MVL Sun — 02.13.25

Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun receives 18 Better Newspaper Awards

Newspaper places third in general excellence category

The Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun newspaper placed first, second or third in 17 Better Newspaper Contests for the Iowa Newspaper Association. The newspaper also placed third in general excellence in Class II newspapers due to the number of overall awards the newspaper earned this year.

“It was a terrific year for the Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun, with many on staff receiving awards for their work, including Ryan, Joel, Heidi and myself,” said editor Nathan Countryman.

In first place, the newspaper earned a repeat win in excellence in editorial writing for editor Nathan Countryman, best special section advertising by Heidi Owen, and best advertising for a community special or event. In second place, the newspaper had best editorial pages, best sports section, best special section in editorial (Progress 2024), best headline writing, best newspaper website, best news story “Writing for a Different Audience” by Nathan Countryman, best sports photo by Joel Kellar (Lisbon state softball), best news feature photo by Joel Kellar (Sauerkraut Days bathtub races), best ad featuring grocery/food or entertainment by Heidi Owen, best ad featuring miscellaneous by Heidi Owen and best special section advertising by Heidi Owen.

In third place, the newspaper had best coverage of business, best sports feature story “Dix taking aim at state crown” by Ryan Suchomel and best continuing cov

Mustangs improve to runner-up status at state meet

The Mount Vernon Mustangs girls’ wrestling team finished as the state runner-up in the girls’ wrestling state tournament Thursday, Feb. 6 and Friday, Feb. 7 at XTream Arena in Coralville. Libby Dix again took the crown at the 190-

pound division champ, while Kiersten Swart finished in second place overall at the tournament.

A full recap of the wrestlers performance can be found on page 8.

Nathan Countryman Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun nathan.countryman@mvlsun.com

The city and Kwik Star/Kwik Trip. Inc., were dotting a lot of i’s and crossing a lot of t’s in a development agreement for a new Kwik Star store coming to Mount Vernon in the future.

The first change approved by the Mount Vernon City Council was a request to rezone a portion of property planned to be utilized by Kwik Star as a general commercial business. The land to the west of the Plaza Auto Auction space was currently listed as business

park in it’s zoning. Changing that land to a general commercial aligns with what the use of the land will be for the Kwik Star location.

A site plan was also approved at the Feb. 3 city council meeting.

Kacie Bonjour, real estate manager for Kwik Trip, Inc., was asking for a modification to light allowances along the Business 30 corridor.

The Kwik Star location will be a 24/7 operating business, and Bonjour was asking for the light candles under the canopies that shine on cars while fueling

erage (Mount Vernon schools insurance and budget issues).

The Iowa City Daily Iowan was named Iowa Newspaper Association’s 2025 “Newspaper of the Year.” The award was announced during the association’s Awards Ceremony on February 6. Sister publication Solon Econ -

omist had a great night, receiving 30 first, second or third place finishes and placing first in general excellence in Class I. The Iowa City Daily Iowan was also a first in general excellence in Class V.

Presentations were made to winners of the 2025 Iowa Better Newspaper Contests, which the Kansas Press Association judged. Approximately 3,200 entries in dozens of categories were judged by class, based on

circulation. Class I is for newspapers published once a week with 755 circulation and under, Class II is for newspapers published once a week with circulation 756 to 1,260, Class III is for newspapers published once a week with 1,261 circulation and above, Class IV newspapers published more than once a week 3,750 and under; Class V newspapers published more than once a week 3,751 and above circulation.

be allowed at 40 lumens for the car canopies and 57 lumens for the canopies over the diesel pumps catering to semis. While Kwik Star will not be a truck stop, as it does not have lodging for truck drivers to sleep in overnight, having the lights on canopies during the overnight allows drivers to be able to inspect their vehicle during fuel stops.

The station will have 10 gas pumps and two diesel pumps and offer many of the amenities of a Kwik Star location, including the bakery items, grocery store elements, hot spot food items and beverages. The site will also have a single bay car wash.

The lights in the canopies will be directed down towards the ground from the canopy and because of the direction facing, hope is the intrusion of lighting will be minimal on impacted neighbors.

City planner Leigh Bradbury had prepared the report on the building for the planning and zoning commission and the concerns the city had regarding the development of a business in the Business 30 bypass zone. The lighting regulations exceeded the recommendations for the Business 30 master plan and general commercial restrictions. The concerns were communicated to Kwik Trip, Inc., on Jan. 6. Bradbury recommended approval of the site plan if it met with the illumination levels in accordance with base regulations.

Council member Paul Tuerler moved to allow the modifications to the light, with Scott Rose seconding. It proved unanimously.

There were no public comments made at the council meeting on the Kwik Star development.

Planning and Zoning commission had changed the request for the rezoning of the plat by the city council.

The city also approved a public utility easement with property owned by LRD Corp to extend a sewer main to the west of the proposed Rachel Street extension for further development of the area.

The extension of the sewer main to the west will allow for development behind Lynch Ford Chevrolet to occur in the future and connect a roadway to the west of Lynch Ford Chevrolet

Radio transmitter at Mount Vernon home games

Anonymous donor offers FM transmitter for hearing aids

Nathan Countryman

Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun nathan.countryman@mvlsun.com

If you are hard of hearing but attending a Mount Vernon sporting event, the Mount Vernon Mustang Vision will have a new FM transmitter.

According to Paul Fugate, the purchase was made due to the help of an anonymous donor.

“It will allow those with hearing issues to tune to a FM frequency to better hear the play by play announcing,” Fugate said.

Mount Vernon High School may be among a select few schools in Iowa who have a dedicated FM broadcast of the play by play announcing for fans.

Mustang Vision will also have more streaming options for the spring and summer competitions of the Mustangs.

Mount Vernon soccer games will be live streamed to Mustang Vision, and HUDL cameras have been purchased for both the Cornell and Mount Vernon baseball and softball diamonds for streaming opportunities this season.

Fugate said livestreams of the games average roughly 700 views per contest, and that there are advertising opportunities for area businesses who wish to sponsor the streams.

Mount Vernon-Lisbon Lions club seeking

The Mount Vernon Lions Club is looking for new members. Member Paul Fugate said that the organization has lost several members recently, and are looking for younger members to join. They meet the fourth Wednesday of

every month at Mount Vernon City Hall.

“It’s a great networking opportunity,” Fugate said. “It’s also a great tax deduction, as we’re a 501 (c) 3 organization, so any donations made are tax deductible.”

The Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun strives for accuracy and fairness in reporting news. If we’ve made an error or a report is misleading, let us know about it: news@mvlsun.com

STAFF

Publisher Jason Brummond jason.brummond@dailyiowan.com

Editor Nathan Countryman nathan.countryman @mvlsun.com

Sports Ryan Suchomel ryan.suchomel@mvlsun.com

Reporting Intern Joel Kellar

Advertising Sales Paul Rowland paul.rowland@mvlsun.com

Office/Sales Assistant Rochelle Ferguson rochelle.ferguson@mvlsun. com

Production Manager Heidi Owen heidi.owen@dailyiowan.com

in the future.

Kwik Trip, Inc., also sought a storm water utility easement with LRD Corp, due to increased storm water from the development.

Action still to be taken

The council had tabled action on a final easement of the Kwik Star development for land that was owned by Plaza Auto Auction until Monday, Feb. 10, at 5 p.m., during a special meeting of the city council.

Chocolate Stroll on pause for 2025

The Mount Vernon Chocolate Stroll is on pause for 2025.

“We need new community members to volunteer to help keep this event going by joining the committee. If you would like to see this event continue in 2026, we will need your help on the committee.”

Chocolate Stroll is usually held the first weekend in June in Mount Vernon. Sherene Player has been the chair for the committee in the past, and events featured at the event include kids activities at Memorial Park, a Point 5K run/walk, several chocolate vendors, a make it with chocolate event and other items.

If you are interested in volunteering for the committee, let Sherene Player or Jessie Thurn know.

Correction

The Linn County Farm Bureau donated to the Mount Vernon High School agriculture classes, not the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation as was reported in the article Thursday, Feb. 6. The Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun apologizes for the error.

Business Manager Debbie Plath debra.plath@dailyiowan.com

Official Newspaper: Mount Vernon, Lisbon, Bertram, Linn County, Mount Vernon Community School District, Lisbon Community School District

The Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun (USPS 367-520), a division of The Daily Iowan, is published weekly every Thursday by Student Publications, Inc., 100 Adler Journalism Building, Room E131, Iowa City, Iowa 52242. Periodicals Postage Paid at the Mount Vernon Post Office and additional offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun, 108 1st St SW, Mount Vernon, IA 52314. Subscriptions: Contact Rochelle Ferguson at 319-895-6216 or rochelle.ferguson@mvlsun.com for additional information. Subscription rates: Linn and adjoining counties – $55 annually; elsewhere in Iowa – $75 annually; out of state – $85 annually.

Copyright 2025 Mount VernonLisbon Sun, a division of The Daily Iowan and Student Publications, Inc. All articles, photographs and graphics, both in print and online editions, are the property of Student Publications, Inc., and may not be reproduced or republished without written permission.

mvlsun.com

Mount Vernon earns 21 Division I ratings at state large group

Record 18 straight Division I ratings for program

Mount Vernon High School had 21 Division I ratings and three Division II ratings at state large group speech contest at Cedar Rapids Washington Saturday, Feb. 8, including 18 straight Division I ratings. That 18 straight Division I ratings is a new record, according to head coach Grant Freeman. The team is co-coached by Tawnua Tenley, Mary Horst, Trevor Baty and Amy White. All-State results were announced after press deadline for the Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun, but will be reported next week. A speech showcase will be held on Saturday, Feb. 15 at the Mount Vernon High School Performing Arts Center. Start time is still being ironed out to minimize overlap with the girls basketball home game.

Earning Division I ratings at state were –

• readers theatre “Then I’ll be Happy” starring Summer Bowie Smith, Katie Whitehead, Owen Francois, Ellah Shook, Sarah Sharif, Lydia Marshall, Effie Johnson, Charlotte Hand, Collin Clark and Eva Bishop; • group mimes “My Monstrous Time at Summer Camp” starring Grace Bausch, Mya Stoner, Katherine Bauer, Brooklynn Feddersen and Eva Bishop and “The Tragedy of Medusa” starring Violet Olinger, Meg Dye, Allie Teague and Claire Thuerauf;

• solo mimes “Tiptoes: The American Dream” starring Claire Thuerauf and “Kill or Be Killed” starring Korah Jo Robinson;

• TV newscasting “Backseat News” starring Ava Willems, Carly Steen, Cora Smith, Cait O’Connor and Hannah Jones and “MANATEE News” starring Charlie Weldon, Clare Nydegger, Luke Paulus, Jackson Voight and Cy Johnson;

• radio broadcasting “WGOV” starring Will Turner, Hannah Jones and Grace Hale.

