News

Wed
28
Nov

Over $31K raised for Grandstand Project

 

The Fayette County Fair Board was on hand Sunday for a freewill-donation breakfast at the Fayette County Fairgrounds and announced that Scott Braun of Waterloo was the winner of a 2018 Ferris IS2100Z Mower. The event raised over $31,000 for the Fayette County Fairgrounds Grandstand Renovation Project. Members of the Fair Board include (front, l-r) Eric Alber, Matt Egan, Justin Steinlage (sitting), Mike Darnall, Shawn Alber; (back) Jerem White, Don Baumler (Baumler Implements), Jason Decker, Kevin Converse, Keith Koch, Mark Baumler (Baumler Implements), Brian Boess, Andy Bilden, and Kaitlyn Lehs. (Zakary Kriener photo)

 

Over $31K raised for Grandstand Project

 

 

Zakary Kriener

News Writer
zkriener@fayettepublishing.com

 

 

 

A freewill-donation breakfast, sponsored by the Fayette County Fair Board, was held Sunday at the Fayette County Fairgrounds in West Union to raise money for the Grandstand Renovation Project. 

Over 640 individuals were served at the meal, which raised over $5,400 for the project in freewill-donations and an additional $1,600 from silent auction items.

Wed
14
Nov

'Magic of Christmas' begins Nov. 30

 

'Magic of Christmas' begins Nov. 30

 

 

The 2018 DeSales “Magic of Christmas” is being planned for Friday, Nov. 30, through Sunday, Dec. 2, at Silver Springs Golf and Country Club. If you have attended the “Magic of Christmas” in the past, you know what a remarkable event this is for the entire Ossian community. 

The schedule of events for the yearly event includes an opening gala and hors d’oeuvres buffet from 6 until 8 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 30. Trees, tables, collections, and winetasting will also be part of the festivities.

On Saturday, Dec. 1, home tours will be held from 10 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. Trees, tables, and collections will be on display from 10 a.m. until 4:30 p.m., and a soup, salad, and dessert luncheon will be offered between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.

The final day of “Magic of Christmas” will be Sunday, Dec. 2, and will include coffee and rolls among the trees from 8:30 a.m. until 11:30 a.m. Trees, tables, and collections will be on display from 8:30 a.m. until 3 p.m., and home tours will be offered from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Wed
14
Nov

6-year-old shatters fund-raising goal in cousin's memory

 

Keegan Klemp sits on the couch of his Clermont home, surrounded by keepsakes of the cousin he loved so dearly.  The quilt just over his left shoulder is made out of pieces of Emylee’s clothes, providing a way to keep her close by, even though she is no longer with him.  This past year, Keegan raised over $1,000 in his cousin’s memory for the Walk Like MADD event in Springfield, Mo.   

 

6-year-old shatters fundraising goal in cousin's memory

 

 

By Meagan Molseed
mmolseed@thefayettecountyunion.com

 

 

 

It was early Thanksgiving morning in 2017.  Summer Klemp was awakened by a phone call.  It was her sister calling to give the family some devastating news.

“I remember that I knew something was wrong; it was too early in the morning for a phone call,” Klemp said softly.  “My sister told me my niece, Emylee, had been in an accident, and she didn’t make it.” 

Not much else in the next few hours is very clear to the Clermont mother as she worked to process the devastating news.

Wed
14
Nov

New Hawkeye Public Works director

 

The City of Hawkeye’s new Public Works director is lifelong Fayette County resident Darren Schultz. He will begin his duties for the City on Monday. (Zakary Kriener photo)

 

New Hawkeye Public Works director

 

 

Zakary Kriener

News Writer
zkriener@fayettepublishing.com

 

 

 

The City of Hawkeye has officially announced the hiring its new city Public Works director, Darren Schultz.

The 32-year-old Schultz, a 2004 graduate of North Fayette High School, is a lifelong resident of Fayette County. Currently residing in Hawkeye, he carries over eight years of experience in the mechanic field.

