SPORTS | 10 Volleyball: Lions sweep Lisbon invite
MVLSUN.COM
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2026 • $1.50
Road connecting to MV middle school parking lot opening soon Nathan Countryman Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun
nathan.countryman@mvlsun.com
The concrete has been poured for the parking lane along Seventh Avenue in front of the Mount Vernon Middle School and is just taking a few more days to cure, and then the road will be open to the public. Superintendent Matt Leeman said the hope the road is open this week, just in time for the Mount Vernon Homecoming parade, as the route will utilize Seventh Avenue to head to the high school. Leeman said that the public has done a good job being very flexible for the delays to the work on the road and the new parking lot was delayed as the school year began. One thing that people will see is rolling stop signs will be placed at the crosswalks along Seventh Avenue to help kids cross the parking lot and trails. Light poles have been delayed in both the middle school and the parking lane along Seventh Avenue until mid-October. Leeman said he and contractors have walked the parking lot to flag items that need to be fixed before the project is given the all clear. On the Mount Vernon Middle School exterior plans, the school board will have design approval by Monday, Oct. 12. Bid documents will be approved by the board Monday, Dec. 9, and then bids will be received by Jan. 28, with final bid approval by Monday, Feb. 8. Construction on the middle school exterior could be as soon as Tuesday, Feb. 9, 2027.
Mount Vernon Homecoming festivities continue
Nathan Countryman Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun
nathan.countryman@mvlsun.com
The Mount Vernon homecoming activities continue tonight with the Mount Vernon Homecoming parade, coronation and powderpuff football game. The parade lines up in front of the elementary school beginning at 5:30 p.m. The parade then proceeds south on Fifth St. The parade then turns left and heads north on Third Ave. SW. After Third Avenue S.W., the parade turns left and goes west on Fourth St. SW (turns into College Blvd). The parade then turns left and proceeds south on Seventh Avenue S.W. The parade continues through the new middle school parking lot (a great place to park then walk to the coronation & powder puff game). The parade ends at 10th Ave in front of the high school. Coronation follows the parade at the Martha Parsons Family Activity Complex Nathan Countryman | Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun The king candidates this year are: Maddox Curran, Alex Briesemeister, Seth Rushford, On the Mount Vernon Homecoming Court for 2026 are (back, from left) Maddox Curran, Alex Briesemeister, Seth Rushford, Luke Rushford, Jonathan Winkler (front, from left) Reagan Slaymaker, Luke Rushford and Jonathan Winkler. Queen candidates are: Reagan Slaymaker, Carie Johnson, Eastin Whisner, Avalyn Bauer and Evelyn Moeller. Coronation will happen tonight Carie Johnson, Eastin Whisner, Avalyn (Thursday, Sept. 24) at Martha Parsons Family Activity Complex following the homecoming parade. Bauer and Evelyn Moeller. The Alumni hall of fame reception is 9 a.m. at the Mount Vernon High School Performing Arts Center and is open to the Mount Vernon faces off against The homecoming dance is Saturday, Sept. community. Maquoketa Friday, Sept. 25, this week. 26 from 8 to 11 p.m. at the high school.
Lisbon Alumni Association 2026 Hall of Fame honorees Each year the Lisbon Alumni Association’s Hall of Fame honors and recognizes new members for their contributions to Lisbon Schools and to the community of Lisbon. There are five established categories and six Hall of Fame inductees were named this year. Honorees include Jeff Bohr (Service), Dr. George Karam (Achievement), Kevin Boyens (Community Impact) Dirk DeYoung (Fine Arts), Pam Sheets Haag (Athletics) and Chuck LeGrand (Athletics). LHS Service Award – Jeff Bohr, Class of 1979 The LHS Service Award is given to alumni for specific and meritorious service to any notfor-profit organization or for military service. Service must be for a non-compensated capacity for non-profit organization nominees, or for a full-time past or present member of the U.S. Military. The 2026 Inductee in the non-profit organization category is Jeff Bohr, Class of 1979. Jeff has been directly involved with the reorgani-
zation and revitalization of the Lisbon Alumni Association (the “LAA”) since 2016 and served as the organization’s Vice President through 2025, and as President since then. Among Jeff’s accomplishments serving as a LAA officer have included coordination and updates to the group’s master contact list; assisting with fundraising; helping plan and stage the annual Alumni Banquet; and other duties. Bohr has donated countless hours of his time coordinating the activities of the LAA including researching, gathering history and database contact information for the completion and distribution of the LAA’s annual newsletter. Bohr has also served on the Alumni Association Hall of Fame selection committee since 2020. In addition to Bohr’s 11 years of dedication to the Lisbon Alumni Association, he also previously served 10 years on the Lisbon Community School Board of Directors between 1997 to 2008, serving as board vice president for two years and as board president his last two years. During his time as a board member,
Bohr also helped oversee the construction of the current elementary addition project. Accepting in his honor this evening is his family. LHS Achievement Award – Dr. George Karam, former teacher & elementary principal The LHS Achievement Award is given to alumni or faculty who have earned recognition for their achievements and contributions in their professional life and have demonstrated a high level of achievement in their field and continue to make/have made significant contributions in that field. The 2026 Inductee is the late Dr. George Karam, former middle school teacher and long-time elementary principal at Lisbon. Dr. Karam served the Lisbon schools with distinction for 33 years, from August 1973 to June 30, 2005, leaving a legacy of excellence, integrity, and genuine care for the students, HALL OF FAME | 2
INSIDE Opinions - 4 & 5
| Records - 7 | Sports - 10-13 | Public Notices - 14 & 15 | Fall Home & Auto - 17 |
in your eyes? It should be. . .
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MOUNT VERNON-LISBON SUN | MVLSUN.COM
Volume 157 I Issue 39
108 1st St SW, Mount Vernon, IA 52314 Phone: 319-895-6216 news@mvlsun.com The Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun strives for accuracy and fairness in reporting news. If we’ve made an error or a report is misleading, let us know about it: news@mvlsun.com
STAFF
Publisher Jason Brummond jason.brummond@dailyiowan.com Cadence Dighton | Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun
The families of Kevin Boyens, Pam Sheets Haag, Dirk DeYoung, Chuck LeGrand, Jeff Bohr and Dr. George Karam at the induction ceremony at Walmer Field Friday, Sept. 18.
HALL OF FAME from 1
staff, and the broader Lisbon community. Dr. Karam began his career in Lisbon as a history teacher and quickly became a respected K–8 administrator, beloved by students, parents, and colleagues alike. A lifelong learner and passionate educator, he earned three degrees from the University of Iowa: a bachelor of arts in sociology (1971), a master of arts in education (1980), and a Doctor of Philosophy in Education (1993). His doctoral dissertation, Two Hundred Years Later: A Comparison of School Officials’ and Students’ Knowledge of and Attitudes Regarding the United States Bill of Rights in Selected Iowa School Districts, exemplified his commitment to fostering civic knowledge and critical thinking in young learners. Over three decades, Dr. Karam helped shape not only the academic success of the district but also its culture and character. His leadership style was marked by humility, humor, and a sincere belief in the potential of every child. Whether he was greeting students at the door, attending afterschool events, or troubleshooting early morning staffing emergencies, Dr. Karam showed up with warmth and a smile. From former coworker Chris Wiscus - “Dr. Karam demonstrated loyalty and dedication to his students, staff and community and expanded our “education” outside of the classroom including during field trips outdoors and our annual eighth grade Chicago Trip.” Dr. Karam's 2005 resignation letter upon his retirement offered a glimpse into the depth of his connection to the Lisbon community. He wrote of “the joys, challenges, and laughter” he shared with generations of families, noting with a characteristic wit that he “would not miss finding substitute teachers at 6 a.m.” At the time of his retirement, he was met with an outpouring of appreciation from staff and students alike. From former teacher Rita Westercamp - “Dr. Karam shaped our school culture in many ways. His exceptional knowledge and understanding of the teaching profession created a caring, trusting, stable environment. This allowed teachers the freedom to teach with a level of support that is necessary for ultimate learning. Students, faculty, and staff were always treated with dignity, respect and a smile”. In recognition of his decades of service, the Iowa State Senate awarded Dr. Karam a Certificate of Recognition on June 23, 2005, honoring his contributions to education and to the lives of young Iowans. His influence extended beyond the school walls, reflected in the respect and affection he earned across the community. He was a principal who listened, guided, encouraged, and made everyone feel seen and heard, traits not easily replicated and never forgotten. Outside of his professional life, George was a devoted husband and father. Dr. Karam passed away Aug. 27, 2024. He is survived by his beloved wife, Susan Karam, his sons Christian Karam (and wife Stacy) and Matthew Karam (and wife Chenelle), and his adored grandchildren: David, Charlie, Mason, Eva, and Hudson. He also leaves behind many dear nieces and nephews who will miss him deeply. George found joy in the outdoors — particularly trout fishing and hunting — and in every moment spent with his family, especially his grandchildren, who brought him immense happiness. His faith, warmth, generosity, and sense of humor left an indelible impression on all who knew him. Dr. Karam exemplified academic excellence
not only through his personal achievements but through the countless lives he nurtured, challenged, and inspired. It is only fitting that his name be enshrined in the Lisbon Community School District Hall of Fame, where his legacy of educational leadership and love for learning can continue to inspire future generations of young Lions. Accepting the award in Dr. Karam’s honor is his family. LHS Community Impact Award – Kevin Boyens, Class Of 1977 The LHS Community Impact Award is given to alumni or faculty and staff members who should be recognized for their service contributions to the Lisbon community in any capacity and service for any reason. The 2026 Inductee is Kevin Boyens, Class of 1977. After the current group of dedicated alumni got involved with the Lisbon Alumni Association in 2016, one of their top three goals was to be able to raise enough funds to endow an ongoing annual Alumni Association Scholarship award. Over the course of three to four years in the 2020’s, Kevin stepped up, through his business, Boyens Machining Inc., to anonymously and selflessly donate significant dollars towards the Alumni Scholarship Fund. Boyens’ contributions helped spur others to also donate a total of an additional $8,100 in 2026. Because of Boyens’ generosity and giving back to the Lisbon Schools community, the Alumni Association was able to establish an endowed scholarship fund in early 2026 through the Lisbon School Foundation, which allowed it to award an initial two $375 scholarships to deserving 2026 LHS Graduates, Alina Mallie and Caleb Ross. Boyens’ ongoing generosity, along with the generosity of other alumni he has inspired through his gifts, will allow the Lisbon Alumni Association to provide at least two scholarships per year well into the future. The Alumni Association welcomes additional donations to the Scholarship Fund. LHS Fine Arts Award – Dirk DeYoung, Class Of 1992 The LHS Fine Arts Award is given to Alumni with exceptional accomplishments in the fine arts while attending LHS, along with accomplishments beyond their high school years. Their HS accomplishments include conference honors, Superior contest ratings, All-State recognition, major roles in theater productions, concerts, etc. The 2026 Inductee is Dirk DeYoung, Class of 1992. DeYoung participated in several fine arts programs while at Lisbon. He joined the instrumental program as a fifth grader and continued through high school. While participating in band DeYoung took solos to contest, consistently earning Division I ratings. As a senior he was awarded outstanding solo performance for his center. He also participated in multiple small group performances at contests each year. Those groups were also consistent Division I winners. He was active in pit band, jazz band, concert band, marching band and pep band. Instrumentally DeYoung was selected to play with Iowa Music Ambassadors in Europe and was chosen to play with the John Phillip Sousa band in Washington DC. As a senior he was awarded the John Phillip Sousa Award for outstanding instrumental musician. DeYoung worked behind the scenes on the Lisbon HS plays and behind the scenes, on stage and in the pit band, of high school musicals. He
participated in speech contests throughout high school in both group and individual events, earning several Division I ratings. As an adult DeYoung has continued to participate in music by playing for several years with the Williamson County Band in Tennessee. Even his career choice speaks to his love of music and fine arts as he is a sales manager for a company that promotes student travel...primarily bands and choirs. LHS Athletics Award – Pam Sheets Haag and Chuck LeGrand The LHS Athletics Award is given to alumni with exceptional accomplishments in athletics while attending LHS and beyond. Statistical records and awards, All-Conference award(s), All-State award(s), and/or State Championships earned are all considered. The first of two 2026 Athletics Award Inductees is Pam Sheets Haag, Class of 1971. During her time at LHS, Haag played softball and basketball from 1968-1971. Honors and records she received and achieved during her career include: • Softball Honors – • Four-year letter winner • First Team All Wapsi Conference Catcher in her senior year • Top Season Batting Avg. of 0.533 in 1968 as a ninth-grader (she held that record until it was broken 50 years later in 2018) • Still holds the second & fourth best season batting averages, also hitting 0.500 in her senior year. • Still holds the ninth best career batting average of 0.400 and is 14th best in career triples with 11. • It should be noted that during Pam’s career, teams only played 20-25 games per season, unlike the 40-50 games played today. Basketball Honors – • Three-year Letter Winner • All State Honorable Mention Forward her senior year • First Team All Wapsi Conference Forward her senior year • Third Team All Wapsi Conference Forward her junior year • Career High Game of 63 points her senior year against Wheatland and • Senior year season average of 33 ppg. The second Inductee for the 2026 LHS Athletics Award this evening is the late Chuck LeGrand, Class of 1975. Accomplishments LeGrand achieved during his high school wrestling career that spanned 1971-1975 include the following: • LeGrand wrestled behind Hall of Famer Doug Englert in 1971-72 at 98 lbs. • LeGrand stayed at 98 lbs. for the 1972-73 and 1973-74 seasons, losing in the 1973 State Tournament 98 lbs. finals, finishing in 2nd place with a 28-3-1 season record. • LeGrand lost in the 1974 98 lbs. semi-final round, coming back to finish in third place. • LeGrand bumped up to 105 lbs. for his 1974-75 Senior season, winning the 1975 State Championship 105 lbs. final by fall in 2:54. • LeGrand was an original member of Hall of Fame Coach Al Baxter’s first teams at Lisbon. LeGrand’s dedication to the sport of wrestling along with his hard work and efforts helped lead the Lions to their first 3-peat as State Class 1A Champions in 1973, 1974 & 1975. Accepting the award this evening in LeGrand’s honor are his daughter and family.
Editor Nathan Countryman nathan.countryman @mvlsun.com Sports Ryan Suchomel ryan.suchomel@mvlsun.com Advertising Manager Paul Rowland paul.rowland@mvlsun.com Production Manager Heidi Owen heidi.owen@dailyiowan.com Advertising Director Juli Krause juli.krause@dailyiowan.com Reporting Interns Cadence Dighton Grace Escritt Digital/Social Media Interns Abigail Princehouse
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 on Thursdays 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 Paul Rowland at 319-895-6216 or paul.rowland@ mvlsun.com for additional information. Subscription rates: Linn and adjoining counties – $55 annually; elsewhere in Iowa – $75 annually; out of state – $85 annually. Copyright 2026 Mount Vernon-Lisbon 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 written permission.
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MVLSUN.COM | MOUNT VERNON-LISBON SUN
Lisbon High School crowns homecoming king and queen
Cadence Dighton| Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun
Asa Bee and Leila Mayhew are Lisbon's Homecoming king and queen this year. Cadence Dighton Mount Vernon Lisbon-Sun news@mvlsun.com
Keeping up with annual tradition, Lisbon High School held the annual crowning of the homecoming king and queen Friday, Sept. 18 before the homecoming football game against Cascade High School. This year’s king was Asa Bee and queen was Leila Mayhew. After high school, Mayhew intends to pursue wildlife conservation at Iowa State University, mostly likely focusing on wildlife fisheries. Bee has plans to pursue digital design post-high school. Each year, the candidates dress formally, with the king candidates wearing button down shirts and slacks, while the girls wear black dresses, each of them adorned with a red sash that reads “homecoming court.” Separated into couples, the candidates walk arm-in-arm with their partner, with the queen candidates carrying bouquets of flowers in their other hand. Lisbon High School’s 2026 homecoming queen candidates were Ava Ahrendsen, Ellie Beatty, Leila Mayhew, Hallie Ries, Jenna Ries and Morgan Sauser. Additionally, Lisbon High School 2026 homecoming king candidates included Anthony Armstrong, Asa Bee, Kyler Happel, Ryder Meeks, Leon Rogers and Ethan Stone. Cadence Dighton is a junior in the University of Iowa’s School of Journalism and Mass Communication. Cadence is an intern with the Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun.
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THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2026 | 3
Blooming Acres Ribbon Cutting Blooming Acres Sewing Studio held a ribbon cutting at the new location on First Street in uptown Mount Vernon, Monday, Sept. 14. At the ribbon cutting were Tom Wiseler (mayor of Mount Vernon), Michelle Zaruba (Hills Bank and Trust Company), John Bardsley (City of Lisbon), Jessie Thurn (Mount Vernon-Lisbon Community Development Group), Ashley Dunford (Mount Vernon Bank and Trust), Jackie Morrical, Laura Dunn, Becka Owens (Blooming Acres Sewing Studio), Whitney Turner, Courtney Frye Speed (Bridge Community Bank) and Brenda Langenberg (Hills Bank and Trust). At the lower portion of the photo is shop dog, Obi.
Nathan Countryman | Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun
Lisbon Public Library director discusses upcoming accessibility updates Cadence Dighton Mount Vernon Lisbon-Sun news@mvlsun.com
Lisbon Public Library director Elizabeth Hoover de Galvez attended the Lisbon City Council meeting Monday, Sept. 14 to share accessibility plan updates. After receiving a grant of $10,000 from the American Library Association earlier this year, the Lisbon Public Library has been focused on the ways in which they can change things throughout the library to make it more accessible for those with mobility troubles. According to Hoover de Galvez, a requirement of receiving the grant was to reach out to members of the community for their input on how to make the library more accessible, so she partnered with Southeast Linn Community Center (SELCC) to host a lunch and conversation. The invite to the event extended to members of the community who have troubles with mobility or have other disabilities who had thoughts about what was needed to be done to the Lisbon Public Library to make use of the grant money and make it more accessible. There were 10 people in attendance, and they were asked to brainstorm and vote on their top three priorities for the library. The group ultimately voted for an automatic door, more handicap parking along Main Street, and adjustable computer tables, as the current one is too tall for a wheelchair user. However, the group had other ideas that were important, including leveling the floor at a spot in
which there is a hatch to the basement that has a lip that is difficult for wheelchair users to roll over. Additionally, the group pointed out that the diaper changing table in the bathroom currently causes a blockage for wheelchairs, so one that folds out from the wall is more desirable. Finally, Hoover de Galvez explained that a child who uses a wheelchair recently approached her about making the children’s book area more accessible, as that area has a step up with no ramp. To put a ramp in place in the children’s book area, a 12-foot ramp would be required, which would take up a large section of the library, so Hoover de Galvez has ruled that option out. One option that is being considered is leveling the children’s book area, instead of leaving it raised. However, disassembling the heightened section that currently holds the children’s book area poses one issue: there is possible asbestos underneath it. According to Lisbon mayor Doug O’Connor, however, any possible asbestos can be covered without presenting an issue, as long as it is not disturbed. There is minimal knowledge about what might be under the children’s book area, as the stage was constructed in the 1980s before the last library director, Amy White, was on the job. Cadence Dighton is a junior in the University of Iowa’s School of Journalism and Mass Communication. Cadence is an intern with the Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun.
