litigation.” The Silvers allege 14 instances of negligent acts or omissions by Discovery Ranch and other respondents failure to communicate critical information and medication mismanagement In the filed claim, the Silvers said Biruk started a new medication, Lexpapro, on Oct. 18 that may heighten a person’s risk of suicide, according to the National Institutes of Health They also allege that their concerns with him taking the new medicine were dismissed The family claims that reports from a University of Utah psychiatrist show Biruk shared a self-harm plan during multiple remote appointments but that the doctor did not share the information with the Silvers or initiate one-on-one supervision A Discovery Ranch therapist did not review the initial psychiatric reports and was unaware of Biruk’s suicide plan until Nov The family also said they expressed concerns to Biruk’s therapist about his mental state and his participation in a dangerous asphyxiation activity Kathryn Silvers scheduled a follow-up appointment with the psychiatrist but it was canceled because he reportedly stated that there was “no acute concern requiring a meeting.” the Discovery Ranch therapist reviewed a Nov 1 note from Biruk’s psychiatrist and realized he needed “additional protection from himself as he expressed a desire to commit self-harm and possible harm to others.” But the claim alleges the therapist “Did not call the Silvers or law enforcement to help in providing this protection to Biruk and others.” Biruk died by strangulation from a belt that the Silvers said was “either provided by or allowed by (Discovery Ranch) for Biruk to possess while Biruk was left alone with no staff present.” The claim added: “Biruk died either by the plan of self-harm that he had explicitly disclosed to his psychiatrist and therapists and registered nurses by playing a game that is known to be very dangerous and which (Discovery Ranch) and the other respondents knew he was playing.” This story has been updated to correct the status of Discovery Ranch’s operational license It was further updated to correct the name of the body that has authority over the facility’s licensing status LLC | www.heraldextra.com | 1200 Towne Centre Blvd “May God keep you in the palm of his hands Michael Logan Hager passed away peacefully on Thursday Memorial Service will be held 11:00am Saturday 1936 to Logan and Anastasia (Templin) Hager 1954 and served in the Korean Conflict in Newfoundland he was in construction as a dozer operator and a truck driver Mike was united in marriage to Patricia Ann (Carey) Hager on November 12 They were blessed to have adopted 4 children: Doug He was proud to be a farmer and a “Steward of the land.” Eventually Mike started doing custom farm drainage as a side business Mike belonged to the MN Land Improvement Contractors Association Joseph in Good Thunder for 20 years and was also a trustee for 10 years Patricia Hager; 4 children: Doug (Deb) Hager of Good Thunder Larry (Vesta) Hager of Coeur d’Alene 11 grandchildren and 19 great-grandchildren