Solon Economist — 5.1.25

Spartan's Track and Field break meet record at Denny Gruber Relays victory

SPARTAN DASH: A crazy messy success

Ella McEntaffer

For the Solon Economist

SOLON — Participants in the annual dash were able to attempt many different obstacles at the Solon Recreation and Nature Center (SRNA), including a human hamster wheel, car wash, plank walk, and brand new rope obstacle. There was also a particularly messy obstacle, called “Spartan Decontamination,” in which volunteers sprayed colored powdered dye at participants as they ran past, leaving adults and kids alike covered in a variety of hues. This was a favorite of many kids, including local student Reagan, who volunteered to spray the participants with the powder. Reagan, who was covered in the powder herself, said that she couldn’t wait to spray her sister, who was going to be running by later.

Besides “Spartan Decontamination,” another well-loved obstacle was the “Car Wash” which consisted of a variety of pool noodles and a hose combined to get participants wet and maybe wash off a little bit of the powder before heading over to the Timber Lodge for concessions and a

during the Spartan Dash at the Solon Recreation and Nature Area Solon, Iowa, Saturday, Apr. 26, 2025. This was the first event in the 11 part run.

raffle. Businesses were able to have signs strung or planted by their sponsored obstacle, giving participants a look into the businesses that made the dash possible.

All proceeds from the event will be donated to the Parent-Teacher Organizations (PTO) at Lakeview Elementary and the Solon Intermediate School and will help fund classroom expenses.

Overall, the Spartan Dash was not only a great community fundraiser, but a fun start to the warmer months approaching.

PHOTOS | 12

Larry Swann named Senior of the Year

SOLON — The Senior Advocates have selected Larry Swann as Senior of the Year.

Mr. Swann will be honored will be honored at three events.

Wednesday, May 7, Swann will be recognized at the City Council meeting to receive his certificate as Mayor Dan O’Neil issues a proclamation declaring May as Older American’s month.

Thursday, May 22, Swann will be the guest of honor during an open house at the Solon American Legion Post, 4- 6:00 p.m.

Saturday, July 18, Swann will ride in a convertible in the Solon Beef Days Parade.

The Solon Senior Advocates established the award in 2006 to recognize a senior citizen from the Solon area who has shared their expertise, time, and effort as a volunteer in the community, including programs and activities that benefit the lives of our seniors.

The Solon Senior Advocates recognized Jack Neuzil as the first Solon Senior of the Year in 2006. The next recipients were Wayne Croy 2007, Milt Hunt 2008, Pat Ikan 2009, Marie Kroul 2010, Bev Noska and Elaine Reynolds 2011, Anna McAtee 2012, Jean and Bob Stinocher 2013, Fred Bark and Rita Brannaman 2014, Don Erusha and Marv Stastny 2015, Larry and Marcy Olson 2016, Jeanne Erhart and Phyllis Fiala 2017, Dave Frisbee and Duane McAtee 2018, Sandy Hanson 2019, Judy Shulista 2020, Kris Brown 2021, Larry Meister 2022, Don Ellis 2023, and Marilyn and Denny Hansen in 2024.

Join us for a community news reception May 5

Meet some of the U of I journalism students who have contributed to the Solon Economist and Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun

Solon Economist

A little over a year ago the Solon Economist and Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun newspapers were purchased by Student Publications, Inc., the non-profit organization overseeing The Daily Iowan . This created a partnership between the two weeklies and the University of Iowa’s School of Journalism, a partnership that has seen several UI students helping the newspapers with coverage while gaining real world experience.

Monday, May 5, the UI’s Community News Class is hosting a reception at the Solon Public Library (320 W. Main St.), from 3-5 p.m., to celebrate the collaboration between the university, The Daily Iowan , the Solon Economist , and the Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun.

In addition to meeting some of the students and faculty who have contributed greatly to the Economist and Sun, an Iowa PBS segment featuring this unique journalistic partnership will be shown.

Solon Economist

SOLON — Elaine Claude, Director of the Solon Food Pantry got right to the point.

“The pantry really needs toilet paper.”

Included in her urgent request were pancake mix, beef ramen noodles, strawberry jam, syrup, mayo, canned pineapple, frosting, suddenly salad, canned meat (except tuna), and crunchy peanut butter.

The Pantry’s stock of food and toiletries can fluctuate greatly from month-to-month, even week-to-week depending on demand and donations received.

The Pantry is open to receive donations Mondays, 8:30-10:00 a.m. with a 24/7 drop-off box outside the Pantry door.

For more information on how to help the Pantry in their mission to provide assistance to your neighbors, including how to volunteer, call Elaine at 319-3215232 or email luv2runiowa@yahoo.

Recent deaths emphasize need for water safety in Johnson County as warmer months approach

Cedar Rapids

ice

angler died after falling through ice on Lake Macbride in February

Colin Votzmeyer For the Solon Economist

SOLON — Cami Rasmussen has been around lakes her entire life. So when she stood at the entrance to Lake Macbride on Feb. 8, watching emergency responders drive into the state park, she knew there had been a drowning.

And she was heartbroken.

Only broken ice and a pair of gloves remained on the icy surface where Jack Peacock, 85, of Cedar Rapids, had fallen through while fishing.

Emergency personnel found his body in the water. Then Solon firefighters, this time in ice rescue suits, removed Peacock, and an ambulance transported him to the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, where he was declared dead.

Siren after siren, vehicle after vehicle — each unable to save his life.

“Whenever we saw the emergency vehicles headed toward the lake [when I was growing up], it was always a catch in your breath like, ‘Oh, I hope it's not a drowning,’” said Rasmussen, the Solon city administrator. “And unfortunately, that day [in February], it was.”

Drownings aren’t frequent, but several people have drowned in Eastern Iowa in the last year. A Marion man died Feb. 27 after he and two others fell through ice on the Cedar River in Linn County. And a 20-year-old swimmer from Iowa City drowned in Lake Macbride on July 31.

Such occurrences shine light on the need for water safety in Johnson County, officials said. And with the summer months of warm

weather and clear days approaching quickly, that need is even greater as residents use Lake MacBride and the Coralville Lake.

Living in a lake community

Altogether, 6,172 boats are registered to residents of Johnson County, according to Iowa Department of Natural Resources records obtained through an open records request. And 279 Solon residents have fishing licenses, bringing them on or near the water every year, the DNR reported.

Rasmussen considers Solon a “lake community,” and she emphasized the need for education, discussion, and constant examination of what the city can do better for water safety. But she doesn’t have a clear answer to how exactly it can better protect its citizens.

“Our park rangers do a really good job of posting information,” she said. “And that broader responsibility of Solon as a neighbor is a difficult one to determine what we could do to reduce risk or improve safety.”

Solon has 35 volunteer firefighters extensively trained to be emergency first responders, including to water-related incidents, Rasmussen said. In addition to work like the Feb. 8 rescue, Solon first responders actively support the DNR and Lake Macbride park rangers in emergency response.

“To be able to react ... even during a stressful and an emotional situation, and then ... go home, take care of your family, go to work — you don't leave those events at the firehouse,” Rasmussen said. “They stay with you. It takes a special person to be able to face these situations where people’s lives are in danger.”

“I think we have some of the best here,” she added.

Life jackets and sober drivers

The Johnson County Sheriff’s Office also responds to incidents on Lake Macbride and

around Coralville Lake.

The office has mainly responded to drownings, accidental fallings, and flipped kayaks since 2020, two of such incidents notably including individuals without a life jacket on — which concerns Johnson County Sheriff Brad Kunkel.

“Time and time again, that’s the key piece,” Kunkel said. “Any time we have a drowningrelated death, more often than not, people aren’t wearing life jackets. Life jackets save lives.”

Kunkel said water patrols for enforcement of safety regulations take a big chunk of deputies’ time in the summer, aimed primarily at intoxicated boating.

“Intoxicated boating kills people,” Kunkel said. “Any warm weekend on the Coralville Reservoir, or Lake Macbride for that matter, is very, very busy ... The more boats you have, the more people that are out on the water enjoying those resources. There’s a lot that can go wrong.”