• one act play “Peter Pan” starring Penelope Vig, Natalie Thuerauf, Emmett Jordan, Skye Rodman, Meg Dye, Megan Teague, Sarah Sharif, Emma Hoffman, Claire Jensen, Charlotte Woosley, Mae Krapfl, Ellah Shook, Allie Teague and Nathan Conrad;

• choral reading “A Year in White” starring Lyn Bauer, Natalee Glaister, Elizabeth Morf, Korah Jo Robinson, Nora Dye, Emara Perrault, Summer Bowie Smith and Claire Jensen; 10

• short films “Zapatrilovaxitalum” starring Andrew Errington, Danny Dye, Beck Oesterle, Everett Marshall and Isaiah Hanson and “Pieces of the Past” starring Grant Tucker, Lydia Marshall, Kevin Zehms, Will Turner, Charlie Weldon and Nathan Conrad,

• musical theatres “Chicago” starring Emma Hoffman, Anna Stephens, Renee Vig, Lyn Bauer, Nora Dye and

Betsy Louwagie, “Urinetown” starring Cy Johnson, Elizabeth Morf, Natalee Glaister, Grace Bausch and Norah Weber and “Something’s Rotten” starring Chester Rood, Grace Hale, Charlotte Woosley and Emmett Jordan;

• ensemble actings “Nova Scotia” starring Hagen Wilkins, Jack Bauer, Marlena Rodenberg and Emery Willems, “Sisters” starring Bella Hasley, Renee Vig, Norah Weber and Emara Perrault, “Sports!” starring Skye Rodman, Grant Tucker and Kevin Zehms, “Hamlet” starring Penelope Vig, Megan Teague, Michael Covington, Chester Rood and Violet Olinger;

• group improvisation “Bauer, Covington, Francois, and Nydegger” starring Katherine Bauer, Owen Francis, Clare Nydegger and Michael Covington and “Hasley, O’Connor, and Thuerauf” starring Bella Hasley, Natalie Thuerauf and Cait O’Connor.

Earning Division II ratings at state were:

• short film “The Burgintons Part 4” starring Adam Zehms, Ellia Oesterle, Dylan Robinson and Luke Paulus;

• group improvisation “Clark, Krapfl, Robinson, Stoner, and Zehms” starring Collin Clark, Adam Zehms, Mae Krapfl, Dylan Robinson and Mya Stoner.

• TV newscasting “Sox News” starring Lexi Liu, Clara Vavricek, Andrew Errington, Josie Panos, Danny Dye.

Natalie Pumphrey and Joey Watson and “Keeping Score” starring Kaitlyn Silver, Payton Curtis, Caroline Morris and Gracie Cummings.

• choral reading “Matilda” starring Ellie Beatty, Lynnlee Caspers, Olivia Davis, Ashlynn LeClere, Avery Long, Leila Mayhew, Caroline Morris, Ava Mollenhauer, Adalyn Ricke, Jenna Ries, Hallie Ries, Kaitlyn Silver, Sydney Techau and Joey Watson.

Earning Division II ratings at state were:

• musical theater “Tick Tick Boom” starring Rachel Bartels and Bryce Boots;

• television newscasting “Horizon Headlines” starring Peyton Appel, Bryce Boots, Sawyer Feldman, Carew Kamaus, Ava Mollenhauer, Caleb Ross and Brody Speidel.

Lisbon earned four Division I ratings and two Division II ratings at state large group speech contest at Cedar Rapids-Washington Saturday, Feb. 8. The team is coached by Ellen Johanns and assistant coach J’Nee Reade.

All-State nominations were not announced ahead of press deadline.

Earning Division I ratings at state were:

• group mime “Spell-ing Errors” starring Gracie Cummings, Ashlynn LeClere and Hermione Chalupa;

• ensemble acting “Overtones” starring Rachel Bartels, Lynnlee Caspers,

OPINIONS

To a groundhog, every day is Groundhog Day

Living in Iowa

Dan Brawner

Okay, I know Groundhog Day is over and that famous, and probably heavily sedated Philadelphia marmot with the un-spellable first name saw his shadow and went back to bed. Same as any sensible person. We all know that Groundhog Day is February 2, but I bet if you asked a groundhog when it is, they would tell you that every day is Groundhog Day. Groundhogs are like that— always thinking about themselves and their own needs.

Speaking as someone with an entire colony of groundhogs living under my house, I can assure you that at this very moment, all my groundhogs are comfortably hibernating and have no interest in their own shadow or in predicting the onset of spring for us humans until such time as it’s nice and warm outside and there are good things to eat within easy reach. If anybody wants to know when the groundhog will see his shadow, I’ll tell you—when he darned well feels like it.

Obsessed with weather prognostication as we are, humans have always tried to enlist animals in our meteorological fixation. Supposedly the louder frogs croak, the sooner it’s going to rain. (Or more likely, the closer it is to mating season.) When squirrels build their nests up high, it means a harsh winter is coming. But squirrels are such alarmists—a falling maple leaf will send them dashing up a tree. The saying goes that when a cat washes behind its ears, rain is on the way. Or maybe it just has dirty ears. As creatures that spend a lot of time in the atmosphere, birds are highly attuned to the weather. According to folklore, when birds fly high, weather will be clear. But when they fly closer to the ground, it means a storm is coming and they are avoiding the accompanying low pressure that causes them pain. Now we know when geese are honking low overhead, they are really saying, “Ow! Ow!”

It is said that when cows lie down in the field it’s a sign of rain and they are saving a dry spot. Personally, I have never noticed that cows are terribly particular about what they lie on--or step in. The main focus of their conscious existence is eating and if a cow makes the effort to lower its immense bulk to the ground, it is because it found some tasty morsel to munch on.

Other folk wisdom includes, “When sheep gather in a huddle, tomorrow will have a puddle.” And then there is, “When ladybugs swarm, expect a day that’s warm.”

I once knew a grumpy old geezer named George who claimed his system for predicting the weather was 90 percent accurate. “You want to know what the weather is going to be like tomorrow?” George growled. “It’s going to be just about like it is today.” And darned if he wasn’t right!

This year, The Farmer’s Almanac predicted winter in Eastern Iowa would be mild with lots of snow. And if you’re wondering why we’ve had practically no actual snow this winter, it’s because in October, I bought a new snow blower. You’re welcome.

SUN EDITORIAL

Community leaders breakfasts your time to learn, share about community

Do you like learning what is happening in the Mount Vernon and Lisbon communities? Love breakfasts at Bon Appetit at Cornell College?

The community leaders breakfasts held quarterly are a good combination of both those items. You get the chance to learn about what is happening at the City of Mount Vernon, Mount Vernon Schools, Lisbon Schools, City of Lisbon and Mount Vernon-Lisbon Community Development Group. There’s always opportunities for other businesses to provide updates on what is happening in their neck of the woods.

Even if you have nothing much to say yourself, your attendance helps keep you informed and hearing other updates might spur you on your own.

Some of the smaller tidbits learned at this quarter’s breakfast – the impact of proposed tariffs to Mexico and Canada would have been extremely devastating to local

car dealership Lynch-Ford Chevrolet. Impacts to some of the agencies in cross hairs of the DOGE group at the federal level will have an indirect impact to Southeast Linn Community Center, including Meals on Wheels and HACAP Food Pantry programs. As Nicole McAlexander said, that doesn’t change their mission, they will continue to operate – “no matter what winds will come, we will still be here. We’re thankful to be in a community so supportive of our work.” Or things like the efforts to improve the Mount Vernon Pharmacy.

It’s also an opportunity to promote events or activities coming up for area businesses, to network and continue conversations among each other on relevant topics or just to let people know what’s new and exciting in your world. The next breakfast is April 10 at Bon Appetit, and we’re sure every one is more than welcome to share what’s up in their business ventures.

There is no I in team wins

Nathan Countryman

There are years when you’ve been sitting on a handful of embargoed INA nominations, and want to be excited for the two or three that placed that you wrote.

And then, there’s this year, where combined our organizations were upward of 72 Better Newspaper Contest awards.

When we receive the notification from the Iowa Newspaper Association, it only tells you that one of your submissions placed in the category, not the place they made until the night of the INA Banquet.

A little before Christmas, on a Friday as I was finishing up the newspaper, we received the notifications that we had placed in 17 categories. That was followed up with another announcement – that we were up for general excellence in our newspaper class. That hadn’t happened in a fairly long time for this newspaper.

With that many awards, I was not turning down the opportunity to go to the Iowa Newspaper Association Conference and Awards Banquet. I spent the morning after I arrived at 11 a.m. in two sessions that further honed my skills for future reporting, as well as catching up with some of the people I was at the Mores Media Fellowship earlier this summer and then former colleagues from my time at Woodward.

During the evening’s awards, I was struck as I had posted on my personal Facebook, that this year it was not just a “me” winning year, it was a “team” winning year.

Intern Joel Kellar won two second place awards for work from us and two first place awards for work from the Solon

CONSUMER CONNECTION

Economist. Ryan had a win for a stellar feature story on Libby Dix. Our layout dynamo Heidi Owen had wins in three different classes of newspapers in different categories, even sweeping a few categories outright.

And while we took home three first place plaques, two for Heidi’s wall at The Daily Iowan as they pertained to her work, and a repeat for myself for excellence in editorial writing, I was still extremely proud of the pieces that earned a second place finish.

There was that “Writing for a Different Audience” piece I submitted under best news story being called out by a judge of “we need this variety in writing categories to show just the importance of different news stories that papers tell.” Yet another award attributed to those podcasting kids last year.

There was also a third place finish in continuing coverage, about the insurance and budget cut discussions at Mount Vernon Schools last spring. A series that took time and energy to boil down to what was relevant, what mattered to the audience and the next steps that were taken. To be in the same category as the story on chickens in a northwest community that turned out to be one of the most egregious open meeting violations uncovered just because someone was asking why rules changed on chickens is a “yeah, I’m happy to even be in third place with this.”

But mostly, it was seeing the team and work that went into the selections beforehand that mattered. I remember as we were taking an hour conversation between myself, Heidi Owen and Jason Brummond on what to enter and they asked about headline writing. I hemmed about how I think I have just okayish headlines at times. They encouraged me to find one or two issues I liked with headlines for consideration and submit. That winning second place, a category I was on the fence about, was one of the wins of the night I appreciated. Because it highlighted that collaborative environment we have here with Student Publications, Inc. It was a great year for this team. Looking forward to what we can do next year.

