- Protected: Mason City man on probation for drug charges arrested in Worth county, speeding in BMW
- Four Vital Checks to Make Before Offering an Applicant the Job
- Protected: Greene woman accused of drunk driving in Charles City
News Headlines for August 4, 2026
Mason City lands prestigious honor shared by just three Iowa communities
MASON CITY — Mason City has been named a 2026 All-Star Community for transforming an overgrown and underused stretch of Willow Creek into a downtown destination blending nature, recreation, art and architecture.
The Iowa League of Cities selected Mason City for its River City Riverwalk and Waterfront District. Mason City was one of only three winners chosen from among Iowa’s 940 cities, joining West Branch and Story City.
Iowa crops hold strong after brutal heat and wildly uneven rainfall
DES MOINES — Iowa’s corn and soybean crops remained in strong condition as farmers endured extreme heat, record-setting humidity and rainfall totals that varied dramatically across the state during the week ending August 2, 2026.
The latest Iowa Crop Progress and Condition Report showed 80 percent of the corn crop and 78 percent of soybeans rated in good-to-excellent condition.
Lyle Quam, 93, of Mason City, remembered as the brother everyone should have
MASON CITY — Lyle C. Quam, 93, a devoted husband, father, military veteran and longtime Mason City worker remembered for his helpful hands and playful sense of humor, passed away Sunday, August 2, 2026.
A funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, August 7, at Trinity Lutheran Church in Mason City, with Pastor Beverly Butler officiating. Burial will follow at Memorial Park Cemetery.
Visitation will be held from 4 to 6 p.m. Thursday, August 6, at Major Erickson Funeral Home. The family will also receive visitors for one hour before Friday’s service at the church.
Forest City remembers Sharon Renshaw, 89, for her kind heart and devotion to family
FOREST CITY — Sharon Kay Renshaw, 89, a devoted farm wife and mother whose life was grounded in faith, family and love, passed away Saturday, August 1, 2026, at Good Samaritan Society in Forest City.
A memorial service will be held at 10 a.m. Wednesday, August 5, at Schott Funeral Home, 505 North Clark Street in Forest City, with Harlan Nyhus officiating. Visitation will begin one hour before the service.
Mason City man accused of repeatedly beating disabled child with belt
MASON CITY — A Mason City man is facing a child endangerment charge after police say he repeatedly struck a disabled child with a belt, causing bodily injury.
Waterloo police investigate overnight homicide after man found shot inside vehicle
WATERLOO — An early Sunday morning shooting in Waterloo has turned into a homicide investigation after police found a man suffering from a gunshot wound inside a vehicle in a west-side parking lot.
Mason City apartment disturbance ends with man accused of assaulting protected worker
MASON CITY — An early-morning disturbance at a Mason City apartment house ended with a man arrested for allegedly assaulting a person protected under Iowa law, interfering with official acts and public intoxication.
Deadly collision on Northern Iowa’s West Lake Okoboji leaves one dead, five injured
ARNOLDS PARK — A second fatal boat collision on an Iowa lake in just four days left one person dead and five others injured Sunday afternoon.
The Iowa Department of Natural Resources said two boats collided on West Lake Okoboji near Pillsbury Point at approximately 1 p.m. Sunday, August 2, 2026.
Worth supervisors accept recorder Teresa Olson’s resignation, approve $719,000 in claims at July 27 meeting
NORTHWOOD — The Worth County Board of Supervisors accepted County Recorder Teresa Olson’s resignation, approved a new first deputy treasurer and authorized more than $719,000 in county expenses during its Monday, July 27, 2026, meeting.
ACLU targets police presence in Iowa schools, demands districts eliminate resource officers
DES MOINES — The ACLU of Iowa is demanding that schools eliminate their resource-officer programs, a sweeping proposal that would remove armed law enforcement officers from campuses despite concerns that doing so could leave children and school employees less protected during a violent emergency – and good kids and teachers at the mercy kids no better than Scooby Doo villians.
Michael Cisneros, acquitted in notorious baby murder case, back in Cerro Gordo jail on Mason City assault charge
MASON CITY — A man whose name became widely known across Northern Iowa during a sensational child-murder trial more than a decade ago is back in the Cerro Gordo County Jail, this time accused of domestic abuse assault and interfering with police.
Trump administration probes “transgender dolls” aimed at children as young as 4 in Minnesota schools
MINNEAPOLIS — A controversial project offering gender-identity dolls with interchangeable body parts to educators working with children as young as 4 has triggered a federal investigation and renewed concerns that radical gender ideology is being pushed into classrooms without parents’ knowledge or consent.
The U.S. Department of Education announced July 29 that it had opened an investigation into the Minnesota Department of Education following a complaint submitted on behalf of parents by Defending Education.
