Opinion

Sept. 11 is a day of remembrance

Editorial September 9, 2026

A whole generation of Americans can remember exactly where they were and what they were doing on Nov. 22, 1963, when President John F. Kennedy was assassinated. On Friday, the nation will mark the 25th anniversary of another unforgettable tragedy. Millions will remember exactly where they were and what they were doing when they learned that the United States had been attacked by terrorists on Sept. 11, 2001. For about 15 minutes after the first jet hit the North Tower of the World Trade Center on that September morning, it was possible to believe that a horrifying accident had ...

Every minute matters

Local Columns September 9, 2026

Your heart works around the clock, never taking a single second off. It powers life’s biggest milestones — from family celebrations and sporting events to the simple, everyday moments that matter most. Every beat keeps you moving, making heart health one of the most important investments ...

Unsung heroes keep our schools functioning

Editorial September 5, 2026

A new school year is fully underway. We’re guessing that students all across the area went back to school filled with a mix of excitement and maybe a little anxiety. The same might be true of their parents, especially parents of the youngest children going to school for the first time. Their teachers were waiting for all those kids when they walked into school for that first day of classes. It is easy to view teachers as the central figures in the American education system. They are entrusted with preparing our children for the future by helping them to gain knowledge, skills and ...

Marty Patterson’s love for baseball continued throughout his life

Local Columns September 5, 2026

“Baseball, like life, can throw you a lot of curve balls,” Marty Patterson once observed of the sport he played from dawn to dusk growing up in Fort Dodge and continued to love through his 81 years of life. One of life’s “curve balls” for Patterson came in the form of ...

Questions need for new multipurpose building

Letters to the Editor September 2, 2026

To the editor: How many multipurpose buildings does Fort Dodge need? Don’t we already have a multipurpose pavilion at the mall? This new building was backed by voter-approved school board referendum extending district borrowing authority. The school board approved this multipurpose building using our tax dollars. Why do we need another multipurpose building? We already own a brand new one in the mall. If need to transport students to this facility, we have school buses that the taxpayers own and certified drivers. The district just paid for new wrestling room and new auxiliary gym ...

Dayton Rodeo fun has started

Editorial September 2, 2026

The roping and riding that will make up the 2026 edition of the Dayton Labor Day Rodeo will start Friday night and continue through Monday. The small Webster County city will be packed with rodeo fans all weekend. What began more than eight decades ago as the dream of three young cowboys — Allen Porter, Duane Vegors and Vern Danielson — has grown to a four-day event that draws contestants and spectators not only from all parts of Iowa, but also from throughout the nation. This annual event attracts 10,000 to 12,000 rodeo fans, many of whom journey every year to Webster County ...