Mount Vernon City Council approves retirement of police chief Doug Shannon
Colin Votzmeyer
For the Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun
Doug Shannon, Mount Vernon’s soon-to-be-former police chief, is looking forward to doing more fishing.
As Mount Vernon Mayor Tom Wieseler called for a vote to approve Shannon’s resignation at the Feb. 19 city council meeting, the five council members gave vocal groans and dejected tones in response. They each were reluctant to let the longtime chief go. But with a 5-0 passing, Shannon will be a retired man effective July 31.
“It’s truly been an honor and privilege,” Shannon told the council of his service to the city. “All the city staff have been great. I told them 100 times — the last eight years have been the best years of my time in Mount Vernon … It’s been an amazing career. I’ll miss it for sure, miss the people, miss the activities. But it’ll be nice to do a lot more fishing.”
Shannon has debated and talked through his retirement plan over the last couple of years, knowing his clock was ticking. But with confidence in the leadership and in the city’s position today, he felt it was the right time to step away.
The council showered Shannon with praise in return. Council member Stephanie West took a moment to thank Shannon for helping her husband after he suffered a serious biking accident.
“He came to [consciousness] right after that accident, and the first face he saw was Doug,” West said. “It’s personal for me. I can’t thank you enough for that moment and all of those moments you provided for so many other people.”
Shannon did promote the police department’s K9 Golf Outing at the meeting. Set for June 13, this will be one of his last events for the community before he retires to his children, fishing rod, and bait.
“[That’s] probably the only time we’ll see him in June,” said councilman Craig Engel jokingly.
But Shannon plans to stick around both through and after July to help his successor transition into his role.
Wieseler said a decision on that successor will come soon, but it won’t include a national or regional search for an applicant. The city is instead in what he called a “transaction discussion” with neighboring Lisbon’s city manager and mayor.
Regardless, Shannon’s efforts for Mount Vernon will be tough to top.
“The city has been in excellent hands with your leadership as a sergeant here throughout your term as chief, as painful as this is for me personally,” councilman Paul Tuerler said.
WINNING WRESTLERS
Mount Vernon’s Jase Jaspers was named the champion in Class 2A 144-pound wrestling Saturday, Feb. 22. Mikey Ryan and Ethan Wood placed third for Mount Vernon as well in the tournament.
Lisbon’s Tiernan Boots also placed second at the state meet out of the eight wrestlers competing from Lisbon at the tournament. Lisbon’s Cael Stricker also placed sixth for Lisbon at the tournament.
Check out the sports pages this week for a full recounting of the state wrestling competition and more photos from the event.
Long-time builder, community member passes away
Citizen revered for historic preservation work, architecture concrete work passes away
Nathan Countryman
Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun nathan.countryman@mvlsun.com
A long-time builder, architect, concrete trades person and community collaborator passed away this week.
Ed Sauter, a longtime resident of Mount Vernon, passed away Feb. 21, 2025, after a prolonged illness.
Sauter graduated from Iowa State University in 1972, with a degree in architecture. Service times/arrangements were not known at press deadline.
Sauter is survived by his wife, Jan, and three daughters:
Claire, Lauren, and Rachel.
Sauter’s contributions in Mount Vernon were many, especially as a founding member of the Mount Vernon Historic Preservation Commission in the mid-1980s.
According to Sue Astley, chair of MVHPC, that founding group included the late Cornell professor of history Dick Thomas as Chair, Sauter, and current Mount Vernon residents Guy Booth, Sara Gaarde, and Bob Meeker.
“Over time Ed, Dick Thomas, and the late Leah Rogers rotated terms serving as Chair,” Astley said. “During the time Ed was on the Commission it established the Ash Park and Commercial Historic Districts on the National Register of Historic Places. Ed received several grants for the Commission, including one to create a narrative about the historical eras in Mount Vernon and the architecture that
Mount Vernon-Lisbon
Jami Martin-Trainor | For the Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun Jase Jaspers won first place in the 144 pound Class 2A division at state Saturday.
Jennifer Tischer | Contributed photo Tiernan Boots aced second in 150 pounds at the state wrestling tournament in class 1A.
typified each of the eras. That photo display was exhibited at the History Center and in Mount Vernon and currently resides in the library of the First Street Community Center. Ed also did a number of historic restoration workshops for the community.”
Astley said that his most significant contribution to the commission may have been his creation of design guidelines for exterior work on historic buildings in Mount Vernon.
“Design guidelines specific to the nature of the architecture of a community are critical to the preservation of Historic Districts, and Ed’s work has helped Mount Vernon retain its historic charms,” Astley said.
Sauter had stepped down from MVHPC in 2022, after 36 years on the commission.
Jim Baty, who worked alongside Sauter at SB2, said when he looks around Mount Vernon, there are so many buildings that the two architects worked on, including Luce Admissions Office, Scott Alumni Center and the bell coupela on top of College Hall at Cornell College.
“In each of these projects we learned more about the historic structures and their rich heritage in order to cast creative vision into the renovations,” Baty said. “I am also very thankful for the work we were afforded with Hills Bank and Trust Company. They were a client before I joined Ed but once I was here, we began an aggressive series of projects for new branches and renovations/additions that culminated with the North Liberty headquarters for the Trust Department.”
Baty said Sauter’s best moments were as a “collaborator, mediator and educator.”
“I look in so many places around this community and see fingerprints of his passion and compassion, such as when the Scorz building had its catastrophic fire that left nothing but the brick walls standing,” Baty said. “His experience in historic restoration was key to the completeness of the work that will serve this community for ages to come.”
And while people will know of Sauter’s work as an architect, one area that he was also instrumental in was keeping two concrete industry groups functioning.
“The Tilt-Up Concrete Association and the Concrete Foundations Associations were both struggling industry groups in the early 90s when Sauter returned to Mount Vernon,” Baty said. “Each of those two associations consecutively lost their management groups conducting business on behalf of the members. First one, then the other, reached out to Ed, who had been on the board of directors for one (TCA), to see if he would be available to manage them through the murky waters of finding a replacement.”
In 2005, Sauter was named one of the 10 most influential people in the concrete industry by Concrete Construction for his work managing
concrete trade associations - Tilt Up Concrete Association and Concrete Foundations Association as part of Sauter Baty and Associates.
“Two exceptional professional networks stand today to lead concrete industries that are pervasive in North America with interests in other international locations because of his vision,” Baty said.
Robert “Buck” Bartley, a former board president and charter member of the Concrete Foundations Association spoke about Sauter’s importance to the organization.
“It is difficult for me to wrap my head around this sad news,” Bartley said. “Truly an exceptional person, who [alongside Jim Baty] was chosen as directors of the CFA at a time we were struggling, and enlivened the CFA to the strong organization it is today. Through his vision, wit, intellect, and organizational skills forever stand as one of the giants of the CFA. So many fond memories to cherish. What a man! “
Baty said some of the lessons he learned from Sauter include the value of community.
“I found in him a profound sense of integrity, volunteerism and pragmatism,” Baty said. “I very much appreciated the way we balanced each other and how he used this to mentor me in architecture and association management. Our times traveling together are memories I will never forget, and ones that will be difficult to equal. We shared passions for golf, food, wine and investigating concrete. There wasn’t a place we traveled that we didn’t try to fit all four in, and at the very least would let golf take a back seat.
“As I observed Ed’s quiet confidence in leadership, I found a strong voice and the confidence to step into spaces that he began letting go of, but never once felt there was a shadow that I needed to step out from. Our partnership approached twenty years of leaning into each other’s strengths and intuitively sensing each other’s weaknesses.”
Baty said he viewed Sauter as one of his best friends and father-figure, as much as a business mentor and partner.
“When we moved to this community, a young couple with two young boys, it was he and Jan pouring into us that settled us quickly and surround us with the earliest memories of community,” Baty said. “But I think most of all, I will miss observing his contemplation. Ed was someone you could watch as his mind turned and it seemed he easily mastered the concept of being quick to listen and slow to speak, though he was never at a loss for words. He was the quintessential servant leader with a massive servant’s heart.”
Sara Gaarde, another founding member of the MVHPC, said Sauter believed the historic buildings of Mount Vernon were worth preserving, and the community should do things to keep Main Street alive.
“In addition to his community involvement Ed was a good father and husband, a fun person to know, and a great golfer,” Gaarde said. “He
Committee of County Officers declares intent to fill District 2 vacancy by appointment
The committee of county officers voted to declare its intent to fill the District 2 Board of Supervisors vacancy by appointment. Per Iowa Code section 69.14A, the county Auditor, Recorder, and Treasurer are responsible for determining whether to appoint a replacement or to hold a special election. The vacancy was created following Supervisor Rogers resignation announcement on February 17. Electors in Linn County District 2 have the right to file a petition requiring that the vacancy be filled by special election. Petitions can be filed after the date of
publication of the declaration of intent, which will be published in the Gazette on February 26, 2025. The petition must meet the requirements as stated in Iowa Code section 331.306 and be filed with the Auditor’s Office by March 12, 2025 at 5 p.m. If a petition meeting the requirements is received within the 14 days after publication of the declaration of intent, a special election shall be called. Linn County Auditor Todd Taylor, Recorder Carolyn Siebrecht, and Treasurer Brent Oleson will meet Thursday, March 13 at 1:30 p.m. to discuss next steps in the process.
worked very, very hard. For a while he worked for a company in Ames, long before one could work remotely. If one of his daughters had a concert, sports event, or teacher’s conference Ed would drive back to Mount Vernon to attend it and often drive back to Ames late that night to be ready for work first thing in the morning.”
Gaarde said she and her husband Rich Hileman met Ed and Jan when their daughters were little, and spent several years at Jan’s cabin in northern Minnesota for a week in the summer.
“If Ed could still give advice I think he would tell people to cherish their families and find ways to help the community that they believe in and will enjoy,” Gaarde said.
Sauter was also named Citizen of the Year twice, once by the Mount Vernon Area Chamber of Commerce in 2006 and then by the Mount Vernon-Lisbon Community Development Group in 2018.
In the article on his Citizen of the Year from Feb. 23, 2006, Sauter said he never sought the spotlight for his work, but appreciated being recognized for the time and effort he invested in the community.
Sauter and his family lived in Mount Vernon since 1978. He was instrumental in beginning the Mount Vernon Historic Preservation Commission as a founding member in the 1980s.
