Founded in 2010
News & Entertainment for Mason City, Clear Lake & the Entire North Iowa Region
By Torey Van Oot, McClatchy Newspapers – SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Republican hopeful Elizabeth Emken faces a steep climb in her bid to unseat Democratic U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein in California, according to
MASON CITY – Shortly before 6pm on July 4th, 18-year-old Gage Nolan Shafer of 22246 315TH Street of rural Plymouth turned himself in at the Cerro Gordo County Law Enforcement Complex on
Rod Boshart, CR GAZETTE – Iowa Lottery officials have released the names of the 20 Quaker Oats plant workers in Cedar Rapids who recently claimed a share of a $241 million Powerball
by Jody Spear and Kelly Meyer – MASON CITY – The kids that were at Big Blue Friday afternoon were beating the 100+ degree temperatures in an enjoyable way. Whether they were
By Frances Robles, McClatchy Newspapers – MIAMI — Donations to George Zimmerman legal defense fund increased nearly 20-fold since a judge ordered a $1 million bond, his attorney said Friday. A judge
By David O’Reilly, The Philadelphia Inquirer – PHILADELPHIA — The Archdiocese of Philadelphia has announced it is restoring to ministry four priests who were accused of sexual abuse or inappropriate conduct with
By Steve Lyttle, McClatchy Newspapers – CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Portions of Smoky Mountains National Park will be closed throughout the weekend, following Thursday night’s powerful thunderstorms that killed two people and injured
By Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times – LOS ANGELES — Teen pop sensation Justin Bieber was stopped and cited for driving in a “reckless manner” on the busy 101 Freeway on Friday
By Stephanie Warsmith, Rick Armon and John Higgins, Akron Beacon Journal – AKRON, Ohio — The Rev. Jesse Jackson and his son have stopped at Ann’s Place. So have several professional football
By Jim Puzzanghera, Los Angeles Times – WASHINGTON — The nation’s job-creation engine is stuck in low gear, making businesses hesitant to hire enough workers to get the U.S. recovery on track
By Karen Rouse, The Record (Hackensack N.J.) – HACKENSACK, N.J. — Port Authority officials said Friday they will spend the money — $10,000 in overtime — to keep the American flag flying
By Juan O. Tamayo, McClatchy Newspapers – MIAMI — The first cholera outbreak in Cuba in a century has left at least 15 dead and sent hundreds to hospitals all but sealed
MASON CITY – The father of a sexual assault victim in Mason City fears the perpetrator will get away with it, he told NIT. The identity of the man and his daughter
Angela Johnson should be shot; then thrown in a shallow trench and then brought back to life and repeat the procedure five times. This woman is one of the great misfits of
MASON CITY – Several readers asked about the fire trucks and ambulances at Big Blue on Friday. This was a routine training exercise that the Mason City Fire Department and emergency responders
Located in a remote area of Arizona that shares a 76-mile stretch of land with the Mexico border, the Tohono O’odham Nation became a thoroughfare for smugglers. “It’s the reality of living
From the Iowa Department of Natural Resources: The DNR has taken the following enforcement actions. Cerro Gordo County Golden Grain Energy, LLC, Mason City Comply with the requirements of its air quality
John Shipley, Pioneer Press, St. Paul, Minn. – Here is our Twins midseason report card, with statistics through Wednesday, July 4, the midpoint (81 games) of the season: OFFENSE: B- The Twins’ batting
Marc Morehouse, CR Gazette – STRONG SAFETY NICO LAW Arrival: The 6-1, 195-pounder was a good get for Iowa in the ’11 class. Law chose the Hawkeyes over offers from homestate Maryland,
By Mike Huguenin, Rivals.com – Here’s a look at the 10 most explosive players in the nation heading into the season. (The statistics cited come from the NCAA statistics website and from cfbstats.com,
By Monte Poole, The Oakland Tribune – His face is smooth as a baby’s bottom, almost as smooth as his jump shot. He works a basketball court, as well as a room, with
By Ben Fritz, Los Angeles Times – LOS ANGELES — Four of Hollywood’s biggest 2012 movies are on hold until 2013. Delayed and missing their dates at the box office are the sequel
David Hanners, Pioneer Press, St. Paul, Minn. – A Blaine hacker’s 18-year prison sentence was just and proper, a federal appeals court ruled Thursday, July 5. In considering the appeal of Barry Vincent
Andrew Krammer, Pioneer Press, St. Paul, Minn. – Cates Construction stumbled upon a piece of downtown Stillwater’s history while renovating a liquor store. An old, painted wooden sign reading “Starkel’s Candies and Lunches”
By Patrick Goldstein, Los Angeles Times – When I was with a group of parents earlier this week, watching our kids play in a 14-and-under baseball tournament, I asked them how many of
By Jon Waterhouse, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution – ATLANTA — Ringo Starr’s hands must be cramping by now. No, not because of the drumming. The former Beatle, who’s bringing his All Starr Band to
AMES, Iowa – July 2, 2012 – The Iowa Department of Transportation has received a $1.51 million Veterans Transportation and Community Living Initiative grant from the Federal Transit Administration. The purpose of
By Arlene Satchell, Sun Sentinel – FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — If you want to sit next to family or friends the next time you fly, better not leave it up to chance
By Paul Brand, Star Tribune (Minneapolis) – QUESTION: Recently on a road trip I was passed by a car on which one of its rear tires appeared to be bouncing up and
By Erika Pesantes and Rafael A. Olmeda, Sun Sentinel – FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — The jurors who convicted a teenager of aggravated battery for the 2009 burning attack of Deerfield Beach Middle School
By Garth Stapley, McClatchy Newspapers – MODESTO, Calif. — Scott Peterson’s attorney formally appealed his death sentence Thursday, seeking freedom a day after Independence Day and more than seven years after he was
By Denise-Marie Balona, The Orlando Sentinel – ORLANDO, Fla. — Three days before the hazing death of FAMU drum major Robert Champion, the dean of students had urged top administrators to impose a
By Matea Gold, Tribune Washington Bureau – WASHINGTON — Forget any summer lull before the conventions. Voters in battleground states will be swamped with campaign television ads in coming weeks, as was evident
SHENANDOAH – An angler sees the problem Thursday morning, June 28, a 200- or 300-gallon gas barrel stranded in the mud flats on the East Nishnabotna River bank. He calls Deb Howe,
By Lisa Mascaro, Tribune Washington Bureau – WASHINGTON — The lackluster jobs report brought a swift and coordinated response from Capitol Hill, with Republicans blaming the poor showing on President Barack Obama’s policies,
DES MOINES – Assistance is available to industries and agricultural operations in complying with environmental regulations. “Our emphasis in the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has always been on compliance rather
By Brian Bennett, Tribune Washington Bureau – WASHINGTON — A computer specialist is suing the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security after a controversial fingerprint-sharing program incorrectly identified him as an illegal
By Ian Duncan, Tribune Washington Bureau – WASHINGTON — A parade of District of Columbia politicians and operatives keeps passing through the doors of the federal courthouse, pleading guilty to felonies. They leave
By Steven Zeitchik, Los Angeles Times – LOS ANGELES — The music industry churns out numerous top-selling artists every year, many of them with interesting back stories. So why did Paramount decide to
By Christie D’Zurilla, Los Angeles Times – LOS ANGELES — Forget what you might have heard at that Fourth of July barbecue: Katie Holmes wants to keep her divorce from Tom Cruise as