north johnson county - North Liberty Leader

Transcription

north johnson county - North Liberty Leader
Weddings
PRSRT STD
U.S. POSTAGE PAID
Permit #400
Iowa City, Iowa
FEBRUARY 2015
nojoco
See Section B
north johnson county
FREE
Solon Kettle-Fried
Chicken Dinner on
Saturday, Feb. 7
SOLON– The Solon Sons
of the American Legion are
hosting its annual “Famous”
Kettle-Fried Chicken Dinner on
Saturday, Feb. 7, at the Solon
American Legion. The menu
includes all-you-can-eat kettle-fried chicken, cheesy potatoes, oven-baked beans, bread,
dessert and soft drinks. Serving is from 5 until 7:30 p.m.
with take-out available. Tickets
are $9 for adults, $4 for children 6 to 12 and children
under 6 eat free. Proceeds will
benefit the community and
Solon school projects.
Gateway Rotary
soup supper
fundraiser Feb. 7
ELY– Gateway Rotary is
hosting a soup supper fundraiser Saturday, Feb.7, at the
Ely American Legion Hall from
4 to 7 p.m. Enjoy chili and
chicken noodle soup, a bake
sale and music by Shima Country Sounds, a Cedar Rapids-area favorite. Proceeds from the
event support Prairie Edge
School; PrairieWood Transition
Center; the Summer Reading
Programs at Ely, Fairfax, and
Swisher libraries and other
area community projects. The
public is invited to an evening
of food, fellowship, music and
family fun for a great cause.
For more information, visit
www.gatewayrotary.org.
FILL THE
SHELVES
The North Liberty Community
Food & Clothing Pantry has
the following immediate
needs:
CANNED SOUP, CANNED
PEACHES, CANNED
CARROTS, MAC AND
CHEESE, AND TUNA.
North Liberty Community Pantry
89 North Jones Blvd.
North Liberty, IA 52317
319-626-2711
www.northlibertycommunitypantry.org
The Solon Food Pantry has
the following immediate
needs:
CANNED FRUIT, REFRIED
BEANS, PEANUT BUTTER.
Solon Food Pantry
Pantry hours: Monday 2-6 p.m
Donations: Mondays 9 a.m.-12 p.m.
Phone: 319-430-8655
Located in the Solon United Methodist
Church
A free community newspaper for the communities of
Oxford•Tiffin•North Liberty•Swisher•Shueyville•Solon•Ely
REPRINTED FROM THE JANUARY 15 EDITION OF THE SOLON ECONOMIST
Mending a broken heart
Swisher’s Teresa Hafner relies on her positive
attitude as she waits for a heart transplant
By Jen Moore
Solon Economist
SWISHER– Teresa Hafner has
dedicated much of her life to
giving to others.
Now, she just wants one
thing.
A heart.
Last March, the owner of
Honey Creek Cottage assisted
living facility in Swisher found
herself in a battle she was unprepared for. After returning
from a trip to Cancun, Mexico,
with her husband, she learned
her sister had been admitted
to the intensive care unit (ICU)
at Mercy Hospital in Iowa City
with heart failure.
Immediately, Hafner rushed
to her sister’s side, but that
very night she, too, started to
experience chest pains and
struggled to breathe. As a
nurse, she knew not to take
any chances with her health
and went back to the hospital.
“[My husband and I] were
sitting in the ER and we
thought ‘it can’t be my heart,
too,’” she said.
She later learned that she
and her sister both had the
genetic defect dilated cardiomyopathy, which causes the
heart to enlarge so it’s unable
to pump blood as well as a
normal heart.
After many tests, her sister
was cleared for normal activity,
but Hafner wasn’t so lucky.
Her heart was working at just
15 percent capacity, which put
her in the end stages of heart
NL Scouts to host
chili supper Feb. 7
NORTH LIBERTY – North
Liberty Boy Scout Troop 216
will host its 35th annual Chili
Supper from 4:30 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Saturday, Feb. 7, at the North
Liberty Community Center.
This dinner is the troop’s
primary annual fundraising
event. Proceeds help cover the
cost of high adventure trips,
summer camp and other activities for the troop’s approximately 30 scouts.
Tickets are $5 with children
five and under admitted free.
The dinner includes all-youcan-eat meat or vegetarian chili,
bread, drinks and a variety of
homemade desserts including traditional Scout cobbler.
Tickets are available at the door
or by contacting Scoutmaster
Kevin Kurka at 319-665-9076.
Garner waffle
breakfast Feb.14
Mike and Teresa Hafner and Teddy together at Honey Creek Cottage
in Swisher. (photo by Jen Moore)
failure and required immediate
attention.
“It was really scary,” Hafner
said. “When I read the doctor’s
notes it hit me. Wow, I’m really
sick.”
On April 23, she traveled to
the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota,
where a team of surgeons inserted a Left Ventricular Assist
Device (LVAD) into her chest
to help her weak heart pump
blood throughout her body.
Though it was an extensive
and complicated surgery, Hafner bounced back almost im-
mediately and was out of the
hospital in less than a week.
Her doctors were shocked at
her quick recovery time, calling
her a rock star and marveling
at the fact that she didn’t even
look sick.
Despite her healthy outward appearance, Hafner still
struggled.
For about a month after the
surgery, she experienced excruciating back muscle spasms
that caused her to double
Heart: Continued on page 17
Coralville Lake Bald Eagle Watch & Expo Feb. 7
NORTH LIBERTY– The U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers at Coralville Lake will be co-hosting a
Bald Eagle Watch and Expo on Saturday, Feb. 7,
from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at North Central Junior
High, 180 E. Forevergreen Road, North Liberty.
The other co-hosts are the Iowa City Bird Club
and the Iowa Wildlife Federation. This event is
free to the public and will be held at two different locations simultaneously.
INDOOR SITE
The speakers, exhibitors, and vendor will be
located at the indoor venue which is North Central Junior High in North Liberty.
Guest speakers include:
• 10:30 a.m., Luke Hart, from the Macbride
Raptor Project, with a live hawk.
• 12 p.m., Ty Smedes, Iowa author and world
travelled photographer will present “The Return
of Iowa’s Bald Eagles”. Mr. Smedes will also have
copies of the 2nd edition of his book of the
same title available for purchase and signing.
• 1:30 p.m., Mike Havlik, Des Moines Y-Camp,
Boone, Iowa, will have live owls for his program,
“Big Owls Hoot and Little Owls Toot”.
Exhibitors include:
• Naturalists from Cedar, Iowa, and Johnson County Conservation Boards, Iowa Wildlife
Federation, The Songbird Project, Iowa Audubon, Iowa Ornithologists, and the Iowa City Bird
Club.
• Indian Creek Nature Center’s Creekside
Shop will have books on birds, animal puppets,
puzzles and other items for sale.
OUTDOOR VIEWING SITE
The outdoor site will be located at the Tailwater West Picnic Shelter downstream from
the dam at Coralville Lake. Volunteers from
the Corps and the Iowa Department of Natural
Resources will be on hand with telescopes and
binoculars to help you view the birds along
the river. Free coffee and hot chocolate will
be available. Individuals wishing to go to the
outdoor venue, however, must provide their
own transportation. Maps will be available at the
expo site.
For more information call the Coralville Lake
office at 319-338-3543 ext 6300, or visit our
web site at www.coralvillelake.org, or check
out the Facebook page at www.facebook.com/
coralvillelake.
NORTH LIBERTY– Garner
Elementary will host a Waffle
Breakfast with Class Basket
Auction and Raffle on Saturday, Feb. 14, from 7-11 a.m. at
the school.
Dad’s Belgium Waffles, of
Algona, will be serving waffles
with sausage and beverages.
After eating, attendees are invited to take a look at the class
baskets with varying themes
including Gift Cards, Hawkeye,
Disney Frozen, Minecraft and
Family Game Night. Attendees
will be able to bid on the baskets for a chance to purchase.
There will be a raffle drawing
for a chance to win prizes
including hotel night stays,
restaurant gift certificates and
birthday party packages. Proceeds from this event will help
support field trips, the Garner
LEGO Club and teacher professional development activities.
To purchase advance tickets, send an email to garnerbreakfast@gmail.com or stop
by the Garner Elementary office. Ages 3 and under are free,
4 and 5 year olds $4, 6 through
12 year olds $6, and 13 and
older $8 ($10 day of event).
If you or your organization
are interested in volunteering,
please send an email to garnerbreakfast@gmail.com or visit
http://www.garnerpto.org.
NEWSLETTERS
The following communities,
organizations and schools distribute
their official newsletters through
North Johnson County:
North Liberty City ................page 4
Swisher City........................page 7
Shueyville City .....................page 8
Solon Senior Advocates ......... page 9
Solon Community Schools ... page 12
Solon City............................ page 14
Ely City ................................page 16
2 • FEBRUARY, 2015 • NORTH JOHNSON COUNTY
REPRINTED FROM THE JANUARY 22 EDITION OF THE NORTH LIBERTY LEADER
Tasting the success of 10 great years
North Liberty eatery
Yang Chow Wok
celebrates a decade
By Lori Lindner
North Liberty Leader
NORTH LIBERTY– In any fast-paced,
growing community, restaurant upstarts often come and go quickly.
It is a major accomplishment to stick
around for 10 years, but that is the
milestone celebrated by North Liberty’s
Yang Chow Wok this month.
The restaurant opened Jan. 5, 2005,
at 555 Hwy. 965 in the strip mall building just south of Fareway. Yang Chow
Wok is still there, although the interior
has undergone a few remodeling projects, the addition of a 20-capacity party
room and even an
expansion into a
neighboring space,
to accommodate
its ever-increasing
clientele.
Owner Cody
Chen is originally
from the Michigan
area. He has worked
in the restaurant
business since he
was 17 years old,
learning to cook
from more experienced chef mentors.
In 1999, he and his family moved to
Iowa City and started the Yen Ching
Restaurant. He got a tip from SouthGate Development that they were constructing a new building in the growing
town of North Liberty, and that the area
was on the verge of a huge population
boom.
“When we started here, there were
only five or six restaurants in town,”
said Chen. “SouthGate said more homes
and businesses were going to go up all
around here.”
Go up they did; the 2000 census put
North Liberty’s population at 5,367.
By 2010, the official count was over
13,000, and the City of North Liberty is
preparing to conduct a special census,
as current estimates put the population
somewhere around 17,000.
But of those few restaurants Chen
named who were his contemporaries in
2005, half are no longer in business. In
the building where Yang Chow Wok is
located, only his restaurant and Corridor Coffee retain their original storefronts; every other space has changed
businesses more than once.
It takes something special to make a
restaurant business successful, and in
this case, Chen believes it’s the quality
of food customers find at Yang Chow
Wok.
“First, the food they get here is fresh.
When people order,
we start cooking it
then so the food is
always fresh and
hot,” said Chen. If
someone orders
takeout but has a
distance to drive,
Yang Chow’s staff
will adjust the cook
time accordingly,
and begin preparing dishes only 10
minutes before the
customer arrives.
It’s one reason Yang Chow Wok has
never offered delivery.
“Sometimes, a delivery could take an
hour,” Chen said. “By the time you get
your food, it would be cold.” Also, other Chinese restaurants may use frozen
vegetables, but Chen said all the dishes
at Yang Chow Wok are made with fresh
ingredients because using frozen can
cause it to become watery.
Still, on a Friday or Saturday night
during dine-in experiences, customers
can expect their Chinese and Japanese
Yang Chow Wok
555 Hwy. 965
319-665-8788
Mon-Sat, 10:30 a.m. until 10 p.m.
Sunday, Noon until 10 p.m.
Buffet ,11 a.m.-2 p.m. Mon-Fri
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Solon State Bank
126 South Market • Solon • 624-3405
1540 State Street • Ely • 848-4181
444 East State Street • Tiffin • 545-2226
MEMBER
FDIC
www.solonstatebank.com
Restaurant owner Cody Chen and his sister Anna Xie in the family-owned and operated
Yang Chow Wok, at 555 Hwy. 965 in North Liberty . Chen and his family celebrate the
restaurant’s 10th year of operation in January. (photo by Lori Lindner)
food, including sushi, made from traditional recipes, to arrive within 15 to 20
minutes. For commuters, Yank Chow
Wok is in a good location for people on
their way home from work in Iowa City
and Cedar Rapids, noted Chen.
Another reason Yang Chow Wok
focuses on its cuisine instead of convenience is to keep meal prices affordable. Though wholesale food prices
have increased over the decade, Chen
said, he works hard to keep the price to
the customers down.
“Ten years ago, chicken wings were
$4.25. Now, we charge $4.95; only a
75-cent difference,” Chen said. “But 10
years ago, the price I paid for chicken
was 90 cents per pound. Today, it’s
$1.80. It has doubled, but I cannot double my price.”
One major change Chen did make,
though, was to add a lunch buffet. It
turned out to be an excellent business
decision.
“At lunchtime, people only have
about 30 minutes to eat. And if they
have to drive to pick up their food and
then take it back to work, they only
have a few minutes to eat,” said Chen.
“With the buffet they can come in and
sit down and have a hot lunch fast.”
The popular all-you-can-eat buffet features many of the same dishes
available on the menu, including crab
Yang Chow: Continued on page 3
wellness
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February 4 & 18
20% off any professional grade
supplement purchase!*
CarePro Pharmacy - Mount Vernon
319.895.6248
CarePro Pharmacy - North Liberty
319.626.6188
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*Discount not valid with any other offer. Discount not
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SECRET MESSAGE TO SUBSCRIBERS OF THE SOLON ECONOMIST AND NORTH LIBERTY
LEADER: I’M GOING TO BE RAISING THE SUBSCRIPTION PRICE FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 17 YEARS. I KNOW.
YOU’RE SHOCKED. DON’T LET IT RUIN OUR FRIENDSHIP.
NORTH JOHNSON COUNTY • FEBRUARY, 2015 • 3
REPRINTED FROM THE JANUARY 15 EDITION OF THE NORTH LIBERTY LEADER
NLYBS, city to pool funds
Team effort on new concession stand,
restrooms at Penn Meadows Park
By Lori Lindner
North Liberty Leader
NORTH LIBERTY– The City of North Liberty and
a local recreation program are teaming up to pool
financial resources and further serve the community’s
youth.
North Liberty Youth Baseball and Softball (NLYBS)
has pledged $250,000 toward a new concession stand
and restroom pavilion to be build at Penn Meadows
Park on the city’s east side.
NLYBS and the city have historically partnered
to offer the summer and fall baseball and softball
leagues for kids ages 4 to 13 years. Now entering its
23rd season, NLYBS is a separate, non-profit organization, funded by sponsorships, participant fees, concession stand sales and donations from local groups
like the Optimists of North Liberty and the North
Liberty American Legion. The league has contributed
money to build the ball fields it uses, and the city has
provided the space for them, as well as helping with
field and restroom upkeep.
As NLYBS sees increased participation year after
year, demand on concessions and restroom facilities
has grown beyond what is now available– particularly
at Penn Meadows Park, where the majority of NLYBS
games take place, in addition to weekend tournaments scheduled by the city’s recreation department.
The current restroom facility at Penn Meadows
consists of one stall each for men and women, with
portable toilets in the rest of the park. It’s just not
enough for the nearly 900 NLYBS players and their
family members who occupy Penn Meadows’ nine
ball fields on any given game night throughout the
summer season.
“It isn’t unusual for us to have 32 T-ball and rookie
teams playing 16 games on Tuesday and Friday
evenings,” said NLYBS organizer Cindy Hill. “When
you add in the players’ families, you are looking at
upwards of 640 people. Adequate restroom facilities
are definitely an NLYBS priority.”
In addition, concession stand proceeds help fund
the program, Hill added.
“The current concession stand is a major NLYBS
fundraiser. Typically, it is open Monday through Friday during May and June,” she said.
Beyond NLYBS use, tournaments are held at Penn
Meadows by other leagues almost every weekend
from mid-April through the summer, which bring a
lot of people from out of town.
“Right now, the organizations holding the tournaments have to set up temporary concession areas,”
Hill pointed out. “We’ve been told that they would like
to be able to rent a permanent concession stand area
rather than having to bring in trailers and tents.”
Finally, the building will also serve as an additional
storage area for use by multiple organizations.
Proposed are separate, seven-stall restrooms with
running water adjacent to a concession stand and a
covered area with picnic tables. The building would
also serve as a storm shelter that could withstand 160
mph winds. Preliminary estimates for the building put
the cost at around $500,000. North Liberty’s Capital
Improvements Plan already had a placeholder for
borrowing funds to build the facility, approved before
NLYBS pledged its portion of cost-sharing. NLYBS has
$50,000 saved for the project and has committed
to giving another $200,000 over the next five years.
Scheels All Sports has pledged a $25,000 donation,
and NLYBS organizers applied for grant funding as
well, supported by letters from North Liberty City
Council members Coleen Chipman and Chris Hoffman.
At the city council’s Oct. 28 meeting, Chipman
asked about the storm shelter capacity.
