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Sports pavilion plan offers exciting options for area

Shooting hoops or playing a vigorous game of pickleball will be possible late next year in a new sports pavilion to be built at Corridor Plaza. And after working up a thirst and an appetite on the playing floors, people will be able to enjoy the offerings of a planned microbrewery/restaurant that will occupy part of the building. Measuring 200-by-250-feet, the structure will be big enough to house the planned four basketball courts, three pickleball courts and the restaurant. It will stand on the west side of the Corridor Plaza property, with its front door facing east. The developer ...

133rd Test Squadron plays vital role in national defense

The sign in front of a brick building near Fort Dodge Regional Airport identifies it as the home of the 133rd Test Squadron. An old jet fighter sits nearby. Anyone passing by the place might notice an antenna or two reaching toward the sky. But for many, what the members of that Iowa Air National Guard unit actually do remains a mystery. The short answer is that they help to make the United States of America safe. And they have been doing so for 75 years. That milestone was marked Saturday with an open house and ceremony. Maj. Gen. Stephen Osborn, who as adjutant general ...

‘No one can take your place’

Farms can be seen as quiet, peaceful places where the crops grow and animals graze in the pastures. Farms can indeed be such tranquil spots. But as all Iowans know, farming is an industry. And like all industries, there are certain hazards associated with it. Tractors can be in crashes on rural roads. Machines can snag arms and legs. Grain bins can become death traps. Most of those nightmare scenarios can be avoided by using common sense and basic safety precautions. National Farm Safety and Health Week, which began Sunday and continues through Saturday, is a time dedicated to ...

Mentors can make a huge difference

There’s no doubt that young people need to be around positive adult role models. And sometimes, kids need some advice and some attention from someone who is not their parent, teacher, coach or pastor. Seeing that need, the Fort Dodge Community School District launched a mentoring program in 1994. The goal was to recruit people from a broad spectrum of the community to spend time each week working with students at one of the district’s schools. A few high school students have been involved as well, mentoring younger students. Each mentor is paired with one student. These mentors ...

Brushy Creek Area Honor Flight is back

When a 737 roars into the sky above Fort Dodge Regional Airport just as the sun begins to brighten the horizon this morning, one of the most unique and heartfelt tributes to area veterans will be back in action. There will be about 108 veterans aboard that plane. They will be going to Washington, D.C., for free to see the nation’s war memorials. The trip will be the 24th one conducted by the Brushy Creek Area Honor Flight. The first took place in 2010. Since then, about 3,000 area veterans have made the journey. The Brushy Creek Area Honor Flight is largely the vision of one ...

A day for memories and fierce resolve

Sept. 11, 2001, is a day etched in the memories of Americans. The horrifying images of what began as a beautiful September morning and changed abruptly into hellish chaos remain vivid. The heartbreak of that awful day stems not only from the innocent lives destroyed, but also from the shattered dreams of the survivors. These obscene acts of terrorism inspire in our hearts a fierce resolve to take the actions necessary to prevent a similar tragedy from claiming more lives. The American people opened their hearts to the families touched by the evil work of the terrorists. They also ...