Community Day Saturday at Pleasant Grove Heritage Park
Nathan Countryman
Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun
nathan.countryman@mvlsun.com
Friends of Pleasant Grove Heritage Park is encouraging people to get outdoors this weekend with a trip to the park in Lisbon for “Community Day” from 1 to 4 p.m. at the park.
“The McElmeel family is thrilled to have the property back in their care and wanted to celebrate a new beginning for Pleasant Grove Heritage Park by hosting a community celebration, thus ‘Community Day,’ a version of an open house but in an open, outdoor space,” answered Ann Opatz, committee member of the Friends of the Pleasant Grove Heritage Park.”
Pleasant Grove Heritage Park was originally sold to Lisbon in 2019, with plans to develop the space into a permanent park and restore the historic barns.
In 2024, when little action had been taken to preserve the barns and the city council was considering demolishing the barns, the McElmeel family formed a non-profit organization to help preserve the barns and properties. The barns and property were transitioned to the non-profit in February.
There are plans to develop the park and rehabilitate the barns, with the assistance of numerous volunteers and grants and donations.
At Community Day, the community will be able to see the efforts that are planned for restoring and repurposing the barns as part of the Meyers Farmstead Historical District, and upgrades needed for other areas of the park, including prairie, pond, trails, play areas, parking and other amenities.
Attendees will be able to view the preservation plan developed by OPN Architects and other research studies by preservation professionals that will be used as a guide in our rehabilitation efforts for the barns.
“We will also be sharing preliminary conceptual designs for a master plan
Kicking off summer
Linn County cancer cases on rise
County has higher cancer rate than U.S. average
Nathan Countryman
Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun nathan.countryman@mvlsun.com
Linn County Public Health and the Iowa Cancer Consortium held a 99 Counties Project Thursday, May 29, where the results of Linn County’s cancer rates were provided.
Pramod Divedi, Linn County Public Health director, spoke before the presentation of
data about the importance of the research.
“We are here with a purpose to confront a crisis that touches every family, community and every area in the 99 counties in Iowa,” Divedi said. “Iowa ranks second in cancer cases. That’s not a podium we want to be standing on.”
Behind every statistic, Divedi said, is the story of a neighbor, co-worker, friend or loved one impacted by this disease for someone.
Professor Mary Charlton of the Iowa Cancer Registry said the only state with a rising can-
Nathan Countryman Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun nathan.countryman@mvlsun.com
It could have been the excellent weather. Or a different location this year.
But the Cole Library summer reading program kick-off attracted more than 123 people and had 66 youth or teenagers signed up for the summer reading program overall. According to Grace Chamberlain-Rowray, the attendance was much larger than 2024s event.
If families were unable to attend, there is still time to sign up for the program by visiting the library’s circulation desk on the first floor. There’s also a number of programs for the summer reading program to come, including two weekly science, technology, engineering and math classes held Wednesday mornings that require pre-registering, story times and the Prancing Ponies concluding event in July 18. Bubbles were one of the big draws for the event, with that station running out of bubble solution before the day was over.
With temperatures in the cool 70s through most of the morning, many of the events indoors for the kick-off moved to the outdoors of the library instead, including make your own snack mix and the music of Balderdash Ditty.
Nathan Countryman | Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun
Kira Moore blows some bubbles outdoors at the summer library reading program kick off. The bubble station was a very popular station, with a run needed to go pick up additional bubble solution during the event.
cer rate currently is Utah, and their rate is much lower than Iowa’s, whereas Iowa has not decreased and keeps increasing.
Cancer, Charlton also said, is very complicated.
“There’s not just one thing causing cancer in Iowa,” Charlton said. “There are no huge hot spots, no towns all getting cancer. It’s a complex disease, where lifestyle and exposure
impacts your risks.”
In Linn County, there are roughly 1,391 new cancer cases in the county per year. The cancer rate is higher in non-hispanic black individuals, but non-hispanic whites are also higher than the nation average. Linn County also saw 414 people die due to cancer per year.
The top cancers in the county include breast cancer, prostate cancer, lung cancer, melanoma and colorectal cancer. Only colorectal cancer is the one without a rate higher than a national average.
Breast cancer has roughly 204 new cases per year, and sees higher rates in white individuals. There are 24 deaths to breast cancer per year.
Ways to mitigate breast cancer include more physical activity, eating healthy foods, avoiding excessive weights, decreasing alcohol consumption and controlling hormones.
Charlton said that capturing the cancer early, via screening, helps with people surviving the cancer, as it’s caught before it spreads further in the body.
Prostate cancer sees roughly 201 cases per
year, with rates higher in non-hispanic blacks. There are 20 deaths to prostate cancer per year. Ways to mitigate prostate cancer include eating healthy foods, decreasing alcohol consumption, reducing smoking and limits to chemical exposures. It’s also important to get screenings between 55 to 69 or starting at age 45 if you’re known as a high risk.
Lung cancer has 174 new cases in the county per year. With 104 deaths per year, it is one of the leading cancer deaths in the state.
Charlton said the most important thing for mitigation aside from reducing smoking is testing your home for radon. If you suspect you may have lung cancer, get screened.
“One of the reasons our mortality rate is so high in this cancer is we’re capturing it in a late stage, as opposed to an early state,” Charlton said. “That makes
it harder to treat.”
Melanoma has 93 new cases per year in Linn County, and contributes to roughly nine deaths per year.
Mitigating cancer risks for melanoma includes wearing sunscreen, longsleeves, hats, sitting in the shade and avoiding sun exposure from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
“This is one of those cancers people catch very early and has a great survival rate,” Charlton said.
When it comes to noticing a skin lesion that may be cancerous, Charlton recommended keeping in mind of the ABCDE of any skin spot – a is asymmetrical in shape, b is for the border, c is for color, d is for diameter, e is for the evolving size of it.
Colorectal cancer rounds out Linn County’s top five cancers, with 90 cases. There are an average of 34 deaths per year. Mitigating cancer risks for colorectal cancer includes being physically active, eating healthy foods, reducing alcohol use, reducing excessive body weight, reducing tobacco use. Getting screened early also helps, be that a take home test or a colonoscopy.
Charlton said one big thing to note is that the human papilloma virus vaccination has a high chance
of reducing cancers. Iowa is seeing an increase in those cancers.
One of the biggest policy successes the state has seen is the passage of the last tobacco tax in 2007 helped decrease smoking in 92 percent of Iowa’s counties.
Charlton said areas that could be addressed to help reduce multiple cancers is to reduce the amount of binge drinking that occurs.
Charlton said that Iowa, despite it’s rising cancer rates, has a cancer plan that is the envy of the country, due to the amount of input and leadership contributing to it.
The 99 counties discussion is only supposed to be the first step for individuals in the county, and lead to further discussions.
“Every community is different, and your expertise as an individual is what is going to work for the best in your community,” Charlton said.
Issues facing veterans affairs, veterans discussed
Nathan Countryman Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun nathan.countryman@mvlsun.com
Veterans Affairs and veteran issues were the focus of Voices United of Rural Linn County’s Wednesday, May 28, gathering. Guest speaker was Mike Woods, the commander of the Hahn-Howard 490 post, veteran and worker at the Veterans Administration in Johnson County.
Woods gave a background on the VA program and how it originated.
“The United States has always had a level of veteran care,” Woods said. “Originally, the country had a level of decentralized militias.”
In 1917, the number of veterans increased from 140,000 to more than 8 million, with many participating in World War I.
“There were a lot of casualties in World War I, and there was a slow consensus to what health care was needed,” Woods said. That got the country through World War I, the 1920s and the Great Depression.
And then, World War II happened, where more than 16 million veterans participated.
“And that’s when the first G.I. Bill was passed,” Woods said. “The focus of that was to bring these men back to society.”
That bill provided upward mobility to a number of veterans, including the ability to go to college or get loans for first homes or businesses.
Woods said since that original bill, the G.I. Bill changes depending on who is in charge.
“What we have now is very beneficial to those who have participated in the global war on terror,” Woods said.
One of the areas that the VA has worked with has been on the Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act, which increased benefits to soldiers who were exposed to Agent Orange or other
cancerous materials.
Woods said that DOGE’s cuts to staffing will have an impact on the local VA.
“We won’t know how severely our organization has been impacted until the end of June,” Woods said. “We are already shorthanded as an organization.”
Woods said that after the initial hiring pause proposed by DOGE, they realized that they needed nurses and doctors to continue to be hired.
Woods said one of the biggest things to note – the shorthanded staff is making it tougher to schedule events in a timely manner.
The cuts made were trying to bring the organization back to 2019 levels, which would not be enough.
Woods said that he continues his job, like many in the organization, because it’s the right thing to do.
“We all love our jobs and the care we’re providing to our veterans,” Woods said.
When it came to statements Pete Hegseth has made pertaining to the veterans who apply for every benefit they are entitled to.
“Injuries happen to veterans as part of their service,” Woods said. “Hegseth was lucky that he wasn’t injured and needed benefits for his service.”
The programs in place are there for a reason, Woods continued, and veterans should apply for those items they need following their service.
Areas of concern are the suicide hotline being eliminated will have an impact on issues for veterans as well.
A question from an audience member asked about the workers being asked to return from a work from home situation.
Woods said that one of the struggles is finding space in the clinics for personnel.
Woods was also clear to note that impacts to the VA don’t just happen under Republi -
The key takeaways for the presentation – cancer is an important health issue facing the county, there are proven ways to prevent cancer and detect it early, Iowa has a strong cancer plan, and policy changes at the local and state level can have a huge impact.
Some questions asked about why there is not a stance against agricultural issues that may be causing cancer.
Charlton said that the Iowa Cancer Registry is just that, a registry collecting information on cancer infections and death in the state. They are not an advocacy organization. They provide their data to others.
A question asked as well about why comorbidities are not reflected in the death rate.
Charlton said they get the medical record following a death, and not all death certificates have a complete listing of comorbidities.
Nathan Countryman | Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun
Mike Woods talks about issues facing Veterans Affairs with proposed cuts and reduction in staffing.
cans, but during both administrations.
Gerald Monk, a veteran, said the one minor issue he has with the VA is that it takes them a while to get to new veterans into a more close clinic.
“I’m originally from Grundy Center, so when I moved down here, my options are still traveling to Waterloo,” Monk said.
Woods explained that one of the things to note is that veterans do have the ability to get care at facilities in their community if they can not get into a VA facility.
“The one thing I’ve learned working at the VA is how one person missing an appointment explodes exponentially on who it impacts,” Woods said.
And while there is a new national vets facility being built in California, many veterans struggle to get to a center 20 miles away because they sometimes struggle to have enough gas in their vehicle to make it to that appointment. Volume
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
STAFF
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Editor Nathan Countryman nathan.countryman @mvlsun.com
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Office/Sales Assistant Rochelle Ferguson rochelle.ferguson @mvlsun.com
Reporter Interns AJ Dolan Ella McEntaffer Natalia Scales
Design Intern Emma Calabro
Production Manager Heidi Owen heidi.owen@dailyiowan.com
Business Manager Debbie Plath debra.plath@dailyiowan.com
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.