Flood Preparedness and insurance

Sonya Sellmeyer Consumer Advocacy Officer for the Iowa Insurance Division

Each spring brings about the possibility of flooding in Iowa. Damage caused by flooding is often a standard exclusion in homeowner, renter, and property insurance policies. In most flood-prone areas, flood insurance coverage has traditionally been available through the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) National Flood Insurance

Program (NFIP). Those not living in an NFIP community (www.floodmart. gov) have flood insurance options from private insurance carriers. According to FEMA, one inch of water can do $25,000 worth of damage, and the average NFIP flood claim paid between 2016 and 2022 was more than $66,000. If you live in or around a high-risk flood area, you may be required to have flood insurance. The FEMA Flood Map Service Center (msc. fema.gov) is the official public source for flood hazard information in support

of the NFIP. The NFIP offers two types of coverage – buildings and contents, to protect your home and belongings. NFIP also provides flood insurance for renters, businesses, and preferred risk policies specifically designed for residential properties in moderate-tolow risk flood zones. Typically, there is a 30-day waiting period before flood insurance takes effect. Call a licensed insurance agent soon to see about coverage.

Why do you need private flood insurance? Iowa is a state with previous

historical flooding experience. So, if you don’t live in an area that requires flood coverage or participates in the NFIP program, private flood protection should be considered. Private flood insurance is sold by licensed insurance agents in Iowa and may also have a waiting period before coverage takes effect. Also, consider parametric flood insurance, which pays out when a predefined flood event occurs, rather than the actual amount of loss.

Water and sewer backup coverage are different from flood insurance. While some homeowners policies include these provisions, neither are automatically included as part of a regular homeowners policy and will need special endorsements to provide coverage. Review

your homeowners policy annually for the necessary endorsements and adequate coverage amounts. As with any insurance policy, read the policy to ensure you understand what is covered. Coverage through FEMA;s NFIP may cover direct physical losses to your structure and belongings. Private flood insurance may also provide loss-of-use coverage, which is not reimbursed by a federal government policy. Pay specific attention to what is not covered under the policy and discuss the coverage limits with your agent to ensure you have enough protection.

Additional information about flooding and flood risks can be found on the NFIP website (www.floodsmart. gov). For current flood alerts and stream levels in Iowa,

Cornell College offering Volunteer Income Tax Assistance

Program sponsored by United Way of Central Iowa

Nathan Countryman

Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun nathan.countryman@mvlsun.com

Cornell College will once again be taking part in the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program.

Santhi Hejeebu, professor of economics and business, started Cornell College’s VITA program in fall 2023 with

Professor Huan Cai.

“I love the fact that our students are learning new skills that will be necessary and tangible in their own lives while at the same time sharpening their skills by helping others,” Hejeebu said. Hejeebu reminds people in the community wanting to take part in VITA that appointments need to be scheduled ahead online or by calling the United Way.

visit the Iowa Flood Information System (https://ifis. iowafloodcenter.org).

Iowans who believe they have flood coverage under their property insurance and are not receiving compensation per their insurance policy may file a complaint with the Iowa Insurance Division (iid.iowa. gov). Before disaster strikes review the Post-Disaster Claims Guide at https://iid.iowa.gov to help you complete a home inventory and assist with the filing of any future insurance claims.

Remember, flood damage can happen to anyone in Iowa, and an NFIP or private flood insurance policy may protect you from water damage losses. Act quickly to obtain coverage before flood season begins.

“The second most important thing is to book an ‘Intake Appointment.,’” Hejeebu said. “That means you’ll have an intake interview and you will have all your documents reviewed by a specialist. You’ll then leave the documents and come back in two weeks to review and e-file the completed return. Your originals and the completed returns will be given to you. These appointments will take about 30 minutes to complete.”

Those who attend a VITA appointment should remember to bring everything they need to file their taxes on the day of the appointment.

Those items needed to bring with you include:

• Photo IDs for you and your spouse if filing a joint return

• Social security cards for everyone on the return (you, spouse, dependents)

• All your tax documents (W-2s, 1099Rs, SSA-1099s etc.)

• Last year’s return if you filed your taxes

• Bank account and routing number information “Students are learning to broadly

understand and apply complicated tax law,” Hejeebu said. “They are learning to communicate empathetically with taxpayers to help them navigate the system. Every household is different and the applicable rules change from family to family. So students really need to know how to hunt for information, using the references and software they have been taught. Fortunately, our students are digital natives. They are very good at tracking down the information needed.”

Sophomore Ella Henze is one of the students helping at VITA this year.

“Through the VITA program, I have learned how to effectively communicate with our clients,” Henze said. “Taxes can be quite confusing, so using what I’ve learned through the program greatly helps me and the client file a successful tax return.”

Henze said one of the challenges she has had has been navigating the complex tax codes while keeping up with her current classes.

“While challenging, it has been rewarding to see my effort pay off in both aspects,” Henze said.

Henze said that while taxes can be stressful, volunteers are happy to help clients navigate their returns.

Twenty-five Funeral Professionals Selected for Prestigious NFDA Meet the Mentors Program

The National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA) is proud to announce the 25 funeral professionals selected to participate in the 2025 Meet the Mentors program. This prestigious event, made possible through the generous support of the Funeral Service Foundation, will take place April 8-10, in Washington, D.C., in conjunction with the NFDA Advocacy Summit.

Since its inception in 2011, Meet the Mentors has provided up-and-coming funeral service professionals with invaluable opportunities to learn from some of the most accomplished leaders in the profession. This year’s event will be particularly impactful, combining mentorship with real-world advocacy on Capitol Hill.

“Meet the Mentors is a transformative experience for funeral service professionals early in their careers,” said Sara Moss, MS, FT, LFD, NFDA associate director of education. “Bringing this program to Washington, D.C., allows our mentees to not only gain career-changing insights from our distinguished mentors but also to develop the advocacy skills necessary to shape the future of funeral service.”

Congratulations to the 2025 Meet the Mentors Participants The following individuals have been selected for this year’s program:

• Craig L. Adams Jr. – Vaughn C. Greene Funeral Service, Baltimore, Md.

• Christopher Boggs – MacNabb Funeral Home, Catonsville, Md.

• Makenzie Briggs – Roeder Mortuaries, Omaha, Neb.

• Jessica Cespedes – Patrick T. Lanigan Funeral Home and Crematory, Turtle Creek, Penn.

• Simone Coplin – Hanson-Runsvold Funeral Home, Fargo, N.D.

• Lydia D’Atri – Thomas McAfee Funeral Home Greenville, S.C.

• Peyton Davis – Smith Family Funeral Homes –

Little Rock Chapel, Little Rock, Ark.

• Sarah Beth Drake – Cantlon Otterness & Viets Funeral Home, Buffalo, Mo.

• Amanda Earl – Phaneuf Funeral Homes & Crematorium, Manchester, NH

• Gregory Fountain – Newcomer Funeral Service Group, Orlando, Fla.

• Jayme Fuscaldo – Jersey Memorial Group, Old Bridge, N.J.

• Hanna McClellan – Howe-Peterson Funeral Home and Cremation Services, Taylor, Mich.

• Haisten Murphree – Glover Funeral Home, Dothan, Ala.

• Shelby Ogozaly – Perman Funeral Home & Cremation Service, Pittsburgh, Penn.

• David Pryor – Piper Funeral Home, St. Marys, Kansas

• Stephen Rios – Altmeyer Funeral Home, Virginia Beach, Virg.

• Aiyanna Rivera – Pollock-Randall Funeral Home, Port Huron, Mich.

• Jason Sertich – Wenig Funeral Homes, Sheboygan Falls, Wis.

• Tina Spedden – Lee Funeral Home, Owings, Md.

• Loran Spence – Carmon Community Funeral Homes, Windsor, Conn.

• Jarell Springfield – Calumet Park Funeral Chapel, Merrillville, Ind.

• Nicholas Todd – Stewart Baxter Funeral & Memorial Services, Cedar Rapids

• Amy Trigoura – Fred Hunter’s, Funeral Home, Crematory & Cemetery, Davie, Fla.

• Anna Urciuoli – Leo P. Gallagher & Son Funeral Home, Greenwich, Conn.

• Gary T. Whitley Jr. – Nelms Memorial Funeral Home, Huntsville, Ala.

An Unparalleled Mentorship and Advocacy Experience

The 2025 Meet the Mentors program will feature three renowned funeral service leaders, who will share insights, career guidance and expertise with the mentees through interactive roundtable discussions and networking opportunities:

• Dr. Camelia Clarke – Co-owner of Paradise Memorial Funeral & Cremation Services and Leon L. Williamson Funeral Home in Milwaukee, Wis.. A past president of the Wisconsin Funeral Directors Association, she is also an NFDA Spokesperson Team member and actively engaged in her local community.

• Lori Sheeler – General Manager of Wilson-St. Pierre Funeral Service & Crematory in Greenwood, Ind. She has served in key leadership roles, including Vice Chair of the Indiana Funeral Education Foundation and District 7 Director for the Indiana Funeral Directors Association.

• Tim Schramm – Owner and CEO of Howe-Peterson Funeral Homes in Mich. He is a recognized expert in funeral service management and mass fatality response, currently leading the Michigan Mortuary Response Team (MI-MORT) and serving on the Funeral Service Foundation’s Board of Trustees.

Additionally, mentees will participate in NFDA’s Advocacy Summit, where they will meet with Members of Congress to discuss key issues affecting funeral service professionals and the families they serve. This hands-on experience will provide mentees with an inside look at the legislative process and the critical role advocacy plays in shaping the future of the profession.

MV CITY COUNCIL BRIEFS

City approves fuel tanks for Mount Vernon vehicles

The City of Mount Vernon approved the purchase of two fuel tanks for the new public works site.

The tanks would be dual walled, which would negate the need for a spill basin for the pumps.

All departments could utilize the fuel pumps, which would reduce the number of credit card authorizations by the city for fuel purchases. That has been an area the city has been flagged by the auditors in the past is the number of fuel transactions taken via credit cards.

With the new tanks, the city would be able to purchase fuel orders in bulk instead.

Mount Vernon-Lisbon Police Chief Doug Shannon said that his department spends roughly $2,000 a month on fuel alone for police vehicles, so bulk ordering fuel could be a cost savings for the city.

The cost of the new fuel tanks is roughly $15,000, and will be completed sometime this spring.

Soffit repairs made to police station

The Mount Vernon-Lisbon Police Department had a number of soffits replaced to be non-venting.

Those emergency repairs were made in January’s cooldown, when the venting soffits allowed freezing cold air to seep into the building and impact plex water lines that were running throughout.

“Every single soffit was formerly vented,” said Doug Shannon, Mount Vernon Lisbon Police Chief. “The air moving through was moving so fast it was blowing and relocating insulation.”