“I am concerned about how many people that
would hold,” she said. “If we don’t have room for a
lot of people I don’t see why we would build it to the
extreme to withstand high winds. That concerns me if
it really does increase the cost of the building.”
North Liberty Parks Director Guy Goldsmith said
he was unsure of the storm shelter capacity, but
thought it was an important aspect to include.
“Right now, people don’t have a place to go when a
storm rolls through,” said Goldsmith. “Normally they
send them to the parking lot and tell them to wait it
out.”
Councilman Brian Wayson also expressed concern
that the cost of the building seemed excessive.
“I want to look more carefully at the actual building. It seems to me it’s kind of an expensive building,”
Wayson said.
The council voted unanimously to move forward
with design of the water and sewer infrastructure to
service the facility– in addition to a planned splash
pad in Penn Meadows Park– at its Oct. 28 meeting,
with bids expected to go out this winter. The building
design bid process will take place later in the spring.
Goldsmith said the pavilion will be a pre-engineered
style building, which will expedite its installation to
have it operational this summer.
Chipman thanked NLYBS Board President Scott
Rundle for the organization’s significant commitment
to the project.
“A great big thank you again for making it a family-friendly place for kids and parents to have fun,”
Chipman said.
“I will pass that on to the rest of the board members,” Rundle replied. “I would appreciate the bathrooms. The women of the league would appreciate the
bathrooms.”
Step up to the
plate, donate
NLYBS holding fundraiser for
concessions, restroom
NORTH LIBERTY– North Liberty Youth Baseball and Softball (NLYBS) is raising funds to help
build the sports pavilion at Penn Meadows Park
in North Liberty.
The pavilion will house separate male and
female restrooms, a concession stand, covered
picnic area and storm shelter, and be used by
the NLYBS league and other area and regional leagues hosting weekend tournaments. The
non-profit organization has pledged $250,000 to
the project, in addition to seeking grant funding,
and Scheels All Sports has committed $25,000.
The City of North Liberty is on board to help
finance the rest of the estimated $500,000 building cost. League organizers hope to have the
building ready in time for use this summer.
There are several ways to participate in the
project, including private monetary or in-kind
donations, business or corporate sponsorships,
or by ordering an engraved brick for the “Commemorative Baseball Diamond” courtyard to be
incorporated into the project design.
NLYBS board member Cindy Hill encouraged
the entire community to be part of the project by
ordering an engraved brick.
“This is a great opportunity to honor your
son, daughter or a special coach. Just as diamonds are forever, you may also wish to forever
preserve the memory of a loved one or friend, or
a special event such as your team winning a tournament or having a great season by purchasing
one or more commemorative bricks,” Hill said.
“What a nice way to permanently and proudly
recognize your player or business.”
NLYBS is entering its 23rd year of operation.
In 2014, the summer league served 894 players ages four through 13 years, with additional
players coming from the Solon and Coralville
and another 80 children playing in the fall ball
league. NLYBS had nine volunteer board members, 269 volunteer coaches and hired more than
20 umpires to officiate games. The league offered 16 scholarships to players unable to afford
registration fees.
Those interested in donating, becoming a
project sponsor or ordering a commemorative
brick should visit the NLYBS website at ezteams.
com/NLYBS, email registrar.nlybs@gmail.com, or
call 319-665-8394.
Yang Chow: Continued from page 2
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Rangoon and egg rolls, entrees and a variety of rice,
desserts and even a couple of American favorites like
chicken fingers for the kids, still offered at the low
cost of just $5.95. Dinner and lunch specials create
combinations that make it possible to have appetizers, an entrée and rice at an affordable price.
“We always try to keep the price low, as best we
can,” Chen said. “We don’t want to raise prices just
to make a lot of money and then be gone; we’d rather
stay here as long as we can.”
It has been a proven recipe for success for 10
years.
“We enjoy it here. All the people in town, and the
people in our neighboring businesses, have been very
nice,” said Chen.
In addition to dine-in and carry out, Yang Chow
K9 Design Grooming
Your source for better water, serving all of Eastern Iowa
580 Madison Ave. Suite #6
North Liberty
Off Penn Directly South of City Tractor
www.hauserswater.com
NORTH LIBERTY 665-9090
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70 Circle Drive, Unit C • North Liberty • Behind Rec Pool
Wok will cater to larger parties. Regular customers
include churches, the University of Iowa Hospitals
and Clinics and area banks. The restaurant does not
offer a catering menu, but word of mouth has been
a sufficient means of advertising. Customers ask for
their preferred dishes, and he or his staff delivers the
same hot, fresh tastes one gets at the restaurant or in
their take-out boxes.
Watch for anniversary specials coming in February;
it’s one way Chen can show his appreciation for his
customers and their long-time loyalty.
“We thank everyone in the community. We have
enjoyed having our business in North Liberty for 10
years,” Chen said. “And we will keep serving people
the best we can.”
Hours with Dr. Kukla will be:
MONDAY & WEDNESDAY
8:30am to Noon & 1:00pm to 4:30pm
THURSDAY AFTERNOON 1:00pm to 4:30pm
FRIDAY MORNINGS from 8:30am to Noon
Joseph M. Kukla DPM, AACFAS
also known as Family Footcare Center
175 HWY 965, Suite 1 • North Liberty • 665-3733
DIGITAL COPIES OF NORTH JOHNSON COUNTY CAN BE DOWNLOADED FROM
WWW.SOLONECONOMIST.COM OR NORTHLIBERTYLEADER.COM
4 • FEBRUARY, 2015 • NORTH JOHNSON COUNTY
Recreation Center: 626-5716
Library: 626-5701
City Hall: 626-5700
NEWSLETTER
CITY NEWS
PRESIDENTS’ DAY
City Offices will be closed on Monday, Feb. 16, in
honor of Presidents’ Day.
WATER BILL PAYMENT POLICY
The City recently published an updated Water Bill
Payment Policy. The policy sets forth the process
for residents to request a payment arrangement
for extraordinary situations with water billing. For
example, if a toilet ran extensively during the month
causing the water bill to increase drastically. Staff
can assist with the creation of a payment arrangement agreement that waives late fees and shut offs
so long as payments on the plan and current bills
are maintained current. For additional information,
check the City’s website: www.north-liberty.com or
call City Hall at 319-626-5700.
WINTER REMINDERS
Snow Emergency Ordinance: Under this
ordinance, snow emergencies will automatically
go into effect when snow accumulation reaches
two inches. During snow emergencies parking
is not allowed on any street to ensure streets
are clear for effective snow removal and other
road maintenance.
Any vehicles in violation of the ordinance will
be ticketed and may be towed without notice. Each twelve hour period that a vehicle is
parked or allowed to remain on any street in
violation of this section constitutes a separate
and distinct offense.
FOOD PANTRY GARDEN NAMING CONTEST
The North Liberty Community Pantry is starting
a garden this spring, but our garden needs
a name. We invite the community to suggest
names. We want to build community through
this teaching garden. Our work in the garden
will increase healthy foods available to families
served by the Pantry. Put on your creative caps
and send some names our way. The person who
submits the selected name will be honored in
our ribbon cutting ceremony this spring.
Deadline for name entries: 5 p.m. Sunday,
Feb. 15.
Our Gardening for Health project committee will
collect submissions and select a winner. Submissions can be sent to the North Liberty Community Pantry Garden Coordinator, Ilsa DeWald
at ilsa.dewald@northliberycommunitypantry.org.
Please include your name and contact information so we can reach you if your submission is
selected.
The mission of the North Liberty Community
Pantry is to engage our community in feeding
and clothing our neighbors. More information
about can be found
on the website:
www.northlibertycommunitypantry.
org, or like us on
Facebook.
Snow emergencies may also be declared by
the Mayor or designee at the Mayor’s discretion. When the snow emergency is lifted, the
information will be posted on the website (www.
northlibertyiowa.org) as soon as possible.
Snow Removal: It is against City code to push
snow into the street or onto someone else’s
property. City staff knows how challenging the
ongoing blast of winter weather can be, but
encourage all to be great neighbors.
Sidewalks: Property owners are responsible
for cleaning sidewalks within 48 hours of a
snowfall. Sidewalks across the rear of the property should be cleared as well. Your cooperation is necessary to provide safe walkways for
children going to school and for all walkers.
Mailboxes: Mailboxes need to be installed
properly and in the proper location. Property
owners must also be clear snow in front of
mailboxes to permit timely delivery of mail.
Fire Hydrants: Please keep fire hydrants
uncovered so that they are visible in case of
emergency.
CURBSIDE COMPOSTING PROGRAM
The City of North Liberty has a Curbside Composting program to help its residents divert food waste
from the landfill.
The city and Johnson County Refuse, with whom
the city contracts for residential trash and recycling, have implemented the program.
Participants will pay a refundable deposit of $25
AQUATIC CENTER
Pool Information
The next session of lessons begins the week
of February 23.
Water Fitness Classes
Water Resistance Exercise Class
Back by popular demand, this class is a fast paced, cardio
workout using ankle cuffs, belts, gloves, weight ball and a
new AquaLogix hand held resistance buoy! Water shoes
and water bottle recommended. Class starts promptly at 8
a.m. Ages: 15 years & up
SS2: February 2-27
SS3: March 2-30
SS4: April 1-29 (No class April 3)
Mondays/Wednesdays/Fridays: 8-8:45 a.m.
Fees: Res/Non-res SS2 & 4: $42/$47; SS3:$46/$51; or $4
drop-in fee per day
Easy Does It
Class will focus on improving your range of motion (ROM),
balance, core strength and reducing stress. You do not
have to know how to swim, but must be comfortable in
water. Water shoes and water bottle recommended. Class
starts promptly at 9 a.m. Ages 15 years & up
SS2: February 2-27
SS3: March 2-30
SS4: April 1-29 (No class April 3)
Mondays/Wednesdays/Fridays: 9-9:45a.m.
Fees: Res/Non-res SS1: $46/$51; SS2 & 4: $42/$47; SS3:
$46/$51; or $4 drop-in fee per day
for a curbside collection bin, which they’ll need to
line with a yard waste bag (with a Johnson County
Refuse logo ONLY), available for $1.65 at a variety
of stores in North Liberty. The compost will be
collected with their recycling and (dwindling) trash
each week.
Residents can compost spoiled food, leftovers, pizza boxes and other uncoated paper that has been
in contact with food, meat and seafood and other
many food waste items through the program.
Residents interested in participating should contact
Tracey Mulcahey by phone at 319-626-5712 or via
e-mail at tmulcahey@northlibertyiowa.org.
SENIOR DINING
Changes are coming!!!
In cooperation with the North Liberty Senior Council, Senior Dining will have a new appearance in
March! Senior dining will
be changing to every Friday with lunch starting at
11:30 a.m. After lunch,
activities will follow.
Senior dining meals cost
$5. Join us at the Community Center for Good
food, Good friends, Good fun.
Schedule:
Week 1 – Cards
Week 2 – Bingo/Birthday celebration
Week 3 – Movie
Week 4 – Music
Week 5 – Games
REC CENTER
Facility Hours:
Recreation/Indoor Pool:
MONDAY–FRIDAY, 6 AM-9 PM
SATURDAY/SUNDAY, 8AM-6PM
Winter Spring Brochure 2015
Winter Spring brochures are available on-line at www.
northlibertyiowa.org/rec or you can stop by the Rec Center
and pick one up in person. Registration for most programs
Winter Blues Obstacle Course
Got the winter blues? Need to get out of the house and
burn off that energy? Join staff for a fun obstacle course.
May include home-made, inflatable, military or combination
of all three obstacle/agility course stations. All ages
welcome, but 8 years old and under must be accompanied
by an adult.
Friday, February 20
6 -9 p.m.
Fee: $5/person for unlimited runs
Registration Deadline: Feb. 11
Boy Scout Chili Supper
North Liberty Boy Scout Troop 216 hosts this all-youcan-eat chili supper at the Community Center. Meat and
vegetarian chili served with all the fixings and dessert,
including homemade dutch oven treats made by Scouts.
Saturday, February 7
4:30-7 PM
$5 per persons over the age of 5 yrs. old
NORTH JOHNSON COUNTY • FEBRUARY, 2015 • 5
SPECIAL EVENTS
www.northlibertyiowa.org/rec/index.htm
Sundown Mountain Nighttime Skiing
Ski all night on one of the largest lifts in the area.Rental
equipment is included in the cost, or you may bring your
own. No alcohol allowed. Lodge will be open all night
for food and beverages at individual’s own cost. For
more information contact Matt Meseck at 626-5750 or
mmeseck@northlibertyiowa.org.
Ages: 16 years and up
Friday, Feb. 20
Depart from NLRC at 9 p.m.
Ski 11 p.m. to 4 a.m.
Return to NLRC approx. 6 a.m. on Saturday.
Fees: Ski Pass Only: $35; Ski Pass & Rental: $50;
Snowboard Pass & Rental: $50
Registration Deadline: February 15
North Central Jr. High Ski Trip
Join a ski trip to Sundown Mountain for students of North
Central Jr. High. Students who own equipment may bring it
for personal use with reduced fee. Permission slips will be
sent through the school backpack program or can be found
at the NLRC, and must be signed and returned to NLRC,
not the school. Food and drink not included, so bring
additional money. Fee includes lift ticket, ski rental, lesson
and bus ride.
Ages: NCJH Grades 7 & 8
Thursday, February 26
Depart from NLRC; 7:15 a.m., return at 6:30 p.m.
Fees: $65 (ski pass, equipment, lesson, transport), $50
(ski pass, lesson, transport), $8 (optional helmet)
Registration Deadline: February 18
REC CENTER UPDATES
Recreation Center: 626-5716
Library: 626-5701
City Hall: 626-5700
Spring Vendor Fair
Rent a spot at the North Liberty Spring Vendor Fair. Open
to anyone who wishes to set up a booth and sell goods
to the public. Vendors will not be allowed to leave early.
Vendors must supply own tables; chairs provided by
NLRC. Additional spots may be purchased if more space is
needed. Electricity is available. Fee: 10 x 10 square spot =
$10 per vendor
Registration: Contact Matt Meseck at mmeseck@
northlibertyiowa.org or call 626-5750.
Saturday, February 28
Vendor set-up 5 - 8 a.m.
Vending Time: 8 a.m.- 12 p.m.
continued from page 4
PRESCHOOL PROGRAMS
YOUTH PROGRAMS
ADULT PROGRAMS
Pee Wee Sports
Enjoy this non-competitive approach to help your child
learn sport basics, socialize and have fun.
Baseball: March 4 – 25. Ages: 3 – 5 years old
Wed. AM Class: 10-10:45 or 10:45-11:30
Wed. PM Class: 5:45 – 6:30 or 6:30 – 7:15 or 7:15 – 8
Fee: Residents $25, Non-residents $30
Registration deadline: February 25
New Classes for Kids!
With instructor Stephanie Fiser we’re offering some great
new programming for kids ages 6 to 12. Sign up and get
your kids off the couch for creative winter fun.
New!
School-age Workshops
Each week offers a new world to explore through
various crafts and activities allowing children to use their
imagination. Ages: 6-12 years.
Session:
Deadline:
February 14: Super Spy
Feb. 6
February 21: Nature
Feb. 13
February 28: Pirates & Mermaids
Feb. 20
March 7: Sports
Feb. 27
March 14: St. Patrick’s Day
Mar. 6
Saturdays; 1:30-2:30p.m.
Fee: $8 per session, per child
Registration Deadline: Friday prior to session date
Cross Fit
Want to really get in shape? Class meets four nights a
week. M/W = Cardio Pump; T/TH = Kickboxing
All fitness levels are welcome. Ages 14 years & up
SS2: February 2-26
SS3: March 2-31
SS4: April 1-30
Mondays-Thursdays, 7:30-8:30 p.m.
Fees: $36- $40, or $3.50 drop-in fee per class.
Ballet/Creative Dance
This program is designed to introduce a child to dance
basics. Students must be at least 3 years old and potty
trained. Ages: 3-4 years old
Wednesdays; 5:30-6 p.m. or 6-6:30 p.m.
Registration/Information: Contact Lyndsay at 319-6484091or lwilkinsonkrotz@hotmail.com
Kid’s Campsite
Free play area for youngsters 48” or under in height. Softplay features such as jeep, tent, log slide and frog to climb
on and explore!
Monday-Friday; 9 AM-12(Noon) and 4-8 PM
Saturday & Sunday: 8 AM-6 PM
SHELF LIFE
Library Update
Do you have outstanding
fines or overdues that are
keeping you from using the
library? We want to help you
get your library account back
in good standing. Beginning
February 1, the library staff
will be working on helping our
patrons who may have late
fees or lost material to address
those issues. Stop by to find
out more information about our
fine reconciliation process and
your options.
Need a getaway now or over
Spring Break? The Friends of
the library is holding a spring
break raffle. Purchase tickets
at the library for your chance
to win a $500 vacation voucher for the Wisconsin Dells.
Tickets are $5/ticket or $20 for
five tickets. All proceeds for
Friends support the library.
