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Fort Dodge company provides special set of wheels for local girl

Editorial

A special bike is enabling a Fort Dodge girl to get out and ride just like her brothers and all the other kids in her neighborhood. Aubreigh Ballard’s new set of wheels looks different from the other bikes spotted around Fort Dodge. But she now gets to go out and about, something that wasn’t possible just a month ago. Ballard, who is 10, was born missing the middle piece of her brain. One of the consequences of that is that she can’t manage a traditional bicycle. But she has always wanted to get out and ride with all the other kids. A happy coincidence that seems like it came ...

Shop local this 2024 holiday season

Local Columns

With the holiday season around the corner, it’s easy to get swept into the convenience of online shopping - trust me, we’ve all been there. The demands of family, work, and packed to-do lists can push us toward quick solutions when it comes to holiday gifts. But this season, I encourage you to pause and consider the impact of shopping local. Every dollar spent at our local neighborhood shops is more than just a purchase, it’s an investment in our shared community. For example, revenue from local businesses goes directly back into the community, supporting essential services like ...

Angels of Love bring holiday hope, happiness

Editorial

As the holiday season begins, angel ornaments will start appearing everywhere. You’ll see them dangling from the branches of Christmas trees and standing on window ledges. Area residents now have an opportunity to add another angel to their collection of Christmas decorations and at the same time help pay for some needed items for UnityPoint Health — Trinity Regional Medical Center. More than two decades ago, the members of the Trinity Regional Medical Center Auxiliary came up with a neat idea. They decided to sell angel ornaments in the hospital’s gift shop and use the money ...

Group with compelling list of accomplishments is honored

Editorial

Since it opened more than 50 years ago, Iowa Central Community College has had students who excel in the classrooms, labs and shops and also in the venues of athletic competition. It has also produced graduates who went on to distinguished careers in public service, business, health care and just about every other field of human endeavor. The school has a Hall of Fame to honor its outstanding students, faculty, staff members, and alumni. Each year, a select few are inducted. This year’s induction ceremony was held Nov.9. The inductees are: • Mark Campbell, an Iowa Central ...

AFES Community Christmas signup is nearing

Letters to the Editor

To the editor: This year marks AFES’s fifth anniversary of continuing the “Operation Christmas” tradition, now known as AFES Community Christmas. Since taking over this beloved program, we’ve made some changes to better serve our community, yet our mission remains the same: bringing joy and essential support to families in need. AFES Community Christmas is more than just a toy giveaway; it’s about meeting real needs. We provide each child with at least three toys, one new outfit, and essential hygiene items. Families who apply and qualify will receive necessities like ...

Unified Republican government will deliver for America

Local Columns

On Nov. 5, the American people elected President Trump and Republican majorities in both the U.S. Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives to deliver conservative victories for our country and put America first. With over 76 million Americans casting their ballot for President Trump, Republicans have received a mandate to undo the damage caused by the Biden-Harris administration and get our country back on track. As the new year approaches, we are preparing now to hit the ground running and enact a conservative policy agenda that benefits our families, farmers, businesses, and rural ...