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Riverfront project is a partnership for better quality of life

An ambitious plan to bring new life to the riverfront in downtown Fort Dodge is the beneficiary of $4 million in state funding. That grant money will help pay for a nature center and park on a now vacant stretch of land along the Des Moines River at First Street and Central Avenue. Construction of the nature center alone will cost $6.7 million, so it is easy to see how significant a $4 million grant will be in the financing of this project. In fact, the grant equals 17 percent of the estimated cost of the entire project. The project is a cooperative one between Webster County and ...

If the worst happens, people need to know how to escape from fires

Legend has it that Mrs. O’Leary’s cow kicked over a lantern and started what became known as the Great Chicago Fire. Whether a cow had anything to do with it remains unknown, but there is no doubt that a massive fire started in Chicago on Oct. 8, 1871, and burned through Oct. 9, 1871. The blaze killed about 250 people, left 100,000 other people homeless and destroyed more than 17,400 buildings. Determined to prevent another such conflagration and reduce the overall toll of fire in the United States, the National Fire Protection Association commenced the observance of Fire ...

Voters, it’s time to get serious about the election

This is an election year, during which voters will pick federal, state and local officials. Thanks to campaign signs and candidate forums, anyone who pays the least bit of attention to current events knows that. For most of the year, the upcoming vote has been kind of an underlying theme to the daily ebb and flow of events. That won’t be the case anymore, with the Nov. 8 general election just weeks away. It is time for voters to get serious about the choices facing them on the ballot. We urge all voters to educate themselves not only on the candidates, but on the act of voting ...

Today is National Farmer’s Day

Today has been designated as National Farmer’s Day. It’s the contemporary event to honor the hard work of America’s farmers and to reflect on their important contribution to not only the success of our nation, but to helping feed the world far beyond America’s borders. The commemoration grew out of an event that began long ago called Old Farmer’s Day. That observance began at a time when many more Americans were directly working in agriculture. The selection of Oct. 12 for National Farmer’s Day is a reflection that by then the annual harvest is done or nearly done. With a ...

October is National Pork Month

October has been designated National Pork Month. That makes it an especially good time to reflect on the importance of the pork industry to this state. It’s unlikely that anyone who lives in Iowa does not already know that pork production contributes mightily to the economic vitality of the Hawkeye State. It may come as a surprise, however, that hogs raised in Iowa account for more than 30 percent of U.S. hog production. Iowa ranks as the nation’s top hog-producing state. It’s also the top state for pork exports. According to the Iowa Pork Producers Association: • Exports ...

Group with compelling list of accomplishments to be honored

Since it opened a little more than 50 years ago, Iowa Central Community College has had students who excel in the classrooms, labs and shops and also in the venues of athletic competition. It has also produced graduates who went on to distinguished careers in public service, business, health care and just about every other field of human endeavor. The school has a Hall of Fame to honor its outstanding students, faculty and staff members, and alumni. Each year, a select few are inducted. This year’s induction ceremony will be held on Oct. 22. The inductees are: • 2007 and 2008 ...