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Editorial

Iowa’s community colleges need a little more from lawmakers

For most Iowans, $6.5 million is an awful lot of money. Everyone would like to see their income go up by $6.5 million in a year. Iowa’s community college system is due to get that much more in aid as a result of action by the state Legislature. But it is important to note that the $6.5 million is going to the entire community college system. That money will be split between 15 schools that are educating tens of thousands of students while dealing with the worst inflation the country has seen in decades. When that aid amount is split up between the all schools, it suddenly isn’t ...

Historical adventure can be found close to home

Now is the time when families are considering how to spend their summer vacations, and after COVID-19 basically wrecked almost two years worth of vacation plans, the open road is beckoning. But what if there was something really cool close to home that the whole family could enjoy? Well, there is such a thing. It’s the Fort Museum and Frontier Village here in Fort Dodge. There, people can explore a row of historic buildings, including a general store, a carpenter’s shop and an old newspaper office. Kids can pretend to lock each other up in an old jail. There’s a stable full ...

Tim Flaherty set an example of service

Fort Dodge lost someone special when Tim Flaherty died last year. During his entirely too short time in the community he made an impact that was recognized far beyond the city and Webster County. That’s why the Iowa Parks and Recreation Association recently honored him with its 2022 Business Support Award. It was presented Monday to his widow, Jodi, daughters Shannon and Katie, and parents Mick and Alyce. The award specifically recognizes the things Flaherty did in his role as Hy-Vee store director, and later as district store director, to support the programs of the Fort Dodge ...

New E15 law is a winner for Iowa

The designation E15 will be turning up at more and more gas pumps across Iowa in the months to come, and that’s a good thing. E15, obviously, is the common name for ethanol that contains 15 percent alcohol from corn and 85 percent gasoline. E15 fuel will be sold at all filling stations in Iowa thanks to a new law which passed the state Senate and House of Representatives by huge margins and was recently signed by Gov. Kim Reynolds. The law requires gas stations to offer E15 at 50 percent of their fuel pumps. The law goes into effect on Jan. 1, 2023. Requiring another type of ...

Congratulations graduates

The annual ritual of high school graduation is upon us. On Sunday, several area schools, including Fort Dodge Senior High, St. Edmond Catholic School, Manson Northwest Webster High School and others, will hold their commencement exercises. Each ceremony is a familiar ritual. Excited graduates in caps and gowns will arrive to the accompaniment of ”Pomp and Circumstance.” Friends and relatives sitting in the stands will nudge each other and say ”Look, there she is.” Hundreds of photos will be snapped. There will be speeches, and it’s a pretty safe bet that someone will read ...

It’s a good time to enjoy our parks

Saturday is National Kids to Parks Day. This is a countrywide celebration organized annually by the National Park Trust “to connect kids and families with their local, state and national parks and public lands.” It has helped popularize these wonderful outdoor recreational venues since 2011. In conjunction with the national festivities, this weekend the Fort Dodge Parks, Recreation and Forestry Department and Webster County Conservation are putting on a scavenger hunt throughout six area parks — both well-known ones and some not visited as often. Details about how to ...