The community newspaper for Solon

Solon Economist
The community newspaper for Solon

Solon Economist
The community newspaper for Solon

Solon Economist

Chris Umscheid, Editor

Chris Umscheid is the editor of the Solon Economist.

All content by Chris Umscheid
Grey Johans (314), Crystal Nicholson (361), Lauren Vande Kamp (425), and Mirai Hong-Noerper (309) with many others, start the 5k and 1-mile runs for the third annual Bone Dash fundraiser at the SRNA. This year’s event is scheduled for Saturday, October 11 at the Timber Dome and costumes are encouraged.

[Photo] Support Solon kid in upcoming Bone Dash

Ella McEntaffer, Intern
October 1, 2025

Meet the city council/school board candidates Monday, October 20

Chris Umscheid, Editor
October 1, 2025
Boden Laing personifies cross country athletics in Iowa as he runs past tall grass and colorful weeds with a cow herd in the background Saturday, Sept. 27 at Anamosa’s invitational. The Solon Middle School boys won the 2-mile event.

Solon Middle School boys win at Anamosa Invitational

Chris Umscheid, Editor
October 1, 2025
Falyn Svalstad leads an Oelwein Husky past flowering weeds, prairie grass, and content cows in the distance Saturday, Sept. 27 during Anamosa’s invitational meet. Svalstad led the Lady Spartans to a runner up finish with her third place showing in 19:42.9.

Lady Spartans 2nd, Spartans 6th at XC Anamosa Invitational

Chris Umscheid, Editor
October 1, 2025
Emmett Swancutt, a 2nd grade student, runs a play for the 5th grade green team during the Flag Football Tournament Saturday, Sept. 20 in Spartan Stadium.

[Photo] Annual Punt, Pass, Kick, and Flag Football Tournament raises nearly $1,500 for Solon Football

October 1, 2025
Veterans and others look for the names of fallen comrades, friends, or family members on the Global War on Terror Wall of Remembrance Saturday, Sept. 20. The 120-foot long memorial and historical display was set up on the Legion’s ballfield and in Solon from Thursday, Sept. 18 through Sunday, Sept. 21 in its first visit to Iowa.

Remembering those who have fallen in the never ending war against terrorism

Chris Umscheid, Editor
September 25, 2025
Falyn Svalstad led the varsity girls with a seventh place finish in Solon’s home invitational Monday with a time of 20:27.4.

Lady Spartans win at Indee’s invitational, take runner up at home

Chris Umscheid, Editor
September 25, 2025
A pair of Bobcats make Cody Milliman their prey as the Spartans battle Benton Community Friday, Sept. 19 in Van Horne. The Spartans held off the ‘Cats for a 28-21 win to stay undefeated at 4-0.

28 points and a FB win, the hard way

Chris Umscheid, Editor
September 25, 2025
Freshman Makinley Galvan (4) smacks the ball toward the Stormin’ Pointers Tuesday, Sept. 16 at home. CPU topped Solon 3-2.

[Photo] Weekly volleyball recap

September 25, 2025
Above: Caidence Macke (in hat) stood beside the Solon volleyball team during introductions Tuesday, Sept. 16 as the Lady Spartans prepared to face Center Point-Urbana on Cancer Awareness Night. Macke was diagnosed with rhabdomyosarcoma as a freshman.

[Photo] Solon volleyball honors one of their own for Cancer Awareness Night matchup against CPU

Chris Meglio, For the Solon Economist
September 25, 2025

Multiple choices for city council, uncontested races for school board on Nov. 4 ballot

Chris Umscheid, Editor
September 25, 2025
Brian Romans, founder of Romans Warrior Foundation and curator of the Global War on Terror Wall of Remembrance, takes the point to lead the third annual RUCK 22 march for veterans suicide awareness Saturday, Sept. 20. The 2.2-mile hike raised funds for Iowa Veterans Outdoor Experience, a Solon-based all-volunteer veterans advocacy group that provides recreational and healing opportunities for veterans.

For those who survived war but lost to demons

Chris Umscheid, Editor
September 25, 2025

Time has come today

Chris Umscheid, Editor
September 25, 2025
Students dressed in red, white, and blue, and other patriotic attire swarm the field after the 35-20 varsity football win over archrival Mount Vernon Friday, Sept. 12 on Armed Forces Night.

Spartans honor all who’ve served on Armed Forces Night

Chris Umscheid, Editor
September 19, 2025

Ruck 22 walk is Saturday

Chris Umscheid, Editor
September 19, 2025
Mount Vernon’s Michael Ryan (3) and Caleb Keegan (30) try to keep Maddox Kelley from sailing into the endzone Friday, Sept. 12 in Solon. Kelley, a junior, rushed 13 times for 110 yards and two scores and made three receptions for 21 yards and another touchdown in a 35-20 win on Armed Forces Night.

[Photo] Staying grounded: Kampman, Solon pound the rock in 35-20 win over top-ranked Mustangs

Aidan Wirtz, For the Solon Economist
September 18, 2025
Makinley Galvan (4), Scarlett Ferin (18), Avery Kellen (21), Kalynn Timmons (10), and Kennedey Whitford (1) celebrate a point by Amelia Guinn (8) Tuesday, Sept. 9 at home against archrival Mount Vernon. The Lady Spartans swept the Mustangs 3-0 on Military Appreciation/Youth Night.