February is Love Your Library
month at the library. Stop by
and fill out a heart to tell us
why you love the library. Don’t
forget your name on the back
of the heart. At the end of
the month, we’ll draw a heart
and the winner will receive a
small token of gratitude from
the library! You can also pick
a heart from our pink Giving
Tree. The hearts list supplies
and items for the children’s
By Jennie Garner
Interim Library Director
area that we always need.
Bring your baby to our new My
Baby Story Time on Tuesday
mornings (see details below).
Sing songs, read books and
play with Circulation Services
Librarian, Emily.
If you haven’t heard, the library
will be one of about 20 driver’s
license kiosk sites. We’ve
been working on the details
with the Iowa DOT. The date
is still not set but we hope to
have the new kiosk in place
sometime in late spring or
early summer.
The library staff strives to
provide services and programs
tailored to meet the needs of
community members and area
residents. While it may not be
possible to adopt all suggestions, we welcome your input.
Please contact Library Director
Jennie Garner with suggestions, questions or concerns
at 319-626-5778 or email
jgarner@northlibertyiowa.org.
The library’s spring program
brochure is available in the
library and online at www.
northlibertyiowa.org.
If you have general questions
about upcoming programs
or library services, please
call 319-626-5701 or visit our
website.
Introduction to Scrapbooking for Kids
Learn the basics of srapbooking including cropping,
layout design options, A variety of tools will be available.
Class fees include supplies needed. Child must bring 4-6
pictures. Ages: 6-12 years
Session:
Deadline:
February 21
Feb. 13
February 28
Feb. 20
March 7
Feb. 27
March 14
Mar. 6
Saturdays; 3-4 p.m.
Fee: $10.00 per session, per child
Registration Deadline: Friday prior to session date.
Basketball
Get together for a half or full court pick-up game of
basketball. Ages:18 years & up (not in high school)
Noon Ball: January 5 – April 30
Monday-Friday; 12 – 1:30 p.m. at NLRC
Evenings: January 6-April 30
Thursdays, 6:15-8:45 p.m. at North Bend Elementary
Daily fee $2 per person or purchase monthly package:
Resident $10; Non-resident $15
Personal Training
We have individuals willing to assist you. Clients must
pay both the rates per instructor and NLRC’s daily fees or
membership rates if using the facility/equipment outside of
personal trainer sessions.
Kris Cameron: kcameron@renuyourlife.com, 319-361-7673
Rachel West: coachwestfitness@gmail.com, 319-759-6263
Lindsay Olson: Lindsayjolson@gmail.com, 319-430-6116
Bruce Elgin: Bruce.R.Elgin@gmail.com
FEBRUARY LIBRARY EVENTS
FAMILY & TODDLER PROGRAMS
• My Baby Story Time (birth to 24 mo.)–Tuesdays, 10 a.m.
• Tot Time– Fridays, 10 a.m.
• Storytime–Wednesdays, 10 a.m.
Saturdays, 11 a.m.
• PJ Storytime– Thursdays, 7 p.m.
NOTE: Though we have recommended ages for storytime,
we encourage you to try them all and see what fits best for
you and your family.
YOUTH & TEEN PROGRAMS
• Crafternoons for K-5th Grade (get crafty)– Tuesdays,
3:30 to 4:30 p.m.
• LEGO Thursdays– First and third Thursday of the month
(K-5th Grade), 2:30 to 4 p.m.
• Throwback Wednesdays: Second and fourth Wednesdsay
of each month from 5-6 p.m.
• Family Movie Night–Friday, February 6 at 6 pm: (call the
library for title)
ADULT PROGRAMS
• Sociable Seniors– Mondays, 10 a.m.
• Just for Fun (hand crafts)– Tuesdays, 7 p.m.
• Tough Talk Discussion Group– Thursday, Feb. 19, 6:30
p.m. Social Networking materials available at the library
• Flashback Friday– Feb. 20, 6:30 pm. Happy birthday John
Hughes! Join us for a viewing of a John Hughes classic (Call
library for title). Wine coolers (must be 21 years old with
current, valid photo ID) and John Hughes trivia included.
• Last Tuesday of the Month Book Club– Tuesday, Feb. 24,
6:30 pm.discussing “Catch-22” by Joseph Heller
• BYOB(ook) Friday– Feb. 27; 5:30 p.m. Discussing “Sushi
and Beyond” by Michael Booth. Meet at Kyodai Japanese
Grill in North Liberty. The library will provide some appetizers
(other food and beverage at your own expense)
NOTE: Additional copies of books and materials for book/
discussion groups are available at the library
TECH TOPICS – Free and open to everyone!
iPad Apps
Learn about popular apps available for iPad. Grouping and
sorting apps will also be covered
• Wednesday, Feb. 4, 1:30-3 p.m.
• Friday, Feb. 6, 9:30-11 a.m.
Photo Editing
Want to add some flair or fun to your photos? This class will
cover free tools available on the web that can be used to edit
photos.
• Tuesday, Feb. 10, 1:30-3 p.m.
• Thursday, Feb. 12; 9:30-11 a.m.
Facebook Tutorial
Keep in touch with family, kids, grandkids and old friends. This
class aims to get you up to speed on how to create, use and
maintain a Facebook page of your own.
• Wednesday, Feb. 25, 1:30-3 p.m.
• Friday, Feb. 27, 9:30-11 a.m.
6 • FEBRUARY, 2015 • NORTH JOHNSON COUNTY
REPRINTED FROM THE JANUARY 29 EDITION OF THE NORTH LIBERTY LEADER
Your kind of workout, right at your fingertips
New “Fitness On
Demand” now free
at NL Rec. Center
By Lori Lindner
North Liberty Leader
NORTH LIBERTY– Imagine customizing your workouts at the gym: choosing
your favorite instructor, requesting
your own intensity level, setting a time
limit on your workout and even picking
your own workout partners (and coincidentally, leaving your least favorite
out).
Would it motivate you to exercise
more?
The staff at the North Liberty Recreation Center hope so.
It’s called Fitness On Demand, and
it is now available at everyone’s fingertips.
For the next month, it’s absolutely
free.
North Liberty Assistant Recreation
Director Brian Motley is excited to offer
the program to all recreation center
users, free of charge until March 1.
His department recently purchased
the equipment and subscribed to the
Fitness On Demand program, seeking
to better utilize the facility’s aerobics
room, as well as make exercise classes more convenient, comfortable and
accessible to more patrons than ever
before.
“That room doesn’t get used a lot
other than when scheduled fitness
classes are going on, which is usually in
the evenings,” said Motley. “We are trying to (target) the times when that part
of the facility is under-utilized.”
A touch-screen kiosk uses photos
and text to allow anyone to come to the
workout room on the second floor of
the facility, choose a specific, customized workout any time the room is not
already in use, and exercise to a video
on an 80-inch television while using the
center’s space and equipment.
That means nearly any day between
the hours of 6 a.m. and 5 p.m., a person
or a group of people can enjoy all the
amenities of a workout class within
their own chosen structure.
Workout choices range from yoga to
step aerobics, resistance band classes,
weight training with dumbbells, fitness kickboxing and even Latin dance
(similar to Zumba), using the center’s
equipment for those types of sessions.
“There are a lot of different exercis-
Brian Motley of the NL Recreation Department demonstrates how patrons can choose
customized workouts with touch-screen technology. Use the center’s aerobics room
and equipment (below) and invite your friends. The program is free until March 1.
(photo by Lori Lindner)
es to choose from, and each workout
shows the equipment you need to
use,” said Motley. Currently, the room
contains medicine balls, dumbbells,
resistance bands, yoga mats and blocks,
stability balls, aerobic steps and other
necessary equipment. If the program
proves successful, the workout choices
may eventually include spinning and
kettle bell workouts.
“Some people might be concerned
we are trying to push out live instruc-
tors, and that is definitely not the case,”
Motley said. “But some people might
not feel comfortable coming to a class
with a bunch of strangers. So maybe
with this option, they come with a
friend, or they come on their own when
there aren’t other people in there.”
Motley visited a recreation center
in Mount Pleasant that uses Fitness
On Demand, and learned that their
program has actually increased attendance at scheduled classes with their
REMEMBER TO SCHEDULE YOUR
$6.99 Lunch Specials
Dental Appointments
Over Spring Break!
Monday thru Friday 11am-4pm
MONDAY Tenderloin Basket
TUESDAY Grilled Ham & Cheese with Soup
WEDNESDAY In-House Hickory Smoked
Pulled Pork Sandwich Basket
THURSDAY Hot Beef Sandwich
FRIDAY Chicken Fried Steak
DINNER Specials
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
319.848.4848
Tuesday thru
Saturday
5pm - close
$1 Off Any Broasted Chicken Dinner
1/2 Price Pizza
Smoked Rib Dinner
All You Can Eat Fish Dinner
Prime Rib Dinner
happy hour :)
MONDAY THRU
FRIDAY 26PM
ALL DAY SUNDAY
live instructors, by introducing people
to a workout setting or certain types
of workouts, giving them a chance to
try them without a significant financial
commitment and minimizing the fear
of trying something new in front of
strangers.
“On the screen you can select your
own class, but it also shows our scheduled classes, so people can get information about what our classes involve,
who the instructor is and when they are
going to take place,” Motley said. “It’s
kind of cool in that sense.”
Also cool is the chance to work out
with friends in a group setting without
the inconvenience of rearranging the
furniture in someone’s living room: the
space is already set up and ample, a
variety of equipment is readily available
for more than one user, and a wide
range of workouts come at the touch
of a screen, without having to buy and
store all those DVDs. And having exercise buddies is a big key to consistency
and success.
“You have someone holding you
accountable if you know your friends
are waiting for you to show up,” said
Motley.
The touch-screen is super user-friendly and self-directed, but Motley
wanted to reassure anyone who has
questions that recreation center staff
are always available to offer instruction
and assistance. Ultimately patrons
retain control of their choices.
“If you go in and the workout seems
too hard, you can always step out and
select something else,” Motley said, as
long as no one else is waiting to use the
room.
The Fitness On Demand setup will
also provide data on how many users
are choosing certain types of workout
sessions and their durations, which will
guide Motley in determining the kind of
live classes to offer in the future.
“I can get a better feel for what people are wanting,” said Motley.
Fitness On Demand is free until
March 1.The center will institute a daily
drop-in fee, or add the feature to existing membership packages the center
now offers after that date.
“We just want people to come in and
try it, see if they like it,” said Motley.
“That’s our goal.”
So go on, be demanding with your
fitness choices. The North Liberty Recreation Center welcomes it.
1162 Club Road, Shueyville
Next to Shuey’s
Mon-Thurs 11am-10pm
Fri & Sat 11am - 11pm
Sun 11am-9pm
We will
be OPEN
March
16-19
Solon Dental Center
Family Friendly
Full Service Restaurant & Bar
Take Out Available
Good Time Charlie’s
$3 $2.75 $3
TALL BOYS
DOMESTIC BOTTLES
WELLS
Kari Haganman,
D.D.S.
Complete Dental Care for
your entire family!
Cash Discount • Insurance filed for You
Hours: Monday-Thursday 8am-6pm
401 E. HAGANMAN LN., SOLON • 624-4444
NORTH JOHNSON COUNTY • FEBRUARY, 2015 • 7
City of Swisher
66 Second Street
P.O. Box 279
Swisher,Iowa 52338
News
New City Office Hours:
Mondays 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.,
Tuesdays, Thursdays and
Fridays 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Phone: 319-857-4539
Fax: 319-857-4529
E-Mail: swisher2@southslope.net
City looks to change from quarterly
to monthly utility billling
Mayor Christopher Taylor called the council meeting
to order at 7 p.m. at Swisher City Hall, Swisher, Iowa.
Council Present: Angie Hinrichs, Mike Stagg, and
Larry Svec. Absent: Sandy Fults and Mary Gudenkauf.
Council approved Consent Agenda: Kakacek
noted the October Treasurer Report was redone as the
payroll was posting to incorrect period. The Consent
Agenda consisting of: Agenda, December 8, 2014
Minutes, List of Claims, Corrected October’s 2014
Clerk/Treasurer Report and November 2014 Clerk/
Treasurer Report and Utility Audit Report, Class C
Liquor License with Outdoor Service and Sunday
Sales for Club 671, Change of ownership for Club 671
to Dennis Hromidko, notice of vacancies of Board of
Adjustment.
Library Director Laura Hoover
reported group of volunteers worked
on teen space at the library, she sent
application to South Slope/INS to fund
library project, and shared new books.
Mayor Taylor noted the following:
Fun Days Committee met in January
and gave update of meeting, worked on
the budget with Kakacek.
penalties.
Book Marks
City Awarded Bid for City Website to Gov.Office.
com.
“Libraries are our friends.”
– Neil Gaiman
2015 Swisher Fun Days Street Closures Request: Mayor noted list of streets to be closed and
some of the activities that may be on those streets.
Stagg inquired about parking if all those streets are
closed. After discussion, Svec moved, seconded by
Stagg to approve street closures as of now, but may
change due to downsize or time limit for the following: 2nd Street between Summit and Jefferson Avenues, 3rd Street between Central and Rose Avenues,
Central Avenue between 2nd and 3rd Streets, Rose
Avenue between 2nd and 3rd Streets for Saturday
August 8, 2015. Roll call vote was taken. All ayes.
Absent: Fults, Gudenkauf. Motion
carried.
Food for Fines
Jan. 12
Swisher
City Council
meeting
highlights:
Kakacek noted there will be a ball diamond usage
meeting on February 10th at 6 p.m. in city hall for
interested coaches.
Svec reported the fire department sold the ambulance truck and purchased a used pumper.
They are selling the mini-pumper and the proceeds
will go for the pumper they just purchased.
2nd Reading of Ord.#240 to Increase Sewer Rates
was done.
Kakacek inquired if the utility billing would
be changed from quarterly billing. She noted if
the billing periods change, it would have to be amended in the code book. Stagg noted it would be
changed to monthly billing. Hinrichs inquired of
the $15 monthly late fee needs to be that high since
if change billing to monthly. After discussion, council consensus was to table this for next meeting and
possibly make changes to both the billing periods and
Council set Public Hearing Date for
Adoption of Small Wind Energy
Conversion System Ordinance for
February 9, 2015 at 7 p.m.
Council Set Public Hearing Date-Adoption of 2014 National Electrical
Code for February 9, 2015 at 7 p.m.
Council Set Work Session Dates for Codification
Review for February 2 and February 16, 2015 at
6 p.m. It was noted the budget work session may also
be on February 2nd.
Council Set Public Hearing Date to Adopt 20132023 Swisher Comprehensive Plan for February 9, 2015 at 7 p.m.
Council reviewed letter from Jefferson-Monroe Fire
Dept. requesting funds from various groups for Great
Wall of Rescue system, MPOJC Traffic Count for
intersection of Rose Avenue and 2nd Street, copy of
$500 donation from MidAmerican for library teen
reading room, and Mediacom updates. December
2014 Sheriff Report was on council table for review.
Mayor noted he sent letter of support for the library
teen room to INS.
place $50; third place
$25. The public is welcome and it is $5 all you
can eat after the judging
is completed. Call Kathy
at (319) 360-9877 with
questions.
March 1: Swisher
Auxiliary Breakfast.
Breakfast is served. $8
Now offering MOPED CLASSES see website for details
all you can eat, the public
is welcome.
Feb. 20-March
27: Annual Lenten
Suppers at the Swisher
Legion. 5-8 p.m. All-youcan-eat fish $11; shrimp
$14; chicken strips $7;
add on Shrimp $6; children 6-12 years of age $5
and children 5 years and
younger are free. Served
with one trip thru Salad
Bar and take outs are
available. The public is
welcome and the Juniors
will be having a bake sale
each week as well. For
more information contact 319-857-4687.
PROTECT YOUR HORSE
Drivers Ed Classes
SOLON IOWA CITY
Upcoming Session:
February 9-26
April 6-23
Upcoming Session:
March 2-19
Classes held at
St. Marys Catholic Church
Classes held at
Christ the King Lutheran Church
MOUNT319-361-9405
VERNON Dwww.mvdriversed.com
RIVERS EDUCATION LLC
Live Healthy Iowa’s 10 Week
Wellness Challenge
It’s a 10 week wellness challenge! Come join our
team, get active and live healthy!
Over the course of 10 weeks, track activity minutes
through the Live Healthy Iowa website. This simple,
affordable, web-based challenge provides Iowans an
opportunity to improve their health while engaging in
fun, friendly competition. Stop by the library to join
our team or check it out at livehealthyiowa.org
Open Hours
Monday-Thursday: 4-8 p.m.
Saturdays: 10 a.m.-noon
Or if the Open Flag is up … come on in!
Story Time
Thursdays, 6:30 p.m.
Feb. 5: Sick Day?
Feb. 12: Valentines
Feb. 19: Time will tell
Feb. 26: Get Moving
Join us for all the fun!
Book Club
Adjourned at 8:40 p.m.
