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Hard work of governing must begin

Editorial

The 2026 general election is over. Many folks will breathe a sigh of relief at that thought. We congratulate the winners of Tuesday's votes, and we challenge them to do two things. First, the easy challenge, for both the election winners and losers. Remove your yard signs and any other promotional materials you may have put up. The election is over, so there is no need for them to be up any more. We challenge the winners of Tuesday's voting to do something much more difficult than picking up the signs. We challenge them to govern in a mature, responsible way that will benefit all ...

Make your voice heard on Election Day

Editorial

Election Day is nearly here. On Tuesday, thousands of people will go to the polls to decide who will lead our nation, state and county. And voters will also decide the fate of a proposed state constitutional amendment that would require a two-thirds majority vote of the legislature to increase the income tax. The polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday. A listing of Webster County polling places is in today's edition of The Messenger. If you have not voted already, do not miss this chance to make your voice heard. Casting a ballot is a crucial way for everyday citizens to ...

Diabetes Awareness Month: Navigating the holidays with diabetes

Local Columns

During November, it’s important for us to raise awareness of a condition affecting millions of Americans — diabetes. Diabetes care has changed significantly over the years, and with today’s medications, technology, continuous glucose monitors, insulin pumps, education and treatment options, individuals have more tools than ever to manage their diabetes. As millions of Americans living with diabetes know, a diagnosis does not mean you have to give up the things you enjoy or stop living a full and active life. As we approach the holiday season, many individuals will enjoy time ...

How to win an election

Letters to the Editor

To the editor: There are numerous ways a person can win an election. I suppose the most popular way is to make promises that you know you can't or won't keep. Some of the examples we have seen are promising another country will pay for a wall on your border, promising you will stop a war on your first day in office, promising not to get your country into future wars, promising to lower prices, promising to provide a better health plan and the list could go on and on. To my knowledge no other country has paid for our border wall, the war that was going to stop on day one is still going ...

The time has come to end Daylight Saving Time

Editorial

People across Iowa will set their clocks back one hour tonight because of Daylight Saving Time. That means if they go to bed at their regular time they will get an extra hour of sleep. Hopefully, they will also replace the batteries in their smoke detectors that use 9-volt batteries. Serving as a reminder to replace the smoke detector batteries is a big advantage of the twice yearly ritual of changing the clocks. The other advantages to changing the clocks are less and less apparent. For as long as anybody can remember, Iowans have been changing their clocks twice a year for ...

Says it’s time to support trust fund

Letters to the Editor

To the editor: “I am from Iowa, Iowa! That’s where the tall corn grows.” We used to sing this anthem loudly with my grandmother. Now Iowa is known for having one of the highest rates of cancer in the United States. Iowans have the privilege to vote for representatives that will direct our priorities for the next several years. This is our opportunity to hold our present and future legislators accountable to Iowans and the future of our great state. In 2010, over 64 percent of Iowans voted to approve Iowa’s Water and Land Legacy, a constitutional amendment to create The ...