Verlin Eaker, 86, of Mechanicsville, Iowa passed away Sunday, July 14, 2019, at his home, nearly nine months after the passing of his beloved wife, Sharon.
Funeral Service was held Friday, July 19, 2019, at Stewart Baxter Funeral & Memorial Services, Mount Vernon, Iowa by Pastor Josh Swaim.

Authorities are searching for a Dodge Center woman in relation to a  hit-and-run incident in Austin last week. 
According to authorities, around Noon on Friday, July 19, Austin Police say a vehicle struck a pedestrian in Austin. 

12 years ago Hayfield Math Teacher and Activities Director Chris Pack’s son was born with Down Syndrome. 
Ever since then, his family and him have looked for ways to help raise money that support special needs programs. 
For a couple of years they did the Buddy Walk in St. Paul to help support the State Down Syndrome Association, but they ultimately knew they wanted to do more locally. 

House fire breaks out Friday morning just outside of Kasson
Members of the  Kasson, Dodge Center, and Byron Fire Departments responded to a house fire at 25222 County Road 34 around 10 a.m. this morning.
According to officials the house located just outside of city limits in Kasson, had significant damage to it due to the fire. Despite the damage none of the residents were hurt.

A poll released this week regarding retirement caught my attention. While I’m still many years away from being retired, it always seems to somehow peak my interest.

Over the weekend I had one of my favorite ‘proud dad moments.’ 
Before I go any further no I don’t have any human kids currently, instead we have a soon to be three year old dog named Finn, along with two older cats Eloise and Snowball. 
On Saturday, I had even more of a reason to be proud as Finn along with his handler Lydia, got a blue and ribbon during the Dodge County 4-H Dog Show.

For many fairgoers a fair is not a fair without animals. And at the Dodge County Fair there are animals galore.
FFA and 4-H members will be showing their animals and other Dodge County residents will get into the act with the open classes.
The first event of the fair actually was held last Saturday with the 4-H Dog Show.
Tuesday, July 16, is check-in day at the fair and all livestock need to be in place by 7 p.m.

Vintage and classic cars were plentiful last week as the second in a series of Summer Classic Car Shows was held at the American Legion Post in Dodge Center.
Sixty-eight classic cars were on display last Tuesday, said Steve Peterson of Hayfield who is organizing the shows this summer. There were more than cars involved as brats and hamburgers were available and there was the “first-ever” apple pie eating contest in Dodge Center.

Ever since she was little, Val Sauder has been attending American Dairy Association banquets and has seen numerous girls crowned as a Dodge County Dairy Princess.
After dreaming of one day being a dairy princess herself, that dream became a reality this year as she was crowned as a Dodge County Dairy Princess along with Katrina Thoe.