Iowa Central Community College supports the general goals and recommendations of the Future Ready Alliance Task Force that Gov. Kim Reynolds and Dan Houston, chairman chief executive officer of Principal Financial Group co-chaired. In addition, we stress that the Legislature needs to maintain ...

It is hard to imagine Christmas time without the mouth-watering food, nuzzling up by the fire with loved ones, eagerly hanging up Christmas decorations, and, of course, the anticipation of the long-awaited presents. All of these things are aspects that help make Christmas so wonderful. ...

With a military precision befitting their mission, volunteer organizers of the Brushy Creek Honor Flights have virtually every minute of a 19-hour day accounted for when they transport their precious cargo of area veterans to view national landmarks in Washington, D.C. They’ve done it 14 ...

I worked for a psychiatry practice when I was in graduate school in Connecticut in 1989. The practice was based on the town line between Hartford and its affluent sister, West Hartford. From that vantage point, I became used to mental health services and how they were — or weren’t — ...

An American is diagnosed with diabetes every 19 seconds, making it one of today’s fastest growing health challenges. The American Diabetes Association projects that one in three Americans living today will eventually develop diabetes. By 2050, the number of diagnoses is expected to increase ...

Iowa Central has committed to an innovative and exciting approach to STEMM — Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Medical Sciences. The idea of STEM is not new. My colleagues and I have been attending STEM conferences for the past 15 years. Gov. Kim Reynolds and Dr. Chris ...

Three princesses and a platypus came to my door Tuesday night. That’s two Ariels and a Rapunzel. I know she was a Rapunzel because she announced it several times while her hand was stuck in the candy bucket. Also, the long blond wig was a hint. The Ariels were quieter, I suspect in ...

Larry Mitchell has the opening role in Meredith Willson’s “The Music Man” that will be performed this week at Decker Auditorium by the Comedia Musica Players. “Board, all aboard!” he will call out as conductor of the train entering River City Junction. A fitting line, considering ...

Before I begin, it’s important to say this is not about finger-pointing. And it sure as heck isn’t about finding fault. Let me explain. A few weeks back Sherry Washington, a local community leader, invited the community — and I mean this community, as in Fort Dodge — to join her ...

Every year, on the third Thursday of November, smokers across the nation take part in the American Cancer Society Great American Smokeout event. Encourage someone you know to use the date to make a plan to quit, or plan in advance and then quit smoking that day. By quitting — even for one day ...

LifeWorks Community Services is an extraordinarily special place. I have a cupcake sitting on my desk. Someone snuck into my office while I was away and set it at my workspace. Why would someone sneak into my office to leave a tasty treat? It’s because a person, who has a disability, ...

This year, more than 250,000 new cases of breast cancer will be diagnosed, making it one of the most common and feared malignancies for women in the United States. However as awareness, technology and research advances, breast cancer is becoming more and more treatable. Today, with the ...

For many high school seniors, October marks the beginning of the college application season. October has always been a month for students to focus on filling out college applications and planning college visits, but in recent years another extremely important task was added to the October to-do ...

What started as a high school prank nearly 50 years ago has remained a landmark of Fort Dodge for years — and now the perpetrators are ready to come forth and “fess up” to their deed. The six teenage boys who stole into Crawford Park in the middle of the night in 1969 and painted ...

Many factors help make a community a great place to live, work and play. Yet, communities are often measured by the commitment it makes to its youth, its senior citizens and its underprivileged. At United Way, we strive to address issues that impact the quality of our community including ...

Dying in Good Health, what? That sounds like an oxymoron. If you’re dying, how can you be in good health? What I mean is making your finals days, weeks and months the best that they can be. We are all born into this physical world and we are all going to leave it. We have no control over ...

Iowa Central Community College has many program opportunities throughout the college that allow students to get the training they need to become dedicated employees. The students have the opportunity to learn in the classrooms, lab and various hands-on experiences throughout the college and ...

Allan Redenius has experienced three careers in his 67 years — starting out as an X-ray technician, operating his own accounting business and now engaged in what he believes is his final calling — as a pastor. “I loved being a CPA and doing tax returns,” he said of his nearly 40 years ...

The summer has been full of the celebration and making of arts in our region. Thank you to the Fort Dodge Fine Arts 37 members, 10 supporting artists, generous patrons, and the support of the city governments, civic groups and community members for recognizing the importance of arts and culture ...

It’s hard to believe summer is already coming to an end and children will soon be going back to school. When helping get your child ready for school, don’t forget to make sure they are up to date with vaccinations. This is especially important for seventh- and 12th-graders this year, as it ...