MASON CITY – NIT can now unequivocally report that a trusted Kuhn family confidant told Mason City Mayor Eric Bookmeyer that he was not welcome at Alex Kuhn’s visitation and funeral.
NIT can also report that Eric Bookmeyer was conspicuously absent from Alex’s visitation. However, he did show his face at Alex’s funeral, but did not go to the grave site nor the luncheon, afterward.
How can this be. What actions by Eric Bookmeyer would lead a family to do this? And how could a man slap a good family in the face as they endured a horrible tragedy and go against their wishes? As our readers are beginning to see, there was circumstance, tragedy and perhaps a very sinister element that lead to the death of Alex Kuhn.
Make no mistake; Alex Kuhn will always be a hero to thousands of North Iowans. He was a troubled man of high virtue; he was our JFK. Many say he was one of the nicest persons they ever met. He worked tirelessly to make Mason City a better place for all of us and his little ones. NIT predicts Alex Kuhn will be a legend here and will never be forgotten.
NIT has learned he was even more than that. Despite the prospect of tremendous financial gain through his position at Henkel construction company, and beating back withering, despicable pressure from BULLIES, Alex Kuhn said NO to a quarter-billion-dollar pig slaughterhouse that was turned away. He voted NO first, and never relented. He put the people of Mason City and North Iowa above greed, self gain, and, perhaps fatally, people who were once his friends, peers and allies who viciously turned on him in his final days and weeks.
Now you may be asking yourself, and rightfully so, how did NIT come to possess these facts, that Alex was bullied in his final time alive on this earth and the Kuhn family attempted to keep Eric Bookmeyer away from their son/brother’s visitation and funeral?
Ever since the shocking news of Alex’s death was relayed to NIT on the early afternoon of Friday, July 15, numerous persons have brought information forward here. Much of this information ebbed on a few common themes: Depression, bullying, Eric Bookmeyer, his ban from Alex’s visitation and funeral, and of paramount importance in potentially getting answers, a man named Todd Blodgett.
Todd Blodgett possesses what Globe-Gazette reporter John Skipper calls “an amazing mental storehouse of facts”. Repeatedly, those in contact with NIT mentioned Mr. Blodgett’s name as someone who could provide answers in this tragedy.
NorthIowaToday.com has learned that Mr. Blodgett, a very conservative Republican, and Kuhn, a liberal Democrat, had forged a deep personal friendship that began even before Kuhn was first elected in 2011. Apparently, these two political opposites, both from prominent, wealthy, second-generation, influential north Iowa families, were, in fact, very close friends who were steadily working to further Kuhn’s political goals. One source explained to NIT that “Todd tried to help Alex deal with the sort of pressures that he, himself, had gone through and which laid him low. Being from a prominent, well-off, influential family that’s headed by a successful, respected over-achieving father who sets the bar very high, can be really tough.”
NIT interviewed a Mason Cityan who knew Alex Kuhn well, who told us she’s also a good friend of Todd Blodgett’s. According to her, Mr. Blodgett and Alex Kuhn had much more in common besides being completely obsessed with politics.
“Todd’s wife left him, and Alex and his wife also were divorced. He had a drinking problem, as did Todd. But the similarities don’t end there. Alex absolutely idolized Mark (Kuhn), just as Todd really admires his dad. Alex was well known to people he wasn’t personally acquainted
Evidently, according to a source very close to Mr. Blodgett, he “had big plans for Alex. They disagreed on just about everything, but the two of them just hit it off. Alex respected Todd’s abilities and trusted him. I think Todd regarded Alex as sort of like a little brother, or maybe even like a son. I wouldn’t be surprised if Todd knows exactly who did what to Alex, and how its effect on him led to what happened. But good luck getting him to talk. I saw Todd at Alex’s visitation, and he was devastated.”
