of Columbus Free Throw Championship, and Optimist Tri-Star Basketball event is this Sunday
Umscheid | Solon Economist Emma Olsem shows the trophy she won in last year’s Solon Knights of Columbus’ annual Free Throw Championships. Olsem also won the Solon Optimist Club’s Tri-Star Basketball Contests, taking first place in the girls 10-12 age group. This year’s event will be held this Sunday at the Solon Community Center.
SOLON — Solon Knights of Columbus Council 12129 and the Solon Optimists Club will hold their annual Free Throw Championship and Tri-Star Basketball Challenge Sunday, Jan. 26 at the Solon Community Center, 313 S. Iowa St.
K of C Free Throw Championship
• For all boys and girls ages 8-14, ages 9-14 can advance to regional competition.
• Registration and warm ups at 12:30 p.m. Competition at 1:00 p.m. Come win a nice trophy!
Optimist’s Tri-Star Contests
• Girls and boys divisions, ages 8-13. 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place awards to each age group.
• Gift certificate to the girl and boy Champion.
• Registration at 12:30 p.m. Contests start at 1:00 p.m.
Please bring your own basketball.
Solon American Legion Stinocher Post 460 brought “The Moving Wall,” a half-sized replica of the Vietnam War
Solon in August of 2021. The Legion plans to bring a similar display honoring those lost in the Global War on Terror
September.
Wall of Remembrance coming to Solon in September
Traveling display honors America’s fallen from 1983-2021
Chris Umscheid Solon Economist chris.umscheid@soloneconomist.com
SOLON — In August 2021 Solon American Legion Stinocher Post 460 brought “The Moving Wall,” a half-sized replica of the Vietnam War Memorial in Washington, DC to Solon. In September, the Legion is bringing “The Global War on Terror Wall of Remembrance” to Legion Park in Solon. United States Marine Corps veteran Sergeant Mike Kessler (’91-’98) is spearheading the effort. Kessler, 1st Vice Commander for Post 460 and Chairman for the event, was among the many angered and upset during the disastrous withdrawal from
Afghanistan in 2021.
“You remember when the Vietnam Moving Wall came to Solon and how moving it was, and I got to thinking, especially after the final withdrawal from Afghanistan and how those 13 (eleven US Marines, one Navy corpsman, and one US soldier) were killed and I wished there was something for these troops that had fought since 9-11.” Kessler said he was scrolling Facebook one night when a comrade made a post about a ‘Global War on Terror Wall of Remembrance.’
“I got on the phone and told him I want this to come to Solon and tell me about it. He filled me in and it started rolling from there.”
Kessler made contact with Brian Romans, founder of the Romans Warrior Foundation (RWF), a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization dedicated to honoring the less than 1% who take the oath to protect the United States of America by serving in the military or as first responders. One of RWF’s programs is the Global War on Terror Wall of Remembrance, the only traveling memorial wall, similar to
‘The Moving Wall,’ honoring those who made the ultimate sacrifice from the 1983 bombing of the Marine barracks in Beirut, Lebanon, those lost on September 11, 2001, and the 13 killed during the Afghanistan withdrawal.
“He’s a Marine also and he started RWF to help other vets,” Kessler said.
The Global War on Terror Wall of Remembrance will be in Solon Thursday, Sept. 18 through Sunday, Sept. 21 at Legion Park. One side of the wall lists approximately 10,000 U.S. servicemembers killed during that 38-year time span. The other side depicts the timeline and significant events of the Global War on Terror.
Sergeant First Class (retired) Adam Hopp, Commander of Post 460, briefed the Solon City Council on the Legion’s plans at the Wednesday, July 15 regular meeting.
“This is something we’re really excited about, this is something that has directly affected me and my family,” Hopp told the Council. Hopp served 23 years with the Iowa Army National Guard and deployed to Iraq with the 234th Signal Battalion and to Afghanistan and Qatar with the 133rd Infantry Battalion, 2nd Brigade, 34th Infantry Division.
Thursday, Sept. 18, The Solon Legion (including Legion Riders) and others will meet the carrier in LeClere, Iowa
Chris
Chris Umscheid | Solon Economist
Memorial in Washington, DC, to
(GWOT) to Legion Park in
and escort it back to Solon. “He expects 500-700 motorcycles and other vehicles, and I anticipate it to be the biggest escort in Iowa for 2025,” said Hopp. He added the Legion will be reaching out to area veterans service organizations such as Cedar Rapids based Salute to the Fallen, the Veterans Administration in Iowa City, and Family Legacy Christian Counseling for support, especially for anybody having difficulties and needing an understanding listener.
Hopp also hopes the Iowa Army National Guard will participate, however at this time nothing has been finalized. Taps will be played nightly at 5:30 and at least one formal ceremony is in the planning stages for Saturday morning (Sept. 20).
“This is something big that we’re going to try and turn into something beneficial for the veterans and our community,” said Hopp to the Council. “We believe this will be the largest cornerstone event in 2025 in the Solon community.”
An opportunity for healing and education
“We’re hoping to bring awareness to the younger generation of vets,” said Kessler. “This is going to be a huge healing for a lot of us. We’ve all got buddies on that wall that we served with, and I’m hoping for…closure,
Mount Mercy University students named to Fall 2024 Dean’s List
CEDAR RAPIDS — The following students were named to Mount Mercy University's Fall 2024 Dean's List.
Ely – Catie Reittinger and Kayla Sawyer Solon – Sarah Heick, Shawna Lindemann, Joseph McAtee, Isaac Milliman, Joshua Milliman, Maria Milliman, Dustin Powers
Students with a semester grade point average of 3.60 or better and who are graded for six or more semester hours are eligible for inclusion on the Dean's List.
Located in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Mount Mercy University is the regional Catholic, Mercy University that promises students of diverse backgrounds, ages and faiths a challenging, practical education that inspires them to discover knowledge, build community and live their values. Mount Mercy provides a forward-thinking, future-focused education, offering baccalaureate and graduate education to 1,400+ enrolled students and uniquely blending a quality liberal arts education with career-focused professional preparation.
554 Wartburg students named to Fall Term Dean's List
WAVERLY — Wartburg College has recognized 554 students who were named to the 2024 Fall Term Dean's List.
Those honored include Morgan Link, Kerrigan Lyons, Anna Quillin, Sophia Stahle, and Maggie Winders, all of Solon.
The list honors students who earned a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or above in at least four course credits during the term. Three of the four course credits have to be graded with a traditional letter grade.
Wartburg College, a four-year liberal arts college internationally recognized
healing, because we all need that.” Kessler also wants to bring awareness to an even younger generation, one that has grown up with their nation at war but perhaps haven’t been aware.
“I’m hoping they can see the sacrifices that these young men and women gave for them to have this freedom. “I think it will be eye-opening to a lot of them. We’re pretty fortunate to have the kids that we have here (in Solon) but there’s surrounding areas that don’t understand the sacrifices that all of us have made. We’re very fortunate to have the kids we do in Solon because they are patriotic and I see a lot of students wearing red (a Remember Everybody Deployed movement for wearing red on Fridays) on Fridays and I think that’s awesome.”
Hopp and Kessler both expressed their hope that with the display open during school hours and being in close proximity to the various school buildings, that students can make the short trip for a history lesson, and a lesson in Americanism, one of the American Legion’s pillars. According to the American Legion’s website (www.legion.org), Americanism is devotion to law and order, the raising of wholesome youth, an educated and lawabiding citizenship, and respectful observance of patriotic holidays and remembrances.
“It’s to bring awareness to the kids of the sacrifices and hopefully they can feel that in their hearts how they’re able to do what they’re doing today, to remember those fallen soldiers, sailors, and Marines. I think it’d be a huge impact on their way of thinking by coming up to the wall and experiencing it firsthand.”
for community engagement, enrolls about 1,500 students. A college of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Wartburg is dedicated to challenging and nurturing students for lives of leadership and service as a spirited expression of their faith and learning. The college is characterized by vigorous academic expectations and community engagement within an environment of strong personal support.
Samantha Mostaert named to fall 2024 Dean's List
DEKALB, Ill. Northern Illinois University announces Samantha Mostaert of Ely, who is majoring in Public Admin & Service - B.A. and is a graduate of Prairie High School has been named to its fall 2024 Dean's List.
To earn this distinction, students must meet a minimum semester grade point average of 3.5 on a 4.0 scale in the College of Engineering and Engineering Technology or a minimum of 3.75 on a 4.0 scale in the colleges of Business, Education, Health and Human Sciences, Liberal Arts and Sciences, and Visual and Performing Arts.
About Northern Illinois University
Northern Illinois University is a student-centered, nationally recognized public research university with a global network of nearly 260,000 alumni. With expertise that benefits its region, the country and the world, NIU offers more than 170 bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degree programs across seven colleges: Business, Education, Engineering and Engineering Technology, Health and Human Sciences, Law, Liberal Arts and Sciences, and Visual and Performing Arts. Through its main campus in DeKalb and education centers for students and working professionals in Naperville and Rockford, NIU serves a diverse and interna-
Baby boy declared Safe Haven in December
DES MOINES — Through the Safe Haven Law, a baby boy, born December 3 is now in the care and custody of the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and will be placed with a foster family until permanent placement is determined. This brings the overall total to 74 infants since the law went into effect more than two
Donations welcome
The cost to Post 460 is $5,530 to host the wall plus additional costs for lodging, per diem, etc. Commander Hopp told the Council the Post can absorb the costs, but donations would be gratefully accepted. A Venmo link has been created (@ SolonAmericanLegion) and the Legion asks contributors to put “GWOT” in the memo.