Jordan Pumpkin Patch celebrating 50 years in business Nathan Countryman Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun
“We have some very specialty gourds and squashes that people are looking for these days,” Jordan said. nathan.countryman@mvlsun.com Jordan explained that many of the squash and gourds that grow in the farm are planted just before Memorial Jordan’s Pumpkin Patch is celebrating it’s 50th year in Day. business this season. The pumpkins at the patch all get planted in mid-June. Dave Jordan explained that his parents had grown a few “The thing about squash and pumpkins, is they really pumpkins for their kids in the season of 1976 and left them prefer to be dry,” Jordan said. “They can tolerate some moison a picnic table. The Jordan home is along Hwy. 30, and ture, but they don’t like their vines to be overly wet or that that was enough to spark interest in pumpkins being grown can cause some blight or diseases of the crops.” as a crop by the family in the future. Jordan said he tries to plant squash with enough distance Jordan explained that alongside pumpkins, they also between rows so the plants also don’t feel crowded, because now plant a variety of gourds, squashes and fall decorative that can also contribute to mildew and other diseases. items. His target date for opening is usually the middle of SepRoughly 25 years ago, when his parents were looking to tember, with this coming weekend being usually one of the get out of the business and the other siblings had no inter- busiest weekends for the patch. est in continuing, took over planting the crops. “We’ll start combing the patch roughly twice a week, lookThey now grow several varieties of pumpkins, including ing to see which pumpkins are ready to harvest,” Jordan the Jack-O-Lanterns that people look forward to carving said. “You can see a lot of variances in the patch even in the for decorations with four different varieties, and then dif- course of a week.” ferent types of squashes. Jordan notes this is a very labor intensive farming, com-
pared to some others. For Jordan the best memories have been having customers who remember when they came out to the farm to pick up their pumpkins with their families and are back with their own kids for pumpkins. “You also get to know so many people and returning customers who are out at the patch each year,” Jordan said. He’s helped at the patch by his oldest son Matt and Becka and their three daughters, as well as his daughter Briauna as the season gets underway. “It’s been a great process getting them up to speed in how this works,” Jordan said. The patch is roughly two acres, and that size of farm will grow roughly 2,000 different squash, jack-o-lanterns and other gourds. “We really try to get the majority of the crops out by the last weekend in September, as that’s the prime date for people to be stopping out. The Jordan Pumpkin Patch is located at 1082 Hwy. 30 (west of Mount Vernon), just across from Big Apple Orchard.
4 | THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2026 | MOUNT VERNON-LISBON SUN
OPINIONS/NEWS
OPINIONS
MVLSUNCOM
These days, Meet this semester’s Iowa Community everybody’s Class members covering MV, Lisbon a critic SUN EDITORIAL
Living in Iowa Dan Brawner It starts when we’re very young. You do your best to stay within the lines and try to make your “o’s” look different from your “a’s”. But still when your first-grade teacher hands back your penmanship homework, at the top of the page is a frowny face in red ink instead of a smiley face like smarty-pants Vicky always gets. If only you could look into the future and tell your teacher that when you grow up you will be able to type 100 words a minute and nobody will give a good hoot in hell about your penmanship. And you wish you could give your teacher a frowny face grade for towering over you like some giant judge, all disappointed that you’re such a failure while you have to look up into her huge nostrils. There must be some way to get even. Enter the era of Yelp reviews. (We’ll get to that in a minute). This month, the College Free Speech rankings are out and the University of Iowa received a D minus. It’s a wonder the earth doesn’t swallow up the U of I for the shame of it all. The evaluations are published by the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE) and this year they have incinerated Iowa. According to FIRE, 43 percent of UI students have “self-censored” themselves one or two times a month! And 67 percent of students said it is okay to shout down a speaker if you don’t like what they’re saying. (That’s how Donald Trump answers all reporters’ questions.) FIRE also reported that there are 1.35 liberal students on the UI campus for every one conservative student. I’ve seen that 1/35 of a liberal student and he’s not so much. Every time he starts to talk, they just shout the little guy down. These days, everybody is rating restaurants and maid services and movies and they are getting rated back like some kind of circular firing squad. Take Yelp reviews. The aptly-named Yelp online platform invites individuals to publish their halfbaked opinions and reveal their inner thoughts and inadequate spelling. One reviewer wrote: “Did not have a good experience. Last I looked we are in America we’re we speak English…when you ask for help an the store employee can’t speak English. They don’t need to be here if there can’t speak are language…” One star. Another reviewer wrote: “Excellent coffee. It was so strong, I called my mother and apologized for things I did in 2009.” Five stars. Another observed: “They said the soup was homemade. I don’t know whose home made it, but they need to have a meeting.” Two stars. “This hotel is as welcoming as a neck and shoulder rub from Bill Cosby.” One star. “I got stabbed here. The food was fresh and the drinks were tasty. But I got stabbed here. Would consider going back.” Four stars. “Beautiful restaurant. Very romantic. Unfortunately, I was there with my dentist.” Two stars. One business owner felt compelled to respond to a one-star review, saying he was sorry to hear the customer was disappointed they didn’t have pizza, but clarified they were a pet rehoming center and not a pizzeria. (You can’t please everybody.)
Meet this semester’s Iowa Community Class members who will be helping to cover the communities of Mount Vernon and Lisbon.
Nick Aagesen Hi, my name is Nick Aagesen and I am a senior studying Journalism and Mass Communication here at University of Iowa. I am from Des Moines. I first really got interested in journalism when I was younger and would watch reporters and read stories from baseball writers. I am a huge Chicago Cubs fan. I then really shifted my interest to politics as I got older, and I would consistently learn everything I can about national politics, which is why I have also minored in political science here at Iowa. I also am a big dog person and love history. I love small towns as well. I love walking through a downtown main street and seeing all different shops. I also collect old newspapers that I can find and older Life magazines. I have a passion about community reporting and I feel like we have a great opportunity with social media to highlight these communities in different ways. Utilizing our social media to give people an up-close look at these communities. I feel that is something our next generation of reporters can do very well. I am also ready to learn all that I can from these great editors as I have not worked very much on deadline and need to learn from that challenge. Professor Rushing is also a teacher I have never had before so I wanted to learn from him this semester as well. I think that the great foundation that we learn from covering community news can translate into many different areas covering a wide range of topics. Kenna Mertes My name is Kenna Mertes, I am from a west-suburb of Chicago called Geneva. I am currently a senior studying Journalism and Sports Media. I took ‘Iowa Community News’ as my capstone for my journalism major, when going through the process of choosing my capstone. I wanted something I knew I could take real life skills from, and have an enjoyable experience. I wanted to have the opportunity to work with the community, develop my storytelling skills, and learn to work on deadlines. While I am balancing my current classes with two time committed positions in SJMC, I am excited to dive into this class. I hope this class allows me to become the writer that I have been working to be the past four years.
Remembering the unity of 9/11 C. Sherene Hansen Player We just commemorated 25 years since the 9/11 attack on America. The week was full of news stories and remembrances of that horrific day and all the changes that it brought. We have a full generation who has grown up since that date who has no recollection of it, yet they live with the ramifications of the event. On the evening of September 11 of this year, we had our oldest and youngest daughters home for dinner. We had an
My hope is to work directly for a team being their beat reporter or training the athletes in their media skills. I know that this class will help me gain skills that I can later apply to my career. I am excited to work in small communities as I am someone who comes from a larger hometown.
icant to larger publications and provide insight into the inner workings of a small town. As I was choosing a capstone course to put all that I have learned from the journalism school at Iowa to use, I knew I wanted to take Iowa Community News. I have ritualistically read the print edition Grace Olson of the Sun every Thursday for many years, My name is Grace Olson, and I’m a and I wanted to be able to contribute to senior at Iowa, double majoring in jour- the publication that fostered a young me nalism and mass communication and to be an informed citizen. I hope to be a English literature. I’m originally from part of fostering that same drive to know Denver, Colo. about what is going on in the community I chose to take this class because I’ve for other people as well. It also is a great gained a deep appreciation for local way for me to reconnect with the commugovernment and community reporting nity where I grew up, and to put the skills through my time at The Daily Iowan. I’ve I have learned into practice in a setting worked there for four years, and my cover- similar to the one I would like to work in age has ranged from the Iowa City school after college. board, city council, Iowa caucuses, rural faith organizations, and university comLance Peterson munities. My name is Lance Peterson and I’m a I currently serve as the executive editor lifelong Iowan from Peosta. I am a senior for the DI, so I’m excited to return to my at the University of Iowa studying jourroots as a K-12 and city council reporter. nalism and sociology and also the News The DI also closely covers the Johnson Editor for The Daily Iowan. Other County Board of Supervisors, so I’ve reporting experiences I’ve had include already done some coverage about the an internship at the Telegraph Herald in rural areas of the county. Dubuque this past summer and sports I’m glad that this class will give me more coverage for the Solon Economist and the chances to report and write. My love for Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun in the past. writing is why I went into journalism, and I am taking the Iowa Community News although I love editing and management, course because, through my past jourI often miss the rush of finding a scoop or nalistic experiences, I’ve grown fond of writing a tangibly impactful story. local news, specifically business, local I’m looking forward to my assignment government, and education coverage for covering Lisbon because it will be the communities. Throughout this semester, smallest community I’ve ever covered. my goal is to report on a variety of events I’m also excited to get to know the and issues in Mount Vernon while also community members and build source building connections with anyone I meet relationships with people I likely otherwise along the way. I also want to truly familwouldn’t meet. iarize myself with Mount Vernon because this was not something I had to do for Iowa Lillie Hawker City or Dubuque because I had already My name is Lillie and I am in my last lived in these cities before reporting on semester at the University of Iowa study- them. ing journalism and Spanish. I am a native With this being my last year of college, to Mount Vernon and graduated from I have had to think about what I want to Mount Vernon High School in 2021. do with my life. As of now, my goal once I believe that local journalism is an I graduate is to secure an internship or important part of journalism as a whole. entry-level job as a local news reporter It operates as a backbone for a community. for a digital or print news outlet covering It serves to keep community members business and finance, local government, or engaged with the current events and big education. While I have lived in Iowa for stories that matter to their town. Without my entire life, I am open to wherever my community news, there would be many career may take me. However, wherever important stories that would go untold. I go my plan is to keep reporting on local Some of the best pieces of journalism I news for whatever community I may serve. have consumed have come out of local I am excited to get out in the Mount Verpublications. They allow for more in-depth non community to start reporting local reporting of issues that may seem insignif- news stories! interesting conversation as we discussed all the stories we had been hearing that day and throughout the week. The oldest daughter was 3 when 9/11 happened and the youngest daughter was born 4 years later. There was some concern among them that this event was getting so much attention when the COVID pandemic had taken far many more lives. We empathized with them and remarked that in 2045 there will certainly be a large, worldwide commemoration to mark that anniversary. We pointed out that 9/11 is today's Pearl Harbor and that ever since that moment; our lives have changed and have never been the same. We talked about how different it used to be at airports; we all used to go right up to the gates to see friends and family off or to welcome them there when they arrived to visit us.
9/11 brought our country together in a monumental way. At the time, perhaps, we thought that we had some divisions in our country, but nothing like we see today. Having our country attacked in such a violent way felt so personal. The way that everyone pitched in and wanted to help out in some way to make things better also was amazing. It was a time of camaraderie that hadn't been felt or shown since probably World War II and probably hasn't been felt that way since. I heard a story about a school that made peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for First Responders working at Ground Zero, day after day. They appreciated the sandwiches, but asked why they kept making the same kind of sandwiches for them. The students responded that they made that kind because peanut butter and jelly were just like the First Respond-
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OPINIONS/NEWS
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2026 | 5
ers and like our country at that time: they were all sticking Risin' against that blue sky? together. Did you weep for the children, they lost their dear loved We certainly were sticking together. People were lining ones up to give blood, many for the first time in their lives. Food Pray for the ones who don't know? was being donated. People were looking for ways they Did you rejoice for the people who walked from the could serve complete strangers. When ignorant people rubble attacked local mosques, so many others rushed to show And sob for the ones left below? compassion and to bring food and to wash off hateful tings Did you burst out with pride for the red, white, and blue that had been written on the buildings. And the heroes who died just doin' what they do? The singer Alan Jackson wrote a song soon after called Did you look up to heaven for some kind of answer "Where Were You (When the World Stopped Turning)" And look at yourself and what really matters? that summoned so well what all of us were feeling. Here Where were you when the world stopped turnin' are some of the lyrics: That September day? Where were you when the world stopped turnin' Did you call up your mother and tell her you love her? That September day? Did you notice the sunset for the first time in ages Were you in the yard with your wife and children And speak to some stranger on the street? Or workin' on some stage in L.A.? Did you just stay home and cling tight to your family Did you stand there in shock at the sight of that black Thank God you had somebody to love? smoke Where were you when the world stopped turnin'
On that September day? Unfortunately, it sometimes takes tragedies to help us remember what is most important and to put things back in perspective. 9/11 helped our country to realize that we were vulnerable, but that we could turn to one another in our time of need. When the US Capitol was emptied, members of Congress stood together in the parking lot and in an impromptu moment sang together "God Bless America." Their singing didn't have a lot of musicality to it, but it was a powerful moment to see these people who often seemed to be enemies come together in this vulnerable time. Let us all choose to put aside our differences and to find common ground for the greater good. Remember, what unites us is far greater than what divides us. Let us have listening ears instead of closed minds. If our nation is to rise up and fulfill its potential, we must stick together just like those peanut butter and jelly sandwiches served at Ground Zero.
POLITIFACT
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
In governor’s race, Zach Lahn says Rob Sand wants to raise Iowans’ taxes by $7,500 a year. Does he? Genevieve DiChiara
the 2024 income tax law. The institute estimated Senate File 2442 would save a typical Iowa household earning $75,000 approximately For the 2026 election, Politifact and The Daily Iowan $410 in 2025, in addition to savings from earlier tax are partnering up to bring readers fact checks on key Iowa reforms. races. PolitiFact is a nonprofit operated by the Poynter Ben Murrey, the institute’s director of policy and Institute. The Politifact article can be found here. research, cautioned that the institute’s analysis covered Iowa’s Republican gubernatorial candidate Zach Lahn the additional income tax changes enacted in 2024 but says his Democratic opponent, Rob Sand, wants Iowans not all of Iowa’s income tax changes in recent years. The to pay thousands of dollars more in taxes each year. institute has not calculated the combined savings from “Rob Sand is an out of touch billionaire who wants to all of those laws. raise your taxes by $7,500 per year,” Lahn said in a camStill, Murrey said it was difficult to see how earlier paign ad posted on the social platform X. income tax cuts would close the gap between its estimate In on-screen footnotes, Lahn’s ad cited Sand’s criticism and Lahn’s figure. of Iowa’s 2024 income tax cuts and the federal One Big The institute also analyzed Iowa’s property tax changes. Beautiful Bill Act to support the $7,500 figure. It estimated House File 718, signed into law in 2023, The Lahn campaign did not respond to PolitiFact Iowa’s reduced the statewide tax burden by about $952 per request for comment on the claim, so it’s not clear how it household over its first six years. That’s a cumulative figarrived at that number. ure, not an annual savings of $952. Opposing already-enacted tax cuts is not necessarily the same as proposing to reverse them, although he has Federal tax policy separately supported the increase of some sales taxes. PolitiFact Iowa examined Sand’s tax positions and found The One Big Beautiful Bill Act made President Donthe math doesn’t support Lahn’s $7,500 figure. ald Trump’s 2017 tax cuts permanent, and most Iowans would have seen a tax increase if it hadn’t passed. The nonpartisan Tax Foundation found that Iowans received Sand says he would not reverse Iowa about a $3,100 tax cut on average in 2026 because those income tax cuts measures were extended. Iowa lawmakers approved Senate File 2442 in 2024, Sand’s campaign said that on balance, he believes the accelerating previously approved income tax reductions One Big Beautiful Bill Act is bad for Iowa, pointing to its and establishing a 3.8% flat individual income tax rate effects on Medicaid and rural hospitals. beginning in tax year 2025. Regardless, Sand’s campaign said as governor, he As the bill was being debated, Sand questioned the would not have the authority to repeal federal tax prostate’s ability to balance its budget after the cuts. But his visions. campaign told us he does not support repealing or reversing any of the state’s recently enacted individual income Our ruling tax cuts. In October 2025, Sand argued that declining revenue, Lahn said Sand “wants to raise your taxes by $7,500 combined with continued spending, has created defi- per year.” cits requiring Iowa to draw from reserve funds to cover Sand has criticized both Iowa tax cuts and the federal expenses. In September 2025, he called the situation a One Big Beautiful Bill Act, and he has explicitly supported “fiscal time bomb,” while also saying some of the state’s raising sales taxes on items such as cigarettes. But despite recent tax reforms were necessary. his criticism of the Iowa tax cut, Sand’s campaign said he Sand has proposed increasing some sales taxes, includ- does not support reversing it. And if he were to become ing on cigarettes and tobacco to help curb addiction. He governor, Sand would not also supports funding Iowa’s Natural Resources and have the authority to repeal Outdoor Recreation trust fund, known as IWILL. The federal tax provisions. voter-approved program was supposed to have been The combined tax savfunded through a sales tax increase of three-eights of a ings from the state and cent per dollar. The effort was created but never funded. federal tax cuts Lahn’s Projections released in 2013 estimated it would increase ad pointed to came out to taxes by about $50 per family. about $3,500 for an averThose are both modest tax increases, and the tobacco age household, not $7,500. tax would apply only to Iowans who buy tobacco products. We rate Lahn’s Neither of those proposals would come close to increasing statement False. an average Iowa household’s taxes by $7,500. Ernie Goss, an economics professor at Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska, said the $7,500 figure is implausible based on the scale of Iowa’s existing tax collections. Goss said a $7,500 increase across Iowa households Painting • Drywall • Siding would amount to billions of dollars in additional taxes Tile Floors • Tuckpointing • Decks • Replacement Windows and would represent a substantial increase compared with Prefinished Hardwood Floors • Flat Roofs • Roofs what the state already collects. Bath & Kitchen Remodel • Repairs • Insured The Daily Iowan
Common Sense Institute’s analysis Research from Common Sense Institute Iowa, a conservative-leaning think tank that generally supports low taxes, also does not project $7,500 in annual savings from
Ugly lies are not the norm My son Nate Willems is running for Iowa Attorney General. As a mom I was prepared for negative ads against him. But the ugly, vicious lies currently running are way beyond the norm for negative ads. These ads claim that Nate is dangerous – that, as a legislator 17 years ago, he voted against mandatory monitoring for convicted sex offenders, and therefore, will not protect our children. That is, as my dad would say, hogwash. Iowans deserve the truth. The truth: Nate voted against a bad amendment as did 65 other legislators, Democrats and Republicans. He then voted FOR the law that requires monitoring AND reporting of sex offenders. Thanks to fact checkers at KCCI in Des Moines and KCRG in Cedar Rapids for objective third-party investigations of these claims. I encourage you to google their posts. I can assure my fellow Iowans that Nate Willems will protect the people of Iowa, especially the children. His three daughters will tell you that he is a protector. I know that he takes their safety seriously and am confident that, as Attorney General, Nate will protect your children and grandchildren. And he will not lie to you. Arlie Willems Mount Vernon
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6 | THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2026
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‘Right wing, left wing, same bird:’ Rob Sand pitches bipartisanship Democratic gubernatorial candidate Rob Sand took a stand on his key issues while addressing hundreds of Iowans
as the “single greatest wetlands and prairie restoration” effort Iowa has seen, saying wetlands could naturally filter water while creating more outdoor recreation opportunities. Sand connected conservation to Iowa’s efforts to retain young residents, arguing access to outdoor recreation is one factor Genevieve DiChiara people consider when deciding where to The Daily Iowan live. Democratic gubernatorial candidate Conservation was also among the issues Rob Sand called for a return to biparti- that attracted students at the event to san — even nonpartisan — government Sand’s campaign. in Iowa during a campaign event in Iowa City, arguing one-party control has preUniversity of Iowa third-year student vented the state from addressing issues Kaitlyn Drinkard said Sand’s focus on ranging from water quality to healthcare Iowa’s water and environment stood out to public education. because of the role nature and outdoor Sand, Iowa’s state auditor, told attend- activities play in communities across the ees Iowa’s political system has become too state. focused on partisan conflict and said he “I think that it’s really cool that he cares wants to bring Republicans, Democrats, that much about small towns and also and independents into his campaign. small-town activities,” Drinkard said. The gubernatorial hopeful repeatedly “There’s definitely a huge culture in Iowa pointed to Iowa’s history of divided gov- that really revolves around nature.” ernment, arguing lawmakers produce Sand also called for expanding conbetter results when neither party controls servation programs for farmers and the entire state government. improving access to programs that help Sand pointed to his tenure as state audi- landowners implement water-quality tor as an example of his approach, saying practices. he intentionally placed independents and Republicans in senior positions because Women’s rights and healthcare he wanted people around him who would disagree with him. Sand criticized Iowa’s privatized “I pissed off a bunch of powerful people Medicaid system and said he would use in both political parties as your state audi- executive authority to end Medicaid pritor, and I’d like to keep pissing them off as vatization if elected. your governor,” Sand said. Sand said his office’s audits have found problems with the system, including Water quality and conservation increased denials of care following privatization. He argued the current system has Water quality was among the issues increased costs for healthcare providers Sand emphasized. He called for fund- while reducing the quality of care. ing Iowa’s Natural Resources and Sand said he supports a woman’s right Outdoor Recreation Trust Fund, which to choose and opposes Iowa’s six-week voters approved through a constitutional abortion ban. He believes Roe v. Wade amendment in 2010. created a framework for abortion rights Sand said the state has fallen years that had stood for decades, though he behind in addressing water quality and acknowledged it was not perfect. argued improving Iowa’s environment Sand also emphasized the limits of what could also contribute to minimizing the he could accomplish as governor while “brain drain.” working with a Republican-controlled “I’m raising my kids right here,” Sand legislature, saying he did not want to said. “They are drinking Iowa water.” make campaign promises he lacked the Sand also proposed what he described authority to fulfill.
