
Spotlight


Soroptimists bring fiction to reality for FM princesses
BY AVA PEITZ PCC Holy Trinity Catholic Intern FORT MADISON – The local Soroptimists brought fiction to reality for many youth Saturday as local princesses gathered at Fort Madison Comfort Inn & Suites for the [Read More…]

Richardson puts Autism in the spotlight
BY CHUCK VANDENBERG PCC EDITOR FORT MADISON – Richardson Elementary School opened its doors and its heart Thursday night to showcase how the district works with students struggling with autism. The district’s two autism teachers [Read More…]

Kiwanis to celebrate 50th Anniversary in April
BY CHUCK VANDENBERG PCC EDITOR FORT MADISON – It started when about seven guys meeting at the Lincoln Hotel started a charter effort to help “serve the children of the world”. Only one person from [Read More…]

2018 Dinner Theater was a Huge Hit
ANIAH ROSS PCC FMHS INTERN FORT MADISON – This last weekend was an epic and emotional performance for the Fort Madison High School Music Department. Dinner Theater is held near the end of every school [Read More…]

Harvestville brings Wave to Lee County
BY CHUCK VANDENBERG PCC EDITOR DONNELLSON – This fall Harvestville Farms in Donnellson will bring a new twist to “…amber waves of grain”. Adam, Julie, and Kathy Hohl, owners of the fifth generation farm, were [Read More…]

New PAW cat homes could be girl’s legacy
BY CHUCK VANDENBERG PCC EDITOR FORT MADISON – We’re not supposed to outlive our children. It’s an unwritten rule we expect as parents and we don’t prepare for the flip of life when a child [Read More…]

FMAAA annual auction Saturday
BY BRIAN RIGGS Fort Madison Area Arts Association FORT MADISON – Expressions Art Auction is the annual fundraiser for the Ft. Madison Area Arts Association this Saturday at Comfort Inn & Suites in Ft. Madison. [Read More…]

Luna proud of 26-year body of work
BY CHUCK VANDENBERG PCC EDITOR FORT MADISON – He moved to Fort Madison with his family when he was just 13 years old and went to work falling in the love with the community. Now, [Read More…]

HTC puts on Wizard of Oz musical
BY AVA PEITZ PCC HTC INTERN FORT MADISON – Follow the Yellow Brick Road on down to the Shottenkirk Gymnasium next weekend to see Holy Trinity Catholic High School’s musical production of The Wizard of [Read More…]

Saving Abel, Pop Evil, and Colt Ford highlight RiverFest 2018 lineup
BY CHUCK VANDENBERG PCC EDITOR FORT MADISON – RiverFest fans that packed South Kinnick on Saturday night had to play guessing-games with Riverfest co-organizer Charles Craft on Saturday night to find out who would be [Read More…]

Slater’s ISEA nomination tells a bigger story
BY CHUCK VANDENBERG Sitting at a table Friday night at the Elliott Test Kitchen eating some of Kumar’s fresh-smooshed guacamole with chips, some hors d’oeuvre meatballs, and finger sandwiches with about 60 members of the [Read More…]

FM Elks Lodge holding Comedy Night March 16
BY PCC STAFF FORT MADISON – The Fort Madison Elks Club will be hosting a Comedy Night Friday at the Elks Lodge featuring two national comedy acts. Jamie Fritz will be the opening act, followed [Read More…]

OFP needs cast for “Dial ‘M’ for Murder” production
BY PCC STAFF FORT MADISON – The Old Fort Players will be holding auditions on March 14 and 15 for their spring play entitled “Dial M for Murder” written by Fredrick Knott. The cast [Read More…]

Cast set for OFPs’ “Misconceptions”
Submitted article FORT MADISON – Old Fort Players and Scott’s Company are proud to announce the cast of the Old Fort Players upcoming February production. Misconception’s is a two-act play written by Michael Vukadinovich and [Read More…]

FM Elks spin spaghetti dinner for city’s hoopsters
BY CHUCK VANDENBERG PCC EDITOR FORT MADISON – It was a room of red and blue Wednesday as the Fort Madison Elks Lodge put on a full spaghetti dinner for members of the Fort Madison [Read More…]

FMHS grad seeks state senate seat
BY CHUCK VANDENBERG PCC EDITOR CORALVILLE – A 2009 Fort Madison High School graduate is seeking a state senate seat in Iowa’s 37th district which encompasses mostly Johnson and Cedar Counties. Eric Dirth, son of [Read More…]

