Downtown Fort Dodge is experiencing a commercial renaissance. It is becoming the home to a diverse array of specialized small businesses. The latest arrival is River Hops Brewing at 1014 Central Ave. This new enterprise in the city’s historic center offers a unique selection of beers ...

I saw her from across the stands. I could tell. You can always tell. She seemed quiet – not her usual hob-knobbing with everyone around her. Our eyes met up across the stands, and we both nodded in acknowledgment. But it was her expression. It’s always the expression. And I wondered if ...

EVERLY — Sen. Charles Grassley was named a U.S. Wind Champion for the 115th Congress by the American Wind Energy Association at an event hosted by Alliant Energy. AWEA is presenting U.S. Wind Champion Awards to select members of the 115th Congress who have taken action in support of American ...

There’s a quick new way to take your dog out for a cleaning in Fort Dodge. At the Fifth Avenue Auto Wash one of the self-service bays has been converted from a car wash into a dog wash. Owner Mitch Fridolfson said he knows other towns around the area already have such an option, and ...

GOWRIE — Harvest began a little earlier than normal in fields near Gowrie in southern Webster County last week. Lakeside Foods, of Owatonna, Minnesota, brought a crew of two corn pickers, tractors with wagons and a fleet of semis to tackle the urgency of a timely harvest of sweet ...

ROWAN — In just a few short years, what was once a cornfield has now been developed into a multi-million bushel grain elevator, agronomy warehouse and, most recently, a home to a new feed mill. NEW Cooperative hosted an open house for the new feed mill, which made its first batch of feed on ...

Access Systems recently hosted a Technology Showcase at its Fort Dodge office, 706 Central Ave. The keynote address from cybersecurity expert Derick Tallman focused on explaining how cyber threats impact businesses, and the rise in small and medium sized businesses as targets of malware, who do ...

Tootles Boutique and More located just a few miles north of Fort Dodge on U.S. Highway 169 just opened in May and already plans to expand their business. Terri Adams, the owner of Tootles, is thrilled for Tootles’ next chapter. In the coming months, Tootles will be more than just a ...

Escape Room Parties, a division of Atwood & Associates Inc., based in Gilmore City is undergoing an aggressive expansion of its services. The company has operated Evergreen Gifts & Fun Park in Park Rapids, Minnesota, for nine years and added escape rooms five years ago. Tom Atwood, ...

BOONE — Bioreactors are gaining popularity as an edge-of-field conservation drainage practice and have proven to help reduce the amount of nitrates in drainage tile water before it is released to surface waters. In order to help bring more awareness to edge-of-field conservation ...

CLARION — Moving from one home to another can be a challenge for just about anyone. Making all the necessary decisions and arrangements is time-consuming and frequently more than a little stressful. For older Iowans who face transitioning from a home they have long inhabited to a smaller ...

MINNEAPOLIS — Where does drinking water come from? Many people don’t have a clue, even though water quality remains a hot topic in the news and at national conferences like the One Water Summit in Minneapolis. “More than half (54 percent) of people we polled have no idea where their ...

UnityPoint Health — Trinity Regional Medical Center has been awarded the Mission: Lifeline Silver Receiving Quality Achievement Award for implementing specific quality improvement measures outlined by the American Heart Association for the treatment of patients who suffer severe heart ...

Decker Truck Line was among six recipients of the SmartDrive®Trailblazer Award, which honors fleet customers that are innovators, movers and shakers within the industry. Decker was honored at SmartDrive’s customer conference in Atlanta in June. Decker Truck Line was chosen for: • ...

The team at the Fort Dodge Convention and Visitors Bureau, 24 N. Ninth St., Suite C, works closely with the city and county governments and the private sector to market Fort Dodge and Webster County. “The CVB is tasked with bringing visitors to Fort Dodge,” said Kerrie Kuiper, the ...

JEFFERSON — What comes to mind with the name Thomas Jefferson? President, perhaps? Avid agriculturist and gardener also fit, especially in Jefferson, where locals are quick to share this rich history. “Cultivators of the earth are the most valuable citizens,” Jefferson wrote in 1785 ...

Decker Truck Line was the recent recipient of Hy-Vee’s Transportation Supplier of the Year Award. Decker was selected out of approximately 100 other carriers that provide transportation assistance to the grocery chain outside of its own fleet. Decker was presented with the award during ...

ORANGE CITY — Pizza Ranch Inc. awarded its annual Community Impact Award to franchisees Brad and Shirley Davis at the company’s 2018 National Conference held in St. Paul, Minnesota, on June 11-13th. The Davises own three Pizza Ranch locations in Iowa: Fort Dodge, Manchester and ...

There’s another new business in downtown Fort Dodge as the city’s historic commercial heart continues its renaissance. Legacy Realty Group LLC, which was incorporated on May 16, has been launched at 1100 First Ave. N. The enterprise brings together five experienced, highly successful ...

ALTOONA – The 2018 Iowa Truck Driving Championships were held at Prairie Meadows Hotel and Conference Center in Altoona on June 14 and 15, 2018. Approximately 103 professional truck drivers participated in the two-day event. All the drivers were tested in four areas: pre-trip vehicle ...