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THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2026 • $1.50
City Council discusses Phase Two of City Hall remodel project Geothermal replacement, new signage, and restructuring parking in the works Grace Escritt Solon Economist
news@soloneconomist.com
At its meeting on Sept. 2, the Solon City Council identified the next steps it will take during phase two of its remodel of the new city hall, which is the former Brosh Chapel building located at 100 S. Cedar St. Phase two of the remodeling project is primarily focused on replacing the building’s geothermal units, placing new signs and updating the parking lot. According to Andrew Kramer, council member, there are four geothermal units within the building, and two of them are on their “last leg,” meaning they could “pretty well die any time.” In terms of replacing these units, the council has two main options: to replace one unit each year or to replace them all at the same time. Kramer explained it would be more cost-efficient for the council to replace all units at once. “From a financial standpoint, we’re better off just putting all four new units in…” he said. “It’ll save us money.” Replacing these geothermal units will cost the council approximately $53,780 after incentives, according to City Administrator Cami Rasmussen. The proposal says completing this work will cost $82,618.56, and although the city will need to pay this initially, it will later receive the rebate of around $28,838.56. Following a consensus that the council plans to move forward with replacing all geothermal units, the updated parking lot plan was examined. According to Dan O’Neil, Mayor, the purpose of an updated parking lot would be to increase the number of parking spaces and create a smoother traffic flow. He also said some of the surrounding concrete is in need of repair. As confirmed by Rasmussen, the updated parking lot was part of the council’s original vision for phase two of the city hall remodeling project. She said initial estimates for reconstructing the CITY COUNCIL | 2
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‘Service doesn’t end when the war does’ Korean War veteran Richard Cooper named Honored Veteran of the Game on Military Appreciation Night Chris Umscheid Solon Economist
chris.umscheid@soloneconomist.com
Solon High School’s annual salute to veterans and those currently serving was held Friday night on Military Appreciation Night during the Solon vs. Williamsburg sophomore and varsity football games. Richard Cooper, a 92 year old veteran of the U.S. Army and the Korean War, was recognized as the Honored Veteran of the Night. Cooper graduated from Clear Chris Umscheid | Solon Economist Lake HS in 1951 at the age of 17 and with a strong desire to serve, Tate Rudish salutes Richard Cooper Friday, Sept. 4, during a ceremony honoring Cooper as the forged his father’s signature and Honored Veteran of the Night between the sophomore and varsity football games on Military joined the Army where he was Appreciation Night. Rudish enlisted in the Iowa Army National Guard last year and completed Basic Military Training at Ft. Sill, Oklahoma this summer. Cooper is a 92 year old veteran of the U.S. Army MILITARY APPRECIATION | 12 and the Korean War, having forged his father’s signature to join at the age of 17.
Barefoot Becky wraps up 2026 Music on Main concert series Grace Escritt Solon Economist
news@soloneconomist.com
Barefoot Becky & The Ivanhoe Dutchmen visited downtown Solon Saturday as part of the city’s Music On Main summer concert series. Their performance of polka, waltz, foxtrot, two step, line and Latin dance songs marked the grand finale of this annual tradition. On this sunny end-of-summer afternoon, locals young and old gathered around Solon’s downtown bandstand to welcome their friend Becky Livermore of Mount Vernon to the stage. As the band sang and played their instruments, some members of the audience relaxed in their chairs while enjoying free kolaches, whereas others stayed on their feet dancing to the beat. According to Livermore, the first thing about her that stands out to people is her nickname. She said this moniker — Barefoot Becky — is a nod to her past as a young girl who grew up on a farm and often ran
around barefoot. After being given this nickname by those close to her, she said it stuck, and she began to embrace it even more as she progressed in her music career. This sentiment even seemed to resonate with members of her Solon audience, who kicked off their shoes to dance with one another during the show. Livermore said she has been playing music for around 46 years. She began pursuing this passion at age 10, and after a few years of taking lessons, she joined a polka band around age 14. Years later, she formed the Ivanhoe Dutchmen, which is named after the road she lives on. Along with playing music and joining a polka band at a young age, Livermore said she also frequently attended polka dances with her parents. She said through these outings, she met her husband, Terry Ard, who plays alongside her as a guitarist. On Sept. 5, BAREFOOT BECKY | 10
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Sheriff’s time report for Solon Volume 146 I Issue 37
The Johnson County Sheriff’s Office (JCSO) provides law enforcement to the city of Solon on a contracted basis and releases a monthly Town Time Report documenting the agency’s activities and time spent within the corporate limits of Solon.
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PO Box 249, Solon, IA 52333 Phone: 319-624-2233 news@soloneconomist.com The Solon Economist strives for accuracy and fairness in reporting news. If we’ve made an error or a report is misleading, let us know about it: news@soloneconomist.com.
August summary Deputies reported 217 hours, 19 minutes spent in Solon in June with 147 calls for service. As a reminder the Sheriff’s substation is located at 223 S. Iowa St. in Solon. The facility is not staffed 24/7 but if a deputy is needed (non-emergency) call 319-3566800 to make a request to have one meet you. In an emergency, dial 9-1-1. August calls for service in Solon 911 Hangup 12 Alarm 4 Animal complaint 3 Assault 0 Assist other agency 0 Burglary 1 Business check 2 Child abuse/Neglect 0 Civil Tow 0 Community policing 7 Criminal mischief/vandalism 0 Disturbance/Civil 3 Disturbance/Domestic 1 Disturbance/Other 0 Escort/Relay 0 Extra patrol request 3 Fire response 5 Fraud/Forgery 1 Harassment/Obscene phone 2 Info/All other info 2 Intoxicated pedestrian 0 Juvenile 2 Littering/Illegal dumping 0 Medical emergency 11 Mental impairment 2 Missing/Juvenile/Adult 0 Motor Vehicle Accident 2 Narcotics 1 Open door/window 0 Out for follow up 1 Out with subject 3 Paper service 0 Phone request 7 Property/Lost/Found 0 Public assist 3 School visit/Patrol 6 Sex abuse 1 Special assignment 0 Suicide 0 Supervisor response 0 Suspicious act/pers./veh. 2 Theft 5 Threats 0 Traffic stop 39 Traffic/other 9 Trespass 1 Unknown problem 0 Vagrant/Transient 0 Vehicle unlock 1 Violation No Contact Order 0 Welfare Check 3 Total Calls for Service Total for the year
147 323
August hours in Solon Accident Investigation Animal Civil Criminal Investigation Door Checks Medical Assist On Foot Other Patrol Public Relations Radar
1:22 0:09 0:53 12:04 0:12 2:13 1:02 4:44 188:22 4:17 2:01
Total Hours Logged Hours Required Hours Over Hours Logged for the year Hours Over for the year Hours Required for the year
217:19 207:34 9:45 457:54 42:46 2,444:00
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Publisher Jason Brummond jason.brummond@dailyiowan.com Editor Chris Umscheid chris.umscheid@ soloneconomist.com Advertising Sales Catherine Bilskie catherine.bilskie@ soloneconomist.com
CITY COUNCIL from 1
prospect of moving into a new space. O’Neil said ultimately, the decision to purchase and remodel the old Brosh Chapel building — which has around double the square footage of the old city hall — proved to be much less costly than building a brand-new city hall. He also said this building’s size stood out due to its ability to not only serve all its current employees, but also to house future city growth. “The building that we purchased had been discussed twice before by previous councils as far as purchases, and both those times, previous councils opted not to purchase the property,” O’Neil said. “We felt the price was only going to continue to go up on that property, and it was made available for us. We felt it was the right time to do that given its location, still located along Main Street.” Soon after purchasing the old Brosh Chapel, the city began phase one of its remodeling project, which entailed placing new flooring, drywall, windows and doors. According to O’Neil, the purpose of phase one was to “rehab” and provide a “facelift” to the building in order for it to become a functioning city hall. Phase one officially wrapped up this past spring. Although the city is still in the process of remodeling, the new city hall currently contains larger council chambers, a computer room for the city’s public works superintendents to operate out of, desks for the city and finance clerks, a room for parks and recreation workers, a conference room, an open area set aside to accommodate future growth, and much more. The council’s next meeting will be held Wednesday, Sept. 16, at 5:30 p.m.
parking lot were around $90,000, but this estimate was provided before any survey work was completed. The council does not have any updated quotes for the parking lot currently. Due to the lack of updated estimates for reconstructing the parking lot, many council members were hesitant to support any further progress. However, O’Neil said everything in the current construction plan had already been approved and discussed by the previous council. Some current members were not on the previous council, which O’Neil explained was the source of this hesitancy. “As far as the parking lot and the entrances, the grading, all that, it sounds like we want to get some quotes to understand what that is going to look like cost-wise,” he said. “Then, I would assume that we’ll have discussion with our public works staff to see if that could be broken up into phases, what can be done in-house…but I think right now, just without firm cost estimates…the council did not want to move forward with the parking lot portion of phase two.” In addition to seeking out quotes for the parking lot, O’Neil said the council will also be seeking out multiple quotes for replacing the geothermal units to ensure the route it pursues will be the most cost-effective option available. Reflecting on this project’s origin, O’Neil said the need for a new city hall arose due to the city outgrowing its previous building; that is, in terms of room for employees to work and storage space. He said due to the old city hall’s size, the finance clerk worked from a countertop, and the city even began using the former fire station for storage Grace Escritt is a student in the University purposes. of Iowa’s School of Journalism and Mass ComUpon acknowledging this need for a larger munication. Grace is an intern with the Solon workspace, the council began exploring the Economist.
SOLON PUBLIC LIBRARY NEWS Johnson County Iowa League of Women Voters and the Solon Public Library will host a candidate forum Tuesday, September 29, at 6:30 p.m. with Johnson County Board of Supervisor candidates for District 2. Candidates up for election on November 3, Jon Greene and Phil Hemingway, will answer questions from the panel, and from the audience if time allows. The Library is celebrating the 25th Anniversary of our current building! Join us Saturday, September 26 between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., for a celebration of the Solon Public Library, our history, our incredible Library community, light refreshments, and cupcakes! Hosted by the Friends of Solon Public Library, Board of Trustees, and the Solon Public Library Foundation. September is Library Card Sign-up Month! Back in 1987, Library Card Sign-Up Month began with a simple but powerful idea: every child should have a library card—and use it! That message still rings true today! At Solon Public Library, we believe a Library card is your ticket to so much more than books. Use your Library card to check out puzzles, cake pans, the Iowa Adventure Pass, and more surprises you might not expect! Sign up for a new Library card or renew your account this September and you’ll be entered to win a fun prize bundle. Remember, the library is for everyone, every day!