“Most people want the town to maintain its ambiance and preserve [its] historic resources,” Sauter said in an interview at the time.
Sauter also served on the economic development commission and later the Mount Vernon-Lisbon Community Development Group and the building board of appeals for the City of Mount Vernon.
Sauter has had his hands in a Hiawatha spirituality center, single-family houses and locally, Hills Bank in Mount Vernon. Sauter said he loves the fact that almost everything in Mount Vernon - from banks and restaurants to home and the office - is just a few minutes’ walk away.
“It’s a great community,” he said.” That would be hard to give up.”
In the 2018 article on being named Citizen of the Year, Sauter said volunteering was in his family’s history, with his own father serving on every board imaginable.
Deb Herrmann worked alongside Sauter on the development of the community center for Mount Vernon, and said he “was a tireless volunteer of professional expertise and community connections to continue to push this project forward for what ended up being 15 years.”
Sauter also worked with students in architecture to give them a taste of how the architecture business runs, including the Herrmann’s son.
Rich Herrmann in that same article praised Sauter’s ability to gather people to help the group causes.
“Without Sauter’s vision and hard work, we would not be in the wonderful position we’re in as a Main Street community,” Rich Herrmann said.
Linn County names new chair and vice chair
The Linn County Board of Supervisors named Brandy Z. Meisheid as Chair and Supervisor Kirsten Running-Marquardt as Vice Chair for 2025. Meisheid was serving as Vice Chair; however, with the announcement this week that Linn County Supervisor Chair Ben Rogers is stepping down from the Board of Supervisors effective April 1, 2025, the Board of Supervisors made the change in Chair and Vice Chair this week.
Meisheid represents District 3. She was elected to the Board of Supervisors during the November 2024 election. Meisheid replaced outgoing Supervisor Louis J. Zumbach who did not seek re-election. District 3 includes Alburnett, Bertram, Center Point, Central City, Coggon, Lisbon, Mount Vernon, Marion, Palo, Prairieburg, Robins, Springville, Walker, and a large section of unincorporated Linn County.
Supervisor Running-Marquardt represents District 1. She was elected to the Board of Supervisors during the November 2022 election. District 1 represents the Westside of Cedar Rapids, the cities of Ely, Fairfax, and part of Walford, the village of Western, and unincorporated areas in southern Linn County.
To read the announcement about Supervisor Rogers, visit Linn County’s website.
Learn more about the role of Linn County’s elected officials on Linn County’s website LinnCountyIowa.gov.
Volume 156 I Issue 9 108 1st St SW, Mount Vernon, IA 52314
Phone: 319-895-6216 news@mvlsun.com
The Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun strives for accuracy and fairness in reporting news. If we’ve made an error or a report is misleading, let us know about it: news@mvlsun.com
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Official Newspaper: Mount Vernon, Lisbon, Bertram, Linn County, Mount Vernon Community School District, Lisbon Community School District The Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun (USPS 367-520), a division of The Daily Iowan, is published weekly every Thursday by Student Publications, Inc., 100 Adler Journalism Building, Room E131, Iowa City, Iowa 52242. Periodicals Postage Paid at the Mount Vernon Post Office and additional offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun, 108 1st St SW, Mount Vernon, IA 52314. Subscriptions: Contact Rochelle Ferguson at 319-895-6216 or rochelle.ferguson@mvlsun.com for additional information. Subscription rates: Linn and adjoining counties – $55 annually; elsewhere in Iowa – $75 annually; out of state – $85 annually.
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mvlsun.com
White Tree Bakery opens in new location
Deli options being explored in future of new space
Nathan Countryman
Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun
nathan.countryman@mvlsun.com
White Tree Bakery held a ribbon cutting in their new location, the former Palisades Café space in uptown Mount Vernon (117 First Street N.W.)
Owner Jen Juhl said that they purchased the Palisades Café building when it went on the market and moved in over the holiday season and opened in late January for the space.
One of the benefits of the new space is seating options for those who want to enjoy their baked goods in the space and have conversations.
Another of the future benefits that Juhl said she is looking at adding is rolling out some deli options for the space, something she has always viewed as a dream opportunity for her bakery as they’ve
moved to different locations.
“Offering soups, sandwiches and some different deli items I’ve been eyeing for the future,” Juhl said. “We will always be a counter type deli, where you place the orders there, but we want to roll out some grab and go items in the future that would make us the White Tree Bakery and Deli.”
The deli will be something that gets slowly rolled out in coming months.
““We want to make sure we’re serving the people who live and work here every day with more options,” Juhl said.
Other items that have been rolling out is the possibility of purchasing full fresh pies from the bakery and a line of more savory scone options.
That’s where Juhl said some of the deli options might start is in some of the breakfast options offered at the shop.
Juhl said they are excited to have the new location for the bakery as well.
“The community support we have had since the day we opened, and all of our returning customers made this move worth it,” Juhl said. “We can’t appreciate enough the support we continue to have in this community.”
West Main Co. has new location, new equipment
Hired
Nathan Countryman Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun nathan.countryman@mvlsun.com
Karissa Hunter, owner of West Main Co., an embroidery business in Lisbon has had an extremely busy January this year in a new location that has kept her embroidery machines humming.
West Main Co. opened doors in April 1, 2022 in the upper levels of the Lincolnway Golf Carts building. At the time, Hunter was there with her single head and dou -
ble head embroidery machine, doing custom embroidery orders for businesses.
Late last year, Hunter made an investment in her embroidery business of buying a 12-head embroidery machine.
“That allows me to run 12 different items at the same time,” Hunter said.
Prior to that, Hunter had been working with a one-head and two-head embroidery machine.
“I was just maxed out at what I could do with machines of that capacity,” Hunter said.
“Investing in a 12-head machine would increase the number of jobs that could be run.”
When she and her husband had purchased the 12-head embroidery machine, they realized that the space they were utilizing may not be able to fit the machine, so they looked for business space they could rent. They didn’t have to look too far, as the space they settled on was at the south end of Salon 30. It’s a space that has room for West Main Co. to grow in the future as well for more
machines.
Hunter said that some of her mentors had advised her that the months of January through March are sometimes the slowest for embroidery business.
For Hunter, that hasn’t been the case. She had an order for 600 embroidered hats that kicked off her January, and her embroidery machines have been running ever since.
Hunter said that most embroidery jobs take roughly two to three weeks to complete, depending on the size of the order.
“Over the holidays, our turnaround time got to be closer to four weeks to complete a job,” Hunter said.
That still does allow for occasional rush jobs for customers who need items very last minute.
Hunter started out as a teacher. When she and her husband were looking at raising a family, that’s when Hunter said she had an idea for an embroidery business, as that would allow her to have a creative outlet.
“I was taught sewing by my mom growing up, but embroidery is different than sewing,” Hunter said. “I’ve been self taught on each of the machines I utilize.”
Hunter said the thing she loves about owning her own embroidery busi-
ness is tackling projects for customers.
Hunter said she works with a thread company in Iowa City to match colors to a company’s logos as close as possible for any job.
As well as embroidery, Hunter also has a laser engraving business, also purchasing a second laser engraver.
“We have really invested a lot into this business and love the work of embroidery,” Hunter said.
As for what can be embroidered, Hunter said that embroidery works on a lot of different materials, from Carhart coats to shirts.
“We can usually make it happen on anything,” Hunter said.
Hunter and her family love spending their time outdoors during the summer, boating and camping up at Guttenburg.
Hunter said she has also
loved collaborating with many local businesses to help them shop locally for their embroidery needs and get their promotional attire and items out in the community.
That’s included locations like Lisbon and Mount Vernon Schools, but also several businesses in both towns.
“Some of my favorite projects have also been some of the sentimental pieces families have wanted to make,” Hunter said.
Production times are 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Thursday, but Hunter notes they are a small business and sometimes have to make time for errands in the community, so she advises calling ahead at 319-382-6087 to make sure someone is at the shop.
Customers can also fill out an order form at WestMainCo.Com for their orders.
Brenda Langenberg | Contributed photo
Present at the Mount Vernon Lisbon Community Development Group ambassadors ribbon cutting at White Tree Bakery were: Casey O’Connor (Office Town Suites), Tom Wieseler (Mount Vernon mayor), Jen Juhl and Brandan Juhl (holding scissors, owners of White Tree Bakery), Michelle Zaruba (Hills Bank and Trust), Ashley Dunford (Mount Vernon Bank and Trust), Courtney Frye Speed (Bridge Community Bank), Jessie Thurn (Mount Vernon-Lisbon Community Development Group director), and Chris Childers (Abbe Creek Gallery).
Nathan Countryman | Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun
Karissa Hunter, owner of West Main Co., in front of the new 12-head embroidery machine.
OPINIONS
It’s time we face
the chilling truth about icicles
Living in Iowa
Recently, I was looking out the upstairs bedroom window at water dripping off an icicle. (Now that I’m retired, I have time to devote to really important work.) I began to wonder why the water didn’t freeze before it reached the end. And how could it drip at all when the air temperature was below freezing? Was I the first person to ever notice this?
Well, no. It seems icicles have been perplexing physicists for years. Stephen Morris is Professor Emeritus at the University of Toronto (where there are a lot of icicles, pretty much all year round). Dr. Morris spent 10 years studying the shape and formation of icicles, taking over 230,000 photos, 400 videos and analyzing mountains of data. “And we still don’t understand it,” he admits. Although he did come up with some observations:
When water freezes into a solid, the molecules release heat, called “the latent heat of fusion.” The latent heat keeps the film of liquid on an icicle from freezing and transfers the heat to the air around it. This allows the water to flow down as the warm air around it flows up, resulting in the icicle’s long pointy shape. (Got that? Me neither.)
And have you ever noticed the evenly-spaced bumps on icicles? For some mysterious reason icicles always have the same bumpy pattern. No matter how big or small an icicle is or what the temperature is, the bumps are always one centimeter apart. “So, if you’re ever out in the woods and you’ve lost your meter stick,” Morris jokes, “you can just break off the nearest icicle and, you know, it makes a pretty good meter stick!” (And that’s about as funny as an icicleologist ever gets.)
Icicles are as beautiful as they are mysterious. But they can also be deadly. Every year in the US some 15 people are killed by falling icicles. In Russia, that number is closer to 100. In 2001, there were 74 icicle-related deaths in Moscow alone.