Septagon replaced a number of soffits to be non-venting and limit the airflow into the building, as well as administered heat tape to areas of Pex line to better protect the pipes from the elements in the future.

The repair was a total of $7,971 and was completed as an emergency repair due to the frozen water lines at the station.

Out for bids

The old public workshop will be out for bid, with bids due back to the City of Mount Vernon by Feb. 28. There is a $295,000 minimum bid amount for the project.

Next meeting is Feb 19

The next council meeting for Mount Vernon is Wednesday, Feb 19, due to the president’s day holiday Monday, Feb. 17. The meeting will start at 6:30 p.m. in Mount Vernon City Hall.

New officer sworn in to reserves

Mount Vernon-Lisbon Police Department added a new officer to the police reserves at Monday, Feb. 3 meeting. Cornell College junior Monet Roelle took the oath of office, with several of her Cornell College softball teammates in the audience cheering after she completed the oath.

Ripon College fall 2024 dean’s list

Ben Crock of Mount Vernon was named to the Ripon College fall 2024 dean’s list. To qualify for the Dean’s List at Ripon College, students must achieve a 3.40 GPA or higher on a 4.00 scale.

Northern Michigan University fall 2024 dean’s list

Quinn Alles and Sierra Snyder of Mount Vernon were named to the Northern Michigan university fall 2024 dean’s list. To be honored, students must achieve a GPA of 3.5 or higher.

University of Iowa fall 2024 dean’s list

A number of area students were named to the fall 2024 dean’s list. Students must obtain a GPA of 3.5 or above to be named to the list. Locals named to the dean’s list include:

Mount Vernon - Jacob Cannon of Mount Vernon named to University of Iowa 2024 fall dean’s list. Isabel Hawker, Isabelle Krapfl, Abigail Morf, Margaret Player, Laura Swart, Clair Zmolek, Hedy Zmolek, Lorna Bauer, Rebecca Conrad, Thomas Ferguson, Clayton Flack, Annalise Harp, Emma Hupfeld, Samantha Parks, Sydney Parks, Piper Price, Kylie Pyatt, Kenna Rollinger, Lillian See, Ethan Stanerson, Camryn Streicher, Parker Witham

Mechanicsville - Paige Appel, Alex Bock, Haley Farrington, Martelle – Peyton Bockenstedt, Lisbon - Ethan Brandauer, Cadence Dighton, Gabriel Fairchild, Teague Krob, Silas Young

Iowa Secretary of State’s office maintains up-to-date voter registration lists to keep Iowa elections secure

The role of Iowa Secretary of State requires a balance: ensuring Iowa elections are safe, secure, and fair and empowering every eligible voter to make their voices heard in Iowa elections. Iowa is consistently named a top-ranked state nationally in election administration and boasts strong voter participation

Roelle takes her oath of office for the Mount VernonLisbon Police Department reserves.

Marshalltown Community College fall 2024 dean’s list

Robert Scranton of Martelle was named to the Marshalltown Community College fall 2024 dean’s list. Students must obtain a GPA of 3.5 or above.

University of Iowa president’s list

More than 1,000 undergraduate students at the University of Iowa were named to the president’s list for the 2024 fall semester. Students must obtain a GPA of 4.0 to be named to the president’s list.

Named to the president’s list from the area include: Mount Vernon - Jacob Cannon, Isabel Hawker, Isabelle Krapfl, Abigail Morf, Margaret Player, Laura Swart, Clair Zmolek, Hedy Zmolek.

UW-Platteville fall 2024 dean’s list

Brennen Keel of Mechanicsville was named to the University of Wisconsin Platteville fall 2024 dean’s list. To be named to the list, students must obtain a 3.75 GPA or above.

Iowa State honors fall graduates

Parker Stephen Haro of Lisbon graduated with a bachelor of science with a major in construction engineering from Iowa State University in fall 2024. More than 1,600 graduates received degrees from Iowa State University this fall. Graduate and undergraduate commencement ceremonies were held Dec. 20-21 at Hilton Coliseum.

and turnout rates.

A core component of keeping Iowa elections safe and secure is maintaining clean voter lists. The Iowa Secretary of State’s office continually works with the Iowa legislature to implement robust procedures that update a voter’s registration status to reflect participation. Registered voters who do not participate in the most recent Iowa general election are marked as “inactive.” Their registration is canceled if the registered voter does not vote in two consecutive general elections.

As part of this process, approximately 183,000 inactive voters who have not participated in an Iowa election since 2020 have now been marked as canceled. Iowans receive notice upon any change in registration status. Affected Iowans then have the opportunity to return to active status and make necessary updates.

“This process is critical in balancing voter integrity and voter participation: clean voter registration lists keep elections secure and accurate, and same day voter registration allows any eligible voter to register to vote at the polls, on Election Day, and cast a ballot,” said Secretary of State Paul Pate.

Iowans who have questions about their voter registration status should check or update their status in under three minutes at VoterReady.Iowa.Gov.

Ruth Martha Hinz, 95, of Anamosa, died Monday, Jan. 27, 2025, at the Anamosa Care Center with her family by her side.

A Mass of Christian Burial took place Monday, Feb. 10, at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Anamosa. Rev. Sean Smith will officiate. Burial was in Holy Cross Cemetery. Please visit Goettschonline.com to share your thoughts, memories, and condolences with Ruth’s family.

Ruth was born Aug. 2, 1929, in her parents’ farmhouse near Mount Vernon to Louis & Otillie Reyhons. She walked to Riverside country school and graduated from Mount Vernon High School in 1948, where she was a cheerleader, and the Homecoming Queen. She married Manford (Tony) Hinz on July 7, 1948, at St. Peter & Paul Catholic Church near Solon. Ruth farmed with her children and husband until his death May 19, 1986. She moved to Anamosa where she did a lot of volunteer work. Ruth was a member of the St. Patrick Catholic Church and belonged to the group known as “Merry Widows” along with friends Joan Holub, Lucille Price and Eleanor Schultejans. They participated in parades and volunteer activities. They were awarded the Anamosa Distinguished award in 2000 and the Anamosa Music Ambassador Award in 2010. She loved spending time with her family, enjoyed walking, gardening, canning, flowers, hunting mushrooms and volunteer work, especially the Buddy School Reading Program for elementary children.

Ruth will always be remembered for her smile, kindness and never speaking a bad word about anyone. Though she may no longer be with us in body, Ruth’s spirit will continue to shine brightly through the memories we hold dear. Her love, laughter and kindness will be forever in our hearts, guiding us through life’s journey. She was always there to lend a helping hand, offering guidance and support wherever people needed it most. Her kindness and generosity knew no bounds and her compassion will live on in the hearts of all who knew her.

Ruth is survived by 12 of her 13 children, Sandra (Paul) Heims; Louie (Sally) Hinz; Priscilla (John) Steffen; Joe (Connie) Hinz; Debbie (Denny) Chapman; Jeff (JoAnn) Hinz; Teresa (Kevin) Meskimen; Cecilia (Paul) Taylor; Julie (Leo) Offerman; Lisa (Brad) Dircks; Robert (Jan) Hinz and John (Jen) Hinz. Sisters Marie Beuter, Leona (Bill) SmithFaoro, brother-in-law Sylvester (Joanne) Hinz, and many grandchildren, great grandchildren, great-great grandchildren, nieces, and nephews.

Ruth was preceded in death by her parents, husband, a daughter Rita Goldsmith, sons-in-law Mike Houser and Dennis Goldsmith, and her sister Dorothy Poduska. Ruth’s family would like to thank the staff of the Anamosa Care Center, and Jones Regional Medical Center Hospital and Hospice for their generous compassionate care.

Hilda Brawner, 79, of Mount Vernon, Iowa, passed away Sunday, February 2, 2025. The visitation will be held from 4:30-7 p.m., Friday, Feb. 14, with the Rosary recited at 4 p.m., at Stewart Baxter Funeral & Memorial Services, Mount Vernon. A funeral Mass will begin at 10 a.m., Saturday, Feb. 15, at Saint John the Baptist Catholic Church, Mount Vernon. Burial will take place at the Mount Vernon Cemetery.

Hilda was born Dec. 17, 1945, in Gubat, Sorsogon, Philippines, the daughter of Protacio and Victoriana (Ergina) Duma. She was united in marriage to Arnold Brawner on June 16, 1981, in Manila, Philippines.

Hilda was a loving wife, supportive mom, playful grandmother, and true friend. She spent many years working on projects, big and small, with Arnold. You could find her out on the farm growing flowers, picking apples, and harvesting an abundance of vegetables she was eager to share. Her eggrolls were a favorite and she was always up for a game of BINGO. We take comfort in the laughter, love, and faith she shared with us. May we always remember her kind heart, generous spirit, and beautiful smile.

Hilda is survived by her daughter, Victoria (Matthew) Schleier; stepchildren, Mikl (Eve Reshetnik) Brawner, Kathleen (Jonathan) Worcester, Dan (Laura Rigal) Brawner, and Pres (Jo Schon) Brawner; grandchildren; and two siblings in the Philippines.

Hilda was preceded in death by her parents, husband, one grandson, and three siblings.

In honor of Hilda’s memory and her relationship with her granddaughter, contributions may be made to support her granddaughter’s education.

Those unable to attend are invited to watch the service via livestream. Please find the livestream link on Hilda’s tribute wall and share your support and memories with her family at www.stewartbaxter.com

Bessie “Bess” M. Telecky, 90, of Mount Vernon, Iowa, passed away peacefully Friday, Jan. 31, 2025, at Hallmark Care Center, Mount Vernon.

Bess was born at home Nov. 10, 1934, daughter of Frank and Bessie (Marousek) Koutny. After attending a one room rural school near her family’s farm by Ely, she attended and graduated from Mount Vernon High School in 1952. Bess married the love of her life, James “Jim” Telecky, August 21, 1954. They were blessed with “four wonderful daughters” as often quoted by Bess, and were married for 70 years.

Bess took great pride in taking care of her family and home. She loved baking, sewing, crafting, golfing, watching birds, working with flowers, helping at her church, dancing, bargain shopping for others, hosting family gatherings, playing bingo and setting up Easter egg hunts with her grandchildren, to name a few.

Bessie knew it was more blessed to give than to receive. She was a beautiful soul who would try to help and bring joy to anyone she met. She loved sharing hugs, homemade pies/kolaches, or her homemade crosses. You never left her without taking something home with you.

