January 2019

Wed
23
Jan

Gene Klinge

Gene Klinge

 

 

     Bring your best memories and stories to share as the family of Gene Klinge celebrates his life on Jan. 26 at 1:30 p.m. in a place very special to him, the gymnasium which bears his name at West Central Community School in Maynard, Iowa. The family is looking forward to visiting with everyone prior to the service from 12:30-1:30 p.m.

     In spirit of the occasion, the family requests those attending wear their favorite school apparel, be it Blue Devil blue, Indian orange, Hawkeye black and gold or even Minnesota Viking purple or camouflage would be appropriate. If you’d rather, feel free to wear his signature red or orange socks in his honor.

Wed
23
Jan

Charles Schott

Charles Schott

 

 

Charles Eugene Schott, 64, of West Union Iowa died Sunday, Jan. 20, 2019 at Maple Crest Manor in Fayette, Iowa.  Charles was born August 24, 1954 to Lawrence Leon and Doris Marie (Nyborg) Schott in West Union, Iowa.  He was baptized at Wesleyan Methodist Church in West Union, Iowa.  Charles went to North and Valley Schools, and later earned his GED.

Charles was united in marriage with Betty Doubek on April 27, 1974. One son was born to this union.  Charles was a farm manager at Wilbur Farms in West Union and worked at Pro Earth Environmental in West Union, Iowa. He retired in 2014 due to health reasons.  Charles was a member of the Clermont Activity Club, West Union Jaycees, Fayette County Fair Board, Holy Name Catholic Church and St. Francis of Assisi. He enjoyed hunting deer and turkey, fishing, bowling, riding motorcycles, playing cards, golfing and softball leagues.

Wed
23
Jan

Empire State of Mind:Mentoring has had a positive impact on my life

 

Chris DeBack is a mentoring in the North Fayette Valley Mentoring Program. He has been matched with his mentee, Kywren, since January 2017. He and Kywren enjoy playing video games, going to dinner, seeing movies, and attending NFV Mentoring group activities together. The program is in need of more male mentors.Chris DeBack photo

 

Empire State of Mind: Mentoring has had a positive impact on my life

 

 

By Chris Deback
cdeback@thefayettecountyunion.com

 

 

 

 

North Fayette Valley Mentoring is in need of more male mentors.

Wed
23
Jan

A farewell to Gene

A farewell to Gene

 

By Jerry Wadian
jwadian@thefayettecountyunion.com

 

 

After 82 years, the gravelly voice of legendary West Central girl’s head basketball coach gene Klinge is still. Untold thousands of people across northeast Iowa lament the passing, including this lowly sports writer. 

  I wish that I could go to the memorial service Saturday because I greatly admired the man. Unfortunately, the UIC wrestling meet is the same day, and duty calls; I am sure Gene would understand.

  Klinge’s basketball legacy stands as one of the greatest in Iowa high school sports history. But aside from the numerous honors and awards, Klinge was always a greater man than he was a coach.

  My first memories are of walking into the gym that now bears his name. Before I even entered, I could hear the loud, gravelly voice yelling away at somebody. 

Wed
23
Jan

NFV Special Olympic athletes

 

Five NFV special Olympic athletes competed Jan. 14, 15, and 16 at the 33rd State Special Olympics Winter Games at Albrecht Acres in Sherrill. The TigerHawks were among 150 athletes competing this year in the Snowshoeing events (last year there were only 115 competitors). There are 15 different events with competitors placed in groups based on age and ability. The five Tiger Hawks brought home 10 medals, eight gold and two silver. The five, and their medals include (l-r) Adam Ryan (gold in the 100 meter and silver in the 200 meter), Aaron Larson (gold in the 200 meter), Tyler Franklin (gold in the 200 meter), Shelby Holden (gold in the 400 meter), and Darinnesha Baldwin (silver in the 200 meter). The final medal was a gold won by the relay team of Holden, Baldwin, Larson, and Franklin. (submitted photo)

 

NFV Special Olympic athletes

Wed
23
Jan

Basketball legend Gene Klinge dies

These file photos are of Gene Klinge doing what he did best, coaching high school girls' basketball.

