Founded in 2010
News & Entertainment for Mason City, Clear Lake & the Entire North Iowa Region
By Glen M. MacDonald – It was a long hot summer. The United States experienced the warmest July in its history, with more than 3,000 heat records broken across the country. Overall,
By Ed Morales – The mainstream press should stop using the adjective “illegal” to describe immigrants. Tagging this label on immigrants without proper documentation has become part of the American lexicon. But
By Dan Wiederer, Star Tribune (Minneapolis) – MINNERAPOLIS — Amazing what success can do for a team’s confidence. Consider this scenario from midway through the fourth quarter Sunday at Mall of America
By D. Orlando Ledbetter, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution – LANDOVER, Md. — Most of the current Falcons aren’t really into historical relevance. But center Todd McClure, who’s been with the team since 1999,
By Anthony Fenech, Detroit Free Press – DETROIT — Back and forth, back and forth, back and — the Detroit Tigers are headed forth to Oakland with a two-game lead. Don Kelly
By Jeff Zrebiec, The Baltimore Sun – KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Baltimore Ravens can’t get out of Kansas City soon enough. It wasn’t a good performance by any means, but three
By Derrick Goold, St. Louis Post-Dispatch – ST. LOUIS — The St. Louis Cardinals’ offense had every opportunity to take Game 1 of the National League division series from the Washington Nationals
By Reggie Hayes, The News-Sentinel (Fort Wayne, Ind.) – INDIANAPOLIS — Reggie Wayne asked the Indianapolis Colts equipment manager to track down some orange gloves for him to honor ailing coach Chuck
B y Zach Berman, The Philadelphia Inquirer – PITTSBURGH — Through the season’s first month, the Philadelphia Eagles fostered a mind-set that they could win games like the one they lost on
By Adam H. Beasley, The Miami Herald – MIAMI — The Miami Dolphins finally made a late lead hold up. After blowing fourth-quarter advantages in each of the last two weeks, Miami
By Ron Green Jr., The Charlotte Observer – CHARLOTTE, N.C. — So much for turning things around. The Carolina Panthers’ disappointing season took another negative turn Sunday with a 16-12 loss to
By Anthony Fenech, Detroit Free Press – DETROIT — Back and forth, back and forth, back and — the Detroit Tigers are headed forth to Oakland with a two-game lead. Don Kelly
By Shannon Ryan, Chicago Tribune – CHICAGO — Rita Jeptoo raised her arms in celebration as she crossed the finish line of the Chicago Marathon, yet the Kenyan said she knew she
A burn ban that was set in Hancock county on September 11th was lifted on Sunday at noon. A burn ban is still in effect for Cerro Gordo, Winnebago and Franklin counties
By Jim Souhan, Star Tribune (Minneapolis) – MINNEAPOLIS — Two theories have become popular among vocal Twins fans in the past few months. The first is that the franchise is too loyal
By Jim Puzzanghera, Tribune Washington Bureau – WASHINGTON – The campaigns of President Obama and Mitt Romney traded sharp accusations of lies and distortions Sunday as the race headed into its final
By Batsheva Sobelman, Los Angeles Times – JERUSALEM—The day after an unidentified drone penetrated Israeli airspace and was shot down by the Israeli air force Saturday, speculation continued about the origin of
MASON CITY – A Mason City man failed to show up for court and is now being held in jail. Cameron Joe Brunstein, 21, had an arraignment hearing on October 1st for
From the Iowa Dept. of Corrections – The following offender has escaped from a residential work release facility. The offender was transferred to this facility after being granted a work release by
by Jody Spear and Kelly Meyer – MASON CITY – Main Street Mason City put on the First Annual Cheers & Beers “A Borderland Beer Festival” in downtown Mason City, Saturday. Casey and Aimee
CLEAR LAKE, IA – The Surf Ballroom & Museum announced today the artists who are scheduled to appear at the 2013 Winter Dance Party event, scheduled for January 31st-February 2nd. “We are
MASON CITY – An allegedly intoxicated Clear Lake man led Mason City police on a chase through the City Sunday morning. Police attempted to stop Robert Troy Knutson, 48, just before 2
Courtesy: cyclones.com – FT WORTH, Texas – David Irving tipped a pass, intercepted it and ran 21 yards for a touchdown and Iowa State ended the nation’s longest win streak with a
By Tina Susman, Los Angeles Times – NEW YORK — A cancer-stricken woman fighting a right-to-die battle against her parents won the backing of an appellate court Friday, which ruled that the 28-year-old
MASON CITY – A wanted man with numerous drug and operating while intoxicated offenses on his record turned himself into authorities on Thursday. Gary Edward Showman, 45, showing a Mason City address,
By Tiffany Hsu, Los Angeles Times – The Ikea catalog distributed in Saudi Arabia is the same as in other countries except for what it’s missing — women. The Swedish publication Metro
By Todd Martens, Los Angeles Times – Ramin Djawadi always dreamed of composing a film score, and the Berklee College of Music graduate has done plenty, including 2008’s “Iron Man.” But this week
By Alex Pavlovic, San Jose Mercury News – SAN FRANCISCO—A San Francisco Giants team that prides itself on resiliency was beaten at its own game Saturday night. The Reds lost Game 1 starter
Senator Chuck Grassley made the following statement after the White House called a meeting with Senate staff about the President’s upcoming executive order on cybersecurity. Grassley is a co-author of the SECURE
By Kim Murphy, Los Angeles Times – SEATTLE — If a chair hangs in a tree, does it represent murder? The debate on whether lawn chairs with the president’s name on them
SEOUL, South Korea — A North Korean army sergeant defected to the South on Saturday, crossing the heavily armed border after shooting his unit leaders, a South Korean military spokesman said. South
By Chuck Barney, Contra Costa Times – “Steel Magnolias,” the 1989 film starring Sally Field, Shirley MacLaine and a young Julia Roberts, gained a well-earned reputation as a quintessential “chick flick” and one
By Walter Tunis, Lexington Herald-Leader – LEXINGTON, Ky. — Among the modest breakthroughs in the unobvious pop career of Andrew Bird was a journey to New Orleans to record with the famed Preservation
From Carmen and Mike Tickal, owners of Oak Leaf Collectibles in downtown Mason City – MASON CITY – Oak Leaf Collectibles opened for business in Mason City on October 1, 1977. Mike
CHARLES CITY – Governor Terry Branstad and officials from the Iowa Economic Development Authority and the Iowa Council of Foundations (ICoF) announced on Thursday the funding of the 2012 County Endowment Fund
By Sheera Frenkel, McClatchy Newspapers – TEL AVIV, Israel — The economic crisis that has hit the newspaper industry in the United States and elsewhere is threatening some of Israel’s most influential
By Richard Simon, Los Angeles Times – WASHINGTON — Uncle Sam is in your debt — to the tune of more than $16 trillion and counting. But Americans have been voluntarily contributing to
By W.J. Hennigan, Los Angeles Times – LOS ANGELES — Rocket maker SpaceX is poised to return to the International Space Station with its Dragon spacecraft to carry out the first contracted cargo
By Gerrick D. Kennedy, Los Angeles Times – LOS ANGELES — A decade after being crowned the inaugural “American Idol” champion, Kelly Clarkson has announced that she will issue her first career retrospective.
By Ayako Nishidoji, The Yomiuri Shimbun – OSAKA, Japan — It is often said love is not logical. Yet, the “study of love,” which attempts to objectively and scientifically analyze romance and teach