50171
by Keith Brake
Linda and I drive the nine miles between our home in Cuba City, Wis., and Platteville from time to time, like we drove to Grinnell or Oskaloosa when we lived in Montezuma.
We’ve seen “help wanted” signs outside of several places of business – and I imagine you’ve seen them down there, too.
One sign, outside a small manufacturing plant, had another sign, taped over the original, that read, “dead or alive.”
I don’t know what kind of success they’ve had in getting help.
But I would be particularly interested to know if they’ve hired any dead people and if so, how productive they’ve been!
The local free shopper newspapers are just full of help wanted ads. And I’m talking quarter- half- and full-page display ads. Those are not cheap.
They’re good for the papers, which are kind of gasping for display ads otherwise.
Some employers offer sign-on bonuses, typically $1,000 or $1,500.
One place even advertised a $5,000 sign on and retention bonus.
I see the Senate passed that bill to upgrade the country’s infrastructure. I’m just curious as to how many people will queue up to take those jobs?. . .
Thank you, gentlemen
I note with sadness the passing of Bill Bushong, 81, and Tom Behounek, 74.
Both deaths caught us by surprise, but you have to remember, we left Montezuma two years ago and we don’t connect quite the way we did.
Bill’s obituary reads, in part, “he is remembered by those who knew him for his humor, wit, championing of the underdog, his unmistakable laugh, and infinite generosity.”
The infinite generosity I can attest to.
And the wit. I remember how he sometimes shared valuable advice with officials at ballgames.
Back when we were telecasting Montezuma games, Bill asked me once, “Can you hear me on TV?”
I assured him we used a directional microphone that picked me up, but turned crowd noise into an indistinguishable sort of mush.
Nevertheless, he started sitting far to the left or right of where we were working from.
Thank you, Bill, for literally building a part of Montezuma as owner of Bushong Construction for five decades.
Tom Behounek was described in his obit as “having a passion for helping people.”
That he did, especially during a long school career. He did everything you can in a school, from cleaning the floors to teaching and to even running an entire district.
He always had his hand up to help during functions at United Methodist Church.
He, myself, Ron Hensel and Don Henry inhabited the balcony at church on Sundays. I have to tell you, Tom was a devoted Nebraska football fan, and he took gas for it in recent years from the rest of us, who are Hawkaholics.
Tom lived through the championship seasons under coaches Bob Devaney and Tom Osborne. Like other Husker faithful, I don’t think Tom quite knew what hit Nebraska after Osborne stepped down.
Tom Behounek maintained his Husker faithfulness, and swatted aside our razzing with grace and class.
Our deepest condolences to both families, and to our town.
About “50171”
Record Publisher Shirley Dunham asked me if I would write a column, “on the weeks when you don’t have any sports.”
Basically, there’s only one week like that and this past one was it. So . . .THIS one might be IT, too.
I want it to be a general interest column, thus the 50171 name which, of course, is Montezuma’s ZIP Code.
Sports will creep into it from time to time. After all, sports is a big part of Montezuma’s community life.
The challenge will be maintaining a column in a town I no longer live in. Sports is a little easier, because of the electronic transmission of statistics.
Every week? Not at first. Sometimes, it might be pretty short. We’ll see how it goes.
Keith Brake, 70, is the editor of Montezumamagazine.com, an online blog mostly about Montezuma schools sports. He is a former editor and general manager of weekly newspapers and one of them, in Geneseo, Ill, won a state championship for general excellence. He and his wife, Linda, live in Cuba City, Wis., a community of 2,100 about 17 miles northeast of Dubuque.