Keith Johnson

In Loving Memory of a great husband, father and friend to all.

Keith Merton Johnson, 80, was born October 4, 1938 at home in Allamakee County, to Oscar and Selma Johnson, and died at his home in Elgin surrounded by his family on July 28, 2019, after a long, painful battle with colon cancer. Keith had been actively involved in the Volunteer Fire Department, Town Council and his true love of farming and animals.  Over Keith’s career, he worked at Hellum Produce, the Elgin Creamery, AMPI, Wadena Cheese Factory, farming, and started Keith Johnson Trucking in 1984 and retired in 2004. After retirement, Keith helped the Wettleson family with their farming operations.

Keith was united in marriage to Darlene Elaine Hellum on November 23, 1958, at the Postville Lutheran Church. To this union, four children became a part of his life.  

Old Mill Redemption sits empty after it shutdown operations on June 25 leaving no redemption centers in Fayette County and residents wondering what they are supposed to do with their redeemable empty bottles and cans. Iowa Code stipulates that any “dealer” who sells bottles and cans with a deposit needs to accept redemption of those empties. However, they have to be reasonably clean, dry, and intact, and local dealers can also place added restrictions on acceptance of empties. Chris DeBack photo

Beer bottles & pop cans, oh my!

By Chris Deback
cdeback@thefayettecountyunion.com

Residents of Fayette County have run into a bit of a problem when it comes to what to do with empty bottles and cans that can be redeemed. 

With the closing of Old Mill Redemption, which used to be located at the West Union Event Center and closed on June 25, there are no more redemption centers taking empty bottles and cans in Fayette County. 

“I did it for 13 years, and it was time to get out, as it just wasn’t profitable enough anymore,” said Wes Woods, who also closed a redemption center in Sumner. 

Old Mill is just the latest redemption center to close its doors in the area. Oelwein had two shut down operations this year including Oelwein Bottle and Can, which shut its doors on June 1st, and L&M Beverage. 

“I’m sorry, I don’t know where you will take your bottles and cans to redeem them,” said Oelwein Bottle and Cans’ voicemail.   

“L&M Beverage no longer takes empties, good luck out there with them,” said the companies outgoing message. 

The lack of a redemption center in Fayette County is putting a real strain on local businesses, especially here in West Union. Especially since, If an establishment sells bottles and cans that come with a 5-cent deposit when purchased, it legally has to take the empty bottles and cans back. If it doesn’t, the person trying to take them back can call the local police on the company and have it charged with a simple misdemeanor. 

However, that doesn’t mean that a person can return those cans and bottles in whatever condition he or she would like. Iowa Code stipulates that the bottles need to be reasonably clean, dry, and intact.