Doug Lindner

SOLON– “We’ve got some scenes that we’re going to need a bunch of extras,” noted Bill “Ginks” Ginkens.
Ginkens, of rural Solon, spent much of his summer as location scout for “East of Middle West,” a feature film written and produced by University of Iowa (UI) graduate Mokotsi Rukundo and directed by Brian Lucke Anderson.
The independent film was scheduled to film at various locations in and around the Solon area from Thursday, Aug. 8, through the end of the month.

SOLON– Having the Haggard Brothers perform Friday night, July 19, is next-level stuff for Beef Days.
Ben and Noel, sons of country music icon Merle Haggard, have teamed together to tour the country and will take the stage at Beef Days at 9:30 p.m. for a 90-minute tribute to their father’s music.
“It’s going to be cool,” exuded Beef Days Entertainment Chair Dean Manternach. “It’s going to be really great.”
He’s expecting a standing-room-only crowd for the biggest name ever booked for the two-day free community festival.

It was one hot ride. Over 1,000 cyclists pedaled into Solon Saturday, June 29, as part of the Big Rove, a 36-mile RAGBRAI training ride. Big Rove, sponsored by RAGBRAI (Register’s Great Annual Bicycle Race Across Iowa), the Iowa Bicycle Coalition, Big Grove Brewery and Think Iowa City, took over the intersection of Main Street and Iowa Street for a street party most of the day. Solon was the midway point for the ride.

Andy Anderson of The Dueling Pianos of Andy & Mike belts out a tune for Big Rove riders during the At The Turn Party in downtown Solon.

SOLON– Solon will be at the turn for Big Rove, a 36-mile RAGBRAI training ride Saturday, July 29.
Downtown will the mid-point for over 1,300 bicyclists as they travel from Big Grove Brewery & Taproom in Iowa City to its namesake in Solon for lunch and back, with stops in North Liberty along the way.
The event, sponsored by RAGBRAI (Register’s Great Annual Bicycle Race Across Iowa), the Iowa Bicycle Coalition, Big Grove Brewery and Think Iowa City, will take over the intersection of Main Street and Iowa Street for a street party most of the day.

SOLON– Sarah Prineas created a world where cities run on magic.
Now she’s made another where dragons hoard teacups.
“Dragonfell,” her 11th book for HarperCollins, was released in hardcover in March.
It takes place in an otherworld, on the cusp of industrial revolution, with less room for magic and dragons.
Rafi Bywater, accused by a factory owner of being “dragon-touched,” is cast out of his village, and begins a journey to discover the truth, befriended along the way by Maud, a wanna-be dragon scientist.