Erika Billerbeck, conservation officer sergeant in the Law Enforcement Bureau of the Iowa DNR, said many boating and drowning incidents in the summer involve alcohol.

Billerbeck and the DNR spend their summers patrolling for speeding boats or alcohol impairment, stopping boats like a trooper stopping cars on a highway.

Having a sober boat driver is key, she said.

“Think about in a car — if you're going out to a bar, it’s the same thing, except people for some reason don't think that way,” Billerbeck said. “When they’re going out in a boat, they think it’s OK for everybody to be drinking. Obviously, it’s not always best to have the driver drinking.”

But above all else, Billerbeck emphasized the need for boaters to be aware of their surroundings.

“When they’re out on the lake or when they’re out on the reservoir, [it’s] being aware that other drivers may not know what they’re doing operating boats,” she said. “So just be very cautious.”

Amy Glick of Solon appointed to Cattlemen’s Beef Board

Lynette S. Von Minden

Vice President / Director of Public Relations, Swanson Russell

Glick

SOLON — Amy Glick of Solon has been appointed to the Cattlemen’s Beef Promotion & Research Board (CBB). The CBB is responsible for guiding the national Beef Checkoff Program.

“I knew I wanted to join the CBB when the opportunity presented itself,” Glick said. “I’m looking forward to being a part of the team that determines how and where Beef Checkoff funds are allocated and how much impact those decisions have on the entire beef industry.”

Raised on a small dairy farm, Glick now helps runs Glick Family Farms with her husband, father-in-law and oldest son. Glick Family Farms is primarily a Red Angus cow/ calf operation where they also raise corn, soybeans, alfalfa and hay. In 2018, the Glick’s were honored with the Wergin Good Farm Neighbor Award. Glick has very active in her county’s 4H

programs and has held a variety of roles. She is also a member of her local and state cattlemen’s associations and served in executive positions in her county Farm Bureau.

“We’re pleased to have Amy as a member of the Cattlemen’s Beef Board,” said Ryan Moorhouse, 2025 CBB chair. “She has tremendous passion for the beef industry, and she wants to share beef’s many benefits with consumers and producers alike. We look forward to her energy and enthusiasm as we continue driving beef demand.”

The CBB consists of 99 members, including domestic beef, dairy and veal producers, as well as importers of beef and beef products. Producer representation on the Board is based on cattle inventory in each state while importer representation is based on a conversion of the volume of imports into live animal equivalencies. Each Beef Board member is appointed by the Secretary of Agriculture from nominations submitted by certified nominating organizations that represent beef and dairy producers in each state or region. Importer appointments are chosen from nominations by importer associations.

“I am forever learning about the beef industry, and I want to know more about educating

consumers who are removed from the farm about where their food comes from and how safe and nutritious it is,” Glick said. “Being involved in industry organizations like the CBB gives producers a chance to tell the story of our product, which they can do much better than someone sitting behind a desk who’s never really had ‘boots on the ground’.”

For more information about the Cattlemen’s Beef Board, the Beef Checkoff and its programs –promotion, research, foreign marketing, industry information, consumer information and safety – visit DrivingDemandforBeef.com.

ABOUT THE BEEF CHECKOFF:

The Beef Checkoff Program was established as part of the 1985 Farm Bill. The checkoff assesses $1 per head on the sale of live domestic and imported cattle, in addition to a comparable assessment on imported beef and beef products. States may retain up to 50 cents on the dollar and forward the other 50 cents per head to the Cattlemen’s Beef Promotion and Research Board, which administers the national checkoff program, subject to USDA approval.

Volume 145 I Issue 18 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

Advertising Sales Catherine Bilskie catherine.bilskie@ soloneconomist.com

Reporter Interns Emma Jane Joel Kellar Ella McEntaffer

Production Manager Heidi Owen heidi.owen@dailyiowan.com

Business Manager Debbie Plath debra.plath@dailyiowan.com

Official Newspaper: Solon, Johnson County, Solon Community School District, Solon Tri-Township Emergency Response Solon Economist USPS #500860 Copyright © 2024 by Student Publications, Inc. is published weekly by Student Publications, 100 Adler Journalism Building, Room El31, Iowa City, IA 52242. Call 319-6242233 to subscribe. Periodicals postage is paid at Iowa City, IA, and additional mailing offices.

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.

SRV’s Scott Maiers named Walk Volunteer of the Year for the Alzheimer’s Assn. Iowa Chapter

SOLON — Congratulations to Solon Retirement Village, Community Relations Director, Scott Maiers, the 2025 Walk Volunteer of the Year for the Alzheimer's Association Iowa Chapter!

Scott has been part of the senior living industry for the past 13 years, and his involvement with the Alzheimer’s Association began early in his career with the Walk to End Alzheimer's in Iowa City in 2013. He has participated in 11 Walks and has been a key volunteer on the planning committee to grow the Walk in Iowa City. Scott has also served as a board member with the Iowa Chapter since 2021. He also works with legislators at the Iowa State Capitol to advocate for policies that improve early Alzheimer’s diagnosis, care, education, research, and services.

The Walk to End Alzheimer's® in Iowa offers 19 walk locations across the state, including Des Moines, Iowa City, Ames, and Southeast Iowa, with dates ranging from September 27 to October 18, 2025. To find the nearest walk and register, you can visit the Alzheimer's Association website https:// act.alz.org.

NEWS FROM JOHNSON COUNTY

Board of Supervisors meetings have moved

IOWA CITY — Beginning Wednesday, April 30, the Board of Supervisors meetings will be in room 301 on the third floor of the Health & Human Services Building (HHS building), 855 S. Dubuque St., Iowa City.

Public parking will be available on the north side of the HHS building. Visitors can enter the building through the entrance near the flagpole and take the elevator or stairs to the third floor to the boardroom.

The Board holds work sessions every Wednesday at 9:00 a.m., and formal meetings every Thursday at 9:00 a.m., except for the second Thursday of each month when the formal meeting starts at 5:30 p.m.

Members of the public are welcome to join meetings in person or electronically by Zoom. Agendas and livestreams of meetings may be viewed online at bit.ly/jocomeeting.

Plastic Easter eggs to be recycled

Eileen Hageman

GFWC/Iowa Solon Women’s Club

SOLON — The GFWC/Iowa Solon Women’s Club is again sponsoring a recycle opportunity for plastic Easter eggs. The plastic eggs are being collected in a bin in the hallway at the Solon Public Library. Undamaged eggs will be cleaned and reused for the club’s “Egg My Yard” Fundraiser next year. The recycle bin will be available thru Monday, May 19. Other items being collected by the Solon Women’s Club, for recycling, at the Solon Library include empty Colgate tooth paste containers, used crayons, and empty baby food pouches.

The Solon Lion’s Club also has a collection box for used eyeglasses. These items are collected throughout the year.

We’re celebrating Star Wars Day Saturday, May 3, at 2:00 p.m. we’ll watch Return of the Jedi [PG] and make Star Wars themed crafts. Star Wars Day is for all-ages to enjoy, no registration required. Costumes are welcome!

Library Events

Mental Health Awareness Month is observed in May, and we’re working with the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) and Compeer Johnson County to help break the stigma. Tuesday, May 6, at 6:30 p.m. we’ll hear NAMI’s In Our Own Voice presentation. This presentation provides a personal perspective of mental health conditions, as leaders with lived experience talk openly about what it’s like to have a mental health condition.

It’s time to get your Solon Area Garage Sale registered with the Friends of the Library. The annual sale is hosted by the Friends Friday, June 6, and Saturday, June 7. You can find the registration details and form on our website, www.solon.lib.ia.us, and click on the “Solon Area Garage Sale” button.

Saturday Storytime is May 10, at 10:30 a.m. at the Library! We’ll enjoy books, songs, and games together. While our stories and songs are geared toward 2-5 year olds, Saturday Storytime is for all ages on the 2nd Saturday of the month.

