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The gravity of Memorial Day must not be forgotten

Local Columns

After the bloodiest war in U.S. history, an enlisted soldier in the Union Army was assigned to recover war dead from Southern battlefields. Brevet Lt.-Col. Edmund B. Whitman mapped out an intricate system of “cemeterial districts” that formed the framework for our system of National Cemeteries. They provide a final resting place for fallen heroes and sacred space for mourners and citizenry to honor those who gave their last full measure of devotion to preserve freedom and liberty for generations to come. After the Civil War, it became popular to place flowers near gravesites to ...

Take the time to remember

Editorial

Today is Memorial Day. For many people, it is a time to welcome the summer season by taking advantage of a three-day holiday weekend to spend time relaxing with friends and family. It is important, however, not to forget what this day is truly about. Beginning soon after the Civil War, a day in May was set aside as a time to decorate with flowers the graves of the war dead. The original stimulus for this day came from the Grand Army of the Republic, an organization of Union Army Civil War veterans. For many years it was called Decoration Day. Honoring those who gave their lives in ...

Growth at Corridor Plaza sets Fort Dodge apart

Editorial

One aspect of the ongoing development of Corridor Plaza got fairly controversial earlier this year. It is time to set aside the flap over the transactions involving The Pavilion and look at the big picture of what is happening on the property where Crossroads Mall once stood. That big picture is very positive. In fact, the redevelopment that is going on will surely make other communities envious. How many other Iowa communities, or communities across the nation, have been able to take an outdated enclosed mall, demolish it and then turn the property into a mixed use area that draws ...

Thanks public schools

Letters to the Editor

To the editor: As another school year comes to an end, I want to take the time to thank public schools throughout the U.S. Thank you to the school board, administration, teachers, para educators, teacher associates, custodians, kitchen crews, volunteers, etc., and all those who are substitutes for them. You are all vital components to public education and our communities. Thank you for educating students and for helping keep our communities safer by making sure students have: breakfast and lunch, a clean school, emotional support, and for preventing infinite acts of violence, along ...

Nursing – A valued profession

Local Columns

I always wanted to be a nurse. When I was about 5-years-old, my aunt and her best friend came and saw me at my grandparents. They were dressed in their white uniforms, and nursing caps. They were talking about the ways they cared for people that day and how they made a difference. I was fascinated by the ability to care for another person on the level they were able to. When I was about 17 years old, I had the opportunity to care for my grandpa when he had cancer, and it really solidified my desire to pursue a career in nursing. I received my BSN from the University of Nebraska ...

It’s time to honor emergency medical service providers

Editorial

In Webster County and all across America, teams of dedicated professionals stand ready to render medical assistance in emergencies. For some this is their career. For many others, it is a volunteer undertaking that is performed in addition to their normal employment. It’s impossible to overstate how important emergency medical service (EMS) personnel can be to just about any of us in a moment when knowledgeable help is needed fast. Honoring the men and women who handle this vital work is appropriate at all times, but especially so just now. That’s because National EMS Week began ...