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Man held on $1 M bond in fatal crash

ROCKWELL CITY — The man accused of deliberately ramming his pickup into a UTV, killing one person and seriously injuring another, is being held in jail on a bond of more than $1 million. Jaxyn S. Blum, 21, made his initial appearance in Calhoun County Magistrate Court Thursday morning. He is charged with first degree murder for the death of Kyle Rath, 19. He is also charged with attempted murder because Roger King, 21, suffered serious injuries in the crash. Authorities initially reported Blum as a Rockwell City resident, but court documents now list a corrected address of ...

Home sweet home

For Iowa high school softball players competing at the highest level, Harlan and Hazel Rogers Sports Complex is the site of all the action this week. And for hundreds of players, their home away from home this week is Iowa Central Community College. For decades, the college has housed ...

Veteran job fair set for today at FD Armory

A job fair for veterans is being held from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. today at the Iowa Army National Guard Armory in Fort Dodge. The armory is located at 1659 Nelson Ave. The job fair is being held in partnership with IowaWORKS as part of the National Hire a Veteran Day promotion, which is Saturday. Robert Haege III is the Home Base Iowa program manager for IowaWORKS. He said the following businesses are planning to be at the Job Fair: VA-Central Iowa Healthcare System, Smithfield Foods, Decker Truck Line, Inc., City of Fort Dodge, CJ Bio America, Koch Fertilizer, Proteus, Silgan ...

First-degree murder charge filed against Rockwell City man

ROCKWELL CITY — A Rockwell City man is facing a murder charge following an April 12 collision in rural Calhoun County. Jaxyn Stone Blum, 21, was charged Wednesday with first-degree murder in the death of Kyle Rath, 19, and with the attempted murder of Roger King, 21, according to the Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office. According to Calhoun County Sheriff Pat Riley, on April 12 at approximately 9:02 p.m. at the intersection of 290th Street and Harris Avenue, a pickup truck driven by Blum struck a utility terrain vehicle occupied by Rath and King. Rath died at the scene. King was ...

Lake City man sent to federal prison for drug, gun crimes

LAKE CITY — A Lake City man will spend about 17 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to drug and gun charges, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Iowa reported. Clayton Brown, 34, pleaded guilty on March 18 to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and being a felon in possession of a firearm. U.S. District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand recently sentenced Brown to 210 months in prison. Prosecutors said Brown admitted to being part of a conspiracy that distributed about four pounds of methamphetamine over the course of eight months in 2025. They ...

Fort Dodge bridge to be closed Friday

The Bridge of Fallen Heroes on North Third Street will be closed beginning at 7 a.m. Friday for an annual inspection. Traffic will be detoured to First Street. The bridge is expected to reopen at about 1 p.m.