Five area communities are taking advantage of a state grant program to properly deal with some rundown buildings and environmental problems. Clarion received $69,923 to help pay for deconstructing an abandoned building on Iowa Highway 3. Instead of bulldozing the place and dumping all the ...
Butler Elementary School in Fort Dodge has been closed since March, but there is an outdoor classroom on the grounds that is still in use. It consists of four raised planting beds. Strawberries, cantaloupes, lettuce and kale are growing in them. The plants will be growing throughout the ...
A new trade agreement connecting the United States, Canada and Mexico is a good deal for Iowa’s farmers. The U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement became effective on July 1, replacing the North American Free Trade Agreement that had been in place since 1994. It is a massive document that brings ...
In some respects, COVID-19 may seem like a bad dream for many Americans, even though it is far from stamped out in our country. One aspect of recovery — placing blame — already is well along. But recriminations that were common during the height of the epidemic are trailing off. That ...
Whether you spend this Fourth of July picnicking, swimming, boating, enjoying a parade, attending a community celebration, watching a fireworks display or just plain loafing, there should be at least a brief time to pause and reflect on this country’s enduring experiment in constitutional ...
Treloar’s Inn has been closed for 45 years, but no other restaurant in Fort Dodge history evokes more fond memories and tingles more taste buds than the eatery that L.D. “Papa” Treloar launched in a small garage, with outdoor seating for four, at 2000 N. 15th St. Those of Baby Boomer ...
Fireworks are part of the Fourth of July. They are more available than ever in most areas. And this year, for obvious reasons, even some people who did not buy and set off their own pyrotechnics in the past may be tempted to use them to blow off some steam. Just so no one blows off a couple ...
Farmers, trucking companies, employees of ethanol and biodiesel plants – indeed all Iowans – will benefit from a couple of moves Gov. Kim Reynolds made recently to support the renewable fuels industry. First, the governor signed into a law an extension of a fuel tax credit for diesel that ...
Webster County Sheriff Jim Stubbs is closing in on a fundraising target he needs to reach in order to provide an extra level of safety in local schools. It’s time for residents, businesses and organizations to chip in and ensure that Stubbs can indeed hit that goal. About $2,000 is needed ...
To the editor: I would like to thank Colleen (Peace) and Jordan (Mott) from The Wellness Project for putting together a fantastic silent auction. That was really great of both of you to help us out, and fill in the hole that we wouldn’t have had otherwise. That’s awesome that you guys ...
In every town there are special people who contribute to the success of the community through the giving things they do. These folks — whose selfless contributions make life better for others in their hometowns — sometimes go unacknowledged. That’s unfortunate because many of the people ...
The Committee for the Removal of Public Monuments has bagged its biggest trophy to date. New York Mayor Bill de Blasio acceded to a request from Ellen Futter, president of the American Museum of Natural History, to remove the equestrian statue of Theodore Roosevelt, the 26th president of the ...
Downtown Fort Dodge is loaded with historic buildings. In fact, there are so many of them that a portion of downtown was added to the National Register of Historic Places as a historic district. But the passage of years has been harder on some of those buildings than others. Many could use a ...
To the editor: Somehow I felt compelled to jot down and send out my views on the recent developments of politics being involved in our education. First we had a school board member tweet some political views, then we had an employee of the school district do a TikTok video that went viral. ...
We know – it seems crazy to already be talking about back-to-school but it’s time to schedule back-to-school physicals. Here are some things we’re doing to make sure your child receives safe, in-person care. It’s important that well-check visits and physicals be done in the clinic ...
Mistakes made by some public officials in dealing with COVID-19 seem outrageous to us now. That may not have been so obvious when the errors were made — but knowing about them can avoid their repetition. The coronavirus epidemic is much like wartime: Resources must be used effectively. That ...
To the editor: Our country and world are in deep grief. First the coronavirus which drastically changed our daily life without warning. Stay at home orders. Even advised to not see family in person. Essential workers having the stress of being in the public even knowing it may not be safe. ...
Anyone paying attention to the news lately has seen both heartwarming and heartbreaking stories about residents in Long-Term Care (LTC) facilities, their “homes,” and their families. In our best efforts to protect LTC residents from COVID-19, we have created another health risk. Our safety ...
Iowa’s lawmakers recently demonstrated that they are capable of getting things done in a short period of time. After an unprecedented recess prompted by the COVID-19 pandemic sent the legislators home in the spring, they returned to Des Moines during the first week of June and proceeded to ...
To the editor: Integrity: The quality of being honest and having strong moral principles. I was appalled when I first read about the TikTok tactic used to reserve seats, knowingly not intending to use them, for the Tulsa, Oklahoma, campaign rally. When I read on the front page of The ...