A true hero
Florence Soltys was the kind of person that gave you some hope for this world. You’d walk away after a conversation with her with the feeling that some of what we all fear as we grow older might someday get fixed.

She was one of those people you knew got up every day with a mind to change what was not right. There was a distinct grit in her voice, and when the phone rang and you heard that voice on the other end of the line you knew two things: (1) it was Florence calling and (2) it was important.

As we went to press, the time and date for a memorial service was not set, but no doubt there will be more than one. She served the university as a professor in social work, medicine and the School of Public Health and, perhaps even more importantly, as its conscience in fighting for fair treatment of all patients and a tireless advocate for those of advancing years. She mentored hundreds of health care and social work professionals and inspired thousands more.

With the memorials will come the accolades and remembrances. It is right and fitting to honor our heroes with words. But those who are truly inspired know that the best way to honor her is to carry on in her stead.

Water restrictions
Even with year-round conservation efforts, there is growing concern that, just as in 2002, a dry winter could draw down University Lake and Cane Creek Reservoir to dangerously low levels. To that end, OWASA and local governments have declared a stage one water shortage. That means get serious about conserving water even if you think you already are.

Here’s the list from OWASA of what the restrictions mean and what you can do to better conserve:

In accordance with a stage one water shortage, the following restrictions are in effect:

• Water use by individually metered residential customer accounts and by individually metered irrigation-only accounts is limited to no more than an average of 1,000 gallons per day during any monthly billing cycle during a water shortage;
• Spray irrigation using OWASA-supplied potable water should not occur more than one day per week, with a maximum of one-half inch of water applied to plant material in any given week. Even-numbered properties are allowed to spray irrigate only on Tuesdays and odd-numbered properties are allowed to spray irrigate only on Thursdays. Spray irrigation is only allowed between the hours of 8 p.m. and 9 a.m. The restrictions do not apply to watering plants in containers and commercial plant stock in trade;
• Irrigation by underground, drip irrigation, micro spray, low-precipitation bubblers, soaker hose systems with automatic shutoffs or by handheld hoses or watering cans may occur at any time or frequency, but is limited to a maximum of one-half inch of water applied to plant material in any given week;
• OWASA-supplied potable water may not be used to refill ornamental fountains, ponds or like devices; and
• OWASA-supplied potable water may not be used for the routine cleaning or washing of paved areas, such as sidewalks, decks, driveways, roadways or parking lots, not including pressure cleaning of exterior building surfaces.
• Violation of water-shortage restrictions carries a $25 penalty for the first offense, $50 for the second offense within a 30-day period and $100 for any additional offense within a 30-day period.