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Frontier Days gets started

Frontier Days 2026 got its formal start Friday evening with patriotic music, a few recollections about the parade marshal and some dance moves. An opening ceremony was held at 5 p.m. at the Fort Museum and Frontier Village. The Fort Dodge Choral Society got things started with “America the Beautiful.” After welcoming comments from Jen Fitzgerald, executive director of the Fort Museum, and Jeana Becker, leader of the Frontier Days committee, the audience learned a bit about Ron Newsum, who is being honored posthumously as the marshal. Those memories came from Mike Ewing, ...

SUMMER MISSION

For a variety of reasons, summer is often a difficult time to meet the nutritional needs of families in a community. The three United Methodist churches in Fort Dodge are ready to help. In an initiative focusing on both philanthropy and fellowship, the 2026 United Methodist Summer Meal Ministry begins with its first free hot-meal offering to local students and their families this Sunday from 5 until 6:30 p.m. Trinity United Methodist, First United Methodist and Epworth United Methodist will then continue the suppertime gathering at each location every Sunday for the next 10 ...

City: Sports pavilion owner failed to pay on time

The company that city officials say is buying the sports pavilion at Corridor Plaza failed to make eight payments in a timely manner and has not reported some other required financial data, according to a notice of forfeiture approved by the City Council. In the opinion of city leaders, that company is MandM LLC, of Ankeny. But last month, the Fort Dodge-based Better Way Project announced that it had ousted the Ankeny outfit and was now the owner and manager of the property. It put up signs naming the facility the BetterWay CourtPlex. In a series of transactions last year, the City ...

Railroads were key to the growth of Fort Dodge

When the first locomotive rumbled into Fort Dodge spewing smoke and steam on a summer day in 1869, the community was finally connected to the rest of the country in a reliable way. The arrival of the railroads helped launch a long growth spurt in Fort Dodge. The city was served by four ...