News

Wed
20
Jun

Ihde to be crowned Miss West Union

Karlee Ihde

 

Ihde to be crowned Miss West Union

 

 

By Chris Deback
cdeback@thefayettecountyunion.com

 

 

 

 

Karlee Ihde, 17-year-old daughter of Michael and Amy Ihde, is the sole candidate for 2018 Miss West Union.

Sponsored by McJ’s Embroidery, she will be crowned at 7 p.m. at the West Union Fourth of July Celebration on Wednesday, July 4, at the West Union Recreation Complex. 

Wed
20
Jun

Catering enterprise leads to new dining station

 

Antoine “Twan” Jenkins, chef and owner of BLACCGHST (Black Ghost) BBQ and West Union’s newest restaurant, The Station, on Highway 150 South prepares some meats seasoned with his own BLACCGHST seasonings and rubs.  The one-of-a-kind spice blends will be sold at the new restaurant, which is slated to open July 4. 

 

Catering enterprise leads to new dining station

 

 

By Meagan Molseed
mmolseed@thefayettecountyunion.com

 

 

 

It started as a hobby, cooking and grilling for friends during warm summer nights.  But soon Antoine “Twan” Jenkins, chef and owner of BLACCGHST (Black Ghost) BBQ and West Union’s newest restaurant, The Station which is located on Highway 150 South in West Union, realized he had found his calling in doing what he loves.

“I had always loved cooking, and experimenting with flavors and recipes,” the Cedar Rapids native explained.  “I developed my own seasonings years ago when I was just cooking for myself or my friends. People seemed to like what I came up with!”

Always on call to grill up his specialty brisket and smoked barbeque for friends and family at backyard barbeques or birthday parties, Jenkins knew he enjoyed cooking, but it wasn’t until a few years ago that it even occurred to him to make it into a business.

Wed
20
Jun

FCBOA revokes wind turbine building permits

 

Three wind turbines located a half-mile east of Fairbank will have to be taken down after the Fayette County Board of Adjustment revoked the turbines’ building permits. Based on a ruling by District Court Judge John Bauercamper, Optimum Renewables, the owner of the wind turbines, has to stop wind-generation operations by the end of June and has 180 days to find a contractor and take down the turbines at its own expense. Each turbine is estimated to cost $150,000 to take down. Submitted Photo

 

FCBOA revokes wind turbine building permits

 

 

By Chris Deback
cdeback@thefayettecountyunion.com

 

 

 

 

The Fayette County Board of Adjustments (BOA) voted not to grant a variance and to revoke building permits for three wind turbines owned by Optimum Renewables, LLC in Fairbank.

This saga began in 2015 when Fayette County zoning officials granted Optimum Renewables building permits to build three new wind turbines within a half-mile of a subdivision on the east side of Fairbank. 

The issue centers around a 1973 Fayette County zoning ordinance, which didn’t feature specific language to govern modern-day wind turbines. Optimum Renewables was issued an allowable-use permit because Jim Burns of Decorah, an attorney Fayette County uses for zoning issues, agreed that the parameters of the project fell in line with the County’s rules and regulations for electric power transmission. He further agreed that the project didn’t require a special-use permit issued by the Board of Adjustment. 

Several Fairbank residents argued during a Nov. 2, 2015, Fayette County Supervisors meeting that it isn’t transmission because the source comes from a ind turbine and that the attorney interpreted the zoning issue parameters incorrectly. They sued Fayette County and the wind turbine developer. 

Optimum Renewables was allowed to continue with construction of the wind turbines despite pending litigation because its attorneys understood the risk. The three turbines were built for approximately $11 million. 

Wed
13
Jun

Breakfast on the Farm June23

Annalise Bullerman of Calmar was one of many young children to join in on the fun and games at Breakfast on the Farm last year at Iowa’s Dairy Center in Calmar. This year’s breakfast will be served from 8:30 a.m. to noon Saturday, June 23. (Zakary Kriener photo)

 

Breakast on the Farm June 23

 

 

 

 

 

Join the Northeast Iowa Dairy Foundation for the Ninth Annual Breakfast on the Farm from 8:30 a.m. to noon Saturday, June 23, at Iowa's Dairy Center in Calmar. 

A great, wholesome breakfast will be served and guided tram tours of the nationally recognized Dairy Center will be provided. The kids will enjoy the chance to meet some calves, plus families can visit several educational exhibits, milk a cow and see robots milk cows. Come see how Iowa's Dairy Center is growing!

Wed
13
Jun

June 5 primary results

June 5 primary results

 

by Chris DeBack and Zakary Kriener

 

 

 

Iowans headed to the polls on Tuesday, June 5, to determine whom they wanted to represent their political party in the upcoming midterm election on Nov. 6.

According to Paul Pate, Iowa secretary of state, of the 2,178,706 registered voters in the state of Iowa, 285,679 voted in the primary. It was the third-highest in Iowa’s history behind the 303,565 who voted in 2002 and 302,950 who voted in 2010. In Winneshiek County, only 1,538 (11.23 percent) of the 13,701 registered voters cast a ballot.