Try your skills at Macrame this month at DIY Night Tuesday, May 13, at 6:30 p.m. Participants will learn a few basic knots and create a macrame key chain. This is a great way to learn or refresh your skills before tackling a bigger challenge. DIY Night is for adults and young adults (16+), registration is required.

Join us Thursday, May 15, at 9:30 a.m. for an “Ask a Librarian” session of Tech Talk. Bring your device(s) and your questions, our friendly staff will be ready to help!

Learn valuable skills in the kitchen from Martha Stewart’s Cooking School and step up your meal planning with Cookbook Club. Saturday, May 17, at 11:00 a.m. we’ll come together to share meals and chat about our success (and failures) in the kitchen. Pick up a copy of the cookbook to get started.

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 weather may impact our ability to be safely open.

We are open Friday, May 23, 9:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. to allow time for our monthly staff in-service.

We are closed on Monday, May 26th in observance of Memorial Day.

Everyone is welcome at the Library and our programs. Please contact us with access needs.

What’s New?

Whether you’re looking for the latest release from your favorite author or ready to read something from a new author, we’ve got you covered. Don’t miss your favorites - use the Reserve Express feature in our new online catalog to be added to the reserve list with every new release from authors like Patterson, Baldacci, Evanovich, Robb, and more!

Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave by Elle Cosimano. Finlay Donovan may have skeletons in her

closet…but at least there's not a body in her backyard. Finlay Donovan and her nanny/partner-in-crime, Vero, have not always gotten along with Finlay's elderly neighbor, Mrs. Haggerty, the community busybody and president of the neighborhood watch. But when a dead body is discovered in her backyard, Mrs. Haggerty needs their help. At first a suspect, Mrs. Haggerty is cleared by the police, but her house remains an active crime scene. She has nowhere to go…except Finlay's house, right across the street. Finlay and Vero have no interest in getting involved in another murder case-or sacrificing either of their bedrooms. After all, they've dealt with enough murders over the last four months to last a lifetime and they both would much rather share their beds with someone else. When the focus of the investigation widens to include Finlay's ex-husband, Steven, though, Finlay and Vero are left with little choice but to get closer to Mrs. Haggerty and uncover her secrets…before the police start digging up theirs. But who will solve the mystery first?

Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry. Two writers compete for the chance to tell the larger-than-life story of a woman with more than a couple of plot twists up her sleeve in this dazzling and sweeping new novel from Emily Henry. Alice Scott is an eternal optimist still dreaming of her big writing break. Hayden Anderson is a Pulitzer-prize winning human thundercloud. And they're both on balmy Little Crescent Island for the same reason: To write the biography of a woman no one has seen in years-or at least to meet with the octogenarian who claims to be the Margaret Ives. Tragic heiress, former tabloid princess, and daughter of one of the most storied (and scandalous) families of the 20th Century.

Heartwood by Amity Gaige. In the heart of the Maine woods, an experienced Appalachian Trail hiker goes missing. She is forty-two-year-old Valerie Gillis, who has vanished 200 miles from her final destination. Alone in the wilderness, Valerie pours her thoughts into fractured, poetic letters to her mother as she battles the elements and struggles to keep hoping. At the heart of the investigation is Beverly, the determined Maine State Game Warden tasked with finding Valerie, who leads the search on the ground. Meanwhile, Lena, a seventy-six-year-old birdwatcher in a Connecticut retirement community, becomes an unexpected armchair detective. Roving between these compelling narratives, a puzzle emerges, intensifying the frantic search, as Valerie's disappearance may not be accidental.

Nobody’s Fool by Harlen Coben. Sami Kierce, a young college grad backpacking in Spain with friends, wakes up one morning, covered in blood. There's a knife in his hand. Beside him, the body of his girlfriend. Anna. Dead. He doesn't know what happened. His screams drown out his thoughts -- and then he runs. Twenty-two years later, Kierce, now a private investigator, is a new father who's working off his debts by doing low level surveillance jobs and teaching wannabe sleuths at a night school in New York City. One evening, he recognizes a familiar face at the back of the classroom. Anna. It's unmistakably her. As soon as Kierce makes eye contact with her, she bolts. For Kierce there is no choice. He knows he must find this woman and solve the impossible mystery that has haunted his every waking moment since that terrible day.

Sandy Phillips

GFWC/Iowa Solon Women’s Club

SOLON — Spring Flowers will be available for purchase at the Solon Public Library Basement by the GFWC/Iowa Solon Women’s Club Friday, May 2nd and Saturday, May 3rd, 9:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. or until the supply is sold out. Come to the sale to obtain a wide variety of flowers including lovely geraniums, petunias, and other specialty baskets for your mother and friends or to add color to spruce up your own yard.

The profit from the sale will be used to work on a project to fill a need at the Solon Public Library. What an opportunity to obtain a great productgorgeous flowers!

OPINIONS

My mother called it May Basket Day Q&A: Default collections update for student borrowers

Food for Thought

Milli Gilbaugh

On the last day of April, we hurried home from school, changed from our school dresses to slacks and sweaters and piled into the car armed with empty jars, several pop bottles filled with water and a cardboard box the right size to keep them from tipping over in the trunk of the car. Mother drove to a familiar spot in the timber near the river where abundant wild flowers flourished in dappled sunlight.

We were reminded to never pick more than half the wild flowers we found in a patch. We must leave enough to provide seeds for next year's flowers. We were to stay together and return to the car when we heard the horn blast three times. There were Sweet Williams, and great cushions of purple violets, to make colorful tiny bouquets or “nosegays” as our grandma called them. Sometimes we were rewarded with white, red, and even yellow, violets, Dutchman's Breeches, bluebells – one of the few flowers that are truly a pure sky-blue – and the charming, dainty lilies-of-the-valley. Sometimes, if spring had had an early start, we would come across a clump of showy, orange columbine and gleefully add some to our collections.

When the car horn sounded, we rushed back, as usual, I half believing that Mother might leave without us if we were late. (This myth originated with my older sister who, knowing I was never quite sure if she was teasing or not, took perverse delight in worrying me.) The blossoms were placed in the glass jars and given enough water to keep them from wilting but not enough to easily slop over on the bumpy drive back through the timber. At home, the blooms were arranged in an assortment of small vases to be displayed and enjoyed on the kitchen table, the living room lamp-tables, and the window sill in the hallway alcove that housed the telephone.

After supper, the old wallpaper sample book came out, along with scissors, paste and Dad's desk stapler, all dedicated to creating enough small paper baskets to be filled with popcorn, jellybeans and gumdrops, then at the last minute, the tiny bouquets of wildflowers and we set out to deliver them to our friends' front doors. The process was meant to be anonymous, so we tried to sneak up to the door, hang the little basket on a doorknob, or if necessary, prop it against the doorjamb, ring the doorbell or knock urgently, then slip quickly away so as not to be seen and identified. I don't remember being the recipient of many reciprocal May baskets, but that could be explained by the great care we took to not be discovered, and there was always plenty of popcorn, jellybeans and gumdrops left over to satisfy us. I didn't realize that the tradition was well on its way to oblivion, even then.

That yearly tradition, I later discovered, was an ancient ritual where young girls honored their mothers, grandmothers, aunts and elderly neighbor women with gifts of flowers in spring. The decline of the practice is illustrated by a sad little episode many years ago when my daughter was four years old. We had been living in the country for several months and an adult niece was living nearby.

My sons had never been interested in giving May baskets when we lived in town (except for a couple brief cases of puppy-love) and I thought it might be nice to give my little girl a taste of that nearly forgotten ritual I had enjoyed, so we made a little basket, filled it with goodies and a few violets, and I sent her to deliver the gift to her older cousin's front door. She was careful to avoid being seen and hid behind a lilac bush, grinning with excited anticipation. The cousin, having grown up on a farm and never knowing about the custom, opened her door but did not notice the basket. After another knock and quick retreat, the culprit was spotted and lectured severely for being a nuisance. Needless to say, my little girl came home in tears and I had to make a phone call to explain. The niece was apologetic and tried to make amends, but the damage was done.

