Solon Retirement Village receives another ‘Deficiency Free’ state survey
Scott Maiers
Community Relations Director, Solon Retirement Village
SOLON — Solon Retirement Assisted Living Village received a “Deficiency Free” survey Monday, March 10th.
The assisted living survey is conducted every two years by the Department of Inspections and Appeals to ensure health care facilities meet or exceed all state requirements for care and services. The Nursing Care Center also received a “Deficiency Free” annual survey in July 2024.
“This is a major accomplishment for our community and I'm incredibly proud of all our dedicated and passionate staff members. This was a total team effort and a great indicator that we are providing the quality of care our residents deserve,” stated Melissa Reed, Administrator/ COO of Solon Retirement Village.
The onsite survey included an evaluation on quality care, safety, food service, resident rights, and clinical records to ensure compliance with state and federal regulations along with both staff and resident interviews.
Solon Retirement Village is a continuum of care retirement community (CCRC) and has been proudly serving this community since 1973. The assisted living building opened in 2010 and is celebrating 15 years of service.
SHS Jazz Band performs at Corridor Jazz Concert
IOWA CITY — The Solon High School Jazz Orchestra joined eight other area bands in the 2025 Corridor Jazz Concert Tuesday, March 11, at the University of Iowa’s Voxman Hall of Music. The annual event is sponsored by Jazz 88.3, KCCK-FM.
bands included – Mid-Prairie HS Jazz Band featuring Saul Lubaroff on saxophone, Clear Creek Amana’s Jazz Ensemble featuring Joey Schnoebelen on trumpet, West Liberty HS’s Varsity Jazz featuring Cory Schmitt on trumpet, Iowa City-City High’s Jazz Ensemble featuring Kolbe-Schnoebelen on trombone, Mount
Coming soon — Vision Center P.C. brings comprehensive eyecare to Solon with a familiar face
Chris Umscheid Solon Economist
chris.umscheid@soloneconomist.com
SOLON — Downtown Solon has seen an uptick of activity lately as the former Renew Boutique and Spa at 121 West Main St. has been undergoing renovation and conversion to a first for Solon, a new comprehensive eye care clinic through Vision Center P.C. Three doctors – Dr. Chris Scholz, Dr. Toni Eller, and Dr. Patrick Walsh own Vision Center P.C. with offices in Tipton and Muscatine, and now in Solon with Dr. Ian Hui and Solon resident Dr. Sean O’Neil.
Vision Center P.C. will offer routine exams, pediatric exams, diabetic eye exams, glaucoma treatment, conjunctivitis (“pink eye”) treatment, emergency walk-in care, contact lens exams and fittings, and will have a large assortment of frames (for glasses) available. A full list of services is available at https://visioncenterpc.com. Initially, Dr. Hui will be onsite to provide patient care Tuesdays and every other Wednesday while Dr. O’Neil will be in the office one Friday/
month. The office will be open MondayFriday for people to select glasses, have their glasses adjusted, schedule appointments, order contact lenses, etc.
Appointments are being taken now, but with the build out of the office and examination/treatment rooms ongoing, the first appointments are being scheduled for the last week in April.
Meet the doctors
Dr. Hui - Dr. Hui is a Doctor of Optometry, in his 11th year of practice, who started on an educational pathway toward being a high school math teacher or university professor with a double major in biology and math. “I love teaching, so that was my original goal. But I did the biology because I wasn’t sure if I wanted to do something
medically related.”
Time spent working for an eye doctor made him realize, “Nobody knows anything about their eyes. You can Google, ‘Dr. Google,’ and try to come up with your own diagnosis about your eyes. And even if you do, sometimes it can be hard to understand. So I literally get to teach every single day of my career. I get to blend those two things, I get to scratch that itch of the medical but the explanation in the exam room is really nice as well.”
A native of Windsor, Ontario, Canada, Dr. Hui went to school in Chicago. There, he met his wife Ashley (a doctor in the ophthalmology program at the U of I), a native of Tipton, Iowa.
“We had practiced all over the country together and when she got pregnant with our oldest boy, that’s when we decided to come back to Iowa to be near her family.”
Dr. Hui, who grew up in a “small town” of 30,000 soon discovered that Tipton’s population was just over 3,000.
Nathan Countryman | Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun
Left: Guest artist Elizabeth Hand performs a vibe solo on “good Vibes”. Right: Members of Solon Jazz Orchestra perform at the Voxman.
Solon Economist
Participating
Vernon HS’s Jazz Band with Jen Tiede on saxophone, the Liberty High Jazz ensemble featuring Brian Zaglis on drums, Solon’s Jazz Orchestra featuring Elizabeth Hand on vibes, the Lisbon HS Jazz Band with Joel Nagel on trombone, and the Iowa City West High Jazz Ensemble with Damani Phillips on saxophone.
Hui
“It was a culture shock,” he said. “But it’s good. Small town Iowa is amazing.”
Dr. Hui initially bought a practice in Iowa City in partnership with Dr. Scholz before buying him out and owning the practice completely.
“If you ask anybody if they could only preserve one sense, most people are going to answer, ‘vision.’ It’s something that people cherish. We take it for granted a lot, but it’s one thing people don’t want to lose and if I can help to preserve that, that’s a pretty nice thing.”
Dr. O’Neil – Dr. O’Neil grew up around Morse and graduated from West Branch High School. He donned Spartan orange and black for soccer before West Branch had their own program.
“Solon was one of the only small schools that had soccer at the time, so we’d play against Cedar Rapids Jefferson, Prairie, City High, and Iowa City West High so we pretty much got obliterated, but it was fun though.”
For college he started at Wartburg and then attended the Illinois College of Optometry in Chicago.
“I came back here and started at McDonald Optical in Iowa City, I was there for 15 years and then went to Eye Physicians and Surgeons (also in Iowa City) for nine years and went to the Department of Corrections a year ago.”
As an Optometrist for the Department
Public hearing for Fiscal Year (FY)
2026 proposed property tax asking to take place
Wednesday, March 26
The Johnson County Board of Supervisors will hold a public hearing on the Fiscal Year 2026 proposed property tax asking at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, March 26, 2025. The meeting will take place in conference room 203 on the second floor of the Johnson County Health and Human Services Building, 855 S. Dubuque Street, Iowa City. All budget work sessions will be livestreamed via the Johnson County
of Corrections, Dr. O’Neil provides eye care for prison inmates at the Iowa Medical Classification Center (IMCC) in Coralville and at the Anamosa State Penitentiary.
“Giving up all of the families and friendships, and all of the people I’d seen for 24 years, to serve the inmate population, was tough but the benefits to his family life were tremendous. Currently he works four ten-hour days, which makes him available to work Fridays in Solon.
“I’m excited to be able to see the Solon folks again.”
Dr. O’Neil’s path to optometry began at Wartburg on an engineering track. “I like engineering and physics, I like trying to figure out how things work and got into optics and really enjoyed that. I also really enjoyed chemistry and biology. Optometry just seemed like a really good combination of all of those disciplines; the physics of light combined with biology and the chemistry (pharmacology). It’s one field that combined all of those disciplines.”
Optometry is a great career, he said. “You get to meet a lot of people, make a lot of relationships, learn about other people and hear their stories, their history, and it’s been fun.”
With over 20 years in practice, Dr. O’Neil has taught kids how to put in their first pair of contacts, “and now I’m teaching their kids. It makes you feel old. But that’s been fun too.”
One downside to his Dept. of Corrections work has been not being able to pop into the office to take care of a friend or neighbor in an emergent situation. Now, with the office in Solon, he’ll be able to do that again.
Dr. Scholz first approached him about an office in Solon five or six years ago, he said.
“He knew Solon was
website and Zoom.
During the public hearing, any resident or taxpayer may present objections to, or arguments in favor of the proposed tax asking. After the adoption of the proposed tax asking, the Board will set the time and date for a public hearing on the proposed FY2026 county budget and authorize the County Auditor to publish the notice for that public hearing.