Copyright 2025 Mount VernonLisbon Sun, a division of The Daily Iowan and Student Publications, Inc. All articles, photographs and graphics, both in print and online editions, are the property of Student Publications, Inc., and may not be reproduced or republished without
One injured in two vehicle collision
30. Casseus was
transported to a local hospital by Area Ambulance with non-life threatening injuries.
According to Sgt. Chad Watkinson of the Linn County Sheriff’s Office, first responders were paged to a two-vehicle crash along Hwy. 30 at the intersection of Old River Road at 9:28 p.m. May 28.
Emergency personnel arrived on scene to find a vehicle driven by Lindsey Clemens, 33, Cedar Rapids, was westbound on Hwy 30 near Old River Rd when she took
MV honors staff service, retirements
Nathan Countryman
Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun
nathan.countryman@mvlsun.com
Mount Vernon honored two retirees and staff celebrating years of achievement Friday, May 30, at the conclusion of the school year.
Ann Wattleworth, was retiring after 33 years of teaching, 18 years at the Mount Vernon School District.
Ammie Trumpold said she was glad to have had a lifelong friendship with Wattleworth, having student taught at the district years ago and returning recently.
“Laughing with Ann was easy to do every day,” Trumpold said. “We’re going to carry that on with a ‘dress like Ann day’ in the future school districts. No one will match her fashion sense or her big heart.”
Wattleworth graduated from Mount Vernon High School, and after marrying her husband, they moved out of Mount Vernon. She taught at Rapid City, South Dakota and Papillion, Neb.
The family was brought back to Mount Vernon roughly 18 years ago. She joined the district as a special education paraeducator at that time.
She thanked the district for 18 years of teaching here, and helping her raise her nephew through the district, leaving with the advice she gave him – “go out into the world and make the world a better place. Smile, be kind to everyone. You never know where that kindness is needed.”
Wattleworth plans to travel and spend more time with her soon to be 90-year old mom Marj Whitley, who was there to honor her daughter retiring from the district Friday.
“It’s not the number of years we work, but the number of lives we touch,” Wattleworth wrote in her parting words. “I grew up with a severely disabled sister who didn’t walk or talk. She taught our family a lot in life and my love for the special education children came from the love and special life I had with Carla. I loved my 33 years of working with special education children. They have touched my life in so many different ways.”
Mount Vernon staff member Lisa Cannon also retired after 37 years, but didn’t want to make a big deal out of her retirement.
At the ceremony, she said “Even though I wasn’t originally from here, Mount Vernon has always treated me as one of its own, which is why I stayed here so long.”
Superintendent Matt Leeman reflected on the year of teaching with his charge to teachers at the beginning of the school year – to be the one person one student looks forward to seeing every day.
He recounted a conversation he had with his 7-year-old son who had moved to this district this year about how the school year went.
“He said that kindergarten at Clear Creek-Amana, that year went by so slow,” Leeman said. “But first grade flew by. And he thanked me for one of the best school years he’s ever had.”
School board president Rick Elliott said he is lucky to be a part of a school board and community that values education like Mount Vernon.
Jessica Bartelt with the Mount Vernon Education Association thanked the school board and administration for their support of teachers as well.
“We’re able to be a safe and happy place for our students because of that support we have,” Bartelt said.
her eyes off the roadway. Clemens then struck another vehicle also traveling westbound causing her vehicle to roll coming to rest on its top in the traveled portion of the roadway.
Clemens received minor injuries and was charged with failure to maintain control and failure to wear seatbelt.
Other agencies responding to the crash included Linn County Rescue, Mount Vernon-Lisbon Police Department and Ely Fire.
Friday, May
33
Photos by Nathan Countryman | Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun
Ann Wattleworth visits with Ammie Trumpold before the event
30. Wattleworth was retiring from the district with
years of education experience.
Far left: Staff celebrating 10 years at Mount Vernon include Ben Knake and Scott Weber. Not pictured were Chris Noll, Jason Nosek, Andrew Shea, Kim Siggins, Toni-Stanbro-Wiesenhofer, Jill Wilkins and Miranda Zilatis.
Left: Celebrating 35 years at Mount Vernon was Dee Winder.
Above left to right: Celebrating 30 years at Mount Vernon was Tom Wilkinson. Staff celebrating 25 years at Mount Vernon were LeAnn Pisarik. Not pictured were Kris Abodeely and Sally Hunter.
Above: Staff celebrating 15 years at Mount Vernon include Michelle Boyden, Robin Brand, Steve Brand, Megan Dielschneider, Jessica Murphy, Whitney Turner. Not pictured wereAmy Weber and Marty Williams.
Right: Staff celebrating 20 years at Mount Vernon were Abby Bock, Kim Bjork, Robert Haugse and Maggie Willems.
Above: Staff celebrating five years teaching at Mount Vernon include Chris Brown, Rachel Glaza, Allison Whitmore, Megan Krapfl, Kori Leighty, Jose Salinas and Charlene Vig. Not pictured were Charles Chatman, Jr., Deb Etzel, Adam McDermott, and Bridget O’Connor.
Richemond Casseus, 34, Cedar Rapids, was injured in a two-vehicle collision on Hwy.
OPINIONS
Garden Envy and a lesson from a master gardener
Living in Iowa
Dan Brawner
It didn’t start out this way. In the beginning, all we wanted were a few homegrown tomatoes. And maybe some fresh basil. Somehow things just got out of control. Now it’s become a full-blown case of…Garden Envy!
A few years ago, we decided to dig up part of our lawn and make a small garden—sort of an experiment. Looking back, I don’t know why we imagined we could grow vegetables when we couldn’t even grow grass. The only green parts of the lawn were burdock weeds and Creeping Charlie. But we innocently rototilled a patch and entombed some seeds. Like any conscientious gardeners, we even posted the empty seed packages at the end of the rows to remind us of what we’d planted. It turned out to be more like epitaphs to the memory of vegetables sadly departed before their time.
After dumping truckloads of fertilizer and compost on our garden, only to watch our tomatoes develop white fungus and wither, we concluded that our soil was suffering from some sort of biblical-level curse. Maybe we’d have better luck renting a small plot in a community garden.
The first year, it was fun to try out a new garden next to other neighborhood gardeners. One might have a clever design for a fence to keep out hungry deer. Another would use a bed of straw for suppressing weeds. We learned from each other. And, to our great delight, our new garden prospered. Our kale was lush, our tomatoes were plump and unblemished. Our beans climbed their trellises with enthusiasm and obedience that made us proud. And yet, as time went on, there grew a snake in our garden of Eden. Envy.
You couldn’t blame us for comparing our little garden to the others. It was only natural. One had hydrangeas the size of basketballs. Another had rows of perfectly manicured spinach without any weeds. Not even one. Our neighbor’s compost smelled like lavender. And what was that—somebody was growing celery? That’s just showing off!
I’m a construction guy, so I decided to make a door for our garden out of some scrap lumber, complete with hinges. It was way nicer than the sad little chicken wire flaps we used to have. Then, the gardener next to us built an impressive six-foot-tall fence around their plot with a brand-new metal screen door. It made our five-foot fence look puny. So we built it taller. Then, the next time we came out to water, our neighbor had added an additional stratospheric layer to their entire fence. Then they added a string of solar-powered lights. I knew at that point we were beaten. But who were these master gardeners?
Yesterday, I was watering our tomatoes when I couldn’t help noticing the super-gardeners had built a miniature Zen garden, complete with flagstones and a tiny fountain! It was beautiful. As I was marveling at their masterpiece, a serious-looking older woman entered the smoothly-operating screen door and began arranging a bit of untidy mulch. I couldn’t help commenting how much I admired her work. She seemed surprised and a little confused. “Oh, thanks,” she said modestly. “I don’t try anymore. Things just seem to grow for me.”
So that’s the secret.
SUN EDITORIAL
Welcome the Sun and Economist’s summer interns
A.J. Dolan
Through mountains of homework, late nights with friends, and downtown Iowa City adventures; endless stories have blossomed themselves into the lives of so many, especially me. Those experiences are what drive people today, giving many the opportunity to tell a story and, in turn, feeding into what we’ve come to understand as our area’s version of modern journalism. Seeing this firsthand is where my love for journalism began.
From a younger age, I always knew that writing was the art medium that called to me. It called to me in a way where I could employ its abilities and grasp its capabilities, coming to me naturally by means of which nothing had before in my life. I valued writing all throughout public school but lost its touch when enrolling at the University of Iowa where I so tentatively decided on being business major. As a freshman in college, I felt that, like so many do, I was not following my true passion, but the school’s journalism program landed in my lap at the right time, and I knew that this is what I should follow.
Now, as a 21-year-old amid life’s changes, I’m nothing short of excited to be writing and reporting for the Solon Economist and Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun as an intern. This past semester, I had the privilege of capturing special moments in high school sports in the form of photos and articles for the respective papers, and I wouldn’t trade those experiences for the world. It is where my previously stated love for journalism truly planted its flag in my life.
As an intern, I plan to display that love in every piece I produce this summer, not only for the sake of good journalism, but also for the sake of the communities involved. I am an Iowa resident through and through and to be able to represent our area’s stories is a dream come true. Like I said, I’m a young man with much to learn, particularly about journalism in this case, but with the help of our editors Chris Umscheid and Nathan Countryman, I feel I will continue to be at home within the communities of Solon and Mount Vernon.
Ella McEntaffer
I joined the Solon Economist and the Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun as an intern in February, and I have had an amazing
GUEST OPINION
experience so far. Working under Jason Brummond, Chris Umscheid, and Nathan Countryman, I have learned so much and truly grown my reporting and writing skills. I couldn’t ask for better mentors, I am excited to continue working with them. Besides the great staff, I have loved being able to meet so many different people in the Solon, Mount Vernon, and Lisbon areas.
Everyone I have gotten the opportunity to interview has been incredibly welcoming and supportive of my work and learning. I will be a senior at the University of Iowa, majoring in journalism and mass communications with a minor in music and history. I originally came into college as a science major, but I quickly realized that I enjoyed classes with written and creative elements far more. I have always enjoyed stories, so I guess it is no surprise that I ended up pursuing a degree telling them.
Besides writing, I enjoy going to Hawkeye games with my friends, playing guitar, working out, traveling, and walking my dog.
One aspect that I have liked about this internship is being able to experience and tell the stories of small-town Iowa. I am from a large suburb, so I feel lucky to have been given the opportunity to explore eastern Iowa through my writing. Solon, Mount Vernon, and Lisbon are all such beautiful communities, and I am excited to gain more connections in the area.
Natalia
Scales
For me, I knew I wanted to become a journalist when I joined my high school newspaper. What started as a curiosity quickly became a passion—I found joy in telling stories, asking questions, and connecting with readers through writing. That sense of purpose and excitement has stayed with me ever since.
