Congratulations to new school board members throughout Iowa. Among locally elected officials, you play one of the most important roles. You’re not only making decisions for today, you’re affecting our children, our community, our state and our nation for years to come. Take the job ...

The communities of Algona, Manson and Pocahontas will soon offer people additional options for getting outside and being active. All three communities are working on significant park and trail projects. Grants from the Wellmark Foundation are helping to make these efforts possible. Algona ...

The communities of Algona, Manson and Pocahontas will soon offer people additional options for getting outside and being active. All three communities are working on significant park and trail projects. Grants from the Wellmark Foundation are helping to make these efforts possible. Algona ...

Tens of millions of Americans will do most, if not all, their holiday season shopping with giant online retail operations this year. They will argue that it is more convenient or safer for them to do so rather than patronize local brick-and-mortar stores. Local retailers, from mom-and-pop ...

You may hear of a place called Swede Bend, but you won’t find it on any map. Swede Bend isn’t — and never was — a proper town. The name refers to a sweeping curve in the Des Moines River along the border of Hamilton and Webster counties. In the 1800s many Swedish immigrants settled ...

Not long ago, a group of people dashed through a closed supermarket, putting groceries in carts as fast as they possibly could. No, they weren’t looting the place. In fact, they were doing a good deed that will help hungry people in the Fort Dodge area. The people filling those shopping ...