Downtown reinvestment grant to be reviewed by Lisbon City Council
Nathan Countryman
Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun nathan.countryman@mvlsun.com
The Lisbon City Council will be evaluating the downtown reinvestment grant at a work session ahead of the Oct. 14 city council meeting.
The council is wanting projects that apply to come before council prior to the awards being made to talk about their planned improvements.
Previously, Lisbon Historic Preservation Commission has helped with the review of applications to make sure any improvements planned adhere to the Department of the Interior’s guidelines for improvements to historic buildings. That includes looking at items like tuckpointing for bricks and windows.
City administrator Brandon Siggins said the council ultimately decides the recipients of the projects in the end, and the time frame of many of the projects.
Applicants need to identify the contractors they are working with in their application.
Mayor Doug O’Connor said that leaves instances where a project that was awarded in November sits on money that doesn’t get utilized for its purpose in a fiscal year, when other projects could have moved forward in the interim.
Siggins said the council could look at amending the policy so that any money that was not used in said fashion could roll over to the next year so others could get projects tackled.
O’Connor said another issue is people who make repairs to businesses in the downtown, but said businesses are never open to the public.
That has him and other council members wanting to review the process for the applications.
“The goal is that we’re working to enhance businesses that attract people in the downtown,” said council member Kevin Steele.
The process currently asks for planning and zoning to review applications, as well as LHPC.
MV Alumni give advice to students, reflect on careers
Nathan Countryman | Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun
Alumni hall of fame - (Back, from left) Rick Elliott (Mount Vernon School Board president) Paige Schurbon (Mount Vernon student council representative) Rhonda Ewing (nominator of Jude Smith), Dave Ryan (nominator of Wayne Hormann), Judi Hormann (nominator of Wayne Hormann), Jeremy Hotz (nominator of Wayne Hormann), Kathy Bearce (nominator of Rev. James Moore), Emily Wilkinson Vislisel (nominator of Tom Wilkinson), Gail Yeisley Rhodes (nominator of Bill Yeisley), Sarah Rife Patten (Mount Vernon Alumni Association) and John Rife (master of ceremonies of the hall of fame induction ceremony), (front, from left) Jude Smith (fine arts hall of fame inductee), Wayne Horman (athletics hall of fame inductee), Lt. Col Robert Moore (accepting the service hall of fame for his late father, Rev. James Moore), Tom Wilkinson (community impact hall of fame inductee), Bill Yeisley (achievement hall of fame inductee).
have today, as many of those will be lifelong friendships to maintain for years to come.
She also reminded students of the importance of their families in all that they accomplish.
Nathan Countryman
Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun
nathan.countryman@mvlsun.com
Mount Vernon Alumni Hall of Fame inductees offered students advice and reflected on their careers at a ceremony Friday, Sept. 27 at Mount Vernon Performing Arts Center.
Fine arts hall of fame inductee Jude Smith offered students three important pieces of advice to remember — “do what you love, do it well, and do it with passion.”
She reiterated how much an influence art teacher Mrs. Swenson had on her life, setting her on the path that would eventually lead to her professional career.
“She was always encouraging me to continue to pursue my dreams,” Smith said.
She also reminded students to look at the friendships they
“I truly wouldn’t be here without my family,” Smith said. “We all know someone in our lives who needs an extra little bit of love in their life, and I encourage you to do that.”
Wayne Hormann was the athletics hall of fame inductee this year.
His advice for students came from his coach in high school James Bellamy — “you as an individual have to do your job to the best of your ability.”
“The team you have behind you in life will always be there to support you in the end,” Hormann said.
Hormann pointed to the facilities that Mount Vernon has now created in the past decade to benefit students, including the performing arts center and Martha Parsons Family Activity Complex.
“Those facilities make it easier for you to excel in your pas-
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From the Bell Curve to the Big Bang
Event connects radio science and Big Bang’s connection
Nathan Countryman
Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun
nathan.countryman@mvlsun.com
Roger Dana, Ph. D., led a discussion that highlighted the Big Bang and Bell Curve are connected via science.
Dana said he began putting together this presentation back in 2017, when more anti-science and anti-vaxxers were getting more coverage.
“I was really offended by that, and wanted to put together a rebuttal,” Dana said. “This isn’t really a rebuttal, but a speech that highlights the integrity, rigor and beauty of science.”
Dana started explaining how the Gaussian distribution, also known as the Bell Curve or normal distribution, is important to science.
“You can observe a Galton board’s distribution, and you’ll see some higher numerals compared to the bell curve, as well as some lower,” Dana said. “But that is a random process, and if you look at the results, most of the curve is towards the middle. That happens again and again, from bin to bin.”
Dana then walked through how radio signals work.
A radio is a speaker and an automatic aim control for those listening. When the aim control matches the signal of the radio, that’s when the sound of the radio comes in the strongest.
“What you don’t notice is that the radio noise is always there,” Dana said. “When you find the right frequency, the speaker is able to broadcast a clear signal that overpowers the radio noise.”
When you are not fully locked into a radio signal, you hear that static alongside the signal you’re trying to hear.
Dana said in radio science, the important data is the signal in period compared to noise in the same timeframe.
Long distance communication via radio was important in World War II, and was helped by scientist and actress Hedy Lamarr.
When scientists began turning their eyes to space, they began to wonder how they could best send signals from a long distance to be heard and understood back on Earth.
The Russians were first to fire an orbital satellite into orbit in 1957, which spurred the United States to increase funding to science, technology, engineering and math fields for the next couple of decades.
The U.S. were able to send their own satellites and ships into orbit in the coming years.
One of the biggest accomplishments for NASA was launching Mariner 4, which was a satellite whose orbit would take it past Mars.
The challenge with that launch came to how the device could communicate to Earth from such long distances. An even bigger challenge was the device only had a total of 310 watts of power to work with.
With Mars being more than 36 million miles away, the strength of the signal would weaken due to that distance.
Scientists worked on how to get the amount of modulation in the signal by finding the maximum number of bits that could be modulated by a signal.
Claude Shannon was the scientist who found the limit on modulation of radio signals. That curve that he discovered followed closely to the bell curve. There is a limit to the amount of power that can be contributed to a signal before it is overpowered by noise, and that curve follows along that bell curve. If you add more and more bits to a signal as well, that also increases the signal to noise ratio along that same bell curve.
“You start to get gibberish if you’re sending too much information over the bell curve,” Dana said. “If you’re below the curve, there’s a chance you’re also being drowned out by noise.”
Scientists that came after further confirmed Shannon’s finding with their own models and testing.
Dana said that compared to the supercomputers used in the 1960s, the cell phones that many of us use to this day have far more computer processing to them and how they are able to utilize signal towers to modulate their communication.
Dana said that Arno Penzias and Robert Wilson were some of the first scientists that discovered cosmic microwave radiation with their antenna in the 1960s when they were using it as a telescope. They discovered a constant low level of background noise in all of their observations. Like good scientists, they ruled out all other possibilities that it wasn’t their machine or other areas that were contributing to the signal.
Robert Dicke, a scientist at Princeton University, had been pursuing a theory about the Big Bang that if there had been a big bang, residue from that explosion should form a low-level background radiation in the universe. Penzias and Wilson’s observation was an observation of that Big Bang theory. Their observation has been confirmed and built upon by others, who are able to give even more observations of the distribution of that
Lisbon Homecoming activities planned
Nathan Countryman
Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun
nathan.countryman@mvlsun.com
Lisbon’s Homecoming activities will take place Oct. 7 through Oct. 12. Monday, Oct. 7’s dress up theme for all grades is U.S.A. Day. High schoolers have the challenge of anything but a backpack to carry their supplies that day.
The junior varsity football game at Wapello begins at 6 p.m., and the first year/sophomore and junior varsity volleyball game at Cascade begins at 6:45 p.m.
Tuesday, Oct. 8’s dress up day theme is rhyming partner day for the elementary grade levels and rhyme without reason day for high school.
The first night of parent/teacher conferences begin from 4-8 p.m. The high school
volleyball team takes to the road to face off against North Cedar, with first year/sophomore games beginning at 5:15 p.m.
Wednesday, Oct. 9’s dress up day is neon day for elementary students. For high school it’s class color day with seniors in blue, juniors in purple, sophomores in yellow and first-year students in pink.
New this year will be the homecoming parade, begins at 6:15 p.m. Parade line-up is at 5:50 p.m.
The route will begin and end at the school.
The parade route will proceed from Jefferson to Market Street and down to Jackson Street, then south a block on Jackson Street.
The route will then head westbound on Main Street back towards Jefferson Street. At Jefferson Street, the parade will proceed back to the school.
Powder puff football games begin at 7 p.m.at Walmer Field with first-year students
Volume 155 I Issue 40
108 1st St SW, Mount Vernon, IA 52314
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STAFF
Publisher Jason Brummond jason.brummond@dailyiowan.com
Editor Nathan Countryman nathan.countryman @mvlsun.com
Sports Ryan Suchomel ryan.suchomel@mvlsun.com
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Advertising Sales Paul Rowland paul.rowland@mvlsun.com
radiation that helps envision how galaxies are formed.
“Science is built on discoveries and understanding the underlying principles,” Dana said. “Understanding the principles and asking the correct questions leads to new discoveries. We scientists stand on the work of those done in the past. The hardest part of all research is finding out the right question to ask.”
Discussion after the presentation focused on the balance of faith and science.
Dana explained that he views the Big Bang as a creation of God.
One questioner said that some people in STEM say delving into the questions of the Big Bang Theory is heretical to God’s existence.
“My counterargument is God gave us brains,” Dana said. “If we’re not meant to use our brains, why do we have them? I think looking into how God created the universe, I think it’s understanding God beyond the Biblical story.”
Dana also outlined his faith comes from his family background. His grandparents were devout members of the Dutch Reformed church.
“I think the Bible is the inspired word of God, not the literal words of God,” Dana said. “The Genesis stories in the bible are there to help us understand that this is God’s world.”
vs. seniors, 7:25 p.m. sophomores vs. juniors and 8:05 p.m.-ish the championship game.
Thursday, Oct. 10’s dress up day is decades day for all students. At the high school, seniors are encouraged to dress up to the 80s, juniors the 2000s, sophomores the ‘90s and first-year students the ‘70s.
The Lisbon Lions volleyball team will compete at home against Easton Valley, with fresh/soph taking the court at 5:15 p.m.
Friday, Oct. 11’s dress up theme is spirit day.
Coronation of homecoming king and queen is at 6 p.m. The Lions will face off against Danville at 7 p.m.
Lisbon’s homecoming dance is Saturday, Oct. 12, from 8-10:30 p.m. at the Tin Roof Hideaway and Events Center.
Correction In the cutline for the Abbe Creek Gallery in the Sept 26 newspaper, Susan Hoyler was misidentified as Susan Campagna. The Sun apologizes for the error.
Office/Sales Assistant Rochelle Ferguson rochelle.ferguson@mvlsun. com
Production Manager Heidi Owen heidi.owen@dailyiowan.com
Business Manager Debbie Plath debra.plath@dailyiowan.com
Official Newspaper: Mount Vernon, Lisbon, Bertram, Linn County, Mount Vernon Community School District, Lisbon Community School District The Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun (USPS 367-520), a division of The Daily Iowan, is published weekly every Thursday by Student Publications, Inc., 100 Adler Journalism Building, Room E131, Iowa City, Iowa 52242. Periodicals Postage Paid at the Mount Vernon Post Office and additional offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun, 108 1st St SW, Mount Vernon, IA 52314. Subscriptions: Contact Rochelle Ferguson at 319-895-6216 or rochelle.ferguson@mvlsun.com for additional information. Subscription rates: Linn and adjoining counties – $55 annually; elsewhere in Iowa – $75 annually; out of state – $85 annually.
