Doug Lindner

SOLON– “We’re the Solon speech and debate program,” Jesse Miller announced.
Miller and teacher/coach LeeAnn Gilroy stood in front of the Solon school board members at a March 11 meeting.
“We used to be the program,” the Solon senior clarified. “It’s grown. I guess you could say it’s doubled over the course of a year.”
The two were there to spotlight the young debate program as part of a regular agenda slot for celebrating achievements.
Miller qualified for the National Speech and Debate Association National Championships each of the last two years.

NORTH LIBERTY– Kim McCarty made it back to North Liberty.
It was where he started with the United States Postal Service (USPS) in 1979.
“Believe it or not, one of my goals in my career was I always wanted to come back and retire from North Liberty,” McCarty said. “I was fortunate enough to be able to make the right steps to be able to do that.”
McCarty, 61, the North Liberty Postmaster since 2012, retired from the USPS at the end of the day Friday, Feb. 1.
Postal customers lucky enough to visit were treated to cookies and other treats.

SOLON– They know it’s a big building.
They know it’s a lot of money.
But here’s the analogy Solon firefighters made as they introduced a plan for a new $5 million firehouse.
The current fire station on Iowa Street was built in 1959, explained department member Greg Morris.
“Where we’re sitting right now was built by the firefighters in ‘58 and ’59,” Morris said. “My grandfather’s one of the guys who signed the personal note to guarantee payment. The only actual construction cost for the fire station to this community was from the bond issue in 1990.”

SOLON– Fore!
A trio of local residents, with deep roots in city and school government, have banded together to organize a new annual charity golf tournament to benefit Solon’s youth.
Fore Solon’s three-person best shot golf outing will be held Monday, July 9, at Saddleback Golf Course, with an 11:30 a.m. lunch and a 1 p.m. shotgun start.
“This is going to be something we see as an ongoing, annual event,” Steve Duncan said.

SOLON– There’s a lot of recreation news, folks.
The agenda for the Solon City Council last week was dominated by decisions about new recreation programs and projects, including continued appointments to a new recreation advisory team, the dissolution of the Solon Parks and Recreation Commission, an application to Iowa Great Places for the Solon Recreation and Nature Area (SRNA) in support of a splash pad and the selection of Mushroom Park as the location of a new farmers market.
Whew.