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Getting Decker Auditorium ready for tomorrow

Iowa Central Community College is a huge asset to Webster County and much of north central Iowa. It benefits both families and employers. Not only does the college offer high quality post-secondary education at an affordable cost, it has curricula that address the specific needs of area employers. In that regard, it is a major partner in helping to grow the economies of Fort Dodge and many nearby communities. For a half century, Iowa Central’s Decker Auditorium has served as the heart of the performing arts at the college. The auditorium has also served as a venue for performances ...

Move ahead with Badger Lake restoration

We live in a part of the Midwest where good lake fishing is not as readily available as in some close-by states. That’s one of the reasons that Badger Lake was built in 1965. As the centerpiece of John F. Kennedy Memorial Park, it has served our county well for a variety of recreational purpose including fishing. Now the lake needs major renovation so it can be enjoyed for many decades hence. The undertaking has been named the Badger Lake Restoration Project and will proceed if the Webster County Board of Supervisors approves a bid for the project at its Aug. 16 meeting. The ...

Adam Gregg to lead his peers

More than a century ago, in 1908, the governors of the nation’s states and territories established a bipartisan trade association — the National Governors Association. The goal was to create a forum where there could be dialogue about common problems and a sharing of ideas regarding solutions. In 1962, a similar association — the National Lieutenant Governors Association — was created by lieutenant governors to pursue parallel goals. At the NLGA’s annual meeting this summer, Iowa Lt. Gov.Adam Gregg had the honor of being chosen chair-elect for one year to be followed by ...

Dragon boats to come roaring back

The sights and sounds of long dragon boats slicing through the water of Badger Lake will return this weekend. This will be the 25th anniversary of the Badger Lake Dragon Boat Bash. It will be a two-day event on Friday and Saturday featuring a concert by Band K, fireworks and lots of racing action as the dragon boats knife through the water propelled by teams of 20 paddlers. Organizers say 15 to 20 teams are expected. That includes 12 local teams plus ones from Chicago, Kansas City and Wisconsin. A silent auction to benefit the Cancer Center at UnityPoint Health—Trinity Regional ...

Nothing compares to the Iowa State Fair

Believe it or not, it is time for the Iowa State Fair. What may well be the grandest of our nation’s state agricultural festivities – the Iowa State Fair – will begin Wednesday and run through Aug. 21. Iowans gathered in Fairfield for the first state fair in 1854 – just eight years after achieving statehood. That fair boasted an attendance of about 8,000. In the early years the fair’s venue changed frequently. It wasn’t until 1879 that Des Moines became its home. It took up residence at the present site in 1886. The more than 160 years that have elapsed since the State ...

New sculpture at Terry Moehnke Veterans Memorial Park deserves support

The boy holds an American flag above his head at an angle, with one hand on the flagpole and the other beneath the red and white stripes. Just behind him, a girl stands with one arm outstretched. That’s the sight that will soon greet visitors to Terry Moehnke Veterans Memorial Park north of Fort Dodge. The boy, the girl and their flag are the key elements of a new sculpture that will be placed near the site’s parking lot. The kids are nameless for they represent all the children and families of veterans. Military life, with its constant moves, long separations from loved ones ...