Each year, the Johnson County Board of Supervisors, coordinating with other County elected officials and department heads, conducts a thorough budgeting process to create the County’s budget for the
growing and he saw a need. We’ve got physical therapists, we’ve got primary care, dentists offices; so there’s a need for eye care. He finally had an opportunity with this space opening up, he’s looking to expand, and he reached out. We’re getting lots of calls and texts (for appointments) so, it’ll be fun. I’m excited for the opportunity.”
Dr. O’Neil’s first day in the office is scheduled for Friday, May 2, “Assuming everything is on-time for the build out and the equipment is all here. It sounds like it’s going good so far.”
The need for an annual eye exam
The cliché’ states the eyes are the window to the soul. However, the eyes can also be an indicator, a dashboard warning light, to other conditions.
“It’s pretty amazing what you can find inside somebody’s eye with regards to the rest of their health,” said Dr. Hui. “I’ve found signs of colon cancer in a young guy’s eyes, increased pressure in a woman’s brain, I just diagnosed a 21-year old with Leukemia.”
Lymphoma, Melanomia, diabetes, and high blood pressure also present signs and symptoms that can be detected through a thorough eye exam.
“This sounds like hyperbole, but there have been times where I have probably saved a patient’s life, and they came in because they thought they just needed reading glasses because their vision was getting blurry, and they thought they were getting old. Good vision doesn’t mean healthy eyes, so even if you’re not having issues it’s still good for us to meet annually, like a physical, just to check in and make sure everything is looking good,” explained Dr. Hui.
However most people, including many men,
tend to wait until there is a problem before seeing a doctor.
“The problem with that approach,” said Dr. Hui, “is usually if you feel that something’s wrong, it’s too late, because it never should have felt wrong in the first place. If you go in for routine checks, it’s a lot easier to manage things. It’s going to be easier to catch something early and to know your baseline from when you were healthy and normal vs. when there is a problem.”
Regular exams for children is also vital, said Dr. Hui, who noted the American Academy of Opthamology recommends the first exam at six months and annually starting at age three, even if they do well in vision screenings at school.
“That’s a big thing that we preach, get those kiddos in even if you feel they’re doing good, just to check in on them.”
How to become a patient
Call 319-324-2020 or go to https://visioncenterpc. com to schedule an appointment. For those who already have an eye doctor but wish to receive services in Solon, they will be asked to sign a record release form, which authorizes Vision Center P.C. to contact their provider and have their records sent.
“We’re excited to be here,” said Dr. Hui. “I’m genuine when I say I enjoy small town Iowa. I think this community is thriving and I think patients will love the care that they get. I’m excited to hit the ground running.”
“We’re excited, it’s been a long time coming for Solon, Solon has needed a primary care optometrist and we’re excited to be able to provide it and to get in and see friends and family and faces that I’ve been seeing forever.”
Sheriff’s time report for Solon
SOLON — The Johnson County Sheriff’s Office (JCSO) provides law enforcement to the city of Solon on a contracted basis and releases a monthly Town Time Report documenting the agency’s activities and time spent within the corporate limits of Solon.
February
Deputies conducted 37 traffic stops (295 total since July 1), responded to five 9-1-1 hangups, 19 emergency medical incidents, and eight fire responses among 155 total calls for service for the month. Also, deputies responded to one motor vehicle accident, conducted 11 business checks, and responded to three civil and one domestic disturbances.
Also, one animal case was investigated along with one case of criminal mischief/vandalism. JCSO deputies also conducted 11 school visits/patrols and five welfare checks.
As a reminder the Sheriff’s substation is located at 223 S. Iowa St. in Solon. The facility is not staffed 24/7 but if a deputy is needed (non-emergency) call 319-356-6800 to make a request to have one meet you. In an emergency, dial 9-1-1.
February Hours in Solon
upcoming fiscal year. The public is invited to attend all meetings. More information about the FY2026 budget is available at https://www. johnsoncountyiowa. gov/finance/budgetdocuments.
Volume 145 I Issue 12
Of a Little Weekly Miracle PO Box 249, Solon, IA 52333 Phone: 319-624-2233 news@soloneconomist.com
The Solon Economist 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@soloneconomist.com.
STAFF
Publisher Jason Brummond jason.brummond@dailyiowan.com
Editor Chris Umscheid chris.umscheid@ soloneconomist.com
POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Solon Economist at PO Box 249, Solon, IA 52333.
Subscriptions: Contact Catherine Bilskie at 319-624-2233 or catherine. bilskie@soloneconomist.com for additional information. Subscription rates: Johnson and adjoining counties – $55 annually; elsewhere In Iowa – $75 annually; out of state –$85 annually.
Copyright 2025 Solon Economist, 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.
soloneconomist.com
NEWS FROM JOHNSON COUNTY
O'Neil
OBITUARY
Judith Ann (Combs) Stone, 81, of Sun City West, Arizona, passed away peacefully at home, as she wished, on March 6, 2025. She was a faithful Catholic, wife, and mother.
Judy was born in Omaha, Nebraska, to Edwin W. and Alice P. (Vinduska) Combs. In 1965 Judy married Robert L. Stone in Omaha, a union that thrived for 60 years. Together Judy and Bob raised three children. Wherever Judy set up house, she created a loving home.
She appreciated nature’s beauty, from agates to flowers to cactus. She was quietly artistic, collecting crystal accent pieces and, for many years, sewing sequined Christmas stockings which she gifted to the children of family and friends. Her hand-writing was impeccable.
Judy most enjoyed time spent with family and friends. From 1977 to 1987 the family lived in Solon, a time remembered with special fondness. Many families raising their kids in Twin View Heights were good neighbors and became fast friends. On many nights laughter from a card party in the kitchen lulled her children to sleep.
She was a dependable and devoted friend, sending personalized cards for birthdays, anniversaries, and especially at Christmas every year.
Outside the home, Judy worked part-time in secretarial positions. Later she was certified in medical records coding.
Judy and Bob retired to Sun City West in 2001. They made lots of new friends, and enjoyed long early morning walks, bike rides, and hikes in the desert.
Judy battled cancer five times, beginning in 1987. She bore each event with stoic matter-of-factness and refused to allow it to overtake her life. In the end, the treatments and time took their toll.
Judy was preceded in death by her parents, and her brother Ronald Combs of North Carolina. She is survived by her husband, and her children: Kim (and Jeff) Kros of Scottsdale, Arizona; Scott (and Rosy) Stone of Charlottesville, Virginia; and Heather Stone of Minneapolis, Minnesota. She is missed and remembered fondly by extended family and many good friends.
Judy chose to be cremated. A memorial service will be held on Wednesday, April 16th, 2025, at 11:00 a.m. at Camino del Sol Funeral Chapel, 13738 W. Camino del Sol, Sun City West, AZ. Online video streaming will be available. Judy asks all in attendance to wear vibrant, colorful attire – “Don’t dress like you’re attending a funeral.”
In lieu of flowers, Judy encouraged everyone to give blood. Blood transfusions save lives, and supplies are often low.
Egg My Yard fundraiser is back!
Your child would love waking up Easter morning to a yard full of stuffed eggs! Members of the GFWC Solon Women’s Club will again be doing the “Egg My
Nominate a future leader: Applications now open for Iowa Boys State 2025
Mike Vaughn American Legion of Iowa
DES MOINES — The American Legion of Iowa is now accepting applications for Iowa Boys State 2025, taking place June 22-27 at Camp Dodge in Johnston, Iowa. This premier leadership and civics program provides high school juniors with a hands-on opportunity to experi-
Did you know the can came years before the opener? Safely preserving food by canning was introduced in 1807. And there is more… Doris Montag, a local storyteller and humorist, returns with the history of the Can, and its sidekick, the Opener. Assembled by her father, the entire evolution of the opener is documented from primitive cast iron gadgets to the electric opener (and knife sharpener) and all in between. It is an ordinary thing often taken for granted, and potentially nearing the end of its lifecycle. Join Doris for another “Laugh & Learn” session Thursday, April 3, at 10:30 a.m. This collection will be displayed in the library for the month of April.
