Breaking News

Letters to the Editor

Thanks goes to garden seminar supporters

To the editor: Gardens Alive! The annual garden seminar, held on April 6 by the Fort Dodge Area Gardeners was all about growing things! We had two really great speakers. Dr. Ajay Nair, associate professor of horticulture at Iowa State University, spoke on growing vegetables, and gave us valuable information on planting, the value of adding organic matter to the soil, crop rotation, and soil testing. Did you know that tomatoes, peppers, and potatoes are all in the same vegetable family? Remember that when rotating your crops yearly. Our second speaker was Jeff Becker, of Becker ...

We should reflect on the true purpose of Memorial Day

To the editor: As we approach Memorial Day 2019, we should reflect on its purpose and how it began. Back on May 5, 1868, after the Civil War, General John A. Logan, Commander In Chief of the Grand Army of the Republic, set his General Order No. 11. General Logan’s Order began: “The 30th day of May, 1868, is designated for the purpose of strewing with flowers or otherwise decorating the graves of comrades who died in defense of their country during the late rebellion, and whose bodies now lie in almost every city, village, and hamlet churchyard in the land. In this observance no ...

Political cartoon is an insult

To the editor: The political cartoon on the opinion page of today’s May 16th paper is an insult to every senior citizen. First off young people are not sponsoring the old guy on social security. We have paid into social security for the last 50-60 years. We did not have a choice. The government took our money telling us it was for our own good for our retirement. Many of us also had student loans that we paid back all the while the government took out social security money from us. These young people taking student loans are not forced to take it. They sign contracts ...

Thank you for supporting plant sale

To the editor: Thank you to all who supported the Fort Dodge Federated Garden Club’s annual plant and garage sale. Even on a cool, cloudy day, we had many customers. At the close of the sale, unsold perennial plants were donated to PICA, Pride in Community Appearance. Congratulations to Marge Herrington, who won the raffle for a beautiful hanging planter donated by Jeff Becker. We want to express a huge thank you to Becker Florists and Garden Center, the businesses who graciously allowed us to post fliers in their restaurants and stores, the Lions Club for making their facility ...

Help save the Webster County Museum

To the editor: When I was a little girl, my grandpa, Jack Stanberg, would take me to the Webster County Museum in Otho. When I walk into this building I feel at home. A long white dress with rhinestones running down the front, a long white veil so beautiful and profound. White shoes with a few rhinestones on the top. My grandmother’s dress lay in the glass case still in the same condition it was in when she got married. Memories dance around every time I step foot into this building. My favorite thing to go look at when I go into this building is the nursing department. There are ...

Rockhounds say thanks for recent support

To the editor: We wish to thank Hans Madsen and The Messenger for the great story prior to our 2019 Gem Mineral and Fossil show. Attendance far surpassed that of recent previous shows and it was one of most successful shows ever. We are already planning next years show and keeping a tradition of more than 50 years alive in our community. In addition our club was recently recognized by the Midwest Federation of Mineralogical Societies as having the greatest growth in membership among all the Midwest clubs. Once again thank you. Robert Wolf President River Valley Rockhounds ...