In an eloquent eulogy to Kuhn, former U. S. Senator Tom Harkin said, “outward appearances of serenity may well mask an inner torment of the soul.” Was Harkin’s description of his former staffer, Mr. Kuhn, accurate? The answer to that question seems to be yes. Seeking more insight into what tormented Alex, NIT thought of Mr. Blodgett. NIT has had some brief conversations with him in the past, and seeking verification of information flowing to the newsroom in connection to Alex and his final days, reached out to him Sunday afternoon, July 24th.
Mr. Blodgett, who was at his home in Clear Lake when he took the call and obviously despondent about Alex’s death, initially refused comment or to elaborate on questions posed to him.
However, after a long, unpleasant pause, perhaps gathering it all in and realizing the gravity of the matter, Mr. Blodgett told NIT that, “It was clear to me that the Kuhns didn’t want the mayor present.
“So I called Eric,” he explained. “We had what I thought was a confidential conversation. Obviously, it didn’t stay that way. Anyway, I told him it would be best for everyone concerned if he stayed away from the visitation and the funeral. I also told him that if he chose to attend, he needed to keep his distance from Alex’s family. This reflected what I knew to be the wishes of Alex’s parents and brother. They told me they appreciated the call I made, and the sentiments I expressed to Eric, and the fact that he didn’t make any effort to talk with them.”
Additionally, Mr. Blodgett was asked if claims that Eric Bookmeyer, Mason City Council member Travis Hickey, and several top Henkel Executives, along with members of the North Iowa Corridor, and leaders of the Mason City Chamber of Commerce, and others, were merciless to Alex Kuhn in the aftermath of his successful opposition to the hog plant proposal involving Prestage Farms, up until the time of his tragic death.
“I’ve definitely heard that, yes,” he said. “I don’t think anyone who shunned Alex knew just how saddened he became over what he viewed as personal abuse, even betrayals, over this. He told me he felt like even some of his friends were “piling on” – in some cases, in what he described as nasty ways. He was incapable of holding grudges, or ever being mean. Alex never treated anybody as he told me some people had done to him. It was very hard for him to even process the idea that those he considered to be his friends could be like that. Not just to him, but to anyone. In the end, Alex Kuhn was simply too decent, too humane, too kind, and too genuinely good to be in politics.”
After a brief pause, Mr. Blodgett added, “That’s all I have to say”, and hung up.
Stay tuned to NIT for an impending update to this story.
@ Reggie … Let it go. I despise Todd Blodgett’s right-wing politics, but a good friend of ours is close to Amanda Ragan and he told us last night the whole story. The Kuhn family did ask Blodgett to call the mayor. Blodgett did not acknowledge this because he did not want anyone to potentially perceive the Kuhns as being vindictive. In other words, he took the fall. There is hope for him yet.
So your saying Toddy boy has a heart, will wonder’s never cease.
Alex Kuhn suffered from depression. You can’t see this in someone if they don’t want you to see it, even if you know the person fairly well. You would have to be a close confident of the person to know if they have the disease. It may even be possible some family members did not know.
Alex Kuhn did not take his life over one recent city council issue, that is absurd. Even more absurd is that he was assassinated because of his vote on that issue and it is stupid to suggest so. Was Kuhn bullied over that issue, no more than anyone else I will guess, there is still ‘bullying’, if you want to call it that, going on as evidenced by some comments that have appeared on this blog about the mayor. Kuhn was an adult and he know the arena he was playing in. People probably tried to change his mind on the issue and he likely tried to change other peoples minds as well, but that politics, not bullying.
Only one person is responsible for Alex Kuhn’s death and it is not the mayor or anyone else on the city council or coworkers or anything else. Alex Kuhn made his own choice. It is tragic beyond belief and it leaves everyone close to him searching for answers and yes, looking to blame in their grief, but the only answer in the case of depression is the person who was suffering just could no longer live with the agony they feel inside themselves not from someone or something on the outside. Unless you have been close to someone who has taken their life due to depression you just don’t understand it.
Blaming mayor Bookmeyer for this just because you may not agree with him is wrong minded and completely unfair.