Final thoughts
“There are many Families and Servicemembers in our Community, surrounding area, State, and Nation, whose lives were greatly impacted by the Global War on Terror. We are forever indebted to each and every name on this Wall, and the sacrifices that they and their Families have made to ensure our Freedoms.,” said Hopp. “We hope that this event will not only be an invaluable healing tool and an opportunity to re-instill pride for all who were affected, but that it will also provide an opportunity to form new bonds with likeminded individuals and organizations that will strengthen all of our groups to offer even more support to our Nation’s Veterans and their Families.”
tional student body of over 15,400. The 16 NIU Huskies Division I athletic teams compete in the Mid-American Conference. For more information, visit NIU.edu.
Stookey named to University of Dubuque Fall Semester 2024 Academic Dean's List
DUBUQUE — The University of Dubuque congratulates Savannah Stookey, from Solon, on being appointed to the Fall Semester 2024 Academic Dean's List.
Full-time students in good academic standing (registered for and having earned 12 or more letter grade credits for the term) who earn a term grade point average of 3.5 or above and who do not have any grades of Incomplete for the term are named to the Dean's List. Once grades have been submitted for any Incompletes, the Office of Academic Affairs will review eligibility again for possible placement on the Dean's List for the given term.
Dean's List is awarded for the fall and spring semesters only and may be awarded retroactively.
About the University of Dubuque
The University of Dubuque (UD) is a private, coed university founded in 1852 that offers undergraduate, graduate, and theological seminary degrees as well as other educational opportunities with the intention of educating and forming the whole person. Here, the value of an education is measured in helping our students find their calling in life through academics, community, character, vocation, and stewardship. Our approach to learning is based on professional programs with a liberal arts core, and we prepare students to find their purpose and make meaningful contributions to the world. https://www.dbq.edu/
decades ago. This brings the total to eight cases in 2024, including a baby girl born October 13 and a baby girl born on November 11. In 2023, ten infants were relinquished to HHS custody under the Safe Haven Act.
Iowa’s Safe Haven Act is an option for parents in crisis who determine they cannot care for an infant up to 90 days old. Designated safe havens are locations like hospitals and police and fire stations. Iowa HHS then works to place infants in an approved foster home while awaiting permanent adoption.
If you are interested in becoming a foster parent or adopting a child, visit https://iowafosterandadoption.org/ to learn more about becoming an approved foster or adoptive family. For more information on Iowa’s Safe Haven, visit https://hhs.iowa.gov/ programs/CPS/safe-haven.
Volume 145 I Issue 4 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.
In case you missed the announcements, our new catalog system, Apollo, has officially launched! We started the day Tuesday, Jan. 14 with the new catalog. If you haven’t already, visit our website, www.solon. lib.ia.us, and click on “Catalog Search” in the upper right hand corner.
Once on Apollo, you’ll see “Log in to your Account” in the upper right hand corner. In the top field you’ll enter your Library Card Number, and in the second field you’ll enter your password. To begin, your default password is your phone number associated with your Library account.
Once you’re logged in you’ll be able to click on the “My Account” button to see your personal details, update your password if desired, and of course browse for more materials. If you use the Libby app or Bridges for our digital library, don’t forget you’ll have to login with your Library card number and your new password. If you’d rather we assist you with this process, visit the Library and let us know. We’re thrilled to have this upgrade and we are sure you’ll enjoy it too.
Library Events
Teens and young adults are invited to Auto Repair 101 Saturday, February 1, at 12:30 p.m. We’ll learn from guest speaker Charlie Christie the basics of what’s under the hood, common car problems, and basic maintenance. Participants will leave with a better understanding of their car and gain confidence at the mechanics. Space is limited so head to our website calendar to register or call the library.
The Winter Library Challenge continues through Friday, January 31. Don’t forget to complete the Library challenges, collect secret codes, and earn small prizes before the deadline. Full details of the Challenge are available at the Library and on our website.
Do you have a collection you would like to display at the library? We would love to showcase your special collections or a themed display for a month. Please contact Library Director Liz King at lking@solon.lib.ia.us or call the library to schedule a month to showcase your talents and creativity.
Save the date! The Friends of the Library host their annual used book sale Saturday, March 1, from 8:00 a.m.-Noon in the Library’s community meeting room. Books and DVDs are available for a free will donation
with all proceeds supporting Library programs. Read with Willa the dog! Curl up with a good book and a good dog! Willa the French Bulldog will be joining us for individual youth reading sessions to boost reading confidence and provide a calming presence as kids read aloud. 1st-8th graders may sign up for a 10-minute reading slot with Willa. Pick out a book and join us in Study Room 2 when it is your registered time.
In February we’ll have 10-minute timeslots on the first and third Wednesdays, and additional opportunities coming in March. Please visit our website calendar to register for a timeslot.
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.
We’ll be open Friday, Jan. 24, 9:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. to allow time for our monthly staff in-service.
Don’t forget, the digital library is always available! Find an eBook, eAudiobook, magazines and more with Bridges, or with the Libby app on your favorite smart device. You can even stream classic films, discover new favorites, and more with Kanopy on your favorite smart device.
Everyone is welcome at the Library and our programs. Please contact us with access needs.
You can discover the latest items to hit the Library shelves in our online catalog, ask us how! Here are a few titles we’re looking forward to reading.
Homeseeking by Karissa Chen. This Good Morning America Book Club pick follows the separated lovers through six decades of tumultuous Chinese history as war, famine, and opportunity take them separately to the song halls of Hong Kong, the military encampments of Taiwan, the bustling streets of New York, and sunny California, telling Haiwen’s story from the present to the past while tracing Suchi’s from her childhood to the present, meeting in the crucible of their lives. Throughout, Haiwen holds his memories close while Suchi forces herself to look only forward, neither losing sight of the home they hold in their hearts. At once epic and intimate, Homeseeking is a story of family, sacrifice, and
loyalty, and of the power of love to endure beyond distance, beyond time.
The Stolen Queen by Fiona Davis. Egypt, 1936: When anthropology student Charlotte Cross is offered a coveted spot on an archaeological dig in Egypt’s Valley of the Kings, she leaps at the opportunity. That is until an unbearable tragedy strikes.
New York City, 1978: Nineteen-year-old Annie Jenkins is thrilled when she lands an opportunity to work for former Vogue fashion editor Diana Vreeland, who’s in the midst of organizing the famous Met Gala, hosted at the museum and known across the city as the “party of the year.”
Meanwhile, Charlotte is now leading a quiet life as the associate curator of the Met’s celebrated Department of Egyptian Art. She’s consumed by her research on Hathorkare—a rare female pharaoh dismissed by most other Egyptologists as unimportant.
The night of the gala: One of the Egyptian art collection’s most valuable artifacts goes missing, and there are signs Hathorkare’s legendary curse might be reawakening. Annie and Charlotte team up to search for the missing antiquity, and a desperate hunch leads the unlikely duo to one place Charlotte swore she’d never return: Egypt. But if they have any hope of finding the artifact, Charlotte will need to confront the demons of her past—which may mean leading them both directly into danger.
The Three Lives of Cate Kay by Kate Fagan. Cate Kay knows how to craft a story. As the creator of a bestselling book trilogy that struck box office gold as a film series, she’s one of the most successful authors of her generation. The thing is, Cate Kay doesn’t really exist. She’s never attended author events or granted any interviews. Her real identity had been a closely guarded secret, until now.
As a young adult, she and her best friend Amanda dreamed of escaping their difficult homes and moving to California to become movie stars. But the day before their grand adventure, a tragedy shattered their dreams and Cate has been on the run ever since, taking on different names and charting a new future. But after a shocking revelation, Cate understands that returning home is the only way she’ll be a whole person again.
(Reese’s Book Club pick)
Johnson County’s cyber forensics team tackles rising internet crimes
The
Joint Forensic Analysis Cyber Team unites investigators from multiple departments to strengthen efforts to investigate digital offenses.
On Nov. 20, Iowa City resident Ivan Galvan, 31, was sentenced to 80 months in federal prison after a 2021 CyberTip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children led Johnson County’s Joint Forensic Analysis Cyber Team to uncover multiple videos and images of child sexual abuse material on his social media.
Detective Sgt. Ben Lord of the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office, one of five members of the Joint Forensic Analysis Cyber Team, or J-FACT, said Galvan’s case is part of a crisis that has grown since the COVID-19 pandemic.
“With a lot of people at home on their computers more, the reports that we were getting related to internet crimes against children skyrocketed,” Lord said. Internet crimes against children encompass offenses such as the possession, distribution, or production of child sexual abuse material, online solicitation, and exploitation of minors through digital platforms.
