News Headlines for August 7, 2026
Northern Iowa truck driver escapes injury after dump truck collides with train in Charles City
CHARLES CITY — A Northern Iowa truck driver escaped injury Thursday afternoon after the construction truck he was driving collided with a moving Canadian Pacific train at a railroad crossing in Charles City.
Gov. Reynolds names Martin Noven to lead Iowa’s $47 billion IPERS retirement system
DES MOINES — Gov. Kim Reynolds has appointed veteran public pension executive Martin Noven as the next chief executive officer of the Iowa Public Employees’ Retirement System, placing him in charge of the retirement system relied upon by hundreds of thousands of Iowa public employees and retirees.
Noven’s appointment will take effect August 24, 2026.
Garner manufacturer Plas-Tech Tooling named national finalist, will compete for share of $1 million
GARNER — A North Iowa manufacturing company that began more than three decades ago in a two-car garage is headed to Washington, D.C., with a chance to win hundreds of thousands of dollars in a national small-business competition.
Plas-Tech Tooling, Inc. of Garner has been selected as one of just five finalists in the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Freedom 250 Patriot Pitch Competition.
Desperate felon flees Northern Iowa cops, nabbed with illicit drugs again
An Iowa felon with a lengthy criminal history is awaiting trial after authorities say he refused to stop for a deputy, led law enforcement on a dangerous six-mile pursuit through Northern Iowa and eventually crashed in neighboring Hardin County.
Rick Rodney Bitterman, 75 of Algona, remembered for steadfast faith, giving heart and devotion to family
ALGONA — Rick Rodney Bitterman, 75, whose life was shaped by deep faith, devotion to family and a generous spirit of service, passed away Tuesday, August 4, 2026, at MercyOne in Des Moines.
Visitation will be held Saturday, August 8, from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. at Trinity Lutheran Church, 520 N. Garfield Street in Algona.
A funeral service will be held Sunday, August 9, at 2:00 p.m. at Trinity Lutheran Church, with lunch immediately following the service.
A private family burial will take place at a later date.
Iowa senators Ernst and Grassley fight to pass Farm Bill as Democrats block measure in committee
WASHINGTON — Both of Iowa’s U.S. senators backed a new five-year Farm Bill Thursday, but the sweeping agriculture package was defeated after every Democrat on the Senate Agriculture Committee voted against advancing the measure.
Republican Sens. Chuck Grassley and Joni Ernst of Iowa each voted in favor of moving the Farm Bill forward during the August 6 committee meeting.
“Democrats’ obstruction leaves the fate of the Farm Bill in serious jeopardy at a time when farmers need our help,” Grassley said following the defeat.
Chicago man gets decade in federal prison for cyberstalking and terrorizing Mason City victim
A Chicago man who repeatedly threatened to kill a Mason City resident and members of the victim’s family has been sentenced to 10 years in federal prison.
Shaninth Michael Ray, 38, of Chicago, Illinois, was sentenced in Sioux City by U.S. District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand to 120 months in federal prison.
The sentence will run consecutive to any other term of imprisonment.
Federal prosecutors said Ray continuously threatened the Iowa victim between April and October 2023, even after a no-contact order had been issued against him.
Ray allegedly used telephone calls, text messages, videos and multiple online platforms to continue contacting and threatening the victim.
According to prosecutors, Ray threatened to “end” the victim’s life and said he would “bash [the victim’s] face in with a rock.”
The Judge described Ray’s criminal history as “atrocious and disgraceful” and characterized the conduct in the cyberstalking case as horrific, noting the terror inflicted on the victim and the victim’s family.
Illinois illegal alien nabbed by ICE, wandering in traffic with 8 molotov cocktails
WASHINGTON — A blue state and the former Biden Administration unleashed a potentially explosive illegal into America, and after he wandered all the way into neighboring Illinois, ICE nabbed this Jordanian national as cops there arrested him with eight alleged Molotov cocktails and a written map, according to federal officials and court records.
Iowa men killed in fiery head-on crash while driver attempted to pass in dense fog
Two Iowa men were killed early Thursday morning in a violent three-vehicle crash on a remote Highway after one driver attempted to pass another vehicle in dense fog and collided head-on with an oncoming car, according to the Iowa State Patrol.