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Nathan Countryman | Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun Roger Dana presents on how the Big Bang and the Bell Curve are connected via radio science discoveries.
sions,” Hormann said. “You have a whole team of people, from your superintendent, administrators and teachers who are here to support you as well. You also have this great community. The other thing I’d remind you is you need to have fun in the time you’re going through the Mount Vernon School systems.”
The service hall of fame award went to the late Rev. James Moore, and was accepted on his behalf by his son Lt. Col. Robert Moore.
Kathy Bearce, James sister, said the family originally moved to Mount Vernon to make sure the children had the best education.
Robert said the advice he was sure his father would give to all students — “don’t be afraid to get involved in your community.”
“There are so many things that need to be fixed everywhere,” Robert said. “Don’t capitulate that work to others if you have a chance to get involved and help.”
Robert said his father’s love of service was carried out in his family, with two of his sons serving in the military.
As someone who is working on the improvements to artificial intelligence, Robert’s other piece of advice to students was to be ready to “embrace change.”
“Change is coming from the world of artificial intelligence,” Robert said.
Community impact hall of fame inductee Tom Wilkinson said that he thought years ago he was going to be away from Mount Vernon, but when the opportunity came and he was drawn back to teach German, it’s been one of the best decisions of his life.
His advice to students —“Be thankful to the people who are involved in your life and show them gratitude.”
He also commended students to embrace respect – for
The Scoop:
Put Community Leaders Breakfast on your calendar
Mount VernonLisbon Community Development Group
Hello readers! This section is where you will find information from the Mount Vernon-Lisbon Community Development Group. This may include Press Releases, business grant opportunities, Main Street Iowa updates, volunteer opportunities, as well as highlighted upcoming events.
the teammates alongside you, officials who are along side you in your journey, your opponents who show the same respect to you, but mostly respect for yourself.
His last piece of advice came from Matt Saltzman, the now gold winning paralympic archer.
“Think and believe you are a champion, and you’ll always be a champion right now,” Wilkinson said.
And instead of just focusing on your own goals, help others achieve their own and it will help you reach your own goal.
Bill Yeisley was inducted for the achievement hall of fame for his work on helping train officials of many games. He called being inducted into the alumni hall of fame the “frosting on the cake for doing something I enjoyed for so long.”
Yeisley officiated over his last athletic contest 10 years ago.
He hoped that hearing about his own accomplishments in his career encouraged more people to consider being an official for athletic contests in the state.
“Tonight, at the homecoming game at Mount Vernon, you’re going to have numerous officials at the game,” Yeisley said. “That’s the same for roughly half the schools in Iowa. Every Friday night there is a need for an official, and that’s the same for so many sports.”
He also commended Mount Vernon as a community for being a great place to have grown up and the opportunities he and his sisters had over the years.
Spots
LBC Open House and Wellness Fair
Join Lester Buresh Family Community Wellness Center staff for an open house and wellness fair Thursday, Oct. 10, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Discover ways to get active, engaged, healthy and connected. Learn about wellness resources with participating organizations. See all the LBC has to offer with programs & fitness classes. Are you on Medicare? You may be eligible for a free membership. Register to win a $50 LBC gift card. Light appetizers served.
Participating Organizations include: United Way of East Central Iowa, SHIIP Iowa’s Medicare Resource, Southeast Linn Community Center, RISE - Retired Individuals Supporting Education, Linn County Master Gardeners, Heritage Area Agency on Aging, Alzheimer’s Association and Wellness Coalition of Rural Linn County.
group will move indoors. Please dress for the weather. The lodge does not have running water in the bathrooms in October.
Parent teacher fall conferences
Washington Elementary Parent Teacher Conferences will be held on Tuesday, Oct. 22, from 4-8 p.m. and then Wednesday, Oct. 23, from 1:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. A sign-up link will be sent out Oct 7 and will open at 10 a.m.
MV Middle School fall conferences
This year’s formal parent-teacher conference nights are Wednesday, Oct. 23, from 2- 6:30 p.m. and Thursday, Oct. 24 from 4-8 p.m.
October is looking to be a busy month in our corridor! Fall is in the air and so are many wonderful activities. Be sure to check out the Community Calendar of The Sun and save the dates! CDG Director Jessie Thurn hopes to meet our community leaders at the first Community Leaders Breakfast at 7:30 a.m. on Thursday, Oct. 10, at Cornell College Thomas Commons, Smith Dining Room. Scan the QR code for event details on our Facebook page or visit www.visitmvl.com, Upcoming Events section.
Registration for girls’ basketball underway
Lisbon Parks and Recreation and Mount Vernon Parks and Recreation are holding their registration for girls’ basketball programs this fall.
Mount Vernon’s registration deadline is Friday, Oct. 11. Cost for girls in third through sixth grade is $45 for residents and $50 for non-residents. Teams played against include Solon, Anamosa, Springville or Lisbon beginning Nov. 9. Practice times will be determined by Oct. 28.
Cost for girls in the first and second grade program is $37 for residents and $42 for non-residents. Practices begin Nov. 2, which runs for three weeks of clinics and three weeks of games and skill training played at Washington Elementary School.
Register online at mtvernon.recdesk.com or at the Lester Buresh Center, 855 Palisades Road S.W.
At Lisbon, registration deadline is Friday, Oct. 11, for girls in first through sixth grade. Forms are available at Lisbon City Hall or www.cityoflisbon-ia.gov. Games are tentatively scheduled for Saturday mornings in November through December. Cost for the girls basketball program is $45, which includes a reversible micro-mesh jersey (or $30 if you have an existing jersey).
An introductory program to the sport is also available at the $20 cost that runs for four to five weeks.
Any questions contact 319-231-4991 or email lisbonparkandrecfirector@gmail.com.
How to take nature photographs
Friends of the Palisades Kepler State Park will be hosting “How to Take Nature Photographs” at the Palisades-Kepler State Park lodge Sunday, Oct. 20, at noon. Gina Molby is returning this year after having a successful event in 2023. Molby will talk about how to use your camera to take nature photographs. Molby has a masters degree in fine arts.
This event will meet by the lodge. In case of rain, the
An informational letter concerning Middle School Fall Conferences will be emailed to middle school parents (sent to the first parent listed in PowerSchool) on Friday, October 4, and includes instructions regarding how to sign up for conferences through our online process. Sign up will open at 7 a.m. on Monday, Oct. 7.
Fifth grade core class teachers will meet individually with parents while sixth – eighth grade core class teachers will again be paired together for student conferences. Parents are asked to schedule one conference for each child.
If you feel that you need more time than our conference setup allows for, please contact one of your child’s teachers directly through email, or call the school at (319) 895-6254 to set up a meeting for another time.
Mount Vernon seventh grade leaf raking
Mount Vernon seventh grade students will be raking leaves for elderly or sick Friday, Oct. 25 (rain date of Thursday, Oct. 31) as a community service project. They are still looking for yards to rake for those who are in need.
If you are interested in having the students rake your property, please reach out to the Middle School office prior to Oct. 21 to let them know you are interested. They can be reached at (319) 895-6254.
MV Booster Club Can trailer has moved
The Booster Club can trailer has moved to a new location this year.
Cans and bottles can now be recycled at 2401 Business 30 SW just outside of Mount Vernon.
All donations help support Mustang Athletics. The following sports will be the benefactors of the funds raised from the donations:
October: Wrestling
November: Cross Country
Thank you for your support!
Nathan Countryman | Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun It was a heck of a birthday surprise for Homecoming King Seamus O’Connor. Homecoming queen was Betsy Louwagie. Both were named at coronation Thursday, Sept. 26.
OPINIONS
In case of fireworks — throw baby
Living in Iowa
Dan Brawner
First of all, for the record, you should never throw your baby. Even on Independence Day. (More on this later.)
Recently, the Johnson County Board of Supervisors has been reviewing its fireworks policy over safety concerns. In 2017, consumer fireworks were legalized in Iowa. It is generally known that personal injuries spike every year on the Fourth of July. According to the US Consumer Product Safety Commission, in 2023, there were reports of 9,700 fireworks-related accidents and eight deaths that occurred on the holiday. There were 800 injuries with firecrackers requiring emergency room treatment and 700 with sparklers.
Johnson County was particularly concerned about one incident reported in an unincorporated area in which a private individual fired a rocket at an unsafe angle which appeared to be heading at a mother and her baby. In a hasty attempt to protect her child, the mother tossed the baby into the air. Thankfully neither was struck by the rocket, but the baby suffered a broken leg from the fall.
Whereas the mother’s instinct to protect her child is commendable, one might question why, in the face of danger, her first impulse was to throw her baby. She might have shielded her child from the rocket with her body. Or ducked.
Statistically, it would seem that the odds of getting hit by a cheap, consumer-grade rocket are relatively low and that a rocket, being airborne is more likely to strike targets that are also in the air (like a tossed baby). And, perhaps the situation calls for some degree of pre-planning. Like a fire drill. For example, if you know you will be attending a celebration in which idiots are shooting off random deadly fireworks, you could bring a trashbcan lid as a shield, helmets for everybody and maybe a fireproof blanket. Or better yet, don’t subject your baby to deafening and dangerous explosives.
Aside from the obvious hazards of fire, air pollution, property damage and physical trauma, fireworks can trigger anxiety in those suffering from post-traumatic stress syndrome. Fireworks induce panic in around 5% of American adults (and 100% of Labrador retrievers). Rockets red glare and bombs bursting in air—how is that fun? It sounds more like war. What sane person brings their children and pets to a battlefield and spreads out a picnic lunch? What’s wrong with that picture?
Alternatively, people could celebrate the Fourth of July by attending laser shows and those high-tech drone displays. Or traditional municipal fireworks produced by professionals.
Currently, while it is permitted to set off fireworks within cities in Iowa, it is illegal to do so in unincorporated areas. So, what is the Johnson County Board of Supervisor’s solution to the fireworks problem? They want to also make it legal to shoot off fireworks in unincorporated areas—as long as it’s done between 9 a.m. and 11 p.m. Fireworks would still be dangerous, loud, smelly and hazardous to property. Just more predictable. Basically, they want to remove the crime by removing the penalty for the crime. Like throwing out the baby with the bathwater.
SUN EDITORIAL
Homecomings
What a Homecoming weekend for Mount Vernon. Couldn’t have asked for better weather.
The parade route this year went extremely smoothly from Washington Elementary back to the Mustangs Activity Complex, winding down College Boulevard. We think keeping that close to campus helped keep parking not being as big of a fight, as many chose to park near the route to attend the parade and walk to the complex.
The pep rally, coronation and powderpuff football game were held Thursday evening at Armstrong Field in the Martha Par-
sons activity Complex.
Friday morning saw the inductee of a new class of Mount Vernon Alumni Hall of Fame inductees.
We agree with principal Steve Brand that it is an honor and privilege that for the past 17 years inductees have been named and several years students have had opportunities to hear their life advice and accomplishments to spur them on to achieve their goals and dreams.
And just to think, in less than a week from now we have Lisbon’s homecoming with their parade to look forward to as well.
have touched a $100 bill in my life, maybe that’s just a different feel to that bill.