SWISHER AMERICAN LEGION UPCOMING EVENTS
Feb. 1: Annual Chili
Cook-off 2015 Super
Bowl Sunday. Entry fee
is $5 for participants
and includes all you can
eat. Entries must be to
the Swisher Legion by
2 p.m., and is limited to
one entry, one crock pot
per person. Prizes are:
first place $100; second
We are now accepting Food for Fines. The way it
works is for every non-perishable food item you bring
in, we will forgive $1 in fines. All food items collected
will be donated to the North Liberty Food & Clothing Pantry, which distributes food to needy families
throughout Johnson County.
Our book for February is “The Fault in Our Stars” by
John Green.
Despite the tumor-shrinking medical
miracle that has bought her a few
years, Hazel has never been anything
but terminal, her final chapter inscribed upon diagnosis. But when a
gorgeous plot twist named Augustus
Waters suddenly appears at Cancer
Kid Support Group, Hazel’s story is
about to be completely rewritten.
Books are in now. Stop in and pick one up and then
join us for the discussion on Tuesday, Feb. 17, at 7
p.m.
Plum Creek Boutique
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Local Businesses!
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DOCTOR OF VETERINARY MEDICINE
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8 • FEBRUARY, 2015 • NORTH JOHNSON COUNTY
S H U E Y V I L L E The Heart of the Corridor
SHUEYVILLE CITY OFFICE 319-848-7626
2863 120TH ST NE, SWISHER
WWW.SHUEYVILLEIA.COM
CLEARING SNOW REMINDER
Clearing snow, ice, and accumulations is the duty of the property
owner. Sidewalks abutting a owner’s property must be clear of the
natural accumulations of snow or ice within 48 hours. Also, be kind
to your neighbor and please keep the accumulations of snow on
your own property and do not push it into the street or across the
road. Thank you for your understanding.
SHUEYVILLE CITY COUNCIL MEETING
Shueyville City Council Meeting
January 13, 2015
Mayor Markus Cannon called the regular
monthly meeting of the Shueyville
City Council to order at 6:30 p.m.
on Tuesday, Jan. 13, in the council
chambers at the Shueyville Community
Center.
Present: Markus Cannon, Chris Lacy,
Mickey Coonfare, Brent Foss, Pamela
Larson, and Teresa Eadie. Absent: Jerry
Cada
Citizens Present: Brent Yirkovsky, Brylee
Yirkovsky, Peg Becicka, Wayne Becicka,
Gary Bruxvoort, Mark Skala, Martin
Fauchier, Janice Horak, Val Porter and
Abigail Reed
Citizen’s Comments: Snow is being
pushed across the street onto their
property. A snow removal reminder will be
posted in the NoJoCo to help new owners
and others remember not to push snow off
their property.
Consent Agenda: No comments on Agenda.
Sheriff’s calls: 9 traffic, 8 suspicious, 1
burglary, 6 medical/fire and 7 other reports.
Foss motioned, seconded by Coonfare, to
approve the consent agenda consisting of
the Agenda, Minutes from the December
9, 2014 Council Meeting, Summary List
of Claims, the Johnson County Sheriff’s
Report, Permits, Licenses, and Treasurer/
Clerk’s Report. All Ayes, motion carried 4-0.
Employees: Fire Dept. bought a new custom
pumper for $218,000. A budget workshop
is set for Jan. 29 at 6:30 p.m. Gym floor will
need to be cleaning after rentals this week.
A formal quote was requested by the council
to replace the front doors of the community
center. Motion by Lacy and seconded by
Larson to replace doors if cost is less than
$4,500. All Ayes, motion carried 4-0.
Old Business: Southview is still under
review till the legal owner of the road a
can be determined. Brown will plow the
road and defer the billing until ownership
is determined.
A Planning & Zoning meeting will be held in
the next two weeks to update the land use
plan and review two new plats.
New Business: First reading of Knox Box
Ordinance was read. Motion by Lacey,
seconded by Coonfare. All Ayes, motion
carried 4-0. First reading of Sign Ordinance
update was read. Section 6-2-14 (5) Motion
by Larson, seconded by Foss. All Ayes,
motion carried 4-0.
Motion by Coonfare, seconded by Larson
to defer discussion of Solon Bank and
Lakewood’s Development requests.
First reading adoption of Johnson County
Ordinance 12-18-14-01 Electrical Codes
was read. Motion by Coonfare, seconded
by Lacey. All Ayes, motion carried 4-0.
Update rental agreement to reflect loss
of deposit when smoking or drinking
policies are broken. Payment or job
posting for community center rental
employee was discussed.
Public hearing for City Budget will be
held at the next council meeting, Feb 10.
Correspondence: Mediacom rate
increase, retirement party for Kevin
Kinney, Johnson Co Sheriff Dept.
Announcements: none
Larson moved to adjourn the meeting,
seconded by Coonfare. All Ayes, motion
carried 4-0. Meeting adjourned at 7:45
p.m.
Markus Cannon, Mayor
Teresa Eadie, City Clerk/Treasurer
Johnson County Food Policy Council to host free community forum Feb. 7
IOWA CITY – The Johnson County Food Policy Council
announced that registration is open for the free community forum “Past, Present and Future: Local Foods at the
Johnson County Poor Farm.” The forum will focus on
using county-owned land at the Johnson County Poor
Farm to support farmers, farm conservation and the
community. In addition to presentations from local and
regional local foods professionals, the forum will have
plenty of opportunities for attendees to share their ideas
including a community visioning process. Attendees are
encouraged to interact with Food Policy Council members
and members of the Johnson County Board of Supervisors
who will be in attendance.
This event is 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 7, in
Montgomery Hall at the Johnson County Fairgrounds in
Iowa City. Attendee check-in begins at 9:30 a.m.
Keynote Presenter Karen von Huene is the executive
director of Community GroundWorks, a Madison, Wis.-
based organization that connects individuals to urban
agricultural and natural lands within a diverse learning
community. Community GroundWorks grows wholesome
and organic food for local tables, stewards urban natural
areas, inspires healthful eating, and offers hands-on
learning opportunities. By teaching what they practice,
Community GroundWorks passes on the skills to build
enduring communities.
“We encourage anyone with an interest in the County’s
local foods movement or future use of the County Farm to
attend this forum,” said Pat Harney, Board of Supervisors
Chairperson. “The Board believes production and distribution of local foods is an ideal way to promote rural economic development while providing citizens a variety of
healthy foods. We’re excited about offering the Poor Farm
to encourage such a creative and collaborative project.”
Last fall, the Board of Supervisors requested proposals
from area groups or individuals interested in produced
food at the County Poor Farm. The group selected for the
project, Grow Johnson County, is a collaboration among
Table to Table, the Coralville Ecumenical Food Pantry and
New Pioneer Co-op’s Soilmates. Grow Johnson County’s
project will address food-insecurity in the county, and will
also provide educational opportunities.
The Johnson County Food Policy Council, created by
the Johnson County Board of Supervisors, is a volunteer
citizen-led group with the purpose of improving dialogue
and discussion and providing necessary advice on food
and agriculture issues to the County, municipalities,
community boards, local agencies, nongovernmental
organizations, businesses and other interested groups.
A locally-sourced lunch from Iowa City restaurant
Devotay is available, free of charge, to those who register by Monday, Feb. 2. Attendees may register online at
http://county-farm-foods.eventbrite.com. Questions may
be directed to jcfpc@co.johnson.ia.us or 319-688-8011.
Local Tax Professionals
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• Income Taxes
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Experience & Quality at Reasonable Rates
626-4998
North Liberty
NORTH JOHNSON COUNTY • FEBRUARY, 2015 • 9
February 2015 News
OLD GOLD DINER
OLD GOLD DINER
All meals served at
11:30 a.m. in the Solon
United Methodist Church
Fellowship Hall. Please call
624-2251 by 1 p.m. the day
before to reserve a meal or
arrange for transportation.
No weekend calls after
1 p.m. Friday. The meal
price is $3.25. Everyone
welcome!
Old Gold Events
Tuesdays and Thursdays: Bingo
Fridays: Cards
Tuesday, Feb. 10: City
Rep
Thursday, Feb. 12:
Foot Clinic/BP
Wednesday, Feb. 25:
Fourth Graders
SPONSORED MEAL
Wednesday, Feb.11
Reservations due two
days prior.
Sponsor: Always Best
Care/Tracy Gray
Be sure and join us!
FEBRUARY MENU
Monday, Feb. 2: BBQ Chicken, scalloped potatoes, asparagus, custard pie.
Tuesday, Feb. 3: Catch of the
day fish, mini baker potatoes,
broccoli, bread pudding with
butterscotch sauce. BINGO.
Wednesday, Feb. 4: Bruschetta chicken bake, parsley
noodles, wax beans, gingerbread chocolate chip bar.
Thursday, Feb. 5: Country
fried steak, mashed potatoes,
veggie blend, fruited gelatin.
BINGO.
Friday, Feb. 6: Grilled Rueben sandwich, French fries,
peas, chocolate cake. CARDS.
Monday, Feb. 9: Maple BBQ
pork loin, scalloped potatoes,
asparagus, custard pie.
Tuesday, Feb. 10: Herb
baked chicken, rice pilaf, Malibu
blend veggies, fruited gelatin.
BINGO/CITY REP.
Wednesday, Feb. 11: Sponsored Meal. Smoked sausage
with sautéed peppers/onions,
mac & cheese, stewed tomatoes, cake & ice cream.
Thursday, Feb. 12: Lasagna,
veggie bread, garlic bread, lemon lime dessert. BINGO/FOOT
CLININC/BP
Friday, Feb. 13: Breaded fish
fillet, fried potatoes, coleslaw,
pineapple cake. NO CARDS.
Monday, Feb. 16: Garlic pork
loin, boiled potatoes, green and
gold bens, cherry cobbler.
Tuesday, Feb. 17: Salad with
SW dressing, Carnita Enchilada,
Baja blend, fruit crisp. BINGO.
Wednesday, Feb. 18: Chick-
en Alfredo Pasta, broccoli, sherbet. Julia Andrews-West Entertainment.
Thursday, Feb. 19: Baked
pork chop/gravy, mashed potatoes, scalloped cabbage, blueberry bread pudding. BINGO.
Friday, Feb. 20: Breaded fish
fillet, baked potato, coleslaw,
coconut pudding. CARDS.
Monday, Feb. 23: Salisbury
steak, parlsely noodles, dilled
carrots, lemon dessert.
Tuesday, Feb. 24: Chicken
Cordon Bleu, sweet potato
crunch, broccoli, cranberry
apple crisp. BINGO.
Wednesday, Feb. 25: Beef
minute steak, Italian scalloped
potato, corn, brownie pudding.
4TH GRADERS.
Thursday, Feb. 26: Sweet &
Sour Ribs, mini baker potatoes,
buttered beets, buttermilk cookie. BINGO.
Friday, Feb. 27: Cracker
topped fish, mac & cheese,
peas, ice cream with crunch
topping. CARDS.
SOLON
BARBER
SHOP
MEN • WOMEN • CHILDREN
No appointment needed,
walk-ins welcome!
www.solonbarbershop.webs.com
T/TH/F 9-5:30 • Wed 9-7 • Sat - 8-12
128 E. MAIN ST. • 624-7224
REACH OVER 13,000 HOMES
BY ADVERTISING IN
NORTH JOHNSON COUNTY
Lunch
Buffet
SOLON SENIOR ADVOCATES, INC.
Proposed Senior Advocate Trips
*Wednesday, Feb. 25: Circa 21 “Les Miserables”
Thursday, March 19: Hoover Museum “America’s
First Ladies”
*Thursday, April 16: Mennonite Meal, Stringtown,
Country Store
*Wednesday, May 27: Circa 21 “The Sound of
Music”
Thursday, June 18: Paddle Boat/Grist Mill, Muscatine
*Bus trips. All trips leave from Solon Recreation
and Nature Area. If for some unseen reason you must
cancel a trip and have already paid, a 48-hour notice
is necessary in order to receive a refund. Call 6242710 or 430-8655 to register.
Movie mini bus
The Advocates have started a movie outing at
Coral Ridge Mall on $5 Free Popcorn Tuesdays once a
month or so, dependant on the movies being shown.
We leave from the Solon Recreation and Nature Area
at 11 a.m. to catch lunch at the mall. Movie start
times are staggered between 1-1:45 p.m. but most let
out around 3:30 p.m. Trip cost is $5. Please call 319624-2710 for more information.
Thanks to Dr. Brian Fitzpatrick for sponsoring the
January Old Gold Dining meal and for “powering up”
the seniors with a short but sweet exercise regimen.
Brian also spoke about the need to keep limber to
help prevent falls and to keep seniors active. He provided copies of a several page exercise manual from
a Maine Medical group. If anyone wishes a copy of
this senior exercise manual please contact one of the
Senior Advocates.
Mini-bus available
The Advocates also wish to extend an invitation to
groups, individuals and organizations, not necessarily
seniors, to request the use of the mini-bus for area
day trips. The Senior Advocates will coordinate with
the requesting party the organizing and scheduling
of each trip and will provide volunteer drivers. For
more information please call (319) 855-9797 or (319)
624-2710.
We love to help you
Rides
Colleen Powers has offered to ferry seniors to appointments, errands, etc. Please call 319-631-3940 to
check on availability and to schedule an appointment.
Cans & Bottles
A good way to help us with bus expenses is to take
your cans and bottles to Bev Noskas’s garage at 221
N. Iowa St. in Solon to help us with our new BevMobile.
Chores
Dave Frisbie is taking calls to help with your household chores. Give him a ring at 319-624-6024
Art Tellin: 624-2824 or 855-9797
Don Burch: 624-4054
Carol Tobias: 351-6707
Larry Meister: 624-2516
Clayton Patterson: 624-3859
Jeanne Erhart: 624-3686
Sandy Hanson: 624-2710 or 430-8655
Barry Byrne: 319-354-8757
FEBRUARY Special
XL 16”
FREE
CHEESE DRINK
with
PIZZA
$ 99 LUNCH
BUFFET
9
Smile
Accepting New Patients
Additional
toppings
$2 each
Please mention coupon when ordering. Not valid with other coupons or specials. Expires 2/28/15.
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Open Wednesday and Friday 8:00am-5:00pm
Call today for an appointment 624.3495
www.medindental.com Corner of Hwy 1 and 5th Street in Solon
Super Bowl Special
ALL YOU
CAN EAT
DINE IN • CARRY OUT • DELIVERY
106 E. Main Street
SOLON • 624-7000
OPEN 11:00 AM
7 DAYS A WEEK
Valentineʼs Day + Flowers = LOVE
Flowers, Chocolates,
Gifts & More!
Wings $1 Bud
Light
Pints
Frida Kahlo Mexican Restaurant
(just off Hwy 1 across from the car wash)
A new wrinkle has been added to the Meal & Movie
agenda. Each time a drawing for a $10 gift certificate
to a local eatery will be conducted. Space allowance
is 20 people so be sure and sign up early at Old Gold
Dining or call 319-624-2710. Next scheduled Meal &
Movie “Hyde Park on the Hudson,” will be Friday, Feb.
27, at the library.
Senior Advocates:
Thanks
0
5
.
6
$
$
.99
m
p
-2
m
a
1
5
EVERYDAY 1
101 Windflower Ln., Solon
Meal & Movie
319.624.2107
www.myfrida.com
Delivery to ALL surrounding areas!
DOZEN LONG STEM ROSES any color $69.99
DOZEN MEDIUM STEM ROSES any color $49.99
GARDEN MIX FRESH FLOWER BOUQUETS start at $35.00
WRAPPED MIXED BOUQUETS starting at $18.99
Green and Blooming Indoor Plants
E’s Florals
HWY 1 next to D.Q. • Solon • 624-3121
Let’s be
Friends
w w w. e s f l o r a l s . c o m
advertise here in our next edition! call 624-2233
10 • FEBRUARY, 2015 • NORTH JOHNSON COUNTY
REPRINTED FROM THE JANUARY 8 EDITION OF THE SOLON ECONOMIST
Itʼs not so scary at the Teddy Bear Hospital
AORN’S Teddy Bear
Hospital informs public
on role of OR nurses
By Jen Moore
Solon Economist
SOLON-Standing at about six feet
tall, the patient might have seemed just
a little bit intimidating to the average
kindergartener.
But really, he was just a big teddy
bear.
Over 30 Solon area children, parents,
and stuffed animals attended the Teddy
Bear Hospital on Saturday, Nov. 8. The
Association of periOperative Registered
Nurses (AORN) put on the event held at
Lakeview Elementary.
AORN’s Iowa City and Cedar Rapids chapter president, Rhonda Price,
wanted to hold the hospital in conjunction with Perioperative Nurses Week to
teach the public what, exactly, a perioperative nurse does.
“[The OR is] an area where people
can’t come in and observe because it’s
Emily Gage checks the vitals on the patient at the Teddy Bear Hospital held at
Lakeview Elementary on Saturday, Nov. 8.
a locked down area,” Price said. “The
question becomes, ‘how do you show
it?’”
