Founded in 2010
News & Entertainment for Mason City, Clear Lake & the Entire North Iowa Region
Editorial by Matt Marquardt – MASON CITY – Neighbors who live nearby Vi-COR’s production plant on South Benjamin Avenue are steaming mad about the on-going smell the plant is emitting. The City
PLYMOUTH, Minn. – NIACC women’s basketball has added Chelsey Jacox of Plymouth, Minnesota to its growing 2012-2013 roster. Jacox was a five-year letter winner in high school, and played at DeLaSalle HS
(DES MOINES) – Gov. Branstad today appointed Christopher McDonald judge to the District Court in the 5C Judicial District. Currently McDonald, of Des Moines, is senior counsel to Aviva USA. Prior to
By Robin Abcarian, Los Angeles Times – A Washington Post investigation into Mitt Romney’s years at the Cranbrook School in Michigan, which included a disturbing account of Romney bullying a student who
By Dawn C. Chmielewski, Los Angeles Times – LOS ANGELES — Myspace social network has agreed to settle Federal Trade Commission charges that it disclosed personally identifiable information about its users to
By Andrew Dunn, McClatchy Newspapers – CHARLOTTE, N.C. — More than 200,000 letters from Bank of America will begin landing in homeowners’ mailboxes this week, the bank said Tuesday, offering principal reduction
By Andrew Dunn, Cleve R. Wootson and Ely Portillo, McClatchy Newspapers – CHARLOTTE, N.C. — An estimated 500 to 750 protesters marched from three directions on the Bank of America Corp. headquarters
By Tiffany Hsu, Los Angeles Times – LOS ANGELES — More than a quarter of adult Americans — that’s nearly 60 million people — went to commercial casinos in 2011, according to
By Hugo Martin, Los Angeles Times – LOS ANGELES — Americans are dusting off their passports and seeing the world in big numbers. In the first two months of 2012, 8.1 million
By James Rosen, McClatchy Newspapers – WASHINGTON — A vote Wednesday in the House of Representatives to pour billions into a little-known federal bank illustrates the divide among “tea party’’-backed lawmakers torn
By Ben Fritz, Los Angeles Times – LOS ANGELES — Harry Potter has conquered the world with books and then with movies. Now he’s doing the same with theme parks. Universal Studios
By Jim Puzzanghera, Los Angeles Times – WASHINGTON — In a potential turning point for one of the biggest financial crisis bailouts, Fannie Mae reported a first-quarter profit and — for the
By Dawn C. Chmielewski – LOS ANGELES — Fallout from the British phone-hacking scandal continues to rattle News Corp., even as strong performances from the media giant’s cable television and film groups
By Alejandro Lazo, Los Angeles Times – LOS ANGELES — A nation still struggling to clear up one housing debacle has run smack into another — soaring rents. The foreclosure mess has
By E. Scott Reckard, Los Angeles Times – LOS ANGELES — A newly streamlined government plan to reward homeowners who diligently pay their underwater mortgages is proving a bonanza for banks, which
By Sean Cockerham, McClatchy Newspapers – WASHINGTON — As the summer growing season approaches, farmers across the county are experiencing widespread frustration over the federal H-2A visa program for seasonal agriculture workers.
By Douglas Hanks, McClatchy Newspapers – MIAMI — Walk through the modern new document depository in Medley, Fla., and one thing becomes clear: Paper can be a hard habit to break. Opened
State Senator Amanda Ragan of Mason City says the highlights of the 2012 legislative session include helping create jobs, reform education, expand educational opportunity and balance the state budget without raising taxes.
MASON CITY, Iowa – NIACC softball players Hailey Eckstein, Beth Mildenhall, Krista Grutz, and Cassie Pappas have been named All-Region XI players. Eckstein, a freshman out of Larsen, Wisconsin, was named 2nd-Team
(CEDAR RAPIDS) – Gov. Terry Branstad today released the following statement upon learning of the passing of Flight 232 pilot Dennis E. Fitch: “The crash of Flight 232 was an exercise in
by Jody Spear and Kelly Meyer – MASON CITY – To celebrate Children’s Book Week at the Mason City Library, Kellie Jensen, Children’s Services Librarian, invited Fire Chief Bob Platts and Police
MASON CITY, Iowa – Seven NIACC softball players have received Academic All-Region XI honors, with three earning 1st-Team All-Region status. Caley Johnson (Fr., Rockford, IA), Katie Gross (Crystal Lake, IA), and Krista
Editorial by Kelly Elbert – I had the opportunity (well, begged, actually) to attend the “Get Motivated!” seminar in Des Moines Tuesday as a part of a class trip. How could I
MASON CITY – Mason City police are asking for the public’s assistance in locating the driver of a car that struck a bicyclist Thursday morning. At about 12:50 AM, officers were dispatched
The president endorsed same sex marriage yesterday and it was said to be revolutionary. Lets stop there for a moment. When two people love each other why should it be labeled as
(CEDAR RAPIDS) – Gov. Terry Branstad today released the following statement upon learning that the United States Postal Service will continue operating post offices in rural Iowa: “I am pleased that the
By Tresa Baldas, Detroit Free Press – DETROIT — Ex-Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick and his longtime friend and fraternity brother Jeffrey Beasley are facing fresh allegations of wrongdoing in federal court, where the pair
By Casey Grove, McClatchy Newspapers – ANCHORAGE, Alaska — Anchorage police say detectives have arrested a “person of interest” in the disappearance of missing Senior Airman Clinton Reeves, last seen at Joint Base
By Anne Blythe and Martha Quillin, McClatchy Newspapers – GREENSBORO, N.C. — Prosecutors trying John Edwards have called a full cast of witnesses over the past three weeks to talk about $400 haircuts,
MASON CITY MAY 10, 2012 – Resident-owners of the 50-unit Village Cooperative of Mason City met recently to elect officers to their governing board. They include President Ann Kuhlman, First Vice President
By Rebecca Keegan, Los Angeles Times – LOS ANGELES — As political fundraisers go, it’s set to be an “Avengers”-sized blockbuster: 150 wealthy Democrats will dine with President Barack Obama at George Clooney’s
By Patrick Kevin Day, Los Angeles Times – LOS ANGELES — “General Hospital” is one of the few soap operas still on the air, and it’s reaping the benefits of diminished competition by
By Mary Jean Spadafora, The Seattle Times – SEATTLE — At the base of the Space Needle on Wednesday, former astronaut Buzz Aldrin announced that a recent law-school graduate from Arizona had
By Ahmad Pathoni – JAKARTA, Indonesia — Rescuers on Thursday found no survivors in the wreckage of a Sukhoi passenger plane that crashed into an Indonesian mountain, an official with the Indonesian
By La Velle E. Neal III, Star Tribune (Minneapolis) – MINNEAPOLIS — Before Wednesday’s game, Twins manager Ron Gardenhire spoke glowingly about righthander Carl Pavano and his ability to do more with less.
By Joseph Goodman, McClatchy Newspapers – MIAMI — Dwyane Wade and LeBron James left nothing to chance. Led by its stars, the Heat played with an energy level not seen in this first