According to data provided by Nathaniel McLaren,
special agent in charge of Iowa’s Internet Crimes Against Children task force,
Lord attributed the increase to the shift to online schooling for children and remote work for many adults, which placed potential victims and perpetrators in shared digital spaces more frequently.
“That was one of the fallouts of the pandemic that I don’t think it discussed enough,” Lord said. “I think we really have reached a crisis point with this type of thing in our society.”
As internet crimes against children rose and the demand for experts in cyber forensics, which focuses on analyzing digital devices and data to investigate and solve crimes, became increasingly critical, local law enforcement recognized the need for a more unified approach.
For years, Todd Cheney of the Iowa City Police Department was the county’s only digital forensic investigator. That changed in 2019 when Lord obtained his certification, leading the two to often share equipment and resources to handle the rising caseload.
“We would frequently end up at each other’s offices, borrowing things, returning things,” Lord said. “There were days where we would see each other three or four times a day.”
This prompted Johnson County Sheriff Brad Kunkel to propose a 28E agreement — a legal framework allowing government agencies to collaborate — to the Johnson County Board of Supervisors in July 2021, establishing the J-FACT team with investigators from the Sheriff’s Office, Iowa City Police Department, and University of Iowa Police Department.
The Supervisors approved the agreement unanimously.
“I’m proud of the political leadership in this county
for recognizing the importance of these internet crimes against children cases,” Lord said. “There are other places in the United States where their leadership is failing. And I think we’re doing a good job of being responsible and taking care of our children here.”
Since its inception, the J-FACT team has expanded to include five members, Lord said. The team now consists of Lord, Cheney, Tiffany Lord of the UI Police Department, Hanna Dvorak of the Coralville Police Department, and Ryan Rockefeller of the North Liberty Police Department.
All five members are certified forensic computer examiners, accredited by the International Association of Computer Investigative Specialists.
Although the pandemic-driven rise in internet crimes against children spurred the team’s creation, Lord and Cheney emphasized its broader role in various cases.
“Anything that’s going to be a high-level case is almost always going to have digital items that are seized. Usually, it’s cell phones,” Cheney said.
Part of the work of J-FACT, Lord said, involves extracting data from digital devices without altering it and preserving the data as digital evidence.
“A lot of times, the investigators are interested in the user’s location if that’s recorded on the phone,” Lord said. “Or did they make an incriminating statement in a text message or chat.”
Cheney said the J-FACT team has given Johnson County the resources to process digital forensic evidence more efficiently, reducing backlogs and allowing investigators to take a proactive approach to tracking perpetrators of internet crimes against children.
“We’re able to actually go out ourselves to scour the Dark Web for people who are sharing or trying to get child-exploited material,” Cheney said.
Emma Jane
The Daily Iowan
OPINIONS
Wanted, designs for short people
Food for Thought
Milli Gilbaugh
Considering the egocentricity of almost all people (designers and manufacturers included), they seem to use themselves as the standard for the usability of the product. I suspect most of those people are men, around six feet tall, strong, athletic, with 20/20 vision and perfect hearing—and, no doubt, born knowing how to program a computer. This ideal person is probably ambidextrous, can predict the future, and does not suffer from arthritis, ingrown toe nails, or allergies. He has no trouble reading the small print or reaching the top shelves and is comfortable in the passenger seat of a Cadillac. He can raise and lower the window over the kitchen sink without climbing onto a chair and can tie his shoes while sitting on the edge of the bed. He has never tried to put on a pair of pantyhose.
That ideal consumer should try being 5'2” tall, and 80+ years old for just one week. I bet he'd change his view of the world in a hurry! He would soon discover that bags of water softener salt are too heavy to cart from the car to the basement without hurting himself, and that those convenient handles are useless for short people, as the bags are too long and drag on the ground. Why don't they put the handles on the side? Or package salt in twin-packs that could be carried one on each side for balance?
He might also figure out why most people who are lefthanded, overweight, arthritic, or short don't regularly fasten their seat belts. And he might find out what it feels like to sit, like a toddler, with feet dangling in all those “standard” size chairs, restaurant booths, wheel-chairs and bus seats.
I'd appreciate an answer to one simple question. Why are the controls for my refrigerator located so that I have to take everything out of the freezer and climb onto a chair in order to adjust the temperature? Why didn't someone think of putting them on the outside of the refrigerator a long time ago? I admit that my refrigerator has been around for a few years, but it still performs its intended purpose as well as when it was new – maybe a more recent model would have more accessible controls but would it be worth the price?
I've recently had more than my share of reasons to have X-rays and other procedures at medical facilities and getting on and off those exam and treatment tables seems to be a serious risk to health and safety. Fifteen years ago I could have gotten on and off the table, but can no longer jump up backward to get on, or drop down that extra six or more inches to get off without losing my balance. One technician (who didn't have a clue about the limitations of old age) asked how I managed to get in and out of bed at home when I couldn't get on and off of her treatment table. Simple – when I'm sitting on the side of my bed, my feet are on the floor, not dangling six or seven inches above it. When I asked why they didn't have a low step-stool to make it easier for short people, she said it wouldn't be safe. Really? It hadn't been exactly safe when I nearly fell off the table trying to climb onto it. And it hadn't been safe when I had to jump off without anything solid to hold onto to keep my balance. A portable frame like a walker, and a sixinch high block of wood would have made a big difference. When I was first married and had my first driving license, I seldom drove because we had only one car and my husband believed that, if he was in the car, he should be behind the wheel. Eventually, I “inherited” his car every time he got a newer one and was happy just to be able to move the seat forward and, eventually, to be able to raise and lower it as well. Then I came into possession of a small-scale pickup truck and discovered that there actually were seats that were scaled for my stature. I determined to never settle for those too-big seats again. I don't like contour seats, they inhibit shifting positions to ease cramping muscles and aching joints. And most of them still seem to have been engineered for the comfort of 300-pound, seven-foot tall men. With more women buying their own cars these days, I think manufacturers should offer both “his” and “her” versions of their most popular models.
Q&A: Human Trafficking
With U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley
Q: What are you doing to stop human trafficking?
A: Although it’s hard to believe human trafficking and forced labor exists in the 21st century, these horrible crimes take place right underneath our noses, even in rural America. Over the years, I’ve learned that children, runaways, foster youth, and migrants are targeted for illicit sex trafficking and forced labor. This issue comes up during my annual 99-county meetings.
For decades, I’ve worked to help raise public awareness about human trafficking and shape public policy that provides support services for survivors, strengthens enforcement and boosts prevention measures to protect the most vulnerable people in society from these crimes. From using the federal tax code to go after those who make money in the underground economy by selling sexual access to girls and women, to making sure money provided from the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act was flowing into the Domestic Trafficking Victims Fund, as intended, I leave no stone unturned to root out these crimes against humanity and restore hope and healing to survivors. However, during the Biden administration, this situation has sadly gotten even worse.
Iowans raised concerns with me about migrant children who have been exploited and lost during the Biden administration. That’s why I’ve led congressional oversight of the Biden administration’s failed policies and mismanagement of federal programs for migrant children who come into the country without an adult guardian. My oversight exposed glaring gaps and safety risks to these kids; federal records revealed how the federal government has failed
to prevent sponsors from exploiting unaccompanied minors entrusted to their care.
My office worked closely with whistleblowers to identify as many missing children as possible, in hopes they can be found and saved. I’ve kept up the drumbeat, convening an oversight roundtable in Washington last summer to expose wrongdoing and urge federal agencies to do their jobs and protect these children from trafficking and abuse. According to reports, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services couldn’t reach more than a third of the unaccompanied children it had placed in the custody and protection of sponsors since the start of the Biden administration. What’s worse, whistleblower disclosures showed evidence of children placed in the hands of likely traffickers, despite clear red flags. Despite my repeated warnings to federal authorities, the Biden administration failed to take action to prevent these children from falling into the wrong hands. In January, I resumed my chairmanship of the Senate Judiciary Committee, where I’ll continue pushing to fix the failed Biden administration policies that put tens of thousands of migrant children in harm’s way. In fact, one of the first bills I joined in introducing this Congress was the PRINTS Act to empower law enforcement to identify victims of child trafficking.
Q: How can people report concerns or seek help?
A: Raising public awareness about these unspeakable crimes is step one. Human trafficking is one of the fastest growing crimes in the world, robbing more than 27 million people of their freedom, with criminal networks profiting tens of billions of dollars annually. Educating people in the community to look out for potential human trafficking crimes will help save lives and root out bad actors taking advantage of vulnerable kids,
The Driscoll Dispatch
It’s official: the gavel has fallen, and the 2025 session of the 91st General Assembly is in full swing! I am so excited to be back in the Iowa Senate to represent the constituents of District 46 for my second full term. I was fortunate to have my family join me at the Capitol on Monday (Jan. 13) for my swearing in to the Iowa Senate. Having their support was a great way to start what will be a productive and successful legislative session.
This session, I am serving on the Commerce, Local Government, State Government, Ways and Means, and Workforce committees. I am also especially honored to again be serving as the chair of the Agriculture Committee. As a sixth-generation farmer, this is a position that holds a special place in my heart. I know that agriculture is not just a profession, but a way of life. I shared this perspective
with my fellow senators in our first Agriculture Committee meeting on Tuesday, and I look forward to using this position to continue to advocate for farmers across Iowa.