She is survived by her husband, Jim; daughters, Victoria (Sterling) Young, Rebecca Wilcox, Deborah (David) Blythe, and Teresa (Bruce) Squires; grandchildren, Nicole (Brett) Eidahl, Brandon (Stephanie) Young, Travis (Laura) Young, Ben (Katie) Wilcox, Kristen (Justin) Carpenter, Jennifer (Brian) Mertes, Erin (Seth) Schaller, Brooke (Nathon) Logue, and Dustin (Natasha) Smith; 24 great grandchil dren; siblings, Edward (Marcella) Koutny and Betty Buresh; and many more loving family members.

She was preceded in death by her parents; son-in-law, Gary Wilcox; and brother-in-law, Dale Buresh.

Memorials may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association. A Celebration of Life and Private Burial will be held at a later date.

Please share your support and memories with Bessie’s family on her Tribute Wall at www.stewartbaxter.com under Obituaries.

CLUB NOTES

Mount Vernon Trailblazers 4-H

The Mount Vernon Trailblazers 4-H Club held their monthly meeting Sunday, Feb. non Fire Department. The meeting included talking about the March agricultural program and discussing the different parts we could go over like PTO safety, veterinarian safety, CPR, and fertilizer and pesticide safety. Furthermore, our leader reported that the Linn County Fair is coming quickly making our projects, YQCA deadline is May 15 and the pancake breakfast is April 19. After the meeting were five presentations. Our next meeting will be March 9 at the Mount Vernon Fire Department.

POLICE CALLS

New picture books arriving at Cole

There is something truly special about the illustrations in picture books. Perhaps it is the amount of space that is afforded for books with fewer words, or the freedom in design and creativity that comes from making art for children.

Over the years of seeing new picture books come into the library, I’ve noticed that these illustrations are becoming more exciting and diverse in style, format, and storytelling. This is especially apparent in a number of the new picture books we’ve order in the last few weeks.

From quirky fantasy creatures and medieval-style manuscript backgrounds, to woven stars and tight patterns, these are my favorite new pictures books gracing

Jacob Stewart Club reporter

Feb. 3 – Agency assist- accident, Linn Co

Feb. 3 – Theft, 200 blk First Ave SE, Mount Vernon

Feb. 4 – Welfare check, 300 blk Fourth Ave SW, Mount Vernon

Feb. 5 – Welfare check, 200 blk W. Main St, Lisbon

Feb. 5 – Medical, 400 blk E. Market St, Lisbon

Feb. 5 – Alarm, 100 blk N. Jackson St, Lisbon

Feb. 5 – Medical, 400 blk W. Main St, Lisbon

Feb. 6 – Medical, 400 blk N. Washington St, Lisbon

Feb. 6 – Medical, 800 blk Second Ave NW, Mount Vernon

Feb. 6 – Welfare check, 100 blk Third St NE, Mount Vernon

Feb. 7 – Medical, 200 blk N. Monroe St, Lisbon

Feb. 7 – Medical, 200 blk Walnut St, Lisbon

Feb. 8 – Disturbance, 500 blk business 30 SW, Mount Vernon

Feb. 8 – Agency assist- accident, Linn Co

Feb. 8 – Medical, 400 blk Scobey Rd, Mount Vernon

Thursday, February 13: 8am-10pm

Friday, February 14: 8am-5pm

Saturday, February 15: 10am-4pm

Sunday, February 16: 12pm-10pm

Monday, February 17: 8am-10pm

Tuesday, February 18: 8am-10pm

Wednesday, February 19: 8am-10pm

GIRLS’ WRESTLING

MV girls runner-up at state tournament

Ryan Suchomel

Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun

ryan.suchomel@mvlsun.com

Mount Vernon senior Libby Dix just finished her high school wrestling career Friday, Feb. 7, at Xtream Arena in Coralville.

Dix held up two fingers to the crowd.

“At first I kind of forgot,” Dix said. “But it is kind of a thing for people to do, showing how many titles they’ve won.”

It was her second straight state championship. This one came during the first split-class state tournament, beating Leah Stewart of Charles City in the 190-pound Class 1A championship.

It was a tight, 1-0 decision.

Stewart locked up with Dix early and often. Dix had a few throws on the edge of the mat, but couldn’t convert a takedown inbounds in the first two periods.

“She came in with a game plan, but she didn’t know what to do after she got there,” Dix said. “I had to be patient and wrestle a smart match. Not just shoot in to get just anything.”

Stewart put on double underhooks to keep Dix from shooting for her legs.

“Stewart had a game plan and executed it well,” Mount Vernon Coach Trende said. “Libby would’ve liked to have scored a few more points, build a bit of a cushion.

“Stewart didn’t want us to score points.”

So, it was still 0-0 after two periods, and Dix chose down.

After close to a minute of work on the bottom, Dix broke loose for an escape and one point. Dix was able to keep Stewart at bay to earn the win.

“I have worked on that a lot the last few years,” Dix said. “My freshman year, I was not great on the bottom. But I felt confident I would get out and get my point.”

Trende revealed that Dix had been battling an illness for two weeks and had lost about 10 pounds.

“I was a little worried, but by Thursday I was on medicine and feeling better,” Dix said.

It is worth mentioning, Dix entered her final match with 99 career pins.

“It is a little frustrating to end on 99,” Dix said. “But that last one didn’t just come down to the state finals. Lots of girls forfeited to me and it is hard to get pins when you don’t have matches.

“But I’d rather have two state titles than 100 pins.”

The win capped an incredible career for Dix. Two-time state champion, three-time state finalist, with an overall record of 141-8. That included a run of 121-3 her final three seasons.

Dix isn’t sure if she will wrestle in college, yet. She may also do college track. Or maybe both. She is still deciding.

But her last win as a Mustang helped boost Mount Vernon into second place as a team. They finished with 94 points, just 11 back of 1A team champion, East Buchanan.

“It was quite a thrill,” Trende said. “We had some momentum after winning the regional championship and qualifying six girls.

“The girls knew, that if they went out and wrestled hard, and don’t hold anything back, and don’t make the tournament anything bigger than it is … we’d have some big results.”

It was a team effort. In addition to Dix, 110-pound junior Kiersten Swart also made the finals.

She ended up losing by fall to senior Gable Hemann of Osage. She was trailing 11-0 in the third period when she got turned. Trende said they knew Hemann was trouble. Her first name is Gable, after all.

“She’s been wrestling her whole life, is from a wrestling family, and she’s a tough competitor,” Trende said. “It was a learning moment for Kiersten. She was pretty upset and hurt, but this season I saw a lot of growth from her mentally and on the mat.”

Swart can add her silver to the bronze she collected last season.

Freshman Kate Martin finished fourth at 105 pounds. She battled back with four straight pins after losing in the first round to fifth-seed Mercedes Ponce of Perry 7-3. Martin pinned fourth-seed Emma Miller of Treynor in the consolation semifinals. Third-seed Serenity Turner of Knoxville got her in the third-place match by fall.

“She will have a target on her back next year, but she’s okay with that,” Trende said.

Junior Addi Whisner (145) also battled back after a firstround loss, eventually finishing sixth.

Lisbon has eighth place winner at state

“She’s the most improved wrestler on our team,” Trende said of Whisner.

Junior Gracie Pinckney (170) finished fifth. She lost in the quarterfinals to Brooklyn Graham of East Buchanan, who went on to win the 1A title.

Pinckney pinned top seed Brair Blake of North Tama in her final match.

“Gracie is a prime example that if you want to get really good, you have to put in the work in the offseason,” Trende said. “Her bracket was loaded and she found a way to come back. An incredible performance by her.”

Junior Kaylee Kintzel (155) was hurt in the regional final and did not participate.

“The girls came out and did their job,” Trende said. “We scored a lot of team points and were able to bring back a trophy.”

Lisbon

The Lions enjoyed their first taste of the state tournament over the weekend, and had their first place winner, with Lillian Gaiser finishing eighth at 120 pounds in Class 1A.

“We had a blast down there,” Lisbon coach Seth Hall said. “Lillian really wrestled well. She got behind in a few matches, but never stopped.”

Gaiser, seeded 11th, opened the tournament by pinning sixth seed Veronica Schechinger of Riverside, then was pinned by third seeded Grace Storjohann of Aplington-Parkersburg/ Grundy Center. Storjohann finished second.

Gaiser then beat fifth seed Josilynne Lennon of Akron-Westfield before dropping her final two matches.

Freshman Emma Dietsch went 1-2 at 145 pounds.

“That’s a big stage for a freshman,” Hall said. “It is good for her to know what it feels like. She’ll be ready to go from here on out.”

STATE TOURNAMENT

Class 1A team scores (top 10) – 1. East Buchanan 105; 2. Mount Vernon 94; 3. Osage 79.5; 4. Decorah 74; 5. West Liberty 65.5; 6. Eddyville-BlakesburgFremont 64.5; 7. Logan-Magnolia-Woodbine 62.5; 8. Woodward-Granger 62; 9. Denver 61; 10. Charles City 48. Also: 60. (tie) Lisbon 7. MOUNT VERNON

105: Kate Martin

Round 1: Mercedes Ponce (Perry) dec. Martin 7-3.

Consolation 1: Martin pinned Sydney King (Ogden) 2:51.

Consolation 2: Martin pinned Terra Swedin (GTRA) 3:32.

Consolation 3: Martin pinned Audrina Bennett (Spirit Lake) 3:06.

Consolation semifinal: Martin pinned Emma Miller (Treynor) 3:19. 3rd place: Serenity Turner (Knoxville) pinned Martin :31. 110: Kiersten Swart

Round 1: Swart pinned Brooke Stockdale (Okoboji) 1:44.

Quarterfinal: Swart pinned Braelyn Suckow (Sumner-Fredericksburg) :28.

Semifinal: Swart dec. Valentina West (Assumption) 4-2. Championship: Gable Hemann (Osage) pinned Swart 5:00.

145: Addi Whisner

Round 1: Addision Hochstetler (North Tama) pinned Whisner 1:58.

Consolation 1: Whisner def. Liz Young (Treynor) medical forfeit.

Consolation 2: Whisner pinned Bailey Lillard (SWAT) 2:46.

Consolation 3: Whisner dec. Adelynn Hudek (MNWW) 9-3.

Consolation semifinal: Lauren Rodgers (Woodward-Granger) pinned Whisner 1:40.

5th place: Addison Hochstetler (North Tama) dec. Whisner 6-5.

155: Kaylee Kintzel

Round 1: Lauren Luzum (Decorah) def. Kintzel medical forfeit.

Consolation 1: Julie Maylum (Perry) def. Kintzel medical forfeit.

170: Gracie Pinckney

Round 1: Pinckney dec. Raelene Hawkins (Iowa Valley) 3-1.

Quarterfinal: Brooklyn Graham (East Buchanan) dec. Pinckney 6-0.

