Breaking News

Opinion

It’s time for brick pavers to go

Editorial

In a city with hundreds of miles of roads, it comes as no surprise that elected and appointed officials are pretty much constantly thinking about infrastructure improvement plans. With the City Council and city staff now contemplating a multi-year update of the Central Avenue corridor, we would like to offer one piece of advice: get rid of the brick pavers. The brick pavers that make up crosswalks and parts of the sidewalks at some intersections probably looked great when they were put in. But they were put in decades ago. We think the first of them probably were installed during a ...

Patience needed during busy road work season

Editorial

Just when local drivers think they have seen enough orange signs, barricades and road cones they are presented with some more of them. Two more road projects have been added to what is already a robust year for construction projects. Iowa Highway 7, the heavily traveled route between Fort Dodge and Manson, is closed while crews replace a railroad crossing that has rattled vehicles and their drivers for years. And next week, the intersection of Second Avenue North and 15th Street will close so that it can be completely rebuilt. It was actually expected to close this week, but the ...

Work of many led to softball tourney’s success

Editorial

The 2026 Girls State Softball Tournament did not end exactly the way the St. Edmond Gaels and the Fort Dodge Dodgers had hoped it would, but it still showcased our community and its outstanding sports complex. The fact that Fort Dodge has hosted the tournament for more than 50 years is a tribute to the work and the partnerships created by essentially a generation’s worth of local leaders. These are leaders who have seen the value in both having a world-class facility in Harlan and Hazel Rogers Sports Complex, and maintaining a close relationship with the Iowa High School Girls ...

Bariatric surgeries begin in Fort Dodge

Local Columns

If you’ve driven by UnityPoint Health — Trinity Regional Medical Center lately, you may have noticed that the expansion on our building is now fully enclosed. We have made significant progress on our surgery renovation and expansion, and we are getting closer to our opening date next March. I know our surgeons and team members are looking forward to using the new and improved space. While construction work continues outside our main doors, I am excited to share an update about what’s happening inside. Earlier this year, our newest general surgeon, Dr. Julie Kim, completed her ...

Join the ranks of blood donors

Editorial

Summer has long been considered the season for fun. The sun is out, and school is out. It’s the season to get outside and play or take the family on the great American road trip. But summer is also a season when there are historically a lot of injuries and accidents. Some in the health care profession even refer to summer as trauma season. When hospitals have to take care of more people who are seriously hurt, they need donated blood. Plus hospitals still have other patients who require blood. The problem is, blood donations often taper off during the summer as people go on ...