Holy Trinity 2018 Homecoming Court
Holy Trinity Catholic’s Homecoming King and Queen will be crowned prior to Friday night’s varsity basketball games. Coronation will be at 5:45 p.m. and the 2018 Court includes king candidates from left to right in [Read More…]

Sheriff’s wants to firm up 2017 programs in new year
BY CHUCK VANDENBERG PCC EDITOR FORT MADISON – Bringing in two K-9 officers and equipping officers and patrol cars with the latest video technology would be enough for most sheriff’s departments to call it good [Read More…]

Veterans honored before holidays at FMHS assembly
BY PCC STAFF FORT MADISON – The 2nd annual Veterans assembly at Fort Madison High School was held December 21, on the morning before the students and staff were released for winter break. Veterans from [Read More…]

FMAAA announces member exhibit winners
FMAAA Board President Angela Sodey announced the winners of 2017 Annual Member Artist Exhibition. Best of Show with $200 stipend goes to Gin Lammert of Pulaski for “Just Keep Swimming”. Best Photograph went to Lawrence [Read More…]

FMHS’ Hoenig, White invited to cheer at London parade
BY CHUCK VANDENBERG PCC EDITOR FORT MADISON – Two FMHS cheerleaders have, well…something to cheer about. Sophomore Chloe Hoenig and senior Mya White were both selected as All-Americans by Varsity Spirit at a summer camp [Read More…]

Dragonboat details unveiled for Riverfest 2018
BY CHUCK VANDENBERG PCC EDITOR FORT MADISON – More and more details are being released about this year’s third year in the reboot of what is and was RiverFest in Fort Madison,. Nick Bauswell, the [Read More…]

Three decades of collecting leads to miniature Christmas countryside
BY CHUCK VANDENBERG PCC EDITOR FORT MADISON – The holiday spirit is alive and well for a Fort Madison man who’s been building a collecting miniatures for a Christmas village that runs about 60 square [Read More…]

Local Pothitakis girls bringing warmth to season of giving
BY CHUCK VANDENBERG PCC EDITOR FORT MADISON – Inspired, again by a news broadcast of people helping people, two twin sisters from Fort Madison have taken to providing some warmth this holiday season. Samantha and [Read More…]


Lee County group hears pitch from anti-poverty group
CHUCK VANDENBERG PCC EDITOR FORT MADISON – About 80 Lee County economic and business representatives were introduced to a program aimed at knocking down hurdles that prop up generational poverty. Vern Reed, an at-risk counselor [Read More…]

OFP holding auditions for February production
BY PCC STAFF FORT MADISON – The Old Fort Players would like to invite all area Thespians to audition for their February production of “Misconceptions” which is written by Michael Vukadinovich, on Dec. 10 at [Read More…]

FMMS student builds holiday business to benefit Toys for Tots
BY CHUCK VANDENBERG PCC EDITOR FORT MADISON – A local Fort Madison student took a passion for animals and turned it into a means to raise funds for the local Toys for Tots program. Abbygail [Read More…]

Schiller, Central Lee student hoping to take LEGO project nationwide
BY CHUCK VANDENBERG PCC EDITOR DONNELLSON – A couple of months ago an FMHS student collected a semi full of supplies for hurricane-ravaged areas of the country, a middle school student sold pet pillows for [Read More…]

No Posz’ers here – these NOMADS are giving back
BY CHUCK VANDENBERG PCC EDITOR FORT MADISON – To them…it’s a God thing. Fully retired Jim and Betty Posz travel about five months out of the year in their 40-foot Sundance RV, but their travels [Read More…]

OFP takes familial look at the religions of Christmas
BY CHUCK VANDENBERG PCC EDITOR FORT MADISON – It’s not your typical holiday season community playhouse production. But that’s not what Old Fort Players director Kelly Shields wanted when she agreed to direct the program. [Read More…]

Plans already underway for 2018 RiverFest
BY CHUCK VANDENBERG PCC EDITOR FORT MADISON – With the 2017 RiverFest barely in the rearview mirror, organizers Charles and Jenny Craft are already hard at work building the third, what they say will be [Read More…]

Shields opens Avenue G video production service
BY CHUCK VANDENBERG PCC EDITOR FORT MADISON – There’s a certain palpable energy that’s starting to take hold in Fort Madison. It may seem slow to emerge with some businesses opening and some closing and [Read More…]