Consolation 2: Pinckney pinned McKenna Broadhead (Denver) 2:59.

Consolation 3: Pinckney pinned Kira Cox (AP/GC) 4:13.

Consolation semifinal: Samantha Lyons (Fairfield) dec. Pinckney 7-1.

5th place: Pinckney pinned Briar Blake (North Tama) 5:19.

190: Libby Dix

Round 1: Dix pinned Keira Jackson (Chariton) :32.

Quarterfinal: Dix pinned Maren Subbert (Hampton-Dumont-CAL) 4:00.

Semifinal: Fix pinned Elizabeth Kalinay (West Marshall) 1:39.

Championship: Dix dec. Leah Stewart (Chalres City) 1-0.

LISBON

120: Lillian Gaiser

Round 1: Gaiser pinned Veronica Schechinger (Riverside) 3:09.

Quarterfinal: Grace Storjohann (AP/GC) pinned Gaiser :39.

Consolation 2: Gaiser dec. Josilynne Lennon (Akron-Westfield) 12-9.

Consolation 3: Georgia Smith (EBF) pinned Gaiser 1:11.

7th place: Malyn Davis (Algona) pinned Gaiser 3:57.

145: Emma Dietsch

Round 1: Eve Skrocki (Dubuque Wahlert) pinned Dietsch :37.

Consolation 1: Dietsch dec. Breegan Ellison (Moravia) 7-1.

Consolation 2: Addision Hochstetler (North Tama) pinned Dietsch 3:59.

MV boys compete at state dual tourneys

Ryan Suchomel

Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun ryan.suchomel@mvlsun.com

The good news for Mount Vernon boys’ wrestling? They got a banner to hang up in the gym: State Duals Qualifier in Class 2A.

“There’s a lot of those things in there already,” Mount Vernon coach Vance Light said. “There are banners all over the place.”

No. 11 Mount Vernon ended up finishing in eighth place at the 2A State Duals on Saturday, Feb. 8, at XTream Arena in Coralville. They lost in the quarterfinals to top-ranked and top seed Algona, 52-17. Then lost to WaMaC rival and No. 5 Independence, 41-33, and No. 4 Sergeant Bluff-Luton, 40-29.

Algona won the 2A dual crown, beating No. 2 West Delaware in the final 28-25. No. 9 Clairon-Goldfield-Dows beat No. 3 Williamsburg for third. Independence was fifth and No. 7 Winterset sixth.

There were four WaMaC programs there, and Light said there could’ve been more, noting Independence’s region had Solon and Benton Community, who knocked each other out.

Mount Vernon got to the State Duals by winning a pair of tough regional duals Tuesday, Feb. 4, in Davenport.

The Mustangs opened with a 37-35 win over No. 12 Burlington Notre Dame, and then upset No. 6 Davenport Assumption 34-31.

“We wrestled really well,” Light said. “We had some kids get some wins, on paper, they were not supposed to win.”

Against the Nikes, the Mustangs were trailing 35-21 with three matches to go.

Caysen Curran (190) delivered a major decision, then Watson Krob (215) pinned Kamryn Wolkenhauer. Ethan Wood (285) clinched the dual with a forfeit.

Light also highlighted pins by Jake Haugse (120) and CJ Martin (126).

“Those were matches that, on paper, we were not supposed to win,” Light said.

That set up a showdown with the Knights.

Light moved Cooper Krob up a weight to 113 pounds, and he led off the dual with a pin. Andrew Dix got a pin at 215 pounds.

Jase Jaspers (144) and Mikey Ryan (150) had technical falls to boost the bottom line.

“In other matches we had kids fight and give up decisions, rather than pins,” Light said.

Next up is the Class 2A District Meet on Saturday, Feb. 15. No. 4 Mount Vernon is headed to Ballard in an eight-team district that includes Ballard, Chariton, Nevada, Oskaloosa, PCM, Saydel and Van Meter.

Avery Thurn | Mustang Moon

Top: The Mount Vernon boys’ wrestling squad pulled off a win at regional duals tournament that earned them a trip to the state regional duals tournament.

Right: Mount Vernon’s CJ Martin celebrates a huge win for the Mustangs against West Burlington Notre Dame. The Mustangs advanced to the state dual tournaments last weekend.

CLASS 2A, REGIONAL 6 Mount Vernon 37, Burlington Notre Dame 35 106 - Kohen Dietzenbach (ND) pinned Cooper Krob 2:39. 113 - Rowan Berndt (ND) pinned Matthew Goodlove 3:42. 120 - Jake Haugse (MV) pinned Colt Boyles 3:01. 126 - CJ Martin (MV) pinned Jared Glendening 2:54. 132 - C.J. Davis (ND) pinned Nolan Mercer 2:37. 138 - Kaiden Dietzenbach (ND) tech. fall Chasen Caskey 15-0 6:00. 144 - Jase Jaspers (MV) pinned Tate Sherwood 2:56. 150 - Mikey Ryan (MV) dec. Kael Cook 7-2. 157 - Dirk Boyles (ND) maj. dec. Will Goodlove 13-2. 165 - Blake Wilson (ND) dec. Cooper Hird 7-0. 175 - Joey Glendening (ND) pinned Jaxon Anderson 3:44. 190 - Caysen Curran (MV) maj. dec. Bridge Anderson 9-0. 215 - Watson Krob (MV) pinned Kamryn Wolkenhauer 3:25. 285 - Ethan Wood (MV) won by forfeit. BND lost one pint for unsportsmanlike conduct Mount Vernon 34, Davenport Assumption 31 113 - Cooper Krob (MV) pinned Peter Nguyen 4:25. 120 - Gabriel Schnerre (DA) dec. Jake Haugse 9-5. 126 - Brody Buhman (DA) pinned CJ Martin 1:06. 132 - Steele Diercks (DA) pinned Nolan Mercer 1:53. 138 - Cadyn Wild (DA) pinned Chasen Caskey :24. 144 - Jase Jaspers (MV) tech. fall Chase Krantz 19-4 1:49. 150 - Mikey Ryan (MV) tech. fall Lane Pennington 20-3 2:46. 157 - Will Goodlove (MV) dec. Keagan Alvarez 13-8. 165Cooper Hird (MV) dec. Rolan Alvarez 10-3. 175 - Maximus Purdy (DA) maj. dec. Jaxon Anderson 20-9. 190 - Caysen Curran (MV) dec. Dru Diaz 5-1. 215 - Andrew Dix (MV) pinned Amir Dunlap-Gillespie :45. 285 - Ethan Wood (MV) dec. Maxwell Azzaline 7-3. 106 - Rhyis Polenske (DA) pinned Matthew Goodlove :37. CLASS 2A STATE DUALS QUARTERFINAL: Algona 52, Mount Vernon 17 190 – Caysen Curran (MV) maj. dec. Brody Shipler 10-0. 215 – Gavin Goche (A) pinned Watson Krob 2:49. 285 – Jack Limbaugh (A) pinned Ethan Wood 5:48. 106 – Teague Alesch (A) dec. Cooper Krob 3-1. 113 –Thomas Zabka (A) pinned Matthew Goodlove :51. 120 – Jake Haugse (MV) maj. dec. Brooks Morgan 12-3. 126 – Isaac Wilson (A) pinned CJ Martin 1:25. 132 – CJ McGregor (A) pinned Nolan Mercer 3:12. 138 – Elijah Wilhite (A) pinned Chasen Caskey 5:42. 144 – Jase Jaspers (MV) pinned Barrett Morgan 1:02. 150 – Mikey Ryan (MV) dec. Ashton Moreno 8-5. 157 – Tate Slagle (A) maj. dec. Will Goodlove 18-5. 165 – Carter McGregor (A) pinned Cooper Hird 3:27. 175 – Tayten Rummel (A) dec. Jaxon Anderson 6-0. CONSOLATION SEMIFINAL: Independence 41, Mount Vernon 33 215 – Masin Hummel (I) pinned Andrew Dix 1:00. 285 – Ethan Wood (MV) pinned Gable Eddy :59. 106 – Cooper

Mustang boys’ basketball has three game win streak

Ryan Suchomel

Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun

ryan.suchomel@mvlsun.com

Mount Vernon boys’ basketball is enjoying a three-game win streak.

On Monday, Feb. 3, they won at Independence, 66-46. Then on Friday, Feb. 7, they beat Marion, 65-63. And capped the week with a win over Fort Madison, 61-50, on Saturday, Feb. 8, at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines.

The win over the Wolves was significant because Marion had just beat the Mustangs 65-46 back on Jan. 21 in Marion.

“They threw a curveball to us last time in the second half that we were more prepared for this time,” Mount Vernon coach Derek Roberts said. “We overall had a better gameplan and idea going into this match up.

“Although their record may not show it, they are one of the most dangerous teams on our schedule. They

MV girls’ set new school record in Marion win

Ryan Suchomel

Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun

ryan.suchomel@mvlsun.com

The top-ranked Mount Vernon girls’ basketball set a school record in a win over No. 15 (4A) Marion on Friday, Feb. 7.

The Mustangs sank 16 3-pointers and beat the Wolves 75-52.

“There was something in the air on this Senior Night,” Mount Vernon coach Nathan Sanderson said. “Were we loose? Confident? Selfless? All of the above.”

Sydney Huber led the 3-point attack with five and had 17 points. Savanna Wright had 16 points, Taylor Franck had 15 points and Courtney Franck had 10 points, six rebounds and seven assists.

It was a convincing win after beating Marion by nine points, 67-58, on Jan. 21 in Marion. This time, Mount Vernon led 21-11 after one quarter and 49-30 at halftime.

Earlier in the week, Mount Vernon claimed the outright Wamac East Division crown with a 73-26 win at Independence on Monday, Feb. 3.

Mount Vernon led 25-8 after one quarter.

“We opened the game on a 18-0 run behind the outstanding play of Sydney Huber, who scored 20 of her game-high 28 points in the first half,” Sanderson said.

are great 3-point shooters and no lead is safe with them.”

That was made clear Friday. The Mustangs led 31-19 at halftime, but the Wolves got hot from distance. They closed to within two points, 65-63, and got two foul shots with 0.5 seconds left. They missed the first and intentionally missed the second.

“We were able to grab the rebound and box them out so they weren’t able to tip it in,” Roberts said.

Mount Vernon started slow at Independence, trailing 17-15 after one quarter, but poured it on.

“We turned up the defensive intensity and did a good job driving the ball as a team and getting into the paint offensively,” Roberts said. “We also had great efforts on the boards and that allowed us to secure extra possessions.”

Joe Briesemeister led the attack with 20 points. Kellen Haverback had 17 points and six rebounds. Seth Rushford added 11 points.

