Breaking News

Local News

Primary election set for Tuesday

The primary election on Tuesday features a high profile race for the Republican nomination for governor, but when it comes to the local races, Webster County voters won’t have a whole lot to do in the voting booth. There are no primary contests for local legislative or courthouse races. And most of the Webster County officials on the ballot are completely unopposed. County Attorney Darren Driscoll, a Democrat, has no primary opponent and no general election foe. He was appointed to serve as county attorney in February 2018 to replace Jennifer Benson. He won his first term in the ...

A buddy, a barrow, and a blue ribbon

For one afternoon at the Webster County Fair, kids who might never otherwise get into a show ring will get the chance to do exactly that — paired with a mentor, a pig, and a crowd cheering them on. The event is part of Bacon Buddies, an Iowa Pork Producers Association program that pairs youth with disabilities, ages 4 to 18, with young mentors who guide them through every step of showing a pig. Mentors help their buddy get the hog ready, walk them through what to expect, answer questions along the way, and stay beside them in the ring. “Watching these kids light up when they’re ...

Blaze destroys abandoned house

An abandoned house was destroyed in a suspicious fire that sent a huge cloud of black smoke billowing over the northwest side of Fort Dodge Friday evening. The fire at 424 First Ave. N.W. was reported at 6:30 p.m. The house is located at the top of a steep hill at the dead end of First ...

Boost for rural hospitals OK’d by Senate

The U.S. Senate unanimously passed a plan championed by U.S. Sen. Charles Grassley that will help hospitals like UnityPoint Health — Trinity Regional Medical Center. It is called the Rural Community Hospital Demonstration. Grassley, a Republican, said it “gives rural hospitals a better shot at keeping their doors open to provide care for the community.” Grassley and U.S. Sen,. Michael Bennet, D-Colorado, introduced a bill that would extend the program for another five years. “The Community Demonstration program is essential to the sustainability of our rural hospital,” ...

Primary election is Tuesday

The primary election on Tuesday features a high profile race for the Republican nomination for governor, but when it comes to the local races, Webster County voters won’t have a whole lot to do in the voting booth. There are no primary races for local legislative or courthouse races, ...