Breaking News

Opinion

United Way Community Campaign deserves support

Editorial

America is a land filled with compassionate people. This is a nation where charitable giving is a standard feature of community life. There are many good causes and no shortage of generous souls willing to contribute time and/or money to make the world a better place for those less fortunate than themselves. We all work hard for the dollars we set aside for charity. Making sure that the money we give is used properly is a priority. In our area, United Way of Greater Fort Dodge is an especially good choice for charitable giving because it guarantees accountable and efficient use of ...

Take charge this Diabetes Awareness Month

Local Columns

Every November, Diabetes Awareness Month shines a spotlight on one of the fastest growing health concerns in the United States – type 2 diabetes. According to the CDC, more than 38 million Americans have diabetes, and another 98 million (nearly 1 in 3 adults) have prediabetes, a condition that often progresses to type 2 diabetes if left unmanaged. Obesity, physical inactivity, poor dietary habits, family history and age all contribute to an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes. While a diagnosis can be overwhelming, there is hope and help. At Trinity Diabetes Center, we're ...

Americans unite behind veterans

Editorial

How fortuitous it is that while the attention of millions of Americans seems focused on controversy, we take time out to honor those about whom we are in complete agreement: veterans of military service. No matter how we view politics, we are united in revering the men and women who have served and do serve us in uniform. The Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard and Space Force are the solid wall behind which our freedoms rest. They serve us not as Democrats, Republicans, Independents or adherents to any particular political philosophy. They serve us simply as ...

Q&A on Veterans Day

Local Columns

Q: What’s the history behind Veterans Day? A: President Eisenhower signed legislation in 1954 that renamed Armistice Day to Veterans Day to honor all veterans of all wars. Armistice Day was made a national holiday in 1938 to honor the sacrifice of those who served in World War I and commemorate the end of fighting on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month in 1918. In addition to local observances in communities across the country, America observes Veterans Day with a reverent ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery. Against the backdrop ...

New local group invests in future of Fort Dodge

Editorial

An exciting new private group has committed itself to improving Fort Dodge by taking on big empty buildings. It’s called The Better Way Project. In the last two weeks it has announced its purchase of the Carver Building at 1003 Central Ave., a building at 817 Central Ave. and the former local home of Land O’Lakes at 2827 Eighth Ave. S. The leaders of The Better Way project are Scott and Katie Underberg, Todd McCubbin and Matt Johnson. All of them have experience in real estate investments and property management. The enormity of the task this group has taken on should not be ...

He could have, or should have, been governor of Iowa

Local Columns

Twice in the 1980s while traveling Iowa, I met 30-something-year-old mayors who so impressed me that I began telling people they “could or should be governor.” One was Tom Vilsack, who became mayor of Mount Pleasant in southeast Iowa when he was 36 years old in late 1986. You all know he became a two-term governor, then U.S. Secretary of Agriculture under Presidents Obama and Biden. We’ve been friends ever since, and it’s great having Tom and his wife Christie Vilsack living back in Iowa now. The other young mayor with such promise was Mike McCarville, who at 32 years old in ...