She refers to operating room nurses
as “the managers of the OR.” They are
responsible for helping set up surgeries, recording patient information, and
knowing everything about the equipment that will be used. Most surgeries
include a scrub nurse, who helps select
and hand utensils to the surgeon, and
a circulating nurse, whose job is to
observe the surgical process and assist
in any way possible.
“On TV they don’t really show the
whole setup. Whenever they show a surgeon operating, there’s no nurse really
there watching,” Price said. “When it
comes to the public opinion on operating room nurses, there really isn’t one.”
So, the Teddy Bear Hospital was designed to bridge that gap in knowledge
between those in the medical field and
the public.
The first Teddy Bear Hospital was
held last year at the University of Iowa
Hospitals and Clinics (UICH). Past president Julie Borneman decided to start
the workshop after receiving suggestions through the AORN website.
“We kind of made our own version
by letting kids bring their favorite
stuffed animals,” Borneman said. “We
wanted to tailor the experience to the
kids.”
This year, Price and other members
made the decision to move the hospital
scenario to a school in order to allow
more children to attend. Solon was selected due to its proximity to both Iowa
City and Cedar Rapids.
“We wanted a different area of the
Corridor to experience it that maybe
didn’t hear about it last year,” Borneman said.
Area children and their stuffed animals attended a Teddy Bear Hospital at Lakeview
Elementary on Saturday, Nov. 8. The Association of periOperative Registered Nurses
(AORN) put on the event to help teach children and parents about the roles of nurses
in the operating room. (photos by Doug Lindner)
Price, Borneman and about 10 other
volunteers set up the school’s gymnasium to show the different stages
of the surgical process. The first area
represented the waiting area, where
kids dressed themselves and their
stuffed animals in surgical caps and
masks. Once prepped, they moved into
a mock operating room, where they had
a chance to look at and touch the kinds
of instruments used in surgeries.
Nurses also used a giant teddy bear
to show what happens as patients fall
asleep and what kinds of machines they
may be hooked up to. Finally, kids were
brought into the recovery room where
the stuffed animal patients got to reunite with their parents.
“Kids can relate to the bears. They’re
cuddly and it’s not a frightening thing,”
Price said. “We had a few kids who were
Teddy Bear Hosptial:
Continued on page 20
NORTH JOHNSON COUNTY • FEBRUARY, 2015 • 11
Solon library and Senior
Advocates seek to create
Single Seniors Info Group
SOLON– The Solon Public Library and
the Solon Senior Advocates are joining
together to create a Single Seniors Info
Group. The aim of the group will be to
share information about a variety of
subjects that are particular to seniors
living alone.
Personal finances, household issues,
socialization, nutrition, mobility,
relocating and downsizing are a few
topics that may be discussed. Seniors
with suggestions to help others who
are experiencing particular issues are
encouraged to participate.
The first meeting will be held at 9
a.m. in the library community room on
Wednesday, Feb. 18, with coffee and
sweets. Future meeting times can be
determined by the interest generated
by this proposal.
Many seniors have indicated interest in participating. If you are senior
interested in sharing your knowledge or
just looking for support, please contact
us at 319-624-2710 or 319-624-2768 or
join us on Feb. 18.
Listening Post for Rep.
Bobby Kaufmann Jan. 31
SOLON – On Saturday, Jan. 31, at 1
p.m., Representative Bobby Kaufmann
will be at the Solon Public Library for
a Listening Post visit. Come and hear a
legislative update, ask questions, and
share your concerns. The meeting is
open to the public and all are invited to
attend.
Solon group seeking
photos for new website
SOLON– The Solon Economic Development Group (SEDG) is seeking photographs that capture the beauty of Solon
and the surrounding area.
SEDG is creating a new website for
the general promotion of the community and needs photographs to help
populate the site including the home
page. SEDG is specifically seeking
images capturing the natural beauty of
the area, an example could include a
landscape of fall foliage that includes
a visual representation of an aspect of
the community.
If you are interested in seeing your
photos online representing the Solon
area, please contact SEDG President
Doug Lindner by phone at 319-6242233, or via email at hybrid@southslope.net.
Nominations sought for
veterans trail dedication
IOWA CITY– Each year on Memorial
Day, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
at Coralville Lake and the Johnson
County Veterans organizations honor
local military veterans who have served
their country. The public is invited to
nominate individuals, who meet the
criteria, in order that they may be recognized for outstanding service in the
United States Armed Services.
Criteria for nominating a veteran to
be honored are: (1) nominee must be
a resident of Johnson County, lived a
large portion of their life in Johnson
County, or is a member of a Johnson
County veteran’s organization; (2) must
have been a member of the armed
services and honorably discharged; (3)
should be living and (4) should have
been awarded a Purple Heart or higher
commendation.
The Veterans Trail is located at
Coralville Lake and is a barrier free trail
accessible to everyone. The various
features along the trail are named for
the 171 local veterans who have been
honored since its dedication in 1989.
Nomination forms can be obtained
by calling the Coralville Lake Project office at 319-338-3543 ext. 6300 or e-mail
Coralville.Lake@usace.army.mil.
Nomination forms must be received
no later than March 1, in order to be
considered for this year. Nomination
forms can be mailed or sent via email.
The mailing address is: U.S. Army Corps
of Engineers, 2850 Prairie Du Chien
Rd. NE, Iowa City, IA 52240-7820 or by
email to Coralville.lake@usace.army.
mil. Forms can also be dropped off at
the office Monday through Friday, 7:30
a.m. to 4 p.m.
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12 • FEBRUARY, 2015 • NORTH JOHNSON COUNTY
Solon Community
School District
624-3401
SOLON TEACHER LEADERSHIP SYSTEM
In October 2014, a committee of Solon teachers,
administrators and parents submitted a grant
application to the Iowa Department of Education
in order to create a teacher leadership and compensation system. The goals of Iowa’s Teacher
Leadership and Compensation System are:
www.solon.k12.ia.us
• Attract able and promising new teachers by
offering competitive starting salaries and offering short-term and long-term professional
development and leadership opportunities.
• Retain effective teachers by providing enhanced career opportunities.
• Promote collaboration by developing and
supporting opportunities for teachers in
schools and school districts statewide to
learn from each other.
• Reward professional growth and effective
teaching by providing pathways for career
CALENDAR REMINDERS
Thursday, Feb. 5: Early Dismissal- 1:45 p.m.
Thursday, Feb. 5: High School Parent/Teacher
Conferences, 4–7 p.m.
Thursday, Feb. 12: Early Dismissal- 1:45 p.m
Monday, Feb. 16: No School- Professional
Development Day.
Thursday, Feb. 19: Early Dismissal- 1:45 p.m
Thursday, Feb. 26: Early Dismissal- 1:45 p.m
DISTRICT INFORMATION
Calendar Information
Please visit the school’s website at www.solon.
k12.ia.us under the ‘Calendars’ tab for the online
calendar listing all activities, times, and locations. Events may be changed so this calendar
is updated as changes do occur.
School Board Meetings
The regular February meeting of the Solon
Board of Education will be Monday, Feb. 9, at 6
p.m. in the High School Media Center.
Violent Intruder Training during February
In October, district staff participated in a half day
of learning for adults in the area of emergency
management. Follow-up ALICE trainings for
staff facilitated by the Johnson County Sheriff’s
Office will be held at each building during several Thursday early dismissals in February. The
trainings will take place beginning at 2 p.m.
on Feb. 5 (Lakeview), Feb. 12 (Solon Middle
School) and Feb. 26 (Solon High School). No
students will be involved in any of these trainings.
ALICE stands for Alert, Lockdown, Inform,
Counter, and Evacuate and is a useful strategy
for everyone: law enforcement, schools, universities, hospitals, businesses, and places of
worship. ALICE is in line with recommendations
from the U.S. Department of Education, the
Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and
the Federal Emergency Management Agency
(FEMA).
The goal of the ALICE program is to provide
individuals with survival-enhancing options for
those critical moments in the gap between when
a violent situation begins and when law enforcement arrives on scene.
MIDDLE SCHOOL
Kindergarten Round-Up
Kindergarten Round-Up will be held on Thursday, March 26. There will be two sessions to
choose from:
March 26, 2-3:25 p.m.,
or
March 26, 4 -5:25 p.m.
Sign up for Kindergarten Round-Up will be done
online beginning Feb. 12.
Children must turn five by September 15, 2015
to be eligible to enroll in Kindergarten and you
will need to show your child’s birth certificate at
the Kindergarten Round-Up.
Please go to the website www.solon.k12.
ia.us beginning Thursday, Feb. 12.
• Click on the “Lakeview” link at the top of the
District Home Page.
• Click on the “Information” tab.
• Click on “Kindergarten Round-Up”.
Please keep in mind you will not get an automatic reply back once you leave your information on
this site.
You will receive an email with further instructions
on March 12. Please check your email.
On-line registrations are due March 12. If you
have any questions, please contact Becky Lighty
at (319) 624-3401, ext. 1290.
Iowa Assessments
All middle school students will be completing the
Iowa Assessments during the week of Feb. 9.
Senior Pictures
Seniors, please turn in three photos to Kelly in
the High School office by Feb. 1. All files can be
either wallet-sized photos turned in to the office,
or digital files emailed to kfoster@solon.k12.
ia.us. They will be used in the following publications:
1. Yearbook
2. Class of 2015 Class Composite
3. Solon Economist for the graduation edition
e en
r
Sign-up sheets are in the high school office or contact Pat Zimmerman at 319-4302105 for more information.
Middle School Lock-in Dates
The 5/6 grade lock-in will take place on Feb. 13
from 3:20 to 6 p.m. The 7/8 grade dance has
been moved from Feb. 20 to Feb. 13 from 7 to
10 p.m. More information will be available on
the school’s website.
HIGH SCHOOL
“Bringing in the G
Juniors, seniors and their parents are
needed to help make the carnival a success this again this year. All the money
raised will be used for scholarships for the
Solon graduating class of 2015.
In December 2014, the district was notified it
would receive nearly $400,000 annually beginning in the 2015-16 school year to implement
a teacher leadership system. The district’s
teacher leadership system will create approximately 25 supplemental and full-time teacher leadership roles. These roles include one
instructional coach at each attendance center,
one district-wide mentor coach for beginning
teachers, approximately 14 professional partners
to support teachers new to the district and approximately seven model teachers who regularly
demonstrate exemplary instructional strategies
to their peers.
LAKEVIEW ELEMENTARY
2015 Solon Dollars for Scholars
‘Bringing in the Green’ Carnival March 2
The Solon Dollars for Scholars “Bringing in
the Green” carnival will be held on Sunday,
March 1, at the Lakeview large gym.
opportunities that come with increased leadership responsibilities and involve increased
compensation.
• Improve student achievement by strengthening instruction.
”
Sunday,
March 1
1 until 4 p.m.
carnival
SMS Mini Dance Marathon
Students and staff members participated in the
third Annual Mini Dance Marathon on Friday,
Jan. 23. All proceeds will be donated to the
University of Iowa Dance Marathon. This is the
21st year that the U of I hosts a Dance Marathon. The Dance Marathon provides emotional
and financial support for pediatric oncology and
bone marrow transplant patients and their families treated at the University of Iowa Children’s
Hospital. We collected and donated over $2,090
“For The Kids.”
Optimist essay contest entries due Feb. 13
The Optimist Club of Solon is pleased to again
sponsor its annual essay contest that will run
until Feb. 13.
The contest is open to students under the age
of 19 who have not yet graduated from high
school. The theme for this 700-800 word essay
contest is “Optimism Should be a Priority.” The
winner of the local contest will have his or her
essay sent on to enter further competition with
the ultimate winner receiving a $2,500 college
scholarship.
English teacher Ivy Nielsen is coordinating the
contest for the Optimist Club of Solon. She can
be contacted for entry forms and more information at Solon High School at 319-624-3401, ext.
1138.
NORTH JOHNSON COUNTY • FEBRUARY, 2015 • 13
FINE ARTS
Dorian Honor Choir
Congratulations to Erika Bailey, Brittany Slusher, David Daugherty, Tyler Puettmann, Logan Chaloupka and
Raiden Takeuchi who were selected to participate in the
Dorian Honor Choir on Sunday, January 11th and Monday,
January 12th. These students performed in concert with the Nordic Choir and combine with 1100
students from around the country. This is the largest known honor choir in the world!
Meistersinger Honor Choir
Congratulations to Erika Bailey, Jenna Roskopf, Raiden Takeuchi, Logan Chaloupka, Tyler Puettmann and Brittany Slusher who were selected to participate in the Meistersinger Honor Choir at
Wartburg College on Saturday, January 24th. The honor choir featured guest clinician Rene Clausen, a highly performed American Choral composer and conductor. Students sang in select choir
of 200 students from around the state along with the award-winning Wartburg Choir.
Solon Dance Spectacular Friday, Feb. 13
\Solon Dynamite, the varsity dance team, presents its annual Dance Spectacular. It will be a
night to celebrate dance and the team’s successful season. Admission is $5. Solon activity
passes will be accepted. Bring a non-perishable
food item for the Solon Food Panty and receive
a free glow stick. Show shirts, concessions,
jewelry and merchandise from E’s Florals will be
offered for sale.
Spectacular 2015
Friday, Feb. 13
7 p.m.
Solon High School
Jazz Competitions
Solon High School’s Jazz Choirs “Premier,” “Mainstream,” “5th St. Jazz” and “Blame It On Our
Youth” will begin their competition season on Monday, Feb.9, at State Contest in Solon. The groups
move on to the Milikin Jazz Festival to perform on Feb. 21, and the Kirkwood Jazz Festival on Feb.
27. These are curricular ensembles made up of 12 to 16 singers plus a rhythm section and combo.
They sing a variety of jazz charts and have been working diligently to learn the art of improvisation
and scatting as well as embody various jazz concepts.
Still time to attend Jazz Dinner/Concert!
Last minute tickets are on sale for the annual Jazz Dinner Concert! The concert date is Sunday,
Feb. 7, at St. Mary Catholic Church in Solon. The event includes a catered meal, student soloists
and the 2015 premier performances of all four jazz choirs. Please contact the high school office at
319-624-3401 for ordering information.
Notice of Open House
The Solon Community School District
will hold an open house at
1775 Racine Avenue on
Monday, February 2nd
from 5:00 – 6:30 p.m.
The open house is intended for people
interested in bidding on the house
located at 1775 Racine or any out
buildings located on the property.
Dance Team Earns Honors
Congratulations to the Solon High School dance
team. Alex Smith received grand champion honors for her “Bluebird” solo in the 11th-12th grade
category. The team was given two superior
ratings, two choreography honors and two technique honors for their jazz and pom routines.
Great job dancers. (Contributed photo)
Patrons with questions about
the open house or bidding
procedures should contact
central office at 319-624-3401.
Solon students knit and donate scarves
Students from Solon spent the last three months
in stitches. Since the tragedy at Sandy Hook
Elementary in 2012, Solon’s middle and high
school students have been knitting and donating
scarves to second graders at Jackson Elementary in Des Moines. This year, 71 scarves were
shipped to Des Moines as a random act of kindness for those second graders who died on that
fateful day. “I feel like students really enjoyed
this project,” said seventh-grader Elly Schadler.
“What hit me was that one scarf can make a
child’s Christmas. Knowing that I helped make
a child’s Christmas is pretty cool.”Originally, students wanted to send the scarves to students at
Sandy Hook, but after hearing of the warehouses full of items being sent there, they decided
to focus on an act of kindness closer to home.
“It’s helping people who aren’t as lucky as I am,
said Kellie Feldkamp, also a seventh grader. “I
couldn’t imagine going to play in the snow without any warm gloves, a hat, or a scarf.” (Contributed photo)
14 • FEBRUARY, 2015 • NORTH JOHNSON COUNTY
SOLON CITY HALL
newsletter
101 N. Iowa St.
Telephone: 624-3755
Fax: 624-2122
CITY OFFICE HOURS:
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday: 8 a.m.-12 p.m., 1-4 p.m.
Wednesday: 8 a.m.-12 p.m., 1-5 p.m.
SOLON PUBLIC LIBRARY NEWS
Best Books of 2014
Would you like to read some of the best
books of 2014? These are just a few
titles, on Amazon’s top picks list, that are
available at the Solon Public Library.
“All the Light We Cannot See” by Anthony
Doerr.
“In the Kingdom of Ice: The Grand and
Terrible Polar Voyage of the USS Jeannette,” by Hampton Sides.
“Revival” by Stephen King.
“The Book of Unknown Americans” by
Cristina Henrquez.
“Big Little Lies” by Liane Moriarty.
“The Paying Guests” by Sarah Waters.
“The Bone Clocks” by David Mitchell.
“The Invention of Wings” by Sue Monk
Kidd.
Babygarten
Babygarten helps to nurture the bond
between caregiver and child, increase
eye-hand coordination and develop body
awareness. This rhythmic program will
enrich your child’s life from the very
beginning and provides an excellent foundation for the future. The next session
of Babygarten will run March 6-April 10,
Fridays at 9:30 a.m. Registration for this
program will open on Feb. 2. Each session will feature music, board books and
toys for children birth to 24 months.
