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Editorial

Scholarship honors the memory of Landon Smith

Area residents will soon have the opportunity to enjoy good food and live music as a way to support the training of the next generation of local electricians. At the root of the effort is the remarkable grit of a Fort Dodge woman determined to see that something good would come out of the tragic death of her son. That woman is Donna Smith. Her son, Landon Smith, was an electrical technologies student at Iowa Central Community College when he died in a 2020 motorcycle crash. At the time of his death, the COVID pandemic was disrupting just about every aspect of life. One result was ...

Area residents don’t have to look far for fall fun

The days are now noticeably shorter. And the temperature seems to dip just a little bit lower every night. Those are sure signs that fall is here. The long lazy days of summer may be over, but that doesn’t mean there are no more chances for fun outside. And that fun can be found close to Fort Dodge, which is an added bonus with gasoline prices through the roof and unlikely to come down anytime soon. In the Fort Dodge area, there are some remarkable opportunities for families to enjoy this fall. There are long running festivals that are returning this year with fun, food and of ...

Urban deer hunt begins in Fort Dodge on private lands

A deer hunting season is getting underway in Fort Dodge. It starts today and continues through Jan. 10, 2027. Chances are good that many people will have no indication that it is happening. The fact that the hunting won't be obvious to everyone in town is a good thing. We hope it stays that way because that means the hunt is being conducted flawlessly by expert archers. The hunt will be conducted on privately owned land that meets size requirements. Most of that property is on the northern, eastern and western edges of the city. The decision to allow what is called an urban ...

One man’s trauma spurs effort to help others

Most people take their arms and legs for granted. They use them every day to do anything they want to do. But what would happen if suddenly, an arm or a leg wasn’t there? What if a person had to go on without an arm or a leg that was lost to disease or some massive injury? John Thompson, of Fort Dodge, found out what would happen when, about five years ago, his right leg below the knee had to be amputated due to complications of diabetes. After he got out of the hospital, he found there wasn’t a lot of support available for amputees. He used his own willpower and physical ...

Keep Iowa’s roads safe during harvest

Following the recent area rains, the corn and soybeans have to dry down quite a bit before farmers can harvest them. But it won’t be too long before the combines roll. Soon it will be the time of the year when big, slow-moving farm vehicles rumble out onto roadways dominated by faster-paced traffic. That shouldn't be a surprise to anyone who lives in farm country. Even so, all of us should pay special heed to safety considerations as we share the roads with agricultural vehicles. In general, Iowa has been doing a good job of keeping accidents involving farm vehicles to a minimum. ...

Flu shots provide potentially lifesaving protection

Just about everyone has called in sick at some point, saying they had the flu when they were sniffling, sneezing, maybe running a fever and generally feeling lousy. Those symptoms definitely add up to an illness, but the problem is not really the flu. Influenza, as it is properly known, is much, much worse. According to the Iowa Department of Public Health, influenza is caused by viruses that infect the respiratory tract. Influenza and pneumonia are among the top 10 causes of death in the state. Fortunately, there is a way to prevent influenza. A yearly vaccine can protect a person ...