Doug Lindner

VAN HORNE– It was too much Abby Brunssen.
The Benton Community senior, a unanimous First Team All-WaMaC Conference selection, carried the Bobcats to a 3-1 win over Solon’s varsity volleyball squad in a Class 3A Region 6 quarterfinal Oct. 23 in Van Horne.
“Abby was definitely the difference in the game,” said Solon Head Coach Sarah Ferin. “She went over us, and converted every free ball– credit to her player of the year title for sure.”
Brunssen powered her team with 37 kills.
Solon countered with defense, recording 15 blocks for the game.

SOLON– The rain went away just in time.
The Solon Recreation Department hosted its first-ever trunk or treat in the parking lot outside the Timber DOME Lodge at the Solon Recreation and Nature Area on Saturday, Oct. 19.
Eleven vehicles representing local businesses and organizations handed out candy to a parade of children wearing costumes.
Solon Recreation Administrative Assistant McKenzie McIlrath said an estimated 170 people attended and she hopes it will become an annual event.

ELY– Cal Corrin has been brewing his own beer since the early 1990s.
There weren’t any craft beers around back then, but he found himself drawn to the imports.
“You’d find a stout maybe once in a while or a Guinness or some other import that’s different than domestic beer,” he explained.
He was residing in Quincy, Ill., at the time, which had a home brew supply store, so he started making his own.
“Even when I started, it was always in the back of my mind, wouldn’t it be great to do a brewery,” he said. “Always in my thoughts.”

SOLON– When Paul Julius went to his first caucus, he showed up not knowing who Barack Obama was, and ended up in Obama’s camp.
“That was a really proud moment,” he said. “Yes! It started here in Iowa– that kind of got his name out.
“This sort of had the same feeling,” he said of hosting presidential candidate U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D- Hawaii) Oct. 9 in the backyard of his rural Solon home. “I did something I believe in, and even though it was small, it’s what I could do.”

SOLON– There was a time when you had to find someone to run for an open seat on the school board or city council.
Not this year.
This year, there are six candidates for two open seats on the Solon Community School District Board of Education and four candidates for two seats on the Solon City Council. All terms are for four years.
In both cases, an incumbent declined to seek re-election.
In the case of the school board, Jim Hauer won’t be running. For city council, Mark Prentice won’t be on the ballot.
But there’s still a crowded field, including an incumbent in each race.