Now, I’m thrilled to introduce myself as the new summer reporting intern for the Solon Economist and Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun. I graduated this spring from the University of Iowa with a degree in journalism, ready to take the next step in a field I have grown to love.
This internship was offered to me by publisher Jason Brummond, and I did not hesitate to say yes. It is a privilege to have the chance to work alongside both—Nathan Countryman of the Sun and Chris Umscheid of the Economist. Their experience and commitment to local journalism make them ideal mentors as I continue developing my skills and learning what it takes to produce meaningful, community-centered work.
I have spent most of my life in Iowa, growing up in the Des Moines suburbs and attending school at the University of Iowa. In that time, I have come to appreciate the stories that make up this state—the people, places, and values that define it. I am looking forward to getting to know Solon and the Mount Vernon-Lisbon area more deeply through the lens of local reporting. This summer, I hope to grow as a journalist, contribute to the community, and tell stories that matter. I am excited for what lies ahead.
The national mesothelioma registry: A path to better care for Linn County’s veterans
Jonathan Sharp
Asbestos-related diseases take decades to manifest from the time of exposure, and despite recent bans on this material, specific at-risk populations are still affected. Mesothelioma, one of the rarest cancers caused by inhaling asbestos fibers, is six times more common in Navy veterans compared to those who served in other military branches. Across all populations affected, veterans account for approximately 30% of the fewer than 3,000 mesothelioma diagnoses made each year.
Because of the rarity of this condition, diagnosis and treatment are limited. Furthermore, as mesothelioma first manifests with non-specific symptoms, many receive a correct diagnosis when they enter the final stages of this disease. At this point, with a late-stage diagnosis and a survival rate of under a year, the only remaining option is palliative care.
In 2019, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
(CDC), along with the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), proposed the implementation of a National Mesothelioma Registry. In practice, this project could prompt research by enabling scientists to access patient data faster and put together a sufficient number of patients for conducting clinical trials that improve diagnosis rates and treatment options.
Other benefits do emerge from this project. For example, to address mesothelioma’s non-specific symptoms and implications for misdiagnosis, a case-finding methodology is proposed here. Periodic screenings of at-risk populations through rapid testing could identify those who already experience symptoms aligned with early-stage mesothelioma and prompt in-depth investigations in specialized clinics. Advocacy and civic pressure from veteran organizations are crucial to accelerating the implementation of the National Mesothelioma Registry. By raising awareness, lobbying policymakers, and uniting affected communities, these groups can create urgency in pressuring the federal
This summer, Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun and the Solon Economist will have three summer interns helping to cover in these communities. These are their introductions to the community.
McEntaffer
Dolan
Scales
government to adopt this project. A key role in this case is played by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the Department of Defense (DoD), as they are responsible for supporting affected service members.
Mesothelioma Cases Among Linn County Veterans
Almost 160,000 veterans live in Iowa, and more than 60,000 of them served in the military during peak asbestos use, including during WW2, the Korean War and the Vietnam War, when virtually no regulations on asbestos existed. Today, in old age, these veterans risk developing one of the cruelest diseases, with little hope
for early diagnosis, curative treatment, or long-term survival. More than 13,000 veterans live in Linn County, and around 4,800 served in the Vietnam War, making them a key at-risk group for mesothelioma.
From 1999 to 2017, Iowa recorded a total number of 2,765 asbestos-related deaths, of which 525 were attributed to mesothelioma. Linn County has the second-largest death toll of all asbestos-related deaths at 276, with an average of 14 per year. Compared to the state incidence rate of asbestos mortality at 4.8 per 100,000 people, Linn County has almost double this rate at 7.0. These numbers are not surprising, as Linn County was historically influenced by nearby military installations and defense-related industries, where asbestos use was common.
Given the high incidence of asbestos-related deaths in Linn County and the large population of aging, at-risk veterans, the implementation of the National Mesothelioma Registry is essential to improve care for these people. By capturing accurate case numbers and trends, the registry would support timely medical interventions and inform public health strategies, ultimately offering hope to those most vulnerable to this devastating disease.
About the Author
Jonathan Sharp is the Chief Financial Officer at Environmental Litigation Group, P.C., a Birmingham, Alabama-based law firm dedicated to advocating for individuals harmed by toxic exposure.
Manufacturing the Future: How Kirkwood Is adapting higher education to serve industry and students
tools that are shaping the factories of tomorrow.
Manufacturing has long been a cornerstone of Iowa’s economy, and its future success depends on how well we align education with rapidly evolving industry needs. That’s a responsibility we take seriously at Kirkwood Community College. As technologies shift and workforce expectations rise, we’re transforming how higher education works for both students and employers.
Today’s students are not one-size-fits-all. They’re high school graduates, career changers, working parents, veterans and lifelong learners. They’re seeking flexibility, relevance and the confidence that their education leads to meaningful employment. At the same time, our industry partners need workers who are agile, technically skilled, and ready to grow into roles that may not have existed five years ago. Meeting these needs requires higher education to change structurally, philosophically and operationally.
The pace of change in manufacturing is accelerating. Factories today are dynamic environments where advanced robotics, data analytics and artificial intelligence (AI) are transforming every step of production. AI-driven systems now monitor equipment in real time, predict maintenance needs and optimize supply chains with unprecedented precision. As a result, the skills required in modern manufacturing are evolving rapidly, and lifelong learning is no longer optional, it’s essential.
At Kirkwood, we recognize that the future of manufacturing will be defined by those who can work alongside these intelligent systems. That’s why we’re integrating AI concepts, automation and digital literacy into our curriculum. Our students learn not just how to operate machinery, but how to program, troubleshoot, and optimize smart technologies. They gain hands-on experience with collaborative robots, sensors and simulation software—
Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program wraps up 2025 season
Free tax preparation program brings over $2.8 million in returns to East Central Iowa
Throughout tax season, United Way of East Central Iowa offers a Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program, which provides free assistance on tax returns to eligible residents.
The 2025 season (2024 tax year) has come to a close with exceptional results, made possible by numerous volunteers that ensure individuals in our community have access to tax return resources and expertise.
Our stats for the 2025 season are:
• 2,025 returns prepared
• $2,323,384 federal refund dollars back in our community
• $480,787 state refund dollars back in our community
One of the goals of VITA is to build economic mobility in East Central Iowa, one of UWECI’s focus areas based on the needs in our community.
“Our VITA program is truly amazing,” Kristin Rob -
We’re responding with three strategic shifts: flexible delivery, modular credentialing and deep employer integration.
First, we’re redesigning our courses using competencybased education. This model allows students to advance once they demonstrate skill mastery, regardless of seat time. Instead of moving at the pace of a traditional term, students move at the pace of their learning. This, combined with multiple modality content and open lab availability, enables students to learn on a schedule that fits their lives.
Second, we’ve embraced a modular credentialing approach. We’re breaking down programs into smaller, stackable credentials that reflect the skills employers want now. Students can earn badges and microcredentials that lead directly to jobs, while still having a pathway to full diplomas or degrees. This makes the value of education more visible and immediate, without locking students into an all-or-nothing model.
Third, our programs are built with and for industry. Our curriculum is shaped by constant feedback from employers who serve on advisory boards, co-develop training modules, help evaluate student readiness and often sponsor student training. This ensures that we teach exactly what Iowa’s workforce needs. From robotics and automation to machining and fabrication, our programs stay aligned with the jobs of today and tomorrow.
These aren’t abstract initiatives—they’re producing results. In the past year, we’ve placed hundreds of students into local manufacturing and trades jobs, expanded course offerings in rural areas, and launched new curriculum models designed for flexibility and relevance. We’re also preparing to serve even more learners through targeted support for English language learners, underrepresented populations, and working adults reentering the classroom.
At its best, public education is the most effective solution to workforce challenges—but only if we’re willing to rethink the models we’ve relied on for decades. At Kirkwood, we’re not simply reacting to change, we’re leading it. Because manufacturing the future isn’t just about machines and
erts, UWECI President and CEO, said. “The work these volunteers do to help build economic mobility in our community is valuable. It brings me great joy to hear so many stories from volunteers about how this program educates residents on applicable tax credits, leading to tremendous refunds that can help families get back on their feet and build a thriving community.”
VITA sites for the 2025 season included: Cornell College, Hiawatha Public Library, Horizons, Ladd Library, Marion Public Library, St. Andrew Lutheran Church, St. Mark’s United Methodist Church, and Jones County Volunteer Center.
Mark Polking is a VITA volunteer and was one of the site coordinators this season. One impactful moment for Polking was when he worked with a client who was grateful for the resources the VITA program provided her.
“We try to provide some tax education during the appointments and explain why the various numbers are the way they are,” Polking said. “Her eyes were getting wider and wider when I told her the combined amount of her two refunds. She put her head into her hands and started crying. After a pause, she looked up and said, ‘You just changed my life, and I can’t thank you enough.’”
That sentiment is just one example of the positive impact our VITA program makes on our community each and every tax season, because of the support from 78 volunteers who contributed 5,158 volunteer hours to the program.
UWECI’s VITA program is also proudly supported by Transamerica and Wells Fargo.
and partnerships that ensure Iowa’s people are prepared for the opportunities ahead.
Joe Greathouse
Dean of Industrial Technologies at Kirkwood Community College
materials—it’s about people who are ready to harness the power of technology. And at Kirkwood, we’re building the systems, programs,
Greathouse
being developed by Edwards Creative Group that reflect our vision for the park as a whole and invite input from the public at Community Day,” Opatz said. “The master plan will incorporate amenities that focus on the themes of conservation, preservation, and education.”
The McElmeels and Friends of the Pleasant Grove Heritage Park are looking forward to sharing the vision of the park.
“We are looking forward to welcoming visitors of all ages to enjoy the natural beauty of the park, especially seeing friends and neighbors and those who share our passion for the outdoors,” Opatz said. “We’ve planned a fun day with activities of interest to all age groups.”
The park was also selected as a host site for Iowa State University’s Iowa Learning Farms Conservation Station Program, and a fleet of four mobile learning labs that educate audiences on different conservation practices to protect the environment. The mobile lab featuring the rainfall simulator will be at the park
for the day, demonstrating the results of rainfall on different soil conditions, with games and hands-on activities for the youngsters.
Hikes around the park, fishing at the pond or enjoying time in the hammocks are also activities provided. Snacks and water are provided by Hertz Farm Management.
While Community Day is the first official event at Pleasant Grove Heritage Park, the park has been a noticeably busy place in recent weeks, with a growing interest in using the space as an outdoor classroom.
A number of students from Lisbon Community School have used the prairie area as an outdoor classroom in celebration of Earth Day, helping with the first phase of the prairie reconstruction project, a biodiversity study. A group of Lisbon High School Student Council students helped with spring clean-up in April in connection with the Keep Iowa Beautiful initiative and, unfortunately, an outdoor poetry reading by Lisbon third grade students was cancelled due to rain.
A Cornell College professor and his research students will be sampling insect diversity in the park this summer.
