FRIDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2016 | B SECTION
Year2016 in review
8-YEAR-OLD’S SUDDEN DEATH, RESPONSE TOPS YEAR IN NEWS By Albert Lea Tribune
Determining the top local story of the year is never an easy task. When tragedy strikes one of our own staff members, it is even more difficult. The editor, publisher and reporters met in early December to look back through the big stories of the year and to narrow down that list to the top 10 with a half dozen honorable mentions. There have been stories that drew national attention such as the September floods, the derailment of a train in Ellendale and the controversy surrounding singer Ted Nugent coming to the Freeborn County Fair. The death of 8-year-old Sophie Stultz, daughter of Tribune Managing Editor Sarah Stultz and her husband, Jason, hit many people close to home. The community came together to show support for the family in the days and months that followed. In the end, here is how the news of 2016 lined up:
1
Community comes together after 8-year-old bicyclist dies in crash
Communities tend to come together in times of tragedy. Albert Lea is no exception. Those were the first two sentences of a July 3 article titled “Community comes together after 8-year-old bicyclist dies in crash,” and they ring true even more so almost six months later. Over the 2016 Fourth of July weekend, Sophie Stultz was riding her bicycle with friends when she was fatally struck by a vehicle at the intersection of Frank Hall Drive and East Eighth Street. Sophie Stultz was a fixture around the Tribune office, visiting other Tribune employees when she’d come in to the office with her mother. The charismatic and inquisitive 8-year-old was always full of questions, eager to learn and all smiles for anyone she talked to. When news broke of her accident, it wasn’t just the Tribune that felt the loss of Sophie Stultz — it was the entire community. Cards, flowers, phone calls and other items flooded the Tribune to be passed on to the Stultz family, and immediately community members asked what they could do to help the family out in any way they could. A GoFundMe page was set up to help with funeral arrangements and other expenses, and it raised over $11,000 in less than 24 hours. On July 8, the day of Sophie Stultz’s funeral, law enforcement escorted a long processional from Albert Lea High School to
Residents young and old blew up pink and white balloons to place along the route of the funeral processional for Sophie Stultz on July 8. A group of people sat in the shape of a heart at the intersection of Bridge Avenue and Richway Drive. PHOTO COURTESY DAN BORLAND Lakewood Cemetery. The funeral route was lined with people as well as pink balloons, some of which were released as the cars carrying the Stultz family passed by. While the community immediately surrounded the Stultz family at the time of Sophie Stultz’s death, the tragic loss of life had a lasting impact in the community, as well. Talks have been brought up about either naming part of a possible splash pad or dedicating a part of it to the 8-year-old. A considerable amount of donations have been made to the splash pad efforts in Sophie Stultz’s name, some of which were collected during a concert at August’s Freeborn County Fair. The most considerable impact, though, would likely be the push for stop signs at the intersection where she lost her life. After a few months of community members speaking at Albert Lea City council meetings and petitioning to implore councilors to approve the stop signs, the council on Oct. 10 unanimously approved installing stop signs at each corner of the Eighth Street and Frank Hall Drive intersection
for at least six months. Councilors also approved installing stop signs at the intersection of Ninth Street and Frank Hall Drive. There is the possibility of the stop signs being made permanent following the six-month trial period. “Though I would have liked to have seen permanent stop signs approved for the intersection, I am pleased the council did not dismiss the idea altogether and instead is going to use the next six months as a trial period,” Sarah Stultz said at the time of the decision. “I hope this is only the beginning of the conversation about safety in the Frank Hall Drive neighborhood. I and others plan to continue our efforts toward this cause and welcome the continued support of the community.”
2
Flooding brings historic water levels, damage to homes Albert Leans woke up Sept. 22 to discover between 4 1/2 and 7 inches of rain had fallen in the previous 24 hours, leading to flooding in homes and streets. Several trees were reported downed and vehicles were stuck in high water.
Leah Adams and Lyle Lichliter walk through flood water in September on the west side of Abbott Street. SAM WILMES/ALBERT LEA TRIBUNE
Sophie Stultz was preparing to enter third grade at Lakeview Elementary School. PROVIDED While flooding is commonplace on East Main Street near Hanson Tire and on West Main Street near Morin Park, several other streets that don’t normally flood had high water levels as well, including Minnesota Highway 13 at the road’s intersection with U.S. Highway 69 and West Front Street near Korner Mart. Officials estimated public infrastructure damage of about $1.7 million, and county officials and Gov. Mark Dayton declared the area in a state of emergency. Fountain Lake rose to record levels Sept. 23 — at least a half a foot higher than previous records — before cresting later that day. City Engineer Steven Jahnke said Fountain Lake elevation levels were as much as six feet higher than the normal elevation, and some areas passed 100-year
flood levels by at least one foot. The last time water levels were even close to that high was in 2004. According to a Minnesota Department of Natural Resources river gauging station in Gordonsville, the Shell Rock River was flowing at over 10 times its normal volume at one point. The Federal Emergency Management Agency approved assistance for both public infrastructure costs and individual assistance for homeowners, and residents affected by floods were continuing to work with FEMA officials as the year concluded. Other counties receiving individual assistance were Blue Earth, Hennepin, Le Sueur, Rice, Steele and Waseca counties.
Continued
The mermaid at New Denmark had water up to her face as Fountain Lake levels rose in September after heavy rain. SARAH STULTZ/ALBERT LEA TRIBUNE