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 ...
Clean, safe water is important to all living things.Consequently, it is very good news that a voluntary water quality initiative launched by the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship is gaining strong support from Hawkeye State farmers.Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey ...
October has been designated National Pork Month. That makes it an especially good time to reflect on the importance of the pork industry to this state.It's unlikely that anyone who lives in Iowa does not already know that pork production contributes mightily to the economic vitality of the ...
No one ought to go through the devastation suffered by hundreds of thousands of people in the Gulf States when Hurricane Katrina hit there in August 2005. Most Americans were happy to see their tax money go to help those who lost belongings, homes and businesses in the storm.But there ought to ...
Federal prosecutors say that for 12 years, Environmental Protection Agency official John C. Beale got away with ripping off taxpayers.He collected nearly $900,000 in salary - and performance bonuses - to which he was not entitled.Beale, who had been a senior policy adviser in the Office of Air ...
U.S. special forces' capture of a notorious al-Qaida leader in Libya has been hailed as a coup in the war against terrorists. It also was a reminder of just how badly President Barack Obama's administration handled regime change in that country.American Delta Force troops staged a raid in ...