Founded in 2010
News & Entertainment for Mason City, Clear Lake & the Entire North Iowa Region
By Annie Sweeney, Chicago Tribune – CHICAGO — A former chief of staff to Rod Blagojevich who was also a close friend to the disgraced former Illinois governor was sentenced Wednesday to two
By Sean Cockerham, McClatchy Newspapers – WASHINGTON — A Bush-era federal law that protects gun dealers from being liable for murders committed with guns from their shops is under fire in an Alaska
By Rosemary Sobol, Chicago Tribune – CHICAGO — A copper cross that has stood at a Chicago Catholic parish since 1895 was vandalized late Monday or early Tuesday, according to police and the
By Lesley Clark and Steven Thomma, McClatchy Newspapers – WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama slammed likely rival Mitt Romney and the Republican Party on Tuesday for the “social Darwinism” of their policies, working
By Steven Thomma, McClatchy Newspapers – WASHINGTON — The Republican Party takes a three-week break from presidential primaries starting Wednesday, poised to rally at last behind Mitt Romney as its nominee but still
By Steven Thomma, McClatchy Newspapers – WASHINGTON — Mitt Romney coasted to a primary victory in Maryland on Tuesday, tightening his grip on the Republican presidential nomination. (PHOTO: GOP presidential hopeful Mitt Romney spoke
Orlan Love, CR Gazette – As long as Iowa farmers lead the nation in corn production, they will be among the leading contributors of nitrogen fertilizer to the dead zone in the
Rod Boshart, CR Gazette – DES MOINES — Partisans in the split-control Iowa Legislature are optimistic they will be able to send a scaled-back version of Gov. Terry Branstad proposed education reform
Diane Heldt, CR Gazette – University of Iowa Provost P. Barry Butler named Alec B. Scranton as dean of the College of Engineering, effective immediately, officials announced Monday. Scranton has served as
James Q. Lynch, CR Gazette – DES MOINES – The Iowa house came to a standstill this afternoon when a clerk for Rep. Ako Abdul-Samad, D-Des Moines, opened a letter that contained
Rod Boshart, CR Gazette – DES MOINES – Legislation offering a sales tax rebate to a company planning a $38 million investment in the Field of Dreams near Dyersville reached home plate
MASON CITY – Mason City police started off April 1st with a report of a fight in progress around 12:10 a.m. at Sidewinders Lounge located at 810 S. Pennsylvania Ave. in Mason
Dave DeWitte, CR Gazette – The City of Coralville and Von Maur may have to decide whether to go forward with a deal to bring the department store chain to Coralville while
James Q. Lynch, CR Gazette – DES MOINES — Gov. Terry Branstad is urging lawmakers to “restore stability and predictability” to Iowa’s three regents universities by approving his recommendation for an additional
By Alex Rodriguez, Los Angeles Times – ISLAMABAD, Pakistan — The U.S. government has set a $10-million bounty on Hafiz Mohammed Saeed, the founder of a Pakistani militant group with suspected links to
McClatchy Newspapers – MANATEE, Fla. — A woman was arrested in a prostitution sting but not before she got two double cheeseburgers off the dollar menu at a McDonald’s restaurant. Christine Faith
By Darren Barbee, McClatchy Newspapers – FORT WORTH, Texas — A Mississippi traveling evangelist who often spoke to Texas youth groups — including several times at a Southlake church — is accused of
By Rick Bentley, McClatchy Newspapers – An Oscar-nominated film and two good TV series are among the top picks this week on DVD. —“War Horse,” grade B-minus: A horse becomes the link between
By Patrick Kevin Day, Los Angeles Times – LOS ANGELES — It’s still an unanswered question whether or not NBC’s “Community” will be back for a fourth season. But as of this week,
By Michael Vasquez, McClatchy Newspapers – MIAMI — Trayvon Martin’s death is “definitely” a case of murder, Miami Congresswoman Frederica Wilson told The Miami Herald during a sit-down video interview Tuesday. Wilson appeared
(DES MOINES) – The Office of Gov. Terry Branstad and Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds today learned that Southwest Airlines will begin flights from Des Moines on September 30, 2012. Upon hearing the
MASON CITY – A false alarm at the Historic Park Inn Hotel in downtown Mason City brought out fire trucks, ambulance and Mason City Police over the noon hour. “We are just
MASON CITY – According to figures from the state of Iowa, “food assistance” (formerly known as “food stamps”) has risen at an alarming rate over the past year in the North Iowa
By Rebecca Trounson, Los Angeles Times – LOS ANGELES — The federal government unlocked a treasure trove of U.S. history Monday, allowing researchers, genealogists and the public free online access to detailed information
(DES MOINES, Iowa) The Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division has settled an investigation of a Muscatine used vehicle dealership over the interest rates the dealership charged its customers. The settlement with A-1
By Marc Lifsher and Tiffany Hsu, Los Angeles Times – SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A national ground beef processor owned by Los Angeles private equity firm Yucaipa Cos. and basketball Hall of Famer Magic
By Kathleen B. Hennessey and Brian Bennett, Tribune Washington Bureau – WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama hosted the leaders of Mexico and Canada on Monday in a White House summit aimed at boosting
By La Velle E. Neal III, Star Tribune (Minneapolis) – PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. — Minnesota Twins lefthander Francisco Liriano finished up an impressive spring training by giving up one earned run over five
By Roy Gutman, McClatchy Newspapers – DOMZIN, Iraq — In addition to shooting unarmed civilians, Syrian military personnel routinely have raped women and girls, tortured children and encouraged troops to loot the houses
From Congressman Steve King: “I have said for two years- we need to repeal it, we need to pull it out by the roots. It’s unconstitutional in a number of different ways,”
By Alfonso Chardy, McClatchy Newspapers – MIAMI — During a six-day nationwide operation last week, 3,168 foreign nationals were arrested — the largest amount since a crackdown began in 2009 — by Immigration
MASON CITY – According to its Facebook page, the Mason City Airport Commission is seeking proposals for the lease/operation of its airport restaurant concession. “We are seeking a highly motivated and experienced
By Roy Gutman, McClatchy Newspapers – DOMZIN, Iraq — Former Syrian soldiers who have escaped to northern Iraq are telling grisly stories of how their units executed unarmed civilians for demonstrating against the
MASON CITY, Iowa – April 2, 2012 – Interstate Power and Light Company (IPL), an Alliant Energy company, is working on another Power Iowa project in Worth County which will enhance the safety and
By Seema Mehta, Los Angeles Times – PASADENA, Calif. — The Republican presidential candidates’ focus on issues such as contraception, abortion and health care will push female voters into President Barack Obama’s corner
By Michael Finnegan, Los Angeles Times – MENASHA, Wis. — If Rick Santorum was weighing whether to abandon his quest for the presidency on Monday, the eve of the Wisconsin primary that could
From Senator Chuck Grassley: Q: How do you see the recent attention given to lean finely textured beef? A: I enjoy and appreciate beef in a meal as often as possible, and
By David G. Savage, Tribune Washington Bureau – WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court refused to halt routine strip searches of new jail inmates, including those arrested for minor offenses, saying the need to
WASHINGTON – A federal jury in Nashville, Tenn., has convicted two Bloods gang members for their roles in the murder of three individuals, a racketeering conspiracy and committing firearms offenses, announced Assistant Attorney
Joseph Picklo, 29, of Dallas, PA, was charged today by criminal complaint with attempting to carry on an explosive device on a plane, following an incident at Philadelphia International Airport. Picklo was being