Library programs For teens, visit the Library on Tuesdays for Switch and Social after school until 4:30 p.m. Hang out with friends, eat snacks, and play games. We’ll have a variety of board games available and games for our Switch. Also for teens, Thursday, September 24, at 3 p.m., we’re making Shrinky Dinks! From keychains and charms to earrings and necklaces, teens are welcome to join us for some afterschool crafting time. Teen programs are for 6th-12th graders. For 1st-8th Graders, visit the Library for our Thursday early-out BAM POW programs from 1:45-2:45 p.m. On September 17, join us for our Make It! Perler Beads. On September 24, we will finish the month with Play It! Homemade Play Dough. Pick up a copy of the schedule at the Library or check our website calendar for details. Book lovers will gather for the Solon Book Club discussion of Canary Girls by Jennifer Chiaverini on Tuesday, September 15, at 6:30 p.m. Join the discussion and pick up a copy of the book for next month’s discussion. New members are always welcome, no registration necessary. Monday, September 21, at 5:30 p.m., join us with special guest Dee Swartzendruber for a presentation on the history and intricacies of the Hurdy-Gurdy. This program is open to all
Production Manager Heidi Owen heidi.owen@dailyiowan.com Advertising Director Juli Krause juli.krause@dailyiowan.com Interns Grace Escritt, reporter Cadence Dighton, reporter Abby Princehouse, digital/ social media, sports reporter Official Newspaper: Solon, Johnson County, Solon Community School District, Solon Tri-Township Emergency Response The Solon Economist (USPS 500860), a division of The Daily Iowan, is published weekly on Thursdays by Student Publications, 100 Adler Journalism Building, Room El31 Iowa City, IA 52242. Periodicals Postage Paid at the Solon Post Office and additional offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Solon Economist at PO Box 249, Solon, IA 52333. Subscriptions: Contact Catherine Bilskie at 319-624-2233 or catherine. bilskie@soloneconomist.com for additional information. Subscription rates: Johnson and adjoining counties – $55 annually; elsewhere In Iowa – $75 annually; out of state – $85 annually. Copyright 2026 Solon Economist, a division of The Daily Iowan and Student Publications, Inc. All articles, photographs and graphics, both in print and online editions, are the property of Student Publications, Inc., and may not be reproduced or republished without written permission.
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ages, no registration required. Thursday, September 24, at 6:30 p.m., join us with special guest David Cwiertny, PhD, from the University of Iowa for a presentation on our local water quality. Learn about where our local water quality stands, what you can do to improve water quality, and what barriers currently exist to hinder the quality of our water. An old favorite has returned to the Library! Don’t miss Meal & a Movie on Friday, September 25, at 11 a.m. The Solon Senior Advocates organize the meal, contact Sandy Hanson to reserve your meal for a small cost, and stick around to enjoy a movie with friends.
Library access Regular Library hours are Monday-Thursday, 9 a.m.-7 Solon Public Library contributed photo p.m. and Friday-Saturday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Closed Sundays. Please always refer to our website calendar or call to check Chris Schlotfelt, President of the Friends, accepting the hours as weather may impact our ability to be safely open. dollar from Solon Mayor, Steve Grover in 2001 The Library will be open 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday, Sept. 25. Everyone is welcome at the Library and our programs. than fifty years. Please contact us with access needs. We’ll Prescribe You a Cat by Syou Ishida. Tucked away in an old building at the end of a narrow alley in Kyoto, the Kokoro Clinic for the Soul can only be found by people who are struggling in their lives and genuinely need help. Here’s what’s new in Fiction at the Library. The mysterious clinic offers a unique treatment to those The Amateur by Chris Bohjalian. 1978: It is the first who find their way there: it prescribes cats as medicaThursday in August and temperatures are flirting with tion. Patients are often puzzled by this unconventional ninety when Mira Winston, eighteen years old, drives prescription, but when they "take" their cat for the recoma golf ball from her tee toward the practice net near the mended duration, they witness profound transformations clubhouse and caddy shack. The golf ball, weighing 1.6 in their lives, guided by the playful, empathetic, occasionounces, tears through the net, traveling 150 miles per ally challenging yet endearing cats. hour, and slams, with sickening force, into the temple of History of the Solon Public Library, part 24 a high school junior named Kenny Foster, rupturing an artery and unleashing a torrent of blood. Kenny brings his hand to the side of his head, then topples onto his side. The Grand Opening of the new Solon Public Library He's dead before the ambulance even arrives. was held on June 14, 2001. It was a time to thank all of the volunteers and donors who pulled together to build The Castle in the Glen by Rhys Bowen. Australian writer this wonderful new community. The $1.3 million dollars Emma Callander has been recruited to complete the final needed for this project was raised through private donahistorical mystery in a series by celebrated author Iris tions and corporate donors, thanks to the efforts of the Blackburn. It's 1965, and Iris's memory is fading. She's Friends of the Solon Library and the Library Board of certain that only Emma can do justice to her novel about Trustees. This amount also included the land donated by a murder on the Isle of Skye. When Emma ventures to the Solon American Legion, work in kind and material Scotland for research, she discovers the story is not fic- donations. The Library building was “sold” to the City of tion at all but rather a true crime, unsolved for more Solon for $1.00.
New fiction
September is Preparedness Month Travis Beckman Deputy Director Johnson County Homeland Security & Emergency Management Agency
September is Preparedness Month in Johnson County. It’s a great time for households to come together and think about how they can get ready for emergencies—whether at home, school, or in the community. Johnson County’s preparedness efforts align with National Preparedness Month, observed each September across the United States. “Preparedness isn’t about predicting the next disaster — it’s about ensuring we’re ready for whatever comes. Every plan made, every kit built, and every conversation about readiness strengthens our community’s resilience.” — Travis Beckman, Deputy Director
Johnson County EMA website, http:// www.jecc-ema.org/jecc/jeccalertiowa. php Step Two: Make an emergency plan. You and your household may not be together when an emergency occurs. Identify a meeting place and an out-oftown contact. Knowing what to do, where to go, and how to stay in touch is essential. Step Three: Build an emergency kit. Include essentials such as water, non-perishable food, first-aid supplies and medications, items for children and pets, and hygiene products to support your household for 3–7 days. Keep your kit in an easy-to-access location and include a grab-and-go option.
Step Four: Get involved. Lending a hand helps build a stronger, more resilDuring Preparedness Month, Johnson ient community that can better withstand County Emergency Management encour- and recover from disasters. ages residents to take four simple steps to ensure they are prepared: Stay tuned to social media and JoCo Ready for preparedness information Step One: Be aware of hazards in throughout the month. your area. Learn about the emergencies Fol low pr epa r e d ne s s me s your community may face and how to s a g i ng at: w w w.f ac e b o ok .c om/ respond. Sign up for local alerting and JohnsonCoIAHSEMA emergency notifications through JoCo For additional information on emerReady at https://apps.myocv.com/share/ gency preparedness, visit ready.iowa.gov a152650324 and/or Alert Iowa at the or http://www.jecc-ema.org
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OBITUARIES Judith “Judy” Mraz Please join us as we gat her to honor and celebrate the incredible life of Judy Mraz. Judith "Judy" Mraz, 83, of Columbus Junction and formerly of Solon, passed away peacefully on July 22, 2026. A Celebration of Life will be held from 1-3 p.m. Sunday, September 20, at Lensing Funeral & Cremation Service in Iowa City. A time of sharing will begin at 1:00 p.m. Your presence, love, and support would mean the world to our family during this time. A life so beautifully lived deserves to be beautifully remembered. F or the full obituary and to share online memories, please visit www.lensingfuneral.com.
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4 | THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2026 | SOLON ECONOMIST
Is retirement a mere myth? Food for Thought Milli Gilbaugh
During the past couple of years, I’ve begun to suspect that the idea of retirement is only a cruel deception designed to keep us going until we have totally exhausted all our resources and are no longer an asset to society. It is the carrot dangled in front of our noses (you can see it up there, just beyond the grindstone) golden and tempting and full of sweet promises – none of which is going to be as great as we imagine. For starters, we are led to believe that one day, we will simply stay home from work and enjoy our hard-earned leisure. We will sleep late, read all those books from the book club that we failed to cancel in time, get together with old friends for quiet evenings of bridge and intelligent conversation, take a cruise or two, bring the stamp collection and the photo album up to date, spend weeks visiting and getting to know the out-of-state grandchildren, go fly-fishing in a picturesque Colorado stream, have leisurely lunches with friends (after the rush hour and in some really nice restaurants), attend the theater and visit art galleries. You know – enjoy the finer things in life. What actually happens is more like a nightmare than that idyllic dream. Take the simple pleasure of sleeping late. Coinciding exactly with the first day of retirement, we find that lying in bed past 6 am causes stiff necks, aching knees and lower back pain. The print in those books has shrunk to the size of the fine print in the book club agreement that states you must send back the cancellation card or pay for unwanted books. The old bridge-playing friends are living in a nursing home in Arizona, suffering from Alzheimer’s, afraid to drive after dark, or divorced and into skydiving. The cruise is out because you’ve been ordered to stay out of the sun and eat only oat bran and prunes. Why pay all that money when you can stay home and watch reruns of “The Love Boat”? The stamp collection is so far behind that you can’t afford all the issues you neglected to buy. In fact, you can barely afford the stamps to mail back the cancellation card for the book club. All those old snapshots that have been shoved into a drawer for the past thirty years are of people whose names you can’t remember and vacation trips to places whose dates and locations elude you. You have no need to plan a visit to see the out-of-state grandchildren. Their parents are divorcing and they are coming to live with you until everybody gets “adjusted.” This includes your adult child who will need of your sympathetic ear, laundry service, meal service, baby-sitting and occasional small loans. Taking up fly-fishing has gone the way of Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny. It’s hard enough to keep from losing your balance in the shower, and falling into an icy stream miles from the nearest First Responders in not an attractive prospect. Besides, replacing all the equipment that the mice chewed up will cost more than that walker you’re going to need to get to the Senior Center. And that’s as close as you will get to a leisurely lunch with friends – if you’re willing to be there at eleven o’clock and if you’re especially fond of green beans and Jell-O. We discover, much to our dismay, that those glamorous evenings at the theater cost $65 per ticket, even with special senior prices, and that we can no longer hike a quarter mile across the parking lot or stand in line for more than five minutes. All this walking and standing around prohibits those visits to art galleries and museums, too. We soon discover that the payments we've been making to Social Security aren't going to keep up with the rising cost of living and that we need a part-time job to pay for those leisurely vacations and little adventures we'd planned, but the job doesn't allow us time off to indulge in them. The biggest blow of all, though, was discovering that stay-at-home wives aren’t allowed to retire – ever! Somebody still has to do the cooking, cleaning, laundry and shopping that make up a full-time housewife’s daily duties. And stay-at-home husbands aren't allowed to sit on the porch and supervise the lawn service and handy man. Someone has to paint the porch, clean out the rain gutters, mow the lawn and trim those over-grown shrubs. And guess who that is!