In 1903, in Cassopolis Michigan, a huge icicle fell on a police officer, cutting off the top of his head. In 1994, a “microwave-size” icicle fell from the 725-feet tall Neiman Marcus building in Chicago, killing Donald Booth of Wisconsin. The posh department store settled with his family for $4.5 million.
In 1776, the son of a parish clerk in Devonshire, England was killed by a falling icicle. His epitaph reads:
“Bless my eyes, Here he lies
In a Sad Pickle Kill’d by an Icicle.”
Yeah. I wish I was making that up. The poor kid. His only mistake was being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Now, for the past 249 years, everybody who read his tombstone has had a good chuckle at his expense, while wondering, what the heck is a “sad pickle”?
SUN EDITORIAL
Iowa’s involvement in Texas vs. Becerra will hurt local schools
Over the course of a week as we start work on stories, we sometimes witness shifting news.
Case in point – the case that Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird enjoined the state to with 16 other states that challenge 504 plans (Texas vs. Becerra). The story of that lawsuit moving forward and Iowa’s involvement broke Monday, Feb. 10.
One of the issues this newspaper has with Bird’s decision to join the lawsuit is the fact that action was publicly hidden from constituents back in September.
As Laura Belin of Bleeding Heartland posted Sunday, Feb. 16, no press release on the case was released in September. Like Belin, the email account of the Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun gets notices for the lawsuits that Bird’s office is involving the state in, and the editor routinely evaluates many cases for if they would have an impact locally and be something to report on. Many of those cases, because of our hyperlocal focus on these two communities, have a minimal impact to our communities.
This one, however, will definitely have a local impact.
According to Kate Stanton, Washington Elementary School principal and speaking on behalf of the district on this issue, the impact would be in the range of 65 to 75 K-12 students per year if an outright challenge to strike down 504s were to move forward, many of them at the high school level. That’s roughly 5 percent of Mount Vernon’s entire school population impacted.
As Stanton further elaborated – striking down 504s would
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Congress must pass Kids Online Safety Act
We all love our children. We all appreciate how technology has made our lives easier. We do not appreciate the psychological tricks tech designers use to manipulate our minds and, more importantly, the vulnerable minds of our children. It is now clear that tech profits come at the expense of the mental health of our children. Given clear evidence, the U.S. Senate in a 91-3 vote passed the Kids Online Safety act.
Thirty-two state attorneys general in November called on Congress to pass the Kids Online Safety Act, stating in a letter, “These platforms make their products addictive to minor users, and then profit from selling minor user data to advertisers,” the letter continued. “Minor users receive endless tailored and toxic content.
In December, House Speaker Mike Johnson promised to address this issue in the new year. Please contact your member of Congress and make clear that the Kids Online Safety Act is needed and will not censor “content,” rather it affects “design.” It will give needed controls to parents.
The legislation includes 1. Strongest privacy settings for kids under 16 by default; 2. Restricts addictive product features for minors; 3. Mandate companies remove design features that have been proven to be harmful. Please ask your member of Congress to vote yes when the Kids Online Safety Act comes up for a vote in the coming weeks.
Julie Brannaman Lisbon
Cutting medical research is bad outcome for health
I’m concerned about the President’s use of executive orders to cancel National Institutes of Health grants (dol-
GUEST COLUMN
Lisbon vote to renew PPEL
4
“reduce support for students with disabilities. This includes not only educational disabilities but students with diabetes, visual impairments, students who are deaf or require special diets. Students have 504s for a variety of reasons and 504s protect these students and provide them with the accommodations they need to be successful in a variety of major life events, not just school. By striking down 504s we [would be] increasing inequity in education, something we have fought against for so long.”
Bird’s office and several of the other states have since made additional clarifying statements and press releases about the lawsuit, noting their actions were only intended for the inclusion of a few sentences adding gender dysphoria under Section 504. We’ll take them at those words currently, but their actions with that lawsuit are shouting a whole different story.
We’d argue that the best course of action for all involved would be to stop the lawsuit indefinitely and make the target just the specifics of what they are challenging instead of letting a lawsuit targeting the entirety of 504s to hang over schools indefinitely as one more thing to worry about.
Overly broad lawsuits because you have issue with a few new added definitions would have far more reaching consequences than the attorneys attended.
Unless their intent is what the original lawsuit has laid out – in which case we agree the actions against 504s will be catastrophic to not just local schools, but schools across the nation and many with disabilities.
lars) already appropriated by Congress to fund medical research at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics. The amount reported is 33 million. UI Interim Vice President for Research Lois Geist has “deferred new activities” (as reported in the Gazette, 2/15/25, 5A). There is a “freeze on graduate assistant hiring” (Gazette, 2/15/25, 5A). People’s lives are at risk. Why would prospective medical students want to attend UI if they can’t pursue medical research?
Background: Appropriations approved by Congress can be changed only by Congress. The president has used executive orders to cancel NIH medical research dollars. Personally, I want my tax dollars to be spent on medical research in Iowa at the University of Iowa.
Readers: Consider the cost of losing medical research right here in Iowa at the hospital most everyone I know has needed at one time or another versus the imperative to cut federal spending.
“The 1974 Impoundment Control Act set up a detailed process for what a president could and could not do when disagreeing over whether to spend money that Congress had approved” (Gazette, 2/12/25, 5A).
Readers: I am learning as I go. Congress appropriates (tax collected) dollars to states and programs that help Americans in one way or another. Every state has “wants” and over the years, federal dollars have been appropriated across the country. Who knew that medical research right here in Iowa would be halted and disrupted when President Trump was elected? I didn’t, but now I do.
Readers: We have to choose what we value and follow through. I value health care and I value medical research here in Iowa. I value a representative government, not a president who disregards Congress; otherwise, what are Ashley Hinson, Chuck Grassley, and Joni Ernst doing in Washington DC? Why pay them salaries and provide health care for them if they aren’t doing the jobs they were elected to do?
Autumn Pino Lisbon Superintendent
Our community school district is inviting you to make an impact on behalf of our Lisbon students. We hope that you will join others in our community who intend to head to the polls in support of PPEL–an important funding stream for our schools that must be voted on every
Gretchen Reeh-Robinson Mount
Vernon
10 years. The good news is that renewing this levy WILL NOT increase your property taxes.
On Tuesday, March 4, our community is being asked to consider renewing the Lisbon School District’s voted Physical Plant and Equipment Levy (PPEL). Like many other districts across the state, the PPEL levy has been an important revenue source for many years.
Over the past decade, we have been fortunate to lean on PPEL to preserve our district’s assets and infrastructure so that our students are able to thrive in a high-quality learning environment...And we thank you, our local community, for making that happen.
What is PPEL?
By law, PPEL allocations can only be used for infrastructure and equipment repairs, special purchases, and improvements. These funds have allowed us to address critical needs, such as HVAC systems, roof repairs, purchasing computers for students, larger routine maintenance items, and the gradual replacement of our school’s transportation fleet.
The district is asking our voters to renew the voted PPEL at the same rate it has been since 2016, which is $1.34 per $1,000 of taxable property value. A voted PPEL is common statewide, as more than 83% of school districts have this levy in place.
Allowable Expenditures from the PPEL Fund:
Section 298.3 https://www.legis.iowa.gov/docs/ code/2022/298.3.pdf covers the allowable expenditures. Generally, they include the following:
● Purchase and improvement of grounds
● Improvement of property
● Construction of schools, buildings and roads
● Purchase or lease purchase of equipment and technol-
ogy exceeding $500 per transaction (each transaction may include multiple equipment or technology units)
● Payment of debt for schools or buildings
● Procuring or acquiring library facilities
● Repairing, remodeling, expanding, and reconstructing of existing facilities
● Expenditures for energy conservation
● Rental of facilities under 28E
● Purchase of transportation equipment for transporting students
● Purchase or lease purchase of buildings
● Equipment for recreational purposes
Prohibited Uses from the PPEL Fund:
● School district employee salaries or travel expenses
● Supplies
● Printing costs or media services
● Any other purpose not expressly authorized in this section
What impact does an approved PPEL vote have on me, my family, and my community?
PPEL is a great way to show your support for your local school district and help to preserve and strengthen its infrastructure for future generations. Over the past several years, the Physical Plant Equipment Levy has been used by the Lisbon CSD for the following projects and needs:
Impact from action on 504s
Nathan Countryman Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun nathan.countryman@mvlsun.com
Mount Vernon and Lisbon would be impacted if a court case against 504s were to continue to move forward. Iowa is one of 17 states currently involved in a lawsuit targeting the future of 504s (Texas vs. Becerra). Iowa attorney general Brenna Bird has stated that she joined the lawsuit because of President Biden’s administration including gender dysphoria as an accommodation that would be protected under Section 504, and the burdens that would impose on the state.
“The Biden-Harris Administration stopped at nothing to force illegal, transgender ideologies in our schools, even at the cost of critical classroom accommodations for kids,” said Bird. “Parents, we hear you loud and clear. No parent should have to worry about whether their kid will get the support they need in school. This lawsuit puts the full force of 17 states behind ending the woke, Biden-Harris mandate that sexualizes kids. We are protecting Section 504 accommodations for students who need it.”
Washington Elementary principal Kate Stanton said the number of students with 504s that could be impacted
at Mount Vernon Schools would be between 65 to 75 students per year. That would account for roughly 5 percent of students at Mount Vernon, whose enrollment was 1,456 students this year.
Stanton further explained that 504s provide protection for students against discrimination based on disability, as well as provides equal access to educational opportunities and accommodations students need to succeed academically.
“There are so many things that are impacted by the possibility of striking down 504s,” Stanton said. “First and foremost, we are reducing support for students with disabilities. This includes not only educational disabilities but students with diabetes, visual impairments, students who are deaf or require special diets.
“Students have 504s for a variety of reasons and 504s protect these students and provide them with the accommodations they need to be successful in a variety of major life events, not just school. By striking down 504s we are increasing inequity in education, something we have fought against for so long.”
Stanton also said an unintended consequence would be additional strain to special education resources to provide that equal access to education.
● General and comprehensive maintenance repairs
● Maintaining our HVAC systems
● School security improvements
● Technology purchases
● Transportation and equipment purchases
● Additional key facilities projects
Many people are curious about how this vote could potentially impact their personal finances. The great news is that a renewable vote WILL NOT raise property taxes. Voting to renew simply maintains the current rate. It is a great opportunity to extend our legacy and create conditions that continue our positive reputation for a high quality campus and school environment.