[Photo] Solon volleyball grasps historic win over No. 8 Mount Vernon

Chris Meglio, For the Solon Economist
September 18, 2025
Jeff Sauser, co-founding principal of CommunityScale, a consulting firm specializing in urban planning based in Boston, explains a recent study on housing needs in small towns and the unincorporated areas of Johnson County during a Wednesday, Sept. 10 public information meeting at the Solon Public Library.

A focus on housing

Chris Umscheid, Editor
September 18, 2025
It’s a little like watching a storm gathering on the horizon, looking up at all of those leaves and knowing that sooner than later, they’ll need to be dealt with on the ground.

What to do with all those leaves

Chris Umscheid, Editor
September 18, 2025
The Fall 2025 Community News class (from left) – Reanna Robb, Lily Graham, Sonja Fortier, Aviva Wilks-Adams, Zoe Bentler, Megan Klein, instructor Tyren Rushing, and Liam Halawith.

UI students ready to cover the news that matters to Solon

Chris Umscheid, Editor
September 10, 2025
Sophomore football players carry a 35’ American Flag (on loan from the Cedar Rapids Fire Department) along the sideline as pregame ceremonies for Armed Forces Night are about to get underway during last year’s Mount Vernon vs. Solon varsity football game on Armed Forces Night. This year’s event is this Friday, Sept. 12, with all veterans and active duty military admitted free of charge.

[Photo] Armed Forces Night is this Friday at Spartan Stadium

September 10, 2025

Council continues discussion on Macbride Pointe subdivision’s request for city water

Chris Umscheid, Editor
September 10, 2025
Kaden Hoeper takes an Eli Kampman pass in the endzone for a touchdown Friday, Sept. 5 in Williamsburg. The junior made three receptions for 86 yards and a pair of scores in a 33-14 win over the Raiders.

Spartans improve to 2-0 with 33-14 win over rival Raiders

Chris Umscheid, Editor
September 10, 2025
Freshman Makinley Galvan tries to put a kill shot past a Dubuque Senior Ram Saturday, Sept. 6 in Solon’s home tournament.

A busy start to the season for Lady Spartan volleyball

Chris Umscheid, Editor
September 10, 2025
The Solon High School Marching Band exits the field after pregame ceremonies Friday, August 29. The 40-some-member band performed the National Anthem and school fight song to open the first varsity football game of the season and debuted their competition piece for the year during halftime.

Pumping up the crowd

Chris Umscheid, Editor
September 3, 2025
Coach Elizabeth Rohner keeps a watchful eye as a team of cheerleaders launches Layla Knazze skyward while practicing before the start of the varsity football game Friday, August 29. Rohner and co-coach Kashi Griffith have 20 girls on the squad this season.

Firing up the team and the crowd under the Friday night lights

Chris Umscheid, Editor
September 3, 2025
Don Ellis, “The Voice of the Spartans,” announces the end of a lightning delay and that the crowd may reenter Spartan Stadium ahead of the pregame warm ups and ceremony before the opening kick Friday, August 29. Ellis has been the man on the mic since 1988, becoming a Friday night football tradition in Solon.

Until it isn’t fun anymore

Chris Umscheid, Editor
September 3, 2025
Maddox Kelley (4) was very (un)popular with the Assumption Catholic HS Knights Friday, August 29 in the season opening game. Kelley took nine passes 84 yards for three touchdowns in a 36-13 Spartan win.

[Photo] Solon football secures 36-13 victory over Assumption behind QB Kampman’s monster game

Chris Meglio, Special to the Solon Economist
September 3, 2025
Hudson Pauley (front) and Mac Svalstad bring down an Assumption Knight Friday, August 29 in the frosh-soph game. Solon shut out the Assumption Knights 8-0.

Frosh-sophs shut out the Knights 8-0

Chris Umscheid, Editor
September 3, 2025
Avery Feuerbach, a freshman, won the JV 100-yard backstroke, took 2nd in the JV 200 IM (shown here), and swam the first leg of the 2nd place JV 200 freestyle relay in Iowa City High’s season opening meet Tuesday, August 26 at Kennedy HS in Cedar Rapids.

[Photo] Cougars top Little Hawks 103-83 in season opening meet for girls swimming & diving

September 3, 2025
Falyn Svalstad, Addison Seamans, Mailee Schmidt, and Liv Nelson go full throttle down the short, steep downhill on a sharp S-curve Saturday, August 30 on the grounds of the Anamosa Middle School for their season opening meet.

[Photo] Solon Cross Country has strong open to 2025 season as Lady Spartans place first and Spartans place second in the Anamosa Invitational

Lance Peterson, Special to the Solon Economist
September 3, 2025
Maddox Kelley, a junior, takes a pass from senior quarterback Eli Kampman as the Spartans take on the Knights of Davenport Assumption Catholic Friday night in Solon. The Spartans scrapped the Knights 36-13.

Spartans reign 36-13 in season opener against Assumption

Chris Umscheid, Editor
August 30, 2025

‘Does anybody know what time it is?’

Chris Umscheid, Editor
August 28, 2025

SHS to host mental health/suicide awareness event Sunday, Sept. 7

Chris Umscheid, Editor
August 28, 2025
Eli Kampman (3) tackles a Linn-Mar Lion Friday, August 22, at home in a varsity scrimmage. The regular season starts this Friday as Assumption Catholic (Davenport) visits for a non-district

Week Zero for Spartans FB

Chris Umscheid, Editor
August 28, 2025
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