Library Events
Spring Baby Time begins with a new twist Monday, March 24, at 9:15 a.m. Join us at the Solon Community Center for this six-week session of songs, rhymes, and fun for little ones 0-36 months and caregivers. Siblings welcome! Stick around after Baby Time to enjoy free entry to Tot Time from 10:00 a.m.-Noon.
Join us for an out-of-this-world adventure with our friends from the Iowa Children's Museum Monday, March 24, at 6:00 p.m. Kids will design their own spacecraft, build a moon base, and discover how telescopes like the James Webb capture stunning images of our universe. With interactive stations and plenty of creativity, this stellar adventure will bring the wonders of space to life! Designed for elementary-aged learners. All are welcome! No registration necessary.
We’ll begin our Spring Drawing Club sessions Wednesday, March 26, at 3:45 p.m. Students in 4th-8th grades, come join us for a six-week session! Each week we will focus on learning about a different drawing skill or technique, followed by free-drawing time. Participants will enjoy a snack and artwork sharing circle at the end of each workshop. Registration is required. Participants are encouraged to attend all six sessions but may register for individual sessions as space allows. Supplies
will be provided.
Library Access
Regular Library hours are Monday-Thursday, 9:00 a.m.-7:00 p.m. and Friday-Saturday, 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
Closed Sundays. Please always refer to our website calendar or call to check hours as winter weather may impact our ability to be safely open.
Please note the upcoming special hours at the Library:
The Library will be open Friday, March 28, 9:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. to allow time for our regular monthly staff in-service after closing.
Everyone is welcome at the Library and our programs. Please contact us with access needs.
What’s new?
Learn something new or take a walk in someone else’s shoes with one of these new nonfiction titles. Browse the new shelf for more!
How to Feed the World by Vaclav Smil. An indispensable analysis of how the world really produces and consumes its food—and a scientist’s exploration of how we can successfully feed a growing population without killing the planet.
Jane Austen’s Bookshelf by Rebecca Romney. Jane Austen’s Bookshelf investigates the disappearance of Austen’s heroes—women writers who were erased from the Western canon—to reveal who they were, what they meant to Austen, and how they were forgotten. Each chapter profiles a different writer including Frances Burney, Ann Radcliffe, Charlotte Lennox, Charlotte Smith, Hannah More, Elizabeth Inchbald, Hester Lynch Thrale Piozzi, and Maria Edgeworth—and recounts Romney’s experience reading them, finding rare copies of their works, and drawing on connections between their words and Austen’s. Romney collects the once-famed works of these forgotten writers, physically recreating Austen’s bookshelf and making a convincing case for why these books should be
Yard” fundraiser. All profits raised will go toward the purchase of “digger” equipment for use at the new sand playground planned for the area currently occupied by the volleyball court (being moved).
Let our bunnies do the work for you! Eggs will be stuffed with individually wrapped candy unless otherwise requested. Toys are available for those children, age 3 and older recommended, that might have food allergies. You can choose to pick up a box of eggs from the Solon Community Center, Saturday, April 12th, 9 am to 10:30 am, or to have the eggs delivered to your yard after 8:30 pm on Saturday, April 19th. Deliveries will be done before daylight. Delivery is available in the Solon and Shueyville areas as well as associated housing developments. We will also do a limited number of deliveries to the Ely area. Deadline to sign up for pick up or delivery is Friday, April 11th.
This year to add additional excitement, random golden and extra fancy eggs, and a special surprise will be added for each delivery address.
ence government in action, develop critical leadership skills, and build lifelong connections.
For 85 years, Iowa Boys State has shaped generations of young men into confident, capable leaders. This sixday immersive program brings together motivated high school juniors to run a fully functioning mock government, draft legislation, and make real-time decisions in a dynamic and engaging environment. Participants will engage directly with Iowa's top officials, military leaders, and professionals, gaining invaluable experience in leadership, communication, and civic responsibility.
Iowa Boys State has a proven track record of preparing young men for success. Notable alumni include President Bill Clinton, astronaut Neil Armstrong, Supreme Court justices, business executives, and professional athletes such as Michael Jordan. Graduates of the program leave with a competitive edge for college applications, career
placed back on the to-be-read pile of all book lovers today. Jane Austen’s Bookshelf will encourage you to look beyond assigned reading lists, question who decides what belongs there, and build your very own collection of favorite novels.
Song So Wild and Blue by Paul Lisicky. From the moment Paul Lisicky heard Joni Mitchell while growing up in New Jersey, he recognized she was that rarity among musicians—a talent whose combination of introspection, liberation, and deep musicality set her apart from any other artist of the time. As a young man, Paul was a budding songwriter who took his cues from Mitchell’s mysteries and idiosyncrasies. But as he matured, he set his guitar aside and turned to prose, a practice that would eventually take him to the Iowa Writers’ Workshop and into the professional world of letters. As the decades passed, Paul’s connection to Mitchell’s artistry only deepened. Joni’s music was a constant, a guide to life and an artist’s manual in one. As Paul navigated love and heartbreak and imaginative struggles and the vicissitudes of a creative career, he would return again and again to the lessons found in Joni’s songs, to the solace and challenges that only her musicianship could give.
Written in the Waters by Tara Roberts. In this lush and lyrical memoir, she tells a story of exploration and reckoning that takes her from her home in Washington, D.C., to an exotic array of locales: Thailand and Sri Lanka, Mozambique, South Africa, Senegal, Benin, Costa Rica, and St. Croix. The journey connects her with other divers, scholars, and archaeologists, offering a unique way of understanding the 12.5 million souls carried away from their African homeland to enslavement on other continents. But for Roberts, the journey is also intensely personal. Inspired by the descendants of those who lost their lives during the Middle Passage, she decides to plumb her own family history and life as a Black woman to help make sense of her own identity.
Costs are as follows: Delivered after 8:30 pm, Saturday, April 19th 30 eggs for $30 50 eggs for $45 Picked up at the Solon Community Center, April 12th 30 eggs for $25 50 eggs for $35
A personalized Easter Bunny letter is available for $5.
Please text 319-551-4353- for additional information or email eileen4gfwc@gmail.com. This will be a fun and economical way to add excitement to your Easter celebration, and to benefit the Solon Community for years to come.
You can also nominate a deserving family to receive a surprise “Egg my Yard” delivery at no cost. Online registration and form completion will also be available via Facebook.
opportunities, and future leadership roles.
Thanks to the support of the American Legion, Iowa Boys State is offered at no cost to participants. Housing, meals, and activities are fully covered, ensuring that all eligible students have access to this transformative experience.
Iowa Boys State is open to high school juniors who demonstrate leadership potential and an interest in public service or community involvement. Parents, teachers, coaches, and community leaders are encouraged to identify and nominate students who would benefit from this unparalleled opportunity.
Applications are now open, and spots fill quickly. Interested students and their families can learn more and apply at iowaboysstate.org. For additional information, contact Eric Less, Programs Director at The American Legion of Iowa, at eric@ialegion.org.
Judith Stone
Eileen Hageman
GFWC Solon Women’s Club
OPINIONS
Roar in like a lion and March out like a soldier
Food for Thought
Milli Gilbaugh
The month of March, then called Martius, was the first month of the earliest Roman calendar. Named for Mars, the god of war, it became the third month when the Romans began using the Julian calendar. The first month of spring, March was traditionally the time when war was resumed after the winter hiatus. Some historians suggest that it refers to the fact that armies began their march toward new conquests at that time of year.