I agree. As cold hearted as it may sound, the only one truly responsible for Alex’s death is Alex. Quoting Todd Blodgett on matters of what the family said or wanted is dubious at best. We know Matt hates the Mayor and who knows if Todd has an axe to grind. A good man died and all Matt wants to do is drag the Mayor into an implied conspiracy that somehow killed him based on what one,maybe distant, family member and Todd Blodgett said
@ Reggie – right, Alex was depressed. Blodgett’s statement implies he took it upon himself to call the mayor to ask him to either stay away, or to not engage the Kuhns in conversation if he chose to attend the funeral or the visitation. I don’t know Blodgett, but I have met Mark and Denise, and Alex’s brother. I am thinking that the Kuhns probably asked Todd to do that and they don’t want this known. A friend of mine who is close to Amanda Ragan told me that even Amanda says that Alex was very close to Todd Blodgett. The same person told me that the Kuhns were at Blodgett’s house on the Sunday or Monday after Alex died to get some answers. If it is true that the Kuhns asked Blodgett to call Bookmeyer, then I respect what he did and how he took the fall. I might be wrong. But I do not think a Republican would say something like that to a Republican mayor unless he was asked to do so by the family.
NIT stands by this story 100 percent. We also are not second-guessing Mr. Blodgett’s response to our inquiry, which we reported in its entirety. Since the publication of this article, however, several people with ties to the Kuhns have told NIT that Mr. Blodgett was, in fact, asked by the Kuhns to call the mayor. Mr. Blodgett, in his statement, implies he initiated this on his own. But only he and the Kuhn family really know.
Not second guessing? How about Todd saying he initiated the the call to the Mayor but the “people with ties to the Kuhn’s” say the Kuhn’s initiated it. Someone is not speaking the truth. This should cast suspicion on the whole story.
Good observance.
anonymous – Many people are depressed and they do not commit suicide, people care about Alex Kuhn and want to know the facts, 1.) Was Alex bullied
2.) Who was Alex bullied by
also a murder could easily concealed by the claim of “suicide”, I do not know Alex Kuhn from Adam yet my first “instinct” when I heard of his death was he was murdered, and I still do.
Have you been close to someone who suffered from depression who committed suicide? If not you just do not understand the disease. Yes many people who suffer from depression can be treated effectively, but for some treatment ultimately does not provide relief from the internal torment they live with daily and they choose suicide as their only way to cope.
There is no evidence that he was bullied by anyone, only innuendo and conjecture.
Your conspiracy theory that he was murdered with his vote on a city council issue as the reason is just nutty.
One hell of a article, this is news, real news. Alot of real good truth here we don’t get no where but on NIT. Sad we have lost a real bright star he would of done us all so much more good. This story tells things I didnt know but am glad to know now. This big fat mayor, he has to get out. If he don’t step down get a petition going and put him out. The lady, that told on Alex and Todd Blodget about there problems she was not a real friend to them now was she. Shame on her. Heal up Mason get this mayor out.
@ mint, your right, this woman, she goes off trash talking on Alex Kuhn’s problems she was not such a good friend to him. She was not nice to trash talk on Blodgett neither, who cares if Todd & Alex had some of the same problems or fears or whatever. Be careful who you talk around people. Alex and Todd should not of trusted that lady, she put out some real private stuff.
https://youtu.be/u9Dg-g7t2l4
You people, saying mean things like about a drinking problem or lady problems Alex may have had, or Todd Blodgett did, you make me sick. A good man is gone way to soon, he must of been in some awful pain. I have felt like that some time ago but now I am a grateful drug free ex meth addict. Alex come to one of our N.A. meetings. No he was not a addict. He come to show he cared, Todd brought him, this was like maybe 3-4 years ago. I got to meet Alex that night at the Baptist church in Mason. What a nice man he was, made us feel good that some body like him would come to our meeting. You are judging Todd in a bad way to, he is a good guy. Leave these two alone. Jesus you people just try to be nice ok.
