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FD Choral Society scholarships available

Applications are now being accepted for $1,000 music scholarships for the 2025-2026 school year. Applicants must be college students majoring in vocal music, performance, or education with a sophomore, junior, or senior status by the beginning of the award year. Students presently attending an Iowa community college, college, or university are eligible to apply (awardees must attend an Iowa institution during the award year.) Students originally from the Fort Dodge area attending any college or university are eligible to apply. Students who have received two FDCS scholarships are not ...

Cash for Cougars set for March 10

The 2025 Cash for Cougars Phone-a-thon will take place on March 10. This event is sponsored by the Manson Northwest Webster Education Foundation. The students will meet at 5 p.m. at the MNW Elementary School for a light meal, and then make calls from 5:30 p.m. until 8:30 p.m. The senior class of 2025 will be calling for pledges to add to the scholarship fund. All pledge money received by the April 1 deadline will be awarded to the seniors who participated. This money will be awarded after the first semester completion of a post-secondary program — four-year school, two-year school, ...

FD City Council awards contracts

Two contracts for some routine maintenance work were awarded by the Fort Dodge City Council Monday. Weikert Contracting, of Cedar Falls, was hired to paint lane stripes and other markings on city streets at a cost of $105,479.80. It also awarded a contract for mowing at North Lawn Cemetery on North 15th Street and Fort Dodge Memorial Park Cemetery at Fifth Avenue South and 32nd Street. Larry Brown, Veteran for Mowing, of Fort Dodge, was hired to do the work for $80,000.

Fort Dodge Police Department warns of ankle monitor scam

Anyone who receives a phone call from someone asking for money for an ankle monitor program should hang up immediately, according to the Fort Dodge Police Department. The Police Department has received reports from residents who said they were contacted by callers posing as staff members from the department who asked for money to support the cost of an ankle monitor program. The Webster County Sheriff’s Office is starting an ankle monitor program, but no donations are being sought to pay for it. The Fort Dodge Police Department will never call an individual asking for money or ...

Messenger staff wins INA honors

The advertising staff and sports staff of The Messenger won multiple awards in the Better Newspaper Contest conducted by the Iowa Newspaper Association. Michelle Colshan, creative services director, was honored with the first place award for Best Ad Designer. Sports Editor Eric Pratt received the second place award for Best Sports Columnist. The advertising staff received two first place awards in Best of Class for a “Black Friday Sales Event” and an ad featuring Iowa State University basketball star Audi Crooks. The advertising staff also won second place honors in the ...

Small fire reported in FD attic

A small fire in the attic of a Fort Dodge apartment house was quickly extinguished Friday afternoon, and no one was hurt. The fire at 1700 First Ave. N. was reported at 1:25 p.m. Fire Chief Steve Hergenreter said the fire was contained to the attic above a second floor apartment in the back of the building. The cause of the fire was most likely an electrical problem, he said. The resident of the apartment had been having trouble with a ceiling light fixture right before the fire was discovered, he said. Because electricity to the building had to be shut off residents of the ...