My final experience with May Baskets was several years later when the young charmer from next door did it right and brought me a lovely little hand-made basket. I still have it.

With U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley

Q: When will default collections start for delinquent federal student loans?

A: Starting May 5, the U.S. Department of Education will start collections on defaulted federal student loans. At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the federal government in March 2020 paused repayment requirements on student loan debt. The pause outlasted the pandemic, creating a situation where some graduates never budgeted for loan repayments. Student borrowers should be on the lookout for an email from the U.S. Department of Education with details about their outstanding loans. According to the Department of Education, nine million borrowers are either currently in default of their payments, or in latestage delinquency. These borrowers may be referred to a federal debt collection service if their loans are in default after May 5. After a five-year hiatus, borrowers may face automatic deductions from paychecks, tax refunds or federal benefits to meet their loan payment obligations. To avoid wage garnishment and damage to credit scores, borrowers should contact their loan service providers to start payment arrangements. Notably, government data show only one-third of the 38 million student borrowers who should be making payments are currently making payments. The Biden administration’s efforts to cancel student debt, double down on the payment pause button and push incomedriven repayment plans have sown uncertainty and confusion. The bottom line is this: the pandemicrelated pause is over. Student borrowers need to get in touch with their loan service providers and start making good faith payments on their loans.

Q: What resources are available for student borrowers to learn more?

A: Borrowers can find specific details about their federal student loans by logging in to their individual account at StudentAid.gov or their loan service provider’s website. Be sure contact information is up-to-date to avoid missing important messages. Borrowers may choose repayment plans based on income. Income-driven repayment (IDR) plans

may provide a lower monthly payment compared to other plans and consider income and family size. Borrowers may apply and learn more by using the online tool at https://studentaid.gov/loan-simulator/. Alternatively, loan service providers will place borrowers on the Standard Repayment Plan, a 10-year fixed repayment plan. This plan covers loans from the William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program and the Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) Program. As always, I encourage Iowans to be wary of scams. As the May 5 deadline approaches, fraudsters may be on the prowl to take advantage of student borrowers. Be wary of solicitations that evoke a sense of urgency to “act now” to qualify for student loan forgiveness. Scammers may request fees on the false premise they can get your loan cancelled. Be aware you don’t need to pay someone to help set up payments or navigate loan forgiveness. That’s part of your loan service provider’s responsibilities. If something sounds too good to be true, it usually is. Protect your sensitive information. The U.S. Department of Education and its partner lenders and loan service providers will never ask for your StudentAid.gov username and password. Doublecheck URLs and email addresses for authenticity. For example, communications from the federal Department of Education will come from the following addresses: noreply@studentaid. gov; noreply@debtrelief.studentaid.gov; ed.gov@ public.govdelivery.com. The Federal Student Aid Information Center can be reached by Live Chat, email or phone (800) 433-3243. For help with defaulted loans or wage or tax refund garnishment, call (800) 621-3115.

In May, I’ll reintroduce bipartisan legislation to put student borrowers in the driver’s seat. My legislation would empower borrowers to make informed financial decisions so they don’t get in over their heads in debt. For example, it would ensure students know what they would owe compared to their earning potential before taking out loans to pay for college. And it also would boost transparency tools to help drive down the cost of college.

Destruction of noxious weeds deadline is June 1, 2025

To all Johnson County property owners: Destruction of Noxious Weeds

The Johnson County Weed Commissioner announces that the deadline for destruction of noxious weeds is June 1st, 2025, so as to prevent the production of seed by all varieties of listed noxious weeds. This includes weeds on farmlands, Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) lands, properties within city limits, and all lands within the limits of the County.

Those persons not controlling their weeds in compliance with Code of Iowa, Chapter 317 Noxious Weeds and Administrative Code Chapter 58 Noxious Weeds, will be notified to use whatever appropriate method they choose to eradicate the weed problem. Failure to do so can incur penalties including, but not limited to, daily fines for non-compliance, and the Weed Commissioner or Deputies entering upon the land to control the weed problem, with all costs, including fines and administrative costs, levied against the landowner. Iowa law provides these assessments can be attached to the real estate tax of the land for collection. In all cases where penalties are assessed, the weed control will still be required to be implemented.

The following weeds have been declared Noxious:

Class A Noxious Weeds for Eradication: Palmer Amaranth

(Amaranthus palmeri)

Class B Noxious Weeds for Control:

a. Canada Thistle (Cirsium arvense)

b. Teasel (Dipsacus spp.) biennial

c. Leafy Spurge (Euphorbia esula)

d. Bull Thistle (Cirsium vulgare)

e. Multiflora Rose (Rosa multiflora)

f. European Morning Glory or Field Bindweed (Convolvulus arvensis)

g. All other species of thistles belonging in the Genus of Carduus

At all times: Palmer amaranth must be eradicated. Each owner and each person in possession or control of any lands in Johnson County shall seek cooperation with the United States Department of Agriculture, which may include the department’s farm service agency office for that county, the farm service agency’s state office, or any other office or official designated by the department, if Palmer Amaranth (Amaranthus palmeri)is found on lands enrolled in the conservation reserve program as described in 7 C.F.R. pt. 1410

For Noxious weed identification and pictures, control recommendations, etc. visit the Johnson County website at www.johnsoncountyiowa.gov. Click on Departments, then Secondary Roads. Weeds may be destroyed in any manner appropriate to prevent seed production, and shall include mowing, pulling, burning, spraying, or cutting. Questions should be directed to Chris Henze, Johnson County Weed Commissioner, 4810 Melrose Ave., Iowa City, IA 52246. (319) 356-6046.

May Solon Senior Advocates News

Important notice:

The May Senior Advocate Board meeting for Tuesday, May 20 at 5:45 p.m. at the Solon Methodist Church Fellowship Hall has been CANCELLED.

Looking forward to Kalona, and beyond!

In 2007 the Senior Advocates began organizing bus trips for seniors with our 12 passenger bus. That year we launched our annual Kalona trip featuring a Mennonite meal plus visiting museums in Cedar Rapids and Davenport, caught movies at the Bijou Theater in Mount Vernon, visited the Hoover Museum, Circa 21 Dinner Theater in Rock Island, Old Creamery Theater, Celebration Belle River Cruise while visiting Amana, McGregor and Muscatine.

In 2010 we engaged Windstar Lines 47 passenger bus for our trip to Breitbach’s restaurant thus able to include more seniors in a more accommodating journey. From 2009 to 2010 we took 29 trips with 347 people compared to 14 trips and 140 people in 2007 with our small passenger van. Over the years we have organized innumerable senior bus trips for hundreds of seniors.

Our most popular trip is our yearly trip to Kalona which started with a Mennonite Meal provided by Salina Bontrager and followed by visits to many Kalona area grocers and greenhouses. Salina provided meals for us for 16 years before retiring. Her meals were prepared from local foods and the menu stayed the same, roast beef, mashed potatoes and gravy, noodles, veggie, homemade bread and spreads, salad and various pies. Unfortunately Salina passed away.

We searched for a replacement caterer with equally high culinary skills and found Ila J Miller with Hearth and Home on Juniper Avenue. She and her helpers will serve us again Thursday, May 15 in her homey dining area. The meal last year met very high regard and approval from our many long-time Kalona trippers!

The Advocate’s trip program is a major part of the Senior Advocate’s mission in encouraging seniors to ‘get out’ and share companionship, an excursion, a learning experience and to provide a bit of pleasure and joy in their lives.

Larry Swann has been selected as Senior of the Year

Each year a senior citizen is selected who has given of himself in service to the community through volunteerism, or in enhancing the well-being of others.

Larry will be honored at the Solon City Council Meeting Wednesday, May 7, in recognizing May as Older American’s Month. Please join us at 5:30 p.m. at City Hall.

An Open House will be held for Larry Thursday, May 22, at the Solon American Legion 4:00 to 6:00 p.m.