The win over Fort Madison (9-8) was accomplished with defense.

“They are a much larger and more athletic team than we’ve faced so far, so that was good to see as we prepare for the postseason,” Roberts said.

Mount Vernon (15-4, 11-3 WaMaC) is a half-game up on Solon and Center Point-Urbana in the WaMaC East. They close the regular season with Clear Creek Amana on Tuesday, Feb. 11, at XTream Arena, and at home Friday, Feb. 14, against Grinnell.

Huber also had nine rebounds and five assists. Savanna Wright added 12 points. Courtney Franck had eight points, seven rebounds and eight assists. Chloe Meester had 11 points and six rebounds.

The Mustangs played Tuesday, Feb. 11, against Clear Creek Amana in XTream Arena.

They open postseason play Saturday, Feb. 15, at home against Vinton-Shellsburg (5-16). They beat the Vikings 77-25 back on Jan. 10.

Win and they host either Solon (10-10) or Assumption (8-11) Wednesday, Feb. 19. The regional final is Saturday, Feb. 22, in Mount Vernon, assuming the Mustangs keep winning. The other side of the region includes No. 14 Mediapolis (20-1).

Andrew J. Dolan | For the Mount Vernon-Lisbon

Top left: Mount Vernon’s Savanna Wright (No. 10) is all smiles after releasing the ball at home last week for a freethrow.

Top right: Mount Vernon’s Taylor Franck (No. 11) looks to drive the ball past a defender in play at home last week.

Mount

Courtney Franck

22) fires a shot over the arm of a defender at home last week.

LISBON GIRLS’ BASKETBALL

Lions girls topple Midland 52-25

Ryan Suchomel

Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun

ryan.suchomel@mvlsun.com

Lisbon girls’ basketball program proved it is growing by leaps and bounds Tuesday, Feb. 4, in the Lions’ Den.

Lisbon beat Midland 52-25.

Back in December, up in Wyoming, Lisbon squeaked a win out over the Eagles, 46-43.

“Things have started to click a little bit,” freshman guard Kyla Kahl said. “I feel like offensively, we’ve kind of gained rhythm.”

And Lisbon did it without their top player, who is out for the season with a knee injury.

“It’s been a couple weeks now (since sophomore Morgan Sauser hurt her knee),” Lisbon Coach Jack Leighty said. “It did take us a little bit of time to figure out how we would recover and find out who would step up.”

Early on it looked like it might be another close game. But the Lions, up 9-7 with about three minutes left in the first quarter, closed it on a 9-0 run. That included a 3-pointer and two free throws from Kyla Kahl.

“Kyla has gotten more and more comfortable,” Leighty said.

The lead got stretched out to 20 points by halftime, 34-14. Then Lisbon started the third quarter with a 15-0 run.

“The biggest thing tonight was defensively,” Leighty said. “We did a good job of identifying their shooters. That was a big feather in our cap.”

Midland (5-15) shot just 8 for 36 on the night and had 31 turnovers.

Kyla Kahl led the offense with 18 points, including 8 of 10 from the foul line.

“I do like to drive,” Kahl said. “Just going hard and going at it, being strong and going up confident.”

Emma Pleasant had 10 points and Kamryn Kahl had nine points and seven rebounds.

“Different people have had to step up and play different roles (with Morgan out),” Kyla Kahl said. “I feel like everyone has done a good job of adapting to the changes.”

Lisbon (8-13) closed the regular season

with a make-up game against Tipton on Saturday in the Lion’s Den. The Tigers won, 49-37.

Kyla Kahl led with 18 points and Pleasant added nine points and 13 rebounds. Ella Hein led a balanced Tipton (14-6) attack with 13 points.

The Lions next host East Marshall in a first-round Class 2A game Saturday, Feb. 15.

“We are a young team,” said Lighty, and praised the play of freshman Quinn Roos.

“She gave us a boost.

“At the end of the day, it was one of our best defensive efforts of the year. We are playing defense the right way.”

Midland (25) - McKenna Doll 0-2 3-4 3,Gabbie Franzen 1-2 0-2 3, Dakota Nicley 1-3 0-0 2, Ainzlee Soper 1-4 0-0 3, Olivia Paulsen 0-1 0-0 0, Haidinlyn Soper 4-17 1-1 11, Hayven Herman 1-5 0-0 3, Caycee Crist 0-2 0-0 0, Hadley Dosland 0-0 0-2 0, Avery Edwards 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 8-36 4-9 25. Lisbon (52) - Emersyn Reiter 2-8 0-0 5, Emma Pleasant 5-5 0-1 10, Kyla Kahl 4-9 8-10 18, Ava Ahrendsen 1-3 0-0 2, Kamryn Kahl 3-6 0-0 9, Quinn Roos 1-2 2-4 5, Brynnley Patterson 2-2 0-2 4, Maleeah Adams 0-0 0-0 0, Carly Long 0-0 0-0 0, Schaefer Krie 0-0 0-0 0, Riley Clark 0-0 0-0 0, Payton Curtis 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 18-35 10-17 52. Midland 7 7 8 3 -- 25 Liavon 18 16 16 2 -- 52 3-point goals - Midland 5-21 (Franzen 1-1, A.Soper 1-3, H.Soper 2-11, Herman 1-4, Crist 0-2), Lisbon 6-14 (Reiter 1-5, Ky.Kahl 2-4, Ka.Kahl 3-5). Rebounds - Midland 23 (Doll 7), Lisbon 25 (Ka.Kahl 7). Turnovers - Midland 31, Lisbon 24.

Jami Martin Trainor | For the Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun

Above: Lisbon Lion Kamryn Kahl passes the ball during a basketball game between Libson and the Tipton Tigers at Lisbon on Feb. 8, 2025.

Right: Lisbon Lion Emersyn Reiter prepares to pass the ball during a basketball game between Libson and the Tipton Tigers at Lisbon on Feb. 8, 2025.

Far right: Lisbon Lion Emma Pleasant shoots the ball during a basketball game between Libson and the Tipton Tigers at Lisbon on Feb. 8, 2025.

Lisbon dunks on Midland 63-31

Sun ryan.suchomel@mvlsun.com

Daylin Schaefer was the dunk contest winner for Lisbon on Tuesday, Feb. 4, in a 63-31 win over Midland at the Lions’ Den.

But senior Grayson Wollum also showed he could throw it down, and even got a technical foul for hanging on the rim on one of his two fast-break flushes.

And 6-foot-2 junior Ian Whittenbaugh came up with a late dunk to help put the Eagles on ice.

“There’s no competition,” Schaefer said when asked who was the best dunker. “It is me, no doubt.”

The senior did celebrate Senior Night by throwing down a windmill dunk in the first quarter.

“I’ve wanted to do that the whole season,” Schaefer said. “And last year, too. I’ve been waiting for it.”

Lisbon coach Levi Montague is fine with a little overexuberance on those dunks.

“You have to let them be basketball players, be human, not just be robots,” Montague said. “They are always excited about the chance to dunk.”

Lisbon bullied Midland for most of the night, harassing them defensively by getting hands into passing lanes for turnovers and easy buckets.

“We played some good defense,” Schaefer said. “We hurried them up. That’s always what we want to do.

“Everyone is tall, athletic and fast. That’s where those state track championships come in.”

Lisbon led at the break 35-18 then came out of halftime with a 19-0 run, and won the third quarter 21-2.

“We started the game slow, but they settled in,” Montague said. “Then they did what they’ve done for the large majority of the year.”

Wollum led the offense with 18 points. Jackson Powers had 17 points and Schaefer added 14 points.

The Lions took a trip Friday, Feb. 7, to Central City, where they lost 67-57. Wollum had 31 points and seven rebounds, Powers added 10 points and seven rebounds.

Lisbon (14-6) bounced back the next day with a rescheduled home game against Tipton on Saturday, Feb. 8. Schaefer had 28 points, Wollum had 27 points, 10 rebounds and six assists, and Powers added 11 points.

The last game of the regular season is a trip to Prince of Peace on Tuesday, Feb. 11. The Lions should find out their postseason path this week, as well.

“Not sure what is going to happen,” Montague said. “They could send us north or south. There are a lot of good 2A teams all over this area. We’re going to be running into someone good.”

Lisbon boys’ wrestling misses chance at state duals

Ryan Suchomel

Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun

ryan.suchomel@mvlsun.com

No. 13 Lisbon didn’t quite have enough juice to upset No. 4 Jesup in a Class 1A, Region 4 dual Tuesday, Feb. 4, in Jesup.

Jesup won, 41-22, and earned a spot in the 1A state duals, finishing fourth. No.

2 Don Bosco beat No. 1 Alburnett for the title, and No. 3 Wilton was third.

“After watching the state duals, I still think we’re the fifth-best team in the state,” Lisbon coach Aaron Helmrich said.

Lisbon won four of the 14 matches against Jesup, but got pins from Caleb Brown (165) and Gage Holub (175).

Earlier in the night,

CLASS 1A, REGIONAL 4 Lisbon 52, Westwood 21

157 - Boston Peters (W) pinned Ian Kelsey 1:48. 165 - Gage Holub (L) pinned Tanner Oleson :59. 175 - Caleb Brown (L) dec. Tyson Wilt 13-6. 190 - Gavin Carmer (L) pinned Treven Oehm 1:20. 215 - Jacob Walerius (L) pinned Lucas Struble 1:00. 285 - Tyler Sulsberger (W) pinned Hudson Herboldsheimer :35. 106 - Jack Gogel (L) pinned Andrew Baker 3:58. 113 - Cael Stricker (L) won by forfeit. 120Wesley Sadler (L) dec. Jesse Burton 2-1. 126 - Cade Happel (L) pinned Carter Larson 1:47. 132 - Carter Gadberry (L) maj. dec. Owen Scott 14-5. 138 - Jarett Pirchard (W) pinned Elliott Moehlman 1:13. 144 - Jeremiah Berg (W) dec. Luke Robinson 10-3. 150 - Tiernan Boots (L) pinned Aiden Silbernagel :40. Jesup 41, Lisbon 22 165 - Caleb Brown (L) pinned Maxx Solie 3:15. 175 - Gage Holub (L) pinned Braxtin Kavalier :46. 190 - Dax Youngblut (J) dec. Gavin Carmer 8-1. 215 - Drew Munson (J) dec. Jacob Walerius 5-2. 285 - JD Salder (J) pinned Hudson Herboldsheimer 1:43. 106 - Carver Hinz (J) dec. Jack Gogel 6-0. 113 - Ayden Bergman (J) tech. Fall Cael Stricker 17-0 2:49. 120 - Wesley Sadler (L) maj. dec. Max Devore 10-1. 126 - Gavin Bell (J) dec. Cade Happel 6-5. 132 - Keyten Jacobsen (J) dec. Carter Gadberry 9-7. 138 - Treven Delagardelle (J) pinned Luke Robinson 1:06. 150 - Tiernan Boots (L) won by forfeit. 157 - Wyatt Renner (J) won by forfeit.