“I feel like I have spent most of my life listening to politicians who promise that they’re going to do stuff they can’t do,” Sand said. However, Sand said he could use the governor’s veto power to block further restrictions. He said he would veto legislation restricting reproductive rights, including contraception and IVF. Sand also criticized federal healthcare cuts, saying a governor would not have the authority to reverse decisions made at the federal level. He argued ending Iowa’s privatized Medicaid system is one action a governor could take at the state level.
Private schools and public money Sand addressed Iowa’s private school education savings account program, criticizing what he described as a lack of oversight of taxpayer money. He argued private schools receiving taxpayer dollars should be subject to rules governing how those funds can be spent and should face audits. Sand also challenged the idea that the program provides school choice when private schools can decide which students to admit. “Private schools that take public money should not be able to reject students,” Sand said. Sand said if the purpose of the program is to allow parents and children to choose their schools, private schools receiving public money should be required to accept students seeking admission. He also argued the state should reconsider providing the assistance to wealthy families as Iowa faces other budget priorities.
county minimum wage. The Iowa Legislature later passed a law preventing cities and counties from setting minimum wages above the statewide level, overriding local wage ordinances. Johnson County again addressed wages in April 2025, setting its recommended minimum wage at $13.02 per hour. Unlike the county’s earlier ordinance, the recommendation cannot be legally enforced because of the state preemption law. The living wage for one adult with no children in Johnson County is estimated at $21.25 per hour, compared with a poverty wage of $7.67. Iowa’s statewide minimum wage remains $7.25 per hour. Sand said different communities face different economic circumstances and should have greater control over their wage policies. “What’s going to work in Johnson County, what’s going to work in Jefferson County, are they the same?” Sand said. Sand said he supports establishing a higher statewide minimum while allowing local governments to set their own wages above that floor.
LGBTQ rights and ‘culture war’ legislation
Sand said he agreed with restrictions regarding transgender participation in sports but criticized Iowa lawmakers’ decision to remove gender identity protections from the Iowa Civil Rights Act. “Now in the state of Iowa, you can be fired from your job, and you can be evicted from your apartment because of who you are,” Sand said. “And I think that’s wrong.” Sand said he wants transgender Iowans and other residents to feel welcome in the Minimum wage and state, while acknowledging voters will not local control agree with him on every issue. Sand said he supports increasing the Sand said the state should focus less on minimum wage but wants to restore local culture-war legislation and more on probgovernments’ ability to establish higher lems that affect Iowans broadly. wage requirements based on conditions “I want the state government to be back in their communities. focused on the issues that impact 100 perJohnson County attempted to address cent of Iowans,” Sand said, pointing to the issue locally in 2015, approving an water quality, cancer, the economy, eduordinance that gradually increased the cation, and healthcare.
General election: absentee ballot request forms now available Absentee ballot request forms are now being accepted for the Nov. 3 general election. When voters submit completed request forms, Linn County Election Services will mail ballots to their requested address starting on Wednesday, Oct. 18. Absentee ballot request forms can be accessed by: • Download and print from www.LinnCountyIowa.gov/DocumentCenter/ View/3702 • Text “Absentee” to 319-237-7676 to receive a request link • Send a BLANK email to Absentee@LinnCountyIowa.gov to receive a request link • Call 319-892-5300 opt 1 Due to mail delivery timelines, the last day to request a form to be mailed to you will be 2 p.m., Oct. 12. Completed request forms must be received by the Election Services office by 5 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 19. Requests received after that time cannot be
fulfilled. Voters often ask why they receive so many request forms. Linn County Election Services mails a request form only when a voter requests one. The other forms you may receive are sent by unaffiliated organizations advocating for your participation in the election. If you have already submitted a completed absentee ballot request form, there is no need to submit a second request form. You can check the status of your absentee ballot on the Secretary of State’s website at https://sos.iowa.gov/ elections/absenteeballotstatus/absentee/search. In-person absentee “early” voting will begin Oct. 14, from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the basement level of the Jean Oxley Linn County Public Service Center, 935 Second St. SW, Cedar Rapids. For questions regarding this election, call the Linn County Election Services Office at 319-892-5300 ext. 1 or email elections@LinnCountyIowa.gov.
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OBITUARIES ARTHUR KUDART Arthur “Bud” Ronald Kudart, 96, of Chicago, Ill., formerly of Cedar Rapids, passed away Friday, Sept. 18, 2026, at Artis Senior Living, Chicago. Funeral Service is 1 p.m., Tuesday, Sept. 29 at Stewart Baxter Funeral & Memorial Services in Mount Vernon. A time for food and fellowship will follow the service. Bud will be buried in the Mount Vernon Cemetery, next to his wife, and not far from his parents’ gravesite. Bud was born July 27, 1930, in Cedar Rapids, the son of Arthur and Lillian (Schneider) Kudart. He grew up in Mount Vernon, attended Cornell College, and graduated from The University of Iowa in 1952. He enlisted in the United States Marine Corps officer candidate program in 1952 during the Korean War. He served in active duty and the reserves until 1960. Bud married a beautiful nurse, Pat Brown, from Dysart Dec. 12, 1954. Together, living in Cedar Rapids, they enjoyed an interesting, loving, and challenging marriage of 61 years, ending with Pat’s death in 2016. They had two children, Kay and Tom. Bud graduated from University of Iowa law school in 1958 and formed his own small law firm. His law partner and friend was Donald Holmes. Bud practiced law for 58 years. In addition, he was elected to the Iowa Senate in 1978 and served there for four years, from 1979-1983. Bud also enjoyed writing. He authored four books and a number of papers. Most dealt with 'moving Iowa and Cedar Rapids forward,' as he put it. Bud is survived by his daughter, Kay Holler, of Chicago and son, Tom Kudart, of Hawthorne, Calif. He is also survived by four grandchildren, John Holler (Katia Barron), Nanda Holler, Beth Holler, and Chintan Holler, all of Chicago; son-in-law, Steve Holler, and Tom’s partner Mary Jo Sweeney. Also surviving are two nephews, Craig Johnson and David (Nancy) Lambert; two nieces, Jo Lynn Lambert (Mike Larrance), and Karla (Todd) Gundlach; brother-in-law, Calvin Lambert; and cousin, Allan (Margaret) Bostelmann. Bud’s parents; wife, Pat; in-laws, Maye and Clifford Brown; sister, Shirley Johnson; brother-in-law, Willard Johnson, and sister-in-law, Wanda Lambert, preceded him in death. Those unable to attend are invited to watch the service via livestream. Please find the livestream link on Bud’s obituary page and share your support and memories with his family at www.stewartbaxter.com under obituaries.
RECORDS
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2026 | 7
Stewart Gallery announces exhibition of Meskwaki Nation Portraits
Cole Corner
A Moment in Time: Portraits of the Meskwaki at the Turn of the 21st Century Oct. 1-Nov. 7 The Stewart Gallery in the Grinnell Arts Center welcomes the first comprehensive exhibition of a collection of 1999 portraits of members of the Meskwaki Nation by Mount Vernon-based photographer Robert Campagna. This exhibition is a collaborative project between the Meskwaki Historic Preservation Department, photographer Robert Campagna, and the Grinnell Area Arts Council. The project carries historical significance in relationship to early twentieth-century photographs of the Meskwaki people, including those taken by Duren H. Ward for the State Historical Society of Iowa during a period when Indigenous people were often documented under the assumption that their communities and cultures would eventually disappear. The 1999 photographs provide a meaningful contrast to that narrative by documenting the continued presence, community, and cultural vitality of the Meskwaki people nearly a century later. An opening celebration will take place on Thursday, Oct. 8, from 5:30-7:30 p.m. At 6 p.m., there will be a flute performance by Romeo Buffalo and remarks by Meskwaki Historic Preservation Director Johnathan Buffalo, Suzanne Wanatee-Buffalo, Tribal Historic Preservation Officer Tieranny Keahna, and photographer Robert Campagna. The exhibit will be on display in Stewart Gallery from Oct. 1-Nov. 7. The exhibit will then travel to Abbe Creek Gallery in Mount Vernon in April of 2027 and will be retained by the Meskwaki Historical Preservation Department to establish a permanent, Tribal-held photographic resource that can support future exhibitions, educational programming, historical research, and cultural preservation efforts. This exhibit was made possible by the Sac and Fox Tribe of the Mississippi in Iowa (Meskwaki Nation), the Greater Poweshiek Community Foundation Racial Equity Fund, the Grinnell College Center for Prairie Studies, and the Grinnell Area Arts Council. Stewart Gallery is located in the Grinnell Arts Center at 926 Broad Street, Grinnell, Iowa. Regular open hours are Tuesdays through Friday from 11 am to 5 p.m. and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to noon. For more information, visit www.grinnellarts.org or call 641-236-3203. Admission is free.
MV students named as Math stars Nathan Countryman Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun nathan.countryman@mvlsun. com
Four third graders were recognized as Math Stars this year. Myles Leeman, Beckett Mosier, Miles Hartzler and Quinton Johnson were among the top 2 percent of all third graders in Iowa, recognized from the Iowa Statewide Assessment of Student Progress scores. There were more than 36,000 third graders in Iowa last year. The quartet were also offered the opportunity to see if they could qualify in the top 1 percent nationally this summer as well. Nathan Countryman | Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun
(From left) Beckett Mosier, Quinton Johnson, Myles Leeman and Miles Hartzler were recognized as math stars, placing among the top 2 percent of all third graders in Iowa on their Iowa Statewide Assessment of Student Progress scores on math.
Cathy Boggs Cole Library
Fall Book Talk coming up Oct. 15 It’s autumn again. Time for one of our most popular library programs -The Fall Community Book Talk. This year it is Thursday, October 15 at noon on the library’s second floor. Several members of the community will “book talk” a great book, author, or series that they have read and they will share why they think you might like it too. This program includes a free lunch, door prizes, and the opportunity to hear friends and neighbors share books worth checking out. Hills Bank and Trust and Cole Library will host this free event. So we are sure to have a lunch for you, grab your phone and make a reservation by calling or emailing Brenda at 319-866-7033 / Brenda_langenberg@hillsbank.com or Grace at 319-895-5940 /gchamberlain@cornellcollege. edu. Please make your reservation by Tuesday, Oct. 13. If you haven’t been to Cole Library, it is located on the south side of the Cornell campus, up Library Lane. We will also have new titles on display so you will have plenty to choose from for your fall reads.
Thursday, September 24: 8am-10pm Friday, September 25: 8am- 5pm Saturday, September 26: 10am-4pm Sunday, September 27: 12pm-10pm Monday, September 28: 8am-10pm Tuesday, September 29: 8am-10pm Wednesday, September 30: 8am-10pm Thursday, October 1: 8am-10pm
Monday: 9:00 - 5:00 (Lunch: noon - 1:00) Tuesday: 1:00 - 5:00 Wednesday: 9:00 - 5:00 (lunch noon-1) Thursday: 1:00 - 7:00, Friday: 1:00 - 5:00 Saturday: 10:00 - 1:00, Sunday: Closed
POLICE CALLS Sept. 14 – Medical, 400 blk Fourth St SW, Mount Vernon Sept. 14 – Car unlock, 600 blk First St SW, Mount Vernon Sept. 14 – Juvenile issue, 800 blk Palisades Rd SW, Mount Vernon Sept. 15 – Citizen assist, 300 blk E. Second Ave, Mount Vernon Sept. 15 – Theft, 500 blk Park View Ct SW, Mount Vernon Sept. 15 – Accident, 100 blk First St NE, Mount Vernon Sept. 16 – Medical, 600 blk First St SW, Mount Vernon Sept. 16 – Disturbance, 900 blk business 30, Lisbon Sept. 16 – Juvenile issue, 300 blk S. First Ave, Mount Vernon Sept. 17 – Medical, 200 blk business 30, Mount Vernon Sept. 17 – Welfare check, 300 blk S. Hwy 1, Mount Vernon Sept. 17 – Welfare check, 500 blk business 30, Mount Vernon Sept. 17 – Juvenile issue, 400 blk Palisades Rd SW, Mount Vernon Sept. 17 – Harassment, 380 Old Lincoln Hwy, Mount Vernon Sept. 18 – Disturbance, 300 blk S. Jackson St, Lisbon Sept. 18 – Suspicious person, 400 blk Second Ave SW, Mount Vernon Sept. 18 – Welfare check, 1225 blk First Ave NW, Mount Vernon Sept. 18 – Medical, 300 blk business 30, Lisbon Sept. 19 – Car unlock, 100 blk S. Hwy 1, Mount Vernon Sept. 19 – Animal bite, 500 blk N. Washington St, Lisbon Sept. 20 – Medical, 200 blk N. Walnut St, Lisbon Sept. 20 – Trespassing, 500 blk business 30, Mount Vernon
NEWS
8 | THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2026
MV SCHOOL BOARD BRIEFS MV schools approve the naming of the FFA greenhouse The Mount Vernon Schools have approved the naming of the newly constructed greenhouse at the school. The building will be named the Chuck and Bird greenhouse, in memory of the Novak twins, children who were members of the Mount Vernon Community School District. Chuck and Bird were nicknames used by the children. The district accepted the name of this because they had a direct request from the Novak family who are donating to the cause. Board member Rick Elliott said he would love to make sure the Novaks are recognized in a plaque as well for their work on the building as well.
MV district roundtable open Applications for this year’s Mount Vernon Schools District roundtable are now open. This opportunity is open to all students, staff, parents, and community members that would like to participate. The district roundtable is a gathering of stakeholders from the community, school board, student body, and school district employees. These stakeholders are able to learn more about the district through agendas that they’ve helped create. In addition, this group of individuals will be able to hear district needs and help make recommendations and provide feedback that can be utilized for ongoing and upcoming district decisions. It’s also a great opportunity to just learn more about how a school district operates and functions. The goal is to continue to engage stakeholders and increase participation from our community even more than we already are. The meetings are hosted and led by the Superintendent and others will join to present when topics arise that are their expertise. Time commitment and meeting schedule: Tentatively, meetings will be held from 6-7 p.m. at a location to be determined by participation numbers. The first planned meeting will be held on Wednesday, Oct. 14, with plans for at least four meetings during the 20262027 school year. Application deadline is Friday, Oct. 2. Participants will be notified by Monday, Oct. 5, via email of their application acceptance. To apply, use this form: https://docs.google.com/ forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdw_BHgnoGfR1CjkaWmeRCZ07wRr_YwGJhrlPR0_Q880tt-KA/viewform
First Street Field paperwork is finalizing Mount Vernon Schools almost has all of the paperwork created and ready to go to have the ownership of the First Street community Center field, aside from the easements required for the property. Superintendent Matt Leeman said that this project slipped into the background over the past few months as other projects were moving forward.
MOUNT VERNON-LISBON SUN | MVLSUN.COM
MVHPC discusses departing members Nathan Countryman Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun
nathan.countryman@mvlsun.com
In open discussion, Mount Vernon Historic Preservation Commission discussed departing members from the commission. Duane Eash, current vice-chair of the commission, announced he would be stepping down, with October as his last meeting. Former commission president Sue Astley also stepped down at the last September meeting. Guy Booth, speaking as a private citizen, said he was very troubled by Astley’s last status report on a number of projects, especially the matter of Astley being cited by the city for potential unprofessional in conduct as one of the reasons she was stepping down from the commission. “She was faced with the decision to be suspended for unprofessional conduct for three months and chose to resign,” Booth said. “What I’m concerned about is the threat of commissioners doing their own independent investigation of an application instead of just what is in a report.” Booth said he didn’t see anything in Astley’s report that would be considered unprofessional conduct and wanted feedback from city administration or the mayor as to what unprofessional conduct looks like so
other members can make sure they don’t cross those lines. Booth said he would be writing or communicating with the mayor on these matters about the damage this causes to the commission and the ability of commissioners do their jobs. Mary Evans said she had some questions on Astley’s action when it came to the First Street Community Center building, that she believed too much action had been taken on that grant process before it came to the commission. Getting a property on the National Register of Historic Places is not a cheap endeavor and would take a portion of the commission’s budget for the application. Evans other issue was the potential lapse into a violation of open meetings law where a document was shared with multiple commission members before a meeting, even with information from a personal investigation. “That definitely constituted a quorum of members, and as someone who sat through open meetings training, that didn’t sit right with me,” Evans said. Commission president Randy Brown shut down that email exchange quickly after it had arisen. Brown said commission members are allowed to do their own investigation on properties that are up before the commission, but those investigations need to be done with permission
of the property owners. Booth reiterated he wants more information on what unprofessional conduct is, as it is not spelled out in city codes considering commissioners. Booth wanted any disciplinary actions taken against commission members to be discussed at least with the commission chair by city administration. City planner Leigh Bradbury explained one of the reasons she was at the meeting Wednesday, Sept. 16, was to further clarify the city’s stance on the First Street Community Center grant. A member of the State Historical Preservation Commission had brought up concerns with the grant that Astley was moving forward. One of those was the grant that would be applied for needs to come from a certified local government, which would be from Mount Vernon City Council, not the historic preservation commission itself. Booth did say the city administration and mayor have done things to make sure work is done properly. He just wants to know if there is an issue, what the commission can do to follow and remain in professional conduct and clarify before items become an issue that leads to someone facing suspension or choosing to leave the commission. Mayor Tom Wieseler has said he plans on attending the Oct. 3 MVHPC meeting.
