Breaking News

Opinion

Eggs and Issues is democracy in action

Editorial

Interaction between citizens and the officials they elect to represent them is crucial to a democracy. Citizens must be able to tell the officials what they want and what they don’t want. They must also be able to hold the officials accountable for their actions. The elected officials must explain to the citizens why they take the actions they do. In Fort Dodge, there has been an event in place for at least 25 years that brings state, and sometimes federal, legislators together with citizens. It’s called Eggs and Issues. Eggs and Issues is a forum that is held once a month ...

FFA enriches the lives of students

Editorial

FFA was established in 1928 as Future Farmers of America. It was renamed the National FFA Organization in 1988 to reflect the rapid changes and greater employment diversity in agriculture. To most of us, it is known simply as FFA. After more than eight decades, FFA continues to enrich the lives of students by helping them develop their potential for leadership, personal growth and career success through agriculture education. The FFA motto captures the spirit of the organization succinctly: “Learning to do, doing to learn, earning to live, living to serve.” Those 12 words help ...

Hospital team reacted to crash with competence, compassion

Local Columns

This week our community was confronted with an emergency that no community wishes to experience - an incident of multiple injuries involving multiple people. Yes, I am speaking of the bus rollover of the Iowa Lakes baseball team. What I experienced and observed is worthy of disclosure to our entire community, coupled with a profound sense of gratitude and awe. When the word came into Trinity Regional Medical Center that multiple casualties with presumed life-threatening injuries would arrive presently at our emergency room, it was all hands on deck with a professionalism and ...

Officials’ DC trip is worthwhile

Editorial

Visiting Washington, D.C. is always a fascinating experience. The Capitol, the White House, the Supreme Court building, the towering Washington Monument and even the cherry trees surrounding the Tidal Basin make the city a unique place. And within that place, history is made every day and has been since the original portion of the Capitol opened in about 1800. What happens in Washington affects Fort Dodge and Webster County. That’s why a group of local leaders representing Fort Dodge, Webster County, Iowa Central Community College and the Greater Fort Dodge Growth Alliance will ...

Is your family eligible?

Editorial

For those area families that have a long, proud history of farming the land, it is not too early to think about the 2026 Century Farm and Heritage Farm awards. Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig is encouraging eligible farm owners to apply for the 2026 Century and Heritage Farm Program. The program is sponsored by the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship and the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation and recognizes families that have owned their farm for 100 years in the case of Century Farms and 150 years for Heritage Farms. It has been about 193 years since land that is ...

Opposes dropping vaccine requirements for students

Local Columns

Thanks to everyone who came out to Eggs and Issues on Jan. 31. We had a good turnout and great conversations. Our first legislative funnel is in two weeks, Feb. 20. This means that any legislation that originated in the House needs to pass a full committee by this date or it dies. This excludes appropriations (spending) bills and ways and means (tax) bills. This process is the same for the Senate. A bill I have received a lot of emails about is HF 2171, a bill that would remove vaccination requirements for K-12 students. This is a bill that went through the Education Committee, not ...