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Letters to the Editor

Seeks honorary diploma for veteran

To the editor: I recently saw an "On the Road With Steve Hartman" (no relative) video telling the story of a WWII US Marine veteran that quit high school as a teen to "answer the call". At 98 years old, his one wish was to receive his high school diploma. The local American Legion Post and his friends contacted his high school in Pennsylvania. Schools there are allowed to issue "Honorary Diplomas" for situations like this and just two days before passing away, this Marine, this patriot, this hero, received his diploma. Knowing that I have been active helping organize reunions for my ...

Disagrees with Ernst on worker issues

To the editor: In her June 3 guest column in The Messenger, Sen. Ernst uses a bold headline that states “Government employees need to get back to work.” As I read her rant, I couldn’t find anything about employees not working. What I found instead, was a general complaint about where employees were working and that she doesn’t like unions. I wish she was more concerned about what the employees were accomplishing than where they work. It appears to me that this is just another attempt to disparage government workers and unions in general. If her complaint is lack of use of ...

Wants Michehl for sheriff

To the editor: Please support Trevir Michehl for sheriff. The incumbent has a very poor record in many areas. 1) Webster County must now pay out about $600,000 (a figure which includes payments to settle a civil rights complaint, attorneys fees and salary paid to a deputy who was on administrative leave) because our “experienced” incumbent did not supervise his employees (or, condoned misbehavior?) allowing long continued abuse and discrimination, and hence produced a costly settlement against the county. 2) The incumbent himself has stated vandalism in the jail cells causes ...

Supports Sheriff Fleener

To the editor: I am writing this letter to encourage all Webster County residents to vote in the primary election on Tuesday, June 4th, 2024, to re-elect Webster County Sheriff Luke Fleener. I have known Luke for the past 30 plus years. During those years, he has been more than a coworker and friend. He has been a fellow sheriff’s deputy, detective, Sergeant, my immediate supervisor, and now elected sheriff. Luke greatly influenced my career in law enforcement. When Luke was a police officer with the Fort Dodge Police Department, I “rode along” with him to see if law ...

Fleener for sheriff is the right choice

To the editor: When people ask me why Luke Fleener for sheriff. I think back to an event in October 2020 when Luke spoke on his vision for the department. Which included some of the following. • Modified shift rotations. (Which make it more officer friendly while allowing the deputies more time with their families) • Wage increases for the deputies. (To be more effective in the recruiting deputies) • Bring the dispatching back to Webster County where the dispatchers know their community. • Partners with our local, state and federal officials to help ensure the ...

Supports Trevir Michehl for Webster County sheriff

To the editor: I, Rod Strait, former Chief Deputy of the Webster County Sheriff’s Office, wish to offer my full support to Trevir Michehl for Webster County Sheriff. I had seen that former Sheriff Brian Mickelson withdrew his support of Sheriff Fleener. I have known Brian Mickelson since 1988 when we started our careers in law enforcement. He does not take such a step as this without a lot of consideration, and now he is supporting Trevir Michehl for Webster County Sheriff. Former Sheriff Jim Stubbs and I hired Trevir Michehl as a Webster County deputy. Trevir came to the ...