Upper Iowa University graduate Paul Lamar Hunter appeared on the national television show “Face the Truth” with Vivica A. Fox on Friday, Feb. 15, to talk about his story of being the 19th of 21 children birthed by his mother. He was the first person in his family to graduate college.

UIU graduate 'Face the Truth' with Vivica A. Fox

By Chris Deback
cdeback@thefayettecountyunion.com

A former Upper Iowa University graduate appeared on “Face the Truth” with Vivica A. Fox on Friday, Feb. 15. 

Paul Lamar Hunter, a 2012 UIU graduate, was on the national television talk show that is produced by Dr. Phil McGraw. The shows website says that, “Fox and a team of experts solve problems and sort fact from fiction” on the show. 

After graduating from UIU, Hunter wrote a book about his success in life despite growing up poor in the inner-city of Racine, Wis. He was the 19th of 21 children birthed by his mother, Louise Hunter, and was the first person in his family to graduate from college. The book is entitled, “No Love, No Charity: the Success Story of the 19th Child.”

Fayette Sweets Café is now open in the former Pavo Blue location in downtown Fayette. Owner and pastry chef Kristy Donovan is looking forward to bringing her slogan “Paris vacation, Iowa prices” to life in Fayette with her many different pastry and café drink choices.  Chris DeBack photo

Fayette Sweets offers tasty treats

By Chris Deback
cdeback@thefayettecountyunion.com

“Paris vacation, Iowa prices.” 

That’s what you’ll get when you visit the newly open Fayette Sweets Café in the former Pavo Blue building in downtown Fayette. Owner Kristy Donovan is baking all sorts of sweet and savory treats that will fool your taste buds into thinking you're actually in Paris. She also has a host of coffee and tea drinks available.

“It’s a completely from scratch bakery,” Donovan said. “All the syrups in our coffee, the graham crackers in our cheesecakes; everything is made from scratch with the highest-quality ingredients available to me. I do things the slow food way. Everything takes time.”

 On any given day you might find someone in Jessica Sadler’s family bowling at Lilac Lanes in West Union. With nine bowlers spanning four generations in the family, bowling has become a fun family tradition for (front, l-r) Jennifer Everitt, Katelynn Sadler, and Thomas Sadler; (back) Joyce White, William Sadler, Neil Lansing, Jessica Sadler, Julie Lansing, and Bob Sadler (not pictured).  

It's all in the family — Bowling that is!

By Chris Deback
cdeback@thefayettecountyunion.com

Bowling is a family tradition in Jessica Sadler’s family with nine bowlers spanning four generations able to hit the lanes on any given night in West Union. 

In 1960, the family tradition got started in Fort Dodge with Sadler’s grandmother, Joyce White, joining a league shortly after moving to town. 

“One of the gals I worked with needed a bowler, and she asked if I bowled,” White recalled. “I told her, ‘Well, I haven’t before, but I would like to.’ She invited me to bowl, and I have been hooked ever since.”

Five SW students charged for assault of student

On Tuesday, Jan. 15, the Winneshiek County Sheriff’s Office was notified and began an investigation of two separate incidents involving South Winneshiek High School students.

One of the incidents occurred at the high school in Calmar, while the other occurred in rural Winneshiek County near Fort Atkinson. Both incidents involved assaults that occurred on a student.

On Monday, Jan. 28, the Winneshiek County Sheriff’s Office completed the investigation and submitted the case to the prosecutor.

As a result of the investigation, the Winneshiek County Sheriff’s Office filed charges on five current and former South Winneshiek students.

Braxton Smith was charged in adult court with aggravated assault with intent to commit sexual assault, while four additional juveniles were referred to juvenile court.

'Well-known' grocery store considering Decorah

Zakary Kriener

News Writer
zkriener@fayettepublishing.com

A potential suitor for the recently closed Quillin’s Quality Foods in Decorah has emerged as Stephanie Fromm, Winneshiek County Development Director, confirmed that a well-known grocery chain is considering leasing the property.

Fromm went on to say that a developer is in the process of purchasing the 25,000-sq.-ft. building at 915 Short St. in Centrum Plaza and the retailer would employ approximately 20 full-time and 50 part-time workers.

While Fromm was not able to disclose the name of the grocery store, she noted that the business is often requested by citizens in the Decorah area.

In 2018, the South Winneshiek Recreation Department offered a total of 20 different programs, including youth soccer. This year, program director Blake Moen and the rest of the board hope to continue expanding and offering more programs for both youth and adults. (Zakary Kriener photo)

SW Recreation Department continues to grow

Zakary Kriener

News Writer

When the South Winneshiek Recreation Department first began in 2016, it had a goal to offer an organized system for youth activities and to gradually add new programs for area children and adults to enjoy. Today, after the program’s second full year, the program has met those expectations and will look to continue to grow into the future.