When should I head out to vote?
A special day of voting will be held Tuesday, March 4, and the polls will be open that day from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Please mark your calendars and encourage your neighbors!
Polling sites:
● Linn, Jones, and Johnson County voters @ Lisbon City Hall (7 a.m. to 8 p.m.)
● Cedar County voters @ Mechanicsville Memorial Building (7 a.m. to 8 p.m.)
Thank you for your consideration. We hope that you will join so many others who will show their Lion Pride March 4—our school community is worth the investment.
“If 504s are eliminated, students are still going to require support and accommodations which may mean they need to be evaluated for special education and thus increasing the caseload of our special education teachers and support staff,” Stanton said. “By eliminating 504s it does not eliminate the need, it just makes it more challenging for all stakeholders.”
Stanton explained that 504s provide roadmap for teachers to support students, and allows teachers and staff to know what students need without having to start over every year.
“It in turn creates a learning environment for those students where they can excel,” Stanton said. “Taking this away from our students and teachers is like blindfolding them and telling them to carry on. This proposed change will be catastrophic for some of our students.”
Bird posted Thursday, Feb. 20, that the case is currently suspended due to the changeover to the Trump administration, and Trump’s administration is reviewing the current rule in 504s.
“I always have and always will protect Section 504 accommodations for Iowans who need them,” Bird said. “As a mom, I know that every child learns differently and should have the tools for success, but Biden failed Iowa kids. That is why when Biden and Harris forced transgender ideologies into schools at the expense of kids with disabilities, I fought back. I am suing to make certain kids, and Americans with disabilities, have the support they need to succeed.”
Changing narrative on physical activity of older adults
Nathan Countryman
Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun
nathan.countryman@mvlsun.com
Dr. Christi Johnson of Cornell College presented on ways to change the narrative on physical activity of older adults, as well as a few exercises at the Lester Buresh Family Community Wellness Center Thursday, Feb. 20.
Johnson said her research has focused on how older adults storylines exhibit aging.
“The challenge of aging is so unique, as we have so many different experiences,” Johnson said.
Johnson asked what were some of the benchmarks or how they describe being older.
Bob Meeker said it was when his children hit certain medical procedures in their own lives as a reflection of his own age, like them having their first colonoscopy.
Johnson said one of the things she has admired a lot from the Baby Boomer generations is they have pushed back on other depictions of aging.
“There are multiple paths and multiple ways to push back against aging,” Johnson said.
Her advice to many was to keep staying active as long as that is possible for them.
“We all differ in our mobility and core strength,” Johnson said. “And that’s okay. One area that is important to focus on as we age is balance.”
Johnson said that things being physically active help in include thwarting depression, anxiety, improved cognitive function and quality of life.
Johnson said that erasure of older adults in television shows and media gives issues with what aging looks like.
Attendees said that a lot of daytime programming advertises medical prescriptions and devices for older adults.
Johnson said her experience in research has shown
those below 80 tend to believe they are broken or damaged due to exposure to those advertisements, while her interaction with those who are above 80s are usually the ones who push back against those claims.
Johnson recounted the story of Orville, a man in his 90s who was still active and had an active life of volunteering and activities like delivering Meals on Wheels to other citizens.
Johnson said that there are aspects of aging that do occur to the body, like the aging of cells and decrease of bone density.
“That’s what makes the importance of strength conditioning important well into middle age,” Johnson said. “Weight training and exercise are extremely important.”
Johnson asked for participants to participate in an exercise, flexing an arm muscle as part of that.
“What you find is muscle contracts on both sides of that bone,” Johnson said. “That’s why strength training is so important. It helps to treat, prevent and delay onset of things like osteoporosis and arthritis.”
Joint injuries can happen to people of all ages at any time, and the importance is continue having activity and managing movement.
Cardiovascular activities are also important. Johnson said that if impact on joints are an issue, utilizing pools for exercise can be an important way to keep active.
Johnson said that one of the things that impacts a lot of older individuals is isolationism.
“Older adults are more likely to volunteer and participate in their community while they simultaneously feel invisible,” Johnson said.
She said that re-storying or changing the narratives around aging is extremely important.
Some of the barriers that attendees identified included having friends die or having children move you away from the networks of friends you have built as you age.
aging and the importance of physical activity.
“Social isolation is one of the greatest burdens of older adulthood,” Johnson said.
Others noted that the world also being very geared towards being in couples can be an issue for many older people.
As well, leaving professional lives can be an impact on those who are older.
“The importance is that there is a shift for those who are aging for what the meaningful contributions they have in their lives,” Johnson said. “For some, they find more engagement with their grandchildren, being more active in their church or community recreation are equally important.”
As for things that make aging easier has been the shift of not needing to adhere to what is acceptable to wear or caring about things like style after certain ages.
Nathan Countryman | Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun
Dr. Christi Johnson speaks about changing narratives on
Swingin’ Stangs place fourth at Tallcorn Festival
Contributed photos
The Swingin’ Stangs placed fourth out of 17 Class 3A bands at the 2025 Tallcorn Jazz Festival at UNI on Thursday, Feb. 20. Will Turner and Carrington Bybee also won Outstanding Soloist awards.
Explore the Imaginative: Artist Talk with Russell John Lumb
Bob Campagna
On Saturday, March 1, at 11:30 a.m., Mount Vernon’s Abbe Creek Gallery (ACG), 105 First St. NW, will host a chance to probe the creative mind of Russell John Lumb.
The gallery’s current Featured Artist, he is a retired architect from England.
Now of Iowa City, Russell’s drawing, painting and printmaking creations predominantly explore the human figure and particularly portraiture.
Russell’s multi-colored paintings and dry point etchings line the ACG front walls, comprising his contemporary exhibit Face Value, which runs through March 15.
Russell began life-drawing more than 50 years ago. Featured are 38 original, dynamic, intensely colorful, sometimes mystical portraits birthed in a creative reservoir deep within Russell’s mind.
DETAILS
Who: Russell John Lumb
When: March 1, 2025 11:30am
Where: Abbe Creek Gallery
105 First St. NW, Mt. Vernon
Seeing his work is akin to being enveloped by friends and mythical characters.
As an architect, Russell specialized in retail, hotel, school and residential design.
In retirement, his artistic journey exploded, manifesting itself into hundreds of prints and imaginative creations.
“My architectural work was extremely controlled and regulated. Lines had to be accurate with no freedom of expression in drawing,” he opined, adding, “I now pride myself in achieving a likeness through expression, not accuracy. To make a painting more interesting, I needed to be much more relaxed and expressive.”
Russell’s journey is unveiled sequentially on the ACG walls. The result is an other-worldly collection of portraits derived from friends or study of some of William Shakespeare’s renowned characters.
“I got to the point when a portrait would be taken for granted, then it became the question of how to make it
Bob Campagna | Contributed photo
Printmaker Russell John Lumb stands beneath three creations, Alice, A Common Destiny, and Alicia. His larger image, A Common Destiny, artistically reflects Russell’s interpretation of his new country and its history. He blended images of the open range, Sand Hill cranes, Comanche medicine man Isatai’i, and a cell phone bearing onlooker. The result is perceived time travel through art.
more interesting. Doing so is part of a long development process,” he explained.
A free-flowing display, his complex exhibit also results from a mechanical process which involves photography, manipulation on computers, tissue paper, down printing with ink, and carefully applied reversal.
“I produce a printed image on panel, then I work into it with graphite pencil, more acrylic and finally adding a sealing coat,” Russell detailed. “It’s a mix of old fashioned and newfangled tools. It all starts with original painting.”
Thus, Russell can’t produce exact duplications but can make similarities. His art is truly a one-of-a-kind original.
“I hope people take pleasure in viewing my work. That’s also what drives me to make art, my own joy,” a smiling Russell concluded.
Russell John Lumb will share his artist journey with all on Saturday, March 1, at the Abbe Creek Gallery. Showtime is 11:30 a.m.
Photographer Bob Campagna is co-owner of the Abbe Creek Gallery. His email is:
Top: The Mount Vernon Swingin’ Stangs get warmed up before their performance at Tallcorn Jazz Festival.
Right: Mya Stoner (on trumpet) and Will Turner (on clarinet) play at Tallcorn Jazz Festival. Carrington Bybee can be seen playing bass in the background. Turner and Bybee were recognized as outstanding soloists at the festival.
Patricia Lee “Patty” Ankrum passed away on February 9, 2025 at her home in Mount Vernon after a lengthy bout with oral cancer. By her side were her sister Peggy and her dear friend Dixie Collins.
She was born to Homer and Ethel Ankrum on August 6, 1954 in Wurzburg, Germany while her father was serving in the U.S. Army. She grew up in Webster City, Iowa, graduating from Webster City High School in 1972. She attended Webster City Community College and the University of Northern Iowa before graduating from Loras College in Dubuque with a degree in parish ministry. She served as director of religious education at St. Patrick’s Church in Anamosa and taught music in several churches in eastern Iowa.
She was a professional musician and accomplished rhythm guitar player, starting in 1980 as a member of the Waubeek Trackers and later as a member of Black Sheep, Holy Catz, and Lilywren. She recorded four albums, “Strong Again” with Kris Gannon, “The Cat Came Back” with the Waubeek Trackers, and “A Sheep at the Wheel” and “Deep Sheep” with Black Sheep.
From 1988 to 2010, she was the video operations coordinator at the University of Iowa College of Law. Always committed to peace and social justice, she participated in the 1986 Great Peace March across the U.S. and she visited the Soviet Union in 1987 and 1988 to be part of the American Soviet Walk.
Patty took up storm chasing about 2000 and traveled widely in the central plains following the paths of twisters. In 2014, she co-founded Monarchs of Eastern Iowa in order to help preserve the rapidly dwindling population of the butterflies. She connected with the Monarch Trust, a national organization with the same goals and made two trips to central Mexico where the species overwinters after a 2000-mile journey from the Midwest.
In 2014, she took up watercolor painting which offered her another outlet for her boundless creativity. While never interested in sports or athletics, during the last two years of her life she became an avid Caitlin Clark and women’s basketball fan and traveled to Indianapolis with her sister Peggy to watch an Indiana Fever game despite her rapidly weakening physical condition. It was the only live sporting event she ever attended.
