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Editorial

Hard work of governing must begin

The 2026 general election is over. Many folks will breathe a sigh of relief at that thought. We congratulate the winners of Tuesday's votes, and we challenge them to do two things. First, the easy challenge, for both the election winners and losers. Remove your yard signs and any other promotional materials you may have put up. The election is over, so there is no need for them to be up any more. We challenge the winners of Tuesday's voting to do something much more difficult than picking up the signs. We challenge them to govern in a mature, responsible way that will benefit all ...

Make your voice heard on Election Day

Election Day is nearly here. On Tuesday, thousands of people will go to the polls to decide who will lead our nation, state and county. And voters will also decide the fate of a proposed state constitutional amendment that would require a two-thirds majority vote of the legislature to increase the income tax. The polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday. A listing of Webster County polling places is in today's edition of The Messenger. If you have not voted already, do not miss this chance to make your voice heard. Casting a ballot is a crucial way for everyday citizens to ...

The time has come to end Daylight Saving Time

People across Iowa will set their clocks back one hour tonight because of Daylight Saving Time. That means if they go to bed at their regular time they will get an extra hour of sleep. Hopefully, they will also replace the batteries in their smoke detectors that use 9-volt batteries. Serving as a reminder to replace the smoke detector batteries is a big advantage of the twice yearly ritual of changing the clocks. The other advantages to changing the clocks are less and less apparent. For as long as anybody can remember, Iowans have been changing their clocks twice a year for ...

Let’s keep Halloween fun

Unlike most holidays, Halloween really has no serious purpose. It's primarily an opportunity for harmless, child-oriented fun. Costumes, trick-or-treat activities and an opportunity to engage in make-believe combine to make Halloween a favorite of youngsters and those still young at heart. Unfortunately, what can be a day filled with happy festivities can turn tragic if adults don't ensure that important safety precautions are observed. Drivers in particular need to be mindful that in the dark of early evening, large numbers of children preoccupied with trick-or-treat pursuits may be ...

Chief justice’s legacy to be honored

Fairly and correctly administering the law was a form of public service that Mark Cady turned into his life’s work. Cady, the Fort Dodge man who was the chief justice of the Iowa Supreme Court when he died in November 2019, was a steady presence in courtrooms for nearly 40 years. He began his judicial career as a Webster County district associate court judge. He steadily moved up the ranks of the state’s judiciary, becoming a district court judge, judge of the Iowa Court of Appeals and justice of the Iowa Supreme Court. He became chief justice in 2010. During that time, he heard ...

It’s Domestic Violence Awareness Month

Most people never experience domestic violence. Unfortunately, however, some estimates put the incidence among Americans at more than 12 million people each year. Women, men and children all can be victims. No socioeconomic or age group is spared. Researchers tell us, however, that young women between the ages of 18 and 34 are especially likely to experience domestic violence. Roughly one in four American women over the age of 18 become victims of abuse at some point during their lives. October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Making people more cognizant of this problem and ...