What is written here should never be forgotten. Truth gathers few friends and is always last to be invited.
The behavior of the “yes” votes coupled with the attitude of the mayor contributed without doubt to this unpresedehted tragic event. If there was one ounce of moral fiber between them they would resign.
Peter we use to read your column’s in the Globb, now we read your stuff here, you are true MC. So here is what I think, want to see if you agree. These people on here that goes after Alex for drinking and divorce, all that. Doing the same thing to Todd, this is just wrong. Alex might of had some problems, who does not have some. You must of known Alex, I hear you do know the Blodgett’s. Don’t you think this shit need to stop. Why are some people saying it. Jesus people a good man is gone, who give’s a rats who he was friends with. Thank you.
Earth to North Adams: It’s because we live in the information age, and people aren’t satisfied with taking someone’s “word for it”. We want to know what happened, and this helps to form the storyline which led up to the event. Is that too difficult for you to figure out? And what if foul play was revealed? Wouldn’t you feel like a giant horse’s ass for telling everyone to “just let things rest?”
Again, you seem to be missing the bigger story going on here. This man killed himself surrounding what’s turning out to be an EXTREMELY controversial vote involving BILLIONS OF DOLLARS. Either he bowed out by his own hand, or someone else’s…but the circumstances are abnormal, and involve publicly elected officials and BIG AGRICULTURE.
If you cannot handle the heat, go jump in the lake.
YOU don’t need to know jack squat. You want to know to satisfy some perverse curiosity that is the product of idle hands and a drug/alcohol addled mind. Go find an occupation or a career or passion that lasts more than a month. The next logical step after education is employment but I am betting you don’t think that far ahead.
He wasn’t asking you. …..he was asking Peter Children. Go away POS.
I’m guessing you 2 didn’t get the memo about bullying huh? Oh, wait let me guess…only certain people should be protected from bullying right? The others (such as myself apparently) should endure it every day.
The logic processes you ass wipes go through is astounding. You ridicule people trying to better themselves thru education. You ridicule people for the TYPES of jobs they have. You ridicule people PERIOD…because that is what you ass holes do.
You bully and bother anyone who doesn’t think as you do. Now go away or address the topics at hand.
Peter L, don’t you know? 90% of the people who comment on this site are Republicans. They all sound EXACTLY like Donald Trump!
I’m starting to figure that out when the ALTERNATIVE NEWS FOR NORTH IOWA subheading disappeared. Matt grew up in poverty under a Democratic household…so this is his rebellion away from his roots.
If Bookmeyer skipped the funeral, people would speculate. Bookmeyer attended for his own image, and disregarded the last request of a broken family. Bookmeyer once again, only thought of himself.
Baloney! Bookmeyer went to the funeral because he respected Alex Kuhn, not because he was concerned with what you may think.
He may have been disappointed about the recent vote on economic development, but he harbored not ill will toward Kuhn for it.
I like reading NIT to keep up on what’s going on in our city. This post, however has crossed the line! I feel you are attacking not just one but two families. While it’s no secret how Alex died, comparing him with the similarities of Mr.Blodgett is uncalled for. Who cares about their wives leaving them or that they have drinking problems. Show some respect!
I agree with your post about publicly saying Alex Kuhn had a drinking problem is that even true why wasn’t the lady’s name that disclosed that info not mentioned, also reporting his divorce what relevance is that, I also agree divulging personal info about Todd Blodgett was uncalled for, yet if anyone is suspicious of his death that gets shut down.
@ Anonymous, your right, not nice talking this way about Alex or Todd. So what if they both had some the same problems. It looks to me like this may of been how they did connect so good. Todd is in my N.A. meeting here in Mason. He got Mr. Kuhn to come to our meeting, this was back a ways. But Alex was there. Todd brought him to our group, I met the man shook his hand. Alex being there just blew us all away. Alex was a honest good man, he cared. You people on here says this stuff about the dark side’s of Alex and Todd. Well don’t every one of us all have a dark side. Do not put out the dirty laundry of Kuhn or Blodgett. Nobodys perfect.
