SOLON BEEF DAYS | 5-7 Events, race & parade routes
SOLONECONOMIST.COM
THURSDAY, JULY 17, 2025 • $1.50
Kevin Hotz named 2025 Beef Days Grand Marshal Cami Rasmussen Special to the Solon Economist SOLON — This year’s 2025 Beef Days Grand Marshal is Kevin Hotz. Kevin was born and raised in rural Lone Tree, the son of Marvin and Caroline Hotz, and attended Lone Tree High School. He was involved Hotz in football and FFA and was also active in Johnson Co. 4-H with an emphasis in the swine projects. Kevin belonged to the Lone Tree football chain gang for 35 years and even got a broken leg while doing it. Kevin is no stranger to long standing service and holds an impressive resume that includes 12 years on the Johnson County Fair Board, 35 years on the Fair Swine Committee, and 25 years on the Johnson County Pork Council. For many years Kevin helped teach gun safety classes with his dad and also worked at Sharpless Auctions. Everyone knows that volunteer work behind the scenes is the secret to success and volunteering was Kevin’s specialty. Kevin worked behind the softball scoreboard in Lone Tree for ten years, he helped work at Beef Quarters at the State Fair for 15 years, called numbers at the fair’s BINGO, and helped with the woodcarving auction. He was also there to help when the Pork Producers and Cattlemen hosted the Tractorcades and volunteered with the REC’s Annual dinner meetings. Kevin and his family are well-known for supplying local Hy-Vee stores with their famous home-grown sweet corn while his love for life is farming. His connection to Solon Beef Days began some 37 years ago as the liaison between the event committee and the Johnson County Pork Council who came each year to cook the burgers during Beef Days. Over those many years, Kevin was active on the Beef Days Committee and, in his true nature, found many ways to volunteer his time including Thursday night set up, calling BINGO, serving on car raffle committee, and driving the raffle car in area parades including Coralville, Oxford, Ely and Hills along with friend Norm Ziskovsky. To a long time Beef Days Committee Member and volunteer, a special thank you to our friend Kevin Hotz for all of his service to Solon Beef Days.
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Solon Public Library News - 3
Solon’s Callie Levin named 2025 Beef Days Celebrity Grand Marshal University of Iowa Women's Basketball Guard and Solon Lady Spartan alumni Callie Levin (#32) has been named the 2025 Solon Beef Days Celebrity Grand Marshal.
School/sports career highlights: Solon High School Records: All-Time Career 3-point Record Holder (209); Single Season 3-point record holder (73- set 20232024 season)
Athletic honors/recognition:
Family/Background: Levin was born and raised in Solon and is the daughter of Nathan (lawyer for F3 law firm) and Tara Levin (psychologist at Cross Roads Psychology and also works at the VA). Her siblings are MaKinley (senior at the U of I), Tenley (Solon HS freshman), Mayley (7th grade at SMS), and McGuire (4th grade at SIS).
2024 Miss Iowa Basketball; 2024 USA Today Iowa Player of the Year; 2024 SBLive/Sports Illustrated Iowa Player of the Year; 2024 McDonald's All-American Nominee;4 x 1st Team AllState; 4x All-Region; 4x All-District; 4x Conference Player of the Year; 4x Unanimous 1st Team All-Conference; 4x Des Moines Register All-Iowa Team (3x 1st Team and Elite Team in 2024); 4x Cedar Rapids Gazette All-Area Team and 2024 Gazette AllArea Player of the Year; 2024 Class 3A State Champion; 2024 3A State All-Tournament Team; 2024 3A State Tournament Top Producer Award; State of Iowa All-Classes Freshman PPG Scoring Leader; State of Iowa All-Classes Sophomore PPG Scoring Leader; Ranked #1 Point Guard in Iowa in Class of 2024 by Prep Girls Hoop . Favorite Beef days event: “…Going on the rides with my friends when I was in Middle School!”
Steve and Shirley Knight named 2025 Beef Days Cornerstone Grand Marshals SOLON — Shirley and Steve Knight have been chosen as this year’s Solon Beef Days Cornerstone Grand Marshals of the 2025 Celebration. This special recognition is awarded for their involvement in community activities that have made a positive impact on the Solon community and surrounding area. Thank you for giving your time and care to our community!
raised on a farm in Webster. She worked for several years before working with college students in advising and admissions while proudly claiming her dream job was becoming a grandmother to four grandchildren.
Family:
Shirley and Steve were married in Sept.1969 and will celebrate their 56th wedding anniversary this year. Their family includes two children: Steve's Background: their daughter, Stephanie, and a son, Steve was raised in Iowa City and Chris (Bubba). Stephanie and her husafter graduating from City High he went band, Mike, have two children Cormac into the U.S. Navy and was a radioman and Keegan and live in Olathe KS. on the USS Muliphen, AKA-61. After he Chris and his wife, Sarah, have two returned home, he continued his service children, Austin and Gable, and live in the reserves for six years and worked in Solon. for Roadway Express for 32 years. Solon became their home in 1977 when their daughter was 4yrs old and son was 2yrs and they are thankful to Shirley's Background: have met so many wonderful people, Shirley was born in Sigourney, IA and and glad that many are in Solon today.
| Opinions - 4 | Beef Days Info - 5-7 |
Shirley and Steve Knight
Steve’s involvement over the years: Board of Adjustments and P&Z, Library Board, member of the Solon American Legion, took stats for Solon Football for 32 years watching his son, Chris and grandson, Austin, play, coached both their kids in youth basketball for YMCA League, past Solon Athletic Booster Club President, coached boys Babe Ruth League with KNIGHT | 2
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