Today, the members of the Fort Dodge City Council elected in November will be sworn in. The one newly elected member of the council is a familiar face. Andy Fritz, who served as an at-large member of council from 2010 to 2017, was chosen by the voters of Ward 2 on the city’s south side to ...
Today, we welcome in a new year. Last night, no doubt many readers stayed home, joining the ranks of those sitting on the couch, counting down the final moments of 2019 while participating vicariously in the festivities broadcast from Times Square in New York City. Others celebrated the ...
To the editor: The FD Evening Lions Club wish to thank all of our sponsors, friends, family and all who purchased tickets for our grocery giveaway. Our sincere thanks goes out to the participating stores, Walmart, Hy-Vee and Fareway for their donations and welcome to sell tickets in their ...
When the Fort Dodge Police Department and the Webster County Sheriff’s Office need some extra help, they have a unique resource to call upon. Both agencies can utilize a joint reserve unit of fully trained volunteer law enforcement officers called Reserves. And while many communities have a ...
All across the Hawkeye State, people will be taking advantage of this holiday week to pursue celebrate the arrival of another new year — 2020. That makes it especially important that we resolve to keep our streets and highways safe. That can be accomplished by paying heed to a few safety ...
As 2019 drew to close, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue shared his assessment of how well the department he leads succeeded in meeting its goals this year. He has good reason to be proud of its record because the U.S. Department of Agriculture accomplished much this year. “At USDA ...
To the editor: What happened to the Iowa Republican party? Republicans have always been the party to adamantly proclaim their support for the Constitution and the editorial last week didn’t even mention the two articles for which the president was impeached. Aren’t Iowans more informed and ...
It was a year of transition for The Messenger newsroom in 2019. We said goodbye to our editor, Jane Curtis, who had led the staff since 2015. I am grateful for her contributions. She worked to develop our skills. She challenged us to do better and look harder. We wish her well in her ...
Buried in the 2020 federal budget bills Congress approved this week is $25 million for gun safety research to be divided between the National Institutes of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The inclusion is less notable for the amount — $25 million is a drop in the ...
The holiday season is a time of year when most people are very responsive to philanthropic requests. Consequently, donations and offers of help are plentiful. The needs of those who depend on charities for sustenance do not end just because Santa has returned to the North Pole. That is ...
To the editor: The Webster County Museum has many beautiful displays. If they don’t find a permanent home soon, it would be a shame that everything could be ruined. They are trying to get pledges (not actual money or checks) for a total of $500,000 to bid on the McGregors building. If you ...
It’s no secret that Washington politics have become so polarized that it can be tough for Democrats and Republicans to come together to tackle challenges that their constituents face. But that’s exactly what happened recently on Capitol Hill thanks to Iowa’s Congressional delegation. ...
Iowa’s economy is robust and getting stronger. It has a quality of life that makes those of us who call Iowa home reluctant to even contemplate living anywhere else. Gov. Kim Reynolds has made stimulating economic development a key goal of her administration. She understands that unless ...
Some 2,000 years ago, an event took place that changed the course of history. No singular event has focused the attention of man on himself to the degree that the story of Bethlehem has, for it is the story of man. Kingdoms have risen and fallen, and great nations have perished from the ...
All across the nation, a feeling of anticipation is in the air. It is Christmas Eve, a time when those whose jobs do not demand that they be at work complete preparations for tomorrow, the biggest day on most of our calendars. Once the packages are all wrapped, the last decorations are adjusted ...
State Rep. Mike Sexton, R-Rockwell City, has been chosen by his fellow Republican lawmakers to fill a key leadership role in the House of Representatives. During a caucus Wednesday, they elected him to be the House majority whip. In that role he will be the right hand man for House Majority ...
Almost nobody gets through life without at least a few health care woes. Making sure that knowledge about how best to address medical issues continues to advance is the mission of the National Institutes of Health. The NIH has achieved an impressive research record in many areas. In recent ...
To the editor: Our City Council is once again assaulting Fort Dodge’s proud heritage in an effort to destroy the memory of one of our town’s most iconic institutions. Exposition Park was home to the Hawkeye Fair, which for more than a decade rivaled the Iowa State Fair in stature and ...
You’re what we care about most and why we do what we do. As we wrap up 2019, I want to share my sincere thanks to you — members of our community. Thank you for trusting us to care for you and your family when you need it most. I also want to thank our team of health care ...
Just about everyone has called in sick at some point, saying they had the flu when they were sniffling, sneezing, maybe running a fever and generally feeling lousy. Those symptoms definitely add up to an illness, but the problem is not really the flu. Influenza, as it is properly known, is ...