Nathan Countryman
Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun nathan.countryman@mvlsun.com
ny side
I had a great Lincoln Highway Arts Festival weekend. I bought a couple of new art pieces at the event.
Drank two excellent floats from the Floats food truck (one for breakfast, one for a Hobbit style afternoon snack) and had great meals at uptown restaurants. I had cinnamon rolls I saved for breakfast on Sunday.
Easily spent the $90 in my pocket I had allotted for the festival in the end, which again, was my goal.
When I went over to Chameleon’s to spend most of the last of my cash for the weekend Saturday evening, I was excited when I stumbled on a bill lying on the ground.
But within that first touch, it already felt slightly off. I handle a fair amount of cash, usually getting $20 back from Gary’s or Casey’s stops, so I’ve gotten used to the feel of that cloth/paper blend money has.
The bill I picked up didn’t have that feeling. It felt much more like paper.
It had $100 in all the corners, which again, had me thinking “I may have just broken even on the weekend!” I rarely
Stop spreading untruths
C. Sherene
Hansen Player
I am concerned about stories that are swirling around in the press that are being purported as facts by some, but come from third-hand stories that are merely gossip and used to garner sensation. Passing on these untruths are hurting many and undermine our democracy when they are used to gain votes for a candidate. The ramifications are long lasting for the people who are affected.
Let’s get the facts straight. No pets or water fowl have been taken in Springfield, Ohio, by Haitian immigrants to be eaten. The woman who first posted her supposition that this was happening has admitted that she was passing on a third-hand story that she had heard without any basis of fact. She just couldn’t resist gossiping about this possible horrific event. The images that people have used to support the claims were found to have come from other cities and don’t depict what people think they are showing.
Trump has also claimed that Aurora, Colo., has been “taken over by Venezuelan Gangs.” Looking into this falsehood shows that there is one apartment building in Aurora that had one call to the police in July. That is all. Many of the residents of the apartment complex are migrants, but their biggest complaint has been that their requests to repair broken things in the apartment have gone ignored by the management.
Not only am I disappointed by these situations of spreading falsehoods, but they strike me personally. I was born in Ohio, just an hour northeast of Springfield. The people there are kind and welcoming. Ohio was one of the first friendly locations for escaping slaves once they made it across the Ohio River and the National Underground Freedom Center is located in Cincinnati, Ohio.
I wrote last month about my visit to the Molly Brown house in Denver, Colo. For that trip, we happened to stay in Aurora. This was in August when all of the “turmoil” was supposed
I put it in my pocket and ate my supper, and then when I got back to the newspaper office to pick up some items before my next event, I looked at the other telltale signs I’ve been ingrained in checking for larger bills. It didn’t have the color changing ink in the lower right-hand corner that has rolled out in my lifetime as an anti-counterfeit measure. It didn’t have the USA100 strip when held to the light, nor the Franklin watermark.
And, upon flipping it over, there was a true dead giveaway — the bill had Chinese symbols in the bottom right corner’s 100. The obvious became true. This wasn’t a real $100, nor a windfall for the recipient. This was the type of bill if you tried to spend it, you’ll have to deal with the local police and explain where you got it and hurt businesses that didn’t check for it. I set it aside for the night and went to my local D&D meet up and enjoyed my evening, and I made plans to call this in on Monday.
Officer Gehrke kindly picked it up and added it to his evidence for an ongoing case, since it was the second spotted in the area. But as I shared on Facebook, it unsettled me when I discovered it just lying in the open like that. There may be more that got to others hands who didn’t closely evaluate it. Especially if the adage is true that there are many bills in circulation that touch 15 hands or more in the course of their lives.
If you are ever in doubt about a bill, contact your local banks or the police department. They can help you verify if it is real or not.
to be happening in Aurora. I looked up on a map how close we were to the apartment complex that Trump keeps talking about and it is just a few blocks from our hotel. I didn’t feel any of the “horrors” that Trump describes.
When we travel we try to eat at local restaurants instead of at chains we can find back home, so we were thrilled when we found a Guatemalan restaurant that was tucked into a neighborhood in Aurora and experienced such delicious food. My daughter wanted to go shopping at some thrift stores and we found a wonderful one in Aurora. Not once during these times and other outings in Aurora did I feel unsafe or did we witness the atmosphere that Trump describes when he talks about Aurora.
This all reminds me of a story that I heard many years ago that goes like this; a young woman was unhappy with her life and went to a wise woman to get advice. The wise woman told the young woman to take a feather pillow to the top of a hill on a windy day and open up the pillow to let the feathers out and then return. The young woman did as she was told, unsure of how this act would help her with her unhappiness. When she returned to the wise woman she was told to go back to the hill and collect all of the feathers. “How can I do that? They have scattered everywhere,” she responded to the wise woman.
“Exactly,” replied the wise woman. “I know that you have spent your days gossiping around town and this has made you unhappy. You cannot take back the lies you have spread about others, just like you cannot collect all the feathers that have blown to the wind. Only speak kindness and truth of others and you will find happiness in your life.”
When I heard this simple story, I didn’t really have a problem with gossip, but it had a huge impact on me. I realized that once we share something with someone, we have no control over what someone else will do with that information. And now with social media this situation is exacerbated. It is imperative that we are careful with our words and that we don’t pass on anything that isn’t true, regardless of how salacious the tidbit of information might be.
Let us think twice before we share something that we’ve heard. Let us think twice before we believe stories that are outrageous. Let us give others the benefit of the doubt, just as we would want others to do the same for us. And when we hear of untrue things being said of others, let us correct the wrongs that are being said and, above all, never pass them on to others.
Making a Difference
Thank you to the over 140 Community members that showed their support by attending the Legislative Candidates Forum for Iowa District #83. The gift of your time to learn about the candidates as well as to reach out to your neighbors that don’t necessarily think like you do is impressive.
We appreciate that Cindy Golding (I) and Kent McNally were able to take time out of their busy schedules to attend the forum and answer a variety of questions that highlighted their views on the issues and policies affecting our community and the State of Iowa. And thank you to the MVCSD for the help of their staff and use of the Performing Arts Center Lobby for the forum.
Consider joining the League of Women Voters to help us continue our work of empowering voters and defending democracy through voter education and nonpartisan programming.
(Information on becoming a member at: lwvlinncounty. org)
Remember to cast your vote Tuesday, Nov. 5! Empowering Voters. Defending Democracy
Carol Woods-Boren and Marti Hurst Co-Chairs of the Mount Vernon/ Lisbon Unit of the League of Women Voters of Linn County
Rep. Golding impressive resume
Cindy Golding impressed me at the Mount Vernon League of Women Voters candidate forum. Cindy was knowledgeable and eloquent as she spoke about her efforts to defend us against the unconstitutional abuse of eminent domain by private companies for toxic CO2 pipelines.
She is a champion for property tax reform that would simplify Iowa’s convoluted and unfair property tax system and make local governments more transparent and responsive.
She spoke passionately about the need to protect our water quality and improve care for the elderly in our nursing homes. She also vigorously defended our need to maintain Iowa’s emergency fund as insurance against hard economic times that might otherwise require draconian cuts to state funding for essential services we depend on.
Cindy reads every bill she votes on, proposes common sense amendments where appropriate, asks tough questions and isn’t afraid to challenge legislators from either party if she doesn’t get the answers she needs.
We have been fortunate to have Cindy represent district 83 over the past two years, and we would be wise to reelect her this November.
Nelson Baethke Mount Vernon
The Big Picture
The introduction of the conservative plan Project 2025 has been presented as something to fear for the future. Looking at legislation passed in Republican controlled states like Iowa, it is clear that the Project’s intended changes to society have already begun. There is a very effective plan underway to have each state pass the same laws regardless of the constituent majority wishes. Interference with reproductive health care options, transfer of funds from public schools to private and religious schools under the guise of parental choice, interference with the civil rights for the LGBTQ+ citizens and immigrants, removal of books ignoring parental choice are only a sample of the work of this movement. Looking at the big picture, what is being revealed is the decades long effort to use the tools of our system to re-shape our society; reshape education, the courts, individual rights, religious freedoms, redefine family units, demonize immigrants—the list goes on.
Make no mistake, should Trump win a second term the far-right conservative entities behind the common legislation adopted by multiple states and behind the content of Project 2025 will see their dreams come true. He will empower the movement to create havoc for immigrants, legal and undocumented, which will have immense consequences to families, to employers depending on their labor, to our sense of decency as a country. He and his loyal minions will pass laws and rules that will essentially eliminate the ability for family planning, interfere with medical responses to women and girls of childbearing age, and take the rights of the LGBTQ+ families to make decisions in their best interest. The movement will provide only their loyal believers to Trump for installation in positions of power and in the court system at every level. Voices of dissenters will be silenced.
Your vote is your power. Do not sit this one out. You can help stop this movement by voting for Democrats at all levels of our government in order to begin to undo the damage that has already been done and to prevent further harm.
Linda Kemp Mount Vernon
Iowa’s abortion policy: not the will of Iowans
The most recent Iowa poll, one of the most respected polls nationally, finds that 59% of Iowans – 69% of Iowa women – disapprove of the 6-week abortion ban. 37% of Iowans – 27% of Iowa women – approve of the law.
This law was passed last year by the Republican-dominated legislature in a one-day special session called specifically to railroad this law into passage without real debate and input from Iowans.
The 37% of Iowans – 27% of Iowa women – who support the 6-week ban deserve to hold and live their values regarding women’s health and decisions. But 1/3 of Iowans – 1/4 of Iowa women - should not dictate the lives of ALL
gov to receive an email containing a link to complete your request.
• Download a form from the Linn County website.
• Call or email the Election Services Office at 319-8925300 or Elections@LinnCountyIowa.gov.
There are three ways to return completed absentee ballot request forms:
• Mail completed forms to: Election Services 935 Second St. SW Cedar Rapids, IA 52404
• Deposit completed forms in the white drop box outside the Jean Oxley Linn County Public Service Center, 935 Second St. SW in Cedar Rapids
• Drop off completed forms at the Elections Office service counter on the second floor of the Jean Oxley Linn County Public Service Center.
The Auditor’s Office will begin mailing absentee ballots on Wednesday, October 16 to voters who request them.
In-Person “Early” Absentee Voting
In-person “early” absentee voting will be available at the Linn County Public Service Center, 935 Second St. SW, Cedar Rapids from Oct. 16 through Nov. 4 on the following days:
Iowans.
Two-thirds of Iowans – three-fourths of Iowa women - deserve to be represented, especially in decisions that affect their lives and families so personally. It is time to allow Iowa to return to its original law which allowed abortions until about week 20. It is time to pass laws that reflect the beliefs/values/opinions of the super-majority of Iowans. It is time to stop minority rule in Iowa. It is time to elect Democrats to the state legislature to represent the will of Iowans.
Cindy Golding out of touch with District 83
I read the newspaper and saw the forum. I found it has confirmed my opinion from the past years of corresponding with Rep. Golding. She is out of touch with District 83. Minimum wage: It was intended to be a living wage since its inception. I’ve worked fulltime jobs, as an adult with a family, on minimum wage. You hope to advance, a dime at a time. Today many jobs are at minimum wage. It’s amazing Golding didn’t hear herself as she described an employee refusing a raise, to keep SNAP benefits, etc. Tells me she needs to offer better wages and raises!
