“It’s the jury’s providence to judge credibility of evidence witnesses,” McCrory said. McCrory said she will write an opinion on who will pay the legal expenses and will determine the value of those expenses. In Tuesday’s arguments before the judge, the School District of Beloit’s attorney Brad Dagen argued the jury was forced to speculate on the land value because the expert witnesses on behalf of the Truckenbrods didn’t present credible evidence on the Beloit market along Milwaukee Road. The Truckenbrod’s attorney, Erik Olsen, however, argued the credibility of a witness is for the jury to decide.
“Even as I write this, a community member asks me, “What is the status of the ‘adobe house’?” This 393 Bates Avenue structure is also known to some as the “last house standing.” As cranes, bulldozers and trucks work away in the great pit surrounding this solitary island, some see the predicament only as an impediment to the footprint of Metro State University’s parking ramp. One neighbor noticed activity around the house, jumping to the conclusion that demolition was pending. The lot’s perimeter has been shored up, leading to more questions about the future of the house. I notice changes in the landscape every time I walk past. A gap in the earth – is the digging around the property causing the “island” to weaken? When the hanging flower pots disappeared, a neighbor asked if it signified a dire change; but no, the plants just needed some tender care and watering, so owner Jim Smith had temporarily removed them. To those who watch the house, the flowers serve as a visual reminder that water, electricity, and life still flow there.
393 Bates Avenue has been home to Smith’s family since 1988, and his daughter has grown up there. Jim – along with many community members – would like to see his beloved house relocated to a new lot. No one from Metro State is talking, perhaps for legal reasons. Laura King, Vice Chancellor and Chief Financial Officer, simply said, “The Board of Trustees did approve the use of eminent domain if negotiations are unsuccessful.”
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Holben, Sage. Twin Cities Daily Planet 12 August 2014.