“I think the program has met and even exceeded a lot of the expectations that we set when we first started out,” said program director Blake Moen, speaking on behalf of himself and the South Winneshiek Recreation Department board. “In 2018, we offered 20 different programs and had over 1,200 different student participants.”

Shahlo Alikhonzoda has returned to northeast Iowa to attend college at Northeast Iowa Community College. She was a foreign exchange student from Tajikistan at North Fayette Valley during the 2016-2017 school year. She was hosted by Kristy and and Kevin Meyer of Elgin, who she is once again living with while she goes to college.  Chris DeBack photo

A Second Homecoming for Shahlo

Mala Erickson
Contributing Writer

Shahlo Alikhonzoda celebrated a homecoming of sorts in August 2018, returning from Tajikistan to northeast Iowa to attend Northeast Iowa Community College (NICC).

Readers may remember being introduced to Shahlo in 2016, as she attended NFV High School during the 2016-2017 school year as an exchange student through the Future Leaders Exchange Student (FLEX) program. FLEX is a grant program administered by the American Scandinavian Student Exchange (ASSE). Students from Europe and Eurasia can compete for funding to live and study in the United States. According to the ASSE’s website, since the inception of the FLEX program in 1993, over 25,000 students have participated. Youth are able to study in the U.S. as an exchange student, while learning about privileges and opportunities that are available in the U.S. yet may differ substantially from those available in their home country. 

Dennis Marmann, owner of Rusty Iron Tractor Restoration, says he is lucky to be alive after triple-bypass surgery on Dec. 26, 2018, saved his life. Marmann is recovering nicely and looks forward to getting back into his shop so he can continue to restore tractors for his customers. (Chris DeBack photo)

Marmann credits his honesty with saving his life

By Chris Deback
cdeback@thefayettecountyunion.com

A person should always be honest with his or her doctor. Dennis Marmann of rural Fayette will tell you doing just that more than likely saved his life.

In August 2018, Marmann visited his doctor at Covenant Clinic in Waterloo for an annual checkup to get his medications refilled, as he has struggled with high blood pressure since he was 10 years old. Just before he was going to leave the office, his doctor asked him if he ever gets short of breath or has any chest pains. 

His doctor asked him this same question a year ago, and he admits he didn’t answer it honestly. This time around, he did, noting that he would get short of breath when walking uphill while carrying something, and he would feel pressure in his chest. He chalked it up to not getting enough exercise. 

 Michelle and Jim Morse (l-r) pet their new puppy Gibbs that Michelle got as an emotional support animal after having her left leg amputated a while ago due to DTV blood clots. The family’s furnace’s exhaust pipe was blocked by snow on the morning of Feb. 5. Gibbs was being rowdy and nagging to go to the bathroom or so Jim thought when he took him. However, the nagging kept happening when they came back inside, so Jim took him out again, which is when he noticed the blocked exhaust pipe.  (Chris DeBack photo)

Morses' lives saved by four legged friend

By Meagan Molseed
mmolseed@thefayettecountyunion.com

“Gibbs is a jumping fool,” laughed Michelle Morse of Maynard, giving the four-month old Lab-German Shepherd mix a quick pet on the head.  

Michelle and her husband, Jim welcomed the young pup into their family a few short months ago after Michelle lost her leg due to DVT blood clots. When the Morses opened their home to the energetic pup, they had no idea how the pup would save their lives just a few short months later.  

It was a cold night on Tuesday, Feb. 5, during the recent winter-weather storms that hit northeast Iowa. Jim and Michelle were fast asleep in their Maynard home until their beloved furry friend woke them up.  

Jesse Wegner (right) of West Union pictured with Iowa’s First Congressional District Representative Abby Finkenauer outside her office in the House Office Building before the State of the Union address on Tuesday, Feb. 5.  (Submitted photo)

Local resident invited to State of the Union

By Chris Deback
cdeback@thefayettecountyunion.com

Every year, each of Iowa’s six congressional representatives get to invite one guest to the State of the Union address. 

This year, West Union resident Jesse Wegner was one of the six lucky Iowans asked to attend the speech when Iowa’s First Congressional District Representative Abby Finkenauer invited him. Finkenauer was impressed by how Wegner, Iowa Association of FSA County Office Employees (IASCOE) president, reached out to her to speak about his constituents concerns during the government shutdown.