Perhaps Bookmeyer is related to Bill & Hillary….how many folks turned up ‘deceased’ that worked for them? Oh and……Anton Scalia’s sudden death ring a bell to anyone? Cardiac failure…sure
So many folks could have made a fortune with Prestage…the bankers, real estate sales, home builders, government housing builders/promoters. I heard a Mc landlord state that he/she was going to increase their rent three fold , when Prestage started up. Not only are a few council folks utterly PO’d, but the Chamber folks as well. Then there are the CAFO owners…. so many possibilities…so many vengeful folks out there.
Bookmeyer, Hickey & Solberg are a huge embarrassment to the City of Mason City . Alex Kuhn was a fine upstanding young man…. can we say that about Bookmeyer , or Hickey, or Solberg (upstanding woman) ? The Council election can not come too soon.
By the way…..did anyone see the signs on City Hall windows………IMPEACH THE MAYOR …?
This piece is awful, and it’s a dishonorable thing to do to Mr. Kuhn’s memory and his family.
If it true that the Mayor and Councilmen Hickey have bullied someone to this extent then something has to be done!
@ Pete, we must of not seen the same thing then. I think its good, tells how what a great man Alex Kuhn was, tells how he saved our city from greed and crime and lot’s of bad. If this would of been my boy, I would of not want him to be at his funeral neither.
Next city council meeting – everyone show up and let the council know how disgusted you are with our city government!!
@ Anonymous … I think your animosity to Mr. Blodgett’s extreme right-wing politics may predispose you to disbelieve the fact of their close friendship. I happen to have known Alex quite well. I have not met Mr. Blodgett. They were very good friends, going back several years. Alex’s parents also know this. I also have it on reliable authority that Denise, Mark, and Mason (Alex’s brother) all went over to Clear Lake on the weekend that Alex died, to meet with Todd. They wanted answers, and asked Blodgett for them. Now, what does that tell you?
Maybe people should return the favor to Bookmeyer until we see the same results. The city would be so much better off.
Ouch 🙁
Information in this article is in disarray!
First of all, I do not believe for one minute that Alex Kuhn and Todd Blodgett were “good friends”. On speaking or e-mail terms yes, but Todd Blodgett as a personal confidant to Alex Kuhn? No way. i will never believe that. Maybe in Todd Blodgett’s head and in his discussion with the Kuhn family he would leave that impression, but make no mistake, Todd Blodgett for all intent and purposes appears to be a full fledged “narcissist.
We will all miss Alex and time will help shake out the truth and what we can all do different in the future.
It may be hard for you to believe (as it was for me, when I first learned of this, several years ago), but it is the truth – Alex and Todd were indeed VERY close friends. This is absolutely ascertained, and not in dispute. If you still have any doubt, just ask Jay Urdahl, Casey Callanan, Amanda Ragan, Sharon Steckman, and any number of elected officials in north IA, both Democrats and Republicans. As a publisher, I take seriously my responsibility to report facts, and publish truth. And we at NorthIowaToday.com absolutely stand by this article and the info contained therein. Again, ‘Anonymous’: we have indisputably confirmed that Alex Kuhn and Todd Blodgett were, in fact, personally very close friends.
Politics makes strange bedfellows so they say. Political types are always trying to “do” each other for their own gain.
Reading all this just re-affirms for me why Mason City has so many small minded politicians at it’s core.
I would not trust Todd Blodgett, ever! He comes across as self serving. Sorry.
I use to bar tend over to Rumorz till about 3-4 years ago was there since about 2010. Anyways, Todd Blodgett he owns a place on S. Shore Drive just across the street from where Rumorz is. I seen him and Mr. Kuhn in there just about every week, some times more then that. Them two must of been there 50 times when I was working. I recognised Alex from his pictures in the paper, and everybody in Clear Lake know’s who Todd is. Them two would come in just them two, would leave out after a good 2-3 hours. So I know this is true to, Alex and Todd were very good buddy’s.
