Urges suspension of classes due to COVID-19

March 15, 2020

To the editor: As an educator, father, and Iowan, I am writing to urge state and local officials to temporarily cancel or suspend k-12 classes until adequate testing can be performed to assess the true scope of COVID-19 cases in the state. It seems extremely reckless and dangerous to keep schools open right now. We have at least 17 confirmed cases of coronavirus in the state. Since the disease has a two week incubation period and extremely high rates of spread/infection, it is asinine to keep schools open simply because we have “not technically confirmed community spread” in the ...

Thanks doctors, VA staff in community

March 12, 2020

To the editor: I recently had the opportunity to work with several amazing individuals in our community whom I need to personally acknowledge. I can’t thank them enough for the care I received from each one of them. Fort Dodge is truly blessed to have these individuals working in our community. UnityPoint Urology: Dr. Mark Newton MD, Dr. Eric Askeland MD, Dr. Eric Andersen MD, Jordan Reeder ARNP. Their competence, professionalism and their capability to instill the utmost confidence in their abilities gave me the assurance needed to put me at ease during my recent treatment. ...

Thanks newspaper for canned food drive

March 11, 2020

To the editor: As director of The Lord’s Cupboard, I would like to personally thank The Messenger for hosting the 2020 Home & Garden Show and naming us as a recipient of their canned food drive. We rely on these donations to stock our pantry and appreciate those who donated over the weekend to help us. Joni Ham-Olson Fort Dodge

Credit union staff was calm, professional

March 4, 2020

To the editor: I had the opportunity (on) March 2nd to be an unwitting observer of quite a large number of very competent people. I happened to enter the credit union to make a deposit while someone else was in the process of making a rather illegal withdrawal. I had no idea that was happening and the staff kept me at ease with calmness and plausible reasons for the delay. The staff was so cool and calm, at least externally, that even after I figured out that a robbery was happening, I had no anxiety. The police response was so rapid and so smooth that I was once again left with ...

Questions need for cell phone bill

February 29, 2020

To the editor: Do we really need another law? Distracted driving should cover anyone driving erratically — whether it’s talking on a cell phone, eating, shaving, putting on make-up, etc. Punish the people that drive dangerously instead of of a blanket law that goes after everyone. If the smaller government Republicans do pass it, I hope that at least they remove the state motto, which is false advertising. Michael Gray Farnhamville

Says Trump will trump Democrats

February 22, 2020

To the editor: Donald Trump gets kicked in the rump by those that call him everything that’s wrong (even a Democrat). They thumb their nose and hate what he knows — hate what he vetoes. Curse him wherever he goes. These Democrats can’t be bright in their heads. Their battery went dead. They don’t watch what they say. This gets them more stupid every day. They should hear one another spouting off badly about each other. This 2020 election will vastly show Donald Trump will glow four more years in the White House, making this great nation better yet. Webster Orton Algona