Blind Date with a Book
In February, the library is featuring a
“Blind Date with a Book” program. You
will find wrapped books on shelves
throughout the library. Take a chance,
take your “blind date” home, and when
you finish and return the book, drop your
name in our monthly drawing at the circulation desk for extra prizes. The featured
prize is a gift certificate to a local Solon
restaurant.
Friends of the Library
used book sale
It is time again for the annual used book
sale sponsored by the Friends of the Solon Public Library. The Friends volunteers
are currently sorting through over 2,000
books and media items for the sale on
March 7. Sale hours will be 9 a.m. until
5 p.m. Most of the material for the sale
will be priced at 25¢. Funds raised by
the Friends of the Solon Public Library
are used to help sponsor the Summer
Reading Program and the purchase of
new material for the library.
If you find you have an abundance of
FILM CLIPS
“The Paw Project”
“Cowspiracy”
“The Trip to Italy”
“Live and Let Live”
“Gone Girl”
“Boyhood”
“Love is Strange”
“Snowpiercer”
“Dinosaur 13”
“God’s Not Dead”
“When the Game Stands Tall”
“The Equalizer”
By Cami Rasmussen,
City Administrator
gently used books, DVDs, and/or puzzles, you should consider donating them
to the library. All donations are tax-deductible and are either added to the
library’s collection or given to the Friends
of the Solon Public Library to be sold at
their yearly book sale. When donating to
the library, keep in mind that the Friends
group cannot sell discarded library material so those items should be donated
elsewhere. Thank you.
Library Foundation Raffle
Tickets are now available for a Solon
Library Foundation raffle. Purchase a $5
ticket for a chance to win a $200 Kalahari gift card or a gift basket filled with
other fabulous prizes. The drawing will
be held March 1, just in time for spring
break.
Oscar Contest
The Friends of the Solon Library are
sponsoring their fifth annual Predict the
Oscars Contest for the 87th annual Academy Awards. Entry forms will be available
at the library. For more information,
contact the library at 319-624-2678.
Your Space
The library has reserved the meeting
room for teens in grades five and up on
Tuesday afternoons following school.
The meeting room is a place to stop for
board games, a movie or conversation
with friends. Light snacks are provided.
This program was organized to provide
space for teens to socialize, and at the
same time, contain the energy and fun of
this age group in a separate space from
the rest of the library activities. “Your
Space” is supervised by library staff and
students are welcome to drop in.
Meal and a Movie
Meal and a Movie will be on Friday, Feb.
27, from 11 a.m-3 p.m.. The movie
is free, but registration is required for
the catered meal. Cost is $7.50 for
an entrée, vegetable and dessert. The
movie follows the meal and usually begins
around noon. Call Sandra Hanson at 319624-2710 to register or sign up at Old
Gold Dining.
Dates to remember
Storytime: Every Tuesday morning at
10:30 a.m. for children ages 2 through
5. Join us for stories, songs, and a craft.
LEGO Club: LEGO Club meets the first
Monday of the month from 6:30-7:30
p.m.
Early-Out Feb. 5 Movie: “Planes: Fire
and Rescue” rated PG 83 minutes. This
program will run from 1:45 to 3:15 p.m.
Early-Out Feb. 12: Craft: Valentine’s
Day cards and crowns. This program will
run from 1:45 to 2:45 p.m.
Early-Out Feb. 19 Movie: “Boxtrolls”
rated PG 96 min minutes. This program
will run from 1:45 to 3:15 p.m.
Early-Out Feb. 26: LEGO. This program
will run from 1:45 to 2:45 p.m.
Friends of the Library used book
sale: March 7, with sale hours from 9
a.m. until 5 p.m.
WWW.SOLON-IOWA.COM
WELCOMING NEW COUNCIL
MEMBER MARK PRENTICE
We would like to welcome a new addition
to the City Council. Mark Prentice was
appointed to the Solon City Council and
was sworn in on Jan. 7. Mark submitted a
letter of interest when a council vacancy was created with the resignation of
Brad Kunkel who moved outside the city
limits. Mark and his wife, Gwen, have two
children and have lived in the Solon area
for 22 years. Mark is a Sergeant Detective with the Johnson County Sheriff’s
Office and will complete the council term
through December 2015.
URGENT SIDEWALK CLEARING
The city is asking all residents to please
examine their sidewalks to be sure they
are cleared for safe passage. Solon ordinances require that sidewalks be cleared
of snow and ice within 48 hours of the
snow/ice event. This is very important for
the safety of the kids and other pedestrians who utilize the sidewalks.
SNOW EMERGENCY INFORMATION
The City of Solon has a snow emergency policy in place to assist with street
cleaning during times of expected heavy
snow and/or blowing snow. When the city
issues a snow emergency, all vehicles
should be removed from the streets for
the time period specified in the emergency notification. The only exception to the
CITY UPDATE
snow emergency parking regulations is
applying for a winter parking permit that
allows parking on the street during snow
emergencies. The snow parking permits
are granted when circumstances demonstrate that it is impossible or impractical
to park off the street. You can now apply
for a winter 2014-2015 snow parking
permit at the City Hall located at 101
N. Iowa St. You must provide sufficient
reason for receiving a permit and final
issuance of a permit is determined by
the Public Works Director. If you have any
questions feel free to contact the City
Office at 319-624-3755.
STREETS AND RIGHT-OF-WAYS, NO
PARKING
In areas where street parking is allowed,
there is a 48-hour limit. Street storage is
prohibited. No parking is allowed in the
area between the sidewalk and the street
known as the street right-of-way.
PET LICENSES
The 2015 Pet Licenses are now available
at the City Hall. Cats and dogs must get
a city license every year. Please bring in
a current rabies vaccination certificate
when you come in to license your pet.
Licensing your pet will allow city staff
to return your pet to your home if found
running at large.
CITY HALL
The Solon City Hall is located 101 N.
Iowa St. City Hall hours are Monday,
Tuesday, Thursday and Friday 8 a.m.
to 4 p.m. and Wednesday 8 a.m. to 5
p.m. Water bill drop boxes are located in
Sam’s Main Street Market and a drivethrough drop box is located next to the
ATM in the Bridge Community Bank drivethrough. You can now pay your water bill
with auto-withdrawal. For more information contact City Hall at 319-624-3755.
For general information please visit the
city’s website at www.solon-iowa.com.
SOLON PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT
Zumba Fitness Classes
Zumba classes are currently being held
under the instruction of Kelsey Karsten.
Zumba is on Tuesdays and Thursdays
from 6:30-7:15 p.m. in the Parish Hall
basement of St. Mary Catholic Church
through Feb. 19. Want to try the class?
Walk-in rates are available at the door
or you can use unused punches on your
previously purchased punch card.
Adult/Senior Fitness Class
This class is currently being held under
the instruction of Allison Lofthouse, a
personal trainer at The Core in Iowa City.
Adult Fitness is on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 7:30-8:30 p.m. in the Solon
Care Center Skilled Physical Therapy
room through Feb. 26. This class uses a
variety of dynamic exercises that increase strength, flexibility and endurance.
It’s focused on the 55 and older group,
but very adaptable to younger ages. Want
to try the class? Walk-in rates are available at the door or you can use unused
punches on your previously purchased
punch card.
Boys Basketball
The third-sixth grade boys’ basketball program will be finishing up later in February.
Little Tykes Basketball
First and second grade boys and girls
will be learning the basic fundamentals
of basketball, proper sportsmanship,
teamwork and most importantly, having
fun! The Saturday morning program will
be held at the Lakeview Elementary gym
on Feb. 21, 28, and March 7!
Registrations in February
Spring soccer and junior/senior baseball
and softball registrations will run from
Feb. 6-Feb. 27. Check out the Solon
Parks and Recreation Facebook page and
website pages for more details. Registration forms will be in students’ Friday
folders on Feb. 6.
Free Family Movie
The first “Movies in the Park” event was
so successful, we’re going to do it more
than once this year. The first one will be
held on Friday, March 27, at St. Mary
Parish Hall. Time and movie to be shown
will be announced at a later date. A concession stand will be available. Mark your
calendars! Be checking out the Solon
Parks and Recreation Facebook page for
a chance to provide input on the movie.
NORTH JOHNSON COUNTY • FEBRUARY, 2015 • 15
REPRINTED FROM THE JANUARY 22 EDITION OF THE SOLON ECONOMIST
Tools to weather the gales of life
Solon’s Dan Kramer wants
to help people find their way
By Lori Lindner
Solon Economist
I’m an includer, who values input and
individualization.
I gained this insight after taking a
strength finder assessment, one of my
homework assignments while working
with life coach Dan Kramer. Kramer, of
Solon, has been guiding clients through
some of life’s most difficult transitions
for about 10 years. He offered to let
me go through his newly-developed
program in exchange for offering my insights, real-time critique, and a write-up
to let others know how the Dan Kramer
Life Coach experience might help them.
It began with identifying some fundamental truths about my personality,
natural traits and innate talents. In
the world of life coaching, personality
assessments are often a starting point
to understanding why we feel the things
we feel and react the way we do to life’s
sticky wickets.
Turns out, I hesitate to make big decisions without asking others for their
opinions.
Before the test, I would have sworn I
was more independent than that, since
I admire those who are imaginative and
original… the kind of people you want
on your team for party games or at
professional workshops when creativity
scores the most points. I value freedom
and spontaneity and art, and enjoy
opportunities that invite thinking– and
behaving– outside the box.
Alas, my own strengths lie more in
the realm of calculated risk and careful
planning. I will find your outside-thebox ideas poignant and worthy of deep
introspection before considering a
number of possible actions. Purposeful,
organized and detail-oriented, I require
planning ahead, making a Plan B, and
then Plan C for contingencies. I may
have a goal in mind, but must first lay
out every step before the journey even
begins.
I begrudgingly found the results
of my strength test were spot-on, as
were the results of the other tools Dan
used to help me identify the core of my
personality. Dan’s other survey-style
assessments helped pinpoint the values
and talents that would be useful in
moving me toward my ultimate goal:
determining a possible new career path
as I enter the second half of my lifetime.
Career changes are increasingly common in modern times. A recent report
by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
(BLS) shows the average baby boomer
held an average of 11.3 jobs between
the ages 18 and 46. On average, the BLS
also indicates, people change jobs about
every five years. So it’s not unusual for
me to have gone from a 17-year career
in education to a 10-year position as a
news editor and still think there might
be yet another chapter to my occupation saga.
Dan’s charge was to help me navigate
that exploration. Or, more precisely as
part of the Dan Kramer program– “Be
the Authentic You and Enrich Your Life
Now”– teach me how to captain my own
ship through the journey that is life.
Life coaches weave a lot of metaphors into their programs. Metaphors
help us put intangible concepts– ethereal things like purpose, passion and
authenticity– into human terms we can
actually grasp. Would you rather be
floating on a sea of uncertainty, tossed
about by unexpected storms with no
compass, or do you want a map showing your desired destination, be armed
with tools to weather the gales, and take
control of the vessel that will carry you
there? (See how that works?)
Catchy metaphors, personality color
wheels and strength-finding surveys
aside, the instruments a life coach
uses are secondary to the exercises the
coach and client will do over the course
of their work together that can actually help put the past in perspective,
articulate goals for the future, identify
potential obstacles and develop strategies for overcoming them while moving
forward in a way that aligns with one’s
skills, values and dreams.
It’s a very, very tall order, but if anybody feels up to the task, Dan Kramer
certainly does.
For starters, Dan’s enthusiasm knows
no bounds.
“The treasure I believe we are all part
of is that of being fully present. It’s the
idea that whatever my role is in life, I’m
Life coach: Continued on page 19
Solon life coach Dan Kramer has developed his own program for helping others
through difficult decisions in their lives.
“Be the Authentic You and Enrich Your
Life Now” helps teach individuals how to
captain their own ship through the journey
that is life. (contributed photo)
Ely Gateway Rotary Club
Chili & Chicken Soup Dinner
Saturday, February 7th at the
American Legion Hall in Ely from 4:00 to 7:00 pm.
Enjoy Great Chili &
or Chicken Noodle Soup
ENTERTAINMENT BY:
Shima Country Sounds
HUGE BAKE SALE
Proceeds to support projects like:
Prairie Edge K-12 & Alternative HS,
PrairieWood Transition Center, & other
community projects within the College
Community School District.
50/50 Bingo • Door Prizes
Enjoy a wonderful evening of
food, fellowship, music & prizes
Adults: $5.00. Kids under 5 free
More info: www.gatewayrotary.org
Rebound from Injury
Recovery
Close to Home!
Solon Therapy Center, for patients of all ages.
Physical • Occupational • Speech Therapy
Direct Entrance from Hwy. 1 South of Bridge Bank
Call (319) 624-3492 to Schedule an Appointment
Major Insurance
Plans Accepted
www.solonretirementvillage.com
16 • FEBRUARY, 2015 • NORTH JOHNSON COUNTY
Ely Expression
1570 Rowley Street, P.O. Box 248 Ely, Iowa 52227
CITY OFFICE HOURS: Monday-Friday 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
Ely Winter Farmers Market
Visit the Ely Winter Farmers Market for a great
variety of locally produced food and goodies
in the library meeting room from 9 a.m. to
noon on the following Saturdays: Feb. 7 and
21, March 14 and 28 and Apr 11 and 25.
Contact Ali Alldredge at 319-848-2036 or
email elyfarmersmarket@gmail.com if you are
interested in being a vendor. Stop in at the Ely
Winter Market in the library meeting room for
the best in locally made goodies and sundries
to brighten your winter.
848-4103
After Hours Emergency Only: 848-7603
Ely’s Community Garden
The Board of Adjustment hears and decides
requests for variance from zoning standards
and approves or denies applications for special
exceptions. The board only meets when needed.
Interested candidates need to be an Ely resident
and eligible, though not necessarily registered,
to vote in Ely city elections to serve on this
commission. Please contact City Hall at 319848-4103, via email to elycity@southslope.
net, or fill out the application form available
online at www.elyiowa.com to let us know of
your interest in helping the community by joining
Ely’s Planning and Zoning Commission or Board
of Adjustment.
Do you want more (or any) space to grow your
own fresh vegetables? If so, Ely’s community
garden is your opportunity for more gardening
space. Garden plots will be near Ely’s water
tower on Jappa Road and awarded on a lottery
basis. Gardeners need to follow Ely’s community
garden rules. The city will not be responsible
for the vagaries of gardening in a public place.
Please contact City Hall by April 15 if you
are interested in a patch of your own in Ely’s
community garden.
Youth Baseball Program Registration February 2 - March 6
Practice begins in April at Ely City Park. Uniform Try-On will be Monday, Feb. 23, from 6-8
p.m. and Thursday, March 5, from 6:30-8 p.m. at the Prairie High School Study Hall.
Games: Week of May 11-July 1. Games played at Ely City Park and College Community Campus.
Cost: $70. T-ball players receive team shirt, pants and hat. Baseball players receive team
shirt, hat, pants and socks. Registration forms for youth soccer and baseball are available
at Ely City Hall or for download at www.elyiowa.com. Online registration at www.elyiowa.
com will be available soon.
Youth Soccer Program Registration
January 26 - March 13
Youth Spring Soccer: ages four and five, registration: Jan. 26 - March 13. Players must be
four or five years old by March 13 and the league is limited to 48 players. Cost is $30 for
Ely residents and $35 for Non-Ely residents. Each player will receive a team shirt and ball.
Activities will take place April 6-May 4 on Monday evenings from 6-6:45 p.m. Weather makeup,
if necessary, will be on Thursday, May 7. There will be two weeks of practice and three weeks
of games with all activities to be held at the Ely Community Center located at 1570 Rowley St.
We need volunteers to enjoy a great opportunity to coach and otherwise have fun teaching
the tykes about soccer and having fun with sports. Contact Stephanie Mai 319-361-5240 for
more information.
Brought to you by Ely Parks and Recreation Commission.
1595 Dows Street, Ely
JANUARY 2015
Ely’s Board Of Adjustment Needs You
T-Ball: Pre K-5 year olds/Kindergarten.
Single A (Coach Pitch): first, second and skill-based third grade.
Double A (Player Pitch): Skill-based third, fourth and fifth grade.
Triple A (Player Pitch): sixth, seventh, eighth and ninth grade.
All teams will participate in the Prairie Youth Baseball League.
Ely Public Library
Extending the Hoover Trail to Ely
Community Center in 2015
(319) 848-7616
www.ely.lib.ia.us
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VALENTINE’S PARTY FOR KIDS
Is A Community, Cultural And
Recreational Facility Feasible?
The City Council is forming a committee to help
answer just that question. Committee members
will come up with the shared vision for what the
Community, Cultural, and Recreational Facility
(CCR) would be, estimate how much it is likely to
cost to build and operate and communicate the
information to the City Council for consideration.
The committee will meet as often as they feel
necessary to do the job and will work with
the City Council and public. If you missed the
November open house, come to the second
introductory and planning open house at Ely
City Hall at 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 12, to learn
more about a possible Community, Cultural and
Recreational facility and how you can be part of
the feasibility planning team.