To compare Alex Kuhn to Todd Blodget is moronic!
You are stupid. You couldn’t like Todd’s shoes.
I believe the public has the right to know if some of our elected leaders engaged in bullying this man or anyone else. Also if other so called good people of Mason City acted in a inappropriate manner on this issue. Just because someone did not get their way does not give the right to harass anyone and they should be held accountable.
If you don’t think that there is bullying going on in city hall, you should talk to the employees that work there, and the one’s that quit for a better non hostile job. Bullying takes on many forms, and I’ll guarantee it’s going on there.
In my view if council members were bullying or pressuring Alex Kuhn to change his vote, they need to be asked to resign or forced to resign, for heavens sake there are bullying laws in schools etc. according to hearsay never publicly announced he committed suicide if that is the case are the bully’s responsible for pushing him over the edge, they cross every “t” and “dot” every eye on everything else yet their own council member they believe ahh he woke up one day and decided to kill himself, “unbelievable denial”, taking ones own life is not natural and I do not believe a spontaneous thought, it would take critical thinking and planning, again if Alex Kuhn was so tormented according to Tom Harkin and he was so messed up by troubles and apparently drinking why was he even on a functioning city council, sounds like after the fact excuse for his death, know one new this prior to his death.
Try using a period every now and then to manage your racing thoughts and to make your posts more readable and coherent.
Mint has the correct assessment on this. The decision to commit suicide is not an impulsive act…not by someone as intelligent and planned for as Alex Kuhn appeared to be. Harkin is inappropriately and hastily using this as an opportunity to increase mental health funding…when bullying legislation is what he should be focused on. I don’t doubt that a man locked into a certain position and expectation could take his own life when things stopped going well for him, but this is THE most drastic of steps one could take. And since these are the so-called “authorities”, no real steps will be taken to investigate to what extent the bullying and brow beating which allegedly occurred. We’ve heard top executives at Henkel, the Mayor and other council members, area realtors and perhaps the Governor of Iowa himself? Who knows, but someone must have seriously spooked him into believing his career and future in politics was over, and if the narrative of suicide is correct…it was enough to devastate him into taking his own life. I myself would have told them to F off. But I don’t play games. I go straight for ur f-in throat. Too bad he didn’t contact me….I could have advised him on Ghost Strategy and we could have waged a Revolution from the Inside / OUT.
Come on man ~you can’t stop from shitting your pants. You really think people would confide in you? You gotta be the dumbest person on earth. Why not keep your trap shut and worry about your next free lunch. Yes,
You’re not understanding things too well. I am a Vegan. This is a revolution. We are taking over, and things won’t go too well for you when we do.
If Todd was such a good friend of Alex’s I sure wish he could have seen how depressed Alex was and tried to get him some help. Isn’t that what friends are for? He must have been as blindsided as the rest of us.
And someone please tell me what good murder would be in this case. Really?
1.)Someone may have been extremely angry that the Prestage deal did not go through, or 2.) Someone had a bone to pick with Alex and thought it would be good timing to do so, knowing there could be many suspects, hence steering people away from the true suspect, in my view one of the two sounds more likely than him taking his own life, the main reasoning I came to this conclusion is suicide is not a natural thought, Alex was young and he had his whole life in front of him, he was clearly a thinking man and I do not believe he would do that to his family esp. his kids, that is my view.
Just as addiction is no respecter of persons, neither is depression. Does not matter your title, your education, your wealth, the out come of each with out intervention is the same, total destruction. I worry as bloggers blog defending Alex, if the comments will harm another and others being viewed as potentials reasons for Alex choosing to take his own life, would succumb to depression and the same out come? Please just stop, be respectful for no one else than his 2 sons who someday may read this….
Curious what article did you read where it said Alex Kuhn took his own life.
Only the deceived would believe everything they are told, when there was a large amount of $ involved one would have to be blind to not question his death, motive has been established money, anger would have been the driver.
