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Editorial

Group dedicated to helping families of fallen officers deserves support

A police officer being killed in the line of duty seems like something that would happen only in a big city. Such a death in Chicago or New York seems possible, but in our mostly rural area that seems far-fetched. Unfortunately, it can happen here. The citizens and law enforcement officers of Algona can provide firsthand confirmation of that sad fact. On Sept. 13, 2023, Algona Police Officer Kevin Cram went to a home where a man named Kyle Ricke was known to be staying. He went there to arrest Ricke on a warrant accusing him of third degree harassment. Cram found Ricke, who shot and ...

Eggs and Issues is democracy in action

Interaction between citizens and the officials they elect to represent them is crucial to a democracy. Citizens must be able to tell the officials what they want and what they don’t want. They must also be able to hold the officials accountable for their actions. The elected officials must explain to the citizens why they take the actions they do. In Fort Dodge, there has been an event in place for at least 25 years that brings state, and sometimes federal, legislators together with citizens. It’s called Eggs and Issues. Eggs and Issues is a forum that is held once a month ...

FFA enriches the lives of students

FFA was established in 1928 as Future Farmers of America. It was renamed the National FFA Organization in 1988 to reflect the rapid changes and greater employment diversity in agriculture. To most of us, it is known simply as FFA. After more than eight decades, FFA continues to enrich the lives of students by helping them develop their potential for leadership, personal growth and career success through agriculture education. The FFA motto captures the spirit of the organization succinctly: “Learning to do, doing to learn, earning to live, living to serve.” Those 12 words help ...

Officials’ DC trip is worthwhile

Visiting Washington, D.C. is always a fascinating experience. The Capitol, the White House, the Supreme Court building, the towering Washington Monument and even the cherry trees surrounding the Tidal Basin make the city a unique place. And within that place, history is made every day and has been since the original portion of the Capitol opened in about 1800. What happens in Washington affects Fort Dodge and Webster County. That’s why a group of local leaders representing Fort Dodge, Webster County, Iowa Central Community College and the Greater Fort Dodge Growth Alliance will ...

Is your family eligible?

For those area families that have a long, proud history of farming the land, it is not too early to think about the 2026 Century Farm and Heritage Farm awards. Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig is encouraging eligible farm owners to apply for the 2026 Century and Heritage Farm Program. The program is sponsored by the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship and the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation and recognizes families that have owned their farm for 100 years in the case of Century Farms and 150 years for Heritage Farms. It has been about 193 years since land that is ...

Area residents must take advantage of Fort Dodge Regional’s air service

Skywest Airlines Inc., which does business as United Express, is nearing a milestone in its relationship with the Fort Dodge area. On March 1, it will mark five years of flying to and from Fort Dodge Regional Airport, providing a service that enables travelers to make easy connections to cities all over the world served by United Airlines. All of us have a big role to play to make sure that service stays at Fort Dodge Regional Airport. To do that, local people need to make an effort to use that airline and the airport for all their flight needs. United Express is flying 50-seat ...