BABYGARTEN CLASSES
Join us for Babygarten, a fun, exciting and informational
program for infants, birth to 24 months, and their caregivers.
Classes last about an hour and include a free play period for
both babies and caregivers. Mark your calendar for our fourweek session beginning Feb. 6 at 9 a.m. Register for this free
class online at www.ely.lib.ia.us or call 319-848-7616.
LIBRARY SPACE PLANNING GRANT
LOVE YOUR LIBRARY VALENTINE CONTEST
YOUTH SERVICES LIBRARIAN OPENING
Pick up your valentine vase at the library and use your own
creativity to decorate it, and show us your love for EPL. Entries
need to be submitted by Feb. 12 with judging to take place on
Feb. 14. Gift card prizes to be awarded for first and second
place.
The Ely Public Library has an opening for a part-time Youth
Services Librarian. In addition to general library duties, this
employee will be responsible for, but not limited to, weekly
story and toddler times, programming for professional learning
days when College Community schools do not meet, a summer
reading program, other seasonal programs and outreach to
area day care facilities. This employee will also be responsible
for the selection and maintenance of materials for children and
young adults. A bachelor’s degree or higher is preferred but
comparable experience working with children, particularly larger
groups, will be considered. A more extensive job description
as well as the employment application form can be found on
our library website at www.ely.lib.ia.us. Please email your
cover letter, resume, contact information for three references
and application to admin@ely.lib.ia.us. The position will remain
open until filled, interviews to be scheduled after Jan. 31. EOE.
STORY TIME
Toddler story times are Mondays and preschool story times
are Thursdays, both at 10 a.m. Our themes for preschool story
time are as follows: Feb. 5 - Bundled Up; Feb. 12 - Valentine’s
Day Party; Feb. 19 - Brush Your Teeth and Feb. 26 - 1,2,3,4.
WINTER FAMILY READING PROGRAM
Warm up your winter with our dragon themed reading program
designed with the whole family in mind. Complete the individual
reading challenges and participate in a family activity for each
prize level. This reading program will run Jan. 1-Feb. 28, be
sure to pick up your reading sheets at the library!
SPRING BREAK ACTIVITIES
We have lots in store for you during spring break week, March
16-20. Wii gaming, movies, crafting days and more. Be sure
to mark your calendars for Thursday, March 19, at 10 a.m.
as Blank Park Zoo will be visiting and bringing along some
critters to share.
It is the duty of property and homeowners
to keep sidewalks abutting your property
clear of natural accumulations of snow and
ice. Sidewalks need to be free of snow and
ice within 24 hours of the precipitation. Our
sidewalks will be safely cleared of snow and
ice accumulations for our families, friends and
visitors with everyone’s cooperation.
Use USAgain To Recycle Clothes & Shoes
You can leave clothes and shoes in the USAgain
drop off bin at the corner of State and Rowley
Streets by City Hall to recycle them for use by
others. USAgain supports recycling by providing
convenient bins for clothes and shoes.
Highland Road is going to be resurfaced from
just north of Hillcrest Street to Plainview Road.
The City Council will request bids for both
asphalt and concrete surfaces to determine
which is the best option for longevity and lowest
cost. We expect the work to start in early spring
and to be complete before July 4. There will be
a neighborhood open house to discuss the work
to be done, project schedule and related topics
at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 19, at City Hall.
We were awarded a grant from the State Library to work with
Library Consultant George Lawson for library space planning.
This planning is essential to make sure that EPL will be able to
meet the current and future needs of our growing community.
Feel free to stop in and chat with Sarah about this exciting
opportunity!
BLIND DATE WITH A BOOK
A Reminder To Remove Snow
And Ice From Sidewalks
Highland Road is going to be
resurfaced this spring
Parents can enjoy a nice evening out while their children have
fun at Ely Public Library (EPL). Friends of EPL will be hosting a
Valentine’s Party for kids on Saturday, Feb.14, from 5:30-8:30
p.m. A supper will be served, a movie shown and other activities
to keep your child entertained. Cost is $10 per child and space
is limited, so be sure to register by Feb. 12. Please note this
is for children ages 4 and up.
This challenge is for young adults and adults and will be all
February. Select a covered book from our display, fill out a
short form giving the details of your “date” and be entered for
some great prizes.
Ely will extend the Hoover Nature Trail southward
from Ely City Park to the Ely Community
Center located at 1570 Rowley St. in 2015.
Ely received a $199,700 grant from the Iowa
Department of Transportation to help pay the
cost of extending the trail to the Community
Center. Ely will use Local Option Sales Tax
money to provide the city’s required local match
and pay the balance of the cost of the work.
FREE YOGA AND TAI CHI CLASSES OFFERED
Paula Bradway continues her morning yoga stretch on
Thursdays at 8 a.m. Paula has several years experience with
yoga with much to share. Please wear comfortable clothing
and bring a towel or yoga mat. Thomas Moore has 30 years
experience with Tai Chi and looks forward to meeting you. His
class will be offered Tuesdays at 8 a.m. Space is limited for all
classes, so register by calling 319-848-7616.
KNITTING & CROCHET CLASSES
We continue to offer beginning knitting and crochet classes
following the Farmers’ Market on Saturdays, Feb. 7 and 21,
at 12:30 p.m. We will work together on a crochet dish cloth
project in January. Details for this project will be on our Ely Public
Library Ravelry group page found at www.ravelry.com. All levels
FOLLOW US - Keep informed of all the latest EPL events by checking out our website at www.ely.lib.ia.us
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News from American Legion Post #555
Fifth Grade Essay Contest
The Ely American Legion has selected Emily
Crumbo as the 2014 winner of the Fifth Grade
Flag Essay Contest for the post. Emily is the
daughter of Chris and Wendy Crumbo and
attends Prairie Creek Elementary School.
Emily’s essay is entered in the county and
district competition taking place in February.
Congratulations Emily and good luck in county
and district competition.
Valentine’s Day Dinner
Are you looking for something special to do
with your Valentine? The Ely American Legion
is hosting a dinner\dance on Valentine’s Day
at the Legion. A dinner will be followed by
entertainment from Blue Scratch, an Iowa City
band. Check out our website for more details
http://elylegion.com/ or call 319-848-4764
for more information on reservations. Seating
is limited, so get your reservations in soon.
of experience, or no experience, are welcome to attend. Don’t
feel like making a dish cloth? Stop by anyhow and socialize while
working on your latest project.
DONATIONS
We would like to thank everyone who donated to the library last
year. There were many memorials, donations of cash, books and
miscellaneous material. Please ask if you would like a receipt for
tax purposes. Thanks again, we appreciate you thinking of us.
TRAVELING TALES
We are excited to be offering our story time in a to-go format,
available for day care providers and preschools at their location.
For more information contact Sarah Sellon at 319-848-7616.
SAVE THE DATE
Gateway Rotary Blood Drive:
Tuesday, March 3, from 4-8 p.m.
Master Gardeners Series:
mark your calendars now for Tuesdays at 6:30 p.m. in April for
our next series of free classes, think spring. Topics to include:
flowers hummingbirds love; ring my bells for coral bell; pretty
poisons lurking in your garden; and container gardens.
City Wide Garage Sale:
start cleaning out your closets. The garage sale and used book
sale are scheduled to be held on Saturday, May 2.
SEED LENDING LIBRARY
The Ely Seed Lending Library was founded in March of 2012
to promote the sharing of non-hybrid seeds within the Eastern
Iowa Community. We plan to offer more educational classes
on starting your seeds, other gardening care and tips, tomato
tasting, garden tours, seed saving classes and more! To find
out more contact elyseedlibrary@gmail.com or visit www.ely.
lib.ia.us/seed-lending-library.
FRIENDS MEMBERSHIP
We are looking for some good friends. Friends of the EPL help
promote and support the library in a variety of ways. For more
information, please contact Pat at eplfriends@ely.lib.ia.us.
Where else can you meet so many new friends and help the
community? Join us today!
LIBRARY
HOURS
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
9:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m.
1:00 - 8:00 p.m.
1:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
9:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m.
1:00 - 5:00 p.m.
9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Closed
NORTH JOHNSON COUNTY • FEBRUARY, 2015 • 17
NORTH JOHNSON COUNTY NEWS ROUNDUP
NL seeks comments on topsoil
requirements for developers
NORTH LIBERTY– In February, the North Liberty
Tree and Storm Water Advisory Board will discuss a
requirement for topsoil in new construction and is
seeking public comment.
Currently, the state requires a minimum of four
inches of topsoil be returned to a new construction
site. However, in light of changes at the state level,
the City of North Liberty is considering its own requirements to preserve topsoil.
The advisory board will discuss a recommendation
at a meeting scheduled for 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb.
11, in the city council chambers located at 1 Quail
Creek Circle. Comments are welcome, in person, at
the meeting and written comments may be submitted
in advance. Comments can be mailed to the advisory
board care of Tom Palmer, City of North Liberty, P.O.
Box 77, North Liberty, IA 52317, or send via e-mail to:
tpalmer@northlibertyiowa.org.
SHAREing is a good habit
NORTH LIBERTY – We are sure you have heard
more than enough about broken New Year’s resolutions. The media talks about healthier eating and diet
strategies to sell product.
Making a resolution to change habits is a good
practice but we tend to overlook the simplest solutions when trying to change them. One practical step
is to familiarize yourself with SHARE IOWA.
SHARE is an easy way to incorporate healthier
eating in your diet with fresh fruits and vegetables.
SHARE food packages can help tighten your food budget and save you money.
SHARE will inspire you to reach out and help
others as SHARE encourages you to give back to your
community through volunteer services.
North Liberty participants did 137 hours of community service in December.
Take a few small steps forward and start working on turning your forgotten resolutions into good
habits.
SHARE’s best value package for February is the $25
package that includes a 12-ounce Cook’s Ham Medallions, a one pound chicken breast fillet, a 12-ounce
Tyson fully cooked steak strips, a 17.5-ounce Trader
Joe’s mini chicken tacos, a 9.6-ounce Tyson day start
breakfast sausage links, a 16-ounce California blend
frozen vegetables and a fresh seasonal assortment of
produce. Our other packages are the Winter Pantry
Box, the 24 shelf stable items, the breaded chicken
tenders (made for Arby’s), salmon fillets individually
quick frozen wrapped and the grilled fully-cooked
burgers. Visit the website shareiowa.org for prices
and other packages. Orders can be placed at the website or by calling 800-344-1107; or call your local host
site coordinator, Carmen, at 319-626-3455.
Orders are due Feb. 6, or online by Feb. 8. Pick up
for orders will be Feb. 21, between 10-11 a.m. at the
North Liberty Community Center. Order forms may
also be picked up at the North Liberty Community
Library. SHARE is a not-for-profit program and no
membership fees are required.
and companies, representing various staffing sizes,
as well as higher education career centers will share
their experiences. Guided table discussions are also
scheduled for the final twenty minutes of the event to
answer specific company by company questions.
RJ Holmes-Leopold, chair of the Higher Education
Connection and Director of the Career and Civic Engagement Center at Cornell College, said internships
are a win-win opportunity for education and business.
“There are so many benefits for local employers
and our students, and our offices are available to
make the internship process as seamless as possible,”
said Holmes-Leopold.
The Higher Education Connection is a collaborative effort to engage college students with employers
across Iowa’s Creative Corridor. Members of the HEC
are Coe College, Cornell College, Kaplan University,
Kirkwood Community College, Mt. Mercy University,
the University of Iowa, Cedar Rapids Metro Economic
Alliance and Iowa City Area Development Group.
Free “Internship How-To”
employer breakfast Feb. 19 held at
the South Slope Community Center CCA Kindergarten Round-up
NORTH LIBERTY - A local consortium comprised
of regional college and university career centers,
along with the Iowa City Area Development (ICAD)
Group and the Cedar Rapids Metro Economic Alliance,
invite local employers and area non-profit groups
to attend a free presentation about establishing and
maintaining successful internship programs.
The “Internship How-To” breakfast will be Thursday, Feb. 19, from 8 - 9 a.m. at the South Slope
Community Center located at 980 North Front Street.
There is no cost to attend. To register, visit http://
tinyurl.com/2015corridor. RSVP deadline is Monday,
Feb. 16.
DaLayne Williamson, Director of Workforce Business Services for ICAD Group, says employers struggle with internship programs as part of their workforce pipeline.
“Employers are sometimes challenged with how
to implement an effective internship program that
is beneficial to the student without burdening their
current staff,” said Williamson. “This event will provide actionable information to help employers make
internships a priority within their organizations.”
The event includes an overview of internship
programs, including how to work with college and
university career centers, best practices and legal dosand-don’ts. A diverse panel of Corridor non-profits
NORTH LIBERTY – All parents in the Clear Creek
Amana School District who have children that will
be five years old on or before Sept. 15, 2015 and
are planning on sending their children to school
in August of 2015 are asked to call the elementary
school their child will be attending. If your child will
be attending the new elementary in Tiffin, you should
call Clear Creek Elementary in Oxford.
If you reside in Iowa County, please call 319-6223255. If you reside in Johnson County, please call
319-828-4505 for Clear Creek Elementary or 319-6263950 for North Bend Elementary.
If you are not sure which school attendance area
your home is in, you may call any of the numbers for
assistance in determining which school your child will
be attending.
If you know of someone who lives in the Clear
Creek Amana School District that has a child who will
be five years old by Sept. 15, please ask them to call
the Clear Creek Elementary School at 319-828-4505,
North Bend Elementary School at 319-626-3950 or the
Amana Elementary School at 319-622-3255.
Kindergarten Round Up for the Clear Creek Amana
Community School District will be on Wednesday,
March 25. More information about Kindergarten
Round up will be mailed from the child’s future attendance center closer to that date.
Heart: Continued from page 1
over in pain. She tried very hard not to
resort to painkillers, but by the third
week, the spasms were almost unbearable.
And though the spasms faded,
Hafner still never felt quite like her
old self. She found herself tired all
the time; even something as simple as
walking up stairs or carrying groceries became a challenge for the active
47-year-old.
“It kind of smacks you in the face
that life is very precious,” Hafner said.
“When you can’t do the simplest things,
its hard to accept sometimes.”
After her surgery, Hafner was put
on the heart transplant recipient list,
which required her to pass a full physical. Doctors tested her for a variety
of diseases, including cancer and any
genetic disorders. They checked her
kidneys and even her teeth for any
signs of health issues.
During her visits to Mayo, they also
checked for alcohol and nicotine. Any
indication that she could be abusing
her body could jeopardize her place on
the list.
Finally, they tested the pressures of
her heart, which is used to rate where
she would be placed on the list.
The tests revealed that, other than
her heart, Hafner was in almost perfect
physical health, making her an excellent candidate for a transplant.
After her LVAD surgery, Hafner had
the option of going to the top of the
transplant list– the coveted 1A spot–
for 30 days. However, because she did
so well with the surgery and felt so
good, she held on to those days. She
finally used them several months ago
when her health began to decline again.
But the heart didn’t come during
that time.
To keep her on the top of the list,
her doctors put her on milrinone, a
type of medication that helps strengthen heart contractions.
Now, Hafner’s doctors have recommended that she transfer down to the
Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Fla., to go
on a second medication while she waits
for a heart. They feel that with the larger population there, the wait may be
shorter. However, she will be required
to live at the hospital for as long as she
waits.
Hafner wants to make the move now
while she still feels somewhat healthy.
She knows the longer the wait, the
more likely her cheerful disposition will
start to waver.
“I think that’s why I did so well with
the first surgery, I had a really positive
attitude,” she said. “A positive attitude
will get you way further than if you’re
in a bad mood or have a bad attitude.”
Should a heart become available, the
ideal situation would be for both herself and the donor to already be at the
hospital, though there is a three-to-four
hour window of time available. Should
“the call,”– the term used by those
awaiting an organ– occur while she was
at her home in Swisher, she arranged
for an acquaintance to fly from Muscatine, pick her up, and get her to Rochester in about an hour.
But the wait is only half the battle.
Once a patient is notified, the transplant team still must test the organ to
make sure it’s compatible and that the
recipient is healthy enough to receive it.
Hafner has heard stories of recipients
getting excited when their call finally
comes, only to learn something was
wrong with the organ and the transplant couldn’t take place.
That’s why Hafner so staunchly
advocates for more people to become
organ donors. Though signing up is a
simple process, she feels people still
have misconceptions.
Hafner said every donation is truly
treated like a gift. But at times, it’s been
hard for her to wrap her head around
the sacrifice this gift requires.
“I don’t think you ever completely get over that. When the time does
come, I hope that person had a good
life,” she said. “I want to write to the
family and have them see I’m doing
good things, and that the heart is going
to go on and do good for people.”
Though Hafner said she won’t be
sorry to leave the cold Iowa winters
behind, she’ll be sad to say goodbye,
at least for now, to the family she has
created at Honey Creek Cottage.