MV schools review PPEL/SAVE funds Nathan Countryman Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun
year 2028, $344,847 budgeted in fiscal year 2029 and $326,541 budnathan.countryman@mvlsun.com geted in fiscal year 2030. “Things definitely get tight in the Mount Vernon Schools busi- next two to three years, but they are ness manager Michael Marshall not as tight as we were considerreviewed the Physical Plant and ing,” Marshall said. Equipment levy and Securing an There are some projects that will Advanced Vision for Education need to be repaired or replaced in funds for the district. those years. Marshall said that the fund would One of those that as been noticed be tight in SAVE for the next three has been flashing on the Mount years, with a proposed ending bal- Vernon Performing Arts Center. ance of $333,249 budgeted in fiscal There are some smoke catchers on
the roof that need to be replaced. Superintendent Matt Leeman said that in some rain storms, the pipes are also catching rain and pushing that back into the building. “It’s beyond warranty to have this fixed, but it’s something we can’t have continue leaking into the building,” Leeman said. Additional flashing along the precast portions of the building is something that will need to be addressed in the future as well.
Election information, safety topic at Voices United Nathan Countryman Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun
nathan.countryman@mvlsun.com
Amy Powell, director of Voter Protection Programs, was the speaker at Voices United of Rural Linn County Wednesday, Sept. 16, at Whitey’s Pub and Grub. Powell said absentee voting by mail is still safe in this election cycle, thanks to the Supreme Court of the United States ruling Monday, Sept. 14, denying the ability to change the rules of how United States Postal Service handles ballots in this election cycle. “It’s not the format I’d recommend for a voter voting for the first time,” Powell said. “But it is still a safe way to vote this election cycle.” Powell said auditors can not officially mail out ballots until Wednesday, Oct. 14, and they need to be returned to the auditor’s office by election day. If someone has encountered a mail in ballot that is delayed or not received, they can contact their auditor’s office. A questioner asked how the county or state auditor’s office knows if someone has returned their ballot. Powell said that’s because the outer envelope of ballots that are returned have tracking information included that identifies whose ballot is in the envelope. When they scan the envelope upon receipt, it shows your ballot has officially arrived. Absentee ballots need to be returned to the county Auditor’s Office by election day. If a voter brings a ballot with them to a polling location on voting day, that ballot
will be surrendered and they will be given a ballot at that polling location instead.. The second form of absentee voting is absentee in person voting. That, according to Powell, is voting that happens at satellite voting stations or at your local auditor’s office ahead of the election. All voters will fill out a ballot request form, like you do to vote absentee by mail. The difference in absentee in-person is that at the end of your voting that day, your ballot is in the hands of the auditor’s office instead of in mail. “It’s a great opportunity to vote early,” Powell said. Cornell College will host a satellite voting session Wednesday, Oct. 28, from noon to 6 p.m. at Small Athletic and Wellness Complex. Other opportunities to vote absentee in-person in Linn County include at Lindale Mall in Cedar Rapids beginning Oct. 14, or at the Linn County Auditor’s Office. Powell said that all counties in Iowa will also be open for satellite absentee in-person voting on Halloween Day (Saturday, Oct. 31) from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. To vote absentee in-person, you need to bring a form of voter identification to check in. Voters who need to register to vote can register the same day in Iowa. Pre-registration for voting officially ends Oct. 14. Voter identification includes any photo identification and at least one piece of mail containing someone’s place of living. Nathan Countryman | Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun Powell said that one of the things that the legislature Amy Powell, director of voter protection programs, speaks at did away with was attesting for someone when it comes Voices United Wednesday, Sept. 16. to pre-registering of voting, but it is still allowed for
NEWS
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same day registration for voting. If someone does not have a voter identification, Powell said they can cast a provisional ballot. Election day is Tuesday, Nov. 3. A questioner asked how younger people can get registered to vote. Powell said the best option for younger people to update voter registration is by visiting the Iowa Department of Motor Vehicles website. Powell said that on election day they are being mindful of a whole bunch of different threats this election cycle, but reiterated voting is safe. Powell was also looking for volunteers willing to serve as poll observers or poll watchers. Poll watchers have to be balanced by party representation at all polling locations in any given county. Many
of them are designated by the party chair of whichever party they represent. They help to keep elections transparent. “As we say – a boring day at an election is a good day at an election,” Powell said. “It’s just as important that we have eyes in place to watch what is happening at polling places.” Issues that Powell says they are always concerned about at polling locations include ADA accessible voting locations, keeping lines shorter and curbside voting options are present if they are promised. This year, watching for voter intimidation is one of the concerns. Powell reminded voters that Iowa is an open carry state, and carrying a weapon into a polling location itself is not voting intimidation.
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“As long as they are just open carrying, that is legal,” Powell said. Poll observers and poll watchers are restricted from talking to workers at the site, as well as to voters. Poll watchers can challenge certain voters based on residence, citizenship status, age, felony convictions (if their rights have not been restored), if they lied about voter registration or were ruled incompetent by a judge. They have to have evidence of any claims, including being able to identify a person at the polls. There is no Stand-Up Saturday on Saturday, Sept. 26, due to the Lincoln Highway Arts Festival in uptown Mount Vernon. The next Voices United is Wednesday, Oct. 21, at 5 p.m., at Whitey’s Bar and Grill, with Chris Hoklotubbe, presenting on Christian Nationalism.
MVHPC hears about King Chapel student project Nathan Countryman Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun
rials and on the stained glass windows of the building. “One of the most interesting aspects that students nathan.countryman@mvlsun.com discovered on their research was that King Chapel in it’s original design had a natural history museum, One of the Second Year Symposium projects at Cor- which featured fossils, rocks and taxidermied animals,” nell College this semester was covering King Chapel’s Feinberg said. “When the building had a remodel in the history. The posters and information are now on display 1970s, some of those items were moved to other buildat Cornell College’s Cole Library. ings on campus or shared with the University of Iowa.” Professor Michael Feinberg spoke at Mount Vernon Feinberg said the Second Year Symposium is engiHistoric Preservation Commission on the class and the neered to have students have hands on learning. project Wednesday, Sept. 16. Feinberg chose King Chapel as a focus this year to have “Students really took on the role of curators for this students more invested in the building. It also serves as assignment,” Feinberg said. “They designed an exhibi- research that can help with particular grants the college tion on the museum they designed themselves.” is looking to achieve additional funds on the repairs to The theme of the project for students was “King the building. Chapel: A Space for Culture, History and the Arts.” “I’ve recently heard that the first steps of abatement Some of the areas addressed included research for the on King Chapel are slated to begin this fall semester,” design choices of the historic building, why limestone Feinberg said. “It’s really exciting, as that gives some of might have been chosen for the façade over other mate- these sophomore students the ability to see how some
of their work translated to tangible effects.” Feinberg said students had to complete a lot of work on the project, including searching in archives for information or trying to locate those museum pieces that were eventually relocated. “This class was designed to get students to think about what types of careers or career opportunities they can explore with an art history major,” Feinberg said. “It gives them examples of how an art history degree translates to the workplace.” Feinberg said he also knew how important King Chapel is not only to the college, but also the community of Mount Vernon. “Many residents in Mount Vernon have a tie to King Chapel as an arts or cultural center of the campus,” Feinberg said. The projects will be on display at Cole Library for a couple of weeks for those interested in seeing the work themselves.
Humanities Iowa and UI Office of Community Engagement announce 2026-27 Poetry Out Loud This school year, Humanities Iowa and the University of Iowa Office of Community Engagement invite Iowa high school students to participate in Poetry Out Loud, a dynamic poetry recitation competition designed to improve public speaking skills, build confidence, and teach students about literary history and contemporary life. “Poetry Out Loud inspires students to explore poetry while developing skills that serve them in the classroom and beyond,” said Leslie Finer, Director of Arts & Humanities at the University of Iowa Office of Community Engagement. “We encourage Iowa educators and community organizations to join us in bringing this transformative experience to students across the state.”
Southeast Linn executive director discusses National Hunger Action Month
Participating teachers and organizations have access to free, standards-based curriculum materials, including an online poetry anthology, teacher resources and videos about the art of poetry recitation, at PoetryOutLoud.org. Since the program began in 2005, more than 4.6 million students across the country have participated During the 2026-27 academic year, schools are in Poetry Out Loud. The program is an initiative of the invited to hold classroom and school-wide competi- National Endowment for the Arts and is managed in tions, with winning students advancing to Iowa’s state partnership with Mid Atlantic Arts. competition on Feb. 28, 2027. The state champion will To register in Iowa, visit humanitiesiowa.org/poetthen advance to the national finals in Washington, ry-out-loud. For more information, please contact: D.C., on April 27-28, 2027, where $50,000 in awards and school stipends will be distributed to national winLeslie Finer ners. University of Iowa Office of Community Engagement Beginning this year, Humanities Iowa is partner319.335.1618 ing with the University of Iowa Office of Community leslie-finer@uiowa.edu Engagement to administer the Poetry Out Loud program in Iowa. The Iowa Poetry Out Loud registration Grace Altenhofen deadline is Dec. 1. Participating schools and organizaHumanities Iowa tions must register through Humanities Iowa to take 515.412.4430 part in the official Iowa Poetry Out Loud program. grace-altenhofen@uiowa.edu
eliminating programs like the USDA or SNAP, Iowans are having an especially hard to being able to put food on the table for both themselves and their families. “Every year, when I come to you guys, you hear me say the need to increase,” McAlexander said. “In fiscal year 2025, we had just about 800 people who used our pantry, and in fiscal year 2026, that jumped to over 1,300.” With a 75% increase of traffic at SELCC, the food pantry is having a hard time keeping up. In Lisbon alone, there are 143 households, or 352 individuals who visit the pantry regularly, which is equivalent to about 16% of Lisbon families. McAlexander drew a comparison to previous years, citing that in 2019, the cost of food for the food pantry at SELCC was $4,000 in total. In 2026, that figure jumped to about $40,000. Along with an increase in cost and Lisbon traffic, SELCC is also seeing increased traffic from other comCadence Dighton munities, such as residents of Cedar and Jones counties, Mount Vernon Lisbon-Sun both of which have volunteer-run food pantries that news@mvlsun.com aren’t as easily accessible as SELCC is. “We saw over 300 people who came from outside of During National Hunger Action Month, executive Lisbon and Mount Vernon to our pantry because they director of Southeast Linn Community Center (SELCC) weren’t able to find what they needed in their commuNicole McAlexander paid an annual visit to the Lisbon nity,” McAlexander explained. City Council Sept. 14 to discuss the hunger crisis in Iowa, Despite these challenges, SELCC is fighting to keep specifically focusing on Lisbon. going so they can continue to provide food for Iowans According to McAlexander, with the high prices seen in need of it. throughout daily costs, like groceries and gas, paired To do so, SELCC is doing things like keeping a constant with stagnant wages, Iowans are facing a hunger crisis. eye out for new funding opportunities such as writing Specifically, Iowans are having a hard time being able grants and seeking out donors, providing programs like to afford basic necessities like food. the summer meals program or the community eats proAdditionally, with both federal and state legislation gram, and encouraging people to show up when they
need help. “Donors—local people—are still our largest single source of support. They always have been. The community is very supportive of what we do,” McAlexander said. Alongside that, McAlexander shared that the summer meals program alone was able to provide over 4,000 free meals to members of the community. Fortunately, the program allows for zero food waste, as leftovers all go straight to the food pantry. Additionally, McAlexander believes that the community eats program helps to break the stigma for people to go to the food pantry when they are struggling. “If they see Brandon [Siggins] come and enjoy a meal at the community eats, they might think, ‘Oh, if he can walk in, I can walk in.’ So, everyone who comes, I think, makes it a little easier for those who maybe are a little hesitant to come,” McAlexander said. Although National Hunger Action Month was a motivator for McAlexander to speak to the Lisbon City Council about the current struggles being faced by SELCC, she hopes that the community continues to think about the issues year-round and even help where they can. “Maybe that’s making a donation or just buying a few extra things at the grocery store and dropping them off or donating time,” McAlexander said. “We believe food is a human right. We’re feeding Lisbon families every day, filling tables that might otherwise be empty.” Cadence Dighton is a junior in the University of Iowa’s School of Journalism and Mass Communication.Cadence is an intern with the Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun.
SPORTS Lions sweep Lisbon invite
10 | THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2026 | MOUNT VERNON-LISBON SUN
MVLSUNCOM
LISBON VOLLEYBALL
Ryan Suchomel Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun ryan.suchomel@mvlsun.com
It can be a lot to play six volleyball matches the same day as the Homecoming Dance. No sweat, junior Kyla Kahl said. "Nothing really changes," Kahl said. "We were playing pretty quick." The Lions went 6-0 at their own Lisbon Invitational on Saturday, Sept. 19, inside the Lions' Den. Lisbon swept Iowa Valley (21-13, 21-3), West Central (21-5, 21-9), Easton Valley (21-9, 21-15), Davenport West (21-11, 21-17), Mediapolis (21-11, 21-14) and Midland (219, 21-9). Lisbon coach Lance Kamaus said he wanted to bring in good, but not ranked, teams. "You want teams you are going to compete with," Kamaus said. "It was a good test for us. You don't know how the kids are going to respond." It is a good chance for Lisbon (14-4) to add to its win total before regional assignments are passed out. "We'd like to host a (regional) match," Kamaus said. "That's something we've had the opportunity to do going back to 2017. Especially for one of the smaller 2A schools out there." Lisbon volleyball is battling as a small 2A program in the stacked River Valley Conference for the first time. On Tuesday, Sept.
15, the Lions fell to 0-3 in RVC paly with a 21-25, 25-21, 25-15, 25-18 loss to Durant. Durant 6-foot-2 hitter Alisson Toft, a Kansas State recruit, had 25 kills. And that was the difference. Shea Benhart led the offense for Lisbon with 12 kills. Ella Czarnecki added seven kills. "We did a nice job and are playing better," Kamaus said. On Saturday, Kamaus was able to shuffle his lineup over six matches. Benhart (43 kills) and junior Quinn Roos (25 kills) were out there every time. Senior Sydney Techau (8 kills), Czarnecki (11 kills), freshman Brynn Kahl (12 kills) and sophomore Kayla Bergmann (13 kills) took turns. Freshman setter Kinsley Jo Kamaus had 102 assists and junior libero Kyla Kahl led with 53 digs. "We are a young team, but everyone is getting more comfortable," Kyla Kahl said. "And you can see it on the floor." Against Easton Valley, the flow was obvious. Tied 7-7 in the first set, the Lions closed it with a 14-2 run. In the second set against Davenport West, it was 17-17 late before a couple Falcon errors and two ace serves by Olivia Gogel closed it out. "Saturday was a good opportunity to get an evaluation on the kids in the course of something that is not practice," Kamaus said. And everyone got out early enough to prepare for the dance.
Photos by Emma Reiter | For the Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun
Top: The Lisbon bench celebrates a point during a volleyball game against Durant at Lisbon High School Tuesday, Sept. 15. Right: Lisbon setter Kinsley Jo Kamaus sets a ball during a volleyball game against Durant at Lisbon High School Tuesday, Sept. 15. Far right: Lisbon libero Kyla Kahl serves a ball during a volleyball game against Durant at Lisbon High School Tuesday, Sept. 15.
LISBON FOOTBALL
Lisbon loses to Cascade 24-6 Ryan Suchomel Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun ryan.suchomel@mvlsun.com
When opportunity knocks, be sure to answer. Lisbon football couldn't on Friday, Sept. 18, and lost its Class 1A District 5 opener to Cascade, 24-6, at Walmer Field. "What is most frustrating for us, we did a lot of good things," Lisbon coach Alex Dean said. "The kids played really, really hard. But we couldn't string enough of it together for it to show up on the scoreboard." Cascade (3-1, 1-0) got a couple big pass plays early, with Carson Hummel connecting with Tanner Topping for 45-yard and 24-yard touchdowns, then ground it out late. But Lisbon got the ball first and drove to the Cascade 22. On third down-and-7, the ball hit the turf and the Cougars recovered.
"We started off strong and went downfield," senior Spencer Fall said. "That fumble really hurt us. We probably should've scored on that drive." Instead, Cougars scored on their first drive. And the next Lisbon drive went 3-andout and a bad snap on the punt resulted in giving Cascade the ball at the Lisbon 31. Seven plays later, it was 14-0. Then it looked like the defense might spark the Lions. Fall tackled the Cougar QB on the goalline on third-and-23 from the Cascade 8, but it was ruled down at the one-foot line. "I thought it was a safety, but the refs ref," Fall said. "If they said it wasn't a safety, it wasn't a safety." Early in the second quarter, the Lions had another prime offensive opportunity, starting a drive on the Cascade 24. And a fourth-down pass to the end zone had the
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SPORTS
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Photos by Aliya Stork | For the Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun
Opposite page: Lisbon’s Ryder Meeks pushes past a defenseman in the Cascade game Friday, Sept. 18. Above: Lisbon’s Caleb Schumacher runs the ball between two Cascade defenders during their game Sept.18. crowd on its feet ready to cheer. But the pass fell incomplete, and everyone sat back down. Lisbon went into halftime down 17-0. "If one person gets down, the whole team gets down," sophomore QB Tyler Kubovec said. "So we try to pick each other up as much as possible. "We don't want to be down on ourselves and look like we're giving up." Lisbon, coming off a winless season in 2025, continues to build the airplane while flying it this fall.
Cascade ground out most of the fourth quarter with a 13-play, 89-yard drive, but the Lions did finally get on the board with a 29-yard TD pass from Kubovec to Ryder Meeks with 1:40 left. "I thought we had the opportunity to score a lot more," Fall said. "Some of those opportunities were not what we needed." Cascade running back Jackson Green finished with 197 yards on 26 carries after going into halftime with 59 yards on 11 totes. Meeks ran for 76 yards on 17 carries and also
had five catches for 98 yards. Kubovec was 13-for-24 passing for 166 yards. District play continues. MFL MarMac (1-3, 0-1) is coming to Walmer Field this Friday. "There's no such thing as moral victories," Dean said. "I look at the 30 young men who fought for 48 minutes, and I can't ask for much more. Let it sting, let it hurt. That means you care." "We are more dialed in this year," Kubovec said. "I think we've got big things in store for us."
MV TENNIS
Mustangs tennis take home WaMaC trophy
Team stats C L First downs 16 13 Rushes-yds. 38-206 28-65 Cmp.-Att.-Int. 8-13-1 13-24-0 Pass yds. 138 166 Total yds. 344 231 Fum.-lost 1-0 2-2 Punts-ave. 3-37.3 2-29.0 Pen.-yds. 3-25 1-5 Cascade 14 3 0 7 -- 24 Lisbon 0 0 0 6 -- 6 C - Tanner Topping 45-yard pass from Carson Hummel (Cody Lynch kick). C - Topping 24-yard pass from Hummel (Lynch kick). C - Lynch 29 FG. C - Jackson Green 14-yard run (Lynch kick). L - Ryder Meeks 29-yard pass from Tyler Kubovec (pass failed). INDIVIDUAL STATS Rushing - Cascade: Jackson Green 26-197, Cale Frasher 7-15, Elijah Casey 1-10, Bryce Carroll 1-4, Carson Hummel 3-(20). Lisbon: Ryder Meeks 17-76, Tyler Kubovec 10-1, Caleb Norton 1-(-12). Passing - Cascade: Carson Hummel 8-13-138-1. Lisbon: 13-24-166-0. Receiving - Cascade: Tanner Topping 4-106, Elijah Casey 3-9, Pete Ludwig 1-23. Lisbon: Ryder Meeks 5-98, Ethan Stone 2-21, Klayton Kahl 2-16, Ian Kelsey 2-9, Kaden Martin 1-16, Leon Rogers 1-6.
