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Opinion

FD schools teach lesson in supporting each other

Letters to the Editor

To the editor: I have had the privilege of working as a substitute teacher for Fort Dodge Community Schools since September of 2024. I have been in every building, some more than others. There are some pretty amazing things going on in each building. On Jan. 11, 2025, Middle School Assistant Principal Aaron Miller died from injuries sustained in a car accident. I was already scheduled to substitute teach at the middle school the Monday following his accident. I had no idea what to expect. Walking into the middle school that morning, I felt the impact Assistant Principal Aaron Miller ...

Community Health Center is growing again

Editorial

Among organizations that step up to meet the needs of people, the Community Health Center of Fort Dodge is in a class by itself. Since it opened in 2006, the center has been steadily growing, both in terms of the services it provides and the geographic area it serves And now it is growing once again. The original center in downtown Fort Dodge just offered medical care when it opened. Then dental care was added, followed by behavioral health care. The latest expansion of services will bring eye exams to the center. To make things even better for patients, some of those services ...

House of Representatives gets started for 2025

Local Columns

The first week of the legislative session is traditionally filled with ceremony, and this year was no different. House members were sworn in Monday morning; seat selection in the chamber was in the afternoon. Tuesday evening, Gov. Kim Reynolds delivered the Condition of the State address. Our state is strong! Iowa ranks No. 1 nationally as a state for retirement, for millennial home ownership, and fiscal responsibility. We are No. 2 in cost of living and No. 3 for opportunity. We’re also No. 4 for health care and educational choice. Significantly we are the sixth best state ...

Persistence pays off for Webster County

Editorial

The bridge that connects the two halves of Lehigh across the Des Moines River is nearing the end of its useful life. It is going to have to be replaced and doing so is going to cost big bucks. Those are inescapable facts. But here’s some good news: Webster County leaders have been able to secure a little over $9 million in grants to help pay for replacing that bridge. A big portion of that money — $6.2 million — came from a U.S. Department of Transportation grant award that was recently announced. Webster County was the only community in Iowa to get any money from that ...

Beginning a new legislative session

Local Columns

Welcome to the first Minute with Mike of our first session of the 91st General Assembly. First of all, I want to thank you! The citizens of House District 7, (Calhoun, Pocahontas, Sac counties and the western side of Webster County) for this unbelievable opportunity to serve you in this beautiful building. I also want to deeply thank all of you who do not live in my district, but support my campaign. Thank you for believing in my ability to protect agriculture and keep Iowa moving in the right direction. I want to thank my family, especially my wife Becky. You cannot do this job without ...

Progress 2025 sections begin today

Editorial

As the holiday season draws to a close each year, The Messenger’s writing staff embarks on a challenging adventure — producing a comprehensive look at how a wide array of developments in our region are shaping tomorrow. While every issue of this newspaper is filled with articles, features and advertisements that readers find informative and useful, the six special sections we call Progress provide a perspective that goes far beyond simply reporting the latest happenings. Our goal is to look at the big picture, capture trends and explore more fully events that may lead to headlines ...