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Iowans have a rare political opportunity

The key part Iowa’s caucuses play in the process through which our major political parties select their nominees for president will put Iowa at the heart of the 2020 campaign for the next few months. Our caucuses get enormous attention from the national news media because they come at the very start of the presidential campaign. Not very many convention delegates are at stake. Even so, a candidate who does well here gets a big publicity boost. Winning in the Hawkeye State can put a candidate on his or her way to becoming our nation’s next chief executive. The caucus system ...

Boone Forks Region is a natural wonder

There are some wonderful outdoor surprises awaiting anyone who thinks Iowa is just acre after acre of corn and soybean fields. Right here in the Fort Dodge region there are two scenic rivers. The Des Moines River flows through Webster County while the Boone River flows through Hamilton County. Than there are the area parks that offers forests for shade, trails to explore and places to enjoy a picnic. Chief among those parks are Dolliver Memorial State Park and Brushy Creek State Recreation Area, both in Webster County, and Briggs Woods Recreation Area in Hamilton County. Dolliver ...

Farm to School Program deserves support

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farm to School Program makes grants available to school districts and other organizations to support projects that connect American young people with farmers, ranchers and agricultural producers in their communities. According to the USDA, this grant funding is designed in part to “increase the amount of healthy, local foods served in schools and create economic opportunities for nearby farmers.” Beyond that, the endeavor supports an array of collaborative learning opportunities. These undertakings include student field trips to local farms, ...

Strengthening rural Iowa

Iowa is a great place to live. Its economy is strong and the quality of life it affords has few equals anywhere in the nation. Even so, some of our state’s rural communities aren’t fully sharing the generally upbeat prognosis for the Hawkeye State’s future. Gov. Kim Reynolds is determined that as Iowa continues to thrive in the years ahead no part of the state will be forgotten. That’s why she launched the Empower Rural Iowa Initiative in July 2018. Last year task forces that included a wide array of community stakeholders were appointed by the governor. They developed ...

Legislative session was good for ag

Agriculture long has been at the heart of our state’s economic well-being. The state’s farms and those industries related to agriculture remain absolutely vital to the Hawkeye State’s continued prosperity. Whenever the Legislature convenes issues pertinent to agriculture get especially careful consideration. The 2019 session was no exception. Much that will position the farm economy to thrive in the years ahead was accomplished. Shortly after the Legislature adjourned, Mike Naig, who heads the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, expressed satisfaction with the ...

We are grateful for your sacrifice

We all likely know someone who has served in this nation’s military. After all, 16 million Americans served during the most horrific war in history — World War II. More than six million served in the Korean War. Almost nine million GIs were on active duty during the Vietnam War, from 1964 to 1973; 2,709,918 Americans actually served in Vietnam. That’s 9.7 percent of their generation. For nearly a decade, the Honor Flight program has made it possible for thousands of those veterans to visit the memorials to their personal sacrifices. Locally, Ron Newsum heads a ...