At the center of the controversy are “MyGender Dolls,” described by their creators as a play-based therapeutic resource for transgender and “gender diverse” children between the ages of 4 and 10.
Iowa, a deep-red state, is so far holding these types of programs outside our borders…
Estherville mourns the loss of Lori Gilbert, remembered for her caring heart and love of family
ESTHERVILLE — Lori Gilbert, 76, of Estherville, passed away Saturday, August 1, 2026, at Avera Holy Family Hospital, leaving behind a life marked by service, compassion and a deep love for her family and community.
Visitation will be held from 1 to 2 p.m. Wednesday, August 5, at Henry-Olson Funeral Chapel in Estherville.
Funeral services will begin at 2 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral chapel.
Cerro Gordo supervisors to consider nearly $165,000 in funding for outside organizations at August 3 meeting
MASON CITY — The Cerro Gordo County Board of Supervisors is scheduled to consider authorizing nearly $165,000 in taxpayer funding for 16 outside organizations during its regular meeting Monday, August 3, 2026.
The board will meet at 10 a.m. in the Cerro Gordo County Courthouse boardroom.
Cerro Gordo supervisors deny marina driveway request, approve Rockwell road payment
MASON CITY — The Cerro Gordo County Board of Supervisors handled a brief agenda Monday morning, denying a driveway request tied to a local marina development, approving payment for a Rockwell road project, authorizing a payroll change in the Information Technology Department, and signing off on more than $310,000 in county claims during its July 27 meeting.
Manly mourns the loss of Karen Marie Severson, remembered for her quiet kindness and devotion to family
MANLY — Karen Marie Severson, 88, of Manly, passed away peacefully on Thursday, July 30, 2026, at MercyOne North Iowa Hospital in Mason City, leaving behind a legacy of love, faith and selfless service to her family and community.
Visitation will be held from 9:30 to 11 a.m. Wednesday, Aug. 5, at Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Manly.
A funeral service will begin at 11 a.m. Wednesday at the church, with Pastor Linda Johnson Prestholt officiating. A luncheon will follow before burial at Woodbury Cemetery in Lyle, Minnesota.
Bag-snatching can thief gets walloped with $710 bill after Northern Iowa caper
A Northern Iowa woman who swiped bags of empty beer cans from a local bar and cashed them in at a redemption center wound up owing a whopping $710.71 — far more than the cans were worth.
Spencer bids farewell to adventurous nurse and devoted family woman Mary Ann Olson, 85
SPENCER — Mary Ann Olson, a devoted wife, mother, grandmother and nurse whose adventurous spirit carried her from Iowa farm life to the Grand Canyon, RAGBRAI and countless journeys with her husband, died Wednesday, July 29, 2026, at Spencer Hospital. She was 85.
Visitation will be held from 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday, August 2, at the Henry-Olson Funeral Chapel, 401 North Seventh Street in Estherville.
A funeral service will be held at 10:30 a.m. Monday, August 3, at Wallingford Lutheran Church, 221 Saint James Avenue in Wallingford.
Completely befuddled Indiana Fever coach says she isn’t ‘educated enough’ to define women’s sports
INDIANAPOLIS — Beleaguered Caitlin Clark, the former Iowa Hawkeye phenom, had to endure her Indiana Fever head coach Stephanie White bloviate through a press conference where she declared she is not “educated enough from a scientific standpoint” to answer whether biological males should be allowed to compete in women’s sports – and folks are scratching their heads in disbelief at how far society has fallen.
“I don’t ever believe exclusion is the answer, I just don’t,” White said in a deep, masculine voice.
University of Iowa receives clean audit as student and hospital costs climb
IOWA CITY — The University of Iowa received a clean state audit for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, with no findings involving taxpayer funds, internal controls or compliance issues.
Iowa Auditor of State Rob Sand released the report on July 30, 2026.
ICE brings curtain down on Latvian “Dancing With the Stars” performer accused of building violent criminal record in America
WASHINGTON — A former reality television dancer from Latvia who allegedly overstayed his visa and accumulated a violent criminal history in California has been arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, federal officials announced.
“This illegal alien from Latvia may have once had a career as a professional dancer on TV, but has turned into a career criminal with a rap sheet that includes aggravated assault with a gun, sexual battery, and drug possession,” a Homeland Security spokeswoman said.
Charles City moves forward on Cambrex expansion expected to create 143 jobs, invest $150 million
CHARLES CITY — One of the largest economic development projects in recent Floyd County history took another step forward on July 20, 2026, as the Charles City Council advanced the incentive process for Cambrex Charles City’s massive manufacturing expansion.
The council approved Resolution No. 94-26, setting an Aug. 3 public hearing to consider a formal development agreement with Cambrex Charles City Inc. The agreement would provide tax increment financing incentives to support a project expected to bring approximately $150 million in capital investment and 143 new full-time jobs to the community.
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