She was preceded in death by her parents and siblings Dennis (Sharon), Mary Adams, Tommy and Janet Lovelace, and beloved brother-in-law Marcus Fuhrman. She is survived by her sister Peggy Fuhrman, nieces Amanda Campbell and Becky Williams-Didato (Barry), nephews Wesley Fuhrman (Alena), Carl Ankrum (Yolonda), Brad Williams and Jordan Lovelace, as well as great-nephews Harvey, and Loudon Fuhrman and Max Coyote Campbell, and great-niece Sophia Didato. She is also survived by her dear friend and soulmate Dixie Collins, to whom she referred as her “sister from another mother” and with whom she shared 45 years of adventures, and Dixie’s husband Steve Maravetz.
In July 2019, she participated in a tour of local prairies sponsored by the Indian Creek Nature Center. During that tour, she visited the prairie established by Paul Morf and during which time she made the powerful connection between Iowa’s wildflower prairies and monarch butterfly habitat. As she neared the end of her life, Patty worked with Morf, an attorney who serves on the board of the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation to establish and endow the Patty Ankrum Prairie Trust. The trust will purchase an appropriate tract of land near Mount Vernon, which will be reverted to natural Iowa prairie in perpetuity.
The trust agreement states that any ambiguity interpreting her final wishes should be resolved by referring to the poem “The Summer Day” by Mary Oliver: Who made the world?
Who made the swan, and the black bear?
Who made the grasshopper?
This grasshopper, I mean-the one who has flung herself out of the grass, the one who is eating sugar out of my hand, who is moving her jaws back and forth instead of up and down-who is gazing around with her enormous and complicated eyes. Now she lifts her pale forearms and thoroughly washes her face. Now she snaps her wings open, and floats away.
I don’t know exactly what a prayer is.
I do know how to pay attention, how to fall down into the grass, how to kneel in the grass, how to be idle and blessed, how to stroll through the fields, which is what I have been doing all day.
Tell me, what else should I have done?
Doesn’t everything die at last, and too soon?
Tell me, what is it you plan to do
With your one wild and precious life?
Memorials should be directed to the Ankrum Prairie Fund at the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation.
Iowa State University president’s list
The following students were named to the president’s list at Iowa State University. Students achieving this prestigious designation have maintained a 4.0 GPA for two consecutive semesters. Local students on the list include:
Mechanicsville - Emma Moore.
Mount Vernon - Michael Briesemeister, Caleb Dausener, Elizabeth Dougherty, Elizabeth Quam.
Hills Bank announces 2025 Ag Outlook event
Hills Bank is excited to announce the Ag Outlook 2025 event, set to take place March 6 at the Riverside Casino & Golf Resort. This highly anticipated event will bring together industry leaders, farmers, and agricultural professionals to discuss the latest trends, challenges, and opportunities in the agricultural sector.
The Ag Outlook 2025 event will feature a series of insightful presentations and panel discussions covering a wide range of topics, including market forecasts, technological advancements, and sustainable farming practices. Attendees will have the opportunity to hear from renowned experts and gain valuable insights to help navigate the ever-evolving agricultural landscape.
Event Details:
• Date: March 6, 2025
• Location: Riverside Casino & Golf Resort, 3184 Hwy 22, Riverside, Iowa 52327
• Time: 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Key Highlights:
• Mitchell Hora, Continuum Ag: Explore strategies for integrating sustainable practices into agricultural operations to ensure long-term viability and environmental stewardship.
• Angie Setzer, Consus: Gain insights into the latest market trends and economic factors impacting the grain marketing.
• Mike Naig, Iowa Secretary of Agriculture: Learn strategies being used at our governmental level for agricultural operations to ensure success for future generations.
• Networking Opportunities: Connect with industry peers, experts, and thought leaders to share ideas and build valuable relationships.
“We are thrilled to host the annual Ag Outlook 2025 and provide a platform for meaningful discussions on the future of agriculture,” said Tim Finer, Senior Vice President, Commercial Banking at Hills Bank. “This event is a must-attend for anyone involved in the agricultural sector, offering a unique opportunity to stay informed and connected.”
Registration for the 2025 Ag Outlook event is now open. For more information and to register, please visit www.hillsbank.com/ag-outlook.
Cole Corner
Cathy Boggs Cole Library
New books for middle graders at Cole
Recently at Cole Library we have purchased several new titles for our middle grade patrons. Who are our middle grade patrons? They are readers in the third through sixth grade and ages 8 – 12.
However, the books are not limited to this age group. I read and enjoy these books too. They often have an engaging storyline that focuses on main characters who are facing new challenges they must overcome. These challenges usually include friends and family.
At Cole Library middle grade chapter books located in the Children’s Room. I hope you will check them out.
The new titles are:
• The Tenth Mistake of Hank Hooperman, Gennifer Choldenko
• The Bletchley Riddle, Ruta Sepetys & Steve Sheinkin
• My Own Lightning, (Sequel to Wolf Hollow), Lauren Wolk
Feb.
Feb.
Patricia Ankrum
Jaspers state champion, MV team places sixth overall
Ryan Suchomel
Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun ryan.suchomel@mvlsun.com
Wrestling in the state finals is fun. But winning it?
“It’s a lot better, obviously,” Mount Vernon junior Jase Jaspers said. “A lot better. I know I put in my work, and it finally paid off this year.”
Jaspers won a state championship at 144 pounds in Class 2A on Saturday, Feb. 22, at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines. He beat Tyler Wieland of Independence by major decision, 10-0.
It was the third straight major decision Jaspers recorded at state following an opening-round technical fall. After losing in the finals as a freshman and sophomore, he finished his junior season 47-0.
“My confidence has grown a ton,” Jaspers said. “It helped how much work I put in. My training has helped a lot with my confidence.”
Mount Vernon Coach Vance Light said the freestyle wrestling Jaspers did in the offseason took him to another level.
“He was already good, and he got that much better,” Light said. “He had a great year. Pretty much dominated everybody he wrestled.”
Jaspers is the kind of wrestler fans love. He stays active and tries to score a ton of points.
“I like to go out there and score points and give the crowd a show,” Jaspers said. “I won by 14 (points) twice. I really wanted to get one more point for a tech.
“I just push the pace for six minutes. If I go as hard as I can, it tires those guys out.”
Light said Jaspers – who became the 19th Mount Vernon wrestler (boys) to win a state title – is deadly on his feet, but said his improvement riding has really put him on another level.
“He always had a good attitude and is always trying to score,” Light said. “Not many kids are able to stop him.”
Jaspers had his medal placed around his neck by his dad, assistant coach Kyle Jaspers.
“His support growing up has bene great,” Jase said. “He got me into wrestling and we’ve bonded over that.”
Mount Vernon finished sixth in 2A as team with 88 points. Burlington Notre Dame won the team title with 129 points. Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont (107.5) was
runner-up, and Union (103.5) was third.
The Mustangs did have the best finish among WaMaC schools, finishing a half-point ahead of seventh-place Independence (87.5). West Delaware was eighth and Williamsburg was ninth.
In addition to Jaspers winning gold, both junior Mikey Ryan (150) and senior Ethan Wood (285) placed third.
“Losing in the semifinals pretty much sucks,” Light said. “The best thing you can do about it is come back and get third, make yourself feel a little bit better.”
Ryan lost in the semifinals to Nile Sinn of Williamsburg, 3-2 in the ultimate tiebreaker.
“It is the sixth time they’ve wrestled,” Light said. “They were pretty familiar with each other.”
“There’s some calls that could’ve gone the other way,” Jaspers said. “I’m proud of him for coming back. He wrestled the best he’s ever wrestled.”
Ryan bounced back with a pin over Jax Jensen of Winterset and a major decision over Hudson Scranton of Anamosa.
Wood lost in the semifinals to Kaden Clark of PCM, a 12-2 major decision. He rallied to pin Maxwell Azzaline of Davenport Assumption and then beat Evan Sorensen of Atlantic 7-3 for third.
The Mustangs sent nine to state, and eight got at least one win over the four-day tournament. Six return for 2026.
“That should give them some motivation for next year,” Light said. “We’ll see how hard they work in the offseason.”
It was a tough winter, at times, for the Mustangs. A few wrestlers, some state-ranked, were replaced in the lineup over the course of the winter.
“We had some guys that were up and down,” Light said. “They were replaced by kids that wanted to be there more than they did.”
But the foundation for next year is strong. Jaspers, coming off an undefeated state-championship season, said he’d like to do it again.
“I’d like to technical fall or pin everybody,” Jaspers said. “I’m also working on being a leader on the team. Next year we need to start out closer as a team, together.”
Jasper also has a year to think about what he’d like to do in college. The four-sport star is leaning towards wrestling.
Scranton (Anamosa) 12-4. 157 – Will Goodlove, jr.
Round 1: Goodlove pinned Holten Palmer (Waukon) 1:55. Round 2: Taylor Mahler (HDCAL) dec. Goodlove 17-12.
Consolation Round 2: Goodlove dec. Peyton Johnson (Mediapolis) 9-6.
Consolation Round 3: Dirk Boyles (BND) tech. fall Goodlove 20-4 5:04.
165 – Cooper Hird, sr.
Round 1: Hird (MV) maj. dec. Luke Estlund (Webster City) 14-0. Round 2: Bo Koedam (Sergeant Bluff-Luton) pinned Hird :42.
Consolation Round 2: Ryland Morgan (CGD) maj. dec. Hird 10-2.
175 – Jaxon Anderson, jr.
Round 1: Braylen Bieber (Independence) dec. Anderson 7-2.
Consolation Round 2: Kenny Kerr (NFV) dec. Anderson 4-3.
190 – Caysen Curran, jr.
Round 1: Curran maj. dec. Kaleb Pendergast (Sergeant Bluff-Luton) 12-0. Round 2: Broedy Hendricks (Humboldt) pinned Curran 1:22. Consolation Round 2: Curran dec. Oscar Potter (Woodward-Granger) 8-1. Consolation Round 3: Curran dec. Quinten Polking (Carroll) 10-6.
Round 4: Rhett Hedrick (Ballard) tech. fall Curran 19-3 4:32.
– Ethan Wood, sr. Round 2: Wood pinned Layne Kleppe (NFV) 1:10. Quarterfinal: Wood pinned Aaron Richtsmeier (Clear Lake) 1:39. Semifinal: Kaden Clark (PCM) maj. dec. Wood 12-2. Consolation semifinal: Wood pinned Maxwell Azzaline (Assumption) 4:20. Third-place match: Wood dec. Evan Sorensen (Atlantic) 7-3.