When she studied to be a nurse 10
years ago, geriatrics was her calling;
specifically working with seniors with
dementia or Alzheimer’s. Hafner’s goal
was to be a voice for those who are
often discarded by society.
“I wanted to work with elderly and
really advocate for them and be their
protector,” Hafner said.
But even after becoming a nurse
in an assisted living facility, she still
found she didn’t have the time to really
give patients the care they deserved.
When the opportunity came eight
years ago for her to start Honey Creek
Cottage, it seemed like a dream come
true. Now, she finally has the time and
resources to devote to the individual
care of those who need her most.
“For me, I feel strongly that those
people deserve one-on-one attention,”
Hafner said. “They deserve to be talked
to and loved and not forgotten.”
But since her diagnosis, she’s left
more duties to her staff as she was
forced to concentrate on her own
health, a task that didn’t come easy to
the natural caregiver.
Her residents have since turned
into a makeshift family. Though she
plans to video chat with them as much
as possible when she’s in Florida, she
still knows letting go will be one of the
hardest parts about leaving.
Luckily, she’s had the unwavering
support of her husband, Mike, who has
kept a watchful eye on her ever since
her diagnosis. One of Hafner’s biggest
issues was slowing down, especially
with her work at Honey Creek Cottage.
“We’ve had a number of talks about
her pulling back,” Mike said. “She
knows she needs to slow down.”
Because they both work at Honey
Creek Cottage, Hafner feels lucky that
her husband is always there when she
needs him. He drives her everywhere
since she’s unable to drive and rarely
leaves her side for more than a few
hours.
Though she’s grateful for his support, she’s excited for the day when he
can finally go away for a weekend to
fish or visit his brother and not have to
worry about her.
She’s also received support from
the town of Swisher, for which she is
incredibly grateful. Friends and neighbors often call to offer help around the
house or at Honey Creek Cottage. After
one visit to Rochester, she came home
to find her lawn mowed and all of her
weeds pulled in the yard.
“The people in this town have offered so much. They do come out of the
woodwork to help you,” Hafner said.
With such support, she’s found it
easier to maintain a positive outlook.
During her visits to Mayo, she’s seen
people in more dire straits than herself and is thankful she can still live a
somewhat normal life.
But she still looks forward to the
day when she’ll finally have her old life
back.
“I am really looking forward to
getting the heart because I just want to
feel better and do the things I used to
do,” Hafner said. “I can’t imagine how
free I’m going to feel.”
Those interested in becoming organ
donors can register at iowadonorregistry.org.
ANOTHER SECRET MESSAGE TO SUBSCRIBERS OF THE SOLON ECONOMIST AND NORTH LIBERTY LEADER: WE’RE ALSO GOING TO BE ADDING A DIGITAL SUBSCRIPTION FOR BOTH PAPERS, AND WE’RE
GOING TO MAKE SOME CHANGES TO OUR WEBSITE TO MAKE IT BETTER THAN IT IS, AND IT’S ALREADY PRETTY GOOD. PLUS, WE ALWAYS ANSWER OUR OWN PHONE.
18 • FEBRUARY, 2015 • NORTH JOHNSON COUNTY
County makes free tax preparation
assistance available thru April 13
IOWA CITY– The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance
(VITA) program, which offers free tax preparation
services to qualified lowand moderate-income individuals, will be offering
clinics at several locations,
days and times in Iowa
City, Coralville and North
Liberty through Monday,
April 13.
The VITA Tax Clinics
provide trained student
volunteer tax preparers
from the University of
Iowa Tippie College of
Business to people who
earned less than $53,000
in 2014.
VITA volunteers assist
families in filing for the
Earned Income Tax Credit
(EITC), a special tax benefit
for working people who
earn low or moderate incomes. Workers who qualify for the EITC and file a
federal tax return may be
eligible for a portion or
all of the federal income
tax that was taken out of
their pay during the year.
They may also receive
additional cash back from
the IRS. Workers whose
earnings are too small to
owe income tax may also
be eligible for the EITC.
Lynette Jacoby, Johnson County Social Services
Coordinator, said that
building awareness about
the EITC and the VITA Tax
Clinics is critical. “The IRS
estimates that one out of
five workers eligible for
EITC do not claim it, leaving billions of unclaimed
dollars each year,” Jacoby
said.
VITA Tax Clinics will be
offered at the following
locations (appointments
are not necessary):
1/:
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1) Southeast Junior
High, 2501 Bradford Dr.,
Iowa City; Sundays (1 to 4
p.m.), Feb. 15 and 22 and
March 1 and 8. Interpreters available by appointment only.
2) Northwest Junior High, 1507 8th St.,
Coralville; Mondays (6 to 9
p.m.), Feb. 2, 9, 16 and 23.
Spanish interpreters are
available at this site.
3) Garner Elementary,
80 Birch Ct., North Liberty; Mondays (6 to 9 p.m.),
March 2, 9, 23 and 30.
Interpreters available by
appointment only.
Healthcare enrollment
assistance will also be
available at the Saturday
and Sunday VITA clinics
at the Iowa City Public
Library and Northwest Junior High clinics through
Feb. 8. Jacoby anticipates
that some may be surprised by the penalty assessed on their taxes for
being uninsured. The penalty will increase for 2015.
To schedule an interpreter or to request an
interpreter for a language
other than Spanish contact
An Leonard at 319-3566090 at least 48 hours in
advance.
For more information
on these free tax preparation sites, call the United
Way toll-free at 2-1-1 or
1-866-469-2211 or visit
the Johnson County website at www.johnson-county.com.
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plastics manufacturing company. Centro, Inc. is North America’s largest custom rotational molder serving premier Original
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the United States. We are growing and promote from within.
Our North Liberty, Iowa, location has immediate openings for
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Health, Dental, and Vision Insurance (for Associates and Dependents)
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Flexible Spending Accounts (Medical and Dependent Care)
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Vacation, Sick, Personal, and Holiday Paid Days Off
Company-Provided Life Insurance
Voluntary Life Insurance (for Associates and Dependents)
Short and Long-Term Disability Insurance
401(k) Plan with Company Match
Supplemental Health Insurance (for Associates and Dependents)
Educational Assistance
Associate Recruitment and Referral Cash Bonus Program
Fitness Center Reimbursement Program
Complete an application at
www.centroinc.com
ABBE, INC. AND AFFILIATES
Are you interested in a career in helping others? Do you
want to make a difference in the lives of older adults or
people with mental health needs? Abbe, Inc. and its
affiliates are looking for individuals interested in helping
people thrive in a healthy community.
319-665-6500
www.citytractor.com
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FULL-TIME, PART-TIME and
ON-CALL POSITIONS AVAILABLE
Abbe Center for Community Mental Health:
• Certified Medical Assistant
• Transitional Living- AA degree preferred
Penn Center, Inc.:
TRUCK DRIVERS NEEDED!
• Direct Support Staff positions in our expanding community
based services in Benton, Delaware, Jones and Linn counties.
Shift differential for 3rd shift, weekend packages also available
• Direct Support Staff positions in our hourly supported
community living program in the Manchester area
SCHNEIDER IS HIRING TRUCK DRIVERS
Experienced drivers, new Class A CDL holders and owneroperators should apply ($6,000 tuition reimbursement
available for recent grads)
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Consistent miles | Some drivers home daily
RESPONSIBILITIES:
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customers and other team members with a smile and
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skills are required, along with the ability to comprehend the
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adapt and accept the company culture, mission, vision, and
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environment that is constant evolving; this requires the
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Pre-employment drug screen, criminal history background
check, driving record check and valid Iowa driver’s license
are required. Competitive wage. EOE.
Applications available at: Abbe, Inc.
740 N. 15th Ave, Suite A • Hiawatha, IA 52233
Additional information available at: www.abbe.org
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DEDICATED, INTERMODAL AND TRUCKLOAD WORK
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Service
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Opportunity
Employer
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Chatham Oaks, Inc.: Located in Iowa City
UP TO $7,500 SIGN-ON BONUS | EARN UP TO $68,000/YEAR
Apply online at schneiderjobs.com/newjobs
Call Bryan at 515-344-9663 for more event information
1915 Meadow Place - Lot 17
1890 Rogers Creek Rd - Lot 28
1885 Rogers Creek Rd - Lot 10
1920 Meadowhill Pl - Lot 25
1900 Rogers Creek Rd - Lot 1
1935 Rogers Creek Rd - Lot 5
1730 Rogers Creek Rd Overlooks Pond
Outlot A Rogers Creek Rd 4.75 acres
Apply today, grow tomorrow.
645 Penn Ct. • North Liberty
Feb. 2 | 4 - 8 pm
Sleep Inn
485 Madison Ave. N | North Liberty
Your Builder or Ours
Now Hiring in North Liberty Product Inspector/Finishers
CENTRO IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER
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Perform deliveries, set-up small
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$10,000 lease-on incentive for owner-operators
Ely Lots For Sale
NORTH JOHNSON COUNTY • FEBRUARY, 2015 • 19
Life coach: Continued from page 15
showing up and being the best I can be,” said Dan.
“Wherever we are at today, how are we going to make
life a ‘wow’ kind of experience?”
Second, Dan has a goal of helping others embrace
time for the precious, irreplaceable resource it is.
He came by that realization himself through personal experience. Dan grew up in a household of 12
children, and in 2011, lost one of this brothers and a
close friend suddenly.
His personal losses and well-established Christian
faith guided Dan to the life coaching profession. After
much introspection about passing from this existence
into eternity, his biggest concern was bringing with
him a lifetime of regrets.
“Whatever days, weeks, months or years we have
416 Serenity Ct., Solon
left, how are we going to make a positive difference
in that time? We all know time is going to go forward
and not backward. We have to go from the present
into the future. You can stay where you’ve been and
not make any changes, or you can be open minded to
making the changes that get you on the course you
want to be on.”
Further, Dan has made a goal to help others create
lives without regret.
“I want to inspire and motivate people to be everything they can be,” said Kramer. “The challenge is to
live a balanced, meaningful and fulfilled life, rather
than a life of chaos, and being more proactive than
reactive.”
Over the course of 10 years, he has developed and
3716 Cottage Reserve Rd., Solon
Part-Time
Clerk for
Service
Department
Stunning 2-story on
large private lot with
wooded views. Better
value than new, must
see to appreciate
quality and upgrades.
Features include 4,054 finished sq ft, 5-Bed/3 ½
Bath, Main Floor Master Suite & In-Law Setup,
Custom Cabinets and Woodwork, Huge Kitchen w/
Granite, Double Pantry & B-Bar, Oak & Tile Floors,
Grand Foyer/Staircase with Bridge & Great Room,
Walkout LL with Theatre/Workout Room, LL Shop/
Garden Room w/Double Doors, Large Storage Areas, Pella Windows, Deck & Patio, Fenced Yard
and MORE!! $397,500
You will always be on
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a property in the Cottage Reserve. Efficient layout
with parking in front and rear, Updated Kitchen,
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$329,900
Clerical work involves customer care,
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record keeping.
Hours: 2pm-6pm
Mon/Tu/Th/Fri and
occasional
Saturday fill-in.
City Tractor Co.
645 Penn Ct. • North Liberty
319-665-6500
www.citytractor.com
re-developed his life coach program to assist people
going through major life events– divorce, loss of a
loved one, retirement, employment changes, for example– to not just weather the storm, but to look it in the
eye, be truthful with themselves in order to gain real
insight, and emerge on the other side with reinforced
strength, sound goals and renewed commitment to a
brighter future.
“This program is about learning the lessons of yesterday’s decisions, and then moving forward, getting
connected to the authentic you, and capitalize on the
amount of time you have to be alive. It’s really about
living a life of passion and purpose. When I put that
all together, it’s about creating a life plan package,”
Dan said.
He works one-on-one with individuals, and is available for speaking engagements and seminars.
“In the world of coaching, it’s more of an action
type of work, to help you clarify and identify where
you are currently, where you’ve been in the past and
where you want to be in the future,” Dan said. “That’s
the exciting part about looking at the bigger picture,
rather than just a snapshot, and how it can make a
difference in our lives and the lives of those we love.
It’s about making sustainable change.”
As a life coach, Dan is not able to change the
past, bestow sudden strength or alter a fundamental
personality, but he can certainly point you toward the
future, help find and fix the chinks in your boat, and
push you off with a new set of tools to navigate rough
waters.
“I think we can live a life of more joy and happiness
and have a more exciting journey if we plan as much
as reasonably possible, be wiser and make better
choices so we are living a more balanced life,” said
Dan. “My job is to help people get there.”
Now Hiring!
EchoVision, a U.S. Cellular Authorized Agent in Lisbon,
seeks applicants for Retail Sales, Full Time with $10/hr.
Starting Wage. Open availability, outgoing personality,
good communication skills, and a willingness to learn.
Please submit cover letter and resume
in-person or via mail to:
321 Novak Rd. Unit B, Lisbon,
Iowa, 52253
Lisb
Help Wanted
The City Of Tiffin at
300 Railroad Street is
taking applications for
a person to clean city
hall 2.5 hours a week
for $10/hr. Please call
545-2572. Start date is
February 2015.
y
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nojoco IS MAILED TO OVER
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20 • FEBRUARY, 2015 • NORTH JOHNSON COUNTY
Practical Farmers of Iowa host beginning farmer retreat Feb. 6-7
AMES– Practical Farmers of Iowa (PFI) will host its 2015
Next Generation Retreat from noon on Friday, Feb. 6, to
1 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 7, at the Celebration Farm near
Iowa City. All beginning farmers are welcome to attend,
regardless of age, farm enterprise, location or size.
The first Practical Farmers Next Generation Retreat
took place in 2009 and has been an annual event since.
The two-day retreat has become a popular networking
and business planning event to help beginners share
and learn from each other and from experienced farmer
speakers.
The next generation retreat is part of Practical Farmers’
Beginning Farmer Programming that provides resources
and opportunities to support beginning and aspiring Iowa
farmers. Other beginning farmer programming offered by
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Practical Farmers includes: the Savings Incentive Program,
Labor4Learning, Find-A-Farmer, beginning farmer field
days, farminars, farm transition work and more.
This year’s retreat will be led by the Solon-area trio
who operate The Farming Institute: businessman, entrepreneur and farmland owner Dick Schwab, experienced
farmer and mentor Susan Jutz and beginning farmer
Kate Edwards. All are members of Practical Farmers of
Iowa and will deliver a two-day values-based business
planning workshop. Attendees will examine their current
situation, values and beliefs to create realistic goals and
an attainable business plan for their farm.
The cost is $20 for PFI members and $40 for non-members, plus lodging. Registration fees include all materials
and workshop costs, as well as lunch Friday, breakfast
and lunch Saturday and snacks throughout. Attendees
are encouraged to bring a dish to share for the Friday
night potluck.
In addition to learning how to develop the business,
beginning farmers will have the opportunity to meet
some area experienced farmers at the social, the evening
of Feb. 6 at 6:30 p.m. at the Celebration Farm, as well as
other Iowa beginning farmers. Friends of PFI are welcome
to bring a dish and attend, an RSVP is preferred, please
email steve@practicalfarmers.org.
To register and obtain more information, visit practicalfarmers.org/next-generation-retreat/ on line or
contact Steve Carlson at (515) 232-5661 or steve@practicalfarmers.org. The deadline for registration is Jan. 30.
Teddy Bear Hospital: Continued from page 10
going to have surgery soon after, and we hoped it
helped them.”
Price hopes that the positive reception will allow
AORN to continue holding the Teddy Bear Hospital
at local schools, possibly again in the spring during
Nurses Week.
“We just want to make the public more aware of us
and what we do,” Price said.
The Cedar Rapids-Iowa City chapter has close to 75
members, but nationally, about 41,000 nurses belong
to the AORN. The non-profit plays a huge role in creating and upholding operating room standards across
the country.
In addition to these local events, the group also
works to pass legislation pertaining to the OR.
One of AORN’s biggest issues is trying to pass a
Iowa bill that would make it a requirement for each
patient to have his or her own circulating nurse
during a surgery. Currently, some hospitals have
nurses who observe several surgeries at once, increasing the risk of something going wrong.
Though the UIHC does observe this 1:1 ratio, Price
worries that if hospitals have to reduce operating
costs, this may become an area that could see cutbacks.
In the meantime, the AORN will continue to plan
more informational events like the Teddy Bear Hospital. According to Price and Borneman, the most important part of being a perioperative nurse is simply
letting the public know they are there as an advocate,
should they need surgery.
“One of the best parts is just the simple aspect of
holding their hands as they go off to sleep,” Borneman said. “Most people won’t remember us but
that doesn’t matter to us as long as we’ve provided
excellent care.”
Though the organization has no immediate plans
for future events, they are considering holding more
Teddy Bear Hospitals for private groups interested in
learning about the operating room and its nurses.
Nurse Sophia Courneya prepares surgical instruments
and trays prior to the mock operation conducted as part
of the Teddy Bear Hospital held by the Association of
periOperative Registered Nurses (AORN) at Lakeview
Elementary on Saturday, Nov. 8. (photos by Doug Lindner)