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The Farm Bill prevents American farmland from falling into the wrong hands

Local Columns

Before I voted for the Farm Bill — which passed out of the House Agriculture Committee in May — I held many town halls with farmers and producers as part of my 36 County Tour and Feenstra Agriculture Tour to ensure that the priorities of our agricultural community were included in this vital legislation. In my conversations with producers, I repeatedly heard about the need for strong crop insurance protections, more opportunities to access new export markets, and foreign animal disease prevention and response. These provisions — and many others — were incorporated into the ...

Shellabration Inc. is an asset to Fort Dodge

Editorial

Jim Reed, Ted Bodensteiner, Craig Schlienz and all the other volunteers who make up Shellabration Inc. have pulled off another musical masterpiece. On Friday night, thousands of people crammed into the intersection of Central Avenue and Ninth Street for this year’s Shellabration concert. They were treated to rousing performances by the Tank Anthony Band, The Babys and headliner Rick Springfield. Hundreds of local volunteers worked behind the scenes for months to make the show possible, then shifted into really high gear the day before the concert to get everything set up. Then the ...

Work of many made for softball tournament success

Editorial

The 2024 Girls State Softball Tournament did not end exactly the way both the Fort Dodge Dodgers and St. Edmond Gaels and their fans had hoped it would, but it still showcased our community and its outstanding sports complex. The fact that Fort Dodge has hosted the tournament for more than 50 years is a tribute to the work and the partnerships created by essentially a generation’s worth of local leaders. These are leaders who have seen the value in both having a world class facility in Harlan and Hazel Rogers Sports Complex, and maintaining a close relationship with the Iowa High ...

Brady O’Brien Live says thank you

Letters to the Editor

To the editor: The Brady O'Brien Live REVIVAL Project Team would like to thank The Messenger, Eric Pratt and Britt Kudla for the great article, and all our sponsors who supported us in our first event. On July 6, 2024, we celebrated 445 Christians worshipping together as we listened to music from Brady O'Brien, Grace Casciato, Tammy Johnson and national contemporary Christian recording artist Ryan Stevenson at the Laramar Ballroom. Please mark your calendars for Brady O'Brien Live's upcoming events. Thursday, Aug. 1: Ronald McDonald House Special Event at the Laramar ...

There are many reasons to be a member of the Greater Fort Dodge Growth Alliance

Local Columns

Joining the Greater Fort Dodge Growth Alliance offers numerous benefits for organizations and businesses looking to grow and thrive in the Fort Dodge area. Here are some key reasons why membership can be advantageous. Networking opportunities. Members have access to a wide range of networking events, such as our quarterly Member Meet & Eat luncheons and quarterly Leading Ladies of Fort Dodge programs, and ribbon-cuttings, which provide opportunities to connect with other local business leaders and potential clients. Advocacy and representation. The Growth Alliance serves as a voice ...

Webster City, Van Diest Supply team up on water tower project

Editorial

There are lessons to be learned in building a community. This one stands out: We must work together. An example of this is the recent collaboration between the City of Webster City and Van Diest Supply Co. Together, they will build and maintain a new 250,000-gallon water tower near Van Diest Supply Co.’s factory complex west of Webster City. The company will pay for the design and construction of the new tower, with the City of Webster City assuming normal maintenance and operating costs, estimated at $5,000 to $15,000 a year. The city learned last fall that Van Diest’s ...