Jami Martin-Trainor | For the Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun Mount Vernon’s Jase Jaspers wrestles in a championship match at the state wrestling tournament.
Abby Princehouse | For the Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun
Mount Vernon’s Cooper Hird takes an opponent to the mat in the class 2A 165-pound division.
Lisbon’s Tiernan Boots second at state
Ryan Suchomel
Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun ryan.suchomel@mvlsun.com
Lisbon senior Tiernan Boots brought home silver from the state wrestling tournament.
“I’m at peace with myself, knowing that I gave it my all,” Boots said. “There’s not much more that can be done.”
Boots reached the finals for the first time in four trips to Wells Fargo Arena. He lost in the Class 1A 150-pound title match to Corbin Reisz of Logan-Magnolia, 10-3.
“Tiernan wrestled as good as he has all year, he just came up a little short,” Lisbon coach Aaron Helmrich said. “He left it all out on the mat.
“When you do that, it hurts when you don’t meet your goal. But we couldn’t have asked for any more of Tiernan this year.”
Boots finished fifth at state as a freshman and fourth as a junior. He had a costly early loss as a sophomore and did not place.
Still, he got his turn on the biggest stage in high school wrestling Saturday night.
“Representing Lisbon, being in front of the fans, it was awesome,” Boots said. “There was lots of energy.”
Boots is proud of the tradition at Lisbon and wants to see the Lions back on top.
“We have high standards for everything we do, not just wrestling,” Boots said.
Lisbon finished 16th in the team race with 55 points. Don Bosco dominated with 225.5 points, followed by Alburnett with 144.5.
The Lions had two other wrestlers on the podium. Sophomore Cael Stricker was sixth at 113 pounds, and
senior Wesley Sadler was seventh at 120 pounds.
“Cael had a great weekend; he beat the No. 1 seed,” Helmrich said.
Stricker lost in the semifinals to Hendrix Schwab of Don Bosco – famously, the son of former Iowa wrestler and UNI Coach Doug Schwab.
His brother, Hayden Schwab, beat Sadler in the quarterfinals.
“Those Schwab boys,” Helmrich said. “They are something else.”
Lisbon had eight wrestlers make the trip to state after qualifying six last year.
Helmrich said he was excited to see senior Jacob Waerius (215), who came back out this year after two years away from wrestling, get a win at state.
Four of the eight graduate, but Helmrich is excited about the foundation for 2026.
“I feel really good about the program,” Helmrichs aid. “We’ve got some great guys coming back, and we’ve got some great guys waiting in the wings. We’re heading in the right direction and look promising for years to come.”
Boots plans to compete next year, maybe in wrestling, maybe in football, maybe in track. He hasn’t decided, yet.
Jennifer Tischer | Contributed photos
Lisbon’s Tiernan Boots tries to escape from Chance Hoyt in the Class 1A 150-pound division.
Lisbon’s Tiernan Boots tries to escape from Chance Hoyt in the Class 1A 150-pound division at the state wrestling tournament.
Lisbon’s Gage Holub tries to maneuver an opponent to the mat in the Class 1A 165-pound division.
Lisbon’s Cale Stricker tries to work an opponent to the mat at the Class 1A 113-pound division.
Mustang girls stampede to state tournament
Girls best Wildcats 68-22
Ryan Suchomel
Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun ryan.suchomel@mvlsun.com
The Mount Vernon girls’ basketball season is starting to feel like a rerun … but in all the best ways.
On Saturday, Feb. 22, the Mustangs clobbered Benton Community 68-22 to earn a return trip to the state tournament
“We knew we could get there,” junior Courtney Franck said. “We had the talent to do so, and tonight, we did.”
No. 1 Mount Vernon (23-1) will play unranked West Marshall (19-5) in the Class 3A state quarterfinals at 5 p.m. Monday, March 3 at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines.
Win, and they get either No. 5 Cherokee (21-3) or No. 6 Estherville Lincoln Central (20-3) at 1:30 p.m. Thursday, March 6. The Midgets are the team that knocked the Mustangs out in the semifinals a year ago.
“I feel like last year, coming up short, this year we have a lot to give, still,” senior Chloe Meester said. “So, we’re excited.”
The rest of the 3A state field includes No. 2 Dubuque Wahlert (19-4), No. 12 Spirit Lake (17-7), No. 3 Williamsburg (23-2) and No. 9 Des Moines Christian (21-3). The title game is at 8 p.m., Friday, March 7.
If the Mustangs and the Raiders win through, it would be the fourth Wamac opponent for Mount Vernon this postseason.
Mount Vernon started the 3A playoffs with a 68-23 win over Vinton-Shellsburg, then beat Solon, 52-32, on Wednesday, Feb. 19. Then Benton.
“They are teams we’ve had success with, so you don’t mind playing them another time,” Mount Vernon Coach Nathan Sanderson said. “And it says a lot about the strength of our conference.”
Benton upset No. 13 Mediapolis 50-47 to advance to the regional final. And early on they seemed game about giving the Mustangs a bigger challenge than their first matchup, a 62-27 win for Mount Vernon back on Dec. 10.
The Mustangs led just 10-6 midway through the first quarter.
Then freshman Savanna Wright came up with a couple of steals and layups, and Mount Vernon closed the quarter on a 9-1 run and led 21-9.
“I think we just stopped their drives,” Meester said. “Our defense pushed us farther and we started making more shots. We found out what worked.”
In the second quarter, Mount Vernon used a 13-0 run and an 8-0 run to push the lead at halftime to 42-16.
“We started off a little too relaxed,” senior Sydney Huber said. “We began creating turnovers; we just decided to start doing that.”
At the half, the Bobcats had 15 turnovers and were shooting 3 of 13 from the field. Meanwhile, the Mustangs were 19 of 38 shooting.
“We started getting stops,” Sanderson said. “They missed some shots and we were able to run a little bit more.”
Then the Mustangs left zero doubt they’d be returning to state by winning the third quarter, 16-0.
“We played really good defense,” Franck said. “We just continued to play our game and we just continued to push the tempo.”
Lisbon girls
Ryan Suchomel
Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun ryan.suchomel@mvlsun.com
Lisbon girls’ basketball is still under construction. That was evident Tuesday, Feb. 18, when the lost in a Class 2A regional quarterfinal at Jesup, 62-25.
“I think for us, we’ve always talked about the process,” Lisbon Coach Jack Leighty said. “You sometimes have to put in your time before you get to where you want to go. “So for us, getting to that second-round game, that’s a
big deal for us. We have to be in it to realize how we have to play to be successful.”
Jesup had something the Lions had not seen much of this season. Two big posts inside.
“It was a big task for us to defend,” Leighty said.
Six-foot-1 senior Olivia Nesbit had 14 points. Sophomore Peyton Weber had 15 points and junior Emma Bose had 21 points.
The J-Hawks came out and won the first quarter 19-6.
“We were just a little bit timid,” Leighty said. “We settled down and did some good things throughout the game.”
Like their entire 22-game win streak, the Mustangs had great balanced scoring. Meester led the way with 16 points, and was followed by Wright (14), Huber (11), Courtney Franck (10) and Taylor Franck (9).
Now it is on to state, and this trip might feel a bit like the what the volleyball team did this fall … and they came home with a title,
“Two in one year?” Meester said. “I feel that’s a hard thing to do. Not many schools do that.”
Mount Vernon is top-ranked and top-seeded and their only loss was to Class 5A No. 6 Cedar Rapids Prairie back on Dec. 3. In their past nine games, they’ve won by an average margin of 31 points.
“We knew we could go far this season, and we still have more to come,” Courtney Franck said. “We’re super excited to see how far we can go.”
The Lions shot just 18.2 percent from the field (6 of 33) and had 25 turnovers. Kyla Kahl led the offense with 13 points.
But despite being outsized, the Lions won the rebounding battle, 31 to 24. Emma Pleasant led Lisbon with nine rebounds.
Jesup (18-4) advanced but lost in the regional semifinals to Hudson, 48-39.
Lisbon ended its season 9-14.
“I think our kids overcame some adversity and continued to get better,” Leighty said. “We want to put in the work in the offseason to take that next step.”
Photos by AJ Dolan | For the Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun
Top: Mount Vernon’s Courtney Franck (No. 22) tries to find a way around Solon defenders in play last week.
Above: Mount Vernon’s Sydney Huber (No. 23) shoots over the arms of a Solon defender in play last week.
Right: Mount Vernon’s Courtney Franck (No. 22) goes up for a layup against Solon in the playoffs.
Mustang boys topped Washington 65-37
Ryan Suchomel
Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun ryan.suchomel@mvlsun.com
Some Senior Nights are special.
Win? Check. Mount Vernon topped Washington, 65-37.
Celebrate seniors? Check. The Mustangs have four seniors, and the three healthy seniors started the regular-season finale Tuesday, Feb. 18.
Special moment? Senior Cyrus Johnson, who decided to go out for basketball this year for the first time since eighth grade, scored his first varsity basket near the end of the game.
“I can’t say enough about him,” Mount Vernon Coach Derek Roberts said of Johnson. “He’s a player that the team just absolutely adores. Every single guy.
“They came to me today … ‘Coach, we’ve got to start Cyrus! We’ve got to!’
“He’d be the first one to tell you he’s just happy to be part of the team. Well, we’re happy to have him.”
“He’s a great guy,” said senior AJ McDermott, who had six points. “He’s always rooting for everyone else. To see him get his first varsity bucket, that was pretty awesome.”
Johnson and McDermott, normally reserves, were starters on Senior Night. Senior Cole Thurn, normally a starter,
was hurt and stayed on the bench.
“Even on the bench, he was doing our sub chart,” Roberts said. “He wants to be part of the team; he wants to be involved.”
And then, of course, there’s senior and UNI football recruit Josef Briesemeister, who finished with 24 points and 10 rebounds.
Even with a few new faces on the court, the Mustangs played tough defense and led 14-6 after one quarter and 35-17 at half.
Washington (9-12) never made a big run in the second half. Junior Kellen Haverback added 13 points and sophomore Luke Rushford had 12 points from four 3-pointers.
It was a fortuitous end-of-season, non-conference matchup, considering the Mustangs are playing a lot of the teams from Washington’s conference, the Southeast, in their substate.