Camanche 5, Mount Vernon 4 Singles - Stella Dvorak (MV) def. Evalyn Vogel 6-1, 6-3; Emily Schnoor (MV) def. Jenae Malyasse 6-2, 6-0; Emily Butt (C) def. Avery Thurn 6-3, 4-6, 1-0 (10-5); Ellery Glahn (C) def. Journey McCartt 6-1, 6-0; Emma Smith (C) def. Anna Stephens 6-3, 6-1; Braylee Hermann (C) def. Leah Morse 6-1, 6-2. Doubles - Dvorak/Schnoor (MV) def. Vogel/Glahn 7-5, 6-4; Thurn/McCartt (MV) def. Emily Butt/Matyasse 6-2, 4-6, 1-0 (108); Smith/Hermann (C) def. Stephens/Morse 4-6, 6-2, 1-0 (10-6). WaMaC Tournament Team scores - 1. Mount Vernon 38; 2. Independence 37; 3. Grinnell 29; 4. Marion 20; 5. South Tama County 11. Singles - Stella Dvorak def. Kennedy Barnhart (Marion); Dvorak def. Ella Seney (Grinnell) 8-1. Emily Schnoor (MV) def. Macie Johnson (Marion) 8-3; Schnoor (MV) def. Brooklyn Pint (Indee) 8-5. Avery Thurn (MV) def. Presley Vest (ST) 8-1; Isla Reed (Indee) def. Thurn 8-4. Mallorie Arlint (Grinnell) def. Journey McCartt (MV) 8-5; Clara Haller (Marion) def. McCartt 8-2. Anna Stephens (MV) def. Brynlee Halverson (Marion) 8-4; Megan DeRidder (Indee) def. Stephens (MV) 8-6. Leah Morse (MV) def. Adde Stark (Marion) 8-4; Morse (MV) def. Madelyn Brown (Indee) 8-1. Doubles - Dvorak/Schnoor def. Kennedy Barnhart/Maddi Van Pelt (Marion); Dvorak/Schnoor (MV) def. Tessa Post/Isla Reed (Indee) 8-4. Macie Johnson/Clara Haller (Marion) def. Thurn/McCartt (MV) 8-6; Thurn/McCartt (MV) def. Izzy Boyer/Mallorie Arlint (Grinnell) 8-3. Stephens/Morse (MV) def. Kendra Svacina/Bralynn Rohrs (ST) 8-5; Stephens/Morse (MV) def. Clara Junk/Madeline Brown (Indee) 8-3. Contributed photo
The Mount Vernon tennis team won the WaMaC trophy this year, the first time since 2017. Ryan Suchomel Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun ryan.suchomel@mvlsun.com
Okay, maybe Mount Vernon is a tennis school? The Mustangs came home with the WaMaC Tournament trophy on Thursday, Sept. 17. "You could hear it in the hallways (Friday)," coach Brenden VanWey said. "It was huge. I'm so excited and the girls were, too." It is the first WaMaC title for girls’ tennis since 2017. "I'm pretty happy about it," sophomore Stella Dvorak said. "I think our team is pretty good."
No. 1 singles player Dvorak, No. 2 singles player Emily Schnoor and No. 6 singles player Leah Morse all won their respective brackets. Dvorak and Schnoor won at No. 1 doubles, and Morse and Anna Stephens won at No. 3 doubles. Mount Vernon scored 38 points to edge Independence by one point on their home court. This after Independence beat Mount Vernon last year for the WaMaC title in Mount Vernon. "A real revenge match," VanWey said. "It was close last year the other way. It meant a ton to the girls." It also came a few days after the Mustangs dropped their first match of the
season, 5-4 at Camanche on Monday, Sept. 14. Three matches went to a third-set tiebreaker, and Camanche won two. "That was tough," VanWey said. "We're going to have to play them in team regionals. Maybe we can get our revenge there, too." Mount Vernon (8-1) won't have to cross paths with Class 1A juggernaut Cedar Rapids Xavier in the postseason. Singles and double play was Wednesday, Sept. 23, in Fairfield. Team regionals begin with a match against Independence at 10 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 26, in Mount Vernon. "We have a chance (to make state)," Dvorak said. "We just need to show up and
play our game. Actually, we've got a pretty good shot." Dvorak has been the leader all season and without the Saints blocking her way, has a real shot to qualify for state tennis in singles. "State is very important," Dvorak said. "That is my number one goal. To see how far I can go, and how far the team can go." The sophomore said she has seen her game advance from her freshman season, and has better on-court strategy this fall. "The big thing for all tennis players is the work they put in in the offseason," VanWey said. "You can see it on day one of practice, who has been working on who hasn't. Those that did, they are on varsity."
SPORTS
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MV FOOTBALL
MOUNT VERNON-LISBON SUN | MVLSUN.COM
Mount Vernon tromps Fort Madison 55-21 Ryan Suchomel Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun ryan.suchomel@mvlsun.com
Junior Holden Hlavacek is fast. He showed that Friday, Sept. 18, when Mount Vernon football won a road game, 55-21, at Fort Madison. Hlavacek had an 85-yard kickoff return for a TD, a 70-yard punt return for a TD, and a 79-yard touchdown catch. "We did a nice job on returns," Mount Vernon coach Brad Meester said. Big plays were the order of the day. Junior quarterback Noah Olsen also connected with Maddox Curran on a 45-yard TD pass and with Graham Yanda on a 47-yard strike. "Noah reads the field well," Meester said. "He has a good understanding of the game." Specifically, Olsen found which way the safety was leaning, which led to some deep connections. On another, the Bloodhounds blew the assignment. "Some of it was weakness in
coverage," Meester said. "But we stressed the coverage." After sharing QB duties the first three weeks, Olsen took all the snaps Friday and finished 6-for-9 for 236 yards. His shortest completion was an 11-yard pass to Hlavacek. Olsen also had a 29-yard pass to Luke Robinson and a 25-yard pass to Jakob Yock. "Noah found the right guy each time," said Meester, who said that co-QB1 junior Easton Reasland remains in the mix. "We still have two quarterbacks. Friday, we went with Noah." Yock continued to grind it out on the ground, piling up 138 rushing yards on 19 carries. Mount Vernon got out to a 21-0 lead after one quarter, and led 42-7 at half. "We talk all the time, it doesn't matter what the scoreboard says," Meester said. "You've got to have the mentality, no matter what the scoreboard says, the next play is the most important play." Fort Madison (2-2) junior running back Moses Thacher had 179 rushing yards on 31
carries. The Bloodhounds also had a 95-yard kickoff return by sophomore Jayden Cratton. But the Mustang defense still made life hard for Fort Madison QB Owen Huffman, who was 5-of-18 passing for just 15 yards. Mount Vernon had nine tackles for loss as a team. Junior Jakob DeLany had three, including two sacks, and sophomore Beckett Curran also had three, with one sack. Meester said DeLany recently made the move from outside linebacker to defensive line. "We needed to move him," Meester said. "It was his first week doing it, and there is still a ton of room for growth, which is awesome. I'm excited to see what he can do." Junior Gabe Grafft led the team in tackles with seven. "He's done a great job stepping into the inside linebacker role," Meester said. "He does things the right way." Mount Vernon (3-1) starts Class 3A District 3 play this week against Maquoketa (0-4). It is Homecoming for the Mustangs.
Photos by Chris Umscheid | Solon Economist
Top: Senior Maddox Curran takes the opening kickoff from Solon from deep in the backfield Friday, Sept. 11, at the Martha Parsons and Family Activities Complex. The Spartans notched another win in the historic Hwy. 1 rivalry topping Mount Vernon 41-7. Above left: Junior Easton Reasland slips past Solon senior Simon Einwalter as senior Jakob Yock flies along as his wingman Friday, Sept. 11, at the Martha Parsons and Family Activities Complex. The Spartans notched another win in the historic Hwy. 1 rivalry topping Mount Vernon 41-7. Above right: Senior Jakob Yock scrambles with Solon’s Foster Owens and Bradyn Schnoor in hot pursuit, and with another Spartan ready to pounce Friday, Sept. 11, at the Martha Parsons and Family Activities Complex. The Spartans notched another win in the historic Hwy. 1 rivalry topping Mount Vernon 41-7.
MV VOLLEYBALL
Mustangs sweep West Delaware Ryan Suchomel Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun ryan.suchomel@mvlsun.com
No. 13 Mount Vernon volleyball is enjoying the process. And Tuesday, Sept. 15, they enjoyed sweeping No. 13 West Delaware 25-20, 25-21, 27-25. "I'm not sure that in my 16 years I've ever had a team go and win in straight sets in Manchester," Mount
Vernon coach Maggie Willems said. "So that is an accomplishment in and of itself." The Mustangs did it with balanced hitting. Sophia Meester led the way with 11 kills. Madelyn Paulus had 10 kills and Brynlee Bettcher had nine kills. Paulus, a junior, is currently second on the team in kills. "Paul, as we call her, has been critical for us to score points," Willems said. "She is smart. She isn't going to give you a hot swing every time, but she is able to
find the blockers' hands and locate the ball in order to score." Mount Vernon then took a road trip to the other side of the state and went 3-1 at the Red Oak Invitational. The Mustangs beat Fremont Mills 21-13, 21-8, Council Bluffs Abe Lincoln 21-9, 21-16, and Council Bluffs St. Albert 21-17, 21-9, before dropping a match to No. 11 (4A) Glenwood, 21-18, 15-21, 15-7. "It is good to see different officiating and play styles on the western half of the state," Willems said. Meester led the attack with 28 kills over four matches. Paulus and freshman Stella Merino each had 18 kills, Bettcher had 13 and Madison Hoffert had 12 kills to go with 84 assists. Libero Mavrik Schweer led the defense with 38 digs. Mount Vernon is 17-5 overall and 1-1 in the WaMaC.
MVLSUN.COM | MOUNT VERNON-LISBON SUN
SPORTS
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2026 | 13
Lisbon High School holds annual homecoming week powderpuff tournament Cadence Dighton Mount Vernon Lisbon-Sun
However, with the rain persisting until the start of the games, the field was wet, news@mvlsun.com which led to countless wipeouts during the games and plenty of opportunities for Thursday, Sept. 17, Lisbon High School laughter in the stands. students gathered to play in the annual Following a win for the ninth-grade powderpuff tournament at Walmer Field. girls against the senior girls, the sophoAt Lisbon High School, the annual more girls and the junior girls took the powderpuff tournament is a game of flag field, which ultimately ended in a junior football between the girls in each grade, win. with the boys—typically the ones on the Finally, the junior and senior teams football team—taking on the role of coach- competed against each other, which had ing. members in the crowd on the edges of In past years, the powderpuff tourna- their seats, as no points had been scored ment has taken place on the Wednesday by the time ten seconds were left on the night of homecoming week at Lisbon High clock. School. This year was supposed to be the As the seconds ticked by, the crowd same. began whispering about the game going However, with rain in the forecast, into overtime; however, as the last few secthe homecoming parade—which was onds ticked by, the junior girls were able to supposed to precede the powderpuff tour- score a touchdown, ultimately bringing in nament—was canceled, and powderpuff a tournament win for the juniors at 6-0. itself was postponed for Thursday night The junior girls celebrated with the instead. junior boys who were acting as their Thursday night, fans were anticipating coaches at the end of the game by shoota second postponement, or even a cancel- ing Silly String in the air and hugging one lation of the powderpuff tournament, as it another. continued to rain until about 30 minutes before the games began. The rain let up Cadence Dighton is a junior in the just in time for the games, however. University of Iowa’s School of The night started off with ninth-grade Journalism and Mass girls competing against the senior girls. Communication.
Photos by Cadence Dighton | Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun
Top: Lisbon seniors line up against Lisbon freshman at Lisbon High School's annual powderpuff tournament on Sept. 17. Above center: Lisbon juniors and seniors compete at Lisbon High School's annual powderpuff tournament. Above left: Freshman Kinsley Kamaus runs with the ball at Lisbon High School's annual powderpuff tournament. Above right: Lisbon sophomores and juniors compete at Lisbon High School's annual powderpuff tournament. Left: Junior Kyla Kahl runs with the ball at Lisbon High School's annual powderpuff tournament on Sept. 17. Below: Collin Schumacher, Jaycie Happel, and Kyler Happel pose for a photo at Lisbon High School's annual powderpuff tournament on Sept. 17.
PUBLIC NOTICES
14 | THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2026 IowaPublicNotices.com LINN COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
CEDAR RAPIDS, LINN COUNTY, IOWA MONDAY, AUGUST 24, 2026 10:00 A.M. (These are the minutes in their entirety. Archived minutes can be found at www. linncountyiowa.gov) The Board met in session at the Linn County Jean Oxley Public Service Center. Present: Chairperson Running-Marquardt, Vice Chairperson Scheetz and Supervisor Meisheid. Board members voting “AYE” unless otherwise noted. Chairperson Running-Marquardt called the meeting to order. Motion by Running-Marquardt, seconded by Scheetz to approve minutes of August 17 & 18, 2026 as printed. Sara Bearrows, Finance Dir., discussed proposed contracts for government financial system software with Oracle America, Inc. Moving to this software would not only benefit staff but it would also keep the user’s experience the same, just moving to the government platform. There would be a reduction in staff time while also building in some efficiencies and savings in the general fund each year of approximately $90,000. The cost to switch can be paid from capital projects. Since the software is very similar, the product would be around $350,000 with a 5% increase to renew. IT and legal staff have reviewed the contracts. Staff also sat through a demo of this software and had good feedback about the product. Board members thanked Bearrows for her explanation of the software and thinking outside of the fix that will save the county money. The Board will approve Wednesday. Stephanie Lientz, Planning & Development, presented an amended 28E Articles of Agreement for the Middle Cedar Watershed Management Authority. The proposed change is to reduce the administrative burden and streamline the process for people to join. The Board will approve Wednesday. Brad Wylam, Planning & Development, presented a Resolution Setting a Public Hearing date of September 14, 2026, at 10 a.m. for a request to rezone 24.33 acres located in the 400 block of Wilder Drive from Agricultural (AG) to Rural Residential 2-Acre (RR2). This is a non-buildable piece, and they want to convert to a buildable lot for a single-family dwelling. Motion by Running-Marquardt, seconded by Scheetz to adopt Resolution 2026-8-113 A RESOLUTION SETTING A PUBLIC HEARING FOR A REQUEST TO REZONE 24.33 ACRES LOCATED IN THE 400 BLOCK OF WILDER DRIVE FROM AGRICULTURAL (AG) TO RURAL RESIDENTIAL 2-ACRE (RR2) WHEREAS, the Linn County Planning and Development Department presented the Linn County Board of Supervisors with a request to rezone 24.33 acres located in the 400 block of Wilder Drive from Agricultural (AG) to Rural Residential 2-Acre (RR2); and, WHEREAS, the Linn County Board of Supervisors hereby finds that it is desirable to hold a public hearing to consider the request to rezone 24.33 acres located in the 400 block of Wilder Drive from Agricultural (AG) to Rural Residential 2-Acre (RR2), and that Linn County should publish a notice thereof as required by law. BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED that the Linn County Board of Supervisors will hold a public hearing on the request to rezone 24.33 acres located in the 400 block of Wilder Drive from Agricultural (AG) to Rural Residential 2-Acre (RR2) on September 14, 2026 at 10:00 am in the Formal Board Room of the Linn County Public Service Center located at 935 2nd Street SW, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, at which time any interested person may provide public comment on the proposed ordinance, and after hearing any and all public comments, the Board may proceed with the approval of the proposed ordinance. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Board of Supervisors directs the publication of a notice of public hearing in accordance with Iowa Code Section 331.305. Grace Hobson, Planning & Development, presented a Resolution Vacating an existing Recorded Utility Easement in the SE Corner of Lot 1 of Fawn Cove 1st Addition to Linn County, Iowa, located at 8775 Deer Crest Drive, Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The request is for a 10-foot utility easement to be removed. The public has not reached out with any concerns. The Board will approve Wednesday. Public Comment: Jon Lee, 2510 Sisley Grove Rd. SW, Cedar Rapids, stated that he’s speaking about the Morgan Valley Energy Center and the air monitoring waiver that was requested. Lee referred to Alliant’s application that was submitted. He emailed the DNR 16 questions on August 16th and has received 1 out of office reply. Lee is requesting that Linn County writes to the DNR and asks them to deny the waiver. He added that he was told that Public Health does a technical review. Lee went on to read excerpts from Iowa Code regarding zoning. The pollution numbers aren’t what they vote on but what the Board needs in front of them before voting and no one has the numbers. His real concern is about what this will cost ratepayers. If data centers are taken out what is the actual growth of the county? The EU-2 zoning did not get amended. If public support was the measure 2 weeks ago to not amend that zoning, it should be the same when this vote comes before them. Randy Krewson, 87 2nd St., Atkins, asked the Board to do the Pledge of Allegiance at each meeting. There was a great turnout last Wednesday with the Girl Scouts. That is their future and those ladies are their future as guardians that work toward protecting their land, water and air, which is the same thing they are trying to do. If they don’t do their jobs to protect it, there won’t be anything left for them. They have to protect what they have now so there is a future for them. Brandy Meisheid, Supervisor, wished everyone a happy first day of school as she is one of them who sent her youngest off to kindergarten. She hopes that everyone has a successful first day of school as well. Motion by Running-Marquardt, seconded by Scheetz to approve payroll authorizations (detail is available upon request).
The Board recessed at 10:23 a.m. and reconvened at 1:30 p.m. Motion by Running-Marquardt, seconded by Scheetz to enter into a Closed Session pursuant to Iowa Code §21.5 to discuss two separate matters: discuss pending litigation pursuant to Iowa Code §21.5(1)(c) and review and discuss the terms of a draft economic development agreement. The Board expects the related materials to be confidential under Iowa Code §22.7(65). Communications with counsel concerning such matters are intended to remain confidential and may be protected by attorney-client privilege under Iowa law. VOTE: Meisheid – Aye, Running-Marquardt – Aye, Scheetz - Aye Motion by Running-Marquardt, seconded by Scheetz to go out of closed session. VOTE: Meisheid – Aye, Running-Marquardt – Aye, Scheetz - Aye Adjournment at 2:44 p.m. Respectfully submitted, TODD E. TAYLOR, Linn County Auditor By: Amanda Brown, Deputy Auditor and Ana Brunscheen, Executive Assistant Approved by: KIRSTEN RUNNING-MARQUARDT, Chairperson Board of Supervisors Published in the Sun September 24, 2026.
LINN COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
CEDAR RAPIDS, LINN COUNTY, IOWA MONDAY, AUGUST 24, 2026 11:00 A.M. (These are the minutes in their entirety. Archived minutes can be found at www. linncountyiowa.gov) The Board met in session at the Linn County Jean Oxley Public Service Center for a joint meeting with the Linn County Conservation Board. Present: Chairperson Running-Marquardt, Vice Chairperson Scheetz, Supervisor Meisheid and Conservation Board members, Dennis Goemaat and Daniel Gibbins. Matt Burkey, Iowa Bicycle Coalition, gave a PowerPoint presentation on the Economic and Health Impact of Cycling. Supervisor Running-Marquardt thanked Burkey for the remarkable amount of work they do across the state of Iowa along with being as safe as possible. Jennifer Pratt, City of Cedar Rapids, and Teresa Stadlemann, HR Green, gave a PowerPoint Presentation on the Cedar Lake South Cell Improvements Project including the concept, sediment removal planning, sediment capture, and wetland vegetation. Board members thanked those involved for all their hard work. It is a wonderful project that will not only benefit Cedar Rapids but the entire county. Brent Oleson, Conservation Board member, addressed the county’s lack of maintenance in clearing the trails. He feels it is a good time to do a rationale, so the public has a better understanding of why the county doesn’t do it. Dennis Goemaat explained that it is a duty of care approach. Staff would need to be on the trails every day during the right conditions to treat those areas and it is very difficult to have that type of staffing on a daily basis. Oleson then added his personal request to fill cracks on the 32nd – 42nd Street nature trail noting it will be a mess if it’s not done before this winter. Adjournment at 11:43 a.m. Respectfully submitted, TODD E. TAYLOR, Linn County Auditor By: Amanda Brown, Deputy Auditor Approved by: KIRSTEN RUNNING-MARQUARDT, Chairperson Board of Supervisors Published in the Sun September 24, 2026.