School vouchers: They are, in reality, a voucher for the majority who apply all to tuition. Now school districts in House 83 have serious budget discussions and cuts. Golding never addressed the question about annual accountability of private schools. Her answer to me when I lobbied before the bill- “83 doesn’t have any private schools, so it won’t affect us.” Golding is out of touch. There’s plenty of private schools within an easy 20-minute drive.
Gender identity: I will never forget our city council meeting where Golding weighed in via zoom- and had her mic on when she said, “oh, gawd!” when a student walked up to give public comments on flags, including LGBTQ. A brave act that Golding mocked. She wants the legislature to get in your family’s home and doctor office. Families involved in gender identity are thoughtfully working with medical professionals for best decisions. Rep. Golding is not a medical doctor.
Women’s healthcare: Golding wants to be in the OB GYN office with you. We want choice, medical privacy, and doctors knowing they can make the best care decisions. Ms. Golding has 6 children. She should know not every woman knows when she’s pregnant. A heartbeat is checked the first appointment. Golding said everyone is different. So why one deadline for choice?
Rep. Golding is out of touch with District 83. We want living wages, strong Iowa public schools, and our healthcare for women and gender.
Vote for Kent McNally in District 83.
• Cedar Rapids Ladd Library
• Marion Public Library
• Coe College
• Cornell College
• Kirkwood Community College
• The Meth-Wick Community
• Hoover Elementary School
• St. Mark’s United Methodist Church Iowa law requires an approved ID to vote during early in-person and satellite voting and on Election Day. Valid forms of ID include:
• Iowa Voter Identification Card (needs to be signed)
• Iowa Driver’s License
• Iowa Non-Operator ID
• U.S. Military ID or Veteran ID
• U.S. Passport
• Tribal ID Card/Document
A voter without one of the above forms of ID may have their identity attested to by another voter registered within their precinct. Early voter registration is available through 5 p.m. Oct. 21.
Eligible Linn County residents may also register using Election Day Registration documents after 5 p.m. Oct. 21.
The Linn County Auditor’s Office reminds eligible Linn County voters that written requests for an absentee mail ballot must be received in the office by 5 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 21. The Auditor’s Office unable to process requests received after this time.
There are four ways to obtain an absentee ballot request form:
• On your smartphone, text “Absentee” to 319-2377676 to receive a link to complete your request.
• Send a blank email to Absentee@LinnCountyIowa.
• Business Days: 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
• Saturday, Nov. 2: 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Satellite voting locations include:
• Lindale Mall
Oct. 16 – Nov. 3
Tuesday through Saturday: 11 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
Sunday: Noon–5 p.m.
Dates and times for the following satellite voting locations will be published on the Elections website by Oct. 7:
• Cedar Rapids Downtown Library
Please be advised, many precincts and polling places were changed since the last Presidential General Election. The Auditor’s Office will be mailing polling place information cards to all registered voter households in Linn County on October 16. Keep an eye out for the yellow postcard. Voters may also view their updated precinct and polling place information by entering their address at: LinnCountyElections.org/lookup.
More information is available on Linn County’s website LinnCountyIowa.gov/Vote.
For questions regarding the Nov. 5 General Election, call Linn County Election Services Office at 319-8925300 or email Elections@LinnCountyIowa.gov.
Arlie Willems Mount Vernon
Kristi Keast Mount Vernon
What makes a library function?
Lisbon’s library director identifies key focuses, resources at Lisbon
Nathan Countryman
Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun
nathan.countryman@mvlsun.com
Lisbon’s director Elizabeth Hoover de Galvez presented her view of what a library is at a speech at Lester Buresh Family Community Wellness Center Thursday, Sept. 26.
It may not be the library that Bob had in his community growing up, where peopled checked out books, met up with friends and were strongly encouraged to be quiet to not disrupt other patrons.
Abbie’s description of a place that champions intellectual freedom, promotes and supports lifelong learning and houses a variety of material and resources for its patrons in today’s day and age may be closer to the libraries of today.
“When I think of libraries, I think of librarians, people who want to learn things and resources that are housed in the library’s collection,” Hoover de Galvez said. “Librarians just help people find the right resources they are looking for.”
Hoover de Galvez said one of her own goals as a lifelong learner is to get to be a better cook.
“My husband is able to look around a kitchen with almost nothing in it in my eyes, and be able to find enough to make a meal that will feed a group of people in 30 minutes,” Hoover de Galvez said. “While I’ve gotten better at cooking, I’m still a deer in the headlights when I’m cooking for a group of people.”
Hoover de Galvez said when many people think about libraries, books always come top of mind.
“What people forget is the collection is so much more than just physical copies these days,” Hoover de Galvez said. “There are digital books as well.”
And when it comes to Lisbon Library, she is also especially proud of some of the resources former library director Amy White established, like the Halloween costume library or kits that families can take home and check out.
Other libraries have extended their collections to allow people to borrow things, like board games, tools and other items that people may need.
Hoover de Galvez also recognized six core focus areas Lisbon Library is working to improve.
The number one focus area was on literacy.
Hoover de Galvez said in Iowa, roughly 35 percent of fourth graders are not reading at the correct level.
“That challenges us to what can we do to help kids and families develop better reading skills and habits,” Hoover de Galvez said.
One avenue has been the Dolly Parton Imagination Library program that the Friends of the Lisbon Public Library are running to get young kids in Mount Vernon and Lisbon free books as they grow up.
Story times have also been started for all ages.
Focus area two for the library is on education and lifelong learning.
That’s boasted by the programs the library puts on throughout the year, like the Mexican Cooking classes this summer, the Sauerkraut Making class during Sauerkraut Days and other events at Lisbon’s Heritage Hall.
All these opportunities are offered for free, and Hoover de Galvez hopes people take part in them.
Focus area 3 is digital learning.
That can be helping people learn how to utilize the computers at the library and how best to use that resource.
It also ties in with focus area 4, which is economic success in the community.
Hoover de Galvez said in many communities, applying for jobs is done online, and helping applicants send in an application, work on their cover letter or other resources, that is something librarians are able to do.
Focus area 5 is just being a space where people go, whether that is to browse books or study or do work on their own. Being that space is important in communities.
Focus area 6 is civic and community engagement.
“The library is kind of like the best community-based resource in community,” Hoover de Galvez said.
An attendee asked Hoover de Galvez how the transition went from the Des Moines Public Library to the Lisbon Public Library.
“The amazing thing about stepping into the director’s role here at Lisbon was so many resources in the community already existed,” Hoover de Galvez said. “My last year at the Des Moines Public Library I was advocating for a social work position to help with connecting resources. At Lisbon, we’re right next door to Southeast Linn Community Center, who has many of those resources handled. It has allowed me to focus more on the traditional elements of being a librarian.”
Hoover de Galvez said that there is also work going on for strategic planning for the next five years to see what fits for Lisbon Public Library moving forward in these focus areas and what the community wants to see at the library moving forward.
Nathan Countryman | Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun
Lisbon Public Library director
Elizabeth Hoover de Galvez holds up one of the resource kits available for libraries, collections of books for the book club.
Tuesday Morning Book Club discussing Master Slave Husband Wife: An Epic Journey From Slavery to Freedom
The Tuesday Morning Book Club at Cole Library will be meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 15, from 9:30 - 11 a.m.
The group meets in Room 108, which is the large meeting room on the First Floor of the Library.
All are welcome to join the Book Club. You can email Sherene Player at Sherene1968@ gmail.com if you have any questions.
At the October Meeting, the group will be reading and discussing the book Master Slave Husband Wife; An Epic Journey from Slavery to Freedom by Ilyon Woo. Paula Spaight will review the book and lead the discussion.
From the publisher comes this summary of the book: “In 1848, a year of international democratic revolt, a young, enslaved couple, Ellen and William Craft, achieved one of the boldest feats of self-emancipation in American history. Posing as master and slave, while sustained by their love as husband and wife, they made their escape together across more than 1,000 miles, riding out in the open on steamboats, carriages, and trains that took them from bondage in Georgia to the free states of the North.
“Along the way, they dodged slave traders, military officers, and even friends of their enslavers, who might have revealed their true identities. The tale of their adventure soon made them celebrities, and generated headlines around the country. Americans could not get enough of this charismatic young couple, who traveled another 1,000 miles criss-crossing New England, drawing thunderous applause as they spoke alongside some of the greatest abolitionist luminaries of the day— among them Frederick Douglass and William Wells Brown.
“But even then, they were not out of danger. With the passage of an infamous new Fugitive Slave Act in 1850, all Americans became accountable for returning refugees like the Crafts to slavery. Then yet another adventure began, as slave hunters came up from Georgia, forcing the Crafts to flee once again—this time from the United States, their lives and thousands more on the line and the stakes never higher.
“With three epic journeys compressed into one monumental bid for freedom, Master Slave Husband Wife is an American love story—one that would challenge the nation’s core precepts of life, liberty, and justice for all—one that challenges us even now.”
Ralph W. Bock, 98, formally of Cedar Rapids, passed away Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024 at Hallmark Care Center in Mount Vernon. He was preceded in death by his loving wife of 54 years, Doris, 2004; his sister Shirley (Harold) and his parents John and Lydia (Runge). He is survived by his daughter Diana Forsythe (David), Farmington,; and two sons Keith Bock (Susan), Mount Vernon,; and Curt Bock (Cheryl), Dothan, Ala.. Also, 7 grandchildren: Amy Meyers (Aaron) DeWitt; Ryan Forsythe (Erin), Farmington; John Bock (Abby) Mount Vernon; Andrew Bock (Christy) Cedar Rapids; Lindsay Thuerauf (Jon) Mount Vernon; Jordan Bock (Lindsey) Midland City, Ala.; Maria Bock (Nick Hargens) Van Meter; 15 great-grandchildren: Easton, Hudson, Logan; Brynn, Avery; Kyle, Cody, Nick; Hailey, Emily, Carly; Kate, Mason; Evan; Stella and new one on the way. Ralph was born in Chicago November 20, 1925. He graduated from Lane Tech High School and finished three semesters of study at the Illinois Institute of Technology before he was drafted into the U.S. Army in March 1944. He served in the 661st Tank Destroyer Battalion as a radio operator. The 661st was attached to the 69th Infantry Division and saw action in Belgium in the Battle of the Bulge. The 69th Division was the first U.S. Army unit to make contact with the Russian Army at Torgau, Germany on April 25, 1945, dividing the German army in two and they surrendered two weeks later. He was honorably discharged in April 1946. He returned home and completed his studies at IIT receiving his bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering in 1949. He was a life member of the American Society of Mechanical Engineering. He participated in an Honor Flight on November 1, 2008.
He worked for several firms in Chicago before joining Quaker Oats in Chicago at their corporate headquarters in 1963. He was transferred to the Cedar Rapids plant in 1965 as a project engineer; later he became manager of engineering and retired from Quaker Oats in 1989. While in Torgau celebrating the WWII 50th anniversary of the American and Russian forces coming together at the Elbe River, Ralph participated placing the wreath at the base of the dedication monument.
He and Doris enjoyed the winters they spent in Arizona and trips and cruises to Europe, South America, Hawaii and Alaska.
He enjoyed his daily walk and doing the daily crossword at Lindale Mall. He was a frequent contributor to the “Letters” Column in the Gazette and an avid First Day Cover stamp collector. He was a former member of the Cedar Valley Woodcarvers Club. Two of his carvings hung in the Cedar Rapids airport terminal. He most enjoyed the time he spent at the beloved family get-togethers.
He was a dedicated fan of the Chicago Cubs, Bears and Iowa Hawkeyes.
In lieu of flowers a memorial contribution can be made to King of Kings Lutheran Church, 3275 N. Center Point Rd, Cedar Rapids, IA 52411, where Ralph was an active member. Visitation was at King of Kings Lutheran Church Sept. 21, with a memorial service that followed. Thank you to Essence of Life Hospice and Hallmark for their outstanding care and love for Ralph.
P.S. Death is only another part of life. He and Doris were always proud of our close-knit family. Be kind to one another and God bless you all.
Online condolences are welcome at www.cedarmemrial.com under obituaries.
Upper Iowa University dean’s list
Jacqueline Senft, supply chain management major from Mechanicsville, was named to the upper Iowa University summer 2024 dean’s list. To be named to the list, students must obtain a GPA of 3.5 or above.
Eicher named President-Elect of League Executive Board
Bennett Council Member Christina Eicher has been elected President-Elect on the Executive Board of the Iowa League of Cities. Eicher joined the board in 2022 and became President-Elect on September 18 during the League’s annual business meeting, held in conjunction with their Annual Conference & Exhibit in Sioux City. The President-Elect of the League’s Executive Board is typically elected president the fol lowing year.
Council member Eicher has served on the city council of Bennett for six years and worked for the City of Lis bon as city clerk for 12 years. She’s been an active board member of the Iowa Municipal Finance Officers Associ ation, the Community Foundation of Cedar County and several League committees.
Eicher is a past Rhonda Wood Smith award winner and Certified Elected Municipal Official through the Iowa League of Cities training program. As both a city clerk and an elected official, Eicher brings a unique per spective and experience to the League and is ready to champion and support Iowa’s cities.
The League’s Executive Board is responsible for adopting policies to provide direction to the League, adopting the annual operating budget, establishing membership fees and providing direction to the organi zation. The Board consists of 14 board director positions and five officer positions: president, president‐elect and three past presidents. All of these positions must be filled by current city officials who represent cities of various populations and geographic locations.
Sept. 23 – Accident, 100 blk W. Main St, Lisbon
Sept. 23 – Medical, 100 blk Candlestick Dr NE, Mount Vernon
Sept. 24 – Animal control, 200 blk W. Main St, Lisbon
Sept. 24 – Citizen assist, 200 blk business 30, Lisbon
Sept. 24 – Fraud, 380 Old Lincoln Hwy, Mount Vernon
Sept. 24 – Disturbance, 400 blk B Ave SE, Mount Vernon
Sept. 24 – Medical, 300 blk Second Ave SE, Mount Vernon
Sept. 24 – Medical, 500 blk College Blvd, Mount Vernon
Sept. 24 – Alarm, 100 blk W. Main St, Lisbon
Sept. 25 – Theft, 600 blk First St SW, Mount Vernon
Sept. 25 – Theft, 900 blk Martha St, Lisbon
Sept. 25 – Welfare check, 100 blk E. Main St, Lisbon
Sept. 25 – Theft, 200 blk First Ave SE, Mount Vernon
Cole Corner
Cathy Boggs Cole Library
Fall Community Book talk Thursday, Oct. 17
One aspect of my job at the library is book recommendations. Many avid readers want to know, “What book is good?”
Well, join us for the Fall Community Book Talk and hear what books are great! Several members of the community will “book talk” a great book that they have read and they
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 on Thursday, October 17 at noon. 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.
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
7: 8:00 am - 10:00 pm
8: 8:00 am - 10:00 pm October 9: 8:00 am - 10:00 pm October 10: 8:00 am - 10:00 pm
Sept. 26 – Medical, 400 blk Eighth St NW, Mount Vernon
Sept. 26 – Illegal burn, 200 blk W. Main St, Lisbon
Sept. 26 – Accident, 1200 blk First St SW, Mount Vernon
Sept. 26 – Fire, 400 blk S. Washington St, Lisbon
Sept. 27 – Alarm, 300 blk First St NE, Mount Vernon
Sept. 27 – Accident, 100 blk First St, Mount Vernon
Sept. 27 – Agency assist- disturbance, Linn Co
Sept. 27 – Accident, 100 blk S. Hwy 1, Mount Vernon
Sept. 27 – Juvenile issue, 200 blk School St, Lisbon
Sept. 28 – Public intoxication, 100 blk S. Jackson St, Lisbon
Sept. 28 – Alarm, 400 blk business 30, Mount Vernon
Sept. 28 – Agency assist- accident, Linn Co
Sept. 28 – Agency assist – medical, Jones Co
Sept. 28 – Fraud, 600 blk First St SW, Mount Vernon
Sept. 28 – Medical, 400 blk Eighth St NW, Mount Vernon
Sept. 28 – Disturbance, 300 blk Eighth St NW, Mount Vernon
Sept. 29 – Welfare check, 100 blk S. Hwy 1, Mount Vernon
Sept. 29 – Theft, 100 blk S. Hwy 1, Mount Vernon
Sept. 30 – Accident, 500 blk W. First St, Mount Vernon
Sept. 30 – Disturbance, 100 blk First St SE, Mount Vernon
Sept. 30 – Medical, 1225 blk First Ave NW, Mount Vernon
Ralph Bock
Eicher
boys’, girls’ win team titles at Solon
Grady Olberding didn’t win his first two races of the season.
Olberding finished fourth at the Kirk Schmaltz Invitational in Ames, and was runner-up at the Cedar Rapids Invitational. He placed behind runners from Ankeny, Marshalltown, Des Moines Roosevelt and Iowa City West.
“I was able to really see where I’m at,” Olberding said. “That is a whole different level.
“Being a 3A school, I don’t always see runners like that. It is a good way to race.”
The MVL senior was overdue for a little gold.
“It felt really good,” Olberding said. “Coach told me and Dawson (Scheil), there isn’t really anyone close to you, so just take advantage of it, relax, and have fun.”
Olberding finished 33 seconds ahead of Scheil, who in turn, finished 25 seconds ahead of Clay Bohlmann of Tipton, to take the top two spots Monday, Sept. 23, at the Solon Invitational at the Solon Recreation and Nature Area.
“Both are having a really good season,” MVL coach Kory Swart said. “It was exciting not only from an individual standpoint, but great for the team.”
Mount Vernon-Lisbon boys won the team title at Solon, scoring 43 points to outpace Tipton (67). The MVL girls were runner-up to Solon, 49 to 58 points.
“It was good to see where we’re at against conference competition,” Coach Swart said. “That will help us moving forward. Solon ran a nice race. We pushed each other. And that will continue.”
Kiersten Swart finished runner-up in 19 minutes, 30.4 seconds. A very good time, but over a full minute behind defending state champion Noelle Steines of Tipton (18:27.9). Steines has won three straight 1A titles with Calamus-Wheatland (and now runs with Tipton).
“She’s a tough one,” Kiersten Swart said. “She has won a bunch, so I kind of set my own pace.”
Evelyn Moeller finished sixth and Rose Pisarik was 12th for the Mustangs. Sam Schoff (19), and Edith Dawson (21) also contributed to the team score. Miranda Sellner (22) and Cora Smith (25) were close behind.
“Rose had a really nice race,” Coach Swart said. “Our pack was a little more spread out (than Solon). We’re working on it.”
Following Olberding and Scheil on the boys’ side was Chasen Caskey (10), Zan Van Regenmorter (14) and Anthony Armstrong (16).
“They all broke 18 minutes, which was nice to see,” Coach Swart said.
MVL also showed off its depth, winning both JV
races as a team and individually (Graham Vavricek and Emrie Johnson).
“That was one of the highlights of the night, for sure,” Coach Swart said. “Those kids are working every day to help our varsity and they have done such a wonderful job this year. They push each other and help everyone get better.”
Mount Vernon started its path through Class 3A District 4 on Friday, Sept. 27, at the Martha Parsons Activities Complex.
Godzilla, meet Tokyo.
The Mustangs stomped on Mount Pleasant 59-0.
“Coming off a close loss, I was super proud of the kids,” Mount Vernon coach Brad Meester said. “Sometimes it is tough to rebound; you can get down in the dumps. And it was homecoming week. Which I love, but a lot of stuff goes on that is not normal and the routine gets out of whack.
“But we had some of our best practices. They got after it.”
Mount Vernon (4-1) led 24-0 after the first quarter and 38-0 by halftime. That meant a continuous clock in the second half. And the second-team kept the shutout and added 21 more points.
“That was another great part of the win,” Meester said. “We talked at half about how nothing changes. The twos should step in and do the same things.”
Kellen Haverback was efficient at quarterback, throwing for 107 yards and three touchdowns – two to Jase
Photos by Jonah Frey | For the Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun
Left: MV-L junior Kiersten Swart races at Solon Cross Country meet. Right: MV-L sophomore Chasen Caskey runs at the Solon Cross Country meet.
Jaspers and one to Watson Krob – and also ran for two scores.
“Kellen responded really well,” Meester said. “He wanted to get better after the Solon game and his work ethic is unbelievable.”
Senior Cooper Hird had 75 rushing yards on just eight carries, plus a TD.
And Jaspers had a punt return go for around 60 yards that was ruled out at the one.
“He scored,” Meester said. “His ability to jump cut, make people miss, you don’t see that very often. And the return team did a good job of setting it up for him.”
The defense dominated, coming up with 10 tackles for loss against Mount Pleasant (2-3). Joe Briesemeister had 3.5 TFL, and Jaspers and Nova Lane each had two District 4 play continues with a trip to Assumption (1-4) this Friday, Oct. 4, and includes home games against Fort Madison (0-5) and Keokuk (2-3) and an interesting trip to Washington (4-1) on Oct. 18 that may decide the District 4 crown.
“Our biggest opponent is ourselves, and getting better every week,” Meester said. “We want to be playing our best football when the postseason comes.”
MV bests CC-A in three sets
Ryan Suchomel
Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun
ryan.suchomel@mvlsun.com
Every week there’s another ranked WaMaC team taking on top-ranked Mount Vernon, hoping to knock the queens off the throne.
Last Tuesday, Sept. 24, it was then-No. 9 Center Point-Urbana. The Stormin’ Pointers were swept 25-14, 25-19, 25-23, and fell out of the Class 3A Top 15 a few days later.
“I think we need to count ourselves lucky with our record in the WaMaC East,” Mount Vernon coach Maggie Willems said. “It is as tough as it gets. We have a whole heck of a lot of work ahead of us, too. But we’re up to the task, too.”
Mount Vernon already has conference wins over No. 11 Solon and No. 3 West Delaware. Still to come is a match against No. 7 (4A) Marion.
“It is really fun,” senior Chloe Meester said. “A lot of people come to these games, and it is just a fun environment in here.”
CPU (11-9) provided a different style for the Mustangs (25-3) to battle against. The Stormin’ Pointers have a tough defense that doesn’t let a lot of attacks hit the court.
“They have a great libero,” senior Paige Schurbon said. “And they’ve seen us play before, so they ere waiting on us quite a bit.”
And having an attack that normally
scores a point get dug up can be frustrating.
“Defensively, they give a lot of good effort and they are really scrappy,” Meester said. “Usually the ball does down, then it is not going down and you’ve got to keep playing.”
It looked like CPU might force a fourth game when it went on a 6-1 run late in the third set and tied it up 23-23.
But Meester came up with a haymaker kill to stop the CPU run, then tipped one through the defense to end the set and match.
