The author, Mala Erickson, poses with her husband, Mike, and son, Mark, after being sworn in as a U.S. Citizen in Des Moines, recently. (submitted  photo)

My path to American citizenship

Mala Erickson
Contributing Writer

If you read a newspaper, go online, or turn on the television news lately, there is a lot of discussion about immigration policies in the United States. Without entering the political debate, I wanted to share my story as an immigrant to the United States.

I was born in Saskatchewan, which is in the Canadian Prairies, north of Montana. Through my grade school years, we lived in Saskatchewan and Manitoba. Yes, it was cold – 40 below was not uncommon and that was before factoring in windchill. Just because I grew up with that doesn’t mean I like cold weather! At least summers were mild with temperatures up to the mid-80s, although they were much too short. 

Our family travelled fairly extensively throughout the U.S. I had been to 11 states by the time I went to university in Manitoba and then on to veterinary school in Saskatchewan. After working in Alberta for two years, I wanted to pursue more training and started to explore opportunities in the U.S. through the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), I applied for a TN (non-immigrant) Visa to live and work in the U.S.

Dr. Daniel Baker (far left), a native of Clermont, was a protégé of world renown scientist Dr. James Van Allen (second from the right). Baker studied under Van Allen while at the University of Iowa, where he worked on an instrument that would measure low energy electrons on Pioneer 10, which went to Jupiter and is now headed for interstellar space. We’ll never know when Pioneer 10 actually makes it to interstellar space as it sent its last transmission on Jan. 22, 2003. Submitted photo

Dr. Daniel Baker was a Van Allen protege

It’s hard to look up into the night sky in Fayette County on a clear summer’s night and not be in awe of the visible universe.

Space is the final frontier and it’s this frontier that has captured the imagination of Clermont native Dr. Daniel Baker since he first looked to the night sky.

“I was always very interested in science, and especially interested in space exploration,” he said. “Looking at the night sky I would often think about the moon and the planets.”

The son of the late Joseph and Alvira Baker has always been interested in the mysteries of space. During his childhood in the ‘50s and ‘60s, at the height of the Space Race between the United States and U.S.S.R., Baker found his love of science and space grow with every new achievement made by man.

A native of Waukon, Markus Hawes is the Upper Iowa University Tutor Center manager. in 2011, five days after graduating from high school Haws broke his C7 vertebrae diving into home plate during a baseball practice. He was paralyzed from the waste down, but that hasn’t stopped Hawes from going on to have a successful career.

Wheelchair can't hold UIU's Hawes back from uphill success

By Chris Deback
cdeback@thefayettecountyunion.com

Markus Hawes is an incredible young man. That much is evident when you first meet the Upper Iowa University Tutor Center manager who is a paraplegic. 

It’s definitely his upbeat and persevering attitude, despite an unfortunate accident that changed his life almost eight years ago, that makes him stand out. 

In 2011, five days after graduating from Waukon High School, Hawes was at baseball practice when he got himself into a pickle between third base and home plate. Trying to avoid being tagged, he dove for home, collided with the team’s catcher, and broke his C7 vertebrae. Life was never the same after that moment. 

“I was taken by ambulance to Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waukon and then airlifted to Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn.,” Hawes recalled. “After the accident, I spent six weeks at Mayo, where I pushed hard in physical therapy so I could get home. I was released on July 1, and I spent the rest of the summer at my parent’s house.”

As the sun rises over NFV High School Tuesday morning, the once bustling campus is dead silent thanks to bitterly cold temperatures closing the school through at least Wednesday. With wind chill values expected to reach below negative 50 degrees at points on Tuesday and Wednesday, northeast Iowa residents are encouraged to stay indoors. With temperatures that low, exposed skin can become frostbitten within five minutes.  LeAnn Larson Photo

Wind chill expected to hit below negative 50 today

By Chris Deback
cdeback@thefayettecountyunion.com

There may not be a word that exists to describe how cold it is going to get today (Wednesday, Jan. 30).

Engineer moves forward with plans to build new county shop

By Chris Deback
cdeback@thefayettecountyunion.com

Fayette County is continuing to move forward with building a new Secondary Roads Maintenance Facility. 

At their regular meeting on Monday, Jan. 28, the Fayette County Supervisors were told by Fayette County Engineer Joel Fantz that he had put $2.3 million in next fiscal year’s budget to build a of a new county shop. 

Fantz is currently working on securing an architect to come up with a drawing of the building before he can provide actual dollar figures on what the new shop will cost. However, after the meeting he said he has $2.9 million to complete the project without raising taxes or sacrificing projects currently scheduled. That $2.9 million comes from savings that Fantz has been able to capture by looking at the way his department was doing business and making changes.

SW preschool registration

Preschool and Kindergarten registration for South Winneshiek Community School District will be open Monday, Jan. 28, through Friday, Feb. 1.

