News

Wed
13
Mar

South Winn school board meeting

South Winn school board meeting

 

 

Zakary Kriener

News Writer
zkriener@fayettepublishing.com

 

 

 

The South Winneshiek school board meeting was held Monday evening in Calmar as over 25 guests attended the monthly gathering.

The meeting began with a visitor comment, which can be read in its entirety at the conclusion of the article, from former community member and former board member Jennifer Johnson. The comments generated a round of applause and strong emotion from those in attendance, including the school board, administration, teachers, and staff.

Also on the agenda, the council discussed options to help make up missed school time due to an uncharacteristically brutal winter.

Wed
13
Mar

Grooming enjoyment

 

The Trails Unlimited groomer, which consists of a Prinoth Trooper that pulls a Maxey drag, covers approximately 150 miles of trails through Winneshiek and Fayette counties. The groomer helps make trails more suitable and more enjoyable for all riders. (Zakary Kriener photo)

 

Grooming enjoyment

 

 

Zakary Kriener

News Writer
zkriener@fayettepublishing.com

 

 

 

Its no secret that snowmobiling is one of the most popular pastimes for many throughout the Midwest. Each year, thousands of Iowa riders take to the ditches and trails on their sleds to enjoy the snow, but for many, the process that goes into providing those trails and keeping them in top condition is one that often goes overlooked. That’s where snowmobile clubs like southern Winneshiek and northern Fayette’s Trails Unlimited comes into play.

“Without the club, there are no trails,” said Bud Winter, president of Trails Unlimited. “The only place you can legally ride a snowmobile in Iowa without permission is in the road ditch, so the clubs have an important role of designating and maintaining these trails.”

Wed
13
Mar

Notice

 

 
 
Due to rapidly melting snows and forecasted rains, Fayette County Secondary Roads Department is requesting that heavy equipment and large vehicles avoid gravel roads until conditions improve. Drivers of all vehicles should use extreme caution when on gravel roads as conditions are rapidly deteriorating, making travel hazardous in many areas.
 

 

Wed
13
Mar

Water main break in Clermont

 

On Tuesday, March 5, the City of Clermont notified its residents that it had a water main break at the corner of Spring and Carlton streets. The city, with help from West Union Trenching, spent the next  day trying to break through the frost in the ground to get access to the leak. By midday on Thursday, March 7, the city had fixed the leak and turned the water back on. No boil advisory was issued and the large hole that was dug to find the leak has been filled in.  (Zak Kriener photo)

 

Water main break in Clermont

 
Wed
13
Mar

Creating warm memories with Grandma Gibbs

 

Cindy Gibbs (center) was looking for ways to keep her dairy calves warm during this particularly harsh winter. After looking at purchasing some calf coats, the talented seamstress decided to make her own. This plan soon led to a valuable bonding experience with some of her 15 grandchildren as they worked together to design their own personalized calf coats with Grandma Gibbs. Some of the ‘designers’ are (back, l-r) Ian, Mariesa, Isaiah, Ethan and Kendra.  

 

Creating warm memories with Grandma Gibbs

 

By Meagan Molseed
mmolseed@thefayettecountyunion.com

 

 

It has been a particularly harsh winter for all, with record-breaking snowfalls and temperatures plunging to well below zero throughout the Midwest.   

While it is a struggle to get through the intensity of the winter, we can hunker down in our homes to try and keep as warm as possible.  This is not so true for thousands of cattle throughout the countryside.  

Wed
13
Mar

Cummings faces rare kidney diagnosis

 

Amy Cummings had never suffered from kidney issues prior to being diagnosed with the chromophobe renal cell carcinoma that resulted in a tumor the size of a football growing on her kidney.  Her team of urologists decided to remove the kidney entirely, a scary process for the young mother, but one made easier with the support of her two sons, Hunter and Reed and husband Tim.  Pictured (l-r) Hunter Cummings, Amy Cummings, Tim Cummings and Reed Cummings.  

 

Cummings faces rare kidney diagnosis

 

 

 

By Meagan Molseed
mmolseed@thefayettecountyunion.com

 

 

 

“It’s a really scary thing to think of that something like this could be happening in your body and you don’t even know it,” Amy Cummings said quietly recalling the moment she was diagnosed with a rare kidney tumor last year.  “Something like this is so life-changing, scary to think about all of the other ‘if’s’ that could have happened.” 

There were few symptoms for the Clermont woman prior to her diagnosis, and that, said Cummings, was one of the scariest parts of the entire process.

“I generally felt okay,” said Cummings of the months and weeks leading up to her life-altering health issues that would ultimately lead to the removal of a kidney.  “I kept up with my regular doctor visits each year and there was really nothing consistent to cause alarm.” 