“I didn’t want it to be super close at the end, and it got super close,” Meester said. “I did not want it go past 25. That was not happening.”
The previous week, Mount Vernon had to rally after being down 2-0 in sets against the Hawks.
“We had a reverse sweep against a team and we’re acutely aware that can happen to us, too,” Willems said.
Meester had 14 kills. Senior Sydney Maue added 10 kills, Schurbon had eight, junior Cali Whitaker had five and sophomore Sophia Meester had four. Senior Sydney Huber had 35 assists.
Meester said she was proud of the way Maue played against her former teammates.
“I told her she just has to go out there and do what she does,” Meester said.
Mount Vernon attacked at a .341 efficiency while CPU only had a .050 efficiency. The Mustangs were swinging hard, and the Stormin’ Pointers were a
Lisbon ousts Pekin 28-15
Ryan Suchomel
Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun ryan.suchomel@mvlsun.com
Quinn Coleman said it best after No. 4 Lisbon beat Pekin 28-15 on Friday, Sept. 27, at Walmer Field.
“We’re fixin’ to win the district,” Coleman said. “And that was an important game right there.”
The clash of undefeated teams went for the Lions, who made some big plays early to hand the Panthers their first loss.
Pekin’s first three drives ended in a blocked punt by Gage Holub, a fourthdown sack by Chase
McFarlane, and an interception by Coleman.
“It wasn’t pretty all the time, but we sure were gritty,” Lisbon coach Dylan Hastings said. “We made big plays when we needed to.”
Pekin’s talented senior quarterback Will Adam finished with 140 yards passing and just 19 yards rushing.
Adam had a big pass to Nolan Glick for 37 yards that put the Panthers in the red zone. But on fourth-and-4, McFarlane came up with the sack. He saw Adam was about to try to scramble for a first down, and dove in like an angry hornet.
“We were practicing that all week,”
LISBON FOOTBALL | 10
little more dink and dunk.
“They did a lot of control plays,” Schurbon said. “Compared to our style, it was a lot different.
“Lot of tipping to off blockers. They made sure everyone wasn’t sitting on their heels on defense.”
Jackson led the team in digs with 14.
Maue and Meester each had nine digs.
The Mustangs were sharp serving, with 13 aces over three sets.
Senior Eryn Jackson and Meester paced the serving effort with four aces each.
“Our serve was good,” Willems said. “We were really able to ring up some aces
against them. And they are really good serve receive team.”
The Mustangs hosted four teams –including three ranked 5A teams -- in their Fall Classic on Saturday, Sept. 28. Mount Vernon lost its first match to an Iowa team. No. 2 (5A) Pleasant Valley won 21-18, 21-18.
The Mustangs beat No. 9 (5A) Iowa City High 21-15, 21-10; No. 10 (5A) Iowa City Liberty 21-14, 21-16; and No. 6 (2A) Dike-New Hartford 21-16, 21-17.
This week Mount Vernon travels to Independence on Tuesday, Oct. 1, and plays in the Bobcat Invitational at Western Dubuque on Saturday, Oct. 5.
Avery Arens | For the Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun
The Mount Vernon defensive line gets ready to go during a homecoming game Friday, Sept. 27.
Jami Martin-Trainor | For the Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun
Mount Vernon volleyball player Cali Whitaker spikes the ball during a game against Iowa City High School during a tournament at Mount Vernon High School on Sept. 28. The Mount Vernon Mustangs won the match, 2-0.
Jennifer Tischer | Contributed photo Lisbon’s Chase McFarlane (No. 16) works at tackling a Pekin player.
LISBON FOOTBALL
McFarlane said. “My job this week was to stop the run and be a quarterback spy. And that’s what I did.”
That stop led to the first Lisbon touchdown. Tiernan Boots had a 19-yard score to cap an 8-play, 80-yard drive.
The next Panthers drive ended when Coleman read the quarterback and picked off a running back screen.
“We saw that on film and I just read it,” Coleman said. “Someone tipped the ball and I got it.”
“That was actually something we remembered from last year that we got hurt on,” Hastings said. “That quarterback does something a little different when he throws that screen. Quinn just put himself in the right place. Great job by him.”
That pick (and a face mask penalty) set Lisbon up first and goal, and Boots scored from the one to make it 14-0.
The Lions added a third touchdown on an 8-play, 79-yard drive. It was capped by a 27-yard touchdown run by quarterback Dakota Clark. It was 21-0 at half.
But Pekin wasn’t done quite yet. They took their first drive of the second half 80 yards in six plays and scored on a 6-yard run by Glick. After scoring on the conversion run, Lisbon still led 21-8.
“We told the boys at halftime that Pekin is great football team,” Hastings said. “We told boys they are not going to quit. They are going to make adjustments. We told them there is a possibility they will score. And it happened.”
The next Pekin drive got into Lisbon territory, but was halted when D-lineman Jacob Walerius got his hand on a fourth-down pass attempt.
In the fourth quarter, Lisbon turned the second punt block of the game by Holub into a 3-play, 22-yard drive and another Boots TD. It was 28-8 with 3:59 to play.
Pekin got a 63-yard bomb from Adam to Alijah Brock to provide the final margin. Daylin Schaefer recovered the onside kick attempt.
“Really, at the end of the day, we stuck together as a team, and when adversity got tight, things like that, the boys came together and we overcame,” Hastings said. “A good team win.”
Boots finished with 163 rushing yards on 28 carries. Clark had 92 yards on 15 carries.
Lisbon did have an unsightly 101 penalty yards thanks a handful of pass interference flags. (Pekin had 10 penalties for 69 yards.)
“We knew they were going to try to spread us out and throw it deep,” Hastings said. “We knew those penalties might happen. … There were a lot more than I would necessarily like, but we’ll clean that stuff up.”
There will be time to fix mistakes. The Lions finish Class A District 5 play with a trip to Wapello (2-5), at home against Danville (3-2), and at Van Buren (1-4).
“We told the boys after this game, you took care of business tonight, and you control your fate,” Hastings said.
Lions beat Midland
Ryan Suchomel Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun ryan.suchomel@mvlsun.com
Lisbon volleyball picked up another Tri-Rivers East win on Tuesday, Sept. 24, winning at Midland 25-18, 25-20, 25-11.
It was a match won through adversity as the Lions lost their starting outside hitter, Kamryn Kahl, early in the match.
“She went down on the third play of the match with a sprained ankle and was unable to return,” Lisbon coach Lance Kamaus said. “But we responded well and made the necessary adjustments. I was proud of how the kids responded.”
Mykala Luzum-Selmon led the way with 15 kills. Senior Keira Bergmann stepped up and had eight kills. Sarah Dietsch had five kills and Alexa Roos had four. Kaitlynn Hasselbusch had 33 assists.
SPORTS BRIEFS
Feldermann, Ripke swim for Wash
Payton Feldermann of Lisbon and Jada Ripke of Mount Vernon are competing this fall with the Cedar Rapids Washington girls’ swimming team. Both freshmen helped the Warriors win the six-team
“Keira has provided a boost for us on the right side, and when Kamryn went down she filled in very capably on the left,” Kamaus said. “She is very reliable. Nothing seems to faze her.”
Midland (3-19) had 14 kills and 18 attack errors. Leading the defense was Presley Studt with 12 digs and LuzumSelmon with 10.
Studt, who played at North Cedar last year, has been getting more time at libero.
“Presley has been a nice addition to our back row group,” Kamaus said. “She’s been a first team all-conference player before, and is just a good volleyball player.”
On Saturday, Sept. 28, Lisbon went 2-2 at the South Tama Invitational. The Lions beat Perry (21-6, 21-15) and East Marshall (21-19, 21-9) before falling to South Tama (21-15, 14-21, 15-12) and Class 3A No. 8 Mid-Prairie (21-8, 21-12).
“Mid-Prairie was as good as advertised, and kept us on our heels in serve receive,” Kamaus said. “I was very proud of how we attached at the net against Mid-Prairie, for sure.”
Luzum-Selmon led the attack on Saturday with 38 kills. Dietsch had 15, Kahl had 10 and Bergmann had four. Hasselbusch had 63 assists.
Next up is a match at Bellevue Marquette on Tuesday, Oct. 1. The Lions host Prince of Peace on Thursday, Oct. 3.
Pink in the Pool event Saturday, Sept. 28, at Des Moines Lincoln.
Felderman finished second in the 200 freestyle (2:15.08) and third in the 100 butterfly (1:14.00). Ripke won the 100 backstroke (1:01.52) and 200 individual medley (2:21.94).
Panels dive into gender and LGBTQ+ dynamics in the 2024 election
The Politics Department and Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s Studies Department at Cornell College will host two evening panels Oct. 8 and Oct. 10 at 7 p.m. in Zamora’s Lounge in Thomas Commons. Both are free and open to the public to attend.
Oct. 8
Assistant Professor of American Politics Megan Goldberg and Professor of Politics and Women’s Studies Aparna Thomas will moderate a panel with guests Iowa State Senator Liz Bennett (Cornell College Class of 2010) and Iowa State Representative Elinor Levin (Cornell College Class of 2009) on gender and LGBTQ+ issues in the 2024 election. Senator Bennett and Representative Levin will share their expertise and experiences as members of the Iowa legislature.
Oct. 10
Assistant Professor of
Classics Chris Hoklotubbe will host a discussion with Iowa State Representative J.D. Scholten on masculinity and the 2024 election. Hoklotubbe will share his expertise on the growing gender divide in politics and religion, and Representative Scholten will share his experiences as an Iowa representative and professional
baseball player for the Sioux City Explorers in 2007 and 2024.
“We’re thrilled to bring together our campus and the larger Mount Vernon community with Iowa elected officials to discuss the 2024 election,” Goldberg said. “These panels, which include a couple of
our alums in the statehouse, serve as a celebration and rejuvenation of our mission to be a learning community that develops engaged citizens in a democratic society.”
Questions? Email Megan Goldberg at mgoldberg@ cornellcollege.edu
LISBON 28, PEKIN 15
TEAM STATS P L
First downs 12 18 Rushes-yds. 28-28 45-253 Att.-Cmp.-Int. 10-25-1 4-8-0 Pass yds. 192 28 Total yds. 222 281
INDIVIDUAL STATS
–
Passing – Pekin: Will Adam 9-24-140-1, Henry Adam 1-1-52-0. Lisbon: Dakota Clark 4-8-28-0.
Rushing
Pekin: Will Adam 17-19, Henry Adam 4-5, Nolan Glick 5-(-1), Riley Smith 2-5. Lisbon: Tiernan Boots 28-163, Dakota Clark 15-92, team 2-(-2).
Receiving – Pekin: Alijah Brock 3-120, Kasey Davis 3-13, Robert Brown 2-9, Nolan Glick 1-37, Henry Adam 1-13. Lisbon: Grayson Wollum 2-12, Daylin Schaefer 1-13, Quinn Coleman 1-3.
Jennifer Tischer | Contributed photo Lisbon’s Daylin Schaefer (No. 28) prepares to tackle a Pekin player.
Pirates win Mount Vernon Homecoming powderpuff football game
Nathan Countryman
Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun
nathan.countryman@mvlsun.com
The Pirates took the Mount Vernon Homecoming powderpuff football game over the Mermaids with a final score of 21-12.
The Pirates were the first on the scoreboard, after the Mermaids first four attempts to move the ball down the field were turned over on downs.
On the next drive, the Mermaids were able to move the ball down the field and score their own first touchdown with 7:25 to play.
