Ossian election approaching

Tuesday, Nov. 3, is nationwide election day. This year, with a vacant mayoral position and three vacant city council positions, it is more important than ever to get out and vote. Although there will only be two names on the ballot for Ossian voters to choose for the three council seats and no names listed for mayor, several community members have stepped forward to announce that they would accept the positions if chosen by write-in.

Polls will be open from noon to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 3, at the Ossian Community Center, next to the public library.

Logan Humpal, a freshman at South Winneshiek High School, types on his Braille typewriter in his Spillville home. The 16-year-old, who was born blind and with autism, will be a member of the Warrior wrestling team this winter. He shares a love of sports, having also participated in the Special Olympics, as well as the fine arts as a member of the South Winn band, musical and choir. (Zakary Kriener photo)

'Don't stop believin'

Zakary Kriener

News Writer
zkriener@fayettepublishing.com

Kicker – Local teen won’t let anything stand in his way

‘Don’t stop believin’

By Zakary Kriener

Logan Humpal, a 16-year-old from Spillville, is destined to accomplish big things. The high school freshman plays percussion in the South Winneshiek marching band, will play the role of Harvard Law student Padamadan in the upcoming Legally Blonde musical at South Winn, and will be going out for the Warrior wrestling team this winter. Those may seem like some pretty common activities for a high school student, and they are, but what makes Logan’s story so much more special is that he is blind.

That’s right, Logan is completely blind. However, that doesn’t stop the young boy from setting his goals high and accomplishing them.

“Logan was born at 24 weeks, three months premature,” explained his mom, Dawn Backes. “He has had dozens of surgeries over the years, but he doesn’t let that slow him down one bit.”

Fayette County Conservation Director Rod Marlatt indicates where the bike trail will be extended east of Elgin at the Elgin City Council meeting on Monday, Oct. 19. The project will include a bridge across the river and the trail will be extended to the Clayton County line. (Brian Smith photo)

Trail project progress presented to council

Brian Smith
Contributing Writer
bsmith@fayettepublishing.com

Fayette County Conservation Director Rod Marlatt was in attendance at Monday night’s Elgin City Council meeting to announce that bike trail will be expanded east from Elgin. Marlatt presented a map showing the route which the trail will take from Elgin to the Clayton County line.

           “The entire project is estimated at $1,136,000 and Elgin received a grant for $750,000 to help fund the project. There were 43 applicants across the state of Iowa that applied, so it is pretty exciting that our town was chosen,” noted Marlatt.

Layne Schneider, a 2009 graduate of Valley High School, was 22 years old when he died. He enjoyed hunting, fishing, snowmobiling, camping, farming, and spending time at the river. (Submitted photo)

Holding on and looking for answers

Brian Smith
Contributing Writer
bsmith@fayettepublishing.com

            Keeping the memory of a loved one alive after he or she is gone is not a task that anyone wishes to have, but one that becomes a labor of love to family and friends who are left behind.

So it is with those who knew and loved Layne Schneider of Elgin. It has been more than two years since Schneider was identified as the man found dead in a burning pickup near the intersection of Echo Road and 180^th Street northwest of Wadena. Time has passed, but Layne’s memory has not.

Sheriff's office to put on Chase Benefit

By Chris Deback
cdeback@thefayettecountyunion.com

The Fayette County Sheriff’s Office and friends of the Aeschilman family will host a benefit for Chase Aeschilman starting at 11 a.m. Sunday, Oct. 25 at Echo Valley Banquet and Reception Center on Hwy. 18 East of West Union.

The benefit kicks off with a freewill donation meal that will include a BBQ pork sandwich, beans, chips, cookies and a drink and a silent auction. Chase will be making a guest appearance while he is home for the weekend.

The North Fayette Valley Community Coalition (NFVCC) presented its vision for a youth center to the Valley school board Monday evening in Elgin. It is the goal of shared superintendent Duane Wilhite and NFVCC representatives to build the structure on the middle school site in Elgin. (Submitted photo)

Board mulls NFVCC center, early retirement

By Zakary Kriener

The Valley school board met Monday evening in Elgin for its regular school board meeting.

Representatives Allan Knox and Stacie Schroeder from the newly formed North Fayette Valley Community Coalition (NFVCC) were on hand to discuss the proposal of new housing for the organization that has been in the works.

Knox and Schroeder, in agreement with Wilhite, believe that it is a big benefit to have the center located near the middle school building in Elgin.

Smith could be new face of Ward 3

By Chris Deback
cdeback@thefayettecountyunion.com

Unless a candidate comes out of left field through a write-in, the West Union city government won’t change much after the Nov. 3 election. The one exception will be Catherine Bemiss stepping away after she decided not to seek reelection as an at-large councilperson.

Class of 1965 'planting trees' for the future

Janell Bradley

Contributing Writer

Five years ago at its 45-year reunion, the North High School Class of 1965 began a challenge when classmate Dennis Russler got an idea.

“Before our 45^th reunion, I thought about saving all my change to benefit future students,” related the local grad now living in Prior Lake, Minn. “I gave everyone there a quart jar with a coin slot in the top and asked them to put their change into the jar until the next reunion in five years.”

In the subsequent years, Russler sent out an annual Christmas letter wishing his classmates happy holidays and reminding them to collect loose change in their jars.

The new Fayette County Fair Board (front row, l-r) Justin Steinlage, Mike Darnall, Chelsey Matthias, Ryan Sparrgrove and Travis Scholbrock; (back) Jim Granger, Jason Decker, Randy Roberts, Brian Boess, Kevin Converse, Mark Putney and Jon Francis. 

New Fair Board members elected

By Chris Deback
cdeback@thefayettecountyunion.com

During the Fayette County Agricultural Society’s (Fair Board) annual meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 13, the Society voted to overturn the Fair Board's decision to expel Jim Granger and reinstated him as a full member of the board.

Both Fair Board president Ryan Sparrgrove and Jim Granger took time to read individual statements. In Granger’s statement, he admitted to forging the signature of Brian Boess on a check made to Gus and Tony’s Town House Cafe in order to pay for a meal for Dale Merriam and his wife of Merriams Midway Shows.

The biggest question was the board's right to expel Granger in the first place. Jeff Miller, a former Fair Board member for 14 years, specifically asked Sparrgrove whether or not the bylaws stated that such power was granted to the board. Sparrgrove answered no. Miller then asked if the bylaws state that the Fair Board is to specifically follow Robert's Rules of Order, which is what the board thought gave it the authority to dismiss Granger. Sparrgrove again answered no.