Nearly fifty Iowa Farm Bureau leaders from across the state, including (l-r) Carson Brincks, of Ossian; Mark Buskohl of Grundy Center, Mary Brincks of Ossian, Cassie Hackman of New Hampton; Brian Haeflinger of Elma; and Randy Brincks of Ossian, visited Washington, D.C., recently to discuss critical farm issues during the annual Iowa Farm Bureau Federation national policy trip. (submitted photo)

Iowa Farm Bureau leaders visit D.C.

Forty-seven Iowa Farm Bureau leaders from across the state visited Washington, D.C. recently to discuss critical farm issues and their impact with their elected officials during the annual Iowa Farm Bureau Federation (IFBF) national policy trip.  The Iowa farmers shared their concerns about the lack of progress in trade disputes, resulting in low commodity prices and continued economic hardship in rural communities.  Members from southwest Iowa also shared the impacts of flooding on their farms, which has eclipsed the damage from the 2011 flood, and urged lawmakers to support disaster relief aid.     

The Farm Bureau members met with Iowa’s U.S. House and Senate members as well as top U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) staff, including Deputy Secretary Steve Censky and former Iowa Agriculture Secretary Bill Northey, who now serves as USDA under secretary for farm production and conservation.  

The Farm Bureau county leaders shared accounts of tapping into retirement savings, taking off-the-farm-jobs, and even family members being forced to step away from farming all together due to low commodity prices resulting from tariffs and shrinking demand for ethanol.  

SW E/MS to host Community Open House

South Winneshiek Elementary and Middle School will host a Community Open House from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 30, at the school in Ossian (208 E. Brooks Street).

All community members are welcome to join South Winneshiek teachers and staff for the evening to tour the facility, meet staff, and see some of the great things that South Winneshiek Elementary and Middle School has to offer its students/

Highlights for the night is as follows:

Ronald H. Glass

Ronald H. Glass, 86, of Maynard, Iowa died Tuesday, April 9, 2019 at Maple Crest Manor in Fayette.

Funeral Service was held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, April 13, 2019 at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Maynard with Rev. Dennis Frank officiating.

Visitation was held from 3:00 to 6:00 p.m. Friday at the Jamison-Schmitz Funeral Home in Maynard and from 9:30 to 11:00 a.m. Saturday at the church.

Interment was in the Taylorsville Cemetery, Arlington, Iowa with military honors by the Lundbye-Carpenter American Legion Post #245 of Maynard.

A Memorial Fund has been established for the Alzheimer’s Association of East Central Iowa Chapter, 317 7^th Avenue SE, #402, Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52401.

Online obituary at www.jamisonschmitzfuneralhome.com

Jamison-Schmitz Funeral Home – Maynard helped the family with the arrangements.

John and Sharon Orr display the quilt that will be given away during a donation drawing to benefit the Fayette County Freedom Rock located on Water Street in Fayette. People can earn a donation ticket to enter the drawing by donating $100 or more. There are only 50 tickets available.  Chris DeBack photo

Fundraising underway for FC Freedom Rock

By Chris Deback
cdeback@thefayettecountyunion.com

The Fayette County Freedom Rock is scheduled to be painted during the summer of 2020.

“It is a tribute to our military personnel and an opportunity to promote tourism because there will be freedom rock tours that will develop,” said Sharon Orr, who is helping spearhead the fundraising with her husband John. “There will be people who go from county to county to see those Freedom Rocks up close and personal. They are pretty inspiring and awesome.”

Located on Water Street in the Open Air Market in Fayette, fundraising is underway now that the rock has been placed. The goal is to raise $12,000 to cover the painting of the rock, a special sealant, and the development of the site surrounding the rock including landscaping.