In the age of COVID-19, wearing face masks, something only old time bandits once did, has become a key defense against spreading the disease. Keeping the nose and mouth covered helps prevent the virus from moving from person to person. Masks are especially useful for preventing people who are ...

Many school districts and individual teachers have contingency plans for classes to be interrupted for a few days. We doubt more than a handful had strategies for the current situation, in which the last couple of months of school for millions of students was canceled. There is evidence many ...

Anyone out walking or bicycling around Badger Lake in the last couple of weeks undoubtedly noticed a couple of new bridges there. One of them — a 180-foot long span — crosses a portion of the lake near Veterans Memorial Park. It replaces one that was removed about five years ago because ...

A college commencement ceremony is a time for graduating students to say goodbye to their school days and hello to their futures, surrounded by their friends and families. Those few hours in caps and gowns create cherished memories that last for a lifetime. But what if a graduation ceremony ...

Education Secretary Betsy DeVos’s long-planned overhaul of regulations governing how schools and colleges handle allegations of sexual harassment and assault has been released in final form. As expected, they came under almost immediate court challenge from advocates for sexual abuse victims ...

Today is Memorial Day. For many people, it is a time to welcome the summer season by taking advantage of a three-day holiday weekend to spend relaxing time with friends and family. It is important, however, not to forget what this day is truly about. Beginning soon after the Civil War, a ...

Iowa has long had a reputation as a state in which people look out for one another; a place where a helping hand is always being extended. The generosity of Iowa’s businesses has been a big reason why the state has such a reputation. The businesses of Webster County live up to that ...

Thousands of older Americans may have died needlessly because we as a nation did not heed an early wakeup call regarding COVID-19. It is not too late to save thousands of others. On Feb. 26, two residents of the Life Care Center nursing home in Kirkland, Washington, died of COVID-19. The ...

Unanimity over how much power intelligence agencies should have to pry into Americans’ personal affairs has disappeared with reports during the past few years of unconstitutional invasions of privacy. Victims of that have ranged from high-ranking government officials down to millions of other ...

The continued COVID-19 pandemic looms over all aspects of our lives like nothing else has in recent memory. As the uncertainty, worry and maybe even fear persist, we want you to know that The Messenger is still here for you, providing all the local news and information that you need. Since ...

Manson Mayor Dave Anderson just might be the only Iowa mayor whose image adorns a t-shirt. Those shirts are not the result of some kind of ego trip by Mayor Anderson, however. He told The Messenger that he was humbled and honored that anyone would buy something with him on it. In fact, the ...

During three and one-half years, Americans converted a peacetime economy to become the arsenal of democracy and win World War II. The “greatest generation” accomplished that because it had to be done, for the good of all humankind. Now we as a nation face another challenge, of far less ...

In Webster County and all across America, teams of dedicated professionals stand ready to render medical assistance in emergencies. For some this is their career. For many others, it is a volunteer undertaking that is performed in addition to their normal employment. It’s impossible to ...

If you are among those who have not lost their jobs because of the COVID-19 epidemic, congratulations. Perhaps you share the widespread opinion that the current “lockdown” of the economy should continue, to keep everyone safe. How would you like the government to collect your share? That ...

Just north of Humboldt County Memorial Hospital, a new residential area is taking shape. On a new road called Creekside Drive eight duplexes are being built. That means 16 new homes for the community. There is room for another eight duplexes there, and potentially space for some single family ...

Egg production is big business in Iowa. The state’s roughly 60 million laying hens generate a remarkable 16 billion eggs each year, making Iowa the No. 1 egg-producing state in the nation. The Iowa egg industry is a big purchaser of Iowa’s other agricultural products. The state’s layers ...

National Transportation Week began Sunday and runs through Saturday. This celebration of the transportation industry has taken place each May since it became a permanent event in 1962. An annual observance taking note of this vital industry’s importance to the nation dates back to the ...

When the history books are written on the government’s response to the coronavirus pandemic, there ought to be a chapter devoted to the Paycheck Protection Program. It will make for fascinating and, in many respects, disappointing reading. Part of the $2.2 trillion federal CARES Act, the ...

The economic fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic is unprecedented and is likely to linger. Faced with that prospect, Fort Dodge Mayor Matt Bemrich and the city staff have put together a local stimulus package to give commerce a boost. The City Council will consider three elements of the ...

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic extends beyond the toll of deaths and illnesses. The virus has also infected the American economy, throwing millions out of work and leaving millions more with smaller paychecks due to reduced working hours. There are people in the Fort Dodge area who are ...