During our first week at the Capitol, my fellow legislators and I listened to our leaders discuss their top priorities for this session.
On Monday, Senate President Amy Sinclair spoke about the importance of common sense. She noted that over the past few years, our legislature has provided “common sense” solutions to help our state grow and develop, and common sense will remain a priority on the legislative agenda for 2025.
Governor Kim Reynolds echoed this message in her eighth Condition of the State address on Tuesday, and she highlighted health care and cancer research, preschool and child care expansions, and disaster assistance packages for communities affected by natural disasters as primary areas of policy focus. I
teenagers and migrants exploited for human trafficking. People working on the front lines of the hospitality, transportation and travel industries are in a unique position to be eyes and ears on the ground to help law enforcement and government officials respond more effectively.
The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) advises people working in the transportation sector, as well as the traveling public, to recognize and report potential trafficking crimes. The DOT launched its #PutTheBrakesOnH umanTrafficking initiative to train transit employees and educate the public about suspicious behaviors that may indicate human trafficking. Clues to look for include: a potential victim’s responses appear scripted or rehearsed; signs of physical abuse; a potential victim is closely monitored and appears submissive or fearful. The public is encouraged to immediately alert law enforcement about a trafficking situation. If an individual has escaped a trafficking situation, organizations are available to help with shelter, medical care, legal assistance and other services. The national human trafficking hotline operates 24/7 at (888) 373-7888 or text HELP to BeFree (233733). The Iowa Victim Service Call Center is (800) 7701650, or text IOWAHELP to 20121. To report suspicious criminal activity, contact the 24-hour tip line, operated by trained specialists at the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations, at (866) DHS-2-ICE/(866) 3472423. Iowans may also use an anonymous reporting tool online found at StopHTIowa.org, operated by the Iowa Office to Combat Human Trafficking at the Iowa Department of Public Safety.
January is National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention and Awareness Month.
look forward to working with my colleagues on various policy issues this session to keep common sense at the forefront of our legislative solutions.
On Wednesday, my daughter, Erin, and her friend, Peyton Pentico, visited the Capitol. We spent some time touring the Lieutenant Governor’s office and visiting with recently appointed Lieutenant Governor Chris Cournoyer. Spending time with the girls, as well as Lieutenant Governor Cournoyer, was a highlight of my week! To wrap up, I wanted to include a reminder that Representative Judd Lawler, Representative Heather Hora, and I will be starting our traditional “Day in the District” events this week! Our first Day in the District will be a forum with the Washington Chamber of Commerce. As always, I am incredibly honored to represent the constituents of District 46. If you have any questions or concerns regarding the 2025 legislative agenda, especially as subcommittee scheduling and legislation discussions pick up, please do not hesitate to reach out to me.
Senator Dawn Driscoll
GreenState Credit Union partners with Greenlight to help parents raise financially smart kids and teens
Jim Kelly Chief Growth Officer, GreenState Credit Union
NORTH LIBERTY — GreenState Credit Union has announced a partnership with Greenlight® Financial Technology, Inc. (“Greenlight”) to better serve families and help the next generation build healthy financial futures. Starting today, GreenState members will have free access to Greenlight’s award-winning family finance app.
“GreenState is excited to offer access to the Greenlight app to our members free of charge. Greenlight’s product offers unparalleled technology and engaging financial literacy tools for kids of all ages. Kids and teens enrolled in the program get hands-on experience managing finances through the app and by using their debit cards, and parents get an easy tool for sending allowances, all with plenty of parental controls in place,” said Jim Kelly, Chief Growth Officer.
91% of kids and teens believe they need financial knowledge and skills to achieve their life goals, and 94% of parents agree.* Still, only 35 states require a personal finance course for students, and teens score an average of 64% on the National Financial Literacy Test, showing a clear gap in financial education that is accessible and effective. Parents also rank personal finance as the #1 most difficult life skill to teach their children, with 81% saying they wish they had more financial education tools and resources.**
Greenlight offers a debit card and app that teaches
kids and teens how to earn, save, give, and spend wisely – all with parental supervision. Using the Greenlight app, parents can send money instantly, automate allowance payments, manage chores, set flexible spending controls, get real-time notifications of all transactions, and more. Kids get hands-on money-management experience, along with access to Greenlight Level Up™, an in-app financial literacy game with a best-in-class curriculum, educational challenges, and rewards.
“Our Greenlight for Credit Unions program helps credit unions better serve families and engage the next generation with financial tools and education designed just for them,” said Matt Wolf, SVP of Business Development at Greenlight. “Partnering with leading credit unions like GreenState allows us to reach even more families and improve financial literacy together.”
GreenState members can receive a free Greenlight Select subscription by registering through greenstate. org/greenlight and adding their GreenState account as a funding source.
*Survey insights were collected by Greenlight through a Researchscape survey fielded between March 22 and March 24, 2024, among 2,310 respondents in the U.S., split between kids and teens ages 10-19 and parents of 10–19-year-olds.
**Survey insights were collected by Greenlight through a Researchscape survey fielded between February 9-12, 2023, among 1,034 U.S. respondents, all of whom were working parents of 8-18-year-olds.
Treasurer Smith reports state and local outstanding debt obligations increased 4.49% in Fiscal Year 2024
Although an increase, amount was lower than the previous seven-year average
Office of the State Treasurer of Iowa
DES MOINES — State Treasurer Roby Smith has released the Iowa Outstanding State and Local Government Report for Fiscal Year 2024 (FY24). Across all levels of Iowa government, outstanding debt obligations totaled $21.9 billion as of June 30, 2024. Overall, this represents a 4.49% increase over the previous fiscal year. This is lower than the previous seven-year average of 4.51%.
“State and local governments rely on community bonds, capital leases, loans and more to make meaningful investments into their communities,” said Smith. “Today’s announcement shows taxpayers the full picture of longterm obligations across multiple levels of government in a transparent manner for the public to evaluate.”
Each year, political subdivisions, state agencies and instrumentalities are required under Iowa Code to
Grassley joins Senate Inspector General Caucus
WASHINGTON – Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today joined Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) in launching the bipartisan Inspector General (IG) Caucus. The IG Caucus will support federal watchdogs in their efforts to ensure government accountability and compliance with the law.
“Inspectors General play an essential role in protecting taxpayer dollars and rooting out waste, fraud and abuse in the executive branch,” Grassley said. “I rely heavily on these independent watchdogs when carrying out my constitutional responsibility of oversight, and I’m glad to join Senator Ernst’s effort to support their invaluable work.”
“Inspectors General serve a vital role in uncovering waste in Washington and must be empowered to continue looking out for taxpayers,” Ernst said. “From identifying billiondollar boondoggles to exposing a federal workforce that is
report any outstanding long-term obligations to the State Treasurer, which include bonds, notes, capital leases, anticipatory warrants and loans.
Some important stats to note from the FY23 to FY24 comparison:
• Cities possess the largest portion of debt with a combined $8.2 billion and the 10 largest cities make up 35.14% of debt in this category. Davenport, Sioux City, Iowa City and West Des Moines (four of the ten largest cities) decreased their long-term obligations in FY24.
• Counties had the highest year-over-year percentage increase from FY23 to FY24, with an overall increase of 10.88%.
• State Agencies had the largest margin of decreased longterm obligations by more than $42.7 million or a reduction of 10.2%.
Visit the FY24 State and Local Outstanding Obligations page (www.iowatreasurer.gov/for-governments/ outstanding-obligations-report) to learn more. In addition, individuals can view a graph from the last three fiscal years or view full data for the previous ten years.
permanently out of office, their work has been invaluable in my decade-long mission to uncover waste and make Washington squeal. I look forward to this caucus continuing to allow IGs to do tremendous work and find more ways to downsize government and eliminate inefficiencies.”
Background:
Congress in 1978 established Offices of Inspectors General at various federal agencies to serve as “independent and objective units” within the federal government. IGs are responsible for: conducting audits and investigations; promoting efficiency; deterring fraud and abuse; and fully informing agency heads and Congress about interagency problems.
Last Congress, Grassley introduced bipartisan legislation to safeguard Offices of Inspectors General from partisan political activity and demanded they continue fortifying protections for whistleblowers. Grassley also played a key role in the 2016 passage of the Inspector General Empowerment Act, which included his language to ensure IGs receive timely access to all records necessary for conducting oversight.
About GreenState Credit Union
Organized in 1938 and headquartered in North Liberty, Iowa, GreenState Credit Union has grown to become Iowa’s largest financial institution and one of the top financial institutions in the United States for returning profits to members in the form of better rates and lower fees. GreenState currently serves over 450,000 members with office locations in Iowa and Illinois. Membership is open to anyone living or working in Iowa as well as select counties in Illinois, Wisconsin, Nebraska, and South Dakota. For more information, visit www.greenstate.org.