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Let the public see what government boards see
In recent weeks, people from Cherokee, Des Moines and Ottumwa have contacted the Iowa Freedom of Information Council with concerns about the refusal of local officials to share documents distributed to city council and school board members before they meet. Typically, Iowa government boards and councils send their members document packets before each meeting so they have important background facts Randy Evans to help them make informed Iowa Freedom of Information Council decisions. The materials often include staff reports on agenda topics, financial statements and analyses, proposed contracts, correspondence and recommended agreements. The board packets promote informed governance. Members have time to read and digest relevant materials, study the facts, and prepare any questions in the days leading up to the public meeting. Citizens deserve no less of an opportunity. While many Iowa governmental bodies get that and make their board packets available to the public at the same time members receive them, a troubling number of boards and councils choose to withhold these materials until the meetings end — and, importantly, well after decisions are made. That is not the transparency Iowa lawmakers had in mind when they wrote the state’s “sunshine” laws 50 years ago. The purposes of those laws, and the underlying tenets of good government, are thwarted when the Cherokee city administrator withholds a fact sheet about proposed tax assistance for a hotel development that she provided to city council members and then discussed with them during the public council meeting. It equally is wrong for the Des Moines city attorney to provide council members — but not the public — with an agreement he negotiated to settle a legal dispute the city is defending. Withholding the agreement until after the council meeting prevents residents from offering their informed opinions or asking important questions before council members vote to settle claims and spend tax money. And it makes no sense for the Ottumwa school board to routinely withhold its entire board packet until the end of each board meeting — or, even worse, until several days after the meet ends. Iowa law requires government boards to post their
Stray Thoughts
meeting agendas at least 24 hours before a meeting starts. The agenda tells the public what will be discussed. The supporting packet provides important background details that inform board members — and that should inform the public, too. If not by duty, then by law government boards should be required to make their meeting packets available at the same time the materials are distributed to board members. First, there is no question that once those documents are provided to the boards and councils, the documents become public records and Iowa law allows them to be inspected and copied on demand. So, why make the public ask and wait for something a council or board could post on its website right next to the meeting notice and tentative agenda? Or, why not have several copies of the packet available at the public meeting, the same way the Iowa Public Information Board does? Yes, there can be legitimate exceptions for some of the packet contents. Certain confidential materials may properly be excluded from the publicly available packet — such as security matters, student expulsions from school, or documents that will be discussed in a closed session. But those should be the exceptions. There should not be a broad shield or subterfuge to keep the public in the dark until a meeting is over and decisions have been made. Some neighbors might read every word of these packets. Others may not read a thing. And some may examine only those documents relating to issues that directly affect them, their property or their pocketbook. The point of transparency is not that everyone will read everything. The point is that every person has the ability to examine these materials and engage with government officials if they choose before and as decisions are made. There is a practical reason for government boards and councils to embrace this broad standard of openness: Transparency builds public trust and understanding. People do not have to agree with every decision their government leaders make. But if certain documents are important enough for school board members or city council members to read and weigh before making decisions, those documents are important for the public to see and review, too. So, why should members of boards and councils in Cherokee, Des Moines and Ottumwa get to see documents and information before a public meeting that ordinary citizens cannot see until afterward — sometimes days later? There is no justification for any answer other than: “They shouldn’t.” If public boards will not make these documents available before their meetings, then the Legislature should act next session to make it mandatory that these so-called “board packets” or “council packets” be made public before the meetings. Open meetings deserve open packets.
Q&A: Beef & biofuels With U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley
Q: What can be done to help cattle producers grow their herds? A: Americans consume approximately 59 pounds of beef per person each year, a testament to this high-quality source of iron-and-protein-rich food known for its mouth-watering, nutritional value. In 2024, U.S. cattle production represented about 22 percent of the $515 billion in total cash receipts for agricultural commodities. During my annual county meetings, I’ve discussed the hardship cattle farmers are facing to build back their herds and get a fair shake in the marketplace. I’m glad U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche accepted my invitation to come to the Iowa State Fair and hear directly from Iowa farmers – who are among the two percent of the population raising food for the other 98 percent of the U.S. population – and feeling squeezed out of their livelihoods from anticompetitive practices of the Big Four meatpackers. During his confirmation hearing in July, I called upon the Attorney General to commit to enforcing
federal competition laws with particular attention to the cattle markets. America’s cattle herd is at its lowest in about 75 years and still contracting after producers culled cow-calf operations due to natural disasters and other market conditions, including restrictions to mitigate the spread of New World Screwworm in the United States. It takes time to rebuild the cattle herd. I’m working to ensure supply meets demand by supporting our domestic cattle markets and pushing the Trump administration to put America’s cattle farmers and ranchers first. For example, I’m sponsoring bipartisan legislation to look into the economic impact of livestock market consolidation on cattle producers and consumers. Cattle farmers sometimes earn pennies on the dollar in a marketplace where just four companies control 85% of the market. Farmers get less, and families pay more at the grocery store. That’s why I’m also sponsoring a bill to beef up enforcement of anticompetitive practices in
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Q: How are you working to strengthen Iowa biofuels? A: Biofuels are an important market for Iowa corn and soybean farmers and directly support 31,000 jobs across our state. Iowa is the #1 biofuels producer in America, an important homegrown energy pipeline that helps lower costs for consumers at the pump. For two decades, the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) has helped reduce dependence on imported oil and boost the farm economy. When I got wind the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was going to issue dozens of small refinery exemptions (SREs) from the RFS program, I led efforts with farm state lawmakers to press
the Trump administration to do no harm to farmers and the biofuel industry. I’m glad Trump’s team listened and continued its commitment to rural America. Although I’m disappointed with the scale of small refinery exemptions, I’m glad the EPA agreed to reallocate 100 percent of the difference between projected and actual exempted volumes granted for 2025 SREs into the 2026 and 2027 Renewable Volume Obligations (RVOs). You can bet your boots I’ll be riding herd on the White House to uphold its commitment of full reallocation and to stand by the importance of biofuels and the merits of the RFS to U.S. national security, energy independence and rural America.
Instead of fixing the budget imbalance, the Legislature wants to lock in those tax cuts to corporations and the We've all learned to be wary of get-rich schemes. There wealthy through a constitutional amendment requiring is a new scam coming on Election Day in November – a a supermajority to pass any law that increases individual proposed amendment to the Iowa Constitution. or corporate income taxes. Two-thirds of both the House The past decade of Republican rule has produced one and the Senate would have to approve such a measure, tax cut after another shoveling millions in benefits to the making it virtually impossible to pass. richest Iowans while tossing pennies to the rest of us. This amendment would ensure that we can't finance The most recent cuts promised the average millionaire public schools or health care or childcare by any measure household about $23,500 in savings but gave the bottom that would make the rich pay their fair share of costs. Call two-thirds of tax filers an average of only about $100. it “The Millionaire Protection Act.” The resulting revenue losses have forced schools to Future legislatures would be forced to enact massive retrench as state funding fails to keep up with rising cuts in education and other services or adopt a huge costs. And yet the state budget deficit exceeded $1.2 bil- increase in the sales tax. To cover continued revenue lion last year and is projected to do so again this year. shortfalls the sales tax would have to rise to nearly 9 The tax-cutting binge has been financed by eating up cents on the dollar including the local option portion. our budget surpluses; they will soon be gone. We face Everyday Iowans – retirees, truck drivers, day care deep cuts to services, tax increases, or both. workers, schoolteachers, firefighters – pay a much bigger
share of their income in sales taxes than the rich. A vote for this amendment is not a vote to keep your taxes down. It is a vote to preserve tax cuts for the richest and force higher taxes on the rest of us.
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the consolidated meatpacking industry. Most recently, I joined a letter calling upon the USDA and U.S. Department of Interior to keep working to expand grazing access for livestock producers and strengthen risk management tools that protect cattle producers from market volatility. I also joined a bicameral letter with more than 50 farm state lawmakers urging President Trump to build on his administration’s successes with Australia and the United Kingdom to expand market access for high-quality, American-grown beef. Such trade agreements drive confidence in the market, giving cattle producers more certainty to expand and invest in rebuilding their herds.
LETTER TO THE EDITOR Vote No on Amendment 1
Another poll shows majority of Iowans support raising tobacco taxes Support remains consistently high Michael DuPre’
American Cancer Society Action Network
DES MOINES — A new poll from the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network shows that 65% of likely voters in Iowa support a tobacco tax increase whose revenue would be dedicated to programs that prevent tobacco use. This new poll reaffirms findings from a March poll from the Iowa Health Initiative (IHI). The earlier poll had nearly identical results, showing that 2 in 3 registered voters (66%) in Iowa supported increasing tobacco taxes by $1.50 per pack with a similar tax on other nicotine products. Iowa has a cancer crisis and 31.4% of cancer deaths
Peter Fisher Solon, Iowa Peter Fisher is a retired professor of Urban and Regional Planning at the University of Iowa where he taught state and local government finance.
