Columns/Opinions

Tue
26
Dec

A tribute to my mentor

A tribute to my mentor

By Mike Van Sickle

      This was meant to be the time that I roasted two of my longtime friends and co-workers, LeAnn Larson and Connie Lauer, as they set out on their path to retirement later this week. Instead, I’m sadly writing this in remembrance and honor of my mentor, Jerry Blue, who died Saturday at the age of 83.

      It was in 1997 that LeAnn first called and asked me if I would be interested in sports, news, and feature writing at The Union. Almost immediately after accepting the position, it was Jerry who started providing me guidance in the profession. Not surprisingly to anyone who really knew him, promoting West Union and the surrounding communities was among the biggest objectives he first instilled in me.

Tue
26
Dec

Letter to the Editor

To the editor:

      The Iowa caucuses are right around the corner. Now, more than ever, Iowa must choose right. We must choose a conservative leader who can win – I believe Nikki Haley is that person, that is why I am giving her my full endorsement.
      Haley is a two-term governor and understands how to run a state effectively. She cut taxes, brought jobs to every county in the state, and repealed
cumbersome regulations.

Wed
20
Dec

Tribes of the Turkey River

Tribes of the Turkey River

By Terry Landsgaard

Horses made the life of the Native American very different!  Not only could horses be used for riding, but horses could be adapted to a travois (a device made of poles that supported a platform). The travois could be loaded with a Native Americans family's belongings and drug behind the horse that had been fitted with a harness like device. This harness secured the travois to the horse.  The horse travois allowed for a greater amount of "carriage" than the previous dog travois.

The poles of the travois could be used to construct a tipi.  This new situation could be self-adapted and not dependent on the inventions of the Europeans.  The horse could also be ridden while the travois was used. Thus, "killing two birds with one stone."

Horses became the preferred standard of wealth and social standing.

Wed
20
Dec

What is newsworthy?

What is newsworthy?

What events grab the headlines and the interest of people all around the world? 

Let me give you a sample.

Take the year 1809. The international scene was tumultuous. Napoleon was sweeping through Austria; blood was flowing freely. Nobody then cared about babies. But the world was overlooking some terribly significant births.

Wed
31
Mar

All I wanted was a teabag

All I wanted was a teabag

 

by Jerry Wadian

 

All I wanted was a teabag.   Mornings I need my coffee; like I really need to wake up. Evenings I prefer tea. And, as a brand,  I really like Twinnings. However, it can be hard to get locally, especially the types I like.

 So, it was log on to Amazon and its to-my-door delivery.Two-day delivery? No problem with my Prime Account.

No sense in ordering just one box of 20 teabags, so I ordered a Darjeeling, Prince of Wales (two boxes since it’s my favorite) a Black Current, and an Assam. No Oolong because we have enough. It seems in my first test order failed to see the small print on number of boxes – but trust me we have more than enough.

   I  placed my order; then, it got even more interesting.

Wed
27
Feb

Kudos and Lessons

Kudos and Lessons

 

 

By Jerry Wadian
jwadian@thefayettecountyunion.com

 

 

Being a reporter, I try to stick to telling what happened, and let the coaches explain the whys and technical explanations. However, I’m going to editorialize a bit because the end of the winter sports season seems to need some kudos passed out that won’t come out any other way. And, there are lessons for younger athletes and those considering extracurricular.

  As a kudos, consider the fact that Abby Reichter is the first TigerHawk to earn First Team All-UIC honors in NFV history! And, Emma Ney made the second team. The duo measures – somewhat generously for Reichter? – as 5’6” and 5’2,” respectively. In a sport dominated by six- and seven-footers, the two girls look small; yet, rival coaches elected them to the All-UIC Team. 

  I suppose the lesson for young athletes is: you don’t have to be tall to be successful in basketball! 

  For Honorable Mention, Makenna Koch personifies senior leadership! And a freshman, Alyssa Bohr (5’8”), made it, as well. Her stats are not earth shattering, seven points and four-plus rebounds per game. However, watch her play defense, and how she uses her feet to stop the other team’s scoring leader.

  I guess you don’t have to be the big scorer, or even big, to be successful.

  As for boy’s basketball, kudos to Lance Butikofer, the first TigerHawk to make First Team All-UIC, since Austin Callahan did it in the 2015-16 season; quite an accomplishment. A good, but not great, scorer at 9.5 points per game, the 6’4” senior also averaged 5.1 rebounds, led the team with 85 assists, and also blocked a shot per game. 

