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The community newspaper for Solon

Solon Economist

The community newspaper for Solon

Solon Economist

The community newspaper for Solon

Solon Economist

Opinion | Feeding squirrels – not exactly intentionally

Milli Gilbaugh, Food for Thought October 16, 2025

The deck across the back of our house provides an intimate view of the lives of most of the critters we share our timber, pond and meadow with. Whether we are on the deck enjoying summer shade and cooling...

Opinion | Toddlers know, so why can’t school officials learn?

Randy Evans, Stray Thoughts October 16, 2025

The lesson of the hot stove emerged again recently. That is the lesson toddlers learn early and smart ones retain for a lifetime. Touch something hot and you know not to touch it again. Educator Ian...

Q&A: Foreign worker visas should not displace U.S. workers

October 16, 2025

Q: Why did you write U.S. tech companies about their employment practices? A: I chair the Senate Judiciary Committee, which has jurisdiction over federal immigration laws, including temporary visa programs...

Opinion | Thoughts on feeding the birds this winter

Milli Gilbaugh, Food for Thought October 8, 2025

“The reason most people feed the birds is because they enjoy watching them,” the wildlife lecturer assured us. “There is plenty of food available in Iowa, even in winter, and our usual wintering...

Q&A: Targeting crime in America’s cities

October 8, 2025

Q: Why did you convene a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing about soft-on-crime policies? A: I’ve worked on Capitol Hill since 1975 when I was sworn in as a member of the House of Representatives...

Opinion | Discovering what became of Willie

Milli Gilbaugh, Food for Thought October 1, 2025

It's odd how a simple arbitrary policy can affect someone's life. Take a school practice, for example; In junior high when all the new sixth grade students from both our town's elementary schools were...

Q&A: Red flags in farm economy

October 1, 2025

Q: What red flags are catching your attention in the U.S. farm economy? A: As a lifelong family farmer, I understand Iowa farm families weather the storms of cyclical markets and natural disasters....

Opinion | Meet some of my most memorable teachers

Milli Gilbaugh, Food for Thought September 25, 2025

Mr. Ryan had blue eyes, black hair and bulging biceps. On Homecoming Day when everyone dressed like Dogpatch characters, he made a perfect Li'l Abner in his bib overalls and ragged straw hat. He was...

Letter to the Editor | A request for input

Andrea King, Solon Community Housing September 25, 2025

The Solon Community Housing Corporation is in the very early stages of a new project called The Windflower, which would provide affordable housing for seniors and people with disabilities. Before anything...

Q&A: Federal boost for rural healthcare

September 25, 2025

Q: What is the Rural Health Transformation Fund? A: Congress approved this summer a historic $50 billion federal investment to rebuild rural health infrastructure that was included in the health and...

Opinion | Miss Hunnicutt, algebra and the banyan tree

Milli Gilbaugh, Food for Thought September 19, 2025

Miss Hunnicutt could have been a twin to my maternal grandmother. Tiny and energetic, she had the same pixie-like sense of humor, a tendency toward mischief and a hunger to solve mysteries. I never did...

Norma Jean memorial

Opinion | A man you’ve never met had advice you should never forget

Randy Evans, Stray Thoughts September 19, 2025

During decades as a journalist, I had countless conversations with interesting people — future presidents, wannabe leaders, governors, business executives, religious thinkers, crooks, and ordinary...

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