SPORTS
BOYS' BASKETBALL
Spartans knock off Wolves 54-51
Solon improved to 6-4 with 14 pts from Maddox Kelley
Solon Economist
SOLON — The Spartans entertained WaMaC East foe Marion Tuesday, Jan. 14 and notched their third consecutive win in 2025 as they outlasted the Wolves 54-51. Isaiah Zoske, Maddox Kelley, and Grant Gordon built an 11-7 lead with a three-pointer by Zoske, a senior. The Wolves beat the buzzer with a three-pointer but trailed Solon 11-10 at the end of the first period. The Spartans went up 19-16 in the second frame as Caleb put up a bucket off an assist from Kelley, and Kelley made it 22-16 with a three, but the Wolves went on a run including a buzzer beater to lead 27-22 at halftime.
Zoske and Nolan Seagren opened the second half with back-to-back three’s to cut the Wolves’ lead to 30-28. Kelley sank a three to tie at 34-all while a Karsyn Regennitter three gave Solon a 37-36 lead. Gordon put up two as the Spartans ended the third period ahead 39-36. Gordon opened the final quarter with a three-bomb to make it 42-36. Bock, Seagren, and Link combined to keep the Spartans ahead 48-42 with under five minutes remaining.
Kelley tied with Marion’s Mason Wagner for a game high 14 points apiece with ten from Zoske.
Scoring –Maddox Kelley 14, Isaiah Zoske 10, Grant Gordon 9, Nolan Seagren 8, Caleb Bock 7, Karsyn Regennitter 3, Jackson Link 3
3-point baskets – Zoske 2/3, Kelley 2/4, Seagren 1/1, Regennitter 1/1, Gordon 1/2, Link 1/4
Rebounds –Bock 9, Kelley 6, Seagren 4, Gordon 3, Link 1, Beau Mullen 1
Assists – Bock 3, Tanner Heims 3, Seagren 2, Kelley 2, Link 2, Zoske 1 Steals – Kelley 4, Bock 1, Seagren 1, Gordon 1, Link 1 Blocks –Hoeper 1
Spartans improve to 7-4 on the road against
West Delaware
MANCHESTER — The Spartans traveled to West Delaware Friday, Jan. 17 and came home with a 57-41 win over the Hawks.
Solon led 14-13 after the first period with three-pointers from Caleb Bock and Isaiah Zoske. Grant Gordon drained a three in the second while Zoske sank his second of the contest to beat the halftime buzzer as the Spartans battled the Hawks tooth and nail for a 25-23 lead at the break.
The Spartans kept their lead in the third as Gordon, Kelley, Bock, Kaden Hoeper, and Jackson Link poured in points with a three from Kelley and a buzzer beating three from Link leading to a 42-32 advantage going into the final
GIRLS' BASKETBALL
WaMaC East Standings (1-18-25)
Beau Mullen looks for a friendly face to pass too Tuesday, Jan. 14 in Solon as the Spartans and Wolves tangled in a WaMaC East contest.
Right: Isaiah Zoske flies in for two of his ten points Tuesday, Jan. 14 against the Marion Wolves. The Spartans topped their WaMaC East foe 54-51 for their third consecutive win.
Individual Stats Individual Stats
Nolan Seagren drives the ball under pressure from Marion’s Caden Kinzenbaw Tuesday, Jan. 14 at home.
The Spartans topped the Wolves 54-51 with eight points from Seagren, a senior.
frame. A Zoske three made it 45-35 while a Kelley threebomb put Solon ahead 52-41. Gordon drained a three with just over three minutes left to play for a 56-41 lead.
Unofficially, Zoske led Solon with 16 points while Kelley and Gordon had 11 apiece.
Lady Spartans upset Wolves 51-50
Solon improved to 7-5, entered IGHSAU weekly rankings
Solon Economist
SOLON — The Lady Spartans put up their third consecutive win last Tuesday as they upset WaMaC East Class foe
Marion 51-50 at home. The Wolves were ranked No. 15 in Class 4A while Solon had yet to appear in the 3A rankings issued weekly by the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union.
Senior Kobi Lietz opened with a threepoint bomb for a 3-0 lead. Delainey Durr, a junior, made it 8-5 but the Lady Spartans trailed 13-12 at the end of the first period.
The teams tied at 16-all and 18-all before the Wolves pulled ahead 22-20
Upcoming Schedule
Friday, Jan. 24 – HOME vs. Mount Vernon, 7:15 p.m.
Tuesday, Jan. 28 – HOME vs. CPU, 7:15 p.m. Friday, Jan. 31 – At Marion, 7:15 p.m.
Saturday, Feb. 1 – At Regina Catholic, Iowa City, 1:30 p.m.
Tuesday, Feb. 4 – HOME vs. West Delaware, 7:15 p.m.
Friday, Feb. 7 – HOME vs. Independence, 7:15 p.m.
Tuesday, Feb. 11 – At Vinton-Shellsburg, 7:15 p.m.
Thursday, Feb. 13 – At West Branch, 7:30 p.m.
Thursday, Feb. 20 – HOME vs. Washington, 7:00 p.m.
Postseason
Monday, Feb. 24 – 3A Substate First Round
Thursday, Feb. 27 – 3A Substate
Monday, March 3 – 3A Substate Finals
Monday, March 10-Friday, March 14 – 2025 State Tournament, Wells Fargo Arena, Des Moines
in the second and held a -24-20 halftime advantage.
Laeni Hinkle sank a three-pointer in the third giving Solon a 29-26 lead in the third, which was built on by Lietz with a trio of free throws and a bucket by freshman Beckett Kruse for a 36-33 advantage going into the final eight minutes. The Wolves retook the lead in the final frame 38-36 and went up 43-36. Marion was up 46-37 with five minutes remaining before Durr made a steal and scampered downcourt to score, cutting the gap to 46-39. Laney Johnson, a sophomore, drained a three pointer making it 46-43 with less than two minutes remaining. Durr tied the game at 48-all with just over one minute left and sophomore Jerzey Haluska made it 50-48 . The Wolves tied at 50 with 28.4 seconds remaining. Haluska was fouled with 1.1 seconds left, nailed her free throw and put in the
Solon with 15 points backed up by Durr with 11. Marion’s Madeline Pavelka led all with 20.
Photos by Chris Umscheid | Solon Economist
West Delaware edges past Solon 57-54
MANCHESTER — The Lady Spartans traveled to West Delaware Friday, Jan. 17 and had their winning streak snapped in a fierce slobberknocker of a WaMaC East battle that came down to the final seconds as the Hawks prevailed 57-54 against the No. 14-ranked Lady Spartans. The Hawks flew to a 19-10 lead at the end of the first period despite a pair of
three-pointers by Laeni Hinkle and Delainey Durr. Hinkle drained a threepointer with just under five minutes left in the half followed by Durr’s second as Solon trailed 21-16. A Lainey Johnson three tied the game at 21 while Kobi Lietz gave Solon a 23-21 advantage. The game knotted again at 23-all before the Hawks slipped ahead 27-25. Lietz beat the buzzer for a 27-27 halftime stalemate. The game was tied four times in the third quarter at 33-all, 35-all, 39-all, and
42-all with Hinkle Beckett Kruse, and Johnson sinking three’s including a back to back pair from Johnson as Solon trailed 46-45 going into the final eight minutes. Lietz sank a three with just under five minutes as Solon trailed 50-48 while a three-pointer from Quinn Armentrout made it 52-51. The Lady Spartans trailed 56-54 with less than a minute left, got the ball, put up multiple shots and grabbed multiple rebounds before a Solon foul led to a Hawks free throw. A Solon three-
WaMaC East Standings (1-18-25)
Upcoming Schedule
Friday, Jan. 24 – HOME vs. Mount Vernon, 6:00 p.m.
Tuesday, Jan. 28 – HOME vs. CPU, 6:00 p.m.
Friday, Jan. 31 – At Marion, 6:00 p.m.
Saturday, Feb. 1 – At Regina Catholic, Iowa City, 12:00 p.m.
Tuesday, Feb. 4 – HOME vs. West Delaware, 6:00 p.m.
Friday, Feb. 7 – HOME vs. Independence, 6:00 p.m.
Tuesday, Feb. 11 – At Vinton-Shellsburg, 6:00 p.m.
Postseason
Saturday, Feb. 15 – 3A Regional Quarterfinals
Tuesday, Feb. 19 – 3A Regional Semifinals
Saturday, Feb. 22 – 3A Reginal Championships
Monday, March 3-Saturday, March 8 – 2025 State Tournament, Wells Fargo Arena, Des Moines
Photos by Chris Umscheid | Solon Economist
point shot at the buzzer missed it’s mark as West Delaware picked up their second win of the season over a ranked team and improved to 9-4. The Hawks’ Brooke Krogmann, a senior, led all with 29 points (unofficially).
Unofficially for Solon, Lietz led with 16 points with nine apiece by Hinkle and Johnson (all from three-point range). Durr produced eight with seven from Kruse, three from Armentrout, and two from Jerzey Haluska.
Left: Marion sophomore Harlow Griffin foils a shot by Jerzey Haluska Tuesday, Jan.