Cornell’s commercial music major debuts fall 2025
Cornell College’s music department has moved quickly to embrace student interest in writing and performing contemporary music, and starting in fall 2025 it will offer a new major: contemporary commercial music.
The major is part of a national movement representing cultural respect and reconciliation between the Western classical culture dominating higher education and the popular music culture of our everyday lives, says Ben Laur, artist instructor of voice and director of Cornell’s Pop/Contemporary Ensemble.
Assistant Professor of Music and Director of Choral Music Chris Nakielski pioneered the department’s exploration of popular music in 2023-24 by introducing his Contemporary Songwriting course. During a 2023 Cornell Summer Research Institute project he and students built a recording studio in Armstrong Hall that is now booked seven days a week.
STUDENT BRIEFS
Lisbon resident earns masters degree Central College scholarships awarded to locals
Central College students were recognized during the annual Scholarship Dinner for scholarships earned and applied to the 2024-25 academic year. Locals earning scholarships included:
MOUNT VERNON
Kaleb Brand received the Richard J. Fisher Scholarship. Brand is a member of the Class of 2025.
Owen Brase received the Journey Scholarship Fund and Noel Cover Scholarship. Brase is a member of the Class of 2026.
Lincoln Holub received the Journey Scholarship Fund and Sam & Mae Allen Endowed Scholarship. Holub is a member of the Class of 2026.
Brady Ketchum received the Joseph and Marjorie Petz Scholarship. Ketchum is a member of the Class of 2025.
Aidan Nosek received the Journey Scholarship Fund. Nosek is a member of the Class of 2025.
Emily Patten received the Journey Scholarship Fund, The Gaard Family Endowed Scholarship and The Verle & Hilda Ver Dught Endowed Scholarship in Biology. Patten is a member of the Class of 2028.
Kayden Pendergrass received the Donald and Barbara Butler Endowed Scholarship. Pendergrass is a member of the Class of 2025.
LISBON
Cole Clark received the Sam & Mae Allen Endowed Scholarship. Clark is a member of the Class of 2025.
Ella Clark received the Journey Scholarship Fund. Clark is a member of the Class of 2027.
Carter Hall received the Journey Scholarship Fund and Richard Morton Root & Ruth Bailey Root Revolving Student Loan. Hall is a member of the Class of 2026.
Kirsten Jones received the Journey Scholarship Fund and Leila M. Lufkin Scholarship. Jones is a member of the Class of 2028.
Allyssa Jubeck received the Bob & Lois Vermeer Endowed Scholarship in Music Education, John and Marilyn Poole
In fall 2024 the Pop/Contemporary Ensemble burst onto the scene and grew from 12 to 20 members in one semester. By February 2025 they were opening for Cornell’s Big Event artist, rapper bbno$.
“The idea that students in the Pop Ensemble who did not feel represented in one of our classical ensembles but have found a home here is mirrored in the idea that there is room for more than Bach, Mozart, and Beethoven—much as I love them—in our studies,” Laur says. “There is room for the African-American musical traditions of rock, pop, and hip-hop, and traditions of varied cultures, with every bit as much artistic and pedagogical value.”
Watch Cornell’s Pop/Contemporary Ensemble performing as the opening act for The Big Event.
To support the new major, the courses Audio Engineering and Contemporary Songwriting II are being added to the curriculum.
Scholarship and Norman Ryerson Memorial Scholarship. Jubeck is a member of the Class of 2025.
Rachel Masters received the Eunice Vander Zyl Van Tuyl and James Van Tuyl Scholarship, Henry & Tena Van Roekel Scholarship and Journey Scholarship Fund. Masters is a member of the Class of 2026.
Caden Siebrecht received the Ermina and Orville Dykstra Scholarship, Heerema Family Fund and Journey Scholarship Fund. Siebrecht is a member of the Class of 2026.
Isaac Stensland received the Journey Scholarship Fund and The Carl E. and Janet Poole Fovargue Scholarships in the Humanities. Stensland is a member of the Class of 2028.
Lincoln Stensland received the John Grooters Scholarship and Journey Scholarship Fund. Stensland is a member of the Class of 2028.
BVU spring 2025 dean’s list
Kyla Vaughn of Mount Vernon was named to Buena Vista University’s spring 2025 dean’s list. Vaughn was among more than 545 students named to the dean’s list this semester. To be named to the list, students must obtain a GPA of 3.5 or above.
Coe College spring 2025 graduates
Coe College is proud to recognize the graduates of the Class of 2025. The graduating Kohawks demonstrated excellence in academics, athletics and the arts; were leaders in research and community service; and completed thousands of internship hours with local, national and international organizations. Local graduates include:
Kael Unruh of Mechanicsville, majoring in business administration and managerial accounting
Trevor Weber of Mount Vernon, majoring in kinesiology
Locals named to University of Dubuque spring 2025 dean’s list
The University of Dubuque congratulates the following students on being appointed to the spring 2025 academic
“Seeing children and families enjoying the park brings a deep sense of pride and satisfaction to our family,” noted Steve McElmeel adding, “We hope visitors will develop a special bond with this special place.”
The Friends group has also seen good support for their efforts from a number of organizations, including the Iowa Barn Foundation, Hertz Farm Management, Lisbon Historic Preservation Commission, Lincoln Highway Heritage Byway, Mount Vernon-Lisbon Community Development Group, and Silos & Smokestacks National Heritage Area.
“We are encouraged by the many individuals -- now numbering near 100 -- who are part of the Friends of Pleasant Grove Heritage Park group, and welcome new Friends who share our commitment to preserve and develop the park,” Opatz said.
Those interested in receiving regular updates on the development of the park may sign up for the Friends group on the Pleasant Grove Heritage Park website (www.pleasantgroveheritagepark.org). Those wishing to volunteer time and talent or donate for park improvements may do so through the website.
Both Nakielski and Laur hold doctoral degrees in music, but importantly for the new courses, both perform and record popular music. Assistant Professor of Music and Director of Instrumental Music Josh Neuenschwander joins them in having expertise at running a recording studio with DAWs or digital audio workstations.
Laur says the new major will prepare graduates with practical skills they can use to gig out as working musicians, to prepare for advanced degrees in audio engineering or acoustics, or to supplement majors in business or education.
As a guitarist with more than seven years of performance experience, sophomore Oskar Diyali says being lead guitarist in the Pop/Contemporary Ensemble fulfilled his dream of performing at a college level, and the contemporary commercial music degree gives it added credibility.
“The new major will give students more ways to grow and take our sound seriously,” Diyali says. “I’m really looking forward to seeing how it brings fresh energy and new creative collaborations to the department.”
Likewise, in its proposal for the new major, music faculty noted that everyone in the department supports it and, in fact, there is considerable excitement about it.
“I have high hopes for this major and the value its associated courses will bring to our students,” Laur says. “It is an exciting time to make music on the Hilltop, indeed.”
dean’s list. Locals named to the list include: Kiah Wendt of Mechanicsville and Jackson Hird and Joseph Rhomberg of Mount Vernon.
Mount Vernon resident honored by U of I department of accounting
Madison Cranston of Mount Vernon was one of 30 students enrolled in the Henry B. Tippie College of Business at the University of Iowa to received one of 34 awards presented annually by the Department of Accounting.
Cranston received the Department of Accounting Excellence in Writing Award which is presented annually to students who have demonstrated excellence in writing in accounting courses.
“The Accounting Department at the University of Iowa is known for producing highly regarded scholars who exemplify the qualities of leadership and integrity,” said Ryan Wilson, accounting department executive officer and the Henry B. Tippie Chair in accounting. “We are proud of their achievements and look forward to watching all they accomplish in their careers.”
Central College dean’s list spring 2025
Locals were named to the Central College dean’s list for the spring 2025 semester. Students must obtain a GPA of 3.5 or above to be on the dean’s list. Locals on the list include: Mount Vernon - Owen Brase Lisbon - Cole Clark, Isaac Stensland, Lincoln Stensland
University of Wisconsin-Whitewater dean’s list
Kameron Brand of Mount Vernon has made the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater dean’s list for the 2025 spring semester.
These students have demonstrated their academic abilities by receiving a grade point average of 3.4 or above in a single semester.
Todd Anthony Conner, 58, of Lisbon passed away Wednesday, May 28, 2025. A funeral mass was held Monday, June 2, at 10:30 a.m., at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Mount Vernon. The burial will be at the Lisbon Cemetery.
Todd was born Oct. 10, 1966, in Cedar Rapids, the son of Francis and Loretta (Supple) Conner.
Todd was a lifelong resident of Lisbon, graduating from Lisbon High School in 1985. Todd subsequently graduated from the University of Iowa. He was a wrestling journalist, covering his beloved Iowa Hawkeye Wrestling Team. Todd greatly loved his family, and a burger or tenderloin at Sutliff was dear to his heart. For years, he fished and trapped with his dad, Francis. Todd was fiercely proud of his Iowa-Irish-Catholic heritage, and his mother Loretta’s home-cooked food was held in high esteem. Todd will forever be a “Lisbon Boy.”
Todd is survived by his parents; siblings: Julie (Steve) White and Dan (Michelle) Conner; nieces: Alexandra Conner and Shelby Jo (William) Bills; great nieces/nephew: Izzy Ramsey, Savannah Ramsey, Tommy Bills and Ellie Jo Bills; and step nephew and step niece: Grady Gross and Aisling Gross.
Todd was preceded in death by his nephew, Matthew White.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Hawkeye Wrestling Club, 308 East Burlington Street, Box 247, Iowa City, Iowa 52240.
Those unable to attend are invited to watch the service via livestream. Please find the livestream link on Todd’s Tribute Wall and share your support and memories with his family at www.stewartbaxter.com under Obituaries.