Mount Vernon opened the 3A playoffs against Fairfield (6-15) on Monday, Feb. 17. Win that, and they get either Keokuk (15-6) or Oskaloosa (7-14) at home on Thursday, Feb. 27.
Washington is among the four teams on the top of the Substate 6 bracket, with Southeast champion Fort Madison (11-9), Mount Pleasant (2-19) and No. 3 Knoxville (21-0). The Substate final is Monday, March 3.
“It was good to get that flavor of those teams, get a taste
of that league,” Roberts said. “We’ve got a lot of work ahead of us. We’re fortunate to host our first game, and if we win that, host another one.”
McDermott, who has battled injuries his senior season, said the Mustangs are taking things one game at a time.
“We’ve seen our whole substate,” McDermott said. “I think we have a pretty good matchup. But we’ve been taught not to look ahead, to try to keep our focus on the next game.”
Ryan Suchomel Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun ryan.suchomel@mvlsun.com
Every Monticello 3-pointer landed like a dagger. At the end of the Class 2A district semifinal, the Lions lay bleeding on the court.
Et tu, Brute?
The Panthers sunk 13 3-pointers, including eight from junior Conley Schauf, got out to a big lead and sunk the Lions, 74-60, on Thursday, Feb. 20, in Monticello.
“They came out and shot the lights out,” Lisbon senior Grayson Wollum said. “It is hard when you have a hand in their face and they are shooting that well. We couldn’t get anything going on offense, either.”
The first quarter was miserable for Lisbon as they fell behind 16-2.
“It seemed like they had six guys on the floor the way they rotated and doubled and recovered out of double teams,” Lisbon Coach Levi Montague said. “It was hard for us to
get good looks.”
Schauf opened the game with a 4-point play (a 3-pointer and made free throw), then the Panthers hit five more 3-pointers to build their lead to 19-2.
“Getting down 2 to 16 in the first quarter is not the start you want,” Montague said. “Especially against a good team.”
Lisbon trailed at half, 33-19, but started to look more like themselves to start the second half when Wollum found a cutting Daylin Schaefer on the weak side for a rim-rattling dunk.
But Monticello had a counterpunch for every Lisbon rally, and led 55-36 going into the final quarter.
The Lions went on a 17-6 run to cut the lead to single-digits, 68-57, in part thanks to three 3-pointers from Wollum. But time was running out, and the Panthers hit 12-of-14 at the foul line in the final quarter.
“Our guys haven’t given up in a game,” Montague said. “They continue to fight. I’m proud of the way they continued to fight.
“But we dug too big of a hole early to make too big of a difference.”
Schauf finished with season-high 43 points for the Panthers. He was 8 of 11 from the arc. The Panthers were 13 of 23 as a team.
“They definitely did not miss much tonight,” Montague said.
Wollum finished with a season-best 36 points, including 16 in the fourth quarter. Earlier in the week, Wollum crossed the 1,000-point mark for his career. He said is still undecided on where he plans to play in college.
Jackson Powers had 12 points and Schaefer added eight.
Lisbon finished the season 16-7.
“I think we came together as a group,” Wollum said. “It was our first year in 2A. In 1A, we might’ve gone to state.”
Lisbon had a tough playoff road, even if they had beat the Panthers.
Monticello (18-4) advanced to play Northeast (17-5) on Tuesday, Feb. 25. The other half of the substate matched No. 7 Grundy Center (20-2) and Iowa City Regina (19-3).
To set up the game against the Panthers, on Monday, Feb. 17, the Lions opened the postseason with a 73-53 win over
Camanche in the Lions’ Den. Schaefer had 21 points, Powers had 17 points and eight rebounds, and Tyler Sauser added 15 points. Wollum had 12 points, seven rebounds and five assists. Camanche (3-19) made 10 pointers but shot them at a 32.3 percent clip (10-31).
4 yr. old/AK ~ 6th Grade Registration Deadline: March 7, 2025
Coaches meeting: March 18 at 6:30pm
Remember:
Second installment of property taxes due
Pay online, not in line
The second installment of property and mobile home taxes in Linn County is due March 1, 2025, per Iowa code. Property owners may pay their taxes without late fees through March 31. Late fees of 1.5% will begin April 1, 2025. Property tax statements were mailed to property owners in August 2024. Property owners will not receive a second mailing.
“This is the busiest time of year for the Treasurer’s Office, so we encourage residents to pay their property taxes online, by mail, or use our drop box so they can avoid waiting in line,” Linn County Treasurer Brent Oleson said.
PAYMENT OPTIONS
Pay Online
Pay property taxes online at www.iowataxandtags.org. Payment options include VISA, MasterCard, Discover, or American Express credit cards or eCheck. Property owners paying online are strongly encouraged to pay by eCheck because the fee is only 30 cents. Credit card payments add a non-refundable service delivery fee to the tax amount for the service of paying taxes online with a credit card. Property owners will have the opportunity to exit the payment process without completing the transaction and pay by a different method if they choose. The County Treasurer’s Office does not set the online fees and does not receive any portion of the transaction fee.
Pay by Mail
Mail property tax payments to the Linn County Treasurer, 935 2nd St. SW, Cedar Rapids, IA 52404. Payments postmarked by March 31, 2025, will be considered paid on time and no interest will be charged. The U.S. Postal Service postmark is the only date recognized for date of mailing. The date written on a check or a business metered
date cannot be accepted as proof of the mailing date. To ensure proper credit, the stub portion of the tax statement must be submitted with the payment. Residents who would like a receipt must include a self-addressed stamped envelope with their payment.
Drop Box Payment
Property tax payments can be dropped off in the white drop box located outside the entrance to the Jean Oxley Linn County Public Service Center, 935 2nd St. SW in Cedar Rapids. Please do not place cash payments in the drop box outside. Cash payments may be deposited in the drop box inside the Public Service Center lobby during normal business hours. To ensure proper credit, the stub portion of the tax statement must be submitted with payment. Residents who would like a receipt must include a self-addressed stamped envelope with their payment.
Pay in Person
Property taxes can be paid in person at the Linn County Treasurer’s Office at the Jean Oxley Linn County Public Service Center, 935 2nd St. SW in Cedar Rapids, Monday through Friday 7:30 a.m.–4 p.m. (Due to staff development training, hours are 10 a.m.–4 p.m. on the second Wednesday of each month.)
Email/Text Message Reminders
Property owners can receive email or text reminders about property tax payments by visiting Linn County’s website at LinnCountyIowa.gov/NotifyMe and signing up for the “Property Tax Payment Reminder.” Property tax statements will still be mailed each fall. The email or text message will serve as a reminder that the payment is due.
Distribution of Taxes
County Treasurers collect property taxes on behalf of all
The Together! Healthy Linn coalition invites the public to collaborate on a Community Health Improvement Plan
The most pressing health needs in Linn County are evolving. After extensive research and community input, the Together! Healthy Linn coalition has identified the top health priorities in the county. Now we invite the public to work with us in developing a plan to address these needs.
The 2025 – 2027 Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP) will focus on three key priorities, informed by data from the Community Health Assessment (CHA).
• Access to Healthcare: Are people/communities able to get to a health care provider? Can they access transportation, health insurance, specialty services? If they need help navigating care, are they able to find it? Are translation/interpretation services available in a patient’s first interaction with a provider?
• Chronic Illness Prevention & Management: How can we reduce the risk of chronic illness, particularly in disproportionately impacted communities? Also, how can we better treat and manage chronic illnesses in the county?
• Support Mental Health: This priority focuses on prevention as well as treatment. We’re particularly interested in bolstering supports for populations with increased levels of poor mental health such as LGBTQ+
individuals, veterans, people of color, and young people.
The plan will also include a dedicated policy work group, and we’re seeking community members to help explore policy solutions and systemic changes that will drive long-term improvements in each priority area.
If you are a member of an organization that serves the community, or simply a person who wants to be a part of positive change, we invite you to attend our meetings. Each one will focus on a different priority:
Mental Health Support
March 4 • 10:00 am – 12:00 pm
Chronic Illness Prevention & Management
March 6 • 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm
All meetings will be in Conference Room 234A in Linn County Public Health at 1020 Sixth St. SE in Cedar Rapids.
At these meetings, we’ll develop specific goals and strategies for addressing these challenges over the next three years.
jurisdictions in the county and then distribute the taxes collected to the other jurisdictions, including the property owner’s city of residence, school district, and other taxing bodies in the county.
Approximately 16% of property taxes paid by Linn County property owners in incorporated areas are used to fund Linn County government operations and services. The remaining 84% of property taxes goes to the property taxpayer’s city of residence, school district, and other taxing bodies in the county. Linn County taxes represent slightly more than one-third of property taxes for rural residents.
View Property Taxes Online
Linn County reminds residents that an interactive online tool is available to help taxpayers understand how their property taxes are collected and distributed. The website provides transparency in the property tax process with interactive maps, a dashboard, and charts showing countywide tax statistics, the tax bill cycle, property tax levy rates for all taxing jurisdictions, and a breakdown of where property tax dollars go.
Property owners can look up their property and compare their current tax bill to the last three years. The tool also allows users to see how their property taxes are distributed among different taxing jurisdictions, such as their city of residence, school district, and the County. By entering an address in the mapping tool, taxpayers can view a pie chart showing the exact dollar amount and percentage allocated to each jurisdiction.
The property tax statements mailed in August 2024 also included this detailed breakdown, displaying both the percentage and actual dollar amount of how individual property taxes are distributed.
To explore the interactive property tax lookup tool, visit https://treasurer-linncounty-gis.hub.arcgis.com/. Visit the Linn County Treasurer’s Office website for more information LinnCountyIowa.gov/Treasurer.
CHURCHES
MOUNT VERNON
St. Paul Lutheran Church L.C.M.S.
600 Fifth Avenue South
Pastor: Rev. Sean Hansen www.splcmv.org; send e-mail to info@splcmv.org
Sun.: 9:30 a.m. In-person worship
Please refer to our website or contact the church directly for additional worship information.
First Presbyterian Church 301 1st St. N.W. www.firstpresmv.com
319-895-6060
Pastor: Rev. Lori Wunder
Sun.: 9:30 a.m. in-person worship. Online services stream beginning at 9:20 a.m. on Facebook
St. John the Baptist Catholic Church
Rev. Andrew Awotwe-Mensah, parish priest
Sun.: 8 a.m. Mass
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Justus Hallam, Bishop
Meeting at: 4300 Trailridge Rd. SE, Cedar Rapids
Sun.: 11:30 a.m. in person services. Also an option for digital worship services.
