5 MINUTES WITH
PANTHER BOWLING
This week’s “5 minutes” feature is with Creston senior basketball player Cody Crawford. For more on Crawford, see page 8A. >>
The Creston/O-M bowling team has a deep roster and high hopes for the 2016-17 season. For more on the Panthers, see SPORTS, page 1S. >>
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FRIDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2016
Better with age
Cedar Street underpass closing for 3 weeks According to Public Works Director Kevin Kruse, BNSF railroad has notified the city of Creston that beginning Monday, the Cedar Street underpass will
be closed so a contractor may begin work on the underpass. This closure is expected to last three weeks until Dec. 23.
Christmas basket
Contributed photo
Pictured is 16 Oaks, an events center and soon-to-be winery located in Fontanelle. Kaye and Curtis Queck own the business, which they began construction on in 2015 and is booked for several weddings and reunions for 2017.
Local couple returns to their roots after 10 years to grow an events center and winery. ■
By BAILEY POOLMAN CNA staff reporter bpoolman@crestonnews.com
After more than 10 years, Kaye and Curtis Queck’s plan to open a business came to fruition. The couple, Kaye formerly of Greenfield and Curtis formerly of Fontanelle, sowed the seeds of their winery and events center in 2003, when they planted an acre of grapes on a 40-acre plot of land they own just east of Fontanelle. Soon after, the couple moved to Spring Green, Wisconsin, for Curtis’ work. While they were in Wisconsin, they would drive
back over the weekends to tend to the fruit slowly growing on the property. They also received help from their children and friends in the area, providing meals for everyone after a hard day’s work. “Unless you’re going to have 100 acres of grapes and can buy the mechanical harvesters,” Curtis said, “you have just a ton of hand labor. It’s a lot of labor.” But, they planned to return home eventually. “We’ve always wanted to come back. We knew we wanted to come back home,” Curtis said. “We’ve got kids around here, now grandkids. Family’s all here in this area.”
16 Oaks Before they moved back, though, they continued with their plan to create a winery. In June 2015, construction on the main building began, more than 10 years after that first grapevine
CNA photo by BAILEY POOLMAN
Kaye and Curtis Queck of Fontanelle smile for the camera in front of a barnwood wall inside their venue, 16 Oaks, located in Fontanelle. The couple moved back to the area from Winsconsin and began construction on the events center and soon-to-be winery in 2015.
was planted. Sixteen young oak trees line the drive leading up to the building, located just east of Fontanelle at the bottom of two hills. Besides bringing in outside contractors for electric, heating and cooling and a local contractor to help with stud walls and tile, Curtis and Kaye have been constructing the building
and details themselves. “You can go on and on,” Kaye said about the continuous work being done. “We want to do more to the outside, but that’s not pertinent yet.” Curtis worked on landscaping, which will be ready for planting next spring, while they continue work OAKS | 2A
The 2016 Union County Christmas Basket Fund campaign is underway. This year’s fund goal is $17,500 and organizers are gearing up for another successful campaign. Last year, 214 baskets serving 841 people were distributed. Residents of care centers in Creston and Afton received fruit and Kleenex. Baskets include meat, canned goods – donated through efforts of Boy Scouts and school and community projects – and certificates redeemable at local supermarkets for perishable foods. Contributions may be sent to: Christmas Basket Fund, P.O. Box 126, Creston, IA 50801, or dropped off at the Creston News Advertiser, 503 W. Adams St. All contributions will be published in the Creston News Advertiser’s weekly progress report, listed by name or “friend,” as desired. Previous total: $470 In memory of Alvin Reimer $25 Warren and Marlene Merboth $100 In memory of Larry Gile $100 Arlan and Carolun Biere $100 In memory of Harry and Patty Schlapia, Mike Schlapia and Chris Burlingame $20 Top #IA 1338 Creston $25 IA Alpha Gamma-Alpha Delta Kappa $92.75
In memory of Richard Thompson $40 Creston Lions Club $250 This week’s donations: $752.75 Total $1,222.75
THERE’S NO PLACE LIKE CRESTON for the HOLIDAYS
CNA photos by KELSEY HAUGEN
ABOVE LEFT, four-year-old Gabe Tait holds Bunn-O-Matic coffee filters to be thrown to parade-goers atop a Bunn float during the “There’s No Place Like Creston for the Holidays” annual lighted Christmas parade Thursday evening on West Adams Street. ABOVE RIGHT, Chat Mobility representatives Tonya Rehmeyer, right, and Macey Ellis ride in a Chat Mobility float during the annual lighted Christmas parade Thursday evening on West Adams Street. For more photos from the “There’s No Place Like Creston for the Holidays” celebration, visit www.crestonnews.com.
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Copyright 2016
Volume 133 No. 130
2016
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