In the early days of newspapering in Fort Dodge, long before broadcast and computers and the Internet and AI and many other technological advancements, a young Walter Howey delighted in a feat still important to newspaper editors of today: Being first with the story. Fort Dodge was a ...
Tax Day has come and gone ... along with the money the IRS took from your paycheck. Even if you paid your taxes on time and in full, you are still subject to the threat of an IRS audit. Meanwhile, fraudsters are treating the national treasury like a personal piggy bank, stealing more than $1 billion from the government every day. The IRS wants a cut of that loot, requiring that criminals report bribes and stolen goods as taxable income. But does anyone really think the crooks stealing tax dollars are going to share their spoils with the IRS? Fat chance. In fact, too many of ...
A project just getting underway offers a chance to address two issues that affect the state of Iowa every year: water quality and the cost of fertilizer. It is called the Nitrogen Soil Sampling Project. It involves the state Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, the Iowa Nutrient Research & Education Council and Iowa State University in Ames. Because of the great positive impact it can have, we believe it is worthy of support by Iowa’s farmers. Over the three-year run of this project, researchers will study the year-to-year variability in nitrogen availability and ...
To the editor: As the Legislature debates property tax reform, I want to be very clear about what’s at stake for Iowa Central Community College and the communities we serve. Community colleges account for just 2 to 3 percent of the average property tax bill. That’s a small slice. Limiting that portion will not meaningfully change what most Iowans pay. But it will have a very real impact on students, workforce training, and local economies. At Iowa Central, those dollars are not sitting in a flexible pot. They are largely restricted by law to essential costs—facilities, ...
To the editor: Iowa voters aren’t asking for anything complicated. They want a governor who shows up, listens, and actually fights for them. That’s exactly why I’m supporting Adam Steen for governor. Adam brings something Iowa is missing right now: real leadership rooted in presence, accountability, and the courage to challenge the status quo. He’s not scripted. He’s not insulated. He’s accessible, engaged, and willing to take on tough conversations — because he understands that government should serve people, not political insiders. That stands in sharp contrast to ...
On Wednesday afternoon, groups of people carrying orange garbage bags could be seen moving through fields on the east side of Fort Dodge, in the area where lots of stores are located. As they moved, they gradually filled those bags with every piece of litter they found. That effort was the annual spring cleanup, once called the FOD Walk. For more than 15 years, the effort organized by the Greater Fort Dodge Growth Alliance has made our community a bit cleaner. The endeavor was started by Rhonda Chambers, the former director of aviation at Fort Dodge Regional Airport who once led the ...
