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Woodruff Construction to acquire Spencer company

Woodruff Construction, of Fort Dodge, has agreed to acquire the assets of Midstates Builders Inc. of Spencer. The business opportunity fits into Woodruff’s plan to further expand into the northwest portion of the state and will create its fifth region. Scheduled for Oct. 3, Midstates Builders Inc. assets and current employees will be merged as part of Woodruff Construction. Craig Wampler, co-owner of Midstates Builders, joined the company as the operations manager in April 2003, having brought nearly 20 years of commercial construction experience to the company. He became vice ...

Fulfilling a dream

Like J.R.R. Tolkien’s dragons hoard treasure, CoriAnn Theroux hoards books. That’s why she decided to open The Green Dragon Bookshop in downtown Fort Dodge. “I’ve always wanted to open a bookstore,” Theroux said. “When I came out of high school and was going into college, ...

SWEET TREATS

Addrea Groff’s love language is food. Specifically, making food for others to show her love. “I’ve had a lifelong love of food,” she said. “I love to see the joy that it can bring to another person. And so I always shared my love with people through food.” That’s what led ...

‘Creating connections’

Abby Stromberg has always been passionate about coffee and she’s passionate about her hometown of Fort Dodge. The 2012 St. Edmond Catholic School grad recalls being a child and seeing her mother, aunts and grandmother gathered around a table with a cup of coffee in hand and talking for ...

Sales tax holiday will give Iowans relief

The annual opportunity to buy some clothing and shoes without paying any sales taxes is coming soon. What the state Department of Revenue calls the Iowa Sales Tax Holiday begins at 12:01 a.m. Friday Aug. 5 and ends at midnight Saturday Aug. 6. During that period, no taxes will be ...

Three generations of Tjaden Electric

BADGER — When Jim Tjaden started Tjaden Electric in 1978, he didn’t have any employees, or even a company vehicle. Sometimes his brother would help, but for the most part he was by himself. Tjaden had worked for a couple area electricians for several years. “It got to the point ...