Local News

By Correne Martin

The farm life of yesteryear is the setting of the first non-fiction book, “What Happened on Famechon Ridge,” written by retired Prairie du Chien dairy farmer Harvey Zabel. A local book signing is planned at the Prairie du Chien Memorial Library on Wednesday, Dec. 2, from 5 to 7 p.m.

Filled with short stories and poems about his real-life shenanigans on the home farm, which has been in the family for 120 years (first under his dad’s uncle William Schultz), the book tells about various episodes of his lifetime, including a combine showdown, coon hunting, tractor pulls and tractor purchases, hybrid seed corn, swinging on a cottonwood tree limb, weather predictions, maple syrup and sorghum, the sawmill, rope making, mustard plaster, his kids, dogs and cats, snowstorms, and how Famechon Ridge got its name. A few old-time photographs are sprinkled in among the pages.

St. Mary’s School in Bloomington is hosting its annual Breakfast with Santa and Holiday Tour of Homes on Sunday, Nov. 29. Breakfast is from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the school gym.

The tour of homes runs from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tickets can be purchased at each house or at the breakfast.

The Charlie and Cathy Martin home is located at 631 6th Street. This is a very unique home, as it was originally built by Charlie’s uncle as a barn, but over the years was eventually turned into a home, and now is back in the family. Charlie and Cathy purchased this home in 2013. Since moving in, they have added a studio, windows to one of the bedrooms, and planted over 70 trees.

Tom and Andrea Crubel’s home is located at 220 County A. This home was custom built in 1979, and the Crubel’s purchased it in 2001, recently remodeling it in 2013. This tri-level house includes a floor-to-ceiling fireplace and vaulted ceilings in the living room.

An arrest warrant was secured Nov. 16 in Clayton County District Court for the arrest of 25-year-old Brandon James Thoma on a possible charge of attempt to commit murder, a Class B felony. The possible charge stems from an incident that occurred on the morning of Nov. 10 at an Elkader home.

According to the Elkader Police Department, Thoma drove a car from Pella, Iowa to Elkader where he intended to kill another person. He broke into the home after the victim’s husband left for work and assaulted her by striking and kicking her repeatedly.  The victim was found by her husband when he returned from work. She was taken to Central Community Hospital by ambulance and later transferred to University of Iowa Hospitals in Iowa City.

Law enforcement officers were able to determine the identity of the suspect, who was eventually located in Madison, Wis. The Clayton County Attorney’s Office is working on securing extradition for Thoma from Wisconsin.

By Correne Martin

To honor those who died as well as those who risked their lives to rescue others, a commemorative sign now stands in Ferryville acknowledging the regionally historic, tragic and deadly Armistice Day Storm of Nov. 11, 1940. The permanent sign was unveiled to the public at a ceremony last Tuesday, Nov. 10, at River View Park.

“It’s part of our regional history in the Ferryville and Lansing area, and all up and down the river. When you read about this storm, it’s amazing anybody survived,” said Joanne White, of the Ferryville Tourism Council.