“I’m looking forward to being able to do more for the community of Hawkeye,” said Schultz, who is also a volunteer for the Hawkeye Fire Department. “It will be nice to work in the community that I live in and to be able to give back to the people of the city.”

Schultz is set to begin his official duties on Monday, Nov. 19. He will replace former Public Works director Jon Fels, who held the position for six years.

Wed
14
Nov

Fayette Co. Food Shelf needs to raise the roof again

 

Phase III of the Fayette County Food Shelf Building Project in Fayette has begun. The walls have been erected, and the project is awaiting the raising of the rafters. The new area will be used for receiving and sorting donations, and  half of the addition provide a larger shopping area.  (photo by Vicki Rowland)

 

 

Fayette Co. Food Shelf needs to raise the roof again

 

 

Vicki Rowland
Contributing Writer

 

Phase III of the Fayette County Food Shelf Building Project in Fayette is underway.  A 36’ by 100’ building addition already has erected walls and is awaiting the raising of the rafters.  The project is necessary because more room is needed to fulfill the goal of the Food Shelf becoming more self-sufficient as it provides support to the residents of Fayette County.

The Fayette County Food Shelf (FCFS) building plans call for a much larger area to receive donated items.  Currently there is a small shed where donated items are left, which manager Karen Martin said can be filled to overflowing in just one night. 

“We are very thankful for the support and for the people who are very generous with their donations,” said Martin. “Sometimes they can give us their good, quality used items when they don’t have cash to contribute.  We will use part of the new building space to sort donated items for our Thrift Store. The money brought in from the Thrift Store sales is used to purchase and provide food and a ‘helping hand up’ for those in need in Fayette County.”  

Wed
14
Nov

Euphoria Coffee brings an aromatic addition to WU

 

After starting to roast their own coffee at home earlier this year and selling their product at various places throughout the area, Nick and Jacey Yost have now decided to open their own coffee place, Euphoria Coffee, in West Union. (photo by Megan Molseed)

 

Euphoria Coffee brings an aromatic addition to WU

 

 

By Meagan Molseed
mmolseed@thefayettecountyunion.com

 

 

“This whole thing is really a community-driven adventure,” said Nick Yost of the coffee shop he and wife Jacey will be opening in West Union later this week.  

“It was always kind of in the back of our minds that we would do this someday, and everything came together in a way that we thought to ourselves, ‘Why not now?’”

Nick, who developed an interest in coffees about 10 years ago, began roasting his own special brew at home last year.  

“I’ve always really been interested in coffee and the brewing process.   I enjoyed making a fresh cup for people when they would visit,” he explained.  

“A lot of what makes a good cup of coffee is in the brewing process, but the roasting part plays a big role in it all, too,” continued the young entrepreneur.  “I decided to try to do the whole process myself, from the roasting to the brewing.” 

Wed
07
Nov

Veterans Day programs at South Winn

Veterans Day programs at South Winn

 

 

 

South Winneshiek will host two honorary Veteran’s Day programs on Monday, Nov. 12.

The first program will be held at 10:30 a.m. at the high school gymnasium in Calmar. Veterans are also invited to attend a gathering for coffee and rolls beginning at 9:30 a.m. in the high school cafeteria. The program will feature readings by members of the South Winn student government, music by the choir and band, and an introduction of veterans.

The second program will be held at the South Winneshiek Elementary/Middle School gym ay 1 p.m.

 
Wed
07
Nov

Family, teammates help keep diabetes in check

 

South Winn quarterback Jacob Herold (4) passed for a school-record 2,121 yards and 23 touchdowns in his 2018 sophomore season. While the athlete unquestionably works hard to produce results on the field, he also works hard off the field and on the sideline to manage his Type 1 diabetes. Throughout every game, with the help of trainer Heather Lange (right), Herold checks his blood sugar after every quarter in order to stay healthy on the field and perform to the best of his capability. (Zakary Kriener photo)

 

Family, teammates help keep diabetes in check

 

 

Zakary Kriener

News Writer
zkriener@fayettepublishing.com

 

 

 

During the 2018 South Winneshiek football season, sophomore quarterback Jacob Herold passed for a school-record 2,121 yards and 23 touchdowns. While those numbers rank amongst the top in the entire state, the young athlete has had to game-plan for more than just the 11 defensive players on the field against him.