United Methodist Church
Pastor Vicki Fisher
www.umcmv.com
Sun.: 8:30 a.m. Praise Worship
11 a.m. Traditional worship
Both worships available online at UMCMV.com
An LGBTQ affirming congregation
Community Bible Church 940 W. Mount Vernon Rd. www.mvcbc.org, 895-6269
Teaching Pastor Brandon Glaza
Discipleship Pastor Dennis Fulkerson
Youth Pastor Stephen Thomas
Sun.: 9:30 a.m. In-Person Worship Service
Wed. - 6 p.m. Encounter and Youth Group
Linn Grove Presbyterian
2000 Linn Grove Rd., Mt. Vernon
Pastor Carla Burge
Sun: 9 a.m. in-person worship, masks requested Also, weekly readings, prayers and sermons are posted on the church’s Facebook page.
Baha’i Faith
Nina Scott, Group Secretary, 319-270-9230
CrossLife Community Church
Pastor Erik Bennett
Sun.: 10:30 a.m. – In-person worship service. Services also livestream on Facebook page.
LISBON
Living Hope Global Methodist Church
COMMUNITY CALENDAR
Thursday, Feb. 27
Story Time, Cornell College Cole Library Browsing Room, 9:30 a.m.
Fiber Friends, Southeast Linn Community Center, 10:30 a.m.
SIG Talk by Dr. Catherine Volle, Cornell College West Science Room 100, 11:10 a.m. to noon
Lester Buresh Family Community Wellness Center Adult speaker series “Connections with the Csomay Center” by Jennifer Jones, LBC, 1 p.m.
Friday, Feb. 28
Bingo, Southeast Linn Community Center, 10-11:30 a.m.
Linn Lunch Bunch, Southeast Linn Community Center, 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Mount Vernon Pancake Supper, Mount Vernon High School Commons, 4-8 p.m.
Saturday, March 1
Mount Vernon WPA Winer Formal, Mount Vernon High School Commons, 9 p.m. to midnight.
Sunday, March 2
Cornell College Pop/Contemporary Ensemble Concert, Cornell College Thomas Commons Smith Dining Room 7-8 p.m.
Monday, March 3
Mount Vernon City Council, Mount Vernon City Hall, 6:30 p.m.
Washington Elementary Teachers and Parents Meeting, Washington Elementary school room 201, 6 p.m.
Tuesday, March 4
Lego Club, Cornell College Cole Library Room 108, 3:30 p.m.
200 E. Market St., 455-2000 livinghopegmc.org
Pastor Andrew Bee
Services live streamed at Living Hope Global Methodist Church’s YouTube page
Sundays at 9:45 a.m.
Sun.: 9:45 a.m. — In-person worship.
Seeds of Faith Lutheran Church, ELCA
798 Brenneman Lane, 455-2599
(Off Hwy. 30 on eastern edge of Lisbon) www.seedsoffaithlutheran.org/
Pastor Erika Uthe
9 a.m. — In-person worship. Services also livestream via Seeds’ Facebook Page.
BERTRAM
United Methodist Church 319-365-8077
Rev. Darwin Moore, Pastor Sun.: 10 a.m. — In-person worship service
MARTELLE
Christian Church
Sun.: 10:30 a.m. — in person worship service Services also stream online at Martelle Christian Church’s YouTube page.
United Methodist Church Sun.: 10:30 a.m. Worship service. No Sunday school.
SPRINGVILLE
United Methodist Church
Sun.: 9 a.m. Worship service.
Wed.: 6:30 p.m. Praise service
Faith Christian Fellowship
Pastor Joseph Bielema
Sun.: 9:30 a.m. worship at Springville Memorial Library, in the Buresh Room
(264 Broadway Street)
St. Isidore Catholic Church
Sat.: 6 p.m. Mass
MECHANICSVILLE
Living Hope Bible Church
Mechanicsville Memorial Building
First Presbyterian Church
408 E. First Street.
Christian Community Church of Mechanicsville
307 East First Street 563-432-7716
Sun: Sunday School 10-11am and in-person Worship Services at 11:15am with Fellowship to follow.
St. Mary’s Catholic Church
Pastor: Father James Flattery
Wed.: 8:30 a.m. — mass Sun.: 8 a.m. Mass
Mount Vernon Festival of Bands Soup Supper Mount Vernon High School, 4:45-7 p.m.
Yarn squad, Cornell College Cole Library Room 326, 6:30 p.m.
Learn to play bridge, Cornell College Cole Library Room 410, 7 p.m.
Mount Vernon Fine Arts Association meeting, Mount Vernon High School Commons, 7 p.m.
Mount Vernon Festival of Bands, Mount Vernon High School, 7-9 p.m.
Wednesday, March 5
Mount Vernon early dismissal, 1:15 p.m.
Washington Elementary School parent/teacher conferences, Washington Elementary School, 1:30-6 p.m.
Mount Vernon Middle School parent teacher conferences, Mount Vernon Middle School. 2-6:30 p.m.
Cards, Southeast Linn Community Center, 10-11:30 a.m.
Linn Lunch Bunch, Southeast Linn Community Center, 11:30 a.m.
Learn to play bridge, Cornell College Cole Library room 108, 1 p.m.
Thursday, March 6
Story Time Cornell College Cole Library Browsing Room, 9:30 a.m.
Fiber Friends, Southeast Linn Community Center, 10:30 a.m.
Lester Buresh Family Community Wellness Center
Adult speaker series “The Nexus of Climate Change and Health” by Peter Thorne, LBC, 1 p.m.
Mount Vernon High School orchestra concert, Mount Vernon High School Performing Arts Center
Across
1 Tavern regular
7 Bit of haunted house décor
13 Remove some bugs from
14 Beethoven work initially dedicated to Napoleon
15 Classic line from the Dick and Jane series
16 Hiring practice at a family business, say
17 Like many shots in soccer
18 Suppose
19 One might be worthy or formidable
20 Years of decline
23 Pilots’ chronicles
25 “___ plaisir!”
27 Where people amass for Mass
28 Bee-dazzler?
29 Adequate
30 Hurdle for a future Ph.D.
31 E, in a musical mnemonic
32 Land whose name meant “between two rivers”
36 Gets up
39 Grp. with a lot of intelligence
40 Painter Bob who said “We don’t make mistakes. We have happy accidents”
44 Advocacy org. that gained prominence in 1980s New York City
45 Eastern currency
46 Word repeated in a children’s game
47 Laura of “Jurassic Park”
48 Structure with smoke flaps
50 Prefix with color and county
51 “Snow Falling on ___,” 1994 mystery novel set in Washington State
53 Bank assessment
55 Sichuan bean curd dish
56 Obstacles for a driver ... or what this puzzle’s circled squares represent
58 “When in the course of human ___ …” (start of the Declaration of Independence)
59 “You’re kidding yourself!”
60 Hate
61 In the interim
Down
1 Singers who co-starred in the 1978 film “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band”
2 Too
3 Either of two diverging in a Robert Frost poem
4 Horse-racing measurements
5 Football powerhouse in the S.E.C.
6 Eastern currency
7 Perfume ecclesiastically
8 Unrefined metal sources
9 Sunset in the West?
10 Motion-sensing gaming device
11 Popeye’s creator
12 “Kapow!”
13 All over again
15 Lounges, e.g.
18 Bit of biographical data
21 ___ chips, snack from Hawaii
22 Way
24 Vulpine
26 Fall apart mentally
28 Canadian province where “Anne of Green Gables” is set: Abbr.
33 Special reading ability, for short
34 “And make it snappy!”
35 Hall & Oates hit with the opening lyric “She’ll only come out at night”
36 Beyond cool
37 Geologic formation from glacial melting
38 Word with clothes or cleaner
41 Discharge of water, e.g.
42 Filter
43 Heavens
45 “You rang?”
48 Arrangement for an heir, perhaps
49 Literary husband of Zeena Frome
52 Early p.m. times, in brief
54 Steamed dumpling in Tibetan cuisine
55 ___ school
56 Common download
57 Metal para una medalla olímpica
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.
Salary rates set for MV employees
Jake Olson Iowa Community News
The Mount Vernon City Council approved a 4.5% salary increase for personnel in non-union positions. The increase is set to start on the 2025-2026 fiscal year on July 1. Police:
before they would take off.
“If they use a credit card they still have to bring the receipts in, Nosbisch said. “But the per diem takes the place of that process and what they spend at that point.”
Approval for purchase of chalk for Chalk the Walk Festival
The city council approved the spending of up to $4,100 on chalk for the annual Chalk the Walk Festival.
“We sell the chalk at the event to make up the cost,” Nosbisch said.
The city orders the chalk from Iron Leaf Press, with Danielle Chargo as the representative.
“We are no longer able to purchase bulk,” Nosbisch said. “This is the second year she has basically been our vendor.” “Huge shoutout to her, and thank you.”
Chalk the Walk takes place from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on May 3 and 4 and is held on Main Street in Mount Vernon.
Date made for proposed tax levy rate meetings
A date and time have been established for the public hearing regarding the city’s proposed property tax levy.
This 30-minute event, which will take place on April 7 at 6:00 p.m., is open to all Mount Vernon taxpayers.
The exception to these salary rises is Mount Vernon city administrator Nosbisch, as the council has approved increases to his salary to be more in line with a city of Mount Vernon’s size beginning in 2023.
New per diem travel policy
Mount Vernon city administrator Chris Nosbisch brought in this audit item to give government officials and employees $75 per diem a day when traveling. This came after the council limited the amount of credit cards issued to its staff, switching to a per diem amount
CLASSIFIEDS
Pets For Sale
Shih Tzu’s & Chishi Puppies. Fluffy, healthy. Parents on site. Vet checked & vaccinated. $900 & up. 563-210-5843
Wanted To Rent
Young, growing & hardworking family searching for acreage with home & building(s) for 4-H animals to rent, maybe buy. Fixer upper is fine. Prefer Mt Vernon/Lisbon area. References available. Thank you. 563-210-5843.
Apartment For Rent
FOR RENT: 1 bedroom apartment in a clean, quiet 4-plex in Mechanicsville. No smoking or pets. Laundry on site. Off street parking. Available now. 319-981-3901.
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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For the Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun