A reminder to take a break

April 18, 2026

There’s nothing quite like being knocked down by sickness to humble you in a hurry. Recently, I came down with whatever has been making its way through our community, and for several days, I had no choice but to stop. Not the usual “take the day off” where I still check messages, return calls, or keep an eye on what’s coming in. This time, it was a full stop. No emails, no meetings, no multitasking from the couch. Just… rest. Admittedly, it’s not something I’m particularly good at. Never really have been. And I know I’m not alone in that. There are a lot of people ...

Don’t let poverty destroy a child’s hope

April 15, 2026

It is hard to imagine a child growing up in our community with little or no hope for a bright future. Unfortunately, we know that living in poverty can destroy hope in the hearts of children. United Way of Greater Fort Dodge believes that one of the worst things about childhood poverty is the slow acceptance that there is no way out and that there is nothing they can do to change or break from the hopelessness of being poor. Those who live in poverty often experience high rates of chronic and acute health problems, depression and mental illness, hunger, homelessness, low self-esteem ...

Strengthening Iowa agriculture in global markets

April 13, 2026

Over the last several years, farmers across Iowa have endured challenging market conditions as they dealt with weather, rising input costs, and other countries targeting American agriculture to gain unfair advantages. These conditions affect their families, operations, and our rural economy, which is built on our strong agricultural sector. Growth in our agricultural industry starts with strong markets. That is why it’s critical that Congress gets the Farm Bill across the finish line and onto President Trump’s desk to be signed into law to deliver certainty and opportunity for our ...

Honored to serve, focused on Fort Dodge’s future

April 11, 2026

As I begin my fourth month serving as mayor of Fort Dodge, I want to begin with a simple but heartfelt thank you. I am deeply grateful to the citizens of our community for the trust you’ve placed in me to lead. It is truly an honor, and I will do my best to make our city and region a better place to live, work and recreate. I would also like to recognize two individuals who helped shape this community, former Mayor Terry Lutz and former Mayor Matt Bemrich. Having served alongside Mayor Lutz for two years and Mayor Bemrich for 16 years, I witnessed firsthand their dedication to Fort ...

Jerry Fitzgerald’s life a study in resilience, determination

April 4, 2026

Despite the passage of seven decades, Jerry Fitzgerald remembers the scene as if it were yesterday. He was 13-years-old, an eighth grader at Corpus Christi School, and the scene was a tiny second-floor apartment above Anvers restaurant in downtown Fort Dodge where he lived with his dad ...

Steady Leadership, Standing Apart

April 1, 2026

School districts all over Iowa are having a tough time right now. Enrollment is dropping, costs keep going up, and state funding isn’t keeping pace. A lot of communities have had to make painful cuts — slashing programs, letting good teachers go, and scaling back the very things families count on most. Fort Dodge faces those same pressures. We’ve seen enrollment decline just like everybody else, and that hits our funding directly. But here’s the difference: we didn’t wait for a crisis to start planning. We’ve been making careful, steady adjustments for years so we wouldn’t ...