May 19 – Welfare check, 700 blk Palisades Rd SW, Mount Vernon
May 19 – Street storage, 100 blk S. Jefferson St, Lisbon
May 19 – Medical, 500 blk N. Jackson St, Lisbon
May 20 – Alarm, 300 blk Business 30 SW, Mount Vernon
May 20 – Car unlock, 700 blk First Ave SW, Mount Vernon
May 20 – Disturbance, 1225 blk First Ave NW, Mount Vernon
May 20 – Medical, 900 blk W. Main St, Lisbon
May 21 – Disturbance, 1225 blk First Ave NW, Mount Vernon
May 21 – Illegal burn, 600 blk W. Main St, Lisbon
May 21 – Disturbance, 1225 blk First Ave NW, Mount Vernon
May 21 - Disturbance, 1225 blk First Ave NW, Mount Vernon
May 22 – Agency assist- medical, Cedar Co
May 22 – Medical, 1225 blk First Ave NW, Mount Vernon
May 22 – Accident, 300 blk business 30 SW, Mount Vernon
May 22 – Disturbance, 1225 blk First Ave NW, Mount Vernon
May 22 – Welfare check, 300 blk business 30 SW, Mount Vernon
May 23 – Agency assist- accident, Cedar Co
May 23 – Agency assist- welfare check, Linn Co
May 23 – Motorist assist, Rachel St, Mount Vernon
May 23 – Agency assist- fire, Linn Co
May 24 – Agency assist- accident, Linn Co
May 24 – Medical, 300 blk business 30 SW, Mount Vernon
May 25 – Animal control, 100 blk E. business 30, Lisbon
May 25 – Agency assist- accident, Linn Co
May 25 – Alarm, Rachel St, Mount Vernon
May 25 – Animal control, 400 blk Fifth Ave SW, Mount Vernon
May 26 – Parking complaint, 615 Sixth St NW, Mount Vernon
May 26 – Disturbance,100 blk S. Hwy 1, Mount Vernon
May 27 – Agency assist- animal control, Linn Co
May 27 – Animal control, 200 blk W. Market St, Lisbon
May 27 – Medical, 100 blk Hilltop Dr, Mount Vernon
May 27 – Disturbance, 100 E. business 30, Lisbon
May 27 – Alarm, 200 blk Glenn St, Mount Vernon
May 27 – Accident, Hwy 30, Mount Vernon
May 28 – Theft, 1200 blk First St SW, Mount Vernon
May 28 – Burglary, 400 blk S. Jackson St, Lisbon
May 28 – Agency assist- accident, Linn Co
May 29 – Car unlock, 1000 blk First Ave NW, Mount Vernon
May 29 – Disturbance, 100 blk W Third Ave, Mount Vernon
May 29 – Disturbance, 300 blk business 30, Lisbon
May 29 – Disturbance, 100 blk S. Hwy 1, Mount Vernon
May 29 – Disturbance, 300 blk business 30, Lisbon
May 30 – Medical, 600 blk Truman St, Lisbon
May 30 – Agency assist- accident, Linn Co
May 31 – Medical, 400 blk Third Ave SW, Mount Vernon
May 31 – Agency assist- fire, 1200 blk N First Ave, Mount Vernon
June
June
June 2
Medical, 100 blk Third Ave NW, Mount Vernon
June 2 – Medical, 200 blk Walnut St, Lisbon
Doug Shannon retirement party
A retirement open house is being held for Mount Vernon-Lisbon Police chief Doug Shannon Tuesday, June 24 from 1-3 p.m. at the Mount Vernon-Lisbon Police Department.
Voices United meeting
Voices United of Rural Linn County will hold a meeting Wednesday, June 11 from 5-7 p.m. at Whitey’s Pub and Grub in Lisbon. Discussion will focus on immigration policies.
No Kings standing parade
A “No Kings” standing parade will take place along Hwy 1 Saturday, June 14, from 11 a.m. to noon, starting at the stoplights of First Street and Hwy. 1.
Healthy Kids Iowa
Southeast Linn Community Center has signed up to be a distribution site for the state of Iowa’s new summer food distribution program for school kids. This is for families with kids ages 4-18 who meet specific income guidelines. We will have distributions on June 12, July 17 and Aug. 21 from 4-6 p.m. Each family will receive $40 worth of food per child per month. Pre-registration is required. For the June distribution, registration must be completed by Friday, June 6.
MC-Tunes DJ
Cole Corner
Cathy Boggs Cole Library
New large print books arriving at Cole
Our patrons enjoy large print books for many different reasons. Some enjoy reading while exercising on an elliptical or a stationary bike; others enjoy reading large print at the end of the day when tired eyes want a break. Still others just need large print so that they can enjoy For all of those reasons and more, we have a wonderful collection of large print books that just got Large print material is located on Cole Library’s first floor directly behind the audiobooks. New titles to
Todd Conner
Mount Vernon, Lisbon hold Memorial Day services
Nathan Countryman
Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun nathan.countryman@mvlsun.com
Mount Vernon and Lisbon held Memorial Day services Monday, May 26.
More than 100 citizens were present at the Mount Vernon Memorial Day service, as members of the Mount Vernon Marching Band and Mount Vernon choirs both performed music for the ceremony.
“I’m so happy to see so many people here at the ceremony this year, including so many young people,” said Michael Woods, Legion commander.
Woods also acknowledged that the Legion felt a huge hole this past year, when Fred Lehman, a long time member, passed away, dedicating most of the service in honor of him.
United Methodist Church of Mount
Vernon pastor Vicki Fisher provided the opening prayer and benediction.
Fisher asked those in attendance to remember those who had sacrificed their lives for the freedoms we hold dear, and to give strength to uphold that claim of liberty and justice for all.
“May the youth present be able to see a change in the world that embraces compassion and justice,” Fisher said.
Mayor Tom Wieseler said it was good to have this Memorial Day celebration and honor those who gave their lives for this country.
Wieseler also mentioned the work that is being done to honor veterans from the War of 1812 and the Civil War gravestones that will be recognized later this year.
“I’m fortunate to be a mayor of a town that holds Memorial Day in such high esteem,” Wieseler said.
Mount Vernon’s poet laureate Scott Russell Morris presented his original poem for the occasion (see page 9 ).
At Lisbon, the fifth graders who won “What the Flag Means to Me” essay contests presented their essays.
Teacher Erin Chalupa said the unit makes students reflect on what that symbol of the United States means to them and write in a more formal format of essays for contest.
“They all come away with a new appreciation of the flag,” she said.
Those students were Aubrey Sporrer (third), Hollis Whitman (second) and Oliver Broulik (first), and the essays were printed in the January 30 issue of the Sun.
Lisbon elementary principal Justin Brown was the guest speaker at the Lisbon ceremony.
“I’m honored to be speaking, but I’m also
a bit nervous,” Brown said. “Because this speech is honoring people who gave their lives for our freedoms. I want to give my heartfelt thank you to the families who had to go through losing a loved one to keep our freedoms free.”
Brown said that at Lisbon Elementary School, many students there have hopes, dreams and goals for their future, which are also protected by those same veterans.
“We do more than just teach reading and math at the school,” Brown said. “We teach about respect, care and gratitude, especially for those who served out country.”
Brown also said three members of the class of 2025 at Lisbon have chosen to go into the armed forces.
“I’m incredibly grateful for those who have served, but also for those who are no longer with us,” Brown said.
Center left: Members of Lisbon’s Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts stand at attention as the band plays.
Above: Members of the Lisbon Marching Band play the Star Spangled Banner.
Below far left: Aubrey Sporrer reads her “What the Flag Means to Me” essay
Below left to right: Hollis Whitman reads his “What the Flag Means to Me” essay. Oliver Broulik reads his “What the Flag Means to Me” essay. Lisbon elementary principal Justin Brown gives a speech for the ceremony at Lisbon.
Photos by Nathan Countryman | Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun
Top left: Members of the Lisbon American Legion Cyclops Post 109 lead the parade to the cemetery.
Top right: Members of the Lisbon Band play a medley of songs at the Lisbon veterans memorial near the entrance to the cemetery.
Left: Scout master Seth Ferguson and Kira Ferguson raise the American flag at the cemetery.
Once a Child
Editor’s Note – As has become tradition for the Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun, we are publishing the poem written by Mount Vernon’s poet laureate at the Memorial Day service. The poet laureate position is underwritten by the Mount Vernon Area Arts Council.
Once A Child
A grieving father once told me, “You cannot bury a soldier.” I asked this man what he meant, and he said,
Every soldier was once a child, and every child a brother, sister, friend. It is we who place in these oncechildren’s hands the power of our god’s righteous wrath, we who rest on their shoulders our own hopes for justice.
Every one of these once-children we have sent to struggle, to strengthen, to strike, to sustain. We who must honor that child’s precise and obedient duty.
We do not bury a soldier, because in such causes these once-children take up, even a body could not lie dormant.
We bury instead a friend, a lover, a child. A soldier’s memory lives in blood, our brother’s rests in stone.
Thank you.
Below: Mount Vernon poet laureate Scott Russell Morris presents his original poem for the ceremony.
Below: The Mount Vernon High School Marching Band performs an Armed Forces Medley at the
Photos by Nathan Countryman | Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun Center top to bottom: Legion member Jade Helgens leads the recitation of the pledge of Allegiance at the top of the ceremony. Members of the Mount Vernon Choir perform “America the Beautiful.” The veterans in attendance at the Memorial Day service stand in formation as the band plays. Members of the Boy Scouts stand at attention as the Star Spangled Banner is played by the band.
ceremony.
Above top to bottom: Citizens make the trek to the cemetery ahead of he Memorial Day Service down the Avenue of Flags set up by the American Legion. Mount Vernon Mayor Tom Wieseler delivers remarks at the ceremony. Natalie Thuerauf reads the Gettysburg Address at the Memorial Day ceremony. Gabriel Mahoney plays taps at the cemetery.
Discussion and Consideration of Audio and Surveillance Quote – 2024 Pool Improvements – Council Action as Needed. Staff is recommending approval of the audio and surveillance equipment installation with RC Tech in the amount of $9,573.55. Motion made by Engel, seconded by Andresen to approve the audio and surveillance quote from RC Tech. Motion carries.
Discussion and Consideration Pay Application #1 – Uptown Lighting Improvement – Council Action as Needed
Significant progress has been made with the Uptown Lighting Project. The lights are scheduled for delivery and installation next week. Pay application #1 is in the amount of $212,604.78. Motion made by Tuerler, seconded by West to approve Pay Application #1-Uptown Lighting Improvement. Motion carries. Discussion and Consideration of Retiree Cobra Guidelines Under Iowa Code 509(A) – Council Action as Needed. Iowa Code 509(A) allows employees that meet the definition of “early retiree” to continue under the health, dental and vision insurance umbrella of the City until the age of 65. Retirees are responsible for the full amount of each monthly premium. The early retiree program would be offered in lieu of Cobra Insurance. The question the City Council must consider is whether to extend this benefit to the early retiree’s spouse and/or qualifying children. Iowa Code 509(A) specifies that each employer will determine whether to extend the benefit beyond the early retiree. In Mount Vernon’s case, this has become less of an issue since the City has joined the much larger IGHCP insurance pool. Council agreed that this was a good benefit to provide employees at no cost to the City. Any future Council can reconsider this option at any time. Motion made by Rose, seconded by Tuerler to approve extending the retiree guidelines to the employee’s spouse. Motion carries. Reports to be Received/Filed. Full reports available on the City website in the May 19, 2025 Council packet.
Mt. Vernon/Lisbon Police Report
Mt. Vernon Public Works Report
Mt. Vernon Parks and Rec Report Cole Library Monthly Report Reports of Mayor/Council/Administrator Mayor’s Report. There will be a ribbon cutting ceremony for Roundabout Auto the first week of June. Wieseler will be attending a “State of the County” talk on Thursday this week. The Hall Perrine Foundation is tabling the initial request from the City to be a lead donor for the Childcare Initiatives Program. Committee Reports. Engel reported the following on the Childcare Solutions team: They have distributed $13,000.00 worth of Gary’s gift cards to 84 workers; they have raised $110,000 and distributed approximately $80,000 with SE Linn serving as their fiscal agent for those funds. CDG will now act as their new fiscal agent.