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are attributable to smoking. Iowa has significantly higher instances of lung cancer and mortality rates when compared to both the national rate and other Midwest states. The state has not increased the cigarette tax since 2007 – nearly 20 years. Raising tobacco taxes is effective in reducing our cancer burden, and it has remained wildly popular in Iowa. Dr. Mary Charlton, Director of the Iowa Cancer Registry, has made it clear, saying, “Raising the tobacco tax is the single most impactful public health policy to help reduce cancer and deaths. Period.” American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network American Heart Association American Lung Association Americans for Nonsmokers’ Rights Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids Clean Air for Everyone Iowa
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NEWS FROM JOHNSON COUNTY
Johnson County Auditor’s Office completes review of 921 voter registration challenges The Johnson County Auditor’s Office received 921 voter registration challenges on Tuesday, Aug. 11, 2026. The challenges filed pursuant to Iowa Code § 48A.14 questioned whether the affected voters continued to reside in Johnson County at the addresses listed on their voter registrations. Johnson County Elections staff contacted all 921 affected voters to notify them of the challenges and explain their rights and options under Iowa law. All challenges questioned whether the voter continued to reside in Johnson County at the address listed on their voter registration. Elections staff worked to contact all 921 affected voters to notify them of the challenge and explain their rights and options under Iowa law. Following the required challenge hearing on Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2026, the following determinations were made: • Eighteen voters responded to the notice to cancel their registration or had canceled their registration before the notice was sent. • Nine voters provided sufficient documentation to
resolve the challenge or had voted in Johnson County after the date identified in the challenge documentation and, therefore, were not removed. • 894 challenges remain subject to review following the Nov. 3, 2026, General Election. Those registrations will be reviewed and removed if the voter has no qualifying activity during the election. Johnson County Auditor and Commissioner of Elections Julie Persons said the large number of challenges should not be interpreted as evidence of widespread voter fraud or other election misconduct in Johnson County. She added that the county has a highly mobile population, and voters frequently move within the county, to other counties, or out of state. And while Iowa election officials continually work to maintain accurate voter registration records, many voters do not update their registration immediately after moving. In many cases, voters update their registration when they next participate in an election. “Johnson County Elections will always take voter registration challenges seriously and will follow the law and protect every voter’s rights throughout the process,” Persons said. “Despite this being a very busy time for our election staff, they were able to process 921 individual challenges while continuing to prepare for November’s general election.” The Auditor’s Office encourages voters who have moved to update their voter registration as soon as possible. Voters can check the address listed on their voter registration by contacting the Johnson County Elections Office at 319-356-6004, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
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SPORTS
6 | THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2026 | SOLON ECONOMIST
UPCOMING SPORTS EVENTS FOOTBALL
Week Three Friday, Sept. 11 – AT Mount Vernon, 7:00 p.m. Frosh-Soph, 5 p.m. Week Four Friday, Sept. 18 – HOME vs. Benton Community, 7:30 p.m. (Youth Football Night) VOLLEYBALL Thursday, Sept. 10 – HOME vs. VintonShellsburg, 7:30 p.m. Freshman, 5 p.m. Sophomores, 6 p.m. JV, 5 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 12 – Linn-Mar Tournament, Linn-Mar HS, 9:00 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 15 – AT Center Point-Urbana HS, Center Point, 7:30 p.m. CROSS COUNTRY Thursday, Sept. 10 – Gilbert XC meet (B&G) at Iowa State University XC course, 5 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 17 – Independence Invitational (B&G), Independence MHI, 5:15 p.m. Monday, Sept. 21 – HOME Invitational (B&G), SRNA, 5 p.m. (MS boys/ girls start 4:30 p.m.) GIRLS SWIMMING (with Iowa City High School)
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FOOTBALL
Spartans humble the Raiders 42-0
Quinn Felderman For the Solon Economist news@soloneconomist.com
The Solon Spartans were fired up in their home debut against the Williamsburg Raiders Friday, Sept. 4, on Military Appreciation Night. The Spartans were hot after beating Davenport Assumption on the road for their season opener and did not lose a step heading into this week. The first drive of the night had the Spartans rattled after Senior QB Maddox Kelly fumbled on Solon’s opening drive, but the defense stepped up, forcing a turnover on downs at the goal line. After that, Solon controlled the game on all levels for the rest of the night. Kelly immediately marched his team down the field, capping off the 91-yard drive with a one-yard passing touchdown to Cody Milliman (Sr) to put them on the board. He would go for 2 more touchdowns in the air to Kaden Hoeper (Sr) to further their lead. With time expiring in the first half, the Spartans' Iron Shield defense lined up to return one last punt before the break. The ball was snapped and sent flying over the head of the punter. The ball was kicked around until eventually getting scooped up by Foster Owens (Jr), who took it into the end zone with 16.3 seconds remaining in the first, to put them up 28-0. The Spartans were looking to close it out in the second half, which they did. Kelly connected with Hoeper one last time for his 4th passing touchdown of the night. Backup quarterback Ryan Lang (Jr) came in to finish the game out, sealing it away with a 10-yard dagger to Michael Bigelow (Jr) to put Solon up 42-0. “Overall, it felt really good about just how the guys played and responded to the beginning of the game because we could have kept them in it, and we didn’t,” Stanton said after the game. Solon will hit the road this week to take on their rivals, the Mount Vernon Mustangs (2-0), Friday, Sept. 11, at 7 pm
Tuesday, Sept. 15 – HOME vs. Cedar Falls, 6 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 19 – HOME Little Hawk Invitational, 8:30 a.m.
Quinn Felderman is a student in the University of Iowa’s School of Journalism and Mass Communication. Quinn is a student in the Prep Sports Report class.
GIRLS TENNIS
Stats Passing – Maddox Kelley 9/12, 126 yards, 4 TDs. Ryder Laing 1/1, 10 yards, 1 TD Receiving – Kaden Hoeper 4-71, 3 TDs. Owen Bock 3-48. Michael Bigelow 1-10, 1 TD. Cody Milliman 1-4, 1 TD. Jackson Burk 1-3 Rushing – Kelley 13-80, Sawyer Hancox 7-48, Burk 10-34, Laing 3-27, Milliman 1-0 Defense – Kelley 4.0 tackles, 2 solo, 1 sack. Grant Gordon 4.0, 3. Mac Svalstad 3.0, 3. Lucas Feuerbach 3.0, 1. Wyatt Young 2.5, 2. James Thomsen 2.5, 2. Luis Buck 2.0. Milliman 2.0, 2. Bigelow 2.0, 2. Caden Kilburg 2.0, 2. Simon Einwalter 2.0, 1. Ian Cronk 1.0, 1. Bock 1.0, 1. Burk 1.0, 1. Paxton Holtkamp 1.0, 1. Benjamin McFadden 1.0, 1. Collin McKie 1.0, 1. Drew O’Neill 1.0, 1. Hudson Pauley 1.0, 1. Luke Devery 1.0, 1. Bradyn Schnoor 1.0, 1. Kaden Hoeper 0.5. Colton Carney 0.5. Fumble recovery – Foster Owens 1, 3 yards, 1 TD Interceptions – Cronk 1 Kick returns – Young 1-14 yards Punt returns – Kelley 2-20 yards Kickoffs – McKie 7, 1 TB, 372 yards PAT – McKie 6/6
(with Iowa City High School)
Saturday, Sept. 12 – At Waterloo West, 9 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 12 – At UNI Tennis Complex vs. Cedar Falls, 1 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 15 – HOME vs. Linn-Mar, 4 p.m. Photos by Chris Umscheid | Solon Economist
Top to bottom: Kaden Hoeper (5) avoids a tackle with his eyes on the endzone Friday, Sept. 4, at home against Williamsburg. Hoeper, a senior, made four receptions for 71 yards and three touchdowns in a 42-0 blowout over the Raiders. Foster Owens (6) and Maddox Kelley (4) team up to stop Williamsburg’s Dallin Sullivan (7) Friday, Sept. 4, at home. The Spartans blew out the Raiders 42-0 in week two of the season. Foster Owens (6) latches onto Williamsburg’s Dallin Sullivan (7) Friday, Sept. 4, at home. The Spartans blew out the Raiders 42-0 in week two of the season.
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Class 3A District 4 scores Solon 42 Williamsburg 0 Mediapolis 48 Keokuk 22 Mt. Pleasant 55 Knoxville 8 W. Burlington, Notre Dame 42 Ft. Madison 21 Washington 7 Independence 6 Centerville 30 Fairfield 8 Class 3A District 4 standings Mt. Pleasant Solon Fairfield Ft. Madison Washington Keokuk
Overall 2-0 2-0 1-1 1-1 1-1 0-2
District 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0
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SPORTS
FOOTBALL
SOLON ECONOMIST | THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2026 | 7
VOLLEYBALL
Solon girls varsity volleyball recap Hoeper’s hat trick against Williamsburg powers Solon offense Kendall P. Matthew For the Solon Economist news@soloneconomist.com
Solon Girls Varsity volleyball went 7-1 last week going 3-0 Thursday at Marshalltown’s Apgar Quad, and 5-0 in their home invitational Saturday. The team's hitting percentage on Saturday was .400.
Ryan Paris For the Solon Economist news@soloneconomist.com
running track, explosiveness from competing in the high jump, and lateral quickness from basketball. Those traits, along with his chemistry with quarterback Maddox Kelley, have become the engine powering Solon’s offense at the start of the season. “We’ve done sports together our whole lives growing up, and he was my quarterback seventh through freshman year,” Hoeper said. For the past two years, Hoeper and Kelley have worked side-by-side as receivers, something each player said helped strengthen their connection on the field. “I think it just helps me more, like I know how they’re gonna run the routes,” Kelley said. Hoeper’s other two touchdowns that didn’t require him to maneuver through half the Williamsburg defense were bullets from Kelley that hit him in stride. “They’ve had quite the connection the last two weeks,” head coach Lucas Stanton said. After nine touchdowns as a junior, Hoeper is already more than halfway to eclipsing that mark as a senior, and he’s only two games in.
When Solon wide receiver Kaden Hoeper caught the ball at the 12-yard line in the second quarter of the Spartan’s home opener against Williamsburg on September 4th, he might have been the only person in Spartan Stadium thinking touchdown. It started out a simple short hitch route to move the chains, but with the Williamsburg defense playing off coverage, Hoeper had space to work after the catch. He cut back to the inside, leaving the first cornerback grasping at air. Hoeper then sliced between two more defenders with the same level of precision as the orange trim on his black jersey. When he was met at the 1-yard line, he dragged a final pair of defenders into the endzone with him. It was touchdown number two of three on the day for Hoeper, in what would turn out to be an all-around 42-0 thrashing handed out by the Spartans. “I know last week was a good week, but I wanted to get a great one in,” Hoeper said. By that definition, 97 yards and two touchdowns against Assumption was just “good”. Hoeper’s “great” performance Ryan Paris is a student in the on Friday utilized his full athletic back- Universit y of Iowa’s School of ground. Journalism and Mass Communication. Each catch and run featured the Ryan is a student in the Prep Sports straight line speed he developed from Report class.