The proverb that states that March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb is probably based on astronomers' observations of the positions of the constellations Leo The Lion and Aries The Ram (male sheep) at that time of year. It has evolved into a hopeful prediction that if March begins with cold or stormy weather, it will end with mild, pleasant weather - or vice versa.
One modern-day symbol for the month of March is a simple toy kite; the kind we assemble from slender sticks, paper and string. Flying those rudimentary kites requires a certain amount of moving air to keep them aloft. The challenge, for me at least, has always been getting them up into the air in the first place. My mother believed that the more wind there was, the better were the conditions for kite-flying. On a windy March Saturday she would send us, quarters in hand, to the Ben Franklin Store to purchase the kits for assembling our kites. We made our selections, based not on the lofting qualities of the assembled product, but on the design and colors printed on the fragile paper that was to catch the wind and take our creations soaring into the spring sky.
Back home with our treasures, we commandeered the kitchen table for our work station and laid out our purchases. The two sticks were joined by a wire at the proper crossing point and the sticks were notched at the ends to make it easy to attach the loops of string that protruded from the perimeter of the precious paper “skin” for the kite. I seem to remember that Mother always had plenty of sturdy string for the requisite bow-strings and the tether string that would connect us to our kites once they were floating magically far overhead. I never understood the science involved in the “tails” to be attached to the bottom of a kite. I was never sure about its purpose or necessity. I believed it had something to do with the speed of the wind, but just how to judge the length and weight of the tail eluded me.
The only thing I knew for sure from my own experience was that I should stand with my back to the wind, hold my kite high, and slowly release it as the wind pushed against it. It was supposed to sail away and climb steadily upward. My kite nearly always jerked from my hand, twirled crazily upward, wavered horizontally for several moments as if trying to make up its mind about the undertaking, then nose-dived into the ground and lay broken and torn not ten feet from where I stood.
I credit that result to the wind. I never agreed with Mother's theory that the stronger the wind, the better for kite-flying. I base that belief on my many failures at launching my kite successfully. With a mere breeze, I couldn't simply release the kite for the wind to take hold of it. I had to create my own wind by running into the breeze and releasing the kite when I felt the air tugging at it. Sometimes this strategy almost worked and my kite would float skyward for several moments, only to land on the roof of the garage, crash into the neighbor's house or entangle itself with a bush or tree.
Mother always saved the surviving sticks and repairable paper skins from crashed kites and cheerfully helped me rebuild my kite and my self-confidence, but I never once during my life have successfully launched and flown a kite. Oh, I've stood beside other kite-pilots, holding my tether-string and watching my kite dance yards and yards overhead, but it had been my dad who put it up there.
In case you never noticed, two constellations are represented by the shape of our simple toy kite. The Southern Cross traces the outline of the kite's body; the Northern Cross shows the two crossed sticks that dictate and support its shape.
Be the One
With U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley
Q: What is the “Be the One” campaign all about?
A: This grassroots effort raises public awareness about veteran suicide and facilitates training and prevention strategies using one-on-one connections with at-risk veterans in local communities across the country.
The nationwide outreach is coordinated by the American Legion, the patriotic veterans organization with a membership of more than 1.6 million individuals and local posts in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, France, Latin America and the Philippines. The nonprofit organization will observe its 106th birthday on March 15, celebrating the first caucus of the American Legion held in Paris, France after World War I. The 66th Congress issued a national charter for the veterans-led group on September 16, 1919. Throughout its history, the member-based veterans organization seeks to help fellow veterans reintegrate to civilian life and serves as a resource for community-based services for those seeking employment, education, health care, housing, disaster assistance and more. Since its founding, improving access to education, disability benefits and mental health services have helped marshal legislative victories and improve the quality of life for veterans. A tenet of its founding charter is to “cement the ties and comradeship born of service.” That mission is manifested in the Be The One campaign currently underway to stop veteran suicide. Through its grassroots system of Buddy Checks and efforts to train members for its Be The One QPR (question, persuade and refer) Teams, the American Legion of Iowa is working to expand its suicide prevention services at the post level and raise public awareness in local communities.
In February, I met with Iowa leaders representing the American Legion, and I was impressed to learn more about this community outreach program. Making personal connections can mean the difference between life and death for veterans suffering from loneliness, despair or depression. Raising public
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Medicare Advantage denials are hurting Iowa stroke survivors
As a board-certified rehabilitation nurse in Iowa, I see firsthand how Medicare Advantage plans systematically deny stroke survivors access to inpatient rehabilitation. These denials are not just bureaucratic red tape – they are life-altering and, in many cases, life-ending.
Inpatient rehabilitation facilities (IRFs) provide at least three hours of intensive therapy per day, the gold standard for stroke recovery. However, Medicare Advantage plans frequently steer patients toward lower-cost settings like skilled nursing facilities (SNFs), which provide, on average, less than one hour of therapy per day – an inadequate alternative. The result? Poorer patient outcomes, increased hospital readmissions, and long-term disability – ironically, the very costs these plans claim to reduce.
This isn’t just a healthcare issue – it’s a growing crisis in Iowa. I have personally seen stroke survivors in our
THE DRISCOLL DISPATCH
In a change from the past few weeks which were booked with subcommittee and committee meetings, my calendar last week was instead booked with floor debate. This was where many of the bills we’ve focused on in committee meetings were brought in front of the full Senate, moving one step closer to becoming law as they head to the House of Representatives.
Floor Debate
The Senate ultimately passed about thirty bills this week, varying in topic from emergency medical services to statutes of limitations to gift card fraud and commercial driver’s license requirements (just to name a few!). There was one bill the Senate debated on
awareness will help alert neighbors to be mindful of warning signs to strengthen suicide prevention for hometown heroes in our veterans communities. I appreciate the advocacy of our veterans organizations and will continue working with them on behalf of those who answered the call to serve in uniform and those currently serving in the Armed Forces.
Q: What efforts have you pushed in Congress to lower veterans suicide?
A: Tragically, this issue hits close to home for too many Iowa families. According to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), suicide death rates among Iowa veterans is significantly higher than the rates among the nation’s general population. As Iowa’s U.S. Senator, I’ve worked for decades to raise public awareness, conduct rigorous oversight to root out shortcomings at the VA and implement comprehensive suicide prevention reforms to improve mental health services for our nation’s veterans. Years ago, alongside former Sen. Tom Harkin, we steered bipartisan legislation into law named after a young Iowan named Josh Omvig from Grundy Center who died by suicide after returning home from duty in Iraq. Our bill developed a peer support program tapping veterans as volunteer peer counselors. Building on that legislative victory on behalf of veterans, I also supported the Clay Hunt Suicide Prevention for American Veterans Act and co-sponsored legislation to help reduce backlog appeals to the Veterans Benefits Administration and introduced legislation to address the increase in suicide among female veterans. I’ve worked to expand services for veterans experiencing Post-Traumatic Stress Disorders and who sustained Traumatic Brain Injuries in the line of duty and teamed up with Sen. Amy Klobuchar to give veterans’ health facilities better tools to recruit well-trained health professionals, particularly for mental health care. Sen. Joni Ernst and I have pushed the VA to address wait times for mental health appointments, as well. In addition, I co-sponsored legislation that improved the responsiveness and performance of the Veterans Crisis Line. In his first term, President Trump signed into law the three-digit number to simplify access to this confidential, 24/7, lifesaving tool for Americans experiencing a mental health emergency. I encourage veterans and their families to dial 9-8-8 in times of crisis for immediate access to lifesaving support from trained professionals.
community denied rehabilitation, leaving them with little chance of regaining independence. Families are forced to take on intense caregiving responsibilities, and local hospitals bear the burden of preventable readmissions.
Iowans deserve better.
Medicare Advantage insurers must be held accountable for these denials. Congress must demand greater transparency, stronger oversight, and policy changes that ensure stroke survivors receive the rehabilitation care they need.
I urge readers who care about this issue to take action. Call, write, or email your legislators and demand that they stand up for stroke survivors and protect access to inpatient rehabilitation. These decisions affect our families, our neighbors, and our entire healthcare system. We cannot afford to ignore them.
Dr.
Monday, however, that I was particularly passionate about: Senate File 75, the county supervisor bill. As a refresher, SF 75 requires counties that are home to the main campus of a Regent university to elect county supervisors using districts instead of an at-large vote. These counties must also fill vacancies on their boards of supervisors by special election.
This bill recognizes that Iowans, especially those in rural Iowa, deserve to have a voice—and their voices should not be overpowered by students who only reside seasonally in Iowa. Permanent residents deserve to have the opportunity to speak just as loudly as their seasonal counterparts, especially when it comes to county policy, and as the floor manager for SF 75 during debate this week, I was able to share these same sentiments with all of my colleagues in the Senate chamber. The bill ultimately passed the Senate
Christopher R. Crossett, DNP, MBA, MSN, RN, RRN Cedar Rapids
State Senator Dawn Driscoll
35-12 on Monday and will now move to the House of Representatives—one step closer to Governor Reynolds’s desk.
Property Tax Reform
At the end of last week, Senate Republicans released the next step in reforming property taxes in Iowa: Senate Study Bill 1208. The proposal, deemed to be the biggest overhaul to the property tax system since the 1970s, follows the lead of House File 718, which was the major property tax reform the legislature passed in 2023. SSB 1208 builds on the successes of HF 718 and is estimated to provide a $426 million cut in property taxes for homeowners, businesses, and farmers by limiting how much counties, cities, and schools can raise taxes every year. In addition, the bill provides a $25,000 homestead benefit, lowers the uniform levy to $2.97, delivers additional relief for Iowa’s veterans and senior citizens, and phases out the “rollback system” for residential, commercial, and industrial property over five years while lowering levy rates. This legislation makes it affordable for homeowners to continue to call Iowa home by moving to a simpler and fairer tax system.
Day in the District
Last week’s Day in the District revolved around a common theme: home building. Representatives Hora
and Lawler joined me to tour Student Built House, which is a home building project that various local students actively participate in. We toured the house the students are currently building, and I was extremely impressed with the work these students have completed. I want to commend the students, as well as their teachers, for being involved in and utilizing home building programs in schools to create houses like these in their communities.
Following Student Built House, we went to the Greater Iowa City Area Home Builders Association to discuss current issues in the home building industry. Right of First Refusal (ROFR) and the impact ROFR has had on competition within the home building industry were big topics of discussion, as were how a lack of competition has led to major economic inefficiencies in this industry: homes are being built, but they cannot be sold or moved into because of significant delays in installing utilities. These delays in turn cost home builders thousands of dollars, and these increased costs then drive up market prices when homes are ready to sell. The ripple effect is staggering. We spent a good amount of time discussing legislative changes that could be made to help with these issues, and I appreciated the time and thought the HBA members put into our discussion.
This week looks to be another busy week of debate, so if you have any questions regarding certain pieces of legislation that are being debated, please reach out to me. It is an honor to represent District 46!
Iowa PBS to showcase IHSAA championships starting in Fall 2025
JOHNSTON — For the first time ever, three Iowa High School Athletic Association (IHSAA) championships in football, wrestling, and basketball are coming to Iowa PBS.
The state’s public broadcasting network will produce and broadcast finals from the three most-watched boys’ high school sports starting in fall 2025-26. Through a multi-year initial agreement, each of the selected championship events will appear on statewide Iowa PBS and stream for free through both Iowa PBS and IHSAA.
"The stories of Iowa student-athletes, teams, coaches, and communities are at the center of our Iowa PBS Sports coverage," said Andrew Batt, executive director and general manager at Iowa PBS. "We are excited to extend our award-winning, in-depth broadcasts to the IHSAA and mutually ensure statewide access of these games across all 99 counties of Iowa and beyond. Every Iowan deserves an opportunity to witness these athletes pursue a championship on our state's most extensive broadcast and streaming network."
Iowa PBS’s live broadcast and streaming of IHSAA championship sports will be in addition to the statewide network’s existing coverage of Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union championships for various sports.
While IHSAA’s wrestling championships have history with Iowa PBS, football and basketball will be making modern era debuts in 2025-26.
Wrestling’s most recent public media broadcast came in 2002, while football finals made two recorded appearances in 1984 and 1985. Basketball was the first sport televised – WOI-TV from Ames broadcast from Iowa City’s Fieldhouse in 1953 – yet the finals have never been shown on Iowa PBS.
Their inclusion on Iowa PBS will be the cornerstone of the IHSAAs broadcast plan for free and accessible state tournament video, starting with footballs semifinals and finals in fall 2025.
“We are thrilled to partner with Iowa PBS to bring our football, wrestling, and basketball state championship broadcasts to fans across the state,” IHSAA executive director Tom Keating said. “Our fans have asked for a free and easily accessible broadcast option and Iowa PBS is just that.”
In December 2024, IHSAA announced a conclusion of its long-standing contract with the Iowa High School Sports Network (IHSSN), with coverage ending after the 2024-25 athletic year. Through a nearly 20-year
arrangement, IHSAA events appeared on various commercial broadcast and cable television partners across the state as managed by IHSSN.
Through this agreement with Iowa PBS, IHSAA will maintain overall event rights while partnering with the successful Iowa PBS Sports team and their 99-county broadcast coverage map.
Iowa PBS will also produce special IHSAA programs highlighting stories of student-athletes, their sports, and communities.
Currently, the IHSAAs championships in the three Iowa PBS sports are scheduled over four dates. The 202526 dates include:
Football: Nov. 20-21, 2025, UNI-Dome, Cedar Falls Wrestling: Feb. 21, 2026, Wells Fargo Arena, Des Moines Basketball: March 13, 2026, Wells Fargo Arena, Des Moines
ABOUT THE IHSAA
The Iowa High School Athletic Association is a 501(c) (3) nonprofit organization that offers free membership to all high schools in Iowa that are recognized by the Department of Education. The IHSAA works to coordinate, develop, direct, and promote boys’ high school and junior high sports and activities across the state of Iowa.
ABOUT IOWA PBS
As Iowa's only statewide television network, Iowa PBS’s mission to educate, inform, enrich and inspire Iowans guides its quality, noncommercial programming that tells Iowa's stories like no one else can. Four statewide, public channels offer programs of lasting value to Iowans, regardless of where they live or what they can afford: Iowa PBS .1, Iowa PBS KIDS .2, Iowa PBS WORLD .3 and Iowa PBS Create .4 on Channel 11, Des Moines; Channel 12, Iowa City; Channel 21, Fort Dodge; Channel 24, Mason City; Channel 27, Sioux City; Channel 32, Waterloo; Channel 32, Council Bluffs; Channel 36, Davenport; Channel 36, Red Oak. More information can be found at iowapbs.org.
In addition to our statewide broadcasts, Iowa PBS, WORLD and Create are available to livestream on iowapbs.org/live, pbs.org/livestream, and the PBS app. Iowa PBS KIDS is available to livestream on iowapbs.org/ live or the PBS KIDS app. Iowa PBS programs are also available on most popular platforms. See all the ways you can watch by visiting iowapbs.org/watch.
SIOUX CITY — Morningside University proudly recognizes the achievements of its December 2024 graduates, including Noah Erickson (Master of Arts, Teaching) and Matt Folkerts (Master of Arts, Teaching), both of Solon, awarding general honors based on outstanding academic performance in undergraduate coursework. COLLEGE NEWS
Morningside recognizes December graduates
Chris Cuellar IHSAA
VARSITY GIRLS' TRACK
Tuesday, March 25
Thursday, April 3
WaMaC Conference Indoor Meet @ Grinnell College Fieldhouse, 2:00 p.m.
Mount Vernon Track Meet @ MVHS, 4:00 p.m.