Top: Lisbon senior Gage Holub works on positioning an opponent on the mat at Jesup regional duals.

Above: Lisbon junior Cade Happel works an opponent on the mat at Jesup regional duals.

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Lisbon topped No. 24 Westwood in the regional semifinal dual, 52-21.

Jack Gogel (106), Cade Happel (126), Tiernan Boots (150), Gage Holub (165), Gavin Carmer (190), and Jacob Walerius (215) recorded pins as Lisbon won 10 weights.

Now the Lions have to re-focus for the 1A state-qualifier Saturday, Feb. 15, at Colfax-Mingo. Helmrich said the team was driving over the night before.

“They guys only have to get up at 7 a.m., instead of 5 a.m.,” Helmrich said. That regional includes Jesup, so expected a fair number of rematches from Tuesday night.

“We are wrestling at a high level,” Helmrich said. “We are ready to go and have a chance of getting a lot of guys through to state.”

Left: Lisbon ninth-grader Jack Gogel has an opponent in an armlock at Jesup regional duals.

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MEOWENTINE JOKES. . .

Who always has a date on Valentine’s Day?

What did the stamp say to the envelope on Valentine’s Day?

What do you call two birds in love?

What do you call a ghost’s sweatheart?

What kind of shape is most popular on Valentine’s Day?

(Answers along bottom of page.)

CHURCHES

MOUNT VERNON

St. Paul Lutheran Church L.C.M.S.

600 Fifth Avenue South

Pastor: Rev. Sean Hansen www.splcmv.org; send e-mail to info@splcmv.org

Sun.: 9:30 a.m. In-person worship

Please refer to our website or contact the church directly for additional worship information.

First Presbyterian Church

301 1st St. N.W. www.firstpresmv.com

319-895-6060

Pastor: Rev. Lori Wunder

Sun.: 9:30 a.m. in-person worship.

Online services stream beginning at 9:20 a.m. on Facebook

St. John the Baptist Catholic Church

Rev. Andrew Awotwe-Mensah, parish priest

Sun.: 8 a.m. Mass

Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Justus Hallam, Bishop

Meeting at: 4300 Trailridge Rd. SE, Cedar Rapids

Sun.: 11:30 a.m. in person services. Also an option for digital worship services.

United Methodist Church

Pastor Vicki Fisher

www.umcmv.com

Sun.: 8:30 a.m. Praise Worship

11 a.m. Traditional worship

Both worships available online at UMCMV.com

An LGBTQ affirming congregation

Community Bible Church

940 W. Mount Vernon Rd.

www.mvcbc.org, 895-6269

Teaching Pastor Brandon Glaza

Discipleship Pastor Dennis Fulkerson

Youth Pastor Stephen Thomas Sun.: 9:30 a.m. In-Person Worship Service

Wed. - 6 p.m. Encounter and Youth Group

Linn Grove Presbyterian

2000 Linn Grove Rd., Mt. Vernon

Pastor Carla Burge Sun: 9 a.m. in-person worship, masks requested Also, weekly readings, prayers and sermons are posted on the church’s Facebook page.

Baha’i Faith

Nina Scott, Group Secretary, 319-270-9230

CrossLife Community Church

Pastor Erik Bennett

Sun.: 10:30 a.m. – In-person worship service. Services also livestream on Facebook page.

LISBON

Living Hope Global Methodist Church 200 E. Market St., 455-2000

COMMUNITY CALENDAR

Thursday, Feb. 13

Story Time, Cornell College Cole Library Browsing Room, 9:30 a.m.

Fiber Friends, Southeast Linn Community Center, 10:30 a.m.

Lester Buresh Family Community Wellness Center Adult speaker series “Wildland Sentinel: Field Notes from an Iowa Conservation Officer” by Erika Billerbeck, Mount Vernon Lisbon Childcare Solutions Group, LBC, 1 p.m.

Cornell College Department of Music presents “Brahms and His Admirers: A Faculty Recital”, Cornell College Armstrong Youngker Hall Ringer Recital Studio, 7 p.m.

Friday, Feb. 14

Bingo, Southeast Linn Community Center, 10-11:30 a.m.

Linn Lunch Bunch, Southeast Linn Community Center, 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Lisbon presents Roarin’ Jazz Night “Love is in the Air”, Lisbon Auditorium, 7 p.m.

Mount Vernon-Lisbon Community Theater presents “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” First Street Community Center Theater, 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, Feb. 15

Mount Vernon-Lisbon Community Theater presents “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” First Street Community Center Theater, 7:30 p.m.

livinghopegmc.org

Interim Pastors

Services live streamed at Living Hope Global Methodist Church’s YouTube page Sundays at 8:45 a.m. Sun.: 8:45 a.m. — In-person worship.

Seeds of Faith Lutheran Church, ELCA

798 Brenneman Lane, 455-2599

(Off Hwy. 30 on eastern edge of Lisbon) www.seedsoffaithlutheran.org/

Pastor Erika Uthe

9 a.m. — In-person worship. Services also livestream via Seeds’ Facebook Page.

BERTRAM

United Methodist Church

319-365-8077

Rev. Darwin Moore, Pastor Sun.: 10 a.m. — In-person worship service

MARTELLE

Christian Church Sun.: 10:30 a.m. — in person worship service Services also stream online at Martelle Christian Church’s YouTube page.

United Methodist Church Sun.: 10:30 a.m. Worship service. No Sunday school.

SPRINGVILLE

United Methodist Church Sun.: 9 a.m. Worship service. Wed.: 6:30 p.m. Praise service

Faith Christian Fellowship

Pastor Joseph Bielema Sun.: 9:30 a.m. worship at Springville Memorial Library, in the Buresh Room

(264 Broadway Street)

St. Isidore Catholic Church Sat.: 6 p.m. Mass

MECHANICSVILLE

Living Hope Bible Church

Pastor Andrew Bee Sun: 9:45 a.m. service

Mechanicsville Memorial Building

First Presbyterian Church

408 E. First Street.

Christian Community Church of Mechanicsville

307 East First Street

563-432-7716

Sun: Sunday School 10-11am and in-person Worship Services at 11:15am with Fellowship to follow.

St. Mary’s Catholic Church

Pastor: Father James Flattery

Wed.: 8:30 a.m. — mass Sun.: 8 a.m. Mass

Monday, Feb. 17

Tuesday, Feb. 18

Lego Club, Cornell college Room 108, 3:30 p.m.

Yarn squad, Cornell College Cole Library Room 326, 6:30 p.m.

Learn to play bridge, Cornell College Cole Library Room 410, 7 p.m.

Wednesday, Feb. 19

Cards, Southeast Linn Community Center, 10-11:30 a.m.

Linn Lunch Bunch, Southeast Linn Community Center, 11:30 a.m.

Learn to play bridge, Cornell College Cole Library room 108, 1 p.m.

Mount Vernon City Council, Mount Vernon City Hall, 6:30 p.m.

Thursday, Feb. 20

Story Time, Cornell College Cole Library Browsing Room, 9:30 a.m.

Fiber Friends, Southeast Linn Community Center, 10:30 a.m.

Lester Buresh Family Community Wellness Center Adult speaker series “Physical activity and healthy aging” by Kristin Meyer and Christi Johnson, LBC, 1 p.m.

1 Eat dirt, say

7 Info at JFK or LAX

10 One image on a Monopoly board

14 Longtime Ford S.U.V.

15 Bring trouble to

16 Knight of film

17 Charlie horse

19 “To suffer ___ which Hope thinks infinite”: Shelley

20 Fictional thief Lupin

21 Papa bear

22 Body with many pages

24 Awesome, in 1990s slang

26 Sierra Leone

27 Tango number

31 Twin actress Mary-Kate or Ashley

32 Harbor markers

33 Longtime wire service inits.

34 Haunted house feeling

35 Italian for “baked”

36 Mystery writer, in brief?

37 Danger in a Wile E. Coyote cartoon

38 Point at, in a way

39 Pizzeria purchase

40 Golf course

42 Whiskey soda

43 Yours, in French

44 Dave or Ray of the Kinks

45 Quebec city

48 Cut some slack?

50 Strong push

51 Alpha male (double)

55 Stands at first, say

56 Vivacious, theatrical and passionate type, it’s said

57 Info in a job posting

58 Casting director’s offering

59 Candy in plastic dispensers

2 Off-line, to those online

3 Plaything

4 Put at risk

5 Cold-weather driving hazard

6 Lob in the direction of

7 Film writer/director Goldberg

8 Kind of lens for long-distance shots

9 Bit of medieval weaponry

10 Three-time N.F.L. Defensive Player of the Year (2012, 2014 and 2015)

11 Long, long time

12 Pointed the finger at

13 TV journalist Ling

18 Poor mark

21 Links figures

22 Singer Gomez

23 Fake

25 Casual greeting

26 Leader of Germany?

27 Entire, in Italian

28 ___ Kennedy Shriver, founder of the Special Olympics

29 Time periods

30 To the ___ (with style)

32 Notable site of enlightenment

35 Pixar film set in the fictional town of Santa Cecilia

36 At the end of the day

38 Grp. whose alphabet is used eight times in this puzzle

39 More than a few

41 One of 3,000+ annually for IBM

42 1960s dance craze

44 “Obviously!”

45 Groucho Marx specialty

46 ___ Major

47 Composer Stravinsky

49 The whole shebang

51 Challenge for a skier

60 “Maybe. Give me time to think” Down 1 “Fleabag” airer

52 One of the founding airlines of Star Alliance

53 Realm of Charlemagne, for short

54 Fashion designer’s asset

SUDOKU

To play: Complete the grid so that every row, column and every 3x3 box contains the digits 1 to 9. There is no guessing or math involved, just use logic to solve.

Joel Kellar | For the Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun

Left: Mount Vernon’s Grace Pinckney begins to celebrate after winning by a fall during the state tournament. Pickney placed fifth in the 170-pound weight class.

Becky Holub | Contributed photo

Middle left: Mount Vernon’s Kiersten Swart wrestles at the girls’ state wrestling tournament in Coralville. Bottom right: Mount Vernon’s Kate Martin celebrates at the conclusion of a match at the girls’ state wrestling tournament in Coralville.

Abby Ballauer | For the Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun

Bottom left: Mount Vernon’s Addy Whisner pushes an opponent down to the mat at the girls’ state wrestling tournament in Coralville.

REAL ESTATE