City Administrator’s Report. Full report available on the City website in the May 19, 2025 Council packet. As there was no further business to attend to, the meeting adjourned, the time being 7:18 p.m., May 19, 2025.
Respectfully submitted, Lori Boren Assistant City Administrator Published in the Sun June 5, 2025.
PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE
Antique Sale
HUGE ANTIQUE SALE
This is the one not to be missed! 601 1st Ave SW, Mt Vernon (big brick house, park in fire station lot behind the house). Fri June 6th, 9am-5pm & Sat June 7th, 9am-3pm. 3 Antique Dealer /Collectors selling lifelong accumulations! Antiques, Tables, Chairs, Furniture, Garden Treasures, and Art! As well as lots of Household Accumulations! Mark your calendars and don’t miss this.
For Rent
House for Rent in Lisbon. 4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 1.6 acres in town. First month’s rent + security deposit. No Pets. Available July 1. 319-361-9872
Wanted
WANTED: JUNK APPLI -
ANCES. Will pick up for free. Farm clean-up, batteries. Will buy junk cars. 319-331-8122
For Sale-Miscellaneous
Denver’s Community-Wide Garage Sales June 5–7! Shop townwide treasures, then head downtown June 7 for a vendor fair and sidewalk sales at local businesses!
Miscellaneous
Does your basement or crawl space need some attention? Call Thrasher Foundation Repair! A permanent solution for waterproofing, failing foundations, sinking concrete and nasty crawl spaces. FREE Inspection & Same Day Estimate. $250 off ANY project with code GET250. Call 1-866554-1730
Safe Step. North America’s #1 Walk-In Tub. Comprehensive lifetime warranty. Top-of-theline installation and service. Now featuring our FREE shower package and $1600 Off for a limited time! Call today! Financing available. Call Safe Step 1-844-376-4154.
Prepare for power outages today with a Generac Home Standby Generator. Act now to receive a FREE 7-Year warranty with qualifying purchase. Call 1-855-954-5087 today to schedule a free quote. It’s not just a generator. It’s a power move.
Protect your property and your wallet by getting the proper building permits
As Linn County celebrates Building Safety Month, our Planning & Development Department is seeing an increase in calls from insurance companies seeking proof of building permits before approving damage claims. This increase in calls highlights the critical importance of obtaining proper permits – not just as a procedural requirement, but as a key factor in protecting property, ensuring personal safety, and maintaining valid insurance coverage.
Building permits are designed to ensure that construction and renovation projects meet local safety standards and building codes. These permits not only protect home -
owners from substandard work but also preserve the structural integrity of their homes. When homeowners bypass the permitting process, they introduce unknown risks that insurers may not be willing to cover.
“Building permits play an important role in helping ensure that construction projects meet safety standards. We’re starting to see insurance companies take notice when projects are completed without proper permits, which can complicate coverage and claims,” said Linn County Planning & Development Director Charlie Nichols. Before starting any home improvement or construction project, homeowners
should check with their local building department to determine whether a permit is required. Linn County Planning & Development issues building permits for properties located in unincorporated Linn County. Residents in need of a building permit can apply online. Planning & Development staff can also assist property owners in verifying that contractors are licensed and insured, which can help mitigate potential insurance problems. For questions about building permit applications, call the Planning & Development Department at 319-892-5130, visit the Linn County website, or email plan_dev@LinnCountyIowa.gov.
CHURCHES
CALENDAR
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
An LGBTQ affirming congregation
Sundays in June: 8:30AM Praise Service; 10:15AM Traditional Service Sundays in July and August: 9:30AM All Worship
We will return to our 8:30AM Praise and 11AM Traditional service times starting September 7.
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 Sun: 9 a.m. in-person worship, 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
200 E. Market St., 455-2000
COMMUNITY CALENDAR
Thursday, June 5
Story Time, Cornell College Cole Library Browsing Room, 9:30 a.m.
Fiber Friends, Southeast Linn Community Center, 10:30 a.m.
Southeast Linn Community Center free lunch, SELCC, 12:15-1:15 p.m.
Southeast Linn Community Center and Lisbon Public Library free afternoon movie, Lisbon Heritage Hall, 1:30-3:30 p.m.
Friday, June 6
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.
Southeast Linn Community Center free lunch, First Presbyterian Church of Mount Vernon, 12:151:15 p.m.
Saturday, June 7
Farmers Market at Rhubarb Botanicals, 681 Hwy. 1 Mount Vernon, 9 a.m. to noon.
Monday, June 9
Southeast Linn Community Center free lunch, Mount Vernon United Methodist Church, 12:15-1:15 p.m.
Tuesday, June 10
Learn to play bridge, Cornell College Cole Library Room 410, 7 p.m.
Lego Club, Cornell College Cole Library second floor, 10 a.m. Lisbon Summer storytime, Lincoln Square Gazebo, 11 a.m.
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
Southeast Linn Community Center free lunch, SELCC, 12:15-1:15 p.m.
Southeast Linn Community Center S.T.E.A.M. Activities, SELCC, 1:30-3:30 p.m. Tuneful Tuesdays, Memorial Park Gazebo, 7:30 p.m.
Wednesday, June 11
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.
Cole Library STEAM Wednesday Workshops “Dragon Puppets,” Cornell College Cole Library, 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. (pre-registration required).
Southeast Linn Community Center free lunch, SELCC, 12:15-1:15 p.m.
Southeast Linn Community Center Enrichment Classes, SELCC, 1:30-3:30 p.m. (pre-registration required)
Voices United of Rural Linn County, Whitey’s in Lisbon, 5 p.m. Bats around the world, Lisbon Public Library Heritage Hall, 7 p.m.
Thursday, June 12
Story Time, Cornell College Cole Library Browsing Room, 9:30 a.m.
Fiber Friends, Southeast Linn Community Center, 10:30 a.m.
Southeast Linn Community Center free lunch, SELCC, 12:15-1:15 p.m.
Southeast Linn Community Center and Lisbon Public Library free afternoon movie, Lisbon Heritage Hall, 1:30-3:30 p.m.
Edited by Will Shortz
Across 1 Schoolroom that serves as a studio
7 Original airer of “Doctor Who”
10 Covenant
14 Give a lashing
15 Whom Will Smith played in a 2001 sports biopic
16 Son of Zeus and Hera
17 Sweetener in some diet sodas
18 *Cat breed named after an Indonesian island from which it didn’t originate
20 Places to carry out some takeout orders, for short?
21 Light unit
23 “Not in the ___!”
24 *It’s “read” as a stern warning
26 *Relative of a snowboard
28 ___ Men (group that won a Grammy Award in 2001 for Best Dance Recording)
29 Old tone
31 Is for the people?
32 Daffy Duck speaking feature
34 “I wanna!”
37 Brings up a prior topic … or a hint to making sense of the answers to this puzzle’s starred clues
41 Country that was home to the Ebla library, thought to be the world’s first (2500 B.C.)
42 Sheet music symbol
44 Past-tense verb that’s potentially confusing (but grammatically correct!) when written twice in a row
47 ___ salt (form of magnesium sulfate)
50 Lead-in to -nautics
52 *Carve out, in a way
55 *Comedy club fare
57 Columbus’s birthplace
58 “___ My Heart in San Francisco”
60 Video game character speaking a gibberish language
61 *Villain’s expression
63 Like does
65 ___ Mendoza, former first lady of Puerto Rico
66 Onetime C.I.A. foe
67 Like government secrets, occasionally
68 Title friend of Marlin in an animated film
69 Times Square ball drop setting, in brief
70 Revered sorts Down
1 Soak up
2 Outcome of a hung jury
3 “How stylish!”
4 W.C.
5 Not quite straight up
6 Gorgeous ones, informally
7 Film based on the 1983 children’s novel “The Sheep-Pig”
8 Some comforters for toddlers
9 Modern prefix with normativity
10 Dairy-less diet
11 Singer Grande
12 Turn into stars, say?
13 Tswana for “fly”
19 West ___ (furniture retailer)
22 Trailblazing astronaut Jemison
25 Refuge from the heat
27 It’s one foot long
30 Calls for sympathy
33 Snoop
35 Big thing in fast food?
36 Splendor
38 Language that gave us “Saskatchewan”
39 Piercings that might be felt while kissing
40 Memento
43 More delicate and weak
44 Who says “You’re a wizard, Harry”
45 Skin-care brand
46 City that lends its name to a style of omelet
48 Uplifting work
49 Quiet
51 Popping pills, say
53 Racket-raising
54 ___ pal
56 Source of Andrew Carnegie’s wealth
59 Community associated with Out magazine
62 President posthumously inducted in the World Golf Hall of Fame, informally
64 Crackpot
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.
League addresses rural mental health with guest speaker
The League of Women Voters of Linn County held their last May event on Wednesday
Ella McEntaffer
For the Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun
MOUNT VERNON — The Mount Vernon-Lisbon unit of the League of Women Voters of Linn County met at the Mount Vernon City Hall on May 28 to discuss mental health needs and resources in small towns. The event centered around guest speaker Aubrey McEnroe, PhD candidate at the University of Iowa. McEnroe, an Algona native, is working to provide better access to mental health care in rural Iowa towns. Post graduation, McEnroe will be moving back to Algona and her family farm, while also working to establish a mental health clinic and further resources in the community. Early on in the meeting, McEnroe led the group through an activity in which they were to draw their community and its agriculture. This activity helped to
flow into the main presentation McEnroe gave on rural mental health.
“Agriculture has its own complex stressors that contribute to mental health,” McEnroe said. “Experiences of isolation are often found in rural communities and agriculture.”
McEnroe is also particularly focused on women’s mental health in the agriculture industry and rural areas, as this demographic of women are four times as likely to experience symptoms of depression.
Although the agriculture workforce is 36% women, McEnroe says that they are less likely to be represented in mental health studies and resources. Speaking of resources, this was also a major talking point from McEnroe, who emphasized how important access to resources is in a small community, especially rural based ones.
“There are limited mental health resources, and the pure number of mental health providers is limited,” said McEnroe. “Telehealth is not available for many individuals in rural communities.”
The resources that McEnroe specifically mentioned during her presentation
included Annie’s Project, Iowa Women in Agriculture Organization, Farmer Organization, and Agriculture Network.
McEnroe also emphasized utilizing word of mouth, clinics, flyers, and the internet to find resources that fit an individual’s particular needs. McEnroe and the unit also spent time workshopping how to navigate the stigma surrounding mental health, such as integrating mental health lessons into youth groups such as 4H and the National FFA Organization.
I’m talking with my current FFA teacher back home about teaching a class,” McEnroe said.
The night concluded with the group discussing how the community can help combat mental health crises in the rural community, such as the rising suicide rates in farmers. McEnroe’s presentation highlighted the importance of building a strong community within rural towns to combat resulting struggles.
“Find that community within your community by checking in regularly to build that trust,” McEnroe said. “Being able to meet them where you are, and not being afraid to be vulnerable yourself.”
