Ossian's 2020 Summer Performances a the Pavilion begin tonight

The 2020 Summer Performances at the Pavilion is set to begin tonight, Wednesday, July 15 with an 8 p.m. screening of the iconic film, Field of Dreams. Nathan Moonen Law Office will sponsor this event. 

The annual summer series events will all be held at the Ossian Educational and Performance Pavilion in Carey's Park.  

The events are all free of charge. Those attending are encouraged to bring their own chairs or blankets for seating. The events include six movies and three live performances.

Each event is sponsored by a local business, while the City of Ossian, the Ossian Crown Club and Casey’s General Store in Ossian bring the summer series to the public. 

Zak Kriener faced a deadly infection and multiple resulting surgeries over the last few weeks. After a long journey, Kriener is eager to return home and begin his rehabilitation.  (submitted photo) 

Kriener faces deadly infection; almost ready to head home

By Megan Molseed
mmolseed@thefayettecountyunion.com

I realized it was serious once they put the lights on the ambulance,” Zak Kriener remembered of the moment he was being transported to Gundersen Lutheran in LaCrosse, Wisconsin after the West Union medical team found he was suffering a massive infection. “The paramedics helped to keep me at ease and calm. They made the trip more relaxing and less worrisome.” 

It started out as a nagging pain in his lower back, a pain that quickly became something much more severe. 

“It started with severe back pain on Tuesday June 23rd,” Kriener recalled, adding that he also had a smaller pain he attributed to a skin irritation such as an ingrown hair in the same region. 

“I didn’t think my back pain and the ingrown hair pain were related,” he explained.  

“As the week progressed, I thought it could be mono just by how tired I was. I was sleeping 16 plus hours and still exhausted,” Kriener continued. “I tried to ignore the pain for a few days, and went to the chiropractor thinking I was out of alignment. This trip helped slightly with the back pain, but that small pain continued to worsen and spread.”

By Friday, June 26, Zak had developed a slight fever along with some chills.  Concerned, he and his girlfriend, Libby Manning, ventured out to the local Gundersen Palmer Lutheran clinic in West Union.  

“As more symptoms appeared, like the chills and slight fever, we thought it could be a kidney infection because my back pain was in the same area as my left kidney,” said Zak. 

Eventually, the pain was so bad; Kriener decided the emergency room was his only other option. 

“I struggled to sit, walk, and even stand up at that point,” he remembered.  “I debated on waiting and going to the clinic again on the following Monday, but assumed it would be better to go to the ER that night.” 

NFV junior Jonah Moore slides safely into second with a stolen base Saturday night in New Hampton. The game was postponed until Monday due to rain, and Osage used 10 NFV errors to win 14-2. (Jerry Wadian photo)

Errors oust TigerHawk baseball

Jerry Wadian
Contributing Writer

Saturday’s Class 2A District 6 baseball game between Osage and North Fayette was postponed by rain.

NFV trailed 1-0 in the second when the contest was resumed Monday night (July 13) in New Hampton, the TigerHawk defense failed the squad as 10 NFV errors led to 13 unearned runs.

Three TigerHawk pitchers combined on a seven-hitter, but, oh, those errors.

Bryce Elsbernd absorbed the loss with 2 1/3 innings of three-hit ball; despite the loss, the freshman still managed and ERA of 0.00 for the game as all of the runs charged to him were unearned.