The Pirates drove the ball down the field over the next five minutes of the first half, giving them a 13-6 advantage with 2:20 left to play after the conversion was good.
Both teams also had near complete touchdown runs that were called back due to a foul in that first inning.
On the very next drive, Lucy Wischmeyer with the Mermaids broke through on a run that ended up in the endzone with a touchdown with 2:01 to play in the first half.
The scores were 13-12 at half-time, with the Pirates ahead.
Both teams tried to get to the endzone in the first 16 minutes of the second half, but their drives were both turned over on downs just inches from the endzone.
With 3:47 left to play, the Pirates were able to lock the win in with a score of 21-12 when they scored another touchdown and earned the two point conversion on that drive.
The Mermaids came within yards of the endzone on their last drive, but turned the ball over on downs with seconds to spare, and the Pirates let the clock run down.
Photos by Nathan Countryman | Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun
Top - Kaia Swaim advances the ball down the field for the Pirates Thursday, Sept. 26.
Bottom left - Kiersten Swart tries to advance the ball for the Pirates while Clare Nydegger of the Mermaids is pulling her flag to stop the play.
Bottom right - Taylor Franck, Courtney Franck, Gracie Pinckney work as a team to advance the ball for the Pirates.
Mount Vernon Alumni Hall of Fame Community Impact inductee Tom Wilkinson greets someone from the crowd in the parade.
The Mount Vernon Football team throws candy from their float in the homecoming parade.
Mount Vernon Alumni Hall of Fame fine arts inductee Jude Smith waves in the parade.
Above: The color guard with the Mount Vernon Marching Mustangs leads the band in the parade.
The Mount Vernon cheerleaders perform a routine at the top of the pep rally and coronation ceremony Thursday, Sept. 26.
Members of the Marching Mustangs proceed down Colleg Boulevard Thursday, Sept. 26.
OTHERS PRESENT: Brandon Siggins, Travis Bagby, Doug Shannon, and Drayton Kamberling. Dean and Miriam Johnston were present via zoom.
CONSENT AGENDA: Motion by Williams, seconded by Smith to approve the consent agenda consisting of minutes of September 9th and list of bills. All Ayes. Motion carried 4-0.
City Administrator Brandon Siggins announced that the Downtown Reinvestment program was open for applicants with another $20,000 budgeted for the 2024-2025 fiscal year.
Motion by Bardsley, seconded by Williams to approve the parade route for the upcoming Lisbon homecoming parade. All Ayes. Motion carried 4-0. The council received the following reports from city departments: Public Works Director Travis Bagby – millings are being placed on alley roadways.
Parks and Recreation Director Drayton Kamberling – fall sports are underway, girls’ basketball signup starts soon, community movie scheduled for October 5th and Halloweentown will be October 31st from 5-7pm.
City Administrator Brandon Siggins –pumper truck is back in service, engineer is working on the watermain checklist, Pelling is finishing up the base layer this week and is on schedule, meeting was held at the sports complex concerning electrical work, train the trainer course has been completed, building permits are busy, and dealing with vehicles parking in grass areas.
Mayor and council reminded citizens that Red Cedar Chamber will be performing in town this Saturday, congratulated City Clerk Christina Eicher on being named President-elect of the Iowa League of Cities and announced that there are openings for volunteers on the Planning and Zoning and Historic Preservation Boards.
Motion by Smith, seconded by Williams to go into closed session at 7:19pm pursuant to Iowa Code Chapter 21.5(j) to discuss possible purchase/sale of real property. Roll call vote. Ayes: Bardsley, Steele, Smith, and Williams. Absent: Scott. Nays: None. Motion carried 4-0. Motion by Williams, seconded by Smith to go out of closed session at 7:25pm. Roll call vote. Ayes: Bardsley, Steele, Smith, and Williams. Absent: Scott. Nays: None. Motion carried 4-0. Motion by Bardsley, seconded by Smith to have City Administrator Siggins proceed as discussed in the closed session. All Ayes. Motion carried 4-0. Mayor Doug O’Connor adjourned the meeting at 7:29pm. Christina Eicher, City Clerk Doug O’Connor, Mayor Published in the Sun October 3, 2024. CITY OF LISBON LIST OF
the
bers present were Louise Hall, John Klimek, Bill Mulholland, Chr Price and Jim Unzeitig. City Attorney Kevin Shea present. Hall made a motion to approve the agenda as posted. MSB: Unzeitig Aye: Hall, Mulholland, Klimek, Price, Unzeitig. Motion passed by unanimous vote. Sheriff’s Report –Prior Meeting Minutes: August 7, 2024. Bills/Warrants for Payment. Nuisance Property update. Treasurer’s Report. Payee Purpose Amount ABC Disposal AUG SEPT
August Council Meeting. That Girl Tree Service should have 1 tree complete by September 24 and the other tree has not been scheduled. Open to public: Cindy Golding: Representative: Small Town Rural Iowa is her motto, and she is coming to city council meetings in her district. Wants to get opinions
Addition of Notary (Pay, Cost, Need) Mayor Flaherty wanted to know if anyone is a notary feels it would be beneficial to the city to have one. Council Member Hall stated she is a notary it is $30 for 3 years and she will need to renew in 2 and half years. City will pay for renewal as long as she is available to be town notary. Board of Adjustments Variance/Resolution: Board of Adjustments met to discuss Terry Fett garage variance. The Board of Adjustments approved the variance. City Attorney Kevin Shea stated that the role of the council is not to provide a resolution or approve but to decide if they accept the Boards approval or are sending back to the board. Price makes motion to not send back to the BOA and allow to go through. MSB: Unzeitig. AYE: Hall, Klimek, Mulholland, Price, Unzeitig. Motion passes by unanimous vote. Mike Smejkal new address would like to have 1850 Woodland Court. The cost to change is $100 and will be paid by Mike at no cost to the city. Price makes a motion to approve the new address of 1850 Woodland Court. MSB: Klimek. AYE: Hall, Klimek, Mulholland, Price, Unzeitig. Motion passes by unanimous vote. Cancellation of Zoom meetings service in favor of Microsoft Teams. Mayor Flaherty stated that will new email service, Microsoft Teams is also providing and having Zoom would be redundant. Price makes motion to cancel Zoom service in favor of Microsoft Teams. MSB: Hall. AYE: Hall, Klimek, Mulholland, Price, Unzeitig. Motion passes by unanimous vote. City Park Trash Cans: Council Member Hall stated that 2 trashcans at the park were split down the middle and had graffiti on them. She bought new ones and had Public Works place them at the park. City Email Update and SharePoint: Mayor Flaherty has set up emails for the Council, Clerk and Treasurer, is also working on setting up group email. Need to have all files moved to SharePoint. Lisa Berry Announcement: Lisa Berry is resigning as City Treasurer effective November 30, 2024. The city will be looking for a new Treasurer. Mayor Flaherty wants to thank Lisa for everything she has done for the City of Bertram. Correspondence: Council Member Hall At one point the city was looking at getting a Public Works Credit Card. Mayor Flaherty will contact Patty Webster. Council Member Hall: Has had quite a few people stated they are unable to get ahold of anyone due to no response to emails or phone calls. Mayor Flaherty asked for specific. Council member Hall stated the mayor and city clerk. HOA were trying to set up a meeting at city hall and were unable to get ahold of the clerk or mayor and Council Member Hall had to schedule 2 meetings. Mayor Flaherty stated that with the new email service we are working to set up better emails groups and processes to better serve the community. P and Z will have an email setup with Council Member Price and Unzeitig receiving the emails. Council Member Hall: Has been unsuccessful at getting ahold of Franks Tree Service to remove trees approved at
CLASSIFIEDS
Garage Sale
Fall Garage Sale. October 4th & 5th, 7AM - ? Winter clothes, holiday decor and lots of misc items. 401 Whispering Willow Lane, Solon.
Help Wanted
Salon 30, A full service salon and spa located at 941 Highway 30 in Lisbon, has a chair rental available immediately for a licensed Cosmetologist. $450/month includes utilities and laundry facility. Contact suejnelson02@ gmail.com for information.
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Eliminate gutter cleaning forever! LeafFilter, the most advanced debris-blocking gutter protection. Schedule a FREE LeafFilter estimate today. 20% off Entire Purchase. Plus 10% Senior & Military Discounts. Call 1-855913-1560.
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Farm to table celebrated more than 20 years at Bon Appetit
Highlights the work that has happened with producers, locally sourcing
Nathan Countryman
Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun
nathan.countryman@mvlsun.com
While the meal celebrating Farm to Fork for Bon Appetit Food services was celebrating 20 years, preparing for the meal wasn’t much different for manager Dave Smigo or head chef Jay Schworn.
“It’s similar to the process we do when it comes to every day’s meal,” Smigo said. “We try to cook with as many local ingredients as possible and are always using fresh items whenever possible.”
“If anything, it is an opportunity for us to highlight and showcase the products from our many local providers,” Schworn said. “It also tends to up the energy in the kitchen for all of us to put out a quality lunch for our students and community.”
There are some items that may be out of season in the area that get imported for some meals, but all are prepared from scratch in the kitchens lower in the dining hall and then moved up to be served.
If anything, the Farm to Fork meal is a celebration of the countless local farmers and producers who help Bon Appetit provide local and fresh ingredients to their farms.
Smigo said who they have partnered with may have changed over the course of the years, but the goal is always to support farmers as local as possible for a range of foods.
“For some of our partners, they’ve grown because of the collaboration and having a partner like us for their resources,” Smigo said. He points to their meat provider as an example of that. When they started, they were able to provide some basic meats that the college would use, and now they’re able to provide things like halal meat options, which helps the college provide options for students with particular diets.
Smigo said as well that being able to use whole foods adds healthy options to students.
“When you’re not using frozen or processed foods, but things that are just on the label like potatoes, the oil that they’re cooked in and seasoning for things like fries, it makes it a more quality option of food,” Smigo said.
“It feels good to be able to offer fresh and quality ingredients that add to a person’s dining experience,” Schworn said.
Students Laura Sander and Oriana McKanan agreed.
“I’ve had the opportunity to sample so many international dishes because they’re
prepared here at Bon Appetit,” Sander said.
Sander noted as a vegetarian, having the food offered being fresh she can really tell the difference and knows she can get quality food prepared by the college.
“You can definitely tell it’s fresh, never frozen,” Sander said.
“For me knowing how much is prepared from local produce is a cool benefit,” McKanan said.
Both McKanan and Sander have worked
in the kitchens in the past and noted how amazing it is to smell meals being prepared before they’re being served.
The one area Smigo notes is a challenge to source locally at the moment is any type of oil.
“We have so many local farmers that grow soybeans that you would think we’d be able to source it here, but we can’t,” Smigo said. “That’s the item that takes the greatest distance to get to us and we use a lot in cooking. We use items like rendered pork, farm butter and bacon grease for some of our cooking to help, but oil is tough to source locally.”
For local producers, working with the
college has been huge for their businesses as well.
Little Scratch Coffee has been the supplier of coffee for Cornell College since 2019 (back then under Wake Up Iowa coffee). When they moved to be an independent roaster following the pandemic, Cornell’s continued partnership gave them an anchor business to continue to focus on their coffee roasting and help get their feet under them as they expanded to other options.
“It means we have consistent support from someone who is always looking for a quality product,” Katrina Sogaard-Anderson said.