Other than the Republican nominee for the secretary of agriculture, the field has been set for the local, state, and federal elections.

Local

For the Winneshiek County Supervisors, which featured three unopposed races, the Democratic party will be represented by John Beard (299 votes) in District 1 and Melissa O’Rourke (346 votes) in District 2. The Republican party will be represented by Floyd Ashbacher (76 votes) in District 2 and will have no challengers in District 1.

There were no Democrats on the ballot for the County Treasurer, Recorder, and Attorney positions. Wayne Walter received 309 votes to win the Treasurer position for the Republicans, while fellow party representatives Connie Askelson-Kuennen (304 votes) earned the Recorder nomination, and Andrew Van Der Maaten (303 votes) earned the Attorney nomination.

Wed
13
Jun

Field narrowed to four for Clayton County Supervisor

Field narrowed to four for Clayton County Supervisor

 

 

By Chris Deback
cdeback@thefayettecountyunion.com

 

 

 

 

The field for Clayton County Supervisors has been narrowed to four.

On Tuesday, June 5, the residents in the Republican and Democratic parties choose whom they wanted to represent them in all races during the upcoming mid-term election on Nov. 6. Of the 12,055 registered voters in the county, only 12.42 percent (1,497) voted. 

Wed
13
Jun

Memories of a rockin' good time in Wadena

 

Thousands of “hippies” invaded the small community of Wadena in the summer of 1970 to participate in the now-legendary Rock Fest. Here, the crowd rocks out to one of the many big-name bands to perform at the event that put Wadena on the map. (Union file photo)

 

Memories of a rockin' good time in Wadena

 

 

Vicki Rowland

Contributing Writer

 

 

What do you do when your quiet village of fewer than 300 inhabitants is about to be invaded by thousands of people who are so culturally different from you that you fear them? Do you send your family to a safe place and buy a gun? Or do you engage with the visitors?

Forty-eight years ago this summer, the people of Wadena suddenly learned that up to a hundred thousand “hippies” would be coming to a hill just outside of town for an ultimate music festival, a Rock Fest that would feature the top music stars and groups of the time. 

This event would be another Woodstock, a music festival held the year before in New York State that attracted 400,000 people. Organizers had hoped to recreate that famous rock festival in Galena, Ill., but the fear of drugs and pressure from the community led to an injunction against the Illinois plans.

So buyers with a certified check, which is legal tender and seals the deal, were dispatched to the beautiful hills of northeast Iowa to find a location. They said they were looking for a “horse farm,” and so unsuspecting owners “Curly” and Wilma Schmitt sold their farm just outside Wadena to them.  

Wed
13
Jun

Gordon, Kelly honored as Maynard Days grand marshals

 

Gordon Kelly and Julie Gordon (l-r) are “Maynard Strong,” and for that, they have been named grand marshals of the Maynard Days parade on Saturday, June 23.  Chris DeBack photo

 

Gordon, Kelly honored as Maynard Days grand marshals

 

 

By Chris Deback
cdeback@thefayettecountyunion.com

 

 

The theme for Maynard Days is “Maynard Strong” as the town recognizes the 50th Anniversary of the devastating F-5 tornado that ripped through the town on May 15, 1968. 

To commemorate the 50th anniversary of the event, Julie Gordon and Gordon Kelly, who were both impacted by the tornado, will be honored as grand marshals for the Maynard Days parade on Saturday, June 23. 

Wed
13
Jun

Dolf, Tellin to square off with O'Brien, Stanbrough in November

Dolf, Tellin to square off with O'Brien, Stanbrough in November

 

 

By Chris Deback
cdeback@thefayettecountyunion.com

 

 

 

 

Iowans headed to the polls on Tuesday, June 5, to determine whom they wanted to represent their political party in the upcoming midterm elections on Nov. 6.

According to Paul Pate, Iowa secretary of state, of the 2,178,706 registered voters in the state of Iowa, 285,679 voted in the primary. It was the third-highest in Iowa’s history behind the 303,656 who voted in the 2002 primary and 302,950 who voted in the 2010 primary. In Fayette County only 1,571 (12.97 percent) of the 12,108 registered voters cast a ballot. 

Other than the Republican nominee for the secretary of agriculture, the field has been set for the local, state, and federal elections. 

Wed
13
Jun

'Las Vegas Comes to Hawkeye'

'Las Vegas Comes to Hawkeye'

 

 

By Chris Deback
cdeback@thefayettecountyunion.com

 

 

 

Time to get your glitz on! “Las Vegas Comes to Hawkeye” for the 39th Annual Hawkeye Fun Days on Friday and Saturday, June 16-17, in Hawkeye. 

The celebration kicks off with the annual Softball Tournament at 6 p.m. Friday evening and will continue at 8 a.m. the following day. 

The Sixth Annual Run/Walk 5K will start at 6:30 p.m. Friday with race-day registration starting at 4:30 p.m. at the Hawkeye Community Hall. Participants are encouraged to dress in their best Vegas apparel for the costume contest. 

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