Larry will also ride in a convertible in the July 19

Solon HS seniors, including Brady Evers and Olivia Bonnema (center) participated in a Next Gen Personal Finance simulation Tuesday, April 22.

“The experience allowed the students to prepare for the financial responsibilities and budgeting that will take place in their futures. Students had to account for taxes and other living expenses, credit scores and credit card balances, and student loans. The event concluded with each student meeting with a financial advisor to evaluate the financial decisions made by the student during the simulation,” said SHS Principal Drew Bunkers.

(From left ) Ruby Miller, daughter Retha Ahrens and Ila J. Miller (several Kalona Ila Millers thus the initial!) with Hearth and Home on Juniper Avenue in Kalona. Ila and her helpers will serve us again Thursday, May 15, in her homey dining area.

Beef Days Parade

In the past often two people received equal nominations and were honored together for their community service. This year Ivan Hasselbusch was also selected together with Larry Swann, Ivan’s passing precluded this.

2025 Solon Senior Advocate trips

Thursday, May 15 – Kalona

Illa Miller’s homecooked meal, Golden Delight Bakery, String Town Community Store, South West Valley Greenhouse (Perry Bender’s).

Leave SRNA (“Rec Park”) at 11:00 a.m.

Cost TBA

Wednesday, June 18 – Circa 21/Rock Island, “Chicago, the musical,” cost TBA

Thursday, July 1 0 – Newton art tour/Neal Smith’s Wildlife Buffalo Refuge, cost TBA

Restaurant Runs

Thursday, TBA

12:00 Noon, personal cars. Sign-up sheet Wednesdays at Senior Dining or call 319-430-8655.

Solon Senior Transport – Provides volunteer transportation for seniors to medical appointments. For information and to enroll please call Cindy Jensen at 319-360-3279.

Senior Advocates Board

Art Tellin 319-626-2816, Sandy Hanson 319-430-8655, Barry Byrne 319-354-8757, Cindy Jensen 319-360-3279, Larry Brecht 319-624-2925, Phyllis Fiala 319-331-7447, and Mark Hollinrake 319-551-2811.

SPORTS

BOYS' TRACK

Spartan’s Track and Field break meet record at Denny Gruber Relays victory

Hoeper, Maddox, Burg, Brandt, sprint med, 4x800, and 4x400 lead Solon to victory

Abbey R. Ballauer

For the Solon Economist

SOLON — The Solon boys' track and field team made strides on the track as well as team history at the Denny Gruber Relays on April 22 at Solon High School, setting a new personal record in the 800-meter sprint medley relay and clinching the first-place overall title by just three points.

“Get focused, give it everything you’ve got,” said Coach Mark Sovers to the group.

Athletes Cole Carney, Brady White, Evan Burg, and Eli Kampman stood huddled by the white markings on the track, jumping up and down, unknowingly about to break

a meet record.

The starting gun sounded, and Carney took off, head to head with Regina and Marion.

Soon enough, 100 meters were remaining in the race, and it was up to Eli Kampman to take it home.

A close call, Kampman crossed the finish line, beating Marion by .27 seconds. They finished in 1:37.38.

“We pushed it to the limit,” said Carney. “I knew we had it in us, and they knew it too,” Carney said confidently.

The four athletes earned a total of ten points in the race.

As the announcement was made that the four had broken a meet record, an uproar was heard from the packed bleachers filled with Solon families.

“There you have it,” said Sovers.

by Chris Umscheid | Solon Economist

Freshman Colton Sieverding leaps in the anchor leg of the shuttle hurdle relay Tuesday, April 22 in Solon’s Denny Gruber Co-Ed Relays. Freshman Michael Bigelow, junior Justin Moore, and sophomore Hunter Sonntag rounded out the foursome, finishing third in 1:14.12.

Upcoming Schedule

Thursday, May 8 – WaMaC Conference Meet at Mt. Vernon HS, 4:00 p.m.

Thursday, May 15 – Class 3A State Qualifying Meet at Mt. Vernon HS, 4:00 p.m.

the event in 8:42.86.

Burg, Kampman) 1:37.38, 9 Solon “B” (Sawyer

Paxton Holtkamp, Dayne Rickertsen) 1:46.65

Jonathan

3,200 run – 2 Anders Holmes 10:28.80, 4 Max Ferin 11:48.96, 6 Deacon Waddell 12:06.86

4x800 – 1 Solon “A” (Will Brandt, Preston Raasch, Kaden Recker, Spencer Michels) 8:42.86

Shuttle hurdle – 3 Solon (Michael Bigelow, Justin Moore, Hunter Sonntag, Colton Sieverding) 1:14.12

100 dash – 3 Kelley 11.76, 4 Carney 11.93, 12 Josh Vazquez-Neri 12.64 Distance medley – 4 Solon “A” (Owen Gange, Jackson Burk, Gavin Wisman, Owen Young) 3:51.53, 8 Solon “B” (Zach Schlote, Ian Cronk, Benjamin McFadden, Drew O’Neill) 4:17.52

left: Maddox Kelly (at left) and Cole Carney share a laugh after running the 100-yard dash Tuesday, April 22 in Solon’s Denny Gruber CoEd Relays. Kelley, a sophomore, was third in 11.76 while senior Carney was fourth in 11.93. Above center: Senior Cole Carney leaves the blocks for the first leg of the sprint medley relay Tuesday, April 22 in Solon’s Denny Gruber Co-Ed Relays. Carney, junior Brady White, senior Evan Burg, and junior Eli Kampman not only won the event in 1:37.38 but also set a new meet record in the process. The previous time of 1:37.63 was set by Solon in 2023.

Above right: Coach Mark Sovers watches as junior Spencer Michels runs the anchor leg of the 4x800 Tuesday, April 22 in Solon’s Denny Gruber Co-Ed Relays. Junior Will Brandt, freshmen Preston Raasch and Kaden Recker rounded out the foursome, winning in 8:42.86.

400 dash – 1 Evan Burg 51.73, 9 Owen Bock 58.77, 11 Beck Lary 1:01.63

4x200 – 5 Solon “B” (Hancox, Caden Kilburg, Thomson, Holtkamp) 1:41.47

800 run – 4 Recker 2:09.63, 6 Wisman 2:16.32, 11 Raasch 3:29.76

200 dash – 4 Brady White 24.37, 12 Sontag 26.25, 15 Cronk 28.89

400 hurdles – 1 Brandt 57.94, 4 Moore 1:01.75

1,600 run – 5 Michels 4:53.47, 9 Holmes 5:05.53, 12 Ferin 5:27.81, 14 O’Neill 5:31.65

4x100 – 5 Solon “A” (McFadden, Kelley, Thomson, Gange) 46.91, 12 Solon “B” (Young, Logan Ross, Bock, Hancox) 48.74, 15 Solon “C” (Bigelow, Sieverding, Schlote, Vazquez-Neri) 50.67

Upcoming Schedule

Monday, May 5 – Marion Invitational, 4:30 p.m.

Thursday, May 8 – WaMaC Conference Meet, at Mount Vernon, 4:00 p.m.

Thursday, May 15 – Class 3A State Qualifying Meet at Mount Vernon, 4:00 p.m.

Team scores – 1 Solon 149, 2 Mt. Vernon 133, 3 Marion 118, 4 Regina, 58, 5 Vinton-Shellsburg 46, 6 Beckman 34, Assumption 33, North Cedar 4 Solon results

High jump – 3 Sophia Miles 4-8, 5 Layla Shipley 4-8 Long jump – 5 Jerzey Haluska 15-5.25

Shot put – 3 Kate Shafer 35-9.50, 5 Piper Johnson 31-3, 11 Adlie Miller 26-9m 12 Audrey Howell 26-6.25, 14 Brinley Landsgard 25-10, 18 Ella Lammers 22-4.50 Discus – 2 Shafer 119-0, 4 Johnson 100-5, 8 Landsgard 87-0

Sprint medley relay – 2 Solon (Marin Ashbacker, Avery Kellen, Piper Stahle, Jillian Elijah) 1:55.55, 6 Solon “B” (Lucy Miller, Gabby Jedlicka, Addison Detra, Reese Hahn) 2:01.46 4x800 – 1 Solon “A” (Sydney Dee, Liv Nelson, Addison

DRAKE RELAYS

Solon Spartans take on the Drake Relays

Lady Spartans shine at Denny Gruber Relays

Haluska and 4x800 take gold, Shafer, Jaster, Seamans, sprint medley, and 4x100 throwers take second to lead Solon to home victory

Abbey R. Ballauer For the Solon Economist

SOLON — Energy was high at Solon High School Thursday, April 22, as the Lady Spartans took their mark for the girls 4x800-meter relay at the Denny Gruber Relays— and they didn’t disappoint.

