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He could have, or should have, been governor of Iowa

Local Columns

Twice in the 1980s while traveling Iowa, I met 30-something-year-old mayors who so impressed me that I began telling people they “could or should be governor.” One was Tom Vilsack, who became mayor of Mount Pleasant in southeast Iowa when he was 36 years old in late 1986. You all know he became a two-term governor, then U.S. Secretary of Agriculture under Presidents Obama and Biden. We’ve been friends ever since, and it’s great having Tom and his wife Christie Vilsack living back in Iowa now. The other young mayor with such promise was Mike McCarville, who at 32 years old in ...

Delivering death tax relief for Iowa farmers and small businesses

Local Columns

Family farms, small businesses, and local manufacturers are the backbone of Iowa’s economy. Agriculture, business, and manufacturing create good jobs in our communities, keep our main streets strong, and help young families plant their roots in Iowa. To ensure that we have a strong Iowa, we need to support these vital sectors that make invaluable contributions to our economy and our communities. One of the greatest threats to the long-term success and vitality of family farms and small businesses is the death tax. This unfair double tax forces family-owned-and-operated enterprises to ...

Hard work of governing must begin

Editorial

The 2025 general election is over. Many folks will breath a sigh of relief at that thought. We congratulate the winners of Tuesday’s votes, and we challenge them to do two things. First, the easy challenge, for both the election winners and losers: remove your yard signs and any other promotional materials you may have put up. The election is over, so there is no need for them to be up any more. We challenge the winners of Tuesday’s voting to do something much more difficult than picking up the signs. We challenge them to govern in a mature, responsible way that will benefit ...

Importing Argentinian Beef?

Letters to the Editor

To the editor: Importing beef from Argentina is a bad idea! It is a slap to the face of every beef producer in the country. Penalizing these hard-working beef producers with imported beef is a travesty. Raising beef requires being ready to react to any number of issues 24 hours a day and 365 days a year. Power outages to sick animals. Mechanical breakdowns and calves from heifers not supposed to be bred. Rain, shine, sleet, snow, hot, below zero wind chills. They feed and care for the animals in it all. Cattle must be fed every day at least once. There must be continuous fresh water ...

Spotlight on soaring farm input costs

Local Columns

Q: Why did you hold a Judiciary Committee hearing to examine consolidation in the farm sector? A: As the only grain farmer in the United States Senate, I’m honored to advocate on behalf of family farmers who are wrapping up the harvest season and looking ahead to next year’s crop. Today U.S. farmers are feeling crushed with uncertainty as they make plans to purchase inputs and take out lines of credit to pay the bills and stay afloat. At my annual county meetings, local co-ops and in communications with my office, Iowa farmers tell me they’re feeling pinched by matters out of ...

Make your voice heard on Election Day

Editorial

Election Day is nearly here. On Tuesday, thousands of people will go to the polls to decide who will lead our cities and school districts. And, in Fort Dodge, voters will also decide the fate of plans to extend borrowing authority for the Fort Dodge Community School District and Iowa Central Community College. The school district is proposing a complete overhaul of Fort Dodge Senior High School. The community college is planning a variety of projects to increase its ability to train workers for high-demand jobs. The polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. A listing of Webster County ...