This whole region is filled with Ostriches, Ignoramuses, and Deliberately Malevolent Deceivers. I appreciate your line of reasoning, and concur with you 100%. There’s motive, and there’s high degree of improbability a man such as him would do the ultimate act.
Where have u been.. unfortunately it is true. But it was the message at the funeral.
self serving gossip….
Matt, we owe it to Alex to respect his last wishes. Per his parents, that would be to forgive and move on. There are lots of us who already are struggling with hatred towards Alex’s enemies and your article is like gasoline on the fire – the very opposite of what Kuhn senior wanted.
RESIGNATION!
Where in the above article does it say his parents said to forgive and move on and that those were Alex Kuhn’s last wishes.
It doesn’t. Not anywhere. The Kuhns are wonderful people, but they want answers, and they deserve them. I would, if this were one of my kids. I am not a fan of Todd Blodgett’s politics, but I respect how he answered the hard questions in this article. He was Alex’s friend and seems to have wanted no part in any of this. Who would? It could not have been easy for him to call Bookmeyer like he did, give him such bad news. But he stepped up, kept Bookmeyer away from them, looks like that is how they wanted it. I knew Alex, not well, but we were friends. And what Blodgett said at the end here is just like Alex really was. I think we should all put this behind us and move on. That is what Alex would want.
What paragraph in the above article did Todd Blodgett say, “I think we should all put this behind us and move on”, or are you assuming that for Alex Kuhn, you did say you did not know him well, on a generic level I would understand moving on and unity, yet Alex Kuhn certainly wouldn’t be applying that to his own death if there was foul play.
@ mint, right, Todd Blodgett did not say that any place in the story. Some friends of mine are friends with Todd. They both say he is kicking himself because he did not make Alex to get help. I have heard, Blodgett kind of like counseled Alex for along time, years. I would bet that Alex family did ask him to call the mayor even tho Blodgett would not say this to Matt, or whoever did this story. Ok, my 2 cent’s.
Not in this article, but in GG:
“Kuhn’s father … said … it would be Alex’s wish for the city to move forward in unity … What has to come out of this is a healing for the Mason City community … That’s what Alex would have wanted.”
http://globegazette.com/news/local/kuhn-remembered-as-a-dedicated-public-servant/article_51a04ae5-405a-596b-892d-70af8e3fa3a9.html
Yeah i know, easier said than done, but if the Kuhn’s can try then so should we.
Whether the city moves on in unity or doesn’t has nothing to do with the death of Alex Kuhn, 1.) Do you understand how easy it would be to make an injury look self inflicted by a pro, 2.) You are also assuming the medical examiner is honest, 3.) Speaking for others esp.if they are passed is not in stone/uncertain, go back to cupcake land, in my view Alex Kuhn did not take his own life.
And the Moon landing was fake, Hitler is still alive, JFK was shot by the Mob/CIA/Castro… I love conspiracy theories. I thought Peter C. was the only one with a hyper active imagination. Guess I was wrong.
Sounds just like Peter L. doesn’t it?
Moving forward in unity could mean the citizens of Mason City coming together as one voice to remove the problems.
Wrong, although there are common threads with Peter L. 1.) Greek, 2.) Critical thinkers, 3.) Caring.
Oh really? Interesting. Kalisperas.
John Skipper wrote article that was confirmed by family member of Kuhn that Alex death was a suicide.
What a load of crap.
If this is true and the family did not want Mayor Bookmeyer to attend the funeral and he did anyway it would prove just how low his morals are. Only a sick individual would put more harm on this family at this time.
Did anyone see the signs on City Hall over the weekend?
I didnt – what did they say?
One said “Resigh Bully” the other said “Impeach the Mayor”
Someone had hung them up on the windows outside City Hall
Only the family knows,and as of now it is none of our business.If there was any wrong doing you can bet Kuhn’s would leave no stone unturned when it come to family.So everything else is just gossip as of now.Mason City needs to take a deep breath! and the real story will come out if it needs to.Give the Kuhn’s some respect.And no I’m related to any parties involved.