LINN COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
CEDAR RAPIDS, LINN COUNTY, IOWA TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2026 10:00 A.M. (These are the minutes in their entirety. Archived minutes can be found at www. linncountyiowa.gov) The Board met in session at the Linn County Jean Oxley Public Service Center. Present: Chairperson Running-Marquardt, Vice Chairperson Scheetz and Supervisor Meisheid. Board members voting “AYE” unless otherwise noted. Chairperson Running-Marquardt called the meeting to order. Motion by Scheetz, seconded by Meisheid to approve claims dated 09/04/2026 for payroll Check No. 63000031 in the amount of $430.30 and a Ceridian ER Funds Trust Wire in the amount of $76.50, for a total of $506.80 due to missed longevity. Supervisor Running-Marquardt read Proclamation: Labor Day, September 7, 2026. Motion by Running-Marquardt, seconded by Scheetz to approve said Proclamation. Sara Bearrows, Finance Dir., discussed a Statement of Work under the Master Services Agreement between Linn County and Eide Bailly LLP for the fiscal year 2026 audit services. This is a letter that is signed every year, but this is the first year it is being presented as an agenda item. Motion by Running-Marquardt, seconded by Scheetz to authorize the Finance Director to sign the Statement of Work under the Master Services Agreement between Linn County and Eide Bailly LLP for the fiscal year 2026 audit services. The Board canvassed votes from the September 1, 2026 Special Election Lisbon-Mount Vernon Area Benefited EMS District. Matt Warfield, Deputy Auditor, stated that an election was conducted amongst the City of Lisbon EMS district, the city of Mount Vernon EMS district, and unincorporated Linn County within the Lisbon-Mount Vernon area EMS district. All three elections received more than 90% of the vote while only 60% was required to pass. Warfield then presented the list of the top five trustee vote-getters for each of the districts and advised the Board on the subsequent steps for appointing the winners. Discussion took place amongst the Board as to selecting winners. Supervisor Running-Marquardt shared that 3 of 5 were chosen, and two of those selected received a high number of votes from citizens. Board members will be con-
tacting those that were selected to ensure they want the position before official appointment. Supervisor Meisheid pointed out that some of the higher vote-getters were not residents of unincorporated Linn County and therefore were unable to be chosen by the Board for these specific positions. Motion by Running-Marquardt, seconded by Scheetz to approve payroll authorizations (detail is available upon request). Adjournment at 10:20 a.m. Respectfully submitted, TODD E. TAYLOR, Linn County Auditor By: Ana Brunscheen, Executive Assistant Approved by: KIRSTEN RUNNING-MARQUARDT, Chairperson Board of Supervisors Published in the Sun September 24, 2026.
LINN COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
CEDAR RAPIDS, LINN COUNTY, IOWA WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2026 10:00 A.M. (These are the minutes in their entirety. Archived minutes can be found at www. linncountyiowa.gov) The Board met in session at the Linn County Jean Oxley Public Service Center. Present: Chairperson Running-Marquardt, Vice Chairperson Scheetz and Supervisor Meisheid. Board members voting “AYE” unless otherwise noted. Chairperson Running-Marquardt called the meeting to order and led the Pledge of Allegiance. Motion by Running-Marquardt, seconded by Scheetz to approve minutes of September 2, 2026 as printed. Motion by Scheetz, seconded by Meisheid to approve accounts payable checks dated 09/09/26 #71022272 to #71022310 in the amount of $324,385.82; and ACH in the amount of $928,302.23; for a total of $1,252,688.05. Motion by Scheetz, seconded by Meisheid to approve payment to Kirsten Running-Marquardt in the amount of $385.44 for travel reimbursement. VOTE:........... Scheetz & Meisheid – Aye. Running-Marquardt - Abstain Motion by Running-Marquardt, seconded by Scheetz to approve Consent Agenda as follows: Approve and authorize the Chairperson to sign a Contract for a Provision of Service Agreement between Linn County Child Development Center (LCCDC) and Hawkeye Area Community Action Program (HACAP). HACAP will co-fund a total of forty-four Head Start (HS) children for an amount up to $234,288.53 and also cofund a total of eight Early Head Start (EHS) children for an amount up to $78,675.19 annually to the Provider LCCDC for provision of these (HS & EHS) services. Effective September 1, 2026, through August 31, 2029. Approve and authorize the Chairperson to sign a Cooperative Agreement between Linn County Child Development Center (LCCDC) and Hawkeye Area Community Action Program, Inc. (HACAP) to provide financial assistance and housing for dually eligible enrolled children at LCCDC by HACAP family support workers. HACAP family support workers will be reimbursed for hours worked in the amount of $37.23 per hour, twenty hours weekly. Effective September 1, 2026, through August 31, 2027. Approve and authorize the Chairperson to sign revision 0.1 of the 2027 Fiscal Year Secondary Road Five-Year Construction Program with the Iowa Department of Transportation (IDOT) for replacement instead of repair of L-BRIDGE813(27) for an additional amount of $550,000 and repair and additional paving for Bertram Rd LOST-BERTRAM RD(27) for an additional amount of $250,000. Approve and authorize the Chairperson to sign the 2026 Byrne Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program Award Agreement between Linn County, the City of Cedar Rapids and the City of Marion. The total grant amount is $66,499 and will be split between the following: Linn County $33,249, City of Cedar Rapids $27,634, City of Marion $5,616. Approve purchase order PO957 to Medea Inc. in the amount of $99,117 for Narcan vending machine refill for Linn County Public Health. Approve purchase order PO958 to Sign Solutions USA LLC in the amount of $5,987.46 for Traffic Control Signs for the Secondary Road Department. Approve purchase order PO959 to Vulcan Signs in the amount of $25,673.20 for varying types of Traffic Control Signs for the Secondary Road Department. Approve purchase order PO960 to Xcessories Squared Development & MFG Inc in the amount of $34,301 for varying sizes of Traffic Control Sign Posts for the Secondary Road Department. Approve and authorize the Chairperson to sign the Certifications and Assurances by the Chief Executive of the Applicant Government for the FY2026 Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program. Supervisor Scheetz read Proclamation: Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, September 2026. Motion by Scheetz, seconded by Meisheid to approve said Proclamation. Supervisor Meisheid read Proclamation: Latino Festival Day, September 12, 2026. Motion by Meisheid, seconded by Scheetz to approve said Proclamation. Public Comment: Tracy Meza, 7801 Wieneke Cir., Cedar Rapids, stated that Alliant Energy claims they need the Morgan Valley Power Plant for the increasing need for electricity for their growing population. Cedar Rapids Metro Economic Alliance is and has been paying people $5,000 to move to Cedar Rapids. They have to pay people to move here? The power is for the data centers and not them. Alliant Energy also has a board member on the Cedar Rapids Metro Economic Alliance. She is disgusted; how can this be Iowa? When did they become a population of liars and manipulators? She understands that the Supervisors are worried about losing their seats. They can choose either the lie or the truth. They can protect their constituent’s health, quality of life and economic welfare or they can make a lot of money for someone who couldn’t care less about them including the Supervisors. Please do not rezone Morgan Valley from agriculture to EU-2
industrial. Erin Foster, Mental Health Access Center Dir., thanked the Board for the proclamation for Suicide Prevention they approved today. She was asked to speak 3 years ago about the 2023 proclamation after it was read and what the Supervisors didn’t know at the time was that 5 days prior, she had attended her uncle’s funeral who died by suicide. Today is the first time she has been back to the podium to recognize this proclamation. Some people view proclamations as a waste of time or an opportunity for a photo op, but it is important due to the visibility that is given to conversations that remain hidden. It helps to remind their community that help and hope are both real. This month is deeply personal to her as she came into her work with lived experience and has struggled with her own thoughts of not wanting to be here and also having lost a loved one to suicide. Those experiences have changed how she talks about suicide prevention. Open conversations about suicide shows people that they do not have to carry their pain alone. Giving this issue visibility is more than being about raising awareness, its making people feel safe to ask for help, knowing where to find support, and believing they are worth showing up for. Suicide prevention belongs to all of them and most importantly they can remind people that their lives matter, and tomorrow is better with them here. Jon Lee, 2510 Sisley Grove Rd. SW, Cedar Rapids, talked about the Health Dept. meeting that was held. He shared that there were 128 questions asked with answers posted in July, but no additional answers have been posted since. Alliant said they would answer questions, but nothing has come of that. Lee also discussed Alliant wanting to waive the air monitoring requirements. He wants to know who is being held accountable. The Health Dept.’s role is to implement and enforce air quality regulations but that isn’t what he asked as that is a job description and not an action. There are hundreds of comments with the IUC about air quality and what it does to people. He isn’t asking for a meeting to be held but people are afraid for their health. People are asking and no one has told them what their Health Dept. is doing for what. What has Linn County Health Dept. done to problem solve for their community? Dan Wozniak, 1518 Heartland St., Fairfax, stated that they all appreciate the love and compassion that Board has had for proclamations such as suicide awareness and substance use last week and reducing the stigma around those topics. At yesterday’s Fairfax Council meeting a fringe agreement was brought up between Walford and Linn County. He doesn’t understand why if Fairfax was invited to join, it wouldn’t extend to the north. It is silly that they wouldn’t do it around all the borders. He would love to work with that plan and keep going with mutual benefits as leaders of their respective communities. Wozniak urges the Board when the vote for the plant comes up next month to vote no and to not be worried about the IUC. He then explained the process with the IUC and what steps could follow. He told the Board to look up why the Duane Arnold plant was actually sold and there’s the answer. Please consider voting no on that or say no now and let it die right there. Jairo Munoz, LUCI (Latinos Unidos for Community Inclusion), thanked the Board for the proclamation. The Latino community is suffering anxiety right now and that creates the proper environment for suicide. They are pleased to be sharing the 2 proclamations at the same time. He invited the Board and members of the public to the 15th anniversary of the Latino Festival this Saturday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the McGrath Amphitheater. They want to welcome all immigrants with open arms as they have been welcomed. Adjournment at 10:22 a.m. Respectfully submitted, TODD E. TAYLOR, Linn County Auditor By: Amanda Brown, Deputy Auditor Approved by: KIRSTEN RUNNING-MARQUARDT, Chairperson Board of Supervisors Published in the Sun September 24, 2026.
LINN COUNTY LIST OF BILLS PAID
FOR 9-3-2026 THROUGH 9-9-2026 https://www.linncountyiowa.gov/413/ Accounting-Services VENDOR DESCRIPTION AMOUNT 32 GENTLE DENTAL LLC DENTAL SERVICES......................................... $1,256.00 ADCRAFT PRINTING CO INC OFFICE SUPPLIES.............................................. $93.00 AHLERS & COONEY PC WORK COMP LEGAL FEE..................................... $1,000.00 ALICIA GERBER LMHC LLC HEALTH ASSISTANCE..................................... $142.46 ALL SECURE INC ANNUAL FIRE INSPECTION............................................. $290.00 ALLIANT UTILITIES UTILITIES.................. .............................................. $102,238.21 ALLIANT UTILITIES - ASSISTANCE GENERAL ASSISTANCE....................... $490.00 ALLIED GLASS GLASS REPLACEMENTS . .................................................. $3,014.00 ANDERSON ERICKSON DAIRY CO FOOD & PROVISIONS............................... $57.35 AZURE APARTMENTS GENERAL ASSISTANCE........................................... $800.00 BAKER GROUP MAINTENANCE AGREEMENT......................................... $1,086.00 BALANCED FITNESS & HEALTH LLC WORK COMP INVOICE................... $97.50 BALDRIDGE, JOSEPH K MILEAGE REIMBURSEMENT................................. $130.72 BASQUIN, ANASTASIA WITNESS EXPENSE ....................................... $1,097.80 BAXTER INDUSTRIAL CC LIFT REPAIR..... .................................................. $2,007.81 BEARROWS, SARA FITNESS REIMBURSEMENT................................. $240.00 BEAZER, PAUL L TUITION REIMBURSEMENT............................................ $500.00 BENICH, RON P MILEAGE REIMBURSEMENT............................................ $228.76 BEVARD PROPERTIES LC GENERAL ASSISTANCE..................................... $710.00 BEYER, JADE N FITNESS REIMBURSEMENT............................................ $210.00 BLACK AND YELLOW SEALING AND STRIPING INC PARKING LOT LINE PAINT. .................................................. $1,447.00 BRAKSIEK ROBERT MD PC CONTRACT LABOR..................................... $13,031.99 BRINK, BENJAMIN MED EXAM FEES........ ..................................................... $672.58
MOUNT VERNON-LISBON SUN | MVLSUN.COM CAMPBELL SUPPLY HAND TOOLS............ ..................................................... $109.83 CAPITAL SANITARY SUPPLY - CEDAR RAPIDS CLEANING SUPPLIES.................. ................................................ $16,939.56 CDW GOVT NETWORK EQUIPMENT & SECURITY DEVICES .................... $23,178.68 CEDAR TERRACE HOLDINGS LLC GENERAL ASSISTANCE......................... $1,650.00 CENTEC CAST METAL PRODUCTS INC BRONZE GRAVE MARKERS ......... $721.35 CENTER POINT CITY OF UTILITIES........... ..................................................... $101.10 CENTRAL IOWA JUVENILE DETENTION CENTER SALARIES................ $154,192.25 CENTURY LAUNDRY DISTRIBUTING INC LAUNDRY..................................... $147.08 CERIDIAN ER FUNDS TRUST - TAXES PAYROLL DEDUCTION.................... $76.50 CJ COOPER & ASSOCIATES INC PRE EMPLOYMENT DRUG SCREENS & PHYSICALS ........................................... $145.00 CODE WORKS DATA UPDATES....... $80.00 COMMERCIAL SHADING SYSTEMS LLC REPAIR EXISTING SHADES.......... $300.00 CONNOLLY CONSTRUCTION INC RETAINAGE PAYMENT - MCP WETLAND............... ................................................ $19,783.76 WORK COMPLETED - MCP WETLAND...... .............................................. $256,744.76 CR/LC SOLID WASTE AGENCY LANDFILL FEES & GROUNDS MAINT......... $1,005.12 CRAWFORD SUPPLY COMPANY COMMISSARY ITEMS........................... $330.48 CULLIGAN WATER CONDITIONING WATER BOTTLES .............................. $464.55 DARRAH'S INC TOW ................... $152.25 DAVIS, VICKI TRAVEL/TRAINING REIMB.. ..................................................... $112.10 DAVISON, ROBERT W ATTORNEY FEES.... .................................................. $1,342.80 DAY, KENNETH B MILEAGE REIMBURSEMENT.............................................. $98.04 DETWEILER, KRISTIN L TRAVEL/TRAINING REIMB.................................... $236.98 DRIVE BY INVESTMENTS II LLC BOS MONTHLY STORAGE................. $6,050.00 EAST CENTRAL IOWA COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS CLIENT ASSISTANCE............. ..................................................... $560.00 EASTERN IOWA TIRE INC TIRES............... .................................................. $2,465.28 EDGEWOOD DO IT BEST HARDWARE & RENTAL PARTS............................... $37.46 EHLER, ALVIN G MILEAGE REIMBURSEMENT............................................ $214.32 ELLIPSIS INC LINN COUNTY SHELTER .... .................................................. $1,446.15 ESCO ELECTRIC CO BUILDING MAINTENANCE....................................... $1,512.61 EXPRESS EMPLOYMENT PROFESSIONALS CONTRACT EMPLOYEES....... $487.54 FOSTER, DEBBIE S TRANSCRIPT FEES..... ....................................................... $37.50 FOUNDATION 2 INC CONTRACT LABOR.... ................................................ $71,722.24 GAZETTE COMMUNICATIONS LEGAL NOTICES............................................ $226.24 GERBER COLLISION & GLASS AUTO LIABILITY........................................ $1,456.25 GORDON FLESCH COMPANY INC COPIER LEASE & FEES........................... $2,647.17 GRAINGER W W INC MAINTENANCE SUPPLIES..................................... $303.08 GREAT WESTERN SUPPLY CO SUPPLIES. ..................................................... $452.48 GUSICK, PAMELA TRAVEL/TRAINING REIMB........................................... $670.18 HAWKEYE FIRE & SAFETY INSPECTION... ..................................................... $275.00 HEALY, DANIEL G MILEAGE REIMBURSEMENT............................................ $154.28 HILLIARY COMMUNICATIONS LLC E911 BASIC PHONE SERVICE.................. $27.50 HORIZONS A FAMILY SERVICE ALLIANCE MOBILE MEALS SUPPORT........ $9,162.75 HOWARD, CALEB MILEAGE REIMBURSEMENT............................................ $101.08 HP INC DOCKING STATIONS..... $1,950.00 HY VEE PRESCRIPTIONS............... $64.99 ILLOWA CULVERT & SUPPLY CO SHEET PILING....................................... $2,800.00 ILMIR INC CONTRACT LABOR... $3,615.00 IMON COMMUNICATIONS INTERNET & TELECOMMUNICATION SERVICES............ .................................................. $1,086.82 INGALLS, TRACY TRAVEL/TRAINING REIMB........................................... $181.11 INSIGHT PUBLIC SECTOR SOFTWARE LICENSES........................................ $915.30 IOWA STATE ASSOCIATION OF ASSESSORS REGISTRATION............... $1,275.00 JEAN JEW REVOCABLE TRUST GENERAL ASSISTANCE................................. $900.00 KEEFE SUPPLY COMPANY COMMISSARY ITEMS........................................ $1,657.44 KIDS FIRST LAW CENTER ATTORNEY FEES............................................. $809.20 KIESEY, MICHELLE M MED EXAM FEES.... .................................................. $5,380.64 KIRKWOOD WORKPLACE LEARNING CONNECTION FUNDS FOR KIRKWOOD..... ................................................ $13,030.00 L L PELLING SEAL COATING .. $54,522.00 LENSING FUNERAL & CREMATION SERVICE GENERAL ASSISTANCE..... $2,000.00 LEVEL 3 COMMUNICATIONS, LLC, A LUMEN TECHNOLOGIES COMPANY INTERNET SERVICE................................ $768.96 LINDER DONALD J DO PC MED EXAM FEES.......................................... $8,883.30 LINN COOP OIL INC #105155 (CARSON FARMS LLC) CHEMICAL TO SPRAY ON NOXIOUS WEEDS AT DOWS FARM........... ..................................................... $108.11 LINN COOP OIL INC #395000 (CONSERVATION) FUEL............................ $3,166.78 LP TANK REPAIRS........................ $145.00 LINN COOP OIL INC #395050 (ROADS MISC) DIESEL............................ $9,772.46 LOGIC COMPENSATION GROUP LLC GENERAL CONSULTING AND JOB EVALUATIONS....................................... $975.00 LOVING, DREW N MILEAGE REIMBURSEMENT............................................ $327.56 MADISON NATIONAL LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY INC SHORT TERM DISABILITY .................................................. $5,112.21 MAILING SERVICES INC POSTAGE PROCESSING ...................................... $485.57 MARION IRON COMPANY METAL............. ..................................................... $165.32 MARION MUNICIPAL WATER DEPARTMENT WATER............................... $127.71 MARTIN EQUIPMENT OF IA-IL INC EQUIPMENT REPAIRS......................... $8,607.25 MARTIN MARIETTA MATERIALS INC ROCK......................................... $5,868.24 MARTIN, ANNETTE ATTORNEY FEES........ ..................................................... $290.00 MEHMEN, NICKOLAS MILEAGE REIMBURSEMENT................................... $99.56 MENARD INC SUPPLIES & HARDWARE... ..................................................... $203.14 MURDOCH FUNERAL HOMES GENERAL ASSISTANCE.............................. $2,000.00 ONECLOUD TELECOMMUNICATIONS SERVICES .................................... $292.64 ONNEN, MICHAEL D MILEAGE REIMBURSEMENT................................. $435.48
ORKIN LLC PEST CONTROL......... $194.76 PARSON, SUELLYN MILEAGE REIMBURSEMENT................................. $296.86 PARTS AUTHORITY LLC PARTS................ .................................................. $1,609.82 PHYSICIANS CLINIC OF IOWA PC HEALTH ASSISTANCE................................. $209.98 PIPE PRO INC CONTRACT LABOR............. .................................................. $5,112.44 POLK CO SHERIFF SERVICE FEES............. ..................................................... $129.88 POLK COUNTY OFFICE SUPPLIES............. ..................................................... $158.24 POOL TECH CHLORINE ................ $254.00 PRAIRIE RESERVE VA ASSISTANCE.......... .................................................. $1,400.00 PRECISION PROPERTY MANAGEMENT GENERAL ASSISTANCE................ $700.00 PROFESSIONAL OFFICE SERVICES RENEWAL NOTICES............................ $10.12 RABE HARDWARE INC FIREPLACE INSERTS ..................................... $15,340.00 ROCHESTER ARMORED CAR CO INC ARMORED CAR SERVICES................ $237.16 ROOSEVELT THE GENERAL ASSISTANCE. ..................................................... $900.00 ROTHMEYER, AARON C MILEAGE REIMBURSEMENT................................. $123.88 ROTO-ROOTER BUILDING MAINTENANCE ..................................................... $462.50 RUNNING, KIRSTEN A TRAVEL/TRAINING REIMB........................................... $385.44 SAFE PLACE FOUNDATION, THE GENERAL ASSISTANCE......................... $1,800.00 SANITY SOLUTIONS INC TECHNICAL SERVICES..................................... $947.10 SCHAUF, ANDREW A MILEAGE REIMBURSEMENT................................... $85.88 SCHIRMER, MICHAEL A TUITION REIMBURSEMENT................................. $375.00 SCROGGINS, NINA TRAVEL/TRAINING REIMB........................................... $153.06 SETPOINT MECHANICAL SERVICES LLC CONTACTOR REPAIR/REPLACEMENT....... .................................................. $1,577.50 SKELTON, DEBORAH M ATTORNEY FEES ..................................................... $170.00 SLIGHT, LEVI T MILEAGE REIMBURSEMENT............................................ $142.88 SNYDER & ASSOCIATES PROFESSIONAL SERVICES................................ $26,807.00 SOUTH SLOPE COOP TELE PHONE SERVICE.............................................. $127.53 SPAHN AND ROSE LUMBER POSTS & REPAIRS ....................................... $5,563.48 SPRINGVILLE READY MIX CONCRETE...... ................................................ $15,980.00 STEWART BAXTER FUNERAL & MEMORIAL SERVICES GENERAL ASSISTANCE...... .................................................. $2,000.00 STOREY KENWORTHY UOCAVA ENVELOPES........................................... $351.79 T MOBILE USA INC PHONE SERVICE........ .................................................. $2,800.89 TEAH, MERCY Y TRAVEL/TRAINING REIMB........................................... $130.64 TERRY DURIN CO FREIGHT CHARGES ..... ....................................................... $30.00 THE AVENUE GENERAL ASSISTANCE........ ..................................................... $900.00 TRINITY SERVICES GROUP INC INMATE WEEKLY MEALS...................... $15,029.00 TW TRAINING LEARNING INSTITUTE....... ..................................................... $900.00 ULINE MAGNET LABELS................. $69.46 UMBDENSTOCK, GAVIN D MILEAGE REIMBURSEMENT............................ $208.24 UNION AT WILEY LP GENERAL ASSISTANCE........................................... $900.00 UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE - AUDITOR POSTAGE...................... $70,000.00 UNITI E911- PHONE AND CIRCUIT SERVICE.............................................. $175.98 UNIVERSITY OF IOWA HEALTH CARE MEDICAL SERVICES..................... $215.57 USA COMMUNICATIONS UTILITIES.......... ..................................................... $131.53 VANGUARD APPRAISALS INC WEBSITE SERVICE FEE .......................... $10,587.50 WATKINS, AMRA MILEAGE REIMBURSEMENT.............................................. $25.84 WEBER, ALISHA MED EXAM FEES............ .................................................. $4,371.77 WEBER, KEVIN J MED EXAM FEES........... .................................................. $2,354.03 WELLMARK BLUE CROSS & BLUE SHIELD LINN CO HEALTH 080126-083126 .............................................. $188,020.82 WENDLING QUARRIES INC ROCK............. ................................................ $20,240.87 WHITETAIL CONCRETE FINISHING SOLUTIONS FLOOR FINISHING - MCP LODGE... .................................................. $3,998.00 WILLIAMS, ROBERT A GENERAL ASSISTANCE........................................... $550.00 WINDERS, MICHAEL G MILEAGE REIMBURSEMENT................................. $342.00 WITT, JERRY W MILEAGE REIMBURSEMENT............................................ $196.84 WOODS & POOLE ECONOMICS, INC 2026 DATA PAMPHLET.......................... $195.00 TOTAL................................. $1,252,764.55 Published in the Sun September 24, 2026.