SWIMMING
City High dominates CR Wash. Warriors 121-57 Elkins, Feuerbach, and Hagarty swimming with the Little Hawks
4th in the varsity 50-yard freestyle (26.18) and 3rd in the 100-yard freestyle (1:03.83). Against the Washington Warriors, Feuerbach won the JV 200-yard freestyle (2:29.21) and 100 backstroke Solon Economist (1:17.00) while Elkins was 2nd in the IOWA CIT Y — Iowa City High varsity 100 freestyle (1:04.20). School’s varsity girls swimming and diving team improved to 2-0 on the season with a 121-57 win over Cedar Mississippi Valley Standings (9-7-26) Rapids Washington Tuesday, Sept. Conf. Overall 1, at the Mercer Park Aquatic Center Cedar Falls 1-0 2-0 after their season opening 105-81 win Iowa City High 2-0 2-0 in Dubuque Tuesday, August 25 against Iowa City West 2-0 2-0 Hempstead. Linn-Mar 1-0 2-0 Solon’s Maddie Elkins (senior), Avery Wahlert Catholic 2-0 8-0 Feuerbach (sophomore), and Irelynd Waterloo United 1-0 1-0 Hagarty (senior) are swimming for the CR Kennedy 1-1 5-3 Dubuque Senior 0-2 5-3 Little Hawks this season. 0-2 3-5 Feuerbach took 2nd in the JV 100- Dbq. Hempstead 0-1 0-1 yard backstroke (1:20.28) against CR Jefferson CR Washington 0-2 0-2 Dubuque Hempstead while Elkins was
Marshalltown Apgar Quad Solon 2 Waverly-Shell Rock 1 (25-23, 23-25, 15-13) Kills – Charleigh Whitford 9, Amelia Guinn 6, Zephie Bishop 3, Makinley Galvan 2, Addison Walter 1, Beckett Kruse 1 Assists – Scarlett Ferin 10, Ava Hohn 7, Macy Fuller 4 Solo blocks – Harper Nicholson 3, Guinn 2, Kruse 1 Block assists – Walter 3, Bishop 3, Nicholson 2, Galvan 1, Kruse 1 Ace serves – Walter 1, Anabelle Boelkins 1, Hohn 1, Ferin 1 Digs – Fuller 14, Kalynn Timmons 6, Ferin 5, Boelkins 3, Kruse 2, Walter 2, Whitford 1, Hohn 1, Nicholson 1, Galvan 1 Solon 2 Dallas Center-Grimes 0 (25-15, 25-22) Kills – Charleigh Whitford 8, Amelia Guinn 7, Makinley Galvan 4, Addison Walter 2, Harper Nicholson 1 Assists – Ava Hohn 11, Scarlett Ferin 7, Macy Fuller 2, Emersyn Bucheit 1, Nicholson 1 Solo blocks – Guinn 1 Block assists – Nicholson 3, Zephie Bishop 3, Walter 1, Galvan 1 Ace serves – Kendyl Kidwell 1 Digs – Fuller 7, Kalynn Timmons 5, Ferin 3, Whitford 2, Walter 1, Bucheit 1, Anabelle Boelkins 1, Hohn 1, Guinn 1 Solon 2 Marshalltown 0 (25-12, 25-8) Kills – Charleigh Whitford 5, Beckett Kruse 4, Harper Nicholson 3, Kalynn Timmons 2, Hailey Gorham 2, Addison Walter 1, Kendyl Kidwell 1, Makinley Galvan 1, Amelia Guinn 1, Scarlett Ferin 1 Assists – Ferin 10, Ava Hohn 6, Macy Fuller 3 Solon blocks – Walter 1 Block assists – Nicholson 3, Guinn 2, Walter 1, Whitford 1, Kidwell 1 Ace serves – Hohn 4, Anabelle Boelkins 1, Ferin 1 Digs – Boelkins 6, Fuller 5, Walter 2, Timmons 2, Kidwell 2, Hohn 2, Whitford 1, Kruse 1, Ferin 1 Lady Spartans Volleyball Invitational Solon 2 Dubuque Senior 0 (21-9, 21-11) Kills – Amelia Guinn 5, Hailey Gorham 5, Charleigh Whitford 4, Addison Walter 3, Zephie Bishop 3 Assists – Scarlett Ferin 10, Ava Hohn 6, Macy Fuller3 Block assists – Walter 1, Whitford 1, Harper Nicholson 1, Bishop 1 Ace serves – Ferin 3, Fuller 2, Kalynn Timmons 2, Anabelle Boelkins 1 Digs – Fuller 6, Timmons 3, Ferin 3, Boelkins 2, Hohn 2, Gorham 2, Walter 1, Guinn 1, Bishop 1 Solon 2 Xavier Catholic (Cedar Rapids) 0 (21-11, 21-10) Kills – Charleigh Whitford 7, Hailey Gorham 7, Amelia Guinn 3, Beckett Kruse 2, Addison Walter 1, Harper Nicholson 1 Assists – Scarlett Ferin 8, Ava Hohn 6, Macy Fuller 2, Emersyn Bucheit 1 Solo blocks – Guinn 1 Block assists – Walter 2, Whitford 2 Ace serves – Ferin 2, Timmons 1 Digs – Fuller 7, Ferin 4, Kalynn Timmons 3, Hohn 3, Whitford 1 Solon 2 Davenport Central 0 (21-9, 21-12) Kills – Amelia Guinn 9, Kendyl Kidwell 5, Zephie Bishop 4, Beckett Kruse 3, Hailey Gorham 3, Harper Nicholson 2, Addison Walter 1, Charleigh Whitford 1 Assists – Scarlet Ferin 14, Ava Hohn 6, Macy Fuller 3, Walter 1, Anabelle Boelkins 1 Solo blocks – Walter 1 Block assists – Nicholson 2, Walter 1, Whitford 1, Gorham 1, Zephie Bishop 1 Ace serves – Kalynn Timmons 2
Digs – Timmons 5, Fuller 4, Boelkins 3, Ferin 3, Hohn 2, Whitford 1, Kidwell 1, Guinn 1, Gorham 1
Solon 2 Cedar Rapids Washington 0 (21-6, 21-6) Kills – Amelia Guinn 12, Hailey Gorham 5, Zephie Bishop 4, Addison Walter 3, Charleigh Whitford 3 Assists – Scarlett Ferin 13, Ava Hohn 9, Macy Fuller 2, Walter 1 Ace serves – Fuller 1, Walter 1, Emersyn Bucheit 1, Anabelle Boelkins 1, Kalynn Timmons 1, Hohn 1, Ferin 1 Digs – Fuller 10, Timmons 3, Walter 2, Bucheit 1, Boelkins 1, Ava Hohn 1, Gorham 1, Ferin 1 Solon 2 Linn-Mar 0 (21-19, 21-12) Kills – Amelia Guinn 9, Charleigh Whitford 6, Hailey Gorham 5, Zephie Bishop 5, Addison Walter 2, Ava Hohn 1, Harper Nicholson 1 Assists – Scarlett Ferin 15, Hohn 12, Macy Fuller 1, Whitford 1 Block assists – Whitford 1, Nicholson 1 Ace serves – Walter 2, Anabelle Boelkins 2, Kalynn Timmons 1 Digs - Fuller 5, Timmons 4, Walter 3, Guinn 2, Ferin 2, Hohn 1, Gorham 1
“Our passing was great today and that gives us so many more options. We were able to get our middles more involved and that lead to an explosive offensive effort. Our team played strong.” - Ruben Galvan, Head coach
Solon No. 4 in IGHSAU weekly rankings The Lady Spartans moved up from No. 14 to No. 4 in the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union's weekly Class 3A rankings released Thursday, Sept. 3. School Record 1 Humboldt 2 Western Christian 3 Cherokee 4 Solon 5 CPU 6 Mount Vernon 7 Dike-New Hartford 8 Wilton 9 Roland-Story 10 Van Meter 11 MOC-Floyd Valley 12 Kuemper Catholic 13 West Liberty 14 Knoxville 15 West Delaware
Previous week 6-0 2 6-2 3 8-3 1 5-0 14 6-1 11 6-2 7 1-3 4 7-2 8 8-1 9 9-2 15 6-3 5 6-3 6 3-2 NR 6-4 12 4-1 NR
Solon sits atop the WaMaC standings (9-6-26) Conf Overall Solon 0-0 12-1 CCA 0-0 10-1 Mount Vernon 0-0 13-3 CPU 0-0 8-2 Marion 0-0 8-2 West Delaware 0-0 8-2 Benton 0-0 6-3 Independence 0-0 4-2 South Tama County 0-0 9-5 Williamsburg 0-0 4-4 Grinnell 0-0 2-4 Vinton-Shellsburg 0-0 1-6
Kendall Matthew is a student in the University of Iowa’s School of Journalism and Mass Communication. Kendall is a student in the Prep Sports Report class. Editor Chris Umscheid contributed to this report.
More sports photos online at soloneconomist.com
SPORTS/NEWS
8 | THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2026 | SOLON ECONOMIST
SOLONECONOMIST.COM
NFHS: Iowa, national high school sports participation increases in 2026 Chris Cuellar Communications Director Iowa High School Athletic Association
BOONE — As national participation in high school sports hit another all-time high and increased for a fifth consecutive year, Iowa solidified its place as the No. 1 ranked state for participation per state population according to the annual NFHS High School Athletics Participation Survey. Iowa remains the only state in the nation with separate organizations governing boys’ and girls’ sports. Combined, the 2025-26 school year saw Iowa’s highest overall participation total since 2008-09. “We are pleased to see the number of students involved in high school sports continuing to rise every year,” said NFHS executive director Davis Whitfield. “Education-based sports within our nation’s schools is a privilege not available in most other countries, and we are thankful these opportunities continue to expand. “We salute the coaches, athletic directors and school administrators for making these experiences happen, especially with some of the recent growth in several emerging sports. It is great to see new sport opportunities created to involve as many students as possible in high school sports.” The National Federation for State High School Associations (NFHS) reports more than 8.4 million participants across all sanctioned sports nationwide. Texas (911,405) and California (859,022) remained atop the list of state participation by a wide margin. Iowa ranked 31st nationally for population in the 2020 census, but was 21st in participation for the third year in a row in 2025-26, with
145,730 total entries. Per the NFHS survey, that’s up from 139,344 total participants in 2024-25, when Iowa still led the nation for highest rate of participation per population. The Iowa High School Athletic Association (IHSAA) oversees boys’ activities and featured 83,415 participants while seeing an increase in participants in all 11 sanctioned sports. The Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union (IGHSAU) governs girls’ sports and had 62,315 participants for its 11 sports, topping 60,000 for the first time since 2008-09. “The results of this year’s survey demonstrate the continued importance of education-based athletics to Iowa’s students, their parents, their schools, and their communities,” IHSAA executive director Tom Keating said. “To see an increase in participation, particularly when Iowa experienced a decrease in student enrollment, is a testament to the value of the programs our schools offer. We congratulate our administrators, coaches, and officials for their commitment to our young people through athletics.” Iowa’s member schools reported a slight increase in boys’ participation across baseball, basketball, bowling, cross country, soccer, swimming, and tennis. Football led a strong growth category which included golf, track and field, and wrestling in 2025-26, with the four sports combining to jump up by more than 2,500 participants. IHSAA football featured 19,383 participants – 17,702 in the 11-player classes, and 1,681 in eight-player – to mark its highest statewide total since 2015-16. Football remains the top sport for participation across the country with over one million boys listed in high school programs. Nationally, girls participation grew 3.2 percent overall, with NFHS crediting significant jumps in girls’ flag
football and wrestling. In Iowa, volleyball remains the top girls’ sport with 11,480 participants recorded across grades 9-12. Girls’ basketball (5,982 participants) saw its first increase over more than 100 participants for the first time since 2007-08, when the total topped 10,000. The NFHS High School Athletics Participation Survey was started in 1971 and provides the most comprehensive national view of participation in high school sports. Participation totals represent participation entries by member schools, not necessarily unique students. IHSAA has collected and submitted this historical data to NFHS. A free public Iowa-specific Participation Survey Book featuring both boys and girls numbers is available through the Records page at www.iahsaa.org/achieve/ records/.
Iowa high school sports participation Baseball Basketball Bowling Cross Country Football Golf Soccer Swimming Tennis Track & Field Wrestling Softball Volleyball
Boys 10,146 10,394 1,969 5,106 19,383 5,906 6,938 1,262 2,193 12,935 7,075 - -
Girls 5,982 1,292 3,870 3,566 5,620 1,326 2,773 9,854 3,468 7,064 11,480
Using immune cells to treat hair loss Doctoral candidate Maddi Lensing, of Solon, aims to prevent the body’s cells from attacking hair follicles
help promote hair regrowth. The goal of my research is to provide rationale for development and testing of new treatment options for patients with AA.
What inspired you to embark on this field of research? Cale Stelken I joined the Immunology Program UI Office of Strategic Communication because I found the concept of autoimmunity quite interesting. Why would the Maddi Lensing is a doctoral candi- immune system—which is designed to date in the Interdisciplinary Graduate protect us—cause harm to our own tisProgram in Immunology. Her research sues? During my first year, I remember studies how the body’s immune cells learning about Tregs for the first time attack hair follicles and cause the auto- and how they are critical for the prevenimmune disease Alopecia Areata (AA), tion of autoimmunity—the abnormal resulting in hair loss. In the Jabbari attack of healthy tissues by the immune Research Lab, she investigates the mech- system—and kind of fell in love with anisms of AA and aims to develop new them. All of us actually contain self-renovel therapeutic strategies to stop hair active immune cells, simply by the nature loss and promote regrowth. Previously of how our immune system develops, but featured in the 2023 Dare to Dis- we can thank our Tregs for catching and cover banner campaign, and as a finalist suppressing those cells before an attack in the Three Minute Thesis (3MT) com- can be mounted. petition, Lensing was recently awarded When I committed to the Jabbari the Graduate College’s Ballard Seashore Research Lab to conduct research, there Dissertation Fellowship for Fall 2026. happened to be a Treg project that I could She answered a few questions about how work on, and I felt like the stars aligned! she hopes to leverage her research to improve patient outcomes and how the Where do you hope this field will opportunities at Iowa empower her work. take you? Treg therapy for the treatment of autoW hat is t he focus of your immune diseases has been gaining a lot research? of momentum recently, with numerous My research involves studying cells pharmaceutical companies initiating within our immune system. Typically, clinical trials to test efficacy, so I could immune cells help protect us from dis- see myself working somewhere in the eases, but in the case of autoimmune Treg therapy industry. I am also considdiseases, those cells begin to attack ering staying in academia where I would healthy body tissues instead. I study the pursue a postdoctoral fellowship as my autoimmune disease Alopecia Areata next step. I would like to stick with Tregs (AA), which is driven by immune cells as a general concept, but study them in a attacking hair follicles throughout the new disease context outside of alopecia body, resulting in hair loss for patients. areata. Immune cells come in many different varieties, but my research involves How has the University of Iowa studying a protective type of immune supported your goals? cell called a regulatory T cell or Treg. A Since I started graduate school, I have key role of Tregs is to help restrain other set a personal goal to be a better commuimmune cells when they get out of con- nicator. I think effective communication trol. I have been characterizing whether skills distinguish a good talk from a Tregs become dysfunctional during great talk. The university has provided alopecia areata and testing treatments numerous platforms for me to develop which expand the number of Tregs to these skills: things like poster sessions, stop disease progression and potentially research retreats, teaching opportu-
Contributed photo
Lensing presenting her research. nities, student seminar series, and the Graduate College’s Three Minute Thesis research competition. All these opportunities provided diverse audiences, which have really helped shape me as a communicator.
scientific advances. Highlights include traveling to the Autumn Immunology Conference in Chicago with the entire immunology graduate student body and traveling to Hawaii last year to attend the annual meeting for the American Association of Immunologists. There was a What are some favorite memories major symposium focusing on Tregs, from your time studying at Iowa? which I thoroughly enjoyed! My favorite memories during my time here have been traveling to conferences Hometown with my fellow lab members and other Solon, IA immunology graduate students. Thanks to the support of my Principal InvestigaMentors tor and my graduate program, I attended Ali Jabbari, Professor of Dermatolnumerous annual conferences focusing ogy, Carver College of Medicine on either immunology or dermatology from coast to coast. I really enjoyed Story submitted by and reprinted “talking science” with other enthusiasts with permission, UI Office of in my field and learning about the latest Strategic Communication
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CALENDAR & PUZZLES
SOLON ECONOMIST | THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2026 | 9
SOLON SENIORS DINING • • • • • • • • • • • • In-House Dining - Wednesdays only at 11:30 at the Solon Methodist Church. Call 319-624-2251 for reservations (required two days in advance) or information Monday, Wednesday, and Friday 10-11 a.m. Home Deliveries - (within a five-mile radius and paved roads only) Monday, Wednesday, and Friday Meals cost $5.00 Call 319-624-2251 for reservations (required) two days in advance of meal. Cancellations Since meals are ordered in advance payment is required if a meal is cancelled on the same day it was to be received. No meals Tuesdays and Thursdays
SEPTEMBER MENU • • • • • Friday, Sept. 11 Shrimp Scampi Parmesan Orzo Pasta Lemon Broccoli Breadstick Fresh Fruit Monday, Sept. 14 Baked Caesar Chicken Buttered Noodles Carrots Chocolate PB Cake Roll Wednesday, Sept. 16 Salisbury Steak Parslied Potatoes
Edited by Will Shortz No. 0806
Orange Glazed Carrots Classic Strawberry Shortcake Friday, Sept. 18 Catch of the Day Baked Potato/Sour Cream Seasonal Vegetable Banana Split Dessert Monday, Sept. 21 Baked Spaghetti Pie Zucchini Parmesan Garlic Toast Seasonal Fresh Fruit Wednesday, Sept. 23 Roast Beef Mashed Potatoes Beef Gravy Roasted Carrots Cherry Pie Friday, Sept. 25 Honey Butter Biscuit Pollack Macaroni & Cheese Broccoli Fresh Fruit
Across
Monday, Sept. 28 Country Fried Steak Mashed Potatoes Cream Gravy Honey Buttered Carrots Fresh Fruit Wednesday, Sept. 30 City Rep Smothered Pork Chop Baked Potato Green Beans Blueberry Crisp
COLLEGE NEWS Kirkwood Community College announces Dean's List honors CEDAR RAPIDS — Kirkwood Community College has released its Dean's List for the summer 2026 semester. These students have achieved a 3.3 grade point average or higher after completing 12 or more credit hours at the college. Kirkwood students from the area earning this distinction are listed below. Ely - Cassidy Fangmann, Isabel Klawiter, Bella Manternach, Paige Schurbon, Kamren Serbousek, and Denise Steen Solon - Rylie Brice, Tessa Droll, Addy Gerdes, Carter Grimm, Cydney Jaster, Megan Richardson, Nolan Seagren, Jonathan Stahle, Mia Stahle, and Brent Werner
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1 Singer Braxton 5 Like some winter windshields 9 ___ Bauer (brand of outdoor gear) 14 Soon 15 “Me, too” 16 Stable job 17 Spirit of the Caribbean 19 Haggard 20 Creamy dish made with arborio rice 21 Angela on “The Office,” e.g. 22 “Bring it on!” 23 Four-time N.B.A. M.V.P. 28 Nick, e.g. 30 Collected 31 Evil computer of classic film 32 Kind of seeds found in a basket in King Tutankhamen’s tomb 35 Alternate nickname for the “Hollywood of the South” 37 Group with a coat of arms 38 Unspecified ones 40 Wednesday a.k.a. ___ day 41 Like some fat 43 Purposely wrongs 45 “What’s more …” 46 Joan known for his “dream paintings” 47 Make out, perhaps? 48 Pillow fight setting 51 Juicer’s “juice” 55 Determination 56 Shade provider along Central Park’s Literary Walk 58 A-tier 60 Chock-full ... like three squares (and foods) in this puzzle 62 Touch-and-go 63 Force felt on Earth, for short 64 Goddess whose name is an anagram of her mother’s 65 Feelings of getting older 66 Volcano seen on HBO’s “The White Lotus” 67 Port in 50-Down
Down
1 Fruity pastry 2 Live 3 Like the jungle at daybreak 4 At the helm 5 “___ that right?” 6 Number for December 7 Bird with noted calf muscles 8 Short blue person? 9 Chaả giò, on a Vietnamese menu 10 Enervate 11 Temptation for Homer Simpson 12 Na+ or Cl13 Real lifesaver, for short 18 Starting group 21 Not accept an outrage, say 24 Amazon smart speaker 25 Jeers 26 Tempting words on a Wonderland cake 27 Is really good, in modern slang 29 Legal mulligan 32 What an old car might be sold for 33 ___ Ferrante, author of the “Neapolitan Novels” 34 Brown-bag item 36 “OK, that makes sense” 39 Münster man 42 Puts to work 44 Northern Italian city known for its cheese 49 “The White Lotus” actress ___ Lou Wood 50 Arabia Felix, now 52 Perturbed 53 Fortune 500 company started by a blacksmith, informally 54 Civic’s class 57 Sports org. with a Tour 58 Open show of intimacy, for short 59 Nickname that drops “hard” 60 Mud 61 Tiny “farmer”
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BAREFOOT BECKY from 1
Livermore and Ard were joined by Matt Toomey of Moline, IL, who Livermore said stepped up to fill in for their regular drummer. Reflecting on her eventful music career, Livermore said it is audience enjoyment that drives her to continue performing. “I like the music, of course, but it’s the fact that when you go out and perform, people come,” she said. “They could be doing anything else today, but they chose to come and hear us. That’s what gives us the drive…it just gives you a nice, warm, fuzzy feeling when people come out to hear your music.” Although Livermore and her crew perform in numerous different regions of Iowa, their work also sends them all over the United States. However, Livermore said when the curtain closes, eastern Iowa is undoubtedly the place she calls home. “Solon seems like home,” she said. “I know so many people in Solon, so it’s just nice to be supported.” Livermore and the band give a “big thank you” to the Solon community for its hospitality and attendance. Barefoot Becky and the Ivanhoe Dutchmen will return to Iowa for a performance in Swisher on Sept. 13. The band’s event calendar can be found on their website at https://barefootbecky.com/schedule/.
Photos by Grace Escritt | Solon Economist
Above: Vera Underwood helps herself to free kolaches before the show begins at the downtown Solon bandstand on Sept. 5, 2026. Front page: Bonnie Berg and Gail Nederhiser laugh as they dance together to Barefoot Becky & The Ivanhoe Dutchmen’s performance at the downtown Solon bandstand on Sept. 5, 2026. Top left: Bonnie Berg and Gail Nederhiser cheer and throw their hands in the air as the song concludes at the downtown Solon bandstand on Sept. 5, 2026. Top right: Becky Livermore — also known as “Barefoot Becky” — performs for an audience full of friends at the downtown Solon bandstand on Sept. 5, 2026. Above left and right: Karl Haible and Gail Nederhiser dance together as Barefoot Becky & The Ivanhoe Dutchmen play a waltz at the downtown Solon bandstand on Sept. 5, 2026. These two friends danced to nearly every song together.
Kirkwood Foundation closes historic campaign with $2 million gift Justin Hoehn Kirkwood Community College
CEDAR RAPIDS — The Kirkwood Foundation has concluded its "The Community's College – The Community's Future" fundraising campaign with a $2 million gift from the Russell & Ann Gerdin Charitable Foundation. The gift brings the campaign total to more than $22 million, making it the largest fundraising effort in Kirkwood Community College history. The gift will support the first phase of lab reconstruction and equipment upgrades for Kirkwood's healthcare programs. The second phase of that project would begin following voter approval of the college's Nov. 3 bond measure. Funds will be used to create additional flexible lab spaces to help meet demand for qualified healthcare professionals. In recognition of the Gerdin family's support, Kirkwood will rename the
Health Sciences wing of Linn Hall in honor of Russell and Ann Gerdin. Details of the renaming will be announced at a later date. "This generous gift will help Kirkwood meet the growing demand for well-trained healthcare professionals for years to come," said Kirkwood President Kristie Fisher. "By investing in modern learning spaces and equipment, the Russell & Ann Gerdin Charitable Foundation is helping ensure our students receive the education and hands-on experience they need to serve our communities. Their belief in Kirkwood's mission will have a lasting impact on both our college and the region.” Launched in April 2025, the campaign surpassed its $15 million goal by more than 40% and exceeded the college's previous fundraising record of $18.7 million, set in 2013. The campaign focused on scholarships, healthcare education and workforce development throughout Kirkwood's sev-
en-county service area. “Reaching more than $22 million in support of Kirkwood's mission is a remarkable achievement and a testament to the generosity and vision of our community," said Kirkwood Vice President of Advancement Jody Pellerin. "Together, our donors have created life-changing opportunities for Kirkwood students. This campaign reflects our community's belief that education transforms lives, strengthens families and drives economic vitality. We are honored by the trust our donors have placed in Kirkwood and excited about the impact these investments will have moving forward.” The campaign also expanded scholarship opportunities for students including those pursuing diploma and certificate programs. Donors also fulfilled the $1 million Match Challenge for the Presidential and Leaders for Tomorrow Scholarships, increasing access to education and supporting future
Grassley announces staff traveling office hours U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley’s (R-Iowa) staff will hold traveling office hours in 48 counties from Monday, Sept. 14-Thursday, Sept. 24. Iowans seeking assistance with a federal agency or wishing to share their views may stop by during the scheduled hours listed below. Note: Sen. Grassley will not be in attendance. He will be represented by his
Deputy State Director Penny Vacek and Regional Directors Rochelle Fuller, Jonathan Bladt, Noah Schrad, Jacob Bossman, and Clayton Brown. “As I always say, dialogue is the essence of representative government. I make an effort to meet with as many Iowans as I can face-to-face each year to hear what’s on their minds. While I can’t meet per-
student leaders. In all, 1,620 donors contributed to the campaign. Lead gifts of more than $500,000 also came from the John & Cindy Bloomhall Family Foundation, Susan Elliott-Bryan, Hugh Shaw, the Tippie Family and an anonymous donor. To learn more about the Kirkwood Foundation or make a gift, visit www.kirkwood. edu/foundation. With more than 150 majors and programs, Kirkwood Community College boasts more than 17,000 annual college-credit students, while maintaining one of the lowest tuitions in the state. All degree-seeking students are eligible for federal financial aid, and the college offers more than $3 million in scholarships each year to students from all walks of life. Kirkwood is a convenient, innovative and visionary educational leader that strives to remain affordable and accessible. Last month Grassley completed his annual 99 county meetings for the 46th year in a row, and will continue to hold question-and-answer sessions with Iowans throughout the remainder of the year.
sonally with all three million Iowans, my staff holds traveling office hours as an additional way to ensure Iowans’ voices The schedule for Grassley’s staff travelare heard and their issues are addressed,” ing office hours is as follows: Grassley said. “I encourage Iowans needJohnson County ing assistance to stop by during these Monday, Sept. 14 – Johnson County upcoming traveling office hours to meet Extension Office, 3109 Old Hwy. 218 with my staff, or contact me anytime at South, Iowa City, 1-2 p.m. with Regional grassley.senate.gov.” Director Rochelle Fuller
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IowaPublicNotices.com THE JOHNSON COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS FORMAL MEETING MINUTES
AUGUST 27, 2026 Proclamations, ordinances and resolutions adopted by the Board of Supervisors are only summarized in the published minutes; the full text may be inspected at the Office of the County Auditor, 913 S. Dubuque Street, Iowa City, Mon. thru Fri., between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. and at www.johnsoncountyiowa.gov. Chairperson Green called the Johnson County Board of Supervisors to order in the Johnson County Health and Human Services Building Boardroom at 9:00 a.m. Members present: V Fixmer-Oraiz, Jon Green, Lisa Green-Douglass, Mandi Remington, and Rod Sullivan. Green sought and received unanimous consent for approval of the agenda as presented. Public Comment - County resident Noah spoke about human dignity and the treatment of people in custody, including conditions at the current jail. Noah also raised accessibility concerns about a recent County informational session in Solon and urged the County to better support and protect people with disabilities. Motion by Sullivan, second by Fixmer-Oraiz, to approve the following consent agenda items: 1. The claims on the Johnson County Auditor’s Claim Register for August 27, 2026, in the amount of $ 1,336,182.42: 316 Holdings ............................... $700.00 4 Cs Of Johnson County............ $4212.00 425 N Dubuque Resid Coop........ $700.00 45 Drives Manufactur.............. $23184.16 A Tech ............................................ $72.00 ABC Disposal System..................$840.83 Addison Brooks........................... $195.00 Adv Business System.................... $46.73 Adv Electrical Svcs ................... $1075.54 Advantage Archiv Solut.............$4092.25 Aging Services ............................$536.00 Agvantage FS............................... $668.19 Airgas USA....................................$124.74 Amazon Capital Svcs...................$954.59 American Rebar .......................... $573.76 Anderson-Bogert..........................$141.00 Apts In IC.....................................$800.00 Arnold Motor Supply................. $1794.96 Austin Jiras..................................$722.00 Barton Solvents........................... $796.61 Benco Dental.................................. $42.38 Berg Auto Corp........................ $24185.00 Big Bro Big Sis Of JC.................$4355.93 Big Country Seeds....................... $357.00 Binns & Stevens......................$19306.20 Brown W Branch Ford .............. $1764.59 Bryan Cooling................................ $16.00 Cdw Government ........................$838.57 Central IA Distributing................. $150.00 Central Petroleum Equip............. $188.00 Charm-Tex ................................. $1209.66 Chris Camp & RV Park................$465.00 City Of Iowa City-Acc Rec......... $3201.61 City Tractor Co............................... $31.68 Clint Folman....................................$12.76 Cmty & Family Resource.........$18300.20 Cmty Crisis Svcs & Food...........$9083.61 Connolly Construction .............. $1240.21 Construction Materials ...............$539.20 Consumers Coop.....................$40031.92 Copy Systems ............................... $63.75 Corp Translation Svcs................. $134.40 Corridor Energy Coop................ $2619.96 Courtneay Lockwood.................. $273.75 Cove Equipment...........................$420.06 Custom Hose & Supplies...............$33.99 Dan Overhead Doors................... $155.00 Danielle Pettit-Majewski.............. $188.41 Delta Dental IA......................... $15457.86 Dive Rescue International.........$2334.97 DKC Real Estate .......................... $700.00 Don Franklin Auto....................$87642.00
PUBLIC NOTICES
East IA Light & Power.................$343.59 Eldon C Stutsman .......................$626.87 Election Sys & Software.............. $509.74 Elite Fire Sprinkler Sys.............. $1202.40 Ellie Waterbury............................ $273.75 EO Johnson Bus Tech................ $4471.95 Eric Hansen.................................... $48.71 Fastenal Company......................... $91.84 Foundation 2..............................$4758.30 Galls ............................................ $276.72 Gerald A Fuhrmeister..................... $64.00 Goodyear Tire & Rubber................ $65.00 Grainger.......................................$684.62 Graphic Print & Embroid............. $991.73 Guardian Fleet Safety..............$18340.48 Harris ERP..............................$145429.77 Hawk Area Cmty Act Prog....... $44447.71 Hawkeye Ready Mix ..................$1046.60 Heartland Shredding .................. $150.00 Helping Hands Play School....... $3167.05 HGS LLC..................................... $3127.50 Hilltop Mobile Home Park........... $510.00 Holiday Wrecker & Crane............$420.00 Hospers & Brother Printer............ $30.75 House Of Burke ...........................$850.00 Hudson Felkey............................. $675.00 Hy-Vee ........................................... $92.00 Indep Gov EMS Alliance ........... $1000.00 Interactive Data ..........................$308.50 Interstate All Battery Ctr.............$820.55 IA Assn Cnty Conserv Boards.....$230.00 Iowa City Press-Citizen...............$238.95 Iowa City Ready Mix.................. $1450.00 IA Div Criminal Investigations....... $85.00 Iowa Paper ................................$4070.59 IA State Prison Industries...........$283.80 J & KP........................................$2800.00 Jacob Korbakes............................... $6.08 Jason Peterson............................$850.00 Jessalyn Brooks..........................$225.60 Jesse Lenz..................................... $71.00 Jim Taivoy...................................... $16.00 Johnson County....................... $21867.79 Joint Emerg Comm Svcs Assn.... $158.23 Jonnie 5 Apparel..........................$886.65 Joshua Busard............................. $447.47 Junlin Liao....................................$850.00 Karl Chevrolet .........................$42655.00 Kimball Midwest........................ $1591.49 Knollridge Park Coop................... $700.00 Kyle Campbell................................ $71.00 Linder Tire Service ................... $1509.06 Linn County..............................$34528.00 Little Angels CC.........................$2500.00 Little Clippers CDC.....................$3411.41 Lowes............................................. $98.56 M68 Property Mgmt.................... $750.00 Mandy Coates................................ $20.37 Mediacom................................ $18792.00 Medline Industries ......................$733.98 Menards - Iowa City.................. $1432.60 Metrovac.......................................$147.99 Midamerican Energy................$14446.25 Midway Van Rental ...................$3301.96 Napa Auto Parts........................... $181.56 Nathaniel Rose............................... $18.85 Nelson Construction Svcs Co.$83969.58 Northern Michigan K9 ............$13800.00 Office Express Products.............$628.36 Peak Construction Group........$92918.29 Pip Print & Market Srvc............. $2881.50 Platt Electric Supply.................. $1229.34 PSC Distribution........................$3480.45 Purple Bloom School .............. $12631.61 Pyramid Services ....................... $734.49 Qwest Corporation........................ $91.24 Rachel Quinlan............................... $16.00 Rapids Reproductions.................$250.92 Ridgewood Cemetery..................$256.00 River Products Co...................... $1227.39 Schindler Elevator..................... $1806.71 Shane Mulligan............................ $195.00 Sharon Telephone.......................... $80.00 Shive Hattery ............................$8990.00 Slair Tractor................................. $344.12 South Slope Coop........................$682.90 Southeast District Isaa................ $275.00 Stanley Consultants ............... $92931.73 Staples Contract............................$53.34 Star Equipment Ltd....................$9384.95 Stericycle ...................................... $79.09 Syn-Tech Systems.....................$3000.00 Tailwind IC /The Quarters At IC...$695.00
Tera Denial........................................$7.60 The Kalona News........................... $60.00 The Lodge Apartments................ $700.00 The Sherwin Williams Co.............. $41.95 Theisens ......................................$944.81 Think Safe ................................... $291.00 Titan Machinery..........................$2151.41 Tri-City Electric Comp IA.............$632.50 Tristar.........................................$9038.05 Trizetto Provider Solutions....... $1528.20 Tucker Stanerson......................... $195.00 Tyler Schneider.............................. $22.00 United Action For Youth.......... $11273.06 United Seeds ...........................$10252.50 University Of Iowa...................$13846.59 Van Diest Supply Comp............. $2119.25 Van Meter Industrial ................... $646.16 Visa..........................................$24789.48 Vrban Fire Protection ............... $1200.00 Wade Golf & Mow........................ $126.00 Wellmark BCBS IA.................$247000.00 Westwood Pharmacy.................... $62.64 White Cap Constuct Supply...... $2101.32 William Blanchard........................... $6.08 Windstream Holdings ................. $623.41 Woodcraft Of Iowa City................. $64.00 2. The minutes of the Formal Meeting for August 20, 2026. 3. Payroll authorizations submitted by department heads and elected officials. 4. Accept and place on file the Johnson County Recorder's July 2026 report of fees collected. Approved unanimously. PROCLAMATION NO. 08-27-26-01 LIBRARY CARD SIGN-UP MONTH SEPTEMBER 2026 Summary: Libraries are foundational to education, imagination, and opportunity, offering everything from early literacy programs to digital tools that support lifelong learning and personal growth and Johnson County is fortunate to be served by a network of public libraries that provide valuable resources, programs and welcoming spaces for residents throughout our communities. Board action: proclaim the month of September 2026 to be Library Card Signup Month with the theme “A Library Card Hits all the Right Notes” and encourage all residents to “B sharp” and sign up for a library card. Motion by Green-Douglass, second by Remington, to approve Proclamation No. 08-27-26-01. Approved unanimously. Coralville Library Director Alison Ames Galstad, Swisher Library Director Laura Hoover, and North Liberty Library Director Jenny Garner spoke. PROCLAMATION NO. 08-27-26-02 DEDICATION OF DR. LULU MERLE JOHNSON PLAZA - AUGUST 29, 2026 Summary: The Johnson County Board of Supervisors strive to educate its residents through the recognition of esteemed state and local heroes and in this spirit the Board unanimously established Dr. Lulu Merle Johnson as the eponym of Johnson County, Iowa and voted to celebrate the eponym with a permanent interpretive exhibit at the Johnson County Administration Building designed to engage and inform the community about Dr. Johnson’s life. Board action: Dedicate the Dr. Lulu Merle Johnson Plaza to the people of Johnson County, in honor of Dr. Lulu Merle Johnson, her remarkable life and accomplishments, and her enduring legacy of education, perseverance, democracy, and self-determination. Motion by Green-Douglass, second by Fixmer-Oraiz, to approve Proclamation No. 08-27-26-02. Approved unanimously. Dr. Lulu Merle Johnson Plaza project historian Dr. Rebecca Conard and design team member Dr. Ashley Howard spoke. RESOLUTION NO. 08-27-26-01 RESOLUTION APPROVING THE SITE PLAN SUBMITTED BY BLAKE HERSHBERGER ENTERPRISES FOR THE
PROPERTY IDENTIFIED AS LOTS 5 & 6, JOCO 50 SUBDIVISION (PPNS 0304328001 & 0304328002). Summary: Application SP26-000005 seeking Site Plan approval to construct a concrete batch plant on the parcels identified as Lots 5 & 6, JoCo 50 Subdivision (PPNs 0304328001 & 0304328002) and various departments and commissions have reviewed the plan without objections. Board action: Approve the Site Plan; Authorize the Zoning Administrator to issue permits for the site in accordance with the standards of the Johnson County Unified Development Ordinance. Motion by Sullivan, second by Green-Douglass, to approve Resolution No. 08-27-26-01. Approved unanimously. Motion by Green-Douglass, second by Fixmer-Oraiz, to set a public hearing on Fiscal Year 2027 County Budget Amendment for September 17, 2026, at 9:00 a.m. in the Johnson County Health and Human Services Building, Boardroom 301, and authorize the Johnson County Auditor to publish the notice. Approved unanimously. Motion by Remington, second by Green-Douglass, to approve the Johnson County Strategic Plan for the years of 2026-2030. Approved unanimously. Motion by Remington, second by Fixmer-Oraiz, to approve the proposed ordinance amending the Johnson County Human Rights Ordinance to add a definition of sex stereotyping on second consideration. Roll call: Aye: Fixmer-Oraiz, Green, Green-Douglass, Remington, Sullivan. Assistant County Attorney Ryan Maas said he believed the closed session was no longer necessary because he had no additional matters to discuss from the previous day’s closed session. Green asked the Supervisors if they had additional matters to discuss, and all indicated they did not. Green said the Board would forgo the closed session. Green read agenda item H.1, “Consider waiver of satisfaction or dissatisfaction of certain due diligence items pertaining to Cruise Furman LLC property purchase and subsequent action as contemplated in the purchase agreement for said property,” into the record and noted that he corrected a scrivener’s error in the agenda. Maas explained that, under Article 7 of the purchase agreement, the County could deem the due diligence conditions satisfied except for the items addressed in Amendment No. 1, including a limited site investigation, title examination, amended contract language, and extensions of the due diligence and closing deadlines. Motion by Sullivan, second by Remington, to waive as satisfied certain due diligence items pertaining to the Cruise Furman LLC property purchase, except for those items contained in Amendment No. 1 to be considered next. Approved unanimously. Motion by Remington, second by Fixmer-Oraiz, to approve Amendment No. 1 regarding due diligence deadline for Cruise Furman LLC property purchase. Approved unanimously. Adjourned at 9:54 a.m. /s/Jon Green, Chair, Johnson County Board of Supervisors Attest: /s/Julie Persons, Johnson County Auditor
On the 3rd day of September, 2026 Recorded by Auditor’s Office: Marly Melsh, Executive Clerk to the Board These minutes were sent for formal approval and publication on September 3, 2026. Published in the Solon Economist September 10, 2026.
Iowa PBS announces dates for Iowa Governor and U.S. House debates Caryline Clark Iowa PBS
JOHNSTON — Iowa PBS will host televised debates for candidates running for Iowa governor and the U.S. House of Representatives this fall. Iowa PBS will host a debate for Iowa’s gubernatorial race, bringing together Zach Lahn (R-Belle Plaine) and Rob Sand (D-Des Moines) to answer questions from Iowa reporters and discuss their priorities and vision for the state during a 90-minute debate. Iowa Press Debates: Governor will air live Wednesday, October 21 at 7 p.m. Iowa PBS will also host a 60-minute debate with U.S. House candidates in the 2nd Congressional District. Lindsay James (D-Dubuque) and Joe Mitchell (R-Clear Lake) will answer questions from Iowa reporters and discuss their platforms, concerns and future plans. Iowa Press Debates: 2nd Congressional District will
air live on Thursday, October 8 at 7 p.m. Both debates will be moderated by Iowa Press host Kay Henderson and will air live on statewide Iowa PBS and be streamed on iowapbs.org and YouTube. The Iowa PBS television network reaches all media markets in the state including broadcast coverage across all 99 counties of Iowa. The debates will be held at Iowa PBS studios in Johnston, Iowa, without a live audience. Additional Iowa PBS debates will be announced as they are confirmed. In addition to our statewide broadcasts, Iowa PBS, WORLD and Create are available to livestream on iowapbs.org/live, pbs.org/livestream, and the PBS app. Iowa PBS KIDS is available to livestream on iowapbs.org/live or the PBS KIDS app. Iowa PBS programs are also available on most popular platforms. See all the ways you can watch by visiting iowapbs. org/watch. Learn more at iowapbs.org.
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MILITARY APPRECIATION from 1
trained as a machine gunner and sent to Korea. He earned the Korean Service Medal, United Nations Service Medal (Korea), the Republic of South Korea’s Presidential Unit Citation, and the Korean War Service Medal. “He returned to the United States carrying three things from the war: a small piece of shrapnel embedded in his forearm, the memories of many hard-fought battles, and the heartbreaking loss of his best friend,” Denny Hansen, Sgt. at Arms for Solon American Legion Stinocher Post 460, wrote in the ceremony’s script. After his return to Iowa in 1953 Cooper attended community college in Mason City, earning a degree in agribusiness. “Today, at 92 years young – and a proud American Legion member for more than 30 years – Richard continues to serve his country,” Hansen wrote. “He remains an active member of the Solon American Legion Color Guard, honoring fellow veterans who have worn the uniform of the United States. When he lifts the flag, he carries every memory, every sacrifice, and every friend he left on foreign soil. Richard’s favorite saying is, ‘God Bless America.’ Richard is a reminder that service doesn’t end when the war does. For him, it became a lifelong promise – one he continues to keep with dignity, humility, and a heart full
of devotion to his country and his fellow veterans.” Also recognized was Solon HS senior Tate Rudish. Rudish joined the Iowa Army National Guard last year and completed Basic Military Training at Fort Sill, Oklahoma this summer. After graduation he will report to Fort Lee, Virginia for his Advanced Individual Training as a wheeled vehicle mechanic. “His commitment to service reflects the values we strive to uphold, and we are proud to have him stand with us tonight,” wrote Hansen. During the pregame ceremony the sophomore football players carried a large American flag borrowed from the Cedar Rapids Fire Department, and the Spartan Marching Band played The Stars and Stripes Forever instead of the Solon Fight Song. During halftime the band played the anthem of each branch of the military with members walking out onto the field to be recognized. The Lady Spartans will honor veterans and those currently serving tonight (Thursday, Sept. 10) on Military Night. Veterans and active duty members will be admitted for free and will be recognized for their service after the first varsity set. Freshman ‘A’ and JV matches start at 5 p.m. with Freshman ‘B’ and sophomores playing at 6 p.m. ahead of the 7:30 p.m. varsity start. Fans are encouraged to wear red, white, and blue for a special night of volleyball, community, and gratitude with the theme of One team, One community, and One nation.
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Chris Umscheid | Solon Economist
Sophomore football players Gabe Sheeley (63), Dominic Wojno (28), Nate Van Roekel (18), and others “wave” a large American flag (on loan from the Cedar Rapids Fire Department) as the Solon Spartan Marching Band performs The Stars and Stripes Forever as pregame Military Appreciation Night ceremonies conclude Friday, Sept. 4.
Student section
Photos by Chris Umscheid | Solon Economist
Top left: Will McAtee waved an American flag celebrating the Semiquincentennial Friday, Sept. 4, at Spartan Stadium on Military Appreciation Night. The Solon HS student body dressed in red, white, and blue to mark the occasion. Top right: The student section was awash in red, white, and blue Friday, Sept. 4, on Military Appreciation Night in Spartan Stadium. Above: Solon High School students, most decked out in red, white, and blue, and some with American flags, lined the edge of the student section bleachers Friday, Sept. 4, on Military Appreciation Night during the Solon vs. Williamsburg sophomore and varsity football games.Left: Solon students show their Spartan and American pride on Military Appreciation Night Friday, Sept. 4, at Spartan Stadium. The theme for the high school students was “Red, White, and Blue” night.