On Monday, Gov. Kim Reynolds delivered a Condition of the State message to our state’s lawmakers that was anything but routine. She called upon her Republican majority in the Legislature to enact major changes in the state’s tax laws, its approach to unemployment policies and the options ...

A new kind of sentry is keeping an unblinking eye on activity in downtown Fort Dodge 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Actually, we should say that there are multiple unblinking eyes keeping watch, because this new sentry is a network of security cameras. Since the camera system went live ...

With the whole world seemingly focused on the COVID-19 vaccine and its boosters, we must not forget the importance of an older vaccine: the flu shot. Just about everyone has called in sick at some point, saying they had the flu when they were sniffling, sneezing, maybe running a fever and ...

Another session has arrived! This has been my first off-season experience since being elected. Having the extra free time the off-season provides to meet with groups and get a feel for what the needs of the district are has been rewarding and beneficial. Generally, election years are quieter ...

The evolving renewable fuels industries – ethanol and biodiesel – are important contributors to our state’s prosperity. A recent study conducted by ABF Economics, based in Doylestown, Pennsylvania, concludes that the state’s ethanol and biodiesel producers have a major impact. The ABF ...

Two well-respected institutions that have served the region for decades have now joined forces in an interesting partnership. One of those institutions is Buena Vista University, which has its main campus in Storm Lake and a center on the Iowa Central Community College campus in Fort ...