There is good economic news in Webster County.Earlier this month two major manufacturing plants in the agricultural industrial park just west of Fort Dodge both moved closer to full operation.Cargill announced on Nov. 4 that it has begun manufacturing operations at its corn wet mill plant."We ...

When our nation needed them, veterans of the armed forces responded quickly and decisively. In every time of peril, they prevailed over our enemies - even if, sometimes, public opinion and diplomacy did not follow through.Contrast the veterans' record with that of our government: As of Nov. 4, ...

Catholic education has been an important part of life in Fort Dodge almost since the town was founded. The first Catholic school got underway in 1862. The 151 years since have witnessed many changes and stupendous progress. The impressive educational complex that is today's St. Edmond is a ...

Millions of Americans already have received notices that, because of Obamacare, the health insurance policies they have will not be renewed. They will have to buy new government-approved coverage - at higher cost.But the White House insists the number of people affected is insignificant - just ...

More than nine decades have passed since the guns fell silent in the war then known as the Great War - the one we now call World War I. It was late morning in France when the armistice ending that conflagration took effect.All those years ago, many Europeans and Americans expected the ...

Many government programs address important societal or community needs. People disagree about precisely which initiatives have merit and how much financial support they should receive. Nobody seriously disputes, however, the principle that no taxpayer money should be wasted due to fraud, abuse ...

The new national health insurance law, known popularly as "Obamacare," has become something like a runaway locomotive - doing an enormous amount of damage but with no one willing - or able - to ease off on the throttle. But don't expect President Barack Obama to agree to suggestions that the ...

An important athletic event will take place in Fort Dodge Saturday. Iowa Central Community College is hosting the National Junior College Athletic Association's Cross Country National Championships.Runners from all over the nation, their coaches and fans will be in town. It is anticipated that ...

The composition of the Fort Dodge City Council for the next two years is now set, and features two new members. At Tuesday's election voters re-elected Mayor Matt Bemrich, who was unopposed, and chose the following Fort Dodgers to represent them on the council:- Newcomer Jeffrey Halter will be ...

Action by a school district in Ohio may make reasonable people wonder where anti-gun hysteria will end.Public schools everywhere have taken the intelligent step of banning students and most staff from bringing firearms onto their campuses.But during recent years, fear of anything related to ...

It's time to weigh in on the future of Fort Dodge.While the national economy as a whole is still far from booming, the agricultural sector is doing quite well. The development of a cluster of manufacturing facilities just west of Fort Dodge is showing promise of being just the start of a truly ...

When the heavy hand of the Environmental Protection Agency falls on most small business people, they submit to the agency's dictates. They don't want to spend the money and endure the agony of fighting back.Lois Alt, who owns a chicken farm in Hardy County, W.Va., is different.Some time ago, ...

Friendship Haven has been an important part of Fort Dodge for more than six decades. It offers a variety of living options for seniors. Since it was founded in the mid-20th century, this community within a community has grown and evolved in response to the changing needs of the sectors of the ...

Don't give up on the "Obamacare" website, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius has urged. Glitches that have prevented many people from learning about the new health care law are being corrected, and there is plenty of time for people to sign up for the program, Sebelius ...

Unlike most holidays, Halloween really has no serious purpose. It's primarily an opportunity for harmless, child-oriented fun. Costumes, trick-or-treat activities and an opportunity to engage in make believe combine to make Halloween a favorite of youngsters and those still young at ...

Former president Harry Truman was famous for insisting that anything that went wrong in federal government was his responsibility. "The buck stops here," he realized.But nowadays, the buck doesn't seem to stop anywhere. Consider the fiasco that was the rollout of the Obamacare system.Though ...

International trade is a critical contributor to economic prosperity in Iowa. Many Iowa companies sell products and services abroad. The export of farm goods is an important component of the trade picture. Analysts estimate that every third row of Iowa crops is destined for a market outside the ...

President Barack Obama likes to boast that trillions of dollars in "stimulus" spending of various types has put more Americans back to work.It has not. Unemployment rates are down slightly only because fewer people are looking for work. The civilian labor force participation rate - the ...

You may remember that for a couple of years, severe heat waves, strong hurricanes and vicious tornadoes plagued some regions of the country. "Climate change" was to blame, some said.But if climate change causes severe weather, how to explain this year?Government weather analysts note the number ...

During the partial shutdown of the government, there wasn't enough money to keep national parks open, but federal wildlife areas were opened to waterfowl hunting. Cash was lacking for some agencies dealing with public health, but there was enough for the military service academies to play ...