Wed
13
Mar

Magnuson joins exclusive club as a female firefighter in Fayette

 

Linnie Magnuson is the newest member of the Fayette Fire Department. She was approved at the last Fayette City Council meeting on Monday, March 4.  (Chris DeBack photo)

 

Magnuson joins exclusive club as a female firefighter in Fayette

 

 

By Chris Deback
cdeback@thefayettecountyunion.com

 

 

 

 

The newest member of the Fayette Fire Department is Linnie Magnuson. 

Magnuson is a native of southern Missouri, who moved to Waterloo with her mother when she was 15. She graduated from Waterloo’s East High School in 2005 before attending Hawkeye Community College.

After college, she moved back to Missouri for a couple of years before returning to Iowa. She met her husband, Kane, and the couple decided to start a painting business called Inside and Out Painting in Fayette. 

“We chose Fayette because it is a great, quiet, clean place to raise a family that’s in a good school district,” Magnuson explained. 

Wed
13
Mar

You're never too old to have a slumber party

 

During their trip to Florida, graduates from the North High Class of 1972 enjoyed eating out at several different restaurants that offered fresh seafood. Enjoying some Cuban cuisine one afternoon were (l-r) Robin (Schatz) Solheim, Wendy (Rodenkirk) Miller, Leanne (Jensen) Berns, Mary Jo (Walters) Fowke, Nancy (Woodard) Marker, Kathy (Ewing) Boekhoff, Diane (Heins) Munns, Ronda (Rowland) Robinson, and Karen (Cline) Rose. Submitted photos

 

You're never too old to have a slumber party

 

By Chris Deback
cdeback@thefayettecountyunion.com

 

 

 

 

You’re never too old to have a slumber party. 

That’s the mantra women in the North High Class of 1972 took five years ago when they started a weekend get away at Moonlight Stitching Studio & Sisters Retreat in West Union. The party, which was just for women in the class of 1972, was so successful the first year it became an annual event with 12 to 14 women attending each year. The retreat also featured a luncheon with parents, family members, and others.

“I think everyone was nervous that first year not knowing what to expect,” said Leanne Berns, who’s a member of the North High Class of 1972. “I didn’t stay overnight because I lived in town, but the other girls spent half the night up talking like they were having a slumber party back in high school. It was just a get together where we all got to know each other again.”

While the women had enjoyed gathering at Moonlight Stitching in West Union, it was suggested at the 2018 retreat that they should get out of the cold of Iowa and visit some of their classmates in Florida sun. Thus planning began on Turtle Time 2019, the name the women came up with for the trip. 

Wed
13
Mar

What treasures could be hiding in your attic?

 

Justin Scott (right) of Denver donated a number of items to the Fayette County Historical Society including an 108-year-old address book that belonged to Pearl Paige of West Union. Phyllis Holmstrom accepts the donation on behalf of the historical society and is holding a book that featured old pictures of Upper Iowa University.  (Chris DeBack photo)

 

What treasures could be hiding in your attic?

 

 

By Chris Deback
cdeback@thefayettecountyunion.com

The Fayette County Historical Society received a donation of local significance on Wednesday, March 13, from Justin Scott of Denver. 

 

Scott donated an address book that belonged to former West Union resident Pearl Paige, that dated back to the early 1900s. Along with the address book were a number of family pictures that belonged to her late son Fred Pettlon of Manchester and an old flipbook that showcased pictures of Upper Iowa University. 

Scott came into possession of these items in 2015 when his sister called him after discovering a number of items that were being thrown away along the side of the road in Manchester. Scott, a history buff, was intrigued and had his sister pick up the boxes of items so that he could go through them.

Wed
06
Mar

Winter fire hydrant etiquette . . . keep them clear!

 

Denis Holien, Ossian Fire Department chief, stands near one of the many fire hydrants that are cleared of snow in town. Holien stated that it is important for property owners who have a hydrant on their land to make sure that they are cleared of snow so that fire fighters can access them more easily in the event of an emergency. (Zakary Kriener photo)

 

Winter fire hydrant etiquette . . . keep them clear!

 

 

Zakary Kriener

News Writer
zkriener@fayettepublishing.com

 

 

 

The year has gotten off to a furious start in terms of snow totals. With record amounts of snowfall hitting much of the Midwest, it is now more important than ever to make sure that the area surrounding fire hydrants is properly cleared out and accessible for emergency response personnel.

“In the event of an emergency, we simply can’t be wasting time trying to shovel out a fire hydrant,” said Ossian Fire Chief Denis Holien. “Those valuable minutes can better be spent hooking up hoses and responding to a fire. In emergency situations, every second matters.”

Holien went on to say that this winter has been one of the worst that he can recall over the past several decades, he has been impressed by the public’s response in making sure that their hydrants are accessible.

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