No. 15-ranked Wolves (in 4A) 51-50 with six points from Haluska, a
Above: Kobi Lietz attempts a shot under pressure from a pair
upset the No. 15-ranked (in 4A) Wolves 51-50 with a team high 15 points from Lietz, a
Spartans fourth in home Ed Hadenfeldt tourney
Lucas Feuerbach and Grant Wilson crowned champions
Solon Economist
SOLON — The annual Ed Hadenfeldt varsity boys wrestling tournament, a Solon Wrestling tradition, was held Saturday (Jan. 18) with 14 teams participating and WaMaC West rival Clear Creek Amana (CCA) taking the championship with 240.5 team points. Lisbon was the runner-up squad (215.0) with North Scott (204.0) third and the host Spartans fourth (195.0).
Lucas Feuerbach and Grant Wilson were crowned champions at 215 and 285 pounds.
Feuerbach improved to 29-3 on the season going 4-0 on the day with a first round win by fall over Vinton-Shellsburg’s Aiden Trachta in 26 seconds. In the quarterfinals, Feuerbach pinned CPU’s Jagger Clemmons in 58 seconds before pinning Dike-New Hartford’s Lew Textor in 50 seconds in the semifinals. Feuerbach won the 1st place match over North Scott’s Jace Tippet by technical fall, 15-0, in 2:12.
Wilson, who improved to 27-5, went 3-0 after a first round bye. Wilson pinned Pella’s Jackson Menke in 1:42 in the quarterfinals and took a 10-0 major decision from CCA’s Carson Bromwell in the semis. Wilson clinched the title with an 8-0 major decision over Dike-New Hartford’s Tate Debuhr.
2nd Place – Jordan Schmidt (144 pounds, 15-7 record)
3rd Place – Charlie Karam (138 pounds, 22-12 record)
4th Place – Anderson Osgood (106 pounds, 21-9 record), Jayden Steapp (120 pounds, 18-11 record), and Jackson Feuerbach (175 pounds, 24-9 record)
5th Place – Kyler Jenson (190 pounds, 23-15 record)
6th Place – Carson Kidwell (157 pounds, 28-7 record) and Teague Williams (165 pounds, 13-5 record)
8th Place – Quinten Henning (113 pounds, 7-20 record), Evan Burg (150 pounds, 11-12 record), and Dylan Branscomb (215 pounds, 1-3 record)
Did not place – Justin Moore (126 pounds, 16-17 record) and Michael Bigelow (132 pounds, 8-18 record)
The
14 at home.
Lady Spartans upset the
sophomore.
of Marion Wolves Tuesday, Jan. 14 at home. The Lady Spartans
senior.
Chris Umscheid | Solon Economist
Charlie Karam lifts Liberty High’s Christos Panos in a 138-pound first round match Saturday, Jan. 18 during Solon’s annual Ed Hadenfeldt Wrestling Invitational. Karam won by technical fall (15-0, 1:31) and placed third in the tournament.
2025 Ed Hadenfeldt Wrestling Invitational team scores
1, Clear Creek Amana, 240.5. 2, Lisbon, 215.0. 3, North Scott, 204.0. 4, Solon, 195.0. 5, West Liberty, 167.0. 6, West Branch, 120.5. 7, Iowa Valley, 115.0. 8, Pella, 93.0. 9, Liberty High School, 88.0. 10, Dike-New Hartford, 73.5. 11, Vinton-Shellsburg, 61.0. 12, Center Point-Urbana, 42.0. 13, North Scott JV, 38.0. 14, North Cedar, 13.0.
Upcoming Schedule
Thursday, Jan. 23 – Home dual meet vs. Mount Vernon, 6:00 p.m.
Friday, Jan. 24 – Herb Irgens Invitational at Ida Grove High School, 4:30 p.m.
Saturday, Jan. 25 – Herb Irgens Invitational at Ida Grove High School, 9:30 a.m.
Monday, Jan. 27 – WaMaC JV Boys Tournament
Thursday, Jan. 30 – Home vs. Beckman, Midland, and Maquoketa, 5:30 p.m.
Saturday, Feb. 1 – WaMaC Conference Boys Tournament at Benton Community, 10:00 a.m.
Chris Umscheid | Solon Economist
Anderson Osgood battles West Branch’s Elliot Montgomery in a 106-pound first round match Saturday, Jan. 18 during Solon’s annual Ed Hadenfeldt Wrestling Invitational. Osgood won by technical fall (18-1, 2:38) and placed fourth in the tournament.
Lady Spartans sweep Benton’s double dual
VAN HORNE — The Lady Spartans added two more dual meet wins to their season tally Thursday, Jan. 16 as they swept Benton Community and West Delaware in a double dual at Benton. This week Solon will host rival Mount Vernon in a girl/boy dual Thursday before starting postseason competition, including a Class 1A Regional (state qualifying) meet Friday, Jan. 31 at Solon.
Solon 48 West Delaware 30
Kara VeDepo (105 pounds) took a 9-0 major decision from Addison Schulte, Tess Richards (115) won a 16-7 major decision over Addesyn Welcher, Jadlyn Huynh (120) pinned Alivia White (4:00),
Trojan-Bolts dominate Little Hawks in annual crosstown rivalry
Alannah Mahoney (125) pinned Lexi Bunting (1:45), Lucianna Miller (140) took a 9-1 major decision from Hannah Crane, Olivia Bonnema (145) pinned Lily Heim in 35 seconds, and Haiden Wolfe (235) pinned Kendyll Rave (1:41).
Solon 45 Benton Community 36
VeDepo (105) pinned Maria Davis in one minute, McKenna Rogers (110) pinned Courtney Hlas in 50 seconds, Huynh (120) pinned Alexis Northcutt (1:03), Makayla Keller (125) pinned Madelyn Kenny (1:55), Mahoney (130) outlasted Willow Sexton with a win by fall in 5:49, Miller pinned Jordan Koehler (1:32), and Bonnema outlasted Jordan Voelkel with a win by fall in 4:19.
Peyton Gordon won an extra match, pinning
IOWA CITY — The City High Little Hawks’ varsity boys swim team fell to crosstown rival West High/ Liberty High’s Trojan-Bolts Tuesday, Jan. 14 at the Mercer Park Aquatic Center. Solon freshmen Elliott Hamm and William Thomsen are swimming for City High this season.
Hamm was seventh in the 50-yard freestyle (27.49) and sixth in the 100-yard backstroke (1:19.46) while Thomsen was seventh in the backstroke (1:24.29) and finished 14th in the 100-yard freestyle (1:14.92).
The Trojan-Bolts improved to 22-4 on the season while the Little Hawks dropped to 3-9.
Little Hawks fifth in Burlington’s Grayhound Invitational
City High competed Saturday, Jan. 18 in Burlington’s Grayhound Invitational taking Hamm was 13th in the 200-yard freestyle (2:16.46)
City High tops CR Kennedy 2,9232,837 in boys varsity bowling
IOWA CITY — Iowa City High downed Cedar Rapids Kennedy in boys varsity bowling Friday, Jan. 17 at Colonial Lanes in Iowa City 2,923-2,837 with 444 pins
from Solon senior Carson Reid and 337 from junior Trendon Walker.
It was the first dual meet win of the season for the Little Hawks, who improved to 1-5 on the season while the Cougars dipped to 2-6.
Upcoming Schedule
Friday, Jan. 24 – At Prairie, Cedar Rapids (Cedar Creek Lanes), 3:00 p.m.
Monday, Jan. 27 – HOME vs. Western Dubuque (postponed from Dec. 13), 3:15 p.m.
Friday, Feb. 7 – HOME vs. Xavier Catholic, 3:15 p.m.
Friday, Feb. 14 – At Waterloo West (Cadillac XBC, Waterloo), 3:15 p.m.
Kaitlynn Guldner in 2:52 and Ella Sheeley won an extra match over Marissa Nolte in 1:22.
Upcoming Schedule
Thursday, Jan. 23 – Home dual meet vs. Mount Vernon, 6:00 p.m.
Friday, Jan. 24 – WaMaC Conference Meet at Mount Vernon HS, 4:00 p.m.
Friday, Jan. 31 – State Qualifying meet at Solon HS, 4:00 p.m.
Thursday, Feb. 6 – State Tournament at Xtream Arena in Coralville Friday, Feb. 7 – State Tournament at Xtream Arena in Coralville
and 15th in the 100-yard butterfly (1:16.07) while Thomsen was 12th in the 100-yard backstroke (1:22.61).
Upcoming Schedule
Saturday, Jan. 25 – MVC Boys Swimming Meet at CR Jefferson, 12:00 p.m.
Saturday, Feb. 8 – IHSAA District (state qualifying) Meet at Dubuque Community School District Aquatic Center, 12:00 p.m.
Note: The fastest 32 individual swimmers and 24 relay teams from the six district sites will advance to the State Meet. Friday, Feb. 14 – 2025 State Meet, University of Iowa’s Campus Recreation & Wellness Center.
Saturday, Feb. 15 – 2025 State Meet, University of Iowa’s Campus Recreation & Wellness Center.
Solon Economist
Solon Economist
CITY HIGH BOYS' BOWLING
GIRLS' WRESTLING
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.