CITY OF LISBON REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES
SEPTEMBER 14TH, 2026 CALL TO ORDER: The City Council of Lisbon, Iowa, met in regular session on September 14th, 2026, at 7:00p.m. with Mayor Doug O’Connor presiding. The following City Council members were present: John Bardsley, Nathan Smith, Kevin Steele, and Rawley Alger. Absent was Rick Scott. OTHERS PRESENT: Travis Bagby, Brandon Siggins, Jason Blinks, Jacob Lindauer, Nicole McAlexander, Elizabeth Hoover de Galvez, Linda Bigley, Matt Warfield, Cindy Light and Todd Taylor. Michael Miller was present via zoom. CONSENT AGENDA: Motion by Alger, seconded by Smith to approve the consent agenda consisting of minutes of August 24th, 2026, list of bills, August Treasurer’s Report and Utility Refunds. All Ayes. Motion carried 4-0. Todd Taylor and Matt Warfield with the Linn County Elections office presented the results from the recent EMS District vote and how the council can proceed with the next step. SE Linn Director Nicole McAlexander presented on Hunger Action Month and the services that are being provided to Lisbon and surrounding communities. Librarian Elizabeth Hoover de Galvez presented on ideas for library accessibility improvements after receiving a $10,000 grant. Goals include an automatic door, handicap parking, adjustable desks, floor and restroom adjustments. Motion by Bardsley, seconded by Steele to have 125 E Main pay the City the remaining amount for their emergency repairs project as bills were sent to the city directly. The City will then pay all invoices
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using those funds and Downtown Grants funds previously approved to pay invoices. All Ayes. Motion carried 4-0. Motion by Bardsley, seconded by Smith to approve Downtown Reinvestment Grant application for 111 E Main in the amount of $2,442. All Ayes. Motion carried 4-0. Motion by Smith, seconded by Alger to approve Downtown Reinvestment Grant application for 133 E Main in the amount of $10,000. All Ayes. Motion carried 4-0. Motion by Smtih, seconded by Steele to approve Resolution 30-2026 Appointing EMS District Trustees and Terms. Roll call vote. Ayes: Bardsley, Steele, Alger, and Smith. Absent: Scott. Nays: None. Motion carried 4-0. The council received the following reports from city departments: Public Works Director Travis Bagby – working on Well 5 punch list, brush pickup, 550 awaiting parts, and streets are getting chip and dip as weather allows. Parks and Recreation Director Drayton Kamberling – soccer and flag football are in full swing, registration is open for girls’ basketball with a deadline of October 2nd, and staff continues to work on list items and projects leading up to the winter months. Library Director Elizabeth Hoover de Galvez – donor recognition event for the Ciha family on October 15th at 6pm, held a farm story time at Bass Farms, Tuesday cooking events/walks starting soon, working on efforts to make the children’s librarian full-time, currently partnering with Mount Vernon library for additional hours. Police Chief Jason Blinks – report submitted to council. Ambulance Director Jacob Lindauer – recruit class getting more experience, up to 39 volunteers, holding a survivor celebration tomorrow, working to get approval from Impact Life to carry blood products in emergency units. City Administrator Brandon Siggins – pancake breakfast served over 1,600
......................................................198.58 DOLLAR GENERAL CORPORATION OFFICE SUPPLIES..................................8.95 ELECTRIC PUMP INC NEW FLYGT 3127 WWTP PUMP............................19,920.60 EMPLOYEE BENEFIT SYSTEMS EMPLOYEE BENEFITS....................................85.00 HAWKINS INC OPERATING SUPPLIES...... ......................................................337.80 HILLS BANK FEDERAL W/H........7,480.74 IMWCA WORKERS COMP...........1,307.00 INGRAM LIBRARY SERVICES LIBRARY MATERIALS.................................1,386.15 INTERSTATE BILLING SERVICE SKIDLOADER MAINTENANCE................504.25 IOWA LEAGUE OF CITIES MAYORS ASSOCIATION DUES.............................35.00 JOHNSON COUNTY REFUSE INC AUGUST REFUSE/RECYCLING.................14,427.25 JORDAN'S PROPERTY CARE INC CEMETERY MOWING...........................7,430.00 KROMMINGA MOTORS SHREDDER SP COMP/HWY 30 DITCHES...............586.10 LENOCH & CILEK ACE - EASTSIDE JANITORIAL SUPPLIES...........................99.95 LYNCH DALLAS LEGAL ATTORNEY FEES.. ......................................................680.00 M & K DUST CONTROL INC GILLETTE LANE BLACK DIRT.........................150.00 MECHANICSVILLE TELEPHONE CO. PHONE SERVICES..........................639.44 MENARDS LIBRARY, PARKS, SHOP......... ......................................................208.94 MIDWEST TAPE LLC LIBRARY MATERIALS................................................299.39 MISCELLANEOUS VENDOR UTILITY REFUNDS...........................................167.94 MOYNA MATERIALS LLC SPORTS COMPLEX................................................56.34 MT. VERNON ACE HARDWARE OPERATING SUPPLIES...............................517.72 NEAL'S WATER CONDITIONING CH WATER COOLER....................................11.00 P & K MIDWEST INC PW SAFETY GLASSES..................................................144.00 PROFESSIONAL WINDOW CLEANING CH WINDOW WASHING.......................130.00 RED LION RENEWABLES SOLAR.............. ...................................................1,089.96 ROTO-ROOTER CORP. JETTER....1,492.50
attendees, thank you to all volunteers involved. Court has been continued for N Jackson property, grass/weed issues, work comp audit, 28E with the school for bus parking has been approved, working with SE Linn and attorneys on lease agreement, seeding window open, trainings and conferences coming up. Work at the complex has been busy with concrete work, Alliant Energy and electrical work. Meeting for well cap plan, AED training after receiving a new AED from a Unity Point grant, and the Lisbon homecoming parade will be Wednesday at 6:15pm downtown. Mayor Doug O’Connor adjourned the meeting at 8:05pm.Christina Eicher, City Clerk Doug O’Connor, Mayor Published in the Sun September 24, 2026.
CITY OF LISBON LIST OF CLAIMS
9-14-2026 VENDOR NAME DESCRIPTION AMOUNT AAA PEST CONTROL PEST CONTROL....... ........................................................50.00 ACCESS SYSTEMS TECH SUPPORT......... ......................................................992.21 ACCESS SYSTEMS LEASING TECH SUPPORT..............................................525.44 AFLAC CANCER INSURANCE.........177.80 ALLIANT UTILITIES UTILITIES....4,101.53 ARNOLD MOTOR SUPPLY F350 FUEL PUMP.............................................183.60 BAGBY, TRAVIS UNIFORM ALLOWANCE BAGBY.............................................52.50 BINSPIRE LLC LIBRARY PROGRAM......... ......................................................350.00 C J COOPER & ASSOCIATES POST-INCIDENT SCREEN - RODMAN.............689.65 CARQUEST OF LISBON PW VEHICLE MAINTENANCE...............................570.76 CARROLL CONSTRUCTION SUPPLY SPORTS COMPLEX MATERIALS....685.12 CASEY'S BUSINESS MASTERCARD FUEL CHARGES....................................1,792.47 COLLECTION SERVICES PAYROLL DEDUCTION..........................................54.39 DEMCO, INC. LIBRARY MATERIALS.........
SCHIMBERG CO. WELL #5 MATERIALS.... ...................................................1,810.33 SCHUMACHER ELEVATOR COMPANY LIBRARY ELEVATOR MAINTENANCE........... ......................................................189.86 SIGGINS, BRANDON MILEAGE......564.77 SPRINGVILLE READY MIX, INC SPORTS COMPLEX MATERIALS................8,745.50 STAR EQUIPMENT SHOP EQUIPMENT...... ......................................................680.00 STATE HYGIENIC LABORATORY TESTING ...................................................1,987.00 STUDENT PUBLICATIONS, INC. PUBLICATIONS .......................................993.58 VEENSTRA & KIMM INC. WELL 5 ENGINEERING.....................................5,911.10 WOODS, KEITH UNIFORM ALLOWANCE WOODS............................................33.98 PAYROLL..................................26,574.98 GRAND TOTAL:.....................$117,111.17 FUND TOTALS 001 GENERAL FUND...............33,203.14 010 CABLE TV..............................600.00 110 ROAD USE TAX..................7,559.52 112 EMPLOYEE BENEFIT FUND.............. ...................................................2,646.26 337 SPORTS COMPLEX PHASE 1........... ...................................................9,780.01 339 NEW CITY WELL................7,721.43 600 WATER FUND.....................9,153.25 605 UTILITY DEPOSIT FUND.......167.94 610 SEWER FUND...................30,017.52 670 SOLID WASTE FUND........16,262.10 GRAND TOTAL:.....................$117,111.17 AUGUST FUND REVENUES TOTALS 001 GENERAL FUND...................7,992.01 110 ROAD USE TAX..................32,762.29 112 EMPLOYEE BENEFITS.............126.18 121 LOCAL OPTION SALES TAX................ .................................................43,961.14 125 TIF FUND...................................95.69 200 DEBT SERVICE FUND..............154.88 337 SPORTS COMPLEX..............1,652.45 600 WATER FUND.....................38,140.68 605 UTILITY DEPOSIT FUND.........750.00 610 SEWER FUND.....................31,112.65 611 SEWER SINKING FUND......15,655.66 670 SOLID WASTE FUND..........19,470.22 GRAND TOTAL:.....................$191,873.85 Published in the Sun September 24, 2026.
Lisbon City Council approves downtown reinvestment grants, hears reports Cadence Dighton Mount Vernon Lisbon-Sun news@mvlsun.com
After hosting three speakers at the beginning of the Monday, Sept. 14 meeting, the Lisbon City Council approved three downtown reinvestment grants for businesses in Lisbon before hearing reports from department heads.
Downtown reinvestment grants approved Following the need to proceed with urgent renovations of the sewer line at Los Cuñados this summer, the downtown reinvestment grant is being used to pay for the work that was done. Typically, the downtown reinvestment grant would be given to businesses that are pursuing cosmetic work
either on the exterior or interior of the building. However, similarly to when a citizen drove a vehicle into the front of Gwen’s in downtown Lisbon, the fund is being used to help fund an unforeseen setback. According to city administrator Brandon Siggins, the grant typically works in a fashion in which the work is done, and the contractors are paid before the business owner receives the money from the grant. This process is to ensure that the work is complete, and the funds go directly to the proposed project. This situation is different, however, as the city ordered the work and made sure it was completed properly throughout the process. For this reason, the city will pay the contractors directly. “It didn’t make a lot of sense to have them either get a loan or send a check for
the remaining balance, to cash it, to turn around, and write them a check for that same amount of money and give it back to them,” Siggins explained. Instead, the business owner will send a check to the city for what he owes after the downtown reinvestment grant is in place, and once that check clears, it will be sent along to the contractors to pay for the work that was completed. The amount not paid by the check from the business owner will come directly from the downtown reinvestment fund for the approved grant amount. On top of the Los Cuñados downtown reinvestment grant, the Lisbon City Council approved two more. Indulgence Salon, owned by Laura Baxa, will be getting some facade work done on the brick outside the building. The total cost of
the project is $4,070.27, and the grant can only cover up to 60% of the total, so Baxa applied for the grant in the amount of $2,442. The council voted to approve the grant. Additionally, Dave Albright, owner of D&D Body Shop downtown Lisbon applied for a downtown reinvestment grant in the amount of $10,000. D&D Body Shop will be getting a roof replacement that costs a total of $40,390. However, the downtown reinvestment grant only covers up to 60% of the total or $10,000. Thus, the Lisbon City Council approved the grant for about a quarter of the total cost of the project. Cadence Dighton is a junior in the University of Iowa’s School of Journalism and Mass Communication. Cadence is an intern with the Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun.
Lisbon city council appoints EMS board members Cadence Dighton Mount Vernon Lisbon-Sun news@mvlsun.com
Lisbon has appointed their commissioners for the new EMS district. The top five write-ins following the election on Sept. 1 included Jason Blinks at 66 votes, Sara Clough at 34 votes, Marsha Lasack at 31 votes, Terri Durgin at 26 votes and Brian Courtney at 13 votes. This year, city administrator Brandon Siggins presented the council with two options: appoint the three candidates that received the most votes, or interview and appoint the candidates on their own. The council decided to appoint the three candidates who
received the most votes. According to councilmember John Bardsley, this process is the best way to keep things simple and avoid bias. Additionally, mayor Doug O’Connor wanted the citizens to have a say in who represents them. “I agree with John,” O’Connor said. “Those votes there were dictated by the citizens that voted.” The appointed members are Jason Blinks with a three-year term, Sara Clough with a two-year term, and Marsha Lasack with a one-year term. At the Sept. 14 Lisbon City Council meeting, deputy commissioner of elections for Linn County Matt Warfield spoke regarding the
election of Lisbon EMS board members. Moving forward, the Lisbon City Council will appoint Lisbon board members for the EMS district. In total, the council appoints three Lisbon members. According to Warfield, the code section for Iowa that dictates what happens in these elections is vague and confusing, which leads to a lot of flexibility for such elections. “What we believe happened is legislators back in the 1990s copied a code section from another state, dropped it in Iowa’s books, and didn’t tie it into anything,” Warfield said. Of the five individuals, there was no requirement that the three selected indi-
viduals must be the three with the most amount of votes. Additionally, there was no need for the council to make an immediate decision. “[Code 357G] doesn’t even say when you have to appoint them, let alone how. It is a very strange code section,” Warfield explained. “That’s really why we showed up; because we didn’t think it was something that we could just hand you the results and you be alright.” Cadence Dighton is a junior in the University of Iowa’s School of Journalism and Mass Communication. Cadence is an intern with the Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun.
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Lisbon Homecoming 2026
Photos by Cadence Dighton | Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun
Top left: The Lisbon High School homecoming court stands together while they wait for the announcing of the 2026 homecoming king and queen before Lisbon High School's homecoming football game on Sept. 18. Above top and bottom: Lisbon High School's 2025 homecoming king Brody Speidel escorts 2025 homecoming queen Kaitlyn Silver to the 2026 homecoming king and queen crowning. Eliza Moehlman, Alyssa Rhabak, Leila Mayhew and Ava Mollenhauer perform with the Lisbon Dance Team during halftime at Lisbon High School's homecoming football game on Sept. 18. Left: The Lisbon Dance Team performs their kick routine during halftime at Lisbon High School's homecoming football game on Sept. 18.