“I was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes when I was in first grade,” said the 15-year-old Herold. “It was definitely not something me or my family expected, but we were more than ready to deal with it.”

The reason that Herold and his family were so quick to react to his initial symptoms and prepared to treat the disease, which affects approximately 1.25 American children and adults, is because Jacob’s older brother, Mitch, also has Type 1 diabetes.

“When Mitch was diagnosed five years before Jacob, the doctors told us that the chances of Jacob having diabetes were very slim,” noted their mother, Wendy Mihm-Herold. “They told us (her and husband Alvin) that the odds were comparable to winning the lottery, so we never really worried about it.”

Despite the small chances, the Herold family knew exactly what to do when Jacob started showing symptoms of the disease in 2010.

Wed
07
Nov

Cummings named Eagle Scout

 

 

From start to finish, it took Clermont’s newest Eagle Scout, Hunter Cummings, about a year and a half to complete his project, which was to raise funds for, purchase and install a digital billboard outside the Clermont Opera House to advertise community events.  

 

Cummings named Eagle Scout

 

 

By Meagan Molseed
mmolseed@thefayettecountyunion.com

 

 

 

The town of Clermont is just a little bit brighter and lots more colorful, thanks to Eagle Scout Hunter Cummings.  

“I always knew I wanted my Eagle Scout project to be something that would make a difference for the community,” explained the high school sophomore.  “It was important to me that the project be something many people could benefit from.” 

After countless hours of research and discussion with a variety of community members, Clermont City Council members, and City officials regarding possible project ideas, Cummings came up with the perfect Eagle Scout project: installing a digital billboard sign outside the Clermont Opera House to promote community activities.

“It’s a venue that is used for a wide variety of events, and up until now, all we had was a roll-away sign with block letters for advertisement,” he explained.  “A local church had recently added a digital sign to their building, and it seemed to be working well.  I thought, ‘why not create something like that for the Opera House?’” 

Wed
07
Nov

Starmont students represent Iowa in National Christmas Tree display

 

Students in Starmont Middle School’s STEM Excellence in Leadership Program created 24 Christmas tree ornaments that will hang on smaller Christmas trees around the National Christmas Tree in President’s Park in Washington, D.C. Starmont was one of 56 schools to be selected for the honor of creating ornaments that represent their states and territories. Students who participated include (front, l-r) Nicholas Corbin, Tristen Kruger, Abigail Krogman, Wendy Opperman, Ian Otdoerfer, and Carter Schnell; (back) Marlie Hettinger, Kaitlyn Heidt, Olivia Henry, Nicholas Willfong, Alyssa Kleinlein, Benton Parkin, Hannah Cantwell, and art teacher Kathleen Sweet. Not pictured are Katie Meade and Aleaya Cornwell. (Chris DeBack photo)

 

Starmont students represent Iowa in National Christmas Tree display

 

 

By Chris Deback
cdeback@thefayettecountyunion.com

 

 

 

 

While many of us want to hold off winter for as long as possible, students in the STEM Excellence in Leadership Program at Starmont Middle School have been getting in the Christmas spirit as they make Christmas tree ornaments that will accompany the National Christmas Tree in President’s Park in Washington, D.C.

Starmont is one of 56 schools across the country, and the only school in Iowa, that is creating these handcrafted ornaments that will hang on 56 smaller Christmas trees surrounding the National Christmas Tree. The 56 trees represent each U.S. state and territory plus Washington, D.C., as part of the “America Celebrates” display. 

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