Lee County workforce officials want to tackle poverty
BY CHUCK VANDENBERG PCC EDITOR LEE COUNTY – An international program aimed at solving generational poverty may be coming to Lee County. The project, called Bridges Out of Poverty, looks at the specific issues facing [Read More…]

Holy Trinity Saxonia comes with a meal
BY PCC STAFF FORT MADISON – With the God’s Portion just over and the fall sports season drawing to a close, HTC drama department is gearing up for their Annual Fall Dinner Theater. The cast [Read More…]

Peace Prize project unveiled at Houel’s Fort Madison studio
BY CHUCK VANDENBERG PCC EDITOR FORT MADISON – You may have seen someone quietly, but feverishly, working behind the glass and a locked door at 731 Avenue G in the past couple years. On Saturday, [Read More…]

Gibbs talks pride with FMHS students
BY CHUCK VANDENBERG PCC EDITOR FORT MADISON – A Fort Madison native brought his story of personal persistence and rise through the harsh world of recording artists back home Thursday afternoon Fort Madison native and [Read More…]

Helping Hands for Harvey becomes a Puerto Rican aid effort
BY CHUCK VANDENBERG PCC EDITOR FORT MADISON – The efforts of a Fort Madison High School student that garnered regional and statewide attention almost ended with a thud last week. Lexi Miller, a student at [Read More…]

PORT’s Boo-Athlon fills Baxter Sports Complex
BY PCC STAFF FORT MADISON – Kids and adults alike came out Saturday morning to help raise funds for the Fort Madison PORT trails as part of the 4th annual PORT Spooktackular Boo-Athlon. Promoting Outdoor [Read More…]

Rooms with a view – Woodland Estates quickly becoming a reality
BY CHUCK VANDENBERG PCC EDITOR FORT MADISON – Twenty-seven homes in three years. Michael Mohrfeld will tell you he just builds as he sells, but a look at the Woodland Heights project he’s building right [Read More…]

“Dead Zone” brings scary soldier story to Old Fort
BY CHUCK VANDENBERG PCC EDITOR FORT MADISON – Despite a rain out last Saturday, ghouls and haunted spirits of the Old Fort have been pestering visitors to the “Dead Zone” haunted settlement over the past [Read More…]

HTC’s Hellman an International “Future Problem Solver”
BY CHUCK VANDENBERG EDITOR FORT MADISON – Looking into the eyes of Holy Trinity Catholic’s Michael Hellman and one wonders just what’s going on in that young mind. Hellman recently returned from the International competition [Read More…]

Rotary ‘petaling’ roses to raise local funds
BY PCC STAFF FORT MADISON – The Fort Madison Rotary Club has a way for you to surprise your loved ones this fall and the effort helps fund local community and charitable events. Orders for [Read More…]

Art in the Park winners announced
Courtesy of Fort Madison Arts Association FORT MADISON – The Fort Madison Area Arts Association presented it’s annual Art-In-Central-Park awards on Sunday. Artist Trax wins $250 Ft. Madison Partners Purchase Award awarded by Tim Gobble [Read More…]

St. Clair and Bentley named Fiesta royalty
BY PCC STAFF FORT MADISON – The 95th Annual Mexican Fiesta runs through Saturday night in the neighborhood of 34th and Avenue Q. Friday night featured the crowning of the Mexican Fiesta Queen and Princess. [Read More…]

Mexican Fiesta kicks off Thursday night
BY PCC STAFF FORT MADISON – Beginning Thursday night the area of 34th and O will be ramped up with the tradition that is the Fort Madison Mexican Fiesta. The event, steeped in the rich [Read More…]

Fans pack arena for CINCH shootout
BY CHUCK VANDENBERG PCC EDITOR FORT MADISON – The action was fast-paced and top level as 31 of the world’s best cowboys descended on Fort Madison for the fourth straight year to a packed C.E. [Read More…]

Calico press FMAAA’s September exhibit
Courtesy of Brian Riggs Fort Madison Area Arts Association FORT MADISON – Ft. Madison Area Arts Association always contributes to Ft. Madison’s major tourism month. The September feature exhibition uniquely blends the artistry of The [Read More…]

Rose, Booten get little coronations
BY PCC STAFF Ryan Rose, 7, and Allee Rose Booten, 6, were coronated Monday night as the All-Around Cowboy and Little Miss Rodeo at the Tri-State Rodeo CE ‘Eddie” RIchards Arena. Rose is the son [Read More…]