To reserve a spot, call (563) 562-9365 or email tiwagner@swinn.k12.ua.us.

With over 63 years of combined service as City of Ossian maintenance workers, Don DiLaura (left) and Brian Zweibohmer are geared up and ready to clean the streets for the next snowfall. The two begin their mornings as early as 3 a.m. when significant snowfall affects the area as the two-man crew aims to have the streets and sidewalks clear and safe by the time the rest of the town wakes up. (Zakary Kriener photo)

Keeping the steets clear and safe

Zakary Kriener

News Writer
zkriener@fayettepublishing.com

The chore of shoveling snow is nothing new to most Iowans. While the majority of individuals have to clear snow from their sidewalks and driveways, which can take anywhere from minutes to hours, there are two individuals in Ossian who are responsible for keeping the streets free and clear of snow and ice.

With over 63 years of combined service between the two, Ossian maintenance workers Don DiLaura and Brian Zweibohmer take on the routine task of running the City’s snowplow, loader, and dump truck whenever required.

“We don’t have a set amount of snow that we need before we go out, it’s generally more of a judgment call,” said DiLaura. “It doesn’t necessarily have to be snow either; If there is freezing rain or ice, we have to go out and sand the intersections.”

Jay and Ann Dibble (l-r) of Clermont were pointed in the direction of mentoring a youth in the community after looking into the process to become foster parents several years ago. The couple has been paired with Emma Wilker (right) of Elgin since April 2016. The group enjoys baking cookies and playing board games together. They also go see movies and explore Fayette County in the summer. Chris DeBack photos

Dibbles find friendship with mentee

By Chris Deback
cdeback@thefayettecountyunion.com

When Ann and Jay Dibble retired from farming near Postville and moved into Clermont the couple was looking for something to occupy their time.

The Dibbles first thought of becoming Foster parents but after checking into the process were pointed in the direction of mentoring. 

“My niece was a mentor, and she had brought her mentee to out farm when we lived out by Postville. We came down here and semi-retired and had some time on our hands so we checked into fostering; however, it was suggested to us to mentor.”

The couple checked in with NFV Mentoring, liked the opportunity it presented, and have been paired with Emma Wilker, daughter of Crystal Wilker of Elgin, since April of 2016. 

“Emma was a little shy when we first started hanging out, but she has warmed up to us over the years, we are friends now,” Ann said. “If she has problems, I am here for her to talk with. She is like an extra grandchild for me. We just enjoy each others company.”

Looking forward to seeing you at T’s Brick City Spa’s Grand Event are the following staff members (front, l-r) Sara Hougen, Jessica Billmeyer, Owner – Tanya Tysland, Whitney Guyer, Mary Hemesath. Back (l-r) Lisa Carey, Charlotte Tysland, Merry Stover and Carol Swenson. Not pictured is Angie Cooper. Stop by during their Grand Event on Sunday, Feb. 3 and learn more about the special services they provide.

T's Brick City Spa to host grant event

Brian Smith
Contributing Writer

T’s Brick City Spa in downtown Clermont will be hosting a Grand Event on Sunday, February 3, 2019, from noon to 3 p.m.  Owner Tanya Tysland is excited to introduce her staff and the services they provide to enable clients to relax and rejuvenate mind, body and soul. Tysland says her goal is to “Bring big city luxuries to a small town and to allow people to pamper themselves at affordable prices.”

Colleen and Dwight Ohrt of West Union recently purchased the Little Turkey Campground in Waucoma and should be open to the public in April weather permitting.  Submitted photo

Ohrt's build perfect camping adventure

By Meagan Molseed
mmolseed@thefayettecountyunion.com

            “It’s a little piece of beautiful nature in the middle of our area,” said Colleen Ohrt of the Little Turkey Campground in Waucoma.  “A perfect place to relax and call your ‘home away from home!’”

            Last fall, Colleen and her husband, Dwight, were on the hunt for the perfect campground near the West Union area.

            “We have always been big campers.  When we lived in Oregon we were out backpacking the pacific trail on any given weekend.  When we came back to West Union, camping for many years in Guttenberg,” explained Colleen.

“Camping has always been something we both loved, and while we loved it in the Gutternburg area, we decided to start looking for something a little smaller,” continued the self-proclaimed nature lover. “We loved being on the water, but the Mississippi was a bit big for us.  We aren’t big boat people. We’re the type to spend our weekends kayaking or sitting along the beaches.”

It was last November when the couple found their perfect spot to settle on their weekends away from home during the camping season.

“It was perfect for us,” Colleen beamed as she remembered her first view of the long standing area campground.  

“And, as it turned out, it was actually for sale,” she continued with a laugh.  “Dwight and I had never really discussed running a campground before, but as soon as this opportunity fell into our laps, we knew it was an opportunity just made for us!”