JANUARY HAPPENINGS •••••••
Wednesday, Jan. 29 – 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
CALENDAR & PUZZLES
JANUARY MENU • • •••••••••
Wednesday, Jan. 22
Chicken Parm Alfredo
Chalet Buttered Vegetables
Garlic Toast
Frosted Peanut Butter Bars
Friday, Jan. 24
Honey Biscuit Flounder
Cheesy Broccoli Rice Casserole
Beets in Orange Sauce
Butterscotch Apple Cake
Monday, Jan. 27
BBQ Turkey Platter
Cheesy Corn
Creamy Coleslaw
Cornbread
Pudding Tart
Wednesday, Jan. 29 – City Representative
Glazed Ham Balls
Cheesy Party Potatoes
Carrots
Heath Cheesecake
Thank you Solon Senior Dining volunteers!
“Volunteers do not necessarily have the time, they just have the heart.”
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
SCHOOL LUNCH
For information on the free and reduced program, and an application, go to www.solon.
k12.ia.us/page/nutritionprogram and scroll down to Nutrition Documents & Links.
G&G Bag (LV) Donut Potatoes & Egg Boat or Long John Fruit, Juice Crackers & Milk
Monday, Jan. 27
Waffles & Bacon (LV/SIS)
G&G Bag (LV) Strawberry Boli Breakfast Taco & Cini Mini Fruit, Juice Crackers & Milk
Tuesday, Jan. 28
Pumpkin/Banana Bread (LV/ SIS)
G&G Bag (LV) Pump/Banana Bread
Egg Breakfast Bake, Dutch
Friday, Jan. 24
MS/HS Alt: Cook’s Delight
Chicken Alfredo & Noodles
Mixed Vegetables, Radishes
Garlic Toast
Banana
Monday, Jan. 27
MS/HS Alt: Chicken Fillet
Sandwich
Corn Dog
Green Beans
Crunchy Carrots
Crisp Apple Slices, Cheetos, Pears (HS)
Tuesday, Jan. 28
MS/HS Alt: Chicken Tenders
French Toast Sticks, Syrup, Egg & Cheese Omelet
Hash Browns
Cucumbers
Strawberries & Bananas
Across
1 Some mustangs
6 Comedian Ken of “The Masked Singer”
11 Laser-focused mindset
12 They might be standing
14 Vegas nickname
— Elizabeth Andrew
Waffle & Bacon
Fruit, Juice Crackers & Milk
Wednesday, Jan. 29
Fruity Oatmeal (LV/SIS)
G&G Bag (LV) Poptart
Breakfast Sandwich, Frudel
Fruit, Juice Crackers & Milk
Thursday, Jan. 30
Egg Scramble w/Hash Brown (LV/SIS)
G&G Bag (LV) Muffin
CC French Toast w/Sausage Links or Egg Scramble w/Hash Brown Fruit, Juice Crackers & Milk
Friday, Jan. 31
Muffin Top (LV/SIS)
G&G Bag (LV) Oatmeal Bar
Breakfast Pizza or Cinnamon Doughnuts Fruit, Juice Crackers & Milk
15 Unfair judgments
17 Stopping point for a cruise or Crusoe
18 Commoner
20 “Say no more”
21 Nowhere to be found, informally
22 Parenthetical on four #1 albums since 2021
25 Cellular data?
26 Disparate
28 Its home is on the range
30 Nasty look
31 Speed limit, of a sort
32 “That makes sense now”
34 Illicit info
35 Sticky treats, in more ways than one?
39 Fictional queen of Arendelle
43 Greek consonant
44 “That makes sense now”
45 With 45-Down, displays during an online presentation ... or a hint to three pairs of answers in this puzzle
47 Alternatives to ands or buts
48 Spelling Bee rank between Solid and Great
49 Had over
50 Hand (out)
52 Shake deeply
54 ___-Way, brand of plows and salt spreaders
55 Attention-grabbing appearance, maybe
57 “Still good to meet up?”
59 Beam of light
60 Baby bear?
61 Chums
62 Mount Vernon or Monticello
Wednesday, Jan. 29
MS/HS Alt: Bacon
Cheeseburger
Stuffed Crust Cheese Pizza
Sweet Corn, Crisp Broccoli Ranch (MS/HS)
Orange Slices, Ranger Cookie, Peaches (MS/HS)
Thursday, Jan. 30
MS/HS Alt: Taco Bake
Nacho Supreme with Fixings
Refried Beans, Bosco Stick
Kiwi, Mixed Fruit (MS/HS)
Friday, Jan. 31
MS/HS Alt: Cook’s Delight
Pork Tenderloin Sandwich
Ranch Potato Wedges
Grape Tomatoes
Peaches, Sunflower Seeds (HS)
Down
1 Get stuck in traffic, say
2 Way back when
3 What selfish athletes spell “team” with, presumably
4 Take-home amount
5 With craft
6 Websites with employment opportunities
7 Theodore Roosevelt ushered in a “Progressive” one
8 Quirky
9 Burning man?
10 Charlie brought his to the chocolate factory
11 See 11-Across
13 Kind of cord
14 Nantz’s longtime N.F.L. commentating partner
16 Devoted fan, informally
19 Coding catchall
22 See 22-Across
23 13th-century poet who wrote the “Masnavi”
24 Kerfuffle
27 Neckwear sometimes made with kukui nuts
29 Gets involved in
31 See 31-Across
33 Hedgehog lookalikes
35 Get one’s hair just right
36 Futile batting statlines, in baseball lingo
37 Hangs out for a while
38 Barely makes, with “out”
40 “Dinner is served!”
41 Cross-reference for additional information
42 Free throw after a basket
45 See 45-Across
46 Most evasive
51 Sicilian landmark
53 Sorcerer
56 Something connected to a QR code
58 Org. for Coco Gauff
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.
ROADSIDE CHAT
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Amazon Capital Services Hook and loop storage straps 80.14
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Stay classy, Iowa - Drive sober, drive smart
Iowa Department of Transportation
“It’s just a few drinks…I’m OK to drive.”
How many times have you heard that from family members or friends? When it comes to drinking and driving, staying safe is about something deeper than confidence in your ability to drive under the influence. It’s about making responsible choices – and that starts with being sober and clear-headed behind the wheel.
Drunk driving remains a significant issue on our roads. Iowa Governor’s Traffic Safety Bureau 2022 data shows 35% of Iowa’s fatal crashes involved an impaired driver. That year, 1,100 drivers were also charged with OWI on Iowa roads – about 25% of those were second and third offenses.
“Dry January” has become a month where some take the personal challenge to reset and abstain from alcohol. It’s the perfect time to reflect
on how our choices affect those around us. Whether it’s a weekend night out, or a casual dinner or watch party at someone’s home, always plan ahead for a sober ride home if you’ll be drinking.
There are many smart and classy solutions for getting home safely without putting others at risk. Use rideshare apps, designate a sober driver, or stay the night.
Driving sober is also about more than avoiding tickets or crashes. It’s
S on community .
about caring for your passengers, other drivers, and pedestrians. For you “Anchorman” fans, let’s all take Ron Burgundy’s sign-off to heart and “Stay Classy, Iowa.”
In 2025 in Iowa, seven people have been killed in traffic crashes. That’s an
increase of seven since Friday, Jan. 10. In Iowa in 2024, there were 352 traffic-related deaths. To see statistics published daily by the Office of Driver Services, go to the daily fatality report at https:// www.iowadot.gov/mvd/ stats/daily.pdf.
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Democrats faced losses in 2024. Where do they go from here?
Iowa Democrats take a long look in the mirror as they evaluate a path forward.
Liam Halawith The Daily Iowan
The week before the 2024 election, Iowa Democrats were cautiously optimistic. Polling showed the party could stem their previous losses in the state and maybe even gain on Republican control.
Democrats clung to a distant hope: Could they make Iowa purple again?
The last pre-election poll from the renowned Des Moines Register/Mediacom poll was released the weekend before the election — it showed Vice President Kamala Harris leading President-elect Donald Trump by three percentage points. The poll also showed Democrats favored in two of Iowa’s four congressional districts.
The poll was an odd duck; it pointed to a possible blowout for Harris, while polls nationwide showed the race was in a dead heat. A poll released by Emerson College the same day pointed to a commanding lead for Trump in the state.
Despite the poll’s outlier status, Democratic leaders said it proved Iowa could be competitive again.
While Democratic leaders remained skeptical of the poll, they trumpeted their excitement, saying it signaled Iowa Democrats had a chance to make gains in the state.
It turned out to be false hope.
The polls, it would turn out, were flawed.
The Iowa Poll conducted by J. Ann Selzer, an infamous pollster with unrivaled accuracy, was off the mark. Selzer has yet to find a conclusive reason why her poll was so wrong.
Despite Selzer’s poll giving them hope, Iowa Democrats — along with fellow party members across the nation — were decimated. Trump not only won the Hawkeye state, but he did so by his widest margin yet.
The former president improved by 5 percentage points in the state and made gains — as he did across the nation — in Iowa’s Democratic strongholds, including Johnson County, where he improved on his 2020 results by 5.4 percentage points.
While Harris failed to clinch Iowa’s six electoral votes and did not gain enough electoral votes to claim the White House, Democrats in Iowa fell far from closing in on the Republican grasp on the state. They also lost ground in the Statehouse, giving Republicans their widest majority since 1970.