 

Basketball legend Gene Klinge dies

 

By Jerry Wadian
jwadian@thefayettecountyunion.com

 

 

Legendary girls’ basketball coach Gene Klinge died Wednesday at Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waukon. The man who survived a car crash that killed two people, triple bypass surgery, prostate cancer, lymphoma and skin cancer was finally felled by complications from an infection barely a week after his 82nd birthday. He is survived by his wife of 54 years Pat (Wilson) Klinge of Elgin, four children (Kathy, Vicky, Kevin, and Karen), and seven grandchildren.

 Klinge enrolled at Luther College, but after the car accident, he worked at the family business in Monona before enrolling at Upper Iowa University where he played his favorite sports, baseball and football.

  After graduation, he accepted a teaching and assistant football coaching position at West Central. Two weeks before school started, the girl’s basketball head coaching job came open.

 “I didn’t know much about basketball and nothing about six-on-six basketball,” said Klinge. “I talked it over with some of the coaches at UIU and they encouraged me to accept. I was always grateful for their advice.”

Wed
23
Jan

Federal government shutdown affects reach Fayette County

 

Other than being closed in observance of the Martin Luther King, Jr., Holiday, the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Natural Resource Conservation Service Office is still open for business in West Union. There’s a note on the door stating the the office is still open. However, the USDA’s Farm Agency Service Office, located in the same building, is closed while the government is shut down.  Chris DeBack photo

 

Federal government shutdown affects reach Fayette County

 

 

By Chris Deback
cdeback@thefayettecountyunion.com

 

 

 

 

It has been over a month since the United States government shutdown because President Donald Trump and Congress couldn’t come to terms on an appropriations bill to fund the government for fiscal year 2019. 

While the shutdown stems from larger immigration issues, it is mostly about President Trump’s request for $5.7 billion to build a border-wall along portions of the United States and Mexico border.

With the writing of this article on Monday, Jan. 21, and no end in-sight to the shutdown as both President Trump and House Democrats have dug in their heels over the border-wall, the shutdown is affecting people in northeast Iowa.

The biggest issue facing residents of Fayette County is the loss of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), also known as food stamps. According to CNN, on Sunday, Jan. 20, the final payment of SNAP benefits made with non-reserve appropriated funds was mailed to the 40.3 million Americans in the program. The agency said that it has $3 billion in reserve funds to help cover the cost of February’s payments; however, that’s almost a third-less than the $4.8 billion the program expended in September 2018. It amounts to approximately $90 per household for the 19.8 million households in the program.

If the government shutdown continues through February, it is unknown what the agency will do in terms of providing benefits to the low-income Fayette County residents within the program. Duane Willhite, North Fayette Valley superintendent, said that it could have an affect on food insecurity in the county.

Wed
23
Jan

FCS featured in Dirt Monthly

 

Several members of the Fayette County Speedway Race Committee, including (l-r) Keith Koch, Brian Boess, Mike Darnall, and Julie Games, show off pages from Dirt Monthly magazine. The nationally distributed publication, which covers all types of dirt track racing throughout the United States, recently published an article about the uniqueness of the local speedway and its $5 admission. Additional members of the Race Committee include Alan Boess, Bill Suckow, Aaron Becker, Kevin Gerst, Daniel Hope, Paul Sobolik, and Jon Francis. (Zakary Kriener photo)

 

FCS featured in Dirt Monthly

 

 

Zakary Kriener

News Writer
zkriener@fayettepublishing.com

 

 

 

Fayette County Speedway and its $5 admission for Friday night racing is no longer a local secret. The nationally distributed publication, Dirt Monthly, recently published an article highlighting the local speedway and the many great things that are being accomplished by the Race Committee and track supporters.

“This magazine goes out to people all over the country, so I think it is something that is really good for us,” said Race Committee member Brian Boess. “It’s a great way to let everyone know what’s going on and to make people want to travel to West Union and race at or watch races at the track.”

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