Above left and right: Junior Ava Snyder plays the trumpet with the Lisbon High School Marching Band during halftime at Lisbon High School's homecoming football game on Sept. 18. The Lisbon High School Marching Band percussion section performs during halftime. Below left and right: Junior drum major Gracie Cummings conducts the Lisbon High School Marching Band during halftime at Lisbon High School's homecoming football game on Sept. 18. The Lisbon High School Marching Band performs their ABBA show during halftime at Lisbon High School's homecoming football game.
FALL HOME & AUTO
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THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2026 | 17
Fall Home & Auto
Say Goodbye to Hot & Cold Spots: Tips for Everyday Comfort Keeping every room in your home at an ideal temperature can be a frustrating battle. Whether it’s an addition, upstairs office, older home, converted attic, or a room full of windows, these spaces often present unique climate control challenges. The good news? You don’t need an expensive HVAC overhaul to reclaim your space. Simple updates can increase your comfort and potentially decrease your utility bills. From quick DIY upgrades to high-efficiency zone cooling, here are six smart ways to conquer stubborn temperature challenges in your home year-round. Add Ceiling Fans While fans won’t lower air temperatures, their windchill effect makes you feel significantly more comfortable.
Setting the blades to run counterclockwise creates a downward breeze to direct refreshing air where you need it most. Install Window Coverings While rooms with large windows and natural light are appealing, the additional radiant energy from the sunlight can cause them to be significantly warmer. There are many aesthetically pleasing heat-blocking window treatments, such as cellular shades or blackout drapes, that can create a functional, yet fashionable line of defense against the sun during the hottest parts of the day. Plus, these smart window coverings can ease the burden on your room’s cooling system to help reduce energy costs. Seal Air Leaks According to Energy.gov, sealing air gaps is one of the
quickest, most cost-effective ways to enhance indoor comfort and slash energy waste. Check around windows, doors and baseboards for gaps that can allow outdoor air in and indoor air to escape. Sealing these drafts with caulk and weatherstripping is a simple weekend project that yields immediate rewards. Improve Insulation Like air leaks, insulation stabilizes indoor temperatures for maximum comfort. Simple enhancements can include adding insulation to easy-to-access attics or crawl spaces, placing foam gaskets behind exterior outlet plates, or even blowing foam insulation through small holes in the drywall to reinforce your home’s thermal envelope.
1. Check your vehicle. Preparing for a long road trip requires more than simply saving room in the suitcase for souvenirs. Once the bags are packed, it’s easy to get behind the wheel and go. However, a quick car inspection is an important step, especially as 36% of Americans said if they could eliminate one travel inconvenience, it would be vehicle issues. According to the survey, nearly all drivers (86%) check their fuel level before a road trip. Yet only about two-thirds Review any driver’s road trip checklist, and you’ll likely (66%) inspect their engine fluids even though this is also find some items always top the list, such as suitcases, a key recommendation before a long drive. Don’t forget snacks and (sometimes) a spare tire. to plan your refueling or EV charging stops ahead of time: New research from Hankook Tire’s ongoing consumer 27% of drivers said running out of fuel is their top concern Gauge Index Survey found that, when packing for a road on the road. trip, nearly 6 in 10 drivers (58%) said they would prioritize bringing a spare tire and tools. While the majority 2. Kick the tires. said they check their spare tire, getting stuck without Most drivers (78%) check their tire pressure before a road air in the spare could quickly turn an adventure into a trip, and the majority of drivers (90%) have a spare tire in headache. their vehicle. Yet less than half (44%) actually check their Before you hit the road next, here are three ways to spare tire before a long drive. This may be because 71% of prepare: drivers regularly inspect their spare at least once a month,
giving them peace of mind that it’s ready if needed. Before heading out, experts recommend checking tire tread, as well. A quick coin test can confirm your tires are in good shape. Insert a nickel or quarter heads-down into the groove of the tire with the head pointing down. If the top of the head is visible, it’s recommended to replace the tires.
3 must-dos before your next road trip
3. Pack the emergency essentials. Beyond the phone charger and salty-and-sweet snack combo of choice, think about what else you might need if you find yourself in a roadside emergency. Many drivers consider a first-aid kit (25%) and navigation system or map (35%) essential additions to a spare tire. The latter could certainly help avoid many drivers’ biggest worries: More than 1 in 5 (21%) said getting stranded in a remote area is their worst-case scenario for a road trip mishap. No matter where your journey takes you, a little preparation goes a long way. By referring to these insights from Hankook Tire’s Gauge Index Survey, you can start your adventure confidently prepared for whatever the road may bring.
Avoiding a costly lockout: 4 reasons to duplicate your car key Losing your keys may be frustrating, but realizing you’re locked out of your car – without a spare key – can be truly panic-inducing. The price of getting back on the road can depend on several factors, including your vehicle make and model, the type of key that needs replacing and whether the situation calls for emergency roadside assistance. Avoiding a potentially pricey and stressful lockout, which occurs for nearly 4 million Americans each year, starts by planning ahead. According to KeyMe Locksmiths, a service that makes it easy to duplicate car keys at up to 70% off dealership prices, creating a spare before the original is lost, addressing worn keys before they break and keeping backups in secure locations can reduce the need for emergency locksmith services. “A good rule of thumb is to have at least two working keys for your vehicle,” said Samantha Jahnke, chief experience officer for KeyMe Locksmiths. “If you’re down to one, make a spare while you still have a working key. It can save you stress and expense if you’re ever locked out.” Consider these four common reasons drivers make duplicate keys, and how planning ahead can help prevent a lockout from becoming a costly problem.
Have a Backup for Lost or Damaged Keys
One car key isn’t enough, because all it takes is one accident or memory lapse to disrupt your day. Maybe you already had a spare key, but it’s been a while since you’ve seen it. Or perhaps you have a habit of locking your key inside your vehicle, so you’d feel better with an extra. Having a spare – or a spare for the spare – gives you peace of mind you have another way to get back on the road without additional hassle.
Give Another Driver Convenient Access If you share a vehicle with another member of your household, it makes life more convenient for each driver to have their own keys. Instead of passing the primary set back and forth, or arguing over who saw them last, both of you will have reliable access to the car when you need it. Plus, a spare set of keys makes a nice surprise when it’s time to give a new driver in the house access to the car.
Keep a Spare Set for Travel When you’re far from home, it can be especially risky to only have one set of keys with you. If they happen to fall out of your pocket or get misplaced at the hotel, you could wind up stranded hundreds of miles away, facing the stress of finding a replacement service in an unfamiliar area. Bring a spare to keep in a secure location, like a purse or back-
pack that always stays on you, so you can focus on enjoying your vacation. If you realize before a trip you don’t have a spare, plan ahead and get a duplicate made before you hit the road.
Make an Extra for a Used Vehicle
your car only comes with one key, make a backup as soon as possible. Having two working keys can also pay off when it’s time to sell or trade in your vehicle, as a missing spare may reduce its value or give a buyer another reason to negotiate.
Learn more about duplicating keys for more than 40,000 different vehicle Sometimes buying a used vehicle makes, models and years at CopyKeys. means the previous owner has already com. done the work of losing the spare key. If Source: KeyMe Locksmiths
CALENDAR & PUZZLES
18 | THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2026
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CHURCHES MOUNT VERNON St. Paul Lutheran Church L.C.M.S. 600 Fifth Avenue South Pastor: Rev. Sean Hansen www.splcmv.org; send e-mail to info@splcmv.org Sun.: 11 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. Ken Glaser, Pastor Sun.: 8:30 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.umcnv.com An LGBTQ affirming congregation Sundays: In-person and live stream at 8:30 a.m. (Praise Service) and 11 a.m. (traditional service); Sunday School (pre-k through eighth grade; Adult classes) at 9:45 a.m. Livestream link for both services can be found on the church website. Wed.: Rooted Youth Group at 6:30 p.m. (Sixth through eighth grade, multi-church youth group with First Presbyterian and Seeds of Faith Lutheran Church. Follow our Facebook page. Community Bible Church 940 W Mt. Vernon Rd. mvcbc.org, 895-6269 Teaching Pastor Brandon Glaza Discipleship Pastor Dennis Fulkerson Family, Youth, Children Pastor Lonnie Speidel Sun.- 9:30 Worship Service, 11 AM School, 6 PM Sr. High Youth Group Wed.- 6 PM Encounter and Jr. High Youth Group
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. Jay Admundson, Pastor Sun.: 10:30 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
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.
MECHANICSVILLE
Baha’i Faith Nina Scott, Group Secretary, 319-270-9230
First Presbyterian Church 408 E. First Street.
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
Living Hope Bible Church Mechanicsville Memorial Building
Christian Community Church of Mechanicsville 307 East First Street 563-432-7716 Sun: Sunday School 9 a.m. to 9:45 a.m. Worship service 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. St. Mary’s Catholic Church Pastor: Father James Flattery Thurs.: 8:30 a.m. — mass Sun.: 8 a.m. Mass
COMMUNITY CALENDAR Thursday, Sept. 24
Story Time, Cornell College Cole Library Browsing Room, 9:30 a.m. Fiber Friends, Southeast Linn Community Center, 10:30 a.m. Lester Buresh Family Community Wellness Center Adult Speaker series “Iowa Writers Workshop” by Nina Dragicevic and Sang Young Park, LBC, 1 p.m. Mount Vernon Homecoming Festivities (parade, coronation, powderpuff games), Martha Parsons Family Activities Center, 6 p.m. Free Illuminated concert: Cactus Quintet, Lisbon Public Library Heritage Hall, 7 p.m.
Sunday, Sept. 27
Cornell College Craft Fair, Cornell College Thomas Commons Orange Carpet, 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Monday, Sept. 28
Bingo, Southeast Linn Community Center, 10-11:30 a.m. Linn Lunch Bunch, Southeast Linn Community Center, 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Lisbon City Council, Lisbon City Hall, 7 p.m. Reading Friends Book Group, Lisbon Public Library, 7 p.m.
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.
Saturday, Sept. 26
Thursday, Oct. 1
Rhubarb Botanicals farm store, Rhubarb Botanicals farm, 9 a.m. to noon Lincoln Highway Arts Festival, uptown Mount Vernon, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Cornell College Craft Fair, Cornell College Thomas Commons Orange Carpet, 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Mount Vernon Homecoming Dance, Mount Vernon High School, 8-11 p.m.
Across
1 Sound like heaven 5 Game of observation for travel 11 Ad free 14 Brief in pants 15 Correct thoroughly 16 Bad feel 17 Try to place connoisseurs? 19 Cells in compound 20 Checks with style 21 To cop 22 Competition, for starters 24 York ___ 26 Place recording 27 Signals over game 29 Maturity approaching 31 Crows to relatives 32 Free booze 33 Confidentiality of letters? 37 “Done well” 38 Short for “info flight” 39 Sponge bath 40 Nothing doing 41 Say “minus C” 42 Set off 43 Practice Japanese 45 Equal roughly 46 Into light 49 Nags about noise? 51 Land of Spot 52 On-off signs 53 Lines some over draw 57 For repentance some feel 58 Details insignificant contests 61 Spending limits it 62 Forum discussion, popular once 63 Cut short 64 Rock-___ 65 Out with ate, ate, ate 66 Website gift custom
Down
1 URL starter 2 Asian sea currently undergoing replenishment efforts
3 Civil rights icon Parks 4 Shift the gears of, in a way ... or a hint to this puzzle’s Across clues 5 ID in some data breaches 6 Elite H.S. class covering the Constitution 7 Visionary … or what you’ll need to return to when solving this puzzle’s Down clues 8 Loads 9 Babe in the Hundred Acre Wood 10 One advocated for by the National Prison Project 11 Whittled (down) 12 Biblical mount 13 It’s worth remembering! 18 “No idea” 23 Distinctive expression ... or a hint to this puzzle’s Across clues 25 Feature of San Francisco’s Lombard Street 26 Mole, e.g. 27 Firm 28 Like many cricket fields 30 Plan to contribute to, for short 31 One of 1,909 for Willie Mays, for short 34 “___ the Explorer” 35 Some distance away 36 Declare 38 “Oh no! A mouse!” 39 What the second number indicates in men’s jeans sizes 41 Univ. with an annual Mystery Hunt 42 Eager response to “Wanna join?” 44 Goes nuts for 46 Around 47 Garden-variety 48 Wasn’t paying attention 50 Lauder of cosmetics 52 Designer Cassini 54 “I don’t really care / If ya think I’m strange / I ___ gonna change”: Joan Jett 55 N.F.L. commentator Collinsworth 56 Arthur Ashe Courage Award, e.g. 59 Letter after chi 60 The “S” of E.S.T.: Abbr.
Tuesday, Sept. 29
Lego Club, Cornell College Cole Library Room 108, 3:30-4:30 p.m. Nourish and Flourish Walking and Cooking Club, Lisbon Public Library, 6 p.m. Yarn Squad, Cornell College Cole Library, 6:30 p.m.
Friday, Sept. 25
Edited by Will Shortz No. 0820
Story Time, Cornell College Cole Library Browsing Room, 9:30 a.m. Fiber Friends, Southeast Linn Community Center, 10:30 a.m. Lester Buresh Family Community Wellness Center Adult Speaker series “Indian Creek Nature Center Who We are and What We Do” by Sarah Botkin, LBC, 1 p.m. Write Together, Lisbon Public Library, 1:30 p.m.
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PUZZLE SOLUTIONS ON PAGE 2
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Local recounts how EMS actions saved their life
NEWS
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2026 | 19
Nathan Countryman Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun
nathan.countryman@mvlsun.com
“You saved my life,” Luann Yarborough said to a group of Lisbon-Mount Vernon Ambulance Service members Tuesday, Sept. 15. Yarborough had CPR administered back in February, when she had a medical episode, following cellulitis infection and lymphedema. Yarborough said she has limited recollection of that day, or any of the days leading up to her medical emergency. “I remember Christmas of 2025,” Yarborough said. “But after that, it’s all a haze.” She had moved apartments from the ones owned by Spire Property Management near Casey’s over to apartments in the northern portion of Mount Vernon, more handicap accessible. But she doesn’t even remember that move. “I know days before the incident I wasn’t eating, I failed to take my medications and I wasn’t sleeping well,” Yarborough said. On top of those items, she had been told by medical professionals that her potassium levels had bottomed out, and that she needed to take large doses of those medications to help balance.
Right place, right time Yarborough was probably saved due to a visit by her niece, Heather Davis, who was checking in on her once a day. Davis, a CMA, remembered the two were talking and she had went to change the television channel and was searching for a remote. “By the time I turned back around, Luann was in a seizure,” Davis said. “Within five seconds of that, her head had collapsed toward the floor.” Davis did a sternum rub to see if Yarborough would respond, and when she didn’t, she immediately called 911. As dispatch was paging to the ambulance, Davis was checking Yarborough’s airway. “That was a struggle, because Luann was seated in a deep recliner,” Davis said. “I had to move her from that to the floor to begin CPR.” And Davis started compressions, waiting for first responders to arrive. “That was probably the longest portion of my life,” Davis said. “I’m used to doing 30 second rotations on CPR as part of a medical staff, but I was on my own.” The first one to arrive and take over CPR was critical care paramedic Mason Hanson, who lived nearby.
“I live on Fourth Ave. N.W., so I drove immediately to the scene, as opposed to the ambulance shed,” Hanson said. “I was able to take over immediately when I arrived on scene.” Cora Wheeler and R.J. Sutton, Advanced EMTs, also lived in the immediate area and responded from their home to the scene as well. Audrey Tucker said this was one of the first calls she was on as part of the service, during her first shift with LMVAS. “I was relegated to being up front with Tessa as we drove to the scene and then to the hospital, but learned by watching what others were doing,” Tucker said. Jacob Lindauer, LMVAS director, said he was getting ready to head to a board meeting when the page went out. “I immediately took the turn to go the ambulance shed instead,” Lindauer said. Lindauer ran through the timeline for Yarborough. Within the time of the 911 call to ambulance being paged by dispatch was 51 seconds. “From the time of the call to the first person on scene associated with LMVAS was four minutes,” Lindauer said. Lindauer said Yarborough’s life was saved by Davis immediately starting CPR as soon as possible and continuing those lifesaving efforts for three minutes before EMS arrived. LMVAS took over CPR at about five minutes, and the ambulance was on scene in five minutes and 38 seconds. “Our response time in the ambulance for the majority of calls is 9.3 minutes,” Lindauer said. Shocks were administered within 9 minutes, and her heartbeat was back in 14 minutes within the time of the call. Two shocks were administered, as well as epinephrine to restore her heart function. In the interim, an airway was placed as well to better deliver oxygen. Lindauer said that even after getting her heartbeat restored, crews worked on Yarborough in the ambulance on scene to better stabilize her before transporting her to a local hospital. “It’s much easier to do some of that work in a stationary ambulance,” Lindauer said. One of the things they noted when doing the EKG in the ambulance was that her heart stopping function was not from a heart attack.
Recovery of five weeks
Nathan Countryman | Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun
Top: LuAnn Yarborough and her family members with the Lisbon-Mount Vernon Ambulance Service and Mount Vernon Fire Department members who assisted with her call for service in early February and survived a cardiac episode. Above: Heather Davis gives a recounting of LuAnn's recovery at the hospital after the medical incident in the LMVAS conference room. Yarborough said she feels much better now than she did in early February. She spent three weeks in the hospital, two weeks at Hallmark Care Center in Mount Vernon to recover. Davis explained that Yarborough was in intensive care for roughly six days. “She was fighting multiple infections, which meant she was spiking a fever those first days,” Davis said. “Her fever was so hot, it was melting the leads needed for the EMG.” Yarborough also had multiple other seizures over those first three days, but that eventually tapered off. On day five, Yarborough opened her eyes, but they were fixed on one location. On day six, however, she finally started responding to others, and that’s when she was taken off a ventilator and moved to a non intensive care room. Yarborough admits she still has some survivor’s guilt she is working through, about all she put first responders through in the whole ordeal. “All I have felt since being in that hospital and back to the land of the living has been pure unconditional love,” Yarborough said. “You saved my life and gave me a new beginning.” Yarborough had no heart or brain damage from the incident, again attributed to first responders being on
scene as soon as possible. Lindauer said the chances of surviving when CPR is administered is 13.2 percent. In rural areas, the survival rate is much lower, usually due to the response time from paging to arrival on scene. It’s one of the reasons the EMS district funding is so important for the ambulance crew, as having paramedics on scene in the area will decrease the amount of time from page to being on scene to a medical emergency. Yarborough said she knows how important LMVAS is to the communities. Her family moved to Lisbon in 1970, four years before the first ambulance was in service in this community. Her dad, Carl O’Connor, had need of that ambulance a few years after the service started in the area. Her mother, Beryl O’Connor, also had a few trips on the ambulance. When it came time to vote in the election on Sept. 1, Yarborough was there to make that vote, like 92.6 percent of the rest of the communities of Mount Vernon and Lisbon. “That’s one thing I knew that I could do to make a difference,” Yarborough said. Sharing her story is another, and letting first responders know how there efforts have made a difference.
NEWS
20 | THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2026
RamAPalooza
Photos by Nathan Countryman | Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun
Top left: Adam Henz with PAAC spins up some cotton candy. Despite the humid weather, the candy machine was very popular. Top right: Alicia Swank gets her face painted with a tiger mask at Ram-A-Palooza. Above left: A group of college students welcome a service dog in training, who used Ram-A-Palooza as a great time for some socializing. Above right: Christian and Ike splash down after a race down one of the inflatables at Ram-A-Palooza. Above: A group of Cornell College students sit in for a caricature booth at Ram-APalooza Thursday, Sept. 17.
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