“When we made the move from being half an hour away to just a mile down the road, it meant we’re even closer,” Joel Anderson said. “When people run out of coffee, and you’re half an hour away, it can take time to resupply. We’re mere minutes away from the campus now and can easily stock that order.”
Olde Capitol Food Company in Iowa City has supplied tofu to the college for almost five years now.
“I love working with Chef Smigo,” Jake Gratzon of Old Capitol Food Company said. “When we were first starting out and wanted to get into the institutional side of food business, he was one who reached out to us about our products. They appreciate the quality we provide and have been a fan of ours since we started.”
Country View Dairy said that they have provided their products for almost 12 years now to Bon Appetit.
“They sought us out when they encountered our booth at the Cedar Rapids Farmers Market,” Dave Rapson said. “They are so easy to work with and it has just been a great collaboration to have for our products to be featured here.”
Rapson said that they are one of the closest customers they have that focus on buying locally.
“We’re just one farm with 20 employees, but it’s meant the world to us to grow with them in what we’re able to offer,” Rapson said.
Tom agrees that having a partner like Bon Appetit is huge for his own dairy, WW Homestead Dairy in Waukon.
“They are hugely instrumental in supporting local producers,” Tom Weighner of Homestead Dairy said.
Bon Appetit takes the skim milk and chocolate milk products from Homestead Dairy regularly, and on occasion some of the cheese offerings the dairy has.
WW Homestead Dairy was the result of a merger of two small family farms years ago, and they now offer cream, milk, cheeses, and frozen dairy options.
Nathan Countryman | Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun
Left: Students sample some of the ice cream products from Country View Dairy from Waukon at the farmer’s market on the Orange Carpet in Thomas Commons.
Right: Little scratch Coffee co-owner Katrina Sogaard Anderson has a small quiz before offering free samples of the coffee at the Orange Carpet in Thomas Commons at the farmers market.
PHOTOS
Tina Frost contributed photo
This board at the Farm to Fork event, designed by Tina Frost, highlighted many of the contributors and partners Bon Appetit worked with for the meal for farm to table lunch.
CHURCHES
MOUNT VERNON
St. Paul Lutheran Church L.C.M.S.
600 Fifth Avenue South
Pastor: Rev. Sean Hansen www.splcmv.org; send e-mail to info@splcmv.org
Sun.: 9:30 a.m. In-person worship
Please refer to our website or contact the church directly for additional worship information.
First Presbyterian Church 301 1st St. N.W. www.firstpresmv.com
319-895-6060
Pastor: Rev. Lori Wunder
Sun.: 9:30 a.m. in-person worship. Online services stream beginning at 9:20 a.m. on Facebook
St. John the Baptist Catholic Church
Rev. Andrew Awotwe-Mensah, parish priest Sun.: 8 a.m. Mass
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Justus Hallam, Bishop
Meeting at: 4300 Trailridge Rd. SE, Cedar Rapids
Sun.: 11:30 a.m. in person services. Also an option for digital worship services.
United Methodist Church
Pastor Vicki Fisher www.umcmv.com
Sun.: 8:30 a.m. Praise Worship
11 a.m. Traditional worship
Both worships available online at UMCMV.com
An LGBTQ affirming congregation
Community Bible Church 940 W. Mount Vernon Rd. www.mvcbc.org, 895-6269
Teaching Pastor Brandon Glaza
Discipleship Pastor Dennis Fulkerson
Youth Pastor Stephen Thomas
Sun.: 9:30 a.m. In-Person Worship Service
Wed. - 6 p.m. Encounter and Youth Group
Linn Grove Presbyterian
2000 Linn Grove Rd., Mt. Vernon
Pastor Carla Burge
Sun: 9 a.m. in-person worship, masks requested Also, weekly readings, prayers and sermons are posted on the church’s Facebook page.
Baha’i Faith
Nina Scott, Group Secretary, 319-270-9230
CrossLife Community Church
Pastor Erik Bennett
Sun.: 10:30 a.m. – In-person worship service. Services also livestream on Facebook page.
LISBON
Living Hope Global Methodist Church
COMMUNITY CALENDAR
Thursday, Oct. 3
Story Time, Cornell Public Library Byerly Room, 9:30 a.m.
Fiber Friends, Southeast Linn Community Center, 10:30 a.m.
Cornell College HAIG Talk Richard Wagner’s Parsifal and the Religious Problem by Professor James Martin, Cornell College West Science Room 110, 11:10 a.m.
LBC Adult Speaker Series “Food Insecurity in Eastern Iowa“ by Kim Guardado, Lester Buresh Family Community Wellness Center, 1 p.m.
Body Convos: A Dance Concert, Cornell College Armstrong-Youngker Hall Kimmel Theatre, 7:30 p.m.
Friday, Oct. 4
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.
Body Convos: A Dance Concert, Cornell College Armstrong-Youngker Hall Kimmel Theatre, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, Oct. 5
Where are the Indian Mounds? At Palisades Keplar State Park, Palisades Keplar State Park campgrounds, 11 a.m.
Body Convos: A Dance Concert, Cornell College Armstrong-Youngker Hall Kimmel Theatre, 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, Oct. 6
Body Convos: A Dance Concert, Cornell College Armstrong-Youngker Hall Kimmel Theatre, 2 p.m.
Monday, Oct. 7
Washington Elementary Teachers and Parents meeting, Washington Elementary Room 201, 6 p.m. Mount Vernon City Council, Mount Vernon City Hall,
200 E. Market St., 455-2000 livinghopegmc.org
Interim Pastors
Services live streamed at Living Hope Global Methodist Church’s YouTube page
Sundays at 9:45 a.m. Sun.: 9:45 a.m. — In-person worship.
Seeds of Faith Lutheran Church, ELCA 798 Brenneman Lane, 455-2599
(Off Hwy. 30 on eastern edge of Lisbon) www.seedsoffaithlutheran.org/
Pastor Erika Uthe
9 a.m. — In-person worship. Services also livestream via Seeds’ Facebook Page.
BERTRAM
United Methodist Church
319-365-8077
Rev. Darwin Moore, Pastor Sun.: 10 a.m. — In-person worship service
MARTELLE
Christian Church
Sun.: 10:30 a.m. — in person worship service Services also stream online at Martelle Christian Church’s YouTube page.
United Methodist Church Sun.: 10:30 a.m. Worship service. No Sunday school.
SPRINGVILLE
United Methodist Church Sun.: 9 a.m. Worship service. Wed.: 6:30 p.m. Praise service
Faith Christian Fellowship
Pastor Jack Ray Sun.: 9:30 a.m. worship at Springville Memorial Library, in the Buresh Room
(264 Broadway Street)
St. Isidore Catholic Church Sat.: 6 p.m. Mass
MECHANICSVILLE
Living Hope Bible Church
Mechanicsville Memorial Building
First Presbyterian Church 408 E. First Street.
Christian Community Church of Mechanicsville 307 East First Street
563-432-7716
Sun: Sunday School 10-11am and in-person Worship Services at 11:15am with Fellowship to follow.
St. Mary’s Catholic Church
Pastor: Father James Flattery Wed.: 8:30 a.m. — mass Sun.: 8 a.m. Mass
6:30 p.m.
Master Gardener Talks “Get More From Your Yard” by Maeghan MacDougall at Cole Library, Cornell College Cole Library Room 108, 6:30 p.m.
Tuesday, Oct. 8
Lego Club, Cornell college Room 108, 3:30 p.m. Yarn squad, Cornell College Cole Library Room 326, 6:30 p.m.
Learn to play Bridge, Cornell College Cole Library room 108, 7-9 p.m.
Wednesday, Oct. 9
Cards, Southeast Linn Community Center, 10-11:30 a.m. Linn Lunch Bunch, Southeast Linn Community Center, 11:30 a.m.
Learn to play Bridge, Cornell College Cole Library room 108, 1-3 p.m.
Lisbon Homecoming Parade, Lisbon downtown, 6:15 p.m.
Mount Vernon School Board meeting, Mount Vernon High School library, 6:30 p.m.
Thursday, Oct. 10
MVL Community Development Group’s Community leader’s breakfast, Cornell College Thomas Commons, 7:30 a.m.
Story Time, Cornell Public Library Byerly Room, 9:30 a.m.
Fiber Friends, Southeast Linn Community Center, 10:30 a.m.
LBC Open house, Lester Buresh Family Community Wellness Center, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
LBC Adult Speaker Series “SHIIP Unity Point Welcome to Medicare” by Valerie Boddicker, Lester Buresh Family Community Wellness Center, 1 p.m.
Across
1 Confident claim
5 Tootsie treat?
9 Enclosed rhyme scheme
13 Stone measure
15 Modern-day home of Persepolis
16 Godsend
17 MEDALS
19 “Cheers” bartender Woody
20 Crafty inits.
21 Baseball pitcher’s feat, informally
22 Irritated
23 They work through a lot of baggage, for short
24 GOBI DESERT
27 Quite some time
29 Source of the Golden Fleece
30 What doesn’t look the best naked?
31 Choir section
33 Not so loud
36 “SAY WHAT?”
40 Acting unconsciously
41 Prevailing spirit
43 Game piece in Mastermind
46 Legislative subject of the 2020 miniseries “Mrs. America,” for short
47 Spain’s longest river
48 NEOLITH
54 “Scientia potentia ___” (“Knowledge is power”)
55 Lassie’s owner on old TV
56 Premier couple’s retreat?
57 Furtive laugh
58 Troll’s lookalike
59 RUMMY
62 Land that split from Zanzibar in 1861
63 Medicinal form
64 Word with screen or space
65 Self images?
66 Sleep restlessly
67 Something passed down the line
Down
1 Cold beverage popularized at the 1904 World’s Fair in St. Louis
2 Sleeveless top
3 Small marching band?
4 Vote in opposition
5 Word that can precede or follow “player”
6 Flynn of Hollywood’s Golden Age
7 41, to 43
8 Popular crowd
9 Top of the order?
10 Foot warmer
11 Young male lover, informally
12 Foul shot following a basket, in hoops lingo
14 Blue reef fish
18 Heartache
22 Reproductive cell
25 Lover of Euridice, in opera
26 Scratching post scratchers
28 Middle-of-the-road
32 With a clear head
33 Zippo
34 Sound asleep
35 Formal ceremony
37 About 2 1/2 pints of beer
38 Catchphrase for moviedom’s “International Man of Mystery”
39 Vikings, e.g.
42 “That’ll show ya!”
43 Buns
44 Tough nut to crack
45 Fitness fanatic, in slang
49 What seers read
50 University of North Carolina team, to fans
51 Pastoral poems
52 Keanu Reeves role
53 Stampeders in “The Lion King”
59 Spot-on
60 Birthplace of bossa nova
61 Joke
SUDOKU
To play: Complete the grid so that every row, column and every 3x3 box contains the digits 1 to 9. There is no guessing or math involved, just use logic to solve.
Edited by Will Shortz
Find yo ur plac e in the
Photos by Nathan Countryman | Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun
Clockwise: Cornell College students dish up some of the meals at the farm to table lunch at Bon Appetit Tuesday, Sept. 24.
Keri Cruise (prep cook) works on preparing a carrot in the farm to table lunch at Bon Appetit.
Josh Shrewsbury (baker) and Kelly Pospisil (baker) work on some baked goods and desserts for the farm to table lunch at Bon Appetit.
Eric
REAL ESTATE
of the
Menzel (back, sous chef) and Jay Schworn (executive chef) check on some
hot menu items for the farm to table lunch.