Faculty, staff retire with combined 205 years of experience
Cornell College is saying a bittersweet farewell to seven faculty and staff members as they enter retirement. If you add up the years of service to the college, they’ve been here a combined 205 years. All of them have worked here for more than two decades, two of them for more than three decades, and one for almost four decades.
To say they’ll be missed is an understatement. We asked them a few questions as they look forward to more free time during their retirement. Here’s what they said:
Lora Baltes
Alumni and College Advancement
What are your plans for retirement?
I don’t really have a bucket list—what matters most to me now is spending more time with family and friends. I’m also looking forward to reorganizing things around the house; indulging in my love for cooking; getting lost in a good book, TV series, or movie; picking up some needlework after a really long pause; or simply enjoying each day as it comes.
What were your first impressions of Cornell?
Whoa, that was a long time ago—1985. Having lived in Lisbon since 1975, I was familiar with the campus and knew a few folks who worked at the college. Additionally, my uncle, David Pieper, was a member of the Class of 1961, so I’d known of Cornell College since I was a young child. In fact, I have a photo of myself at about 18 months old with a Cornell T-shirt on. So, maybe I was destined to work here. I fell in love with the campus once I started working here, and I’ve cherished the college since—not just for its beautiful landscape, but for the entire college community and the meaningful work we do. That is constantly reaffirmed every time I talk with alumni and hear their stories and love of Cornell. And I tell them why I love Cornell. How many years have you worked at Cornell?
3 months shy of 40 years
What is your favorite place on campus?
King Chapel holds a special place in my heart because of its grandeur but also because I have organized and attended many special events in that space from the May Music Festival to Music Mondays, convocations and honorary degree ceremonies, Homecoming Convocation
and organ recitals, Delt Lectures, the holiday concert, and President Brand’s inauguration. When Robert Triplett was college organist, I turned pages for him whenever he played the organ. It was all by happenstance. I worked in the office that handled special events, and I could read music. That was a phenomenal experience for me over the years. I’ve missed being in King Chapel for the last 4+ years and will certainly be there when it is refurbished and open again.
Kara Beauchamp
Professor of Physics Emerita
What are your plans for retirement?
I have a new job at the University of Iowa as an instructional lab manager in the electrical and computer engineering and the mechanical engineering departments.
What were your first impressions of Cornell?
Cornell has a beautiful campus, but that was a little more evident in the summer than when I visited in February for my interview, and there was a lot of snow on the ground! The faculty’s commitment to teaching was evident right away.
How long have you worked at Cornell?
Sept 2001–June 2024
Kerry Bostwick
Professor of Education Emerita
What are your plans for retirement?
In retirement, I’ll be trading meetings for museums, emails for easels, and deadlines for dirt under my fingernails— traveling, gardening, making art, and soaking up time with my favorite people. How many years have you worked at Cornell?
I’ve had the joy of teaching at Cornell for 27 years—long enough to see students become colleagues, and classrooms become a second home.
What Cornell traditions or quirks will you miss?
I’ll definitely miss the block plan—you know, that magical system where you can compress a semester’s worth of work into 18 caffeine-fueled days. Honestly, after 27 years, my brain only works in 3.5-week cycles. I’ll probably still be waking up in retirement thinking it’s week three and I forgot to post the final assignment.
How did your teaching style change over the years?
Early on, I focused more on planning what I would say; now I focus on what students will do, think, and create. I’ve learned to trust the process of inquiry.
Do you have any advice for new faculty or staff?
Remember that students don’t come to us as blank slates. Meet them where they are, build on what they know, and create space for them to question, explore, and construct meaning for themselves. Teaching is less about delivering answers and more about designing experiences that invite discovery.
Alice Ganzel Professor of Psychology Emerita
What are your plans for retirement?
Get back to exercising! I also plan to continue working on my house and landscaping the property. Hopefully do some gardening.
What were your first impressions of Cornell?
We moved into college housing during a week when daytime temperatures were over 100 and nighttime didn’t get below 80. I must have stared at the thermostat for a full 30 seconds before I realized the house didn’t have air conditioning. Luckily, another newer faculty member stopped by to introduce himself and offered a window AC unit (one of three they had purchased). Our families have been fast friends ever since (not just because of the AC!).
How long have you worked at Cornell?
Since 1999
Lynne Ikach Professor of Russian Emerita
What are your plans for retirement?
I plan to do some volunteer activities, travel with my husband, and continue practicing my favorite crafts, sewing and felting.
What were your first impressions of Cornell?
It struck me as a charming campus full of dedicated faculty and staff, and students excited to learn.
How many years have you worked at Cornell?
33 years
How did your teaching style change over the years?
I incorporated more student-centered activities into my courses, including activities that asked students to use their
creativity to engage with course material. What are your favorite places on campus?
McLennan College Hall, which has been my home away from home for so many years, Cole Library, and the Commons.
Lisa Janssens-Rud Lecturer in Psychology
What are your plans for retirement?
Spending more time with family and being healthy. Will travel more. How many years have you worked at Cornell?
25 years
How did your teaching style change over the years?
The greatest changes came after the pandemic. Recognizing how students were coming to Cornell using more technology. So this had to be incorporated into class work at a greater level. Do you have any advice for new faculty or staff?
Be open to trying new formats, but keep what works and build on it.
Dee Ann Rexroat ‘82 Office of Marketing and Communications
What are your plans for retirement?
I plan to relax and indulge my interests. This will mean going to concerts, movies, theatre, and dance. I have many books to read, a beautiful piano waiting to be played, and knitting projects to create. You will also find me outdoors birding, in senior college classes, and road tripping with girlfriends or my husband. Cornell will always be part of my life, since so many of my friends are Cornellians, and for the first time in 31 years, I’ll come to Homecomings without working at them!
What were your first impressions of Cornell?
I was only 17 or 18 when I visited Cornell and was smitten by the campus and its community. I love it as much today as I did then; I just see it more clearly now. How many years have you worked at Cornell?
31 years
What traditions or quirks will you miss the most?
I’m not going to lie: I will miss eating at the Hilltop Café, along with the company provided by co-workers from faculty to facilities staff. I will never cook that well or have so many friends to eat with.
Ella McEntaffer |
For the Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun Aubrey McEnroe presents at Mount Vernon City Hall Wednesday, May 28.
Mustang girls stomped by North Scott
Ryan Suchomel
Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun
ryan.suchomel@mvlsun.com
Mount Vernon girls’ soccer ran into a bigger, meaner version of themselves, and lost a Class 2A regional
semifinal to No. 10 North Scott, 4-0, on Wednesday, May 28.
“I think we’re an aggressive team, and North Scott liked to be even more aggressive,” Mount Vernon coach Angie Knies said. “They outbodied us and having our strong players getting bodied off the ball was hard. We haven’t dealt with that.”
The Mustangs kept it close at half, 1-0, but the Lancers broke it open over the final 40 minutes.
“They were just the better team on that day,” Knies said. “I can’t fault them for that.”
North Scott (10-7-1) advanced to take on No. 5 Independence in the 2A regional final on Friday, May 30. Indee won that, 1-0, to earn a spot at the 2A state tournament.
Mount Vernon finished the season 8-6-3.
“I had no expectations coming in,” Knies, a first-year coach, said. “I didn’t know who the players are. Or what type of coach I was going to be. We kept getting better and better and we had so much fun. I love being a coach to the girls.
“The next couple of years will be better. I’ve heard that more girls want to come out next season.”
Introducing Lisbon’s new fire truck
Farmers Market and Kids Makers Market Applications Open
DES MOINES, IA (05/28/2025) (readMedia)-- Nothing says summer in Iowa quite like fresh produce and homegrown products -and this year, the Iowa State Fair is bringing back the Farmers Markets to showcase the very best of what Iowa farmers and gardeners have to offer. Plus, new in 2025 is a Kid's Only Makers Market competition on the last day of the Fair.
Located near The Garden behind the Animal Learning Center and Little Hands on the Farm, the Iowa State Fair Farmers Markets will be open from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. August 7-16, 2025. Fairgoers can shop for locally grown fruits and vegetables, fresh-cut flowers, jerky, handmade soaps and more; entries are now open to be a vendor.
On the last day of the Fair, Sunday, August 17, the Iowa State Fair will hold a Kids Makers Market, where kids ages 7 to 17 can enter to compete with their homemade products to win banners. Fairgoers can purchase products and watch the competition from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Farmers Market Dates: August 7-16 4 p.m.-7 p.m.
The Garden (East of the Animal Learning Center)
Enter at www.iowastatefair.org to be a vendor.
Kids Makers Market Dates: August 17 10 a.m.-1 p.m.
The Garden (East of the Animal Learning Center)
Enter at www.iowastatefair.org to apply.
Whether you're stocking up on gardenfresh goodies, looking for a unique gift or just want to take home a part of Iowa's agricultural community, the Iowa State Fair Farmers Markets are a must-stop on your Fair itinerary this year. Application deadline is July 1, 2025.
For more information about becoming a vendor, visit www.iowastatefair.org.
The new Lisbon 409 engine is here. The 2024 Ford F250 was purchased from Lynch Ford with capital vehicle improvement funds for the department, and then outfitted by Feld Fire in Carroll to be able to be used as a grass truck. The conversion was paid for with funds from the fundraising account. Rickard’s Sign and Design did the vinyl lettering and logo.
The old 409 truck will be used by the Lisbon Public Works department and city crews for day to day projects.
MV boys’ soccer season ends
Win against Fort Madison, lose to Dallas Center-Grimes
Ryan Suchomel
Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun ryan.suchomel@mvlsun.com
Most of the current members of the Mount Vernon boys’ soccer team were still in grade school the last time the Mustangs won a playoff game.
So, the 4-1 win over Fort Madison on Tuesday, May 27, at Armstrong Field in a Class 3A substate semifinal was a welcome change.
“It feels really good,” senior Gavin Plathe said.
“Especially after the tough losses I’ve had to go through
the first three years.
“We haven’t won one in a long time. It feels good to get one.”
Plathe can take a lot of credit for the win, having scored a hat trick of goals against the Bloodhounds.
The first came with 8:36 left in the first half, when Plathe booted one over the Fort Madison goalie.
“It was just a great pass from my teammate,” said Plathe, giving credit to senior Mason Chizek. “Especially the first one, he placed that perfectly. I just kind of
waited until I was close enough and confident in my shot and took it. But most of the credit goes to Mason.”
Just a few minutes later, Plathe got a breakaway to make it 2-0 with 5:02 to go before half.
He completed his hat trick with a goal 5 minutes into the second half, on a high arcing shot over the goalie.
“I’ve always thought I shoot better from distance than from close up,” Plathe said. “Most of my goals this year have come from distance.”
Mount Vernon added an insurance goal with 34:35 left to play when sophomore Carter Gadberry raced past the defense and deposited a hard shot across the goal to make it 4-0.
Fort Madison (8-7-1) got a goal from Kayden Hansen, denying the Mustangs their eighth shutout.