Thursday, April 3 Spartan Invitational @ Pleasant Valley HS, 4:00 p.m.
Saturday, April 5 Cedar Rapids Girls Invitational @ Kingston Stadium, 10:00 a.m.
Thursday, April 24 115th Drake Relays @ Drake University, Des Moines, 8:00 a.m.
Friday, April 25 115th Drake Relays @ Drake University, Des Moines, 8:00 a.m.
Saturday, April 26 115th Drake Relays @ Drake University, Des Moines, 8:00 a.m.
Monday, April 28 ..... CPU Track and Field Meet @ CPU HS, 4:30 p.m.
Monday, May 5 Marion Invitational @ Marion HS, 4:30 p.m.
Thursday, May 8 WaMaC Conference Meet @ Mount Vernon HS, 4:00 p.m.
Thursday, May 15 State Qualifying Track and Field Meet, 4:00 p.m.
Thursday, May 22 State Track and Field Meet
Friday, May 23 . . . . . . . . State Track and Field Meet
Saturday, May 24 State Track and Field Meet
Above: Nash Kotar brings the anchor leg of the shuttle hurdle relay to a 1st place finish in the 2024 Eastern Iowa Track and Field Festival at Iowa City West HS.
Above right: Eli Kampman brings home the anchor leg in the 800-meter sprint medley relay at the 2024 WaMaC Super Meet at Marion High School.
Right: Grant Bumsted hands off to Brick Kabela in the 4x800 relay in the 2024 Eastern Iowa Track and Field Festival at Iowa City West HS.
Below: Aly Stahle won the 100-meter hurdles in 15.66 seconds with cousin Mia Stahle fourth (16.16) in last year’s State Qualifying Meet in Solon.
Below right: Lilly Towne took fifth in the 2024 WaMaC Super Meet high jump competition by clearing 5’ and was a state qualifier last year.
VARSITY BOYS' TRACK
Tuesday, March 25
Saturday, March 29
Thursday, April 3
WaMaC Conference Indoor Meet @ Grinnell College Fieldhouse, 2:00 p.m.
Hollingsworth Relays @ Iowa City West HS, 10:30 a.m.
115th Drake Relays @ Drake University, Des Moines, 8:00 a.m.
115th Drake Relays @ Drake University, Des Moines, 8:00 a.m.
115th Drake Relays @ Drake University, Des Moines, 8:00 a.m.
CPU Track and Field Meet @ CPU HS, 4:30 p.m.
North Cedar Boys Invitational @ Stanwood, 4:30 p.m.
WaMaC Conference Meet @ Mount Vernon HS, 4:00 p.m.
State Qualifying Track and Field Meet, 4:00 p.m.
State Track and Field Meet
State Track and Field Meet
State Track and Field Meet
VARSITY BOYS' SOCCER
Monday, March 31 . . . . AT Regina Catholic, 5:00 p.m.
Friday, April 4 AT CPU (Fross Park), 5:00 p.m.
Saturday, April 5 SOLON SOCCER TRIANGLUAR, 8:30 a.m.
Tuesday, April 8 HOME vs. Williamsburg, 7:00 p.m.
Friday, April 11 ...... HOME vs. Burlington-Notre Dame, 5:30 p.m.
Thursday, April 17 . . . HOME vs. West Delaware, 7:00 p.m.
Monday, April 21 HOME vs. Independence, 7:00 p.m.
Friday, April 24 AT Vinton-Shellsburg, 5:00 p.m.
Tuesday, April 29 HOME vs. Benton Community, 7:00 p.m.
Friday, May 2 AT CCA HS, 7:00 p.m.
Tuesday, May 6 ..... HOME vs. Grinnell, 7:00 p.m.
Thursday, May 8 AT Marion HS, 5:00 p.m.
Saturday, May 10 HOME vs. Mount Vernon, 11:00 a.m.
Monday, May 12 HOME vs. Marquette Catholic, 7:30 p.m.
Tuesday, May 13 AT South Tama County, 7:00 p.m.
Tuesday, May 20 Class 2A Substate First Round
Tuesday, May 27 Class 2A Substate Second Round
Thursday, May 29 Class 2A Substate Final
Monday, June 2 Class 2A State Quarterfinals
Wednesday, June 4 Class 2A State Semifinals
Friday, June 6 Class 2A State Championship
Zander Stookey makes a save last April against the Marion Wolves.
Ryan Locke tries to dodge a Marion Wolf last April 4 in Marion.
Eli Freerks (16), a senior, scored twice against Benton Community and scored one of Solon’s four penalty kicks in a 4-2 shootout win at home against Grinnell
VARSITY GIRLS' SOCCER
Thursday, March 27 HOME vs. Liberty HS (scrimmage), 5:30 p.m.
Tuesday, April 1 AT Regina Catholic (Iowa City), 5:00 p.m.
Thursday, April 3 ..... AT CPU (Fross Park), 5:00 p.m.
Friday, April 4 AT Mid-Prairie (Wellman Soccer Fields), 5:00 p.m.
Tuesday, April 8 HOME vs. Williamsburg, 5:00 p.m.
Thursday, April 10 . . . HOME vs. Iowa City, City High, 5:30 p.m.
Monday, April 14 AT Xavier Catholic (Cedar Rapids), 5:00 p.m.
Thursday, April 17 . . . HOME vs. West Delaware, 5:00 p.m.
Monday, April 21 HOME vs. Independence, 5:30 p.m.
Thursday, April 24 AT Vinton-Shellsburg HS, 7:00 p.m.
Saturday, April 26 AT Liberty HS, 10:00 a.m.
Tuesday, April 29 ... HOME vs. Benton Community, 5:00 p.m.
Friday, May 2
. . . . . . . . AT CCA HS, 5:00 p.m.
Tuesday, May 6 HOME vs. Grinnell, 5:00 p.m.
Thursday, May 8 AT Marion HS, 7:00 p.m.
Saturday, May 10 . . . . HOME vs. Mount Vernon, 9:30 a.m.
Monday, May 12 . . . . . HOME vs. Marquette Catholic, 5:30 p.m.
Tuesday, May 13 . . . . . . AT South Tama HS, 5:00 p.m.
Monday, May 19 1st round of Regionals
Wednesday, May 21 Regional Quarterfinals
Tuesday, May 27 Regional Semifinals
Thursday, May 29 Regional Finals
Tuesday, June 3
. . . State Tournament, ISU, Ames
Thursday, June 5 State Tournament, ISU, Ames
Saturday, June 7 State Tournament, ISU, Ames
VARSITY BOYS' GOLF
Friday, April 4 HOME (Lake Macbride GC) Boys Invitational, 12:00 p.m.
Monday, April 7 HOME (Lake Macbride GC) vs. Mount Vernon, 4:00 p.m.
Thursday, April 17 AT Vinton CC vs. Vinton-Shellsburg, 4:00 p.m.
Friday, April 18 AT Bos Landen GC (Pella), Dutch Masters Day 1, 11:00 a.m.
Saturday, April 19 AT Bos Landen GC (Pella), Dutch Masters Day 2, 8:30 a.m.
Saturday, April 19 AT Tara Hills CC (Van Horne), Bobcat Boys Invite., 9:00 a.m.
Monday, April 21 AT River Ridge GC (Independence), 4:00 p.m.
Friday, April 25 AT Pin Oak Pub & Links (Manchester), W. Delaware Invite., 12:00 p.m.
Monday, April 28 . . . . HOME (Lake Macbride) vs. CCA, 4:00 p.m.
Monday, May 5 AT Wildcat GC (Shellsburg), WaMaC East Meet, 9:00 a.m.
Monday, May 12 ...... AT Grinnell College GC, WaMaC Supermeet, 9:00 a.m.
