Breaking News

Zimmer finds a new calling

Editor's note: This feature first ran in a special publication called Hometown Pride, published June 27, 2026, featuring Vickie Zimmer had been a nurse for most of her professional career when she discovered a fulfilling life completely outside of her comfort zone. What began as a fill-in ...

Third Avenue Northwest work, water loan on FD council agenda

More work on the Third Avenue Northwest corridor and a loan to pay for water system improvements are on the agenda for the Fort Dodge City Council tonight. The council will meet at 6 p.m. in the Municipal Building, 819 First Ave. S. Work is underway on the reconstruction of several blocks of Third Avenue Northwest. A contract the council will consider awarding tonight would provide the finishing details to the project. The contract includes storm sewer and water main improvements, construction of 1,100 feet of dual use path, tree plantings, lighting and installation of ...

A Second Chance at Life

For years, Jane Curtis told the stories that shaped her community, chronicling moments of resilience, loss, hope and perseverance. As editor of The Messenger and later editor of The Daily Freeman-Journal in Webster City, she spent decades documenting the lives of others. When she retired ...

UnityPoint Health — Fort Dodge creates economic impact in Webster County

UnityPoint Health — Fort Dodge generated 1,120 jobs and provided $155 million in wages that contributed to Webster County's economy last year, according to the latest study by the Iowa Hospital Association. “We continue to invest in our team members and providing high-quality medical ...

Author with FD roots to return

Jackie Haley, a successful author and former Fort Dodge resident, will make a presentation Thursday in the town where she grew up. She will speak at 1 p.m. Thursday at First Presbyterian Church, 1111 Fifth Ave. N. People should enter the northeast door of the church. Her family moved to Fort Dodge when she was in fifth grade. She graduated from Fort Dodge Senior High School in 1998 and earned a Bachelor’s degree from Iowa State University in Ames. Her first book, “Crystal Beach,” was published in 2012. It is a novel that combines romance with a spy thriller story. The sequel ...