News

Weeklong Iowa 7 closure begins Monday

A stretch of Iowa Highway 7 in Webster County will close for about a week beginning Monday while crews improve a Union Pacific Railroad crossing near Iowa Crossroads of Global Innovation. According to the Iowa Department of Transportation, the highway will be closed in both east and west-bound directions between U.S. Highway 169 and Webster County Road P29. According to Webster County Emergency Management Coordinator Dylan Hagen, the closure takes effect at 7 a.m. Monday and will remain in place until the end of the day Aug. 3, weather permitting. A DOT-recommended detour will send ...

Rolling Hills Community Church to hold VBS

Rolling Hills Community Church, 2891 N 15th St,, will hold vacation Bible school from 6 to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday for kids age 4 to sixth grade. The theme is Illumination Station, shining a light on who Jesus really is, as referenced in John 8:12. We invite the whole family to join us for Family Night on the last evening, with dinner provided. Register online at rhccfd.org or register in person on first night attending.

‘American Pickers’ seeks Iowa treasures

The “American Pickers” TV series plans to film throughout Iowa in September, according to an announcement from the show’s publicists. The show is seeking people who have a unique item and are ready to sell it. The show does not feature stores, flea markets, malls, auction ...

Fire stopped in FD house

Firefighters quickly doused a blaze in a Fort Dodge house Friday afternoon. No one was injured and the cause of the fire at 1414 Second Ave. S. remains under investigation. The fire was reported at about 2:30 p.m. when a neighbor saw smoke coming from the front window on the upper floor of the story and half frame house. Fire Department Lt. Eric Conell said the fire was contained to one room on the upper floor. Just one hoseline was needed. According to Conell, the house was not occupied. He said it had been recently purchased, and the new owner was renovating it. Online ...

From our files: July 2011

ABI survey finds Iowa employers focused on workforce

DES MOINES — Results from the Iowa Association of Business and Industry’s (ABI) third quarter 2026 Quarterly Business Survey show Iowa employers continuing to invest in their businesses while taking a more cautious view of the economy heading into the second half of the year. Key survey findings include: • 62 percent expect sales to expand over the next quarter. • 62 percent expect employment levels to remain stable, while nearly one-third anticipate workforce growth. • 85 percent plan to make capital expenditures, with most respondents planning modest ...