Ultimately, Democrats faced losses up and down the ballot. The party failed to oust any of Iowa’s four incumbent Republican federal representatives. They lost ground in the legislature, losing one net seat in the Senate and three in the House. It soon became clear: Election night was devastating for Iowa Democrats.
Two days after the election, Iowa Democratic Party Chair Rita Hart described the results as “an absolute gut punch.”
So, where do Iowa Democrats go from here?
Honing in on economics
The economy was a top concern for voters coming into the 2024 election, with 81 percent of respondents telling the Pew Research Center it was one of their top issues.
Republicans were favored on the issue after sky-high inflation under President Joe Biden ravaged Americans’ pocketbooks with rising prices. It doomed Democrats from the start, making the
election an uphill battle neither Harris nor Iowa Democrats were able to scale.
University of Northern Iowa Political Science Professor Donna Hoffman said it was nearly impossible for Democrats to disconnect themselves from the inflation under Biden, even though other parts of the economy were doing well.
“I don’t think there was anything that Democrats were going to say, being the party in power at the presidency, to forestall the perceptions that voters have,” Hoffman said.
The problem wasn’t that Democrats didn’t have a plan for the economy; by Hoffman’s account, they did. Rather, Democrats failed to reach the heart of Americans’ discontent with the economy: high prices.
State Sen. Zach Wahls, D-Coralville, and former Senate Democrat leader said Iowa Democrats need a stronger economic message that gets at the concerns of working-class Iowans, but the party “frankly, didn’t have one.”
“A lot of the issues that [Iowa Democrats] talked about and focused on have an economic component,” Wahls said. “But that’s not the same thing as having a message on the economy.”
Drake Political Science Professor Adrien Halliez said Democrats’ plans for the economy were too niche to resonate and didn’t focus enough on working-class voters within the Democrats’ coalition. He said focusing on the middle class in their messaging and policy platforms alienated the working-class voters that the president-elect won by wide margins.
Essentially, Iowa Democrats failed to effectively respond to voters’ concerns about the economy. Voters didn’t connect with their message. Instead, the state swung toward Trump and Republicans in large margins.
Newly elected Iowa Senate Democrats Leader Janice Weiner, D-Iowa City, said to overcome this discontent, Iowa Democrats need a targeted, focused economic message so they can continue to outperform the national party and have a chance at clawing back Republican control.
“There are clearly a lot of folks that are struggling,” Weiner said. “As a whole, the state has been moving more and more red, and we still face the question: What do we do about it? And can we do something about it?”
Though this election cycle’s national headwinds on economic discontent spelled Iowa Democrats’ doom, the party will need to focus on rebuilding an economic messaging to contend with Republicans, Halliez said.
Iowa House Democrats leader Jennifer Konfrst, D-Windsor Heights, said the national Democrats’ failure to push a strong message on the economy trickled down the ballot, spelling defeat for Iowa Democrats this cycle — despite Iowa Democrats’ efforts to message on the issue.
Iowa Democrats made increasing opportunity for all Iowans one of their key messages in the 2024 election cycle. One of Iowa House Democrats’ main tenets was lowering prices for Iowans. But the message didn’t land.
“A lot of it has to do with the fact that just nationally, people this time saw Republicans as better on the economy than Democrats and didn’t believe us when we said we could do things for the middle class,” Konfrst said. “It certainly wasn’t a lack of communication about the issue. It was clearly just that the message didn’t resonate, and voters didn’t buy it.”
Are all politics national now?
Party leaders say Iowa Democrats must wrestle with a new reality: Could all politics be national? The old moniker that “all politics are local” could be a relic of the past. Iowa Democrats will have to wrestle with these realities as they look into voter data and flesh out plans to hold focus
groups and polls in the spring. Iowa followed a national environment that favored Republicans this election, despite Iowa Democrats’ efforts to capitalize on Iowa Republicans’ unpopular policies like restrictions on abortion access, reforms to Area Education Agencies, and their private school education savings accounts.
However, Iowa Democrats outperformed at the top of the ticket throughout the state, giving them close wins in districts won by Trump and coming close in others. But many candidates didn’t make it across the finish line.
Iowa political scientists say Iowa Democrats will have to discern how much of the election results were because of national headwinds and how much was Iowa voters not buying what Iowa Democrats were selling.
Hoffman, a political science professor at UNI, said much of Iowa Democrats’ shortcomings can be attributed to a new national political environment.
“One of the things we also see in American elections in recent cycles is the notion of nationalization,” Hoffman said. “And I think this is very much an effect that we saw in Iowa, where in a presidential election year, you have a person at the top of the ticket, and people are being very consistent in their voting behavior down the ticket.”
Drake Professor Halliez said Iowa Democrats’ issues are almost indiscernible from the national political environment.
In Hart’s letter to the state central committee, she acknowledged much of what Iowa Democrats felt in November were national pressures.
“Some of what happened on Tuesday was out of our control,” Hart wrote. “This was a national trend. We will be part of the conversation to help determine how Democrats can win again in this country.”
Konfrst said Democrats will be looking hard at the data and talking with voters to see why their message didn’t connect and if it was because national trends were too strong.
“We got to figure out how much of that was because Donald Trump is at the top of the ticket, how much of it was Biden fatigue, and how much of it is specific to our candidates,” Konfrst said.
Learning from the winners
Iowa Democrats outperformed Harris, as party leaders expected they would, but in many areas, it was not enough to overcome the 13-point deficit from the top of the ticket.
However, party leaders said they will be taking a hard look at those who won, or lost by small margins, in districts won by Trump.
A handful of examples from across the state might give Iowa Democrats the answer they are looking for.
One such district is state Sen. Sarah Trone Garriott, D-Waukee, who won by 29 votes in a county Trump won by nearly 3,000 votes.
Another example is Senator-elect Matt Blake, who unseated incumbent State Sen. Brad Zaun, R-Urbandale, negating Iowa Senate Democrats’ losses to only one seat after Sens. Nate Boulton, D-Des Moines, and Eric Giddens, D-Cedar Falls, lost their seats. Boulton and Giddens lost by 44 and 386 votes, respectively, to their Republican challengers.
“No Off Years”
Wahls said Democratic Party leaders should take a hard look at Johnson County Democrats’ organizing apparatus as an example of success in this election.
Johnson County had the widest margin of votes for Harris in the state with almost 70 percent of the county’s votes going to the vice president, giving her a nearly 40 percentage point lead over Trump in the county.
The county also had the widest margins for the Democratic candidate for Congress Christina Bohannan, who challenged incumbent Republican U.S. Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks and only lost by roughly 800 votes. The county gave over 70 percent of its vote to Bohannan, giving her a large boost to narrowly fail to oust Miller-Meeks.
Johnson County Democrats first chair and chair of the county party’s “get-outthe-vote” committee Dan Feltes said the county’s “No Off Years” campaign helped mitigate some of the Democrats’ losses at the presidential and congressional levels. Bohannan boasted the second-largest margin for a federal candidate in the county’s history, only surpassed by President Joe Biden’s margin in 2020.
The “No Off Years” campaign focuses on meeting voters where they are, even if it’s not an election year. This involves local canvassing efforts where canvassers go door-to-door and listen to Iowans’ concerns, and the county party holds roundtables and listening posts to hear from voters.
Feltes said this shows voters they care, even if it is not an election year, about their voices.
“People are pretty tired of politics, but people, when you engage them not during an election season, but in the so-called off year, they respect and appreciate it because they know that it’s about listening to them and engaging with them and lifting up their voice,” Feltes said.
Throughout the county party’s “get-outthe-vote” campaign, they knocked on over 58,000 doors, according to internal data shared with The Daily Iowan.
Feltes said going door-to-door is important, especially when people feel like the government isn’t working for them. Feltes said listening to voters is key for the path forward for Democrats.
\Iowa Democrats still have to wrestle with a new reality; how will they compete in an increasingly red state?
Competing in a red state?
With Trump’s rise to the political scene, Iowa has turned ruby red. Once a place where Democrats could compete and where Barack Obama won the state twice, Iowa now has a bleak outlook for Democrats.
Halliez said Democrats need to look at the shifting demographics and behaviors of the voter groups they are trying to garner support from. He said Democrats rely on urban voters and university students in Iowa but have real opportunities to gain in the suburbs of metro areas like Des Moines. Trone Garriott is an example of that.
“There is something that, on an ideological level, is not resonating in the Democratic message in states like Iowa,” Halliez said. “So, there’s room, perhaps, to reconquer a little bit with the suburbs with messaging.”
Hoffman said Democrats can’t spend too much time licking their wounds from their defeat in November and instead need to spend energy on looking at races they can learn from and to apply those lessons broadly.
“[Democrats] have to really start analyzing and thinking about the leadership, the decisions about where they organize, the messaging that they do, the engagement that they do, the fundraising that they do,” Hoffman said. “That’s a lot of hard work.”
In her letter to the State Central Committee Iowa Democrats, Chair Rita Hart said Democrats have to get to work to become competitive in the state again.
“This may be the hardest work and the toughest task we have ever tried to accomplish,” Hart wrote. “Remember that nothing worthwhile comes about without hard work. Let’s not throw up our hands. Let’s roll up our sleeves and go back to work.”