I dont know how anyone can point fingers. Depression is a nasty thing to deal with but can be treatable but the individual has to get help no one can make them and if his friends knew he was depressed why did none of them help him get it ? Finger pointing wont help or bring Alex back .I think there needs to be more awareness and better help gor those who need it. The blame game will change nothing nor help Mason City.
You are correct, there is no one to blame though some will want to do that including scapegoating mayor Bookmeyer. And that is totally unfair. Depression is a disease and like any disease if left untreated it can result in death. Anyone who has not been around this disease just does not understand.
Lies need an excuse and cover, truth does not, unveiling facts is the only way to get to the truth many confuse that with the word, “blame”.
Why would some lady claim Alex Kuhn had a drinking problem, according to who her, looked like Alex Kuhn was able to hold down a job and was involved in many other community activities helping people, there are many people who maybe looked at as though they have a drinking problem that does not mean they commit suicide, before that article was published her name also should have been included or her critique of Alex Kuhn should have been left out also her comparing him to Todd Blodgett what does Todd Blodgett have to do with Alex Kuhn’s death, if Alex Kuhn was so messed up why was he a city council member, in my view it is pathetic how people are talking bad about him, and I also believe none of it is true including Alex Kuhn taking his own life.
Wow Mint, You’re trying very hard to fit this into a nice package YOU can understand. You make up this or that. You choose to believe or not. Listen to yourself. Or, listen to the people who knew and loved him. Those few people who where close enough to see his human frailties as well as his great strengths and love him for who he was. Did you even understand what was written? Wow.
Exactly what was written, the article does not confirm from Alex’s family he had depression, or that he was troubled, the only mention in the article of anything came from Tom Harkin who said Alex Kuhn had a tormented soul, as I posted prior if Alex was so messed up why was he a city council member and how did he hold a job, in my view even if he was troubled in any way who isn’t, that does not mean a person would take their own life, surely his injuries could have looked as though self inflicted, that does not mean anything, I do not believe Alex Kuhn took his own life, also I know Dem. Rep. is fake they are actually one party giving the illusion they are separate, I am not into any form of party politics, although I do care about issues, I also know through the stream of time people have been murdered for less than a no vote.
Based on your words it appears you don’t understand the disease of depression.
anonymous – Depression is a man made invention/label to enrich the phony Rockefellers medical beast system, https://youtu.be/X6J_7PvWoMw, https://youtu.be/fOhyjcf__A0.
So how was Alex Kuhn’s soul tormented, the Bible says only God can see a heart, apparently so can Tom Harkin, phony politicians will all be judged at the white throne of the Creator.
There is no way Alex Kuhn killed himself, someone was angry at him for some reason, and used the Prestage no vote as a scapegoat/cover, or it was some affiliate of Prestage or someone who would have benefited from Prestage being built, just because a person is supposedly depressed or down about something does not mean they kill themselves, this is a cover up from the coroners or possible assumption of suicide, they should have got a second private/non state employee opinion on cause of death.
How was Alex Kuhn a “troubled man”.
My question is..how have Bill Schickel and John Lee been treated since the vote? And I mean treated by the mayor, Anderson, and other council members?
True facts!? Does not sound like it, sounds more like gossip and blaming than any real discussion of fact. Sounds like Bookmeyer is being singled out for blaming when the end of the article mentions several others without names. Having been close to someone who took their life looking for blame is the first reaction, but in the end there is no one to blame, it comes down to the individual.
Great great story gives true facts of what really happen. This here story it deserves a newspaper prize, maybe one of them Wurlitzer’s or something big. I like to see how NIT track down them that knows, yes. Blimpmeyer, he should get out not just quit the mayor job but I mean, leave town now while he still he can, he could not get elected to nothing now. Time to go fatso. Hear.
Already had that figured out although I didn’t know the mayor had been asked to stay away.