Athletes Sydney Dee, Liv Nelson, Addison Seamans, and Falyn Svalstad topped their opponents during the 4x800-meter relay, finishing first with a time of 10:12.04.

As one of the first events of the evening, the Lady Spartans set the tone for the rest of the meet, and their teammates rose to meet the challenge - placing first overall.

When the starting gun fired, Dee exploded off the line and quickly took command of the race.

Through the fence surrounding the track, Spartan fans cheered her on, waving signs and

Seamans, Falyn Svalstad) 10:12.04, 3 Solon “B” (Mya Fordice, Kinley Mai, Kenley Murken, Ella Sheeley) 10:35.94

Shuttle hurdle relay – 4 Solon (Cydney Jaster, Keegan Kleppe, Kendall Werner, Zoey Grimm) 1:13.73

100 dash – 3 Piper Stahle 13.01, 6 Sydney Kunkel 13.54

Distance medley relay – 2 Solon “A” (Grace Hoeper, Hahn, Elijah, Ava Rolwes) 4:34.82, 6 Solon “B” (Zoey Melloy, Eve Hinners, Camie Opiol, Shipley) 4:56.07

400 dash – 1 Haluska 1:00.03, 2 Kobi Lietz 1:00.05, 8 Viviana Schmooke 1:13.24

4x200 – 3 Solon “A” (P. Stahle, Hoeper, Kunkel, Ashbacker) 1:49.09, 7 Solon “B” (Quinn Armentrout, Kalynn Timmons, Trea Eidahl, Addison Detra) 1:53.81

100 hurdles – 2 Jaster 17.26, 6 Kleppe 18.06, 7 Grimm

Photos by Chris Umscheid | Solon Economist

Top: Layla Shipley sails over the bar in the early stages of the high jump Tuesday, April 22, in Solon’s Denny Gruber Co-Ed Relays. Shipley paced fifth in a three-way tie at 4’-8”. Above: Sophomore Keegan Kleppe sails over a hurdle in the 400-meter shuttle hurdle relay Tuesday, April 22, in Solon’s Denny Gruber Co-Ed Relays. Kleppe, junior Cydney Jaster, sophomore Kendall Werner, and senior Zoey Grimm were fourth in 1:13.73.

Left: Sophomore Jerzey Haluska sails to a fifth place finish in the long jump Tuesday, April 22, in Solon’s Denny Gruber Co-Ed Relays. Haluska made a 15’-5-1/4” leap.

In the 4x400, freshman Quinn Armentrout, sophomore Jerzey Haluska, senior Grace Hoeper, and senior Kobi Lietz blazed to a 4:04.53 finish, placing 20th overall. Quinn set the tone with an electric 59.41 opening leg, and Kobi closed it out strong with a 59.93 anchor. Though they were aiming higher, just qualifying for the Drake Relays is an incredible achievement.

Kaden Hoeper showed major resilience in the boys' high jump. After no-heighting as a freshman, he came back with something to prove, and he delivered. Kaden jumped 6’-2”, tying for 14th place among Iowa’s best. The 4x100 team brought the heat, too. Juniors Piper Stahle and Marin Ashbacker, freshman Sydney Kunkel, and senior Kobi Lietz ran a season-best 50.35, finishing third in their heat and 29th overall out of 96 teams. Kobi ran an impressive 11.64 split on the anchor, while Marin ran a 12.58 second leg, keeping the Spartans right in the mix.

shouting encouragement as Dee widened the gap between Solon and the competition.

The momentum continued with each exchange. Nelson kept the pace intense, her stride smooth and controlled. Seamans powered through the third leg before handing the baton to Svalstad to finish the race.

Prominently ahead of the rest of her opponents, Svalstad crossed the finish line.

Head Coach Jessica Hotek stood at the south end of the track, just past the finish line, cheering on her runners. When Svalstad crossed the line, Hotek embraced her and her teammates, all smiles as the realization of their win set in.

“These girls gave it their all, and it shows,” Hotek said. “They kept on pushing.”

As it grows closer, the Lady Spartans have a promising future in the track and field postseason.

With more impressive performances such as the 4x800-meter relay, their future remains limitless.

18.26, 8 Madelyn McCandless 18.85, 12 Werner 19.63

800 run – 4 Svalstad 2:27.63, 5 Dee 2:29.07, 7 Liv Nelson 2:31.37, 8 Fordice 2:33.85

200 dash – 3 Haluska 27.73, 4 Ashbacker 27.82

400 hurdles – 3 Kleppe 1:13.74, 7 Werner 1:29.73

1,500 run – 2 Seamans 5:08.52, 4 Mai 5:19.50, 7 Sheeley 5:36.32

4x100 – 3 Solon “A” (P. Stahle, Ashbacker, Kunkel, Lietz) 50.49, 8 Solon “B” (Miller, Detra, Timmons, Kellen) 54.10, 13 Solon “C” (Melloy, Jedlicka, McCandless, Zoee Netolicky) 58.49 4x100 throwers – 2 Solon “A” (Shafer, Johnson, Landsgard, Howell) 1:04.52 4x400 – Solon “A” (Armentrout, Haluska, Hoeper, Lietz) 4:05.13, 6 Solon “B” (Maddyson Bogard, Schmooke, Eve Hinners, Olivia Bonnema) 4:56.76 (results by Kauder Racing)

Kayla West Named to 2025 Softball AllSIAC Second Team

Christian Flowers

Assistant A.D., External Operations, Kentucky State University

ATLANTA — Senior Kayla West from Solon was named to the All-Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Second Team as a starting pitcher, the league announced Monday, April 28.

The girls' team punched their ticket in both the 4x400 and 4x100 relays, while the boys' team was represented by sophomore high jumper Kaden Hoeper.

Both the girls' and boys' teams will set their sights on the state meet, where they will compete against the top 3A teams in Iowa Thursday, May 22, through Saturday, May 24. The 3A Qualifying Meet is set for Thursday, May 15 at Mount Vernon.

In her senior season with Kentucky State University, West recorded a game-high seven strikeouts against Lane on March 22 and pitched a shutout against Spring Hill on April 12, leading Kentucky State to its first-ever win over the Badgers.

West finished the season with 56.1 innings pitched, 35 strikeouts and three wins.

She will be graduating in May with two Bachelor’s degrees in Nutrition and Biology.

Spartans top Indee, take runner up in W. Delaware’s invitational

Solon Economist

SOLON — The varsity boys golf team traveled to the River Ridge Golf Course in Independence for a dual meet, topping the Mustangs 152-167.

Senior Isaiah Zoske medaled with 32 for the nine-hole evening with junior Nick Stahle taking runner up at 38. Freshman Ryder Laing shot 40, senior Nolan Seagren carded 42, sophomore Grant Gordon had 43, and junior Tyler Greazel shot 50.

Friday, April 25, found the Spartans on the road at the Pin Oak Pub & Links in Manchester for West Delaware’s invitational with a runner-up finish, 304-315, to champion West Delaware.

Zoske was runner up at 73 across the 18-holes, Stahle and freshman Owen Heesch tied for ninth on the leaderboard at 80, Seagren was 14th with 82, Laing tied for 16th with an 83, and Gordon tied for 19th with 84.

