Echo November 1, 2017.Indd

Volume 131, Issue 44 echo Single Copy $1.25 www.fayettepublishing.com The Newspaper That Serves Its Readers. Toll-Free: 888-321-5410 OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER FOR FAYETTE COUNTY AND THE CITIES OF ELGIN, CLERMONT AND WADENA Wednesday, November 1, 2017 Services Friday for longtime music instructor Fuuneral services will be held at 1 p.m. Friday, Nov. 3, at North Fayette Valley Middle School, Elgin, for long-time music instructor Janet Heelgerson. Visitation will be from Jim Knobloch Sara Strong Aimee Hilgerson 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 2, at West Clermont Lutheran Church, Clermont. A Valley graduate, Mrs. Don’t forget to vote Nov. 7 Helgerson taught music for By CHRIS DEBACK 27 years at her alma mater cil seats on Nov. 7. William before teaching music at [email protected] Pfi ster Jr. is running unop- North Fayette Valley for the On Tuesday, Nov. 7, area posed for mayor. Elgin resi- last fi ve years. city residents will head to dents will be asked to vote for the polls to determine who two candidates. Th e top two will represent them in their vote-getters will be elected. respective city governments. Th e polling location is the All polling locations are open meeting room at Elgin Public noon to 8 p.m. Library at 214 Main Street Brick City: Elgin and Wadena have opposed. James Matt is look- Th e Wadena City contested city council races. ing for another term as may- Council race could prove to While some area resi- or, as Sharon Harris, Bruce be an interesting one as in- dents fi led to have their Lehmann, and William cumbents Ronald Aylsworth ‘Here’s to 10 more wonderful years!’ names on the ballot, voters Ashby seek to be re-elected and Loree Moyle are being challenged by North By MEGAN MOLSEED restaurant co-owner. “It was bought it,” she remembered, shouldn’t forget that they can to the city council. Voters in something new to both of always write in someone’s Clermont will need to go to Fayette Valley senior Brandi [email protected] shooting her husband of 40 Jo Durnan for the two open us, and we had no idea what years a playful smile. “That name for a position. the Clermont Fire Station at to expect!” As area citizens head to 808 State Street to cast their council seats. Residents are “I think there will be didn’t last too long; within asked to vote for two, with something for everyone. We A Fayette County favor- a year I was in the kitchen the polls, let’s take one last ballots this year. ite, Brick City Bar & Grill look at who is running in Elgin is the fi rst con- the top two vote-getters just want to celebrate our helping out!” being elected. Incumbent anniversary with the people opened its doors to the pub- A longtime area fa- each City election, as well as tested race of the 2017 city lic in the fall of 2007 when the polling locations. elections. Th ree candidates, mayor Jared Kent is running who made this all possible… vorite, Brick City is open unopposed. Th e polling loca- our customers,” Jeff Alber the Albers decided to try to serve hungry customers All four incumbent can- incumbents Jim Knobloch their hand in the restaurant didates running for three city and Sara Strong and chal- tion is the meeting room in said of the upcoming 10-year Thursday through Saturday, the Wadena Public Library at anniversary celebration this business. with evening specials such council and the mayor seats lenger Aimee Hilgerson, are “This is something Jeff in Clermont are running un- vying for the two open coun- 136 South Mill Street. weekend at Brick City Bar & as smoked ribs and cod on Grill in Clermont. wanted to do for a very long Fridays and a prime rib din- “I can say defi nitely time,” continued Luann. “I wasn’t too sure of it at fi rst,” that we would never had BRICK CITY predicted such a success- she added with a smile. ful run when we started,” “He said I didn’t have Cont. on page A2 added Luann, Jeff’s wife and to do too much when we Elgin native Harry Butikofer (front) will hit the century mark on Friday, Nov. 10. He is pictured celebrating his 99th birthday last year with his four surviving children, (back, l-r) Gary Butikofer, Richard Butikofer, Louise Johansen, and Bob Butikofer. Harry Butikofer turns 100 on Nov. 10 Could wine and good genes be Butikofer’s secret to longevity? By CHRIS DEBACK lived to be 102, and her sis- of his four living children, [email protected] ter, Harry’s Aunt Lena, lived Bob, Louise, and Richard, Elgin native Harry to be 105. It was remarked Butikofer attempted to re- Butikofer is about to hit a to Butikofer during an in- call what childhood was like rare