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Century Farms celebrate history

Editorial

It’s more than 180 years since land that is now the state of Iowa was opened for settlers. The America of the 21st century is far different from the nation presided over by President Andrew Jackson in 1833. There is, however, one constant feature for Iowans — agriculture is at the very heart of economic life in the Hawkeye State. Consequently, it was a fitting celebration of agriculture and the generations of Iowans who have farmed here that in 1976, as part of the nation’s Bicentennial Celebration, the Century Farms Program was established. The Iowa Department of Agriculture and ...

Come on down to the Webster County Fair

Letters to the Editor

To the editor: It is that time of year again — county fair season. As you put together your schedules for the upcoming month, take time to consider coming down to the Webster County Fair. The Webster County Fair offers days of fun and positive experiences for all ages and interest areas. From livestock shows demonstrating the high quality of animal stewardship in our county, to grandstand events such as the Tuff Trucks and Truck Pull, and the auditorium showcase of the hard work and effort put into various projects by our county 4-H’ers and other dedicated individuals. The ...

Be sure to attend your county fair

Editorial

Times change. Even so there are a few constants in life. One is the pleasure provided by the county fairs that continue to be a highlight of summer in Iowa. For as far back as anyone who now lives in this part of the state can remember, these summer festivals have been much-anticipated and much-enjoyed features of summertime. The fairs, of course, have changed over the decades. One central theme, however, remains much the same — a celebration of farm life and the assorted positive educational and personal-growth pursuits that are treasured features of life in rural and small-town ...

Putting the ‘we’ in Webster

Letters to the Editor

To the editor: From Humboldt through Fort Dodge, Coalville, Kalo, Dolliver Memorial State Park, Lehigh, and into Stratford, the Des Moines River winds its way through Webster County, leaving in its wake a beautiful throughline of nature, recreation, and scenery. But sometimes, just sometimes, it weaves a path of destruction as well. This was the case these past two weeks here as massive flooding from up north made the river steadily flood to its highest level in almost 60 years. Yet what could have been a terrible disaster turned into an opportunity for Webster County to display, in ...

Fort Dodge bids farewell to Zakeer’s Family Restaurant

Local Columns

For years the home of Zakeer’s Family Restaurant, the one-story building at 425 Second Ave. S. has now fallen silent and soon will be gone. No more will the laughter and conversations of its loyal Fort Dodge customers fill the restaurant as they gathered for breakfast, lunch – or maybe ...

Effort is needed to address abandoned buildings, homelessness

Editorial

When a June 24 fire sent flames blasting out some third floor windows on the south side of the old Fair Oaks Middle School, it caught the attention of anyone going by on nearby Fifth Avenue South. It should have caught the attention of everyone else in the community also. The fire was bad, gutting an estimated 3,000 square feet of a building that sustained a serious fire on Memorial Day. But beyond the immediate fire damage, the blaze was emblematic of some bigger issues in the community that need to be addressed. One of those problems is the presence of vacant buildings and the ...