9 Clear Creek Amana 370, 10 Center Point-Urbana 391

Upcoming Schedule

Monday, May 5 – WaMaC Conference East Division Meet at Wildcat Golf Course (Shellsburg), 9:00 a.m.

Tuesday, May 6 – CRCC Golf Invitational at Cedar Rapids Country Club, 10:00 a.m.

Monday, May 12 – WaMaC Conference Supermeet at Grinnell College Golf Course, 9:00 a.m.

BOYS' SOCCER

Spartans

put two more in the win column

Solon moves to 4-5-0

Solon Economist

SOLON — The Varsity boys soccer team had a perfect week with wins over Independence and Vinton-Shellsburg for a three-match winning streak, improving the team’s record to 4-5-0.

Solon defeated Independence 2-0 Monday, April 21 at home with junior Rene Meza putting in both goals off a pair of assists by junior Tucker Spence. Senior Zander Stookey made four saves in the match.

Thursday, April 24, the Spartans defeated VintonShellsburg 1-0 on the road with junior Ryan Locke scoring off an assist by senior Evan Burg. Stookey had one save.

GIRLS' GOLF

Lady Spartans set new team record at home, take runner up at Oskaloosa

Solon Economist

SOLON — The varsity girls golf team set a new nine-hole record Monday, April 21 as they hosted Independence at Saddleback Ridge Golf Course, shooting 165, one stroke better than the old record of 166, which was set last year. The Lady Spartans won the dual meet 165-204.

“The weather was a nice change, as the wind didn't play as much of a factor as it has in the last few meets,” said Coach Curtis Hendrickson.

Senior Sydney Dee was the medalist with 38 while senior Izzy Frees carded 39. Juniors Emma Phelps and Jaya Farlinger put up 44 apiece with 48 from sophomore Macy Fuller and 49 by sophomore Taylor Jett.

"We played well as a team tonight,” said Hendrickson. “It was really the first time we had six good scores. 165 is getting down closer to where we want to be,

GIRLS' WRESTLING

Upcoming Schedule

Friday, May 2 - At Clear Creek Amana, 7:00 p.m.

Tuesday, May 6 – HOME vs. Grinnell, 7:00 p.m. Thursday, May 8 – At Marion HS, 5:00 p.m.

and we think the girls still have the ability to drop a few more strokes off their scores."

Thursday, April 24, the ladies traveled to Edmundson Golf Course in Oskaloosa for the Indians’ invitational and took runner up to champion Norwalk, 334-342.

"It was good for us to see a new course and some new competition” Hendrickson said.

Dee was third on the leaderboard with 82 for the 18-hole day. Phelps carded 83 for fourth place, Frees was ninth at 87, Farlinger shot 90 for 16th place, Fuller was 18th with 92, and Jett scored 99 for 30th.

“Overall our score was pretty solid, but I think the unfamiliarity of the course cost us a few strokes," said the coach.

Upcoming Schedule

Monday, May 5 – WaMaC Conference East Division Meet at Saddleback Ridge, 9:00 a.m.

Friday, May 9 – Tigerette Invitational at Tipton Golf & Country Club, 11:00 a.m.

Monday, May 12 – WaMaC Conference Supermeet at Pin Oak Pub & Links (Manchester), 9:00 a.m.

Monday, May 19 – Home triangular meet with Lisbon and N. Scott, 4:00 p.m.

State Dual Meet Tournament Coming to Girls Wrestling in 2027

The Board of Directors at the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union (IGHSAU) unanimously approved the implementation of a girls wrestling state dual tournament for the 2026-27 season.

“A state dual meet tournament is something that our wrestling schools have wanted,” said IGHSAU Executive Director Erin Gerlich. “The impressive growth of girls wrestling in Iowa along with more schools being able to

GIRLS' SOCCER

field a full roster of wrestlers in every weight class shows that girls wrestling is ready for a dual team tournament.”

The State Dual Meet will take place before the state qualifying and state individual tournaments. The tentative date for dual state qualifying meets is January 18, 2027, with the state dual tournament January 22, 2027. The number of classes and state meet venue will be determined at a later date.

Lightning strikes the Lady Spartans

Liberty dominates in nonconference match 7-0

Kyle T. Prondzinki For the Solon Economist

NORTH LIBERTY- Saturday’s matchup against 9th-ranked Iowa City Liberty Lightning (7-0-1) was a chance for Solon to rewrite their season, but the Spartans (3-5-1) couldn't overcome the relentless pressure from Liberty, who dominated the field in a 7–0 victory. With the loss, the Spartans have dropped their last three.

Liberty got things underway from the opening whistle, overwhelming Solon with crisp passing and relentless pressure, racing out to a 3–0 lead. Morgan Bennett sparked the Lightning attack, scoring twice and setting the tempo, while Liberty's midfield dominated possession with quick, smart passes.

Temperatures in the mid-50s made for a brisk but comfortable morning, but the winds couldn't slow down the Lightning.

Solon showed flashes of life. With 29:13 remaining in the first half, Rose McAtee found a rare opening and ripped a clean shot on goal for one of Solon’s best chances of the match, but Liberty’s keeper made a save on all fours to preserve the shutout and keep the score at 3–0.

Liberty was able to find the back of the net two more times in the next five minutes, getting the lead to five, and staying that way until the break.

With about 15 minutes left in regulation and Liberty leading 6–0, Addi Greene threaded a pass forward to McAtee on a promising run downfield. For a moment, it looked like Solon might break through, but the play was ruled offside, halting the chance of any late hopes of getting on the board.

After those opportunities, Liberty clamped down even harder. Solon's counterattacks were quickly neutralized by Liberty’s aggressive defensive unit, and the Spartans struggled to find rhythm. Ava Tague made six strong saves in net to keep Solon scoreless, but Liberty’s relentless pressure widened the gap to a final score of 7–0.

Throughout the match, Liberty used the full width of the field, stretching Solon’s defense thin and keeping their energy high, the ball seeming to be on Solon’s end the entire match. With the loss, the Spartans’ skid stretched to three straight games.

Liberty’s carried traits that could carry them deep into the postseason, a good test for Solon as the search for a turnaround continues, with urgency rising as the season presses forward.

Independence 7 Solon 0

The week opened with a visit from Independence Monday, April 21 and a 7-0 shutout loss for the Lady Spartans. The majority of the damage was done in the first half with five goals suffered in the period.

Vinton-Shellsburg 5 Solon 3

Thursday, April 24, Solon visited the Vikettes falling 5-3 scoring one goal in the first half and two in the second. Stats for the Lady Spartans were not available as of deadline.

Upcoming schedule

Tuesday, May 6 – Home vs. Grinnell, 5:00 p.m. Thursday, May 8 – At Marion HS, 6:30 p.m. Saturday, May 10 – Home vs. Mount Vernon, 9:30 a.m.

CALENDAR & PUZZLES

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.

Fun, fellowship, and festivities from the past month

Scott Bogard and son Jack put smiles on our guests faces with their country tunes on April 9th.

Easter Celebration Wednesday, April 16, a fun day with Easter treats and prizes.

MAY HAPPENINGS ••••••

Birthday Day Wednesday, May 7

Closed Memorial Day Monday, May 26

City Rep. Wednesday, May 28

Sponsored Meals in May:

Solon American Legion Auxiliary, Wednesday, May 14

Amada Senior Care/guest speaker, Wednesday, May 21

Reminders

Bad weather closings – Senior Dining will notify our clients by phone of cancellations. No meals Tuesdays and Thursdays

Bingo Wednesdays AM/PM

Cards Wednesdays PM

DINING ••••••••••••

Home Deliveries - Monday, Wednesday, and Friday within a 5-mile radius, on hard surface roads only. Call 319-624-2251 for information.

In-House Dining - Solon Methodist Church, Wednesdays only at 11:30 a.m.

Meals cost $5.00 and are provided by the

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.

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.