“That’s something they’ve taken a lot of pride in,” Mount Vernon coach Nathan Grosse said of the clean sheets. “Once we got to 4-nil, as much as you try to stay locked in …”
The defense did come up with big plays, especially early in the match. On a Fort Madison corner kick midway through the first half, the ball got loose and Mount Vernon freshman goalie Zion Safo was busy
defending a possible header.
So junior Landon Grosse threw himself on the ground to keep the ball from rolling in for an own goal.
“I tried to get it out, and
luckily I did,” Landon Grosse said. “(If we got behind 1-0) then momentum definitely would’ve shifted. But we were feeling it, and kept putting them in.”
On Thursday, May 29, Mount Vernon (7-5-5) traveled to Dallas CenterGrimes for a 3A substate final match. The topranked DCG Mustangs (13-2-3) proved too much for the Mount Vernon Mustangs, winning 8-0.
Mustang softball sweeps Spartans
Ryan Suchomel
Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun
ryan.suchomel@mvlsun.com
It was a rivalry doubleheader, and a WaMaC twinbill, to boot. On Thursday, May 29, Mount Vernon swept the Spartans 10-6 and 9-8 in Solon.
“Solon is always going to bring their best against us,” Mount Vernon coach Robin Brand said. “We looked really good. We hit the ball well and ran the bases well. The kids stayed calm and collected and stayed fired up.”
In the first game the Mustangs had 16 hits. Freshman Sophia Patten hit a double and a home run with two
RBIs. Senior Libby Dix added a double.
In the second game, Mount Vernon scored three in the top of the sixth inning and led, 9-4, but Solon scored four in the bottom of the seventh to almost come from behind.
“They didn’t panic,” Brand said. “They were loose and confident and went out there and got the job done.”
Senior Olivia Haverback had three hits in Game 2. Sophomore Hayden Gookin had a double and a home run and senior Abbie Moss had a home run.
Brand said she was impressed by sophomore Brynlee Bettcher taking over at catcher and Patten hitting a home run in her first at bat.
The Mustangs opened the season with an 8-0 win at
Central DeWitt on Monday, May 26. Gookin pitched a three-hitter, striking out 10. That put her over 400 strikeouts in her career.
“For her to be a sophomore and do that is incredible,” Brand said.
Gookin pitched on a broken foot at the end of the 2024 season, and had offseason surgery.
“She’s been very committed to the process,” Brand said. “She did everything she could to get ready. She had a great mindset to come back just as strong.”
Offensively, Moss hit 3-for-3 with two runs scored and sophomore Rylee Rasmussen and junior Carly Elliott each had two hits.
Lions softball drop pair of games to Lynx
Ryan Suchomel
Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun ryan.suchomel@mvlsun.com
The first big showdown for the Lisbon softball team didn’t go their way.
No. 3 (2A) Lisbon dropped a pair of close ones at No. 8 (1A) North Linn on Thursday, May 29.
The Lions lost 7-6 when the Lynx scored three in the bottom of the sixth inning, and lost 7-6 in eight innings, when North Linn walked it off.
“It was definitely a hard night,” Lisbon coach Abbey
Shultz said. “I told the girls after the first game, you have to take care of things all the way through.
“It’ll be good fire and motivation for us to keep working hard. You have to show up every single inning.”
In the first game, Alexis Jensen had a triple, Addie Clark hit a double, and Clark, Kyla Kahl and Alexa Roos each had two hits.
In the second game, Jensen had two hits, including a triple. Emma Pleasant and Alexis Jensen each had two hits Pleasant gave up seven runs, none of them earned. She
struck out four and walked three.
The Lions swept Bellevue Marquette on Tuesday, May 27, winning 10-0 and 5-3.
In Game 1, Clark hit 3-for-4 with a double and 3 RBI. Kyla Kahl pitched a two-hitter, striking out nine and walking one over five innings.
In Game 2, Kyla Kahl came in with four no-hit innings in relief. Pleasant hit 3-for-3 with a double, triple and two RBI, and Kaitlynn Hasselbusch had two doubles.
“I was insanely proud of our team,” Shultz said. “The defense is doing its job and the bats eventually started coming around.”
Photos by Renee Vig | Mustang Moon
Top: Mount Vernon’s Landon Grosse (No. 23) and Zion Safo (goalkeeper) try to stop a Fort Madison goal attempt. Above: Mount Vernon’s Carter Gadberry (No. 18) tries to steal the ball from a Fort Madison player. Left Mount Vernon’s Gavin Plathe (No. 12) deflects a Fort Madison kick.
GIRLS’ SOFTBALL
MV baseball bests Lisbon in crosstown rivalry 7-4
Ryan Suchomel
Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun
ryan.suchomel@mvlsun.com
Mount Vernon freshman catcher Gabe Grafft came to bat in the bottom of the fifth inning Thursday, May 29, with his team holding a slim, one-run lead over their nearby rivals, Lisbon.
There were two outs, and the bases were loaded.
“It is just doing the little jobs and putting the ball in play hard,” Grafft said. “Just do it, man. Just find a good pitch to drive.”
Grafft cleared the bases with a double to right field, the biggest hit in a five-run inning that led to Mount Vernon defeating Lisbon, 7-4, at Ash Park Field.
It was a big moment for the freshman, who had been lifted for a pinch-hitter an inning before with a runner in scoring position.
Lisbon girls’ golf seventh at Class 3A meet
Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun
ryan.suchomel@mvlsun.com
Lisbon girls’ golf brought home a trophy from the Class 3A State Meet.
“Anytime you come home with hardware, I would chalk it up as a successful season,” Lisbon coach Andy Kahl said.
The Lions finished seventh in a loaded state field on Thursday and Friday at Saddleback Golf Course in Solon. Gilbert won the title, scoring 611 over 36 holes. Twin sisters Ava and Ella Lohrback finished 1-2 in the individual race, both finishing under par.
“It was crazy,” senior Eryn Jackson said. “I had my best round of the season, and I’m still a ways out of the top 10.
“But its alright. They are really good. To even be competing with them was nice.”
Jackson finished with a 77 card on both days.
“Walking off 18 on day two, she was like, ‘Coach, I don’t think I’ve ever broken 80,’” Coach Kahl said. “And to do that, two consecutive rounds … she had a heck of a weekend. Something to be proud of.”
Jackson said she didn’t try to do too much, just played steady golf.
“I tried not to focus on birdieing every hole,” Jackson
“It wasn’t because I didn’t have confidence in his swing,” Mount Vernon coach Charles Chatman said. “It was because we don’t want to overwhelm a young kid. I thought he was doing a good job behind the plate and I wanted to focus on him and Maddox (Thede) working together.
“Then, as the game progressed … he got a bone. … And ate it.”
It was the biggest hit on a night where both teams put the ball in play a lot. Both teams had used up most of their pitching in conference games and non-conference showdowns earlier in the week.
Still, Mount Vernon was able to use Thede. The sophomore gave up eight hits and six walks, but mostly avoided trouble.
“I think he grew up a lot today on the mound,” Chatman said. “He didn’t have command of his curveball early and battled through it. He kind of fought his own inner demons and pitched. It was fun to see.”
He was tasked with slowing down a Lisbon team that had sored 77 runs in its first five games.
“This team has shown the ability to put guys on base consistently, up and down our lineup,” Lisbon coach Lance Kamaus said.
Lisbon put baserunners on in every inning, but Thede pitched himself out of trouble with seven strikeouts over 5.1 innings, including two punchouts with the bases loaded and one out in the top of the fifth inning.
“It was a close ballgame,” Lisbon senior Wesley Sadler said. “We were one or two plays away. One hit away.”
Junior Bryce Boots got the start for the Lions, and after giving up a two-run double by Cole Thurn in the first inning, limited the damage until the fifth inning. He got seven outs on fly balls to the outfield, and struck out four.
In the fifth, Erik Lamb led off with a triple, and was bought home on a single by Michael Ryan. Then Boots walked Thurn and Porter Chatman to load the bases and was relieved by Sadler, who got a strikeout before giving up the hit to Grafft.
“Bryce competed very well on the mound for us,” Kamaus said. “They are a good team.”
The Mustangs moved to 4-2 after the win. They lost to Linn-Mar, 7-2, on Tuesday, May 27, and then split with Solon on Wednesday, May 28. The Mustangs took the first game 9-8, and lost the second, 5-1.
“We’re getting there,” Chatman said. “We’ve got so many three- and four-sport athletes, they just need time. They
said. “I just focused on the next shot.”
Lisbon No. 2 golfer, freshman Kyla Kahl, carded an 80 and an 86 over the two days. Which was pretty incredible when you think about it.
Kahl played 18 holes Thursday afternoon, then played in a doubleheader with Lisbon softball that night. Then played another 18 holes Friday. She also had a softball doubleheader Tuesday night.
So it was quite a week.
“It was a tiring week, but it was a lot of fun,” Kahl said.
The freshman said she was able to go from her golf swing, to a softball swing, and back, without any issues. With Jackson at 154 and Kahl at 166, the rest of the Lions included Carie Johnson (177), Avery Thurn (178), Abby Bock (191) and Grace Bausch (203).
“We know going in we were a long shot,” Kahl said. “We just wanted to showcase our skills. We worked hard to
Above: Junior Cael Foreman delivers a pitch in game one of a varsity doubleheader against the Spartans in Solon Wednesday, May 28. Foreman pitched three innings giving up three hits and no runs while striking out three in a 9-8 win. Lower left: Garet Swartzendruber applies the tag on Solon’s Dylan Gorham in game two of a varsity doubleheader against the Spartans in Solon Wednesday, May 28.
are still getting into the flow.”
Against Linn-Mar, Colin Bentley hit 3-for-4 with a triple. In the first game against Solon, Bentley, Toby Neal and Garet Swartzendruber each had doubles and six combined RBIs.
In the loss to Solon, Spartan pitcher Brady Wick held MV to just two hits.
Lisbon is 4-2 after two weeks as well. They pummeled North Cedar on Tuesday, May 27, winning 25-0 and 15-0. The Lions lost their first game, to West Branch, 4-3, on Wednesday, May 28.
“We were ready to go this year, ready to grind,” Sadler said. “We didn’t end the way we wanted to last year, and I feel we are a way better team and ready to go.”
The Lions went to state three straight years (2021, 2022, 2023) but finished just 5-24 last year. They also lost to Mount Vernon 13-0 a year ago.
“It is the same kids this year, but they’ve got experience,” Kamaus said. “I like what is going on, so far.”
get here.
“From where we started to where we are now, everyone made big, big improvemnts. It just feels so good and such an honor to be here.”
For Jackson, who enjoyed lifting up first-place trophies with Mount Vernon volleyball and basketball this past season, it was a good end.
“Since this was my last high school event, it was nice to be playing on the last day, again,” Jackson said.
LISBON GIRLS’ GOLF
Photos by Chris Umscheid | Solon Economist
Ryan Suchomel
Photos by Lucy Wischmeyer | Mustang Moon
Above: Lisbon’s Eryn Jackson follows through on her swing at Solon May 29.
Left: Lisbon’s Kyla Kahl tees off at Solon May 29.