milestone in life. terview in his apartment in Elgin during the Roaring On Nov. 10, Butikofer at Stoney Brook Village as- ‘20s and subsequent Great will celebrate his 100th sisted living facility in West Depression. His father was birthday, the third person in Union that he has good a farmer, so Butikofer and his family to hit the century genes. his siblings were tasked with Jeff and Luann Alber would like to invite the public to come join them in celebration of the 10th an- mark. He joked, “Well, I al- helping out on the farm. niversary of their restaurant, Brick City Bar & Grill in Clermont. The festivities will start Thursday Butikofer is the second- ways used them right.” “I remember using a with 50-cent wings all evening. On Friday, customers are invited to a battle of wit and muscle, as A young, oldest of 10 children born BUTIKOFER Brick City will be hosting a “Bar Olympics.” On Saturday, two area favorites will be reunited when to the late Albert and Marie hardworking boy Brick City will host The Back Home Boys band from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. Butikofer of Elgin. Marie Surrounded by three Cont. on page A2 Golden Road now open! By CHRIS DEBACK [email protected] At its regular Monday meeting, Oct. 30, the Fayette County Supervisors attended a ribbon-cutting ceremony for Golden Road between West Union and Elgin. Golden Road, which has been closed for the last four months due to repaving the road, is now offi cially open to public through traffi c. The $3.73 million project is now com- plete after a couple years of planning and construction. The following funding sources that contributed to the project included the following: $1.81 million from the U.S. government Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act for mainline paving; $500,000 from a Highway Safety Improvement Program Grant for paved shoulders; $450,000 from Farm to Market for mainline paving; $740,000 of local tax dollars for earth and shoulder work, rock, and culvert extensions. That included tax dollars from the recent 10-cent gas tax increase and $230,000 from the U.S. Department of Golden Road is now open to public traffi c after being closed for the past four months due to construction. Fayette County Secondary Housing and Urban Development for culvert lengthening Roads held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the repaved road on Monday, Oct. 30. In attendance were (front, l-r) Stacy McCune, Fayette and decreased Otter Creek fl ooding. County Secondary Roads administrative assistant; Jeanine Tellin, Fayette County Supervisor; Janell Bradley, Fayette County Supervisor; The three-phase project included widening the shoulder Lee Pries, Niemann Construction; Nancy Grimes; Janice Durscher; Dorothy Jensen; Matt McElree, Fayette County Secondary Roads from 2 inches to 6-8 inches, cold-in-place milling of the cur- PLS, assistant to the engineer; and Sam Whitehead, Fayette County Economic Development director; (back) Joel Fantz, Fayette County rent road, and then laying down new asphalt on the road. Engineer; Steve Pierce, Mathy Construction; Jim Grimes; Jeff Koehn, Fayette County Roads Superintendent; Don Durscher; Bob Burgin, Fayette County Secondary Roads employee; Dick Jensen; and Rod Marlatt, Fayette County Conservation executive director. GOLDEN ROAD Cont. on page A2 A2 Wednesday, November 1, 2017 BUTIKOFER Cont. from Front Page ‘Oklahoma!’ postponed to January horse to plow the fi elds, which is a lot different than the big machines of today,” Butikofer recalled. Due to extenuating circumstances, North Fayette Val- Bob remembered a conversation he had with his father a ley High School has postponed its fall musical production few years ago, in which he asked his father what life was like of “Oklahoma!” back then. Bob had just fi nished reading a book about The Originally set for Friday-Sunday, Nov. 10-12, the play Dust Bowl, which refers to the drought-stricken Southern will now be performed on Friday evening, Jan. 5, 2018, and Plains of the United States during the 1930s. Sunday afternoon, Jan. 7, 2018. “Dad told me that they always had enough rain for the crops and livestock,” he recollected. “There were times when people would come to Dad’s parents’ farm asking for food because the times were so bad. His parents always gave peo- Marian Harford benefi t Saturday ple some food. They didn’t have a lot of excess, either, but they would share some of what they had with people who The benefi t for Marian Harford will be held from 11 a.m. were traveling through from one place to another because to 4 p.m.

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