STUDENT LUNCH PRICES

High School - $2.70

Middle School - $2.60

SIS/Lakeview - $2.55

Reduced - $.40

Adult/Guest lunch: $4.70

Friday, May 2

MS/HS Alt: Cook’s Delight

Chicken Parmesan Garlic Noodles, Garlic Knot (MS/ HS)

Steamed Broccoli Trees Zucchini Poles, Pears of Paradise

Solon Retirement Village Kitchen. Reservations for Wednesday dine-in are required by calling 319-624-2251 Mondays 10-11:00 a.m.

MAY MENU •••••••••

Friday, May 2

Fish Sandwich w/Pickle Ranch Creamy Coleslaw

Hashbrown Patty Pineapple Dream Bar

Monday, May 5

Cinco De Mayo

Enchiladas

Street Corn Spanish Rice w/Beans Fried Ice Cream

Wednesday, May 7

May Birthdays

Country Fried Pork Tenderloin Mini Baker Potatoes

Cream Gravy

Country Trio Vegetables Flamingo Cake

Friday, May 9

Summer Herb Crusted Fish Rice Pilaf Carrots

Watermelon w/Honey Lime

Thank you Solon Senior Dining volunteers!

“Volunteers do not necessarily have the time, they just have the heart.” — Elizabeth Andrew

“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, May 2

Muffin Top (LV/SIS)

G&G (LV) Oatmeal Bar

Breakfast Pizza or Cinnamon Doughnuts Fruit, Juice, Crackers & Milk

Monday, May 5

Muffin (LV/SIS)

G&G (LV) Muffin

Mini Breakfast Corndogs, or French Toast & Sausage Links

Fruit, Juice, Crackers & Milk

Tuesday, May 6

Mini Doughnuts (LV/SIS)

G&G (LV) Mini Doughnuts

Breakfast Bagel or Bubble Cake

Monday, May 5

MS/HS Alt: Quesadilla

Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta Peas & Carrots, Grape Tomatoes, Garlic Toast Watermelon, Mixed Fruit (HS) Cottage Cheese (MS/HS)

Tuesday, May 6

MS/HS Alt: Hot Dog Spaghetti

Dinner Roll

Caesar Salad w/Cucumbers Coins Green Beans (MS/HS), Peaches

Wednesday, May 7

MS/HS Alt: Chicken Burrito

Totchos

Garlic Knot, Crunchy Cauliflower

Grapes, Snickerdoodle Cookie

Jalapeños (MS/HS)

Across

1 The “House of Mouse”

7 Passing remark?

13 If

14 Onetime talk show whose studio audience was known as the “Dog Pound,” familiarly

15 Expressions of contempt

16 More than just flirting

17 Event in a tent

19 Minty Cuban cocktail ... Pass it back

20 Grok

21 Figure for the prosecution, for short

22 First name on the Supreme Court

24 Provide a brief glimpse?

26 Sir Isaac Newton wrote about this ... Pass it on

29 Covers for a rainy day

33 Give credit?

Fruit, Juice, Crackers & Milk

Wednesday, May 7

French Toast Sticks & Sausage Links (LV/SIS)

G&G (LV) Waffle Crackers

Breakfast Sandwich or Tornadoes

Fruit Juice, Crackers & Milk

Thursday, May 8

Breakfast Sandwich (LV/SIS)

G&G (LV) Cereal Bar

Egg Scramble w/Hash Brown, or Mini Pancakes 2/Sausage

Links Fruit, Juice, Crackers & Milk

Friday, May 9

Mini CC French Toast (LV/SIS)

G&G (LV) Donut

Long John or Cinnamon Roll Fruit, Juice, Crackers & Milk

Thursday, May 8

MS/HS Alt: Lasagna Roll-up

Chicken Drumstick (LV/SIS)

Cattlemen Grill Hamburgers (MS/ HS)

Baked Beans, Celery Stalks

Melon Fruit Salad

Sun Chips

Friday, May 9

MS/HS Alt: Cook’s Delight

Breakfast Pizza (MS/HS)

Cattlemen Grill Hamburgers (LV/ SIS)

Trix Yogurt Cup, Pepper Spears & Carrot Poles

Oranges, Cereal Bowl (MS/HS)

Pineapple (HS)

34 Writing without verse

36 “Comin’ Thro’ the ___” (poem misremembered by Holden Caulfield)

37 Gluten-free grain

38 Folded pancake

39 Electronic device from which users take “sips”

40 Smart sort

42 One signing a guestbook ... Pass it back

43 [Can’t talk, eating]

46 Move (over)

48 Sun en Sevilla

49 Migratory fish

52 What some toothpastes do ... Pass it on

53 Not obvious

55 Video game navigation aid

58 Pay-to-play business

59 “Son of the Dragon,” in a medieval Romanian sobriquet

60 “At the Movies with Ebert and ___”

61 Leave the country?

62 Expressions of contempt

Down

1 Lumbar supports

2 Result of some cord-cutting, informally

3 Make a point, say

4 Man on wire?

5 Long Island Sound, e.g.

6 Affirmative reply to “Sprechen Sie Englisch?”

7 Test for a future Ed.D.

8 Mac platform renamed in 2016

9 Request made through a downstairs intercom

10 Publication with the 1997 headline “Supreme Court Rules Supreme Court Rules,” with “The”

11 Fabled figure in feudal Japan

12 ___ boots

14 Nincompoop

18 Water source

22 Undo

23 Mythos

24 ___ player

25 Sporty auto roof

26 Hunk of gunk

27 Bottom

28 Prefix with body or matter

30 Some investments, for short

31 One on a sic list?

32 Visionary

34 Not an original

35 Nevada city that’s farther west than Los Angeles

38 Pattern based on nature, informally

39 Pizazz

41 Like a doormat, say

42 Cartoon series about a super robot

44 East Lansing sch.

45 Sign of terrible service

46 “Do you remember the ___, Mr. Frodo?”: Sam Gamgee

47 Comedian Wyatt

49 Tour de France stage

50 Respected figure

51 Creepy looks

52 Disarmament concerns, for short

53 Reflexology setting

54 Drink with a domed lid, perhaps

56 Feature of some outdoor obstacle courses

57 Stout, for one

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.

Class Action Lawsuit

IF YOU HAD KNEE OR HIP REPLACEMENT SURGERY and suffered an infection between 2020 and the present time, you may be entitled to compensation. Call Attorney Charles H. Johnson 1-800-535-5727

Wanted

WANTED: JUNK APPLIANCES. Will pick up for free. Farm clean-up, batteries. Will buy junk cars. 319-331-8122

Miscellaneous

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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 1-866554-1730

SHS students, city, team up for tree planting

Solon Economist

SOLON — Solon High School (SHS) students and the City of Solon teamed up Tuesday, April 22, in acknowledging Earth Day by making improvements at the Solon Recreation and Nature Area (SRNA).

Students in grades 9-11 and city staff visited a number of sites in Solon and performed tasks including mulching the entryway to the SRNA, picking up trash at the Solon Public Library and Veterans Memorial, weeding flower beds, and planting trees as part of an ongoing effort to replace those lost in the August 2020 derecho. Former Public Works Director Scott Kleppe applied for a $10,000 Iowa DNR grant for 64 trees, watering bags, and strapping. Ellie Jones, with Iowa DNR, demonstrated the proper techniques for planting, staking, and mulching.

Scott Kleppe | Special to the Solon Economist

Top left: Solon High School students teamed up with city employees to plant trees at the SRNA Tuesday, April 22, in recognition of Earth Day and to replace trees lost to the August 2020 derecho. Above top: Solon High School students teamed up with city employees to plant trees at the SRNA Tuesday, April 22, in recognition of Earth Day and to replace trees lost to the August 2020 derecho.

Drew Bunkers, SHS Principal | Special to the Solon Economist

Left: Solon High School student teamed up with city employees Tuesday, April 22 in recognition of Earth Day, to perform various tasks at several locations around Solon. Here, a trio of students is seen at the Public Works Department. Above bottom: Solon High School student teamed up with city employees Tuesday, April 22 in recognition of Earth Day, to perform various tasks at several locations around Solon. Students are seen here spreading mulch at the entryway to the SRNA.