Iowa property tax reform ranked No. 1 in nation for tax-burden reduction
DES MOINES — Iowa’s sweeping 2026 property tax overhaul has been ranked No. 1 in the nation for reducing property tax burdens through a single piece of legislation during the past decade, according to a new analysis highlighted Thursday by Gov. Kim Reynolds.
The Common Sense Institute concluded that Iowa’s 2026 reforms produce the largest property tax reduction of any legislation enacted nationwide during that period, whether measured against statewide personal income or on a per-household basis.
The finding comes less than three months after Reynolds signed Iowa’s $4.2 billion property tax relief package into law.
Trump answers Supreme Court setback with new birthright citizenship, birth tourism orders
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump moved Thursday to salvage key pieces of his effort to restrict birthright citizenship, signing two new executive orders just weeks after the U.S. Supreme Court dealt his administration a major setback on the issue.
Trump signed the orders on August 6, 2026, with one directing federal agencies to deny recognition of birthright citizenship in several specific circumstances and the other launching a broader crackdown on so-called “birth tourism” — foreign nationals traveling to the United States on temporary visas for the purpose of giving birth to a child who would become an American citizen.
Mason City motorcyclist injured after striking deer near Clear Lake
CLEAR LAKE — A Mason City motorcyclist was injured Thursday night after striking a deer on a rural road near Clear Lake and being thrown from his motorcycle.
Charles City woman cited after smashing into parked SUV, causing $20,000 in damage
CHARLES CITY — A Northern Iowa woman was cited after police say she lost control of her vehicle and slammed into a legally parked SUV, causing approximately $20,000 in combined damage.
New Iowa poll gives Rob Sand edge for governor as Hinson holds slim Senate lead
DES MOINES — Democrat Rob Sand holds a five-point advantage in Iowa’s race for governor, while Republican Ashley Hinson maintains a narrow lead in the contest for an open U.S. Senate seat, according to a newly released statewide poll.
Iowa DNR advises against swimming at Clear Lake beach and Mason City’s Big Blue
CLEAR LAKE — The Iowa Department of Natural Resources is advising swimmers to stay out of the water at two popular Cerro Gordo County beaches after recent testing raised water-quality concerns.
The DNR’s beach-monitoring system listed “Swimming Not Recommended” advisories for Clear Lake State Park Beach and Big Blue, the city-managed quarry swimming area in Mason City.
State Patrol collars alleged drunk driver after wild Cerro Gordo County eluding run
MASON CITY — An Iowa State Patrol encounter with an allegedly intoxicated and barred driver turned into a felony case after the motorist reportedly attempted to elude law enforcement while exceeding the speed limit by more than 25 mph.
Young Iowa motorcyclist killed after bike clips semi on Interstate 35
A 22-year-old Iowa motorcyclist was tragically killed Wednesday evening after his motorcycle collided with the trailer of a semi on Interstate 35, according to the Iowa State Patrol.
Senate panel votes to hold Fauci in contempt after he repeatedly takes Fifth
WASHINGTON — A U.S. Senate committee voted Thursday, August 6, 2026, to hold former federal health official Dr. Anthony Fauci in contempt of Congress after he repeatedly refused to answer questions about the government’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Stop-sign violation sends two SUVs rolling into ditch in Northern Iowa crash
Two drivers were injured and both of their SUVs were destroyed after a stop-sign violation led to a violent collision at a rural Northern Iowa intersection.
Iowa man accused of attempted murder after brutal domestic attack leaves victim critical
An Iowa man accused of leaving another person critically injured during a domestic-related attack now faces attempted murder, multiple willful-injury charges and three counts of child endangerment.
Man from Mexico jailed after harassment complaint in Charles City
CHARLES CITY — A man from Mexico was arrested Friday night after Charles City police responded to a reported harassment incident.
Northern Iowa cops snare Minneapolis man in juvenile grooming sting, but charges don’t stick
A Minnesota man publicly accused by Northern Iowa police of traveling across state lines to meet a juvenile for sexual activity is no longer facing Iowa criminal charges after prosecutors asked a judge to dismiss the case.
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