  Kole Johnson has always been instant offense leading the team with 12 points per game without attempting a trey, but this season he also led the team in rebounding, and added an assist per contest.

  It looks like doing a number of things well, can get be rewarding.

  The other second-team performer came off the bench! Brennan Imoehl was the sixth-man for NFV. He   just kept working and working, and before long the minutes just kept piling up. So did the stats, and by season’s end he was averaging 9.6 points per game and finished just one rebound behind Johnson.

  Kids, don’t worry about starting, just keep working, keep hustling, and you’ll get to play; maybe even make the UIC All-Conference Team.

  As for wrestling, Gunner Rodgers earned a second trip to the State Meet, winning a match. He was also a First-Team All-District performer last football season. In fact, he made the First-Team on defense AND as a kick returner! He’s also all of 138 pounds. 

What’s the old adage, “It’s not the size of the body, but the size of the heart.”

  Weston Fantz not only made it to State Wrestling, and won a match, the 160-pounder also ran cross country. He started because “it might be a cool thing to do.” Soon, he realized that XC was a great conditioning sport for wrestling. Not long after that he came to love the sport. By the end of his senior season, Fantz was a two-time All-UIC runner.

 Perhaps it pays to try something new like a sport, band, the arts, or speech because you never know what you might like and what other abilities you might have.

 One other winter season note came across the desk last week, a question about how many points Valley basketball star Kate Cline scored in her career. 

I had to total all of her points once she hit 1000; it came to 1140! A neat sidebar: When she started the sport in seventh grade, she could only make the B team!

  It must be true that if you work hard, listen to the coaches, and buy into the system, who knows how good you can be.

 

Wed
23
Jan

Empire State of Mind:Mentoring has had a positive impact on my life

 

Chris DeBack is a mentoring in the North Fayette Valley Mentoring Program. He has been matched with his mentee, Kywren, since January 2017. He and Kywren enjoy playing video games, going to dinner, seeing movies, and attending NFV Mentoring group activities together. The program is in need of more male mentors.Chris DeBack photo

 

Empire State of Mind: Mentoring has had a positive impact on my life

 

 

By Chris Deback
cdeback@thefayettecountyunion.com

 

 

 

 

North Fayette Valley Mentoring is in need of more male mentors.

Wed
23
Jan

A farewell to Gene

A farewell to Gene

 

By Jerry Wadian
jwadian@thefayettecountyunion.com

 

 

After 82 years, the gravelly voice of legendary West Central girl’s head basketball coach gene Klinge is still. Untold thousands of people across northeast Iowa lament the passing, including this lowly sports writer. 

  I wish that I could go to the memorial service Saturday because I greatly admired the man. Unfortunately, the UIC wrestling meet is the same day, and duty calls; I am sure Gene would understand.

  Klinge’s basketball legacy stands as one of the greatest in Iowa high school sports history. But aside from the numerous honors and awards, Klinge was always a greater man than he was a coach.

  My first memories are of walking into the gym that now bears his name. Before I even entered, I could hear the loud, gravelly voice yelling away at somebody. 

Wed
02
Jan

Empire State of Mind: I'm one lucky guy

Empire State of Mind: I'm one lucky guy

 

By Chris Deback
cdeback@thefayettecountyunion.com

 

It’s no secret that I love video games. 

I have loved them ever since picking up the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) — or what I called growing up “regular Nintendo” — controller and playing “Super Mario Bros.” I’m sure some of you remember how “Super Mario Bros” came with “Duck Hunt” on the same cartridge. I vividly remember the red and grey NES Zapper (gun) and how the plastic felt in my hand as I stood mere inches from the TV to shoot those darn ducks. 

Wed
12
Dec

Families and names

Macy Elizabeth Wadian

 

Families and names

By Jerry Wadian

 

jwadian@thefayettecountyunion.com

 

 

When my son, Taylor, got married to Tammy Sonnentag in June of 2017 in Cincinnati, Ohio, there was a discussion of names to use. Since she already had a number of scholarly articles published – very important in academia (she teaches psychology at Xavier University) – using her maiden name seemed a good idea. There also was the possibility of the rather ponderous, Sonnentag-Wadian, or just plain Wadian.

  Now Taylor, who inherited my slightly left-of-plumb gene, came up with an interesting solution: the Wadentags! Fortunately that’s one idea that didn’t get too far – at least, I hope it didn’t go too far but you can’t be sure exactly what kids are really up to. However, the name remains a standing family joke.

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