Wednesday, May 14 Class 3A Sectionals
Monday, May 19 Class 3A District (State Qualifying) Meet
Tuesday, May 27 Class 3A State Championships
Wednesday, May 28 Class 3A State Championships
Jack Irwin tees off in the 2024 Solon Invitational at Lake Macbride Golf Course.
VARSITY GIRLS' GOLF
Tuesday, April 8 AT Tara Hills CC (Van Horne) vs. Benton & CPU, 4:00 p.m.
Saturday, April 12 AT Tara Hills CC, Benton Bobcat Girls Invitational, 10:30 a.m.
Monday, April 14 .... HOME (Saddleback Ridge) vs. Vinton-Shellsburg, 4:00 p.m.
Wednesday, April 16 AT Stone Creek GC (Williamsburg), W’Burg Invite., 11:00 a.m.
Monday, April 21 HOME vs. Independence, 4:00 p.m.
Thursday, April 24 AT Edmundson GC (Oskaloosa), Oskaloosa Invite., 1:00 p.m.
Monday, April 28 AT Amana Colonies Golf Club vs. CCA, 4:00 p.m.
Tuesday, April 29 LADY SPARTAN INVITATIONAL (Saddleback Ridge), 9:00 a.m.
Monday, May 5 WaMaC East Divisional Meet (Saddleback Ridge), 9:00 a.m.
Friday, May 9 AT Tipton Golf & Country Club, Tigerette Invite., 11:00 a.m.
Monday, May 12 AT Pin Oak Pub & Links (Manchester) WaMaC Supermeet, 9:00 a.m.
Monday, May 19 HOME (Saddleback Ridge) vs. N. Scott and Lisbon, 4:00 p.m.
Wednesday, May 21 Class 3A Regional Meet
Thursday, May 29-Friday, May 30. . . . . . Class 3A Girls State Meet, Saddleback Ridge
Left: Mya Miller tees off during the Lady Spartans’ home invitational last year. Right: Alli Quaintance watches her ball fly after teeing off during the 2024 Lady Spartans’ home invitational.
4x800 - 23rd Falyn Svalstad, Addison Seamans, Mya Fordice, Liv Nelson 10:54.14
60m hurdles (prelims) – 13th Aly Stahle 9.60Q, 87th
Cydney Jaster 11.13, 88th Zoey Grimm 11.14
GIRLS
CEDAR FALLS — The 2025 track and field season opened for the Lady Spartans in the UNI-Dome Tuesday, March 11 with the A.D. Dickinson Relays. 125 teams from across the state competed in the event, opening the short indoor track season.
Piper Stahle, Jerzey Haluska, Kobi Lietz, and Aly Stahle teamed up for the 4x200-meter relay, posting Solon’s best finish of the day coming in ninth in 1:50.65.
BOYS
CEDAR FALLS — The 2025 track and field season opened for a small detachment of Spartans in the UNIDome Monday, March 10 with the A.D. Dickinson Relays. 130 teams from across the state competed in the event, opening the short indoor track season.
Jackson Burk, Evan Burg, Will Brandt, and Owen Gange had Solon’s top finish with a 16th -place finish in the 4x400-meter relay in 3:43.05.
60m hurdles (finals) – 15th Aly Stahle 9.68
60m dash (prelims) – 49th Piper Stahle
8.45, 82nd Avery Kellen, 8.63
1,500 run – 22nd Sydney Dee 5:25.13, 35th Kinley Mai, 5:43.19
4x400 – 16th Jackson Burk, Evan Burg, Will Brandt, Owen Gange 3:43.05
Solon Economist
SOLON SENIORS
A Big Thank You to our sponsors and donors for their support in Senior Dining’s mission to serve the Solon Community, and especially to those who support Senior Dining by attending the lunches or receive home deliveries.
Reminders
Bad weather closings – Senior Dining will notify our clients by phone of cancellations. No meals Tuesdays and Thursdays.
MARCH HAPPENINGS •••••••
Wednesday, March 26 – City Representative
DINING ••••••••••••••••••••• Home Deliveries
Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Call 319-6242251 for information.
In-House Dining
Solon Methodist Church, Wednesdays only at 11:30 a.m. Meals cost $5.00, call 319-624-2251 for reservations (required) Monday between 10-11:00 a.m.
Bingo – Wednesdays AM/PM Cards – Wednesdays PM
Thank you Solon Senior Dining volunteers!
“Volunteers do not necessarily have the time, they just have the heart.”
— Elizabeth Andrew
SCHOOL BREAKFAST
The Solon Community School District is an equal opportunity provider. Menus will vary to accommodate the Federal Nutrition Guidelines. Please understand that menus are subject to change as needed. Please check your lunch account balances, purchases, and deposits online at solon.total.k12.com.
Nutrition office: 319-624-3401, Ext. 1120 or bwest@solon.k12.ia.us.
Student breakfast is FREE again this year
The Solon Community School District (SCSD) is once again able to offer free breakfast to students for the academic year. Becky West, Nutrition Director, explained the Nutritional Department’s financial situation, based on standard practice and guidance from the state, makes it possible to offer this important service to the students. “I believe that eating breakfast fuels the kids and teaches them how to eat a healthy breakfast to start your day,” said West.
Adult/Guest breakfast: $1.75
Friday, March 21 Spring Break
Monday, March 24
Muffin (LV/SIS)
G&G Bag (LV) Muffin
SCHOOL LUNCH
For information on the free and reduced program, and an application, go to www.solon.k12.ia.us/ page/nutrition-program and scroll down to Nutrition Documents & Links.
MS/HS Alt: Cook’s Delight Potato Bar, Bright Broccoli Cheese Sauce, Diced Ham
Garlic Knot (SIS/MS/HS), Mandarin Oranges Gold Fish Crackers
26 Heads of ancient Rome
29 *Plural personal pronoun
32 Bait shop purchase
33 One of two official languages of Afghanistan
35 Ancient kingdom of Asia Minor
36 Singer Grande, to fans
37 *Country where the Plain of Jars is located
39 Flight fig.
40 Car brand named for a deity
42 Zero-sum game
43 Pickled ginger served with sushi 44 *Bell sound
46 Devilish sort
48 Balloon material
49 Focus of some magnet schools
50 Virtual companion of the 2000s
52 Nursery sounds
53 Exposure spec.
56 Emmy-winning Sawai of “Shogun”
57 Material in a junkyard pile … or a hint to answering this puzzle’s four asterisked clues
60 Top-seed perks
61 Franchise with a signature A-frame roof
62 What you have in mind?
63 Declares
64 Punny reply to “What are you waiting for?”
65 Partitioned, as land for development
Advantage
All but hopeless 3 “Survivor” game-changer 4 Drag along 5 Close-fitting headwear
6 View 7 Henhouse
8 Night sch. offering
9 Figure out
10 Laundry cycle
11 “Mom and dad aren’t gonna be pleased with us!”
12 Operating system developed by Bell Labs
13 Crow’s-nest location
18 State with the highest percentage of federal land
23 Sights on beaches and in barns
24 ___ chart
25 They may get splints
26 C-shaped tool, maybe
27 Ear-related
28 Winnings
29 Court event
30 Volatile demolition aid, for short
31 “Got me?”
34 In the midst of a conflict
37 Long-handled server
38 “You’re too much”
41 Standard park purchase
43 Press club?
45 Wipes out
47 Longest-running musical in London’s West End, informally
49 Things commonly found in bars
50 Catches red-handed
51 Singer with the birth name Eithne Pádraigín Ní Bhraonáin
52 Photoshop tool
53 Zealous supporter, in modern lingo
54 Knight’s aide
55 Left in a hurry
58 Life force principle, in feng shui
59 Punk subculture
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.
