Community

Janice Heathman of Swisher, Amy Krug of Amana, Barb Matias of Cedar Rapids, Barbara Mackey, Kathy Osborn and Jan Mackey enjoyed dining at the Ronneburg Restaurant in Amana on Friday, May 4. The occasion was to celebrate Barbara Mackey’s 80th birthday and Kathy’s 65th birthday.

SOLON– Iowa Girls State is one of the premier programs sponsored by the American Legion Auxiliary and was all started by a dream of four women over 70 years ago in hopes of teaching young women about the political process. Girls State is a “learning by doing” program, which takes the girls through the entire political process.

SOLON– Bill Mattaliano brushed it off as a joke when asked to travel to Romania to help run a robotics competition.
“Yeah, sure, right,” he recalled saying.
“Next thing I know, I’m in Romania, helping run a 96-team tournament.”
The tournament, held March 24-25, was only the country’s second of its kind.
Mattaliano, who said his “real job” is a prison guard at the Iowa Medical and Classification Center in Coralville, has been coaching the Solon Robotics Club since 2009.
That first year, he said, just three students participated in the after-school program.

NORTH LIBERTY– On the morning of Wednesday, April 25, five students huddled around a table, immersed in a science experiment. In the theme of invention, learning specialist Elizabeth Drewelow led the group as they pierced lemons with pennies and nails in attempt to conduct electricity. But this was not your everyday science class.
Located on Jordon Street in North Liberty, Enrichment Therapy & Learning Center, P.C. offers an alternative path to learning for students struggling with academic and communication skill development.

NORTH LIBERTY– Junge Ford, located at 525 N. Madison Ave. in North Liberty, welcomes the public to their grand opening celebration on Friday, May 18, from 8:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Saturday, May 19, from 8:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. Hy-Vee will provide a lunch hour grill-out, and Jimmy Jack’s Rib Shack will cater an evening meal with a live band to close out the day.
Saturday will feature a chance to win prizes and discounts on vehicles, an F-series truck pull and a raffle for a Harley Davidson motorcycle, with all proceeds going to the University of Iowa Children’s Hospital.