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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 | When July 4th meant homemade ice cream

Milli Gilbaugh, Food for Thought July 1, 2025

My dad had a pretty sizable sweet tooth and that meant dessert with every meal – including breakfast. This was probably because, when he was a kid, the family ran a small grocery store and he and his...

Opinion | Troubled by City’s response to Jordan Creek Church

Josh Mann, Solon July 1, 2025

The saga of the City of Solon and the development of a new Jordan Creek Church site seems to be never ending. The recent “clarification” by this publication (6/26) and the accompanying quotes of...

Opinion | Thoughts on punctuation, spelling and grammar

Milli Gilbaugh, Food for Thought June 25, 2025

It has been several years since I lost a dear friend who once taught rhetoric at the University of Iowa. She told me that one of the first things she did in every class was to write on the chalkboard...

Opinion | Miller-Meeks turns a blind eye to budget bill

Peter Fisher, Solon June 25, 2025

As the US Senate debates the huge budget bill passed by the House, the problems with the bill have become evident as numerous Republicans begin airing their differences. That the bill would add a massive...

Opinion | Meeks does not understand the needs of constituents

Paul Deaton, Solon Resident June 18, 2025

In defending her vote for the reconciliation bill working its way through the Congress, Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks wrote in her congressional newsletter, “(the bill) delivers real relief, starting...

Opinion | Where did that come from? Just wondering

Milli Gilbaugh, Food for Thought June 17, 2025

Most of us have three different vocabularies suited for different levels of communication. The largest and most sophisticated is usually the one we understand more than we use, developed through the...

Opinion | Understanding bullies and bribes, liars and intuition

Milli Gilbaugh, Food for Thought June 11, 2025

In my early school days, there were a lot of kids who hadn't a clue about acceptable behavior in social situations. There were no preschools in those days, in fact, kindergarten was new and not required...

Opinion | Solon deserves better than budget promises that cut care

Christopher R. Crossett, Rehabilitation Nurse and Doctor of Nursing Practice June 11, 2025

I work as a rehabilitation nurse in eastern Iowa, but many of the patients I care for come from towns like Solon—neighbors who raised crops, built families, served in the military, or taught in rural...

Opinion | Manufacturing the Future

Joe Greathouse, Dean of Industrial Technologies at Kirkwood Community College June 10, 2025

Manufacturing has long been a cornerstone of Iowa’s economy, and its future success depends on how well we align education with rapidly evolving industry needs. That’s a responsibility we take...

Opinion | Why, oh, why do I do it?

Milli Gilbaugh, Food for Thought June 10, 2025

Somebody asked me why I became a columnist rather than, say, a poet, novelist or children's author. The first answer that comes to mind is, “Almost by accident.” As an artist, I tried to sell some...

The Gravity of Memorial Day must not be forgotten

Chuck Grassley, U.S. Senator May 22, 2025

The Gravity of Memorial Day must not be forgotten By U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley  After the bloodiest war in U.S. history, an enlisted soldier in the Union Army was...

Grateful for the community’s support

May 21, 2025

We want to take a moment to give a huge shout-out to the Solon community for stepping up in such an incredible way to support the Solon Food Pantry. Your donations, your time, and your energy have made...

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