RECOUPMENT
PUBLIC NOTICE
ANTIDEGRADATION ALTERNATIVES
ANALYSIS FOR THE CITY OF SOLON, IOWA NOTICE DATE: MARCH 20, 2025
Notice is hereby given that the City of Solon, Iowa has completed a draft antidegradation alternatives analysis for discharge of treated wastewater to Mill Creek which is tributary to Lake Macbride, the Coralville Reservoir, the Iowa River, and the Mississippi River. The action being considered is construction of a new mechanical plant (Carrousel) treatment facility with flow equalization and ultraviolet disinfection with a new outfall in Mill Creek downstream of the City’s existing outfall to replace the ex-
isting oxidation ditch treatment facility with chlorine disinfection. Mill Creek is classified as Class A3 recreational use, B(WW-2) warm water beneficial uses at both the current discharge location and the proposed discharge location. Anyone wishing to comment on the proposed treatment alternative must do so in writing within 30 days of the date shown at the top of this notice. Comments may be submitted to the City of Solon by hand delivery or mail at the following address: City of Solon, 101 N. Iowa Street, Solon, IA 52333. Copies of this notice and the draft antidegradation alternatives analysis are on file and available for public inspection from 8 A.M. to 4 P.M. Monday through Friday at the above address. Copies of this information may be requested by contacting the City of Solon at 319-6243755. The City will submit a summary of comments received and the City’s responses to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources with the final alternatives analysis subject to IDNR review and approval. Published in the Solon Economist March 20, 2025.
NOTICE OF A PUBLIC HEARING BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT
CLASSIFIEDS
Wanted To Rent
Young, growing & hardworking family searching for acreage with home & building(s) for 4-H animals to rent, maybe buy. Fixer upper is fine. Prefer Mt Vernon/Lisbon area. References available. Thank you. 563-210-5843.
Wanted
WANTED: JUNK APPLIANCES. Will pick up for free. Farm clean-up, batteries. Will buy junk cars. 319-331-8122
Miscellaneous
Does your basement or crawl space need some attention? Call Thrasher Foundation Repair! A permanent solution for waterproofing, failing foundations, sinking concrete and nasty crawl spaces. FREE Inspection & Same Day Estimate. $250 off ANY project with code GET250. Call 1-866-5541730
MIKE WADLE APPLICATION REQUESTING A VARIANCE FOR A SIDEYARD SETBACK TO REPLACE AN EXISTING DETACHED GARAGE AT 405 S MARKET STREET LOCATED IN R-1 RESIDENTIAL ZONE, IN SOLON. Notice is hereby given that a public hearing will be held by the BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT at
Miscellaneous
Prepare for power outages today with a Generac Home Standby Generator. Act now to receive a FREE 7-Year warranty with qualifying purchase. Call 1-855-954-5087 today to schedule a free quote. It’s not just a generator. It’s a power move.
Safe Step. North America’s #1 Walk-In Tub. Comprehensive lifetime warranty. Top-of-the-line installation and service. Now featuring our FREE shower package and $1600 Off for a limited time! Call today! Financing available. Call Safe Step 1-844-376-4154.
League of Women Voters of Johnson County to host legislative forum March 29
Local legislators invited to discuss immigration and citizenship issues
The League of Women Voters of Johnson County will host a legislative forum Saturday, March 29, 9:30-11:30 a.m. at the North Liberty City Hall, 360 N. Main St., to discuss immigration and citizenship issues. Johnson County legislators Sen. Zach Wahls (D, District 43), Sen. Janice Weiner (D, District 45), Sen. Dawn Driscoll (R, District 46), Rep. Dave Jacoby (D, District 86), Rep. Heather Hora (R, District 92), Rep. Elinor Levin (D, District 89), Rep. Amy Nielsen (D, District 85), Rep. Adam Zabner (D, District 90), and Rep. Judd Lawler (R, District 91) have been invited to attend.
League members will moderate the forum and accept questions from the audience.
The event will be available as a live stream on
LWVJC Facebook and recordings will be made available at www.lwvjc. org and www.citychannel4.com.
About the League of Women Voters of Johnson County, Iowa
The LWVJC is a non -
partisan, grassroots civic organization that encourages informed and active participation in government, works to increase understanding of major public policy issues, and influences public policy through education and advo -
cacy. Membership in the League is open to people 16 years of age and older and of all gender identities. With over 100 years of experience the League is one of America’s oldest and most trusted civic nonprofit organizations.
BOYS' TRACK
Spartans working toward a WaMaC Championship three-peat
Solon’s boys working daily on being the best version of Spartan Track and Field
Solon Economist
SOLON — Last spring the varsity boys track and field team clinched their second consecutive WaMaC Conference Championship, were crowned with the District Championship, and sent 16 events to the 2024 State Co-Ed Track and Field Meet for a fifth place team finish (in Class 3A) on the blue oval at Drake University in Des Moines.
24 seniors – Wyatt Applegarth, Milo Ashbacker, Kaleb Behrends, Charlie Brandt, Colin Bumsted, Grant Bumsted, Ben Duckett, Cole Farnsworth, Tyler Gregory, Carter Grimm, Brick Kabela, Ben Kampman, Austin Knight, Grant Knipper, Nash Kotar, Noah Kottenstette, Keenan Kruse, Rhett Mesch, Brayden Moore, Trevor Myers, Gabe Nicholson, Marcus Richard, Mason Scott, Gavin Sieverding, CJ Tabor, Brett White, and Michael Yeomans graduated last May. Coach Mark Sovers, in his 29th year of coaching track and field, said, “We will have exciting opportunities for athletes to step into roles this year to fill out our lineup and share their gifts and Talents with the graduations from last year.”
58 athletes have answered the call with a dozen returning letterwinners on the roster – seniors Caleb Bock, Eddie Johnson, and Cole Carney; juniors Eli Kampman, Spencer Michels, Will Brandt, and Gavin Wisman; and sophomores Kade Hoeper, Maddox Kelley, and Owen Gange.
Bock is a three-year letterwinner in long jump and sprints. He took eighth place in long jump at State last May. Johnson is a two-year letter winner specializing in short sprints and was on last year’s state qualifying 4x200 relay. Carney does hurdles and sprints and was on the state qualifying shuttle hurdle relay. Kampman handles long sprints and was on last year’s state qualifying 4x200 and 4x100 relays. Michels, a two-year letter winner, is a distance man who qualified for State in the 1,600-meter run and the third place 4x800. Brandt does long hurdles and long sprints and is a two-year letter winner. Wisman does long sprints and is also a two-year letterman. Hoeper specializes in high jump and long sprints and was a Drake Relays qualifier last year. Kelley does long jump and sprints. Gange is a sprints man.
New to the team are senior Evan Burg, sophomores Lucas Feuerbach and Jackson Burk, and freshman Anders Holmes. Feuerbach, Coach Sovers said, is “ready to build off very successful football and wrestling seasons.” Burg has been a letter winner in cross country and will specialize in long sprints as will Burk who Sovers said is “…ready to step in and contribute.” Holmes was a cross country State qualifier and will concentrate on distance events.
“Our TEAM success this year will start with the sprint relays and the jumps setting the standard early,” said Sovers. “Our standard is set by developing a complimentary lineup throughout the season. The Best Version of Spartan Track and Field will have the opportunity to score points throughout the lineup regardless of the event on the track or in the field.”
The season opened Monday, March 10 with the 2025
A.D. Dickinson Relays at the UNI-Dome. Grinnell College will host the WaMaC Conference Indoor Meet Tuesday, March 25, the same day the Junior Varsity (JV) squad will kick off the outdoor season. The varsity squad’s first outdoor meet is set for Saturday, March 29 at Iowa City West High.
The Spartans and Lady Spartans will host the annual Denny Gruber Relays Tuesday, April 22.
Gruber, Pat Parysz, Bryce Pierce, and Austin Dall will
Vision Center is thrilled to announce the opening of our new location in Solon!
Chris Umsheid | Solon Economist file photo
Nash Kotar brings the anchor leg of the shuttle hurdle relay to a 1st place finish in the 2024 Eastern Iowa Track and Field Festival at Iowa City West HS.
