We Americans treasure our freedom of speech. We defend it staunchly. As the old saying goes, we may not agree with what some people say, but we defend their right to say it. Unless it is intended to incite violence to harm people otherwise. There, we draw the line. In August 2019, a ...
On Dec. 20-22 of 2020 the celestial event of a lifetime will occur. The planets Jupiter and Saturn will appear to come together to form a bright object in the southwestern sky, most pronounced on Dec. 21, the winter solstice. Jupiter and Saturn will appear 14 degrees above the horizon in the ...
We’re all eagerly awaiting the full rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine, but there was some separate news last week about vaccines that ought to worry all of us. We’ve known for months that the coronavirus pandemic has resulted in fewer inoculations, particularly among children, as school and ...
United Express is bringing passenger jet service back to the Fort Dodge Regional Airport next March. It is up to the rest of us to make sure that service stays at our local airport. To do that, local people need to make an effort to use that airline and the airport for all their flight needs. ...
To the editor: Being the hardcore Republican that you are, no one ever expected you to become a Biden fan. Apparently, you believe clean air, water and the preservation of our planet are just “stifling regulations.” Late-term abortions are between the 21st to 24th weeks of gestation ...
UnityPoint Health — Fort Dodge is proud to be celebrating 10 years of providing palliative care within our region this year. In that time, we have grown from a three-person inpatient team to a team of 16 providers. However, if you haven’t heard of palliative care, or often confuse it ...
Each Christmas season, children (and a few adults) across the country include in their requests to Santa a dog, cat, rabbit or other living creature. They want a lovable, cuddly pet. They promise they will feed it, walk it, clean up after it, take it to the vet and love it. They have no idea ...
To the editor: “When You Care Enough to Send the Very Best.” This slogan, for decades, brought with it the deepest human sentiments. Whether to celebrate Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, birthdays, anniversaries, holidays or to send heartfelt thoughts in friendship or sympathy. These ...
There’s something new at the Webster County Fairgrounds. East of the auditorium, not far from a line of trees, sits a wooden cabin that wasn’t there a year ago. It used to be in the campground at John F. Kennedy Memorial Park, north of Fort Dodge. It was built by carpentry students at ...
To the editor: We wish to thank all of our sponsors and supporters of the annual grocery raffle that we held in October and November. We want to announce the winners of the gift cards from the Hy-Vee, Fareway and Walmart stores that help with this project. The five winners are Ben Johnson, ...
In some Fort Dodge households, little mechanical critters called hex bugs are slowly working their way through mazes and over bridges. Rockets made of straws are sailing through rooms, perhaps buzzing a snoozing pet or two. And kids are painting with pendulums in an activity designed to ...
The conversation was innocent enough. As I was scrolling through a few photos, I stopped and showed a friend the progress of my hair going grey. I smiled and bragged, “Look how far it’s grown out!” By the first part of April it was clear going to the beauty salon every five to six weeks ...
There is something for both liberals and conservatives not to like about the bipartisan proposal for $908 billion in new aid to Americans suffering from the COVID-19 epidemic. It is not what is in the plan but, rather, what is not in it. Many Democrats want more aid for states included in ...
To the editor: Chuck Peterson wrote to the Messenger Dec. 9, 2020, “Thanks Webster County and the state of Iowa for voting to re-elect Trump.” He then describes what he believes are Trump accomplishments. That debate will continue. What Mr. Peterson does not mention is the impact ...
What if you built an expensive, elaborate reviewing stand for a parade and on the big day, it overlooked an empty street? That is the question both President-elect Joe Biden and incumbent President Donald Trump must answer within just a few weeks. Inauguration day for American presidents ...
When you think about getting the most out of your money, you might think about long-term investments — things such as high-yield accounts, 401k, IRAs, real estate investment, and so forth. And as you might imagine, these are all great options for the money you want to keep, but how do you ...
The number of products that can be made from corn is staggering. It includes food, animal feed, ethanol, other chemicals, yeasts, vitamins, amino acids, enzymes, colors and dyes, and even antibiotics. All of those items come from ears of corn. The corn stalks, stems and leaves — what farmers ...
As we approach the end of a challenging year, I would like to encourage you to support our regional economy by purchasing your goods, services, and holiday gifts at a local business. Although I believe that shopping locally is important year-round, it is critical that we patronize the ...
It is no fault of billionaire Jeff Bezos that COVID-19 is the grinch who stole Christmas from many people in our communities. Bezos did not bring the virus to our country. We have no hesitation in suggesting that if he could end the epidemic by spending his entire fortune, he would do ...
To the editor: While everyone has had to adapt and make changes due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic over the past nine months, it’s no secret that our local small businesses have been hit especially hard. They need our support now more than ever, which is why I encourage you to support ...