Founded in 2010
News & Entertainment for Mason City, Clear Lake & the Entire North Iowa Region
By Tony Barboza, Los Angeles Times – COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — As thousands of evacuees were allowed to return to their homes in this fire-scorched area, President Barack Obama on Friday surveyed
By Carol Rosenberg, McClatchy Newspapers – MIAMI — The Pentagon on Friday abruptly dropped nearly 4-year-old charges against a Kuwaiti captive at Guantanamo, on the same day the Kuwaiti ambassador disclosed ongoing
By Joe Flint, Los Angeles Times – LOS ANGELES — After eight years and millions of dollars in legal fees, CBS emerged victorious in its fight with the Federal Communications Commission over
By Patrick J. McDonnell and Paul Richter, Los Angeles Times – BEIRUT — The top U.S. and Russian diplomats failed to bridge critical differences about Syria on Friday during talks in Russia,
By Jeremy Schwartz, Austin American-Statesman – A bearded Maj. Nidal Hasan was once again barred from the courtroom Friday after top Army officials rejected his request to grow facial hair for religious
By John M. Glionna, Los Angeles Times – MANITOU SPRINGS, Colo. — The state’s runaway fires have so far spared this mountain resort town, but as the traditionally hectic Fourth of July
By Carol Rosenberg, McClatchy Newspapers – MIAMI — The Pentagon on Friday abruptly dropped nearly four-year-old charges against a Kuwaiti captive at Guantanamo, on the same day the Kuwaiti ambassador disclosed ongoing
By Rene Stutzman, The Orlando Sentinel – SANFORD, Fla. — George Zimmerman’s defense attorney was expected to do the predictable thing: beg the judge’s forgiveness and ask him to again let the
By Tracey Kaplan, San Jose Mercury News – SAN JOSE, Calif. — At times sobbing during emotional testimony, Will Lynch took the stand Friday and admitted he assaulted the priest he claims
By Harriet Ryan and John Horn, Los Angeles Times – LOS ANGELES — The marriage of Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes, one of Hollywood’s highest profile relationships and a subject of endless
By Mike Dawson, McClatchy Newspapers – BELLEFONTE, Pa. — Four e-mails from 2001 give a glimpse into how three Penn State administrators discussed responding to a report Jerry Sandusky was seen in
From Rep. Sharon Steckman – I wanted to take a minute to remind North Iowans about several new laws that will hit the books on July 1, the start of the state’s
CALGARY – Iowa State sprinter Ian Warner hit the jackpot Friday evening in Foothills Athletic Park. The Cyclone junior placed second in the Canadian Olympic Track and Field Trials 100-meters to his
EUGENE, Ore. – Lisa Uhl is going to London for the Olympic Games, but she is far from satisfied. There was no complacency heading into Thursday’s 5,000-meter run at the U.S. Olympic
IOWA CITY, Iowa – – Gary Barta, director of athletics at the University of Iowa, and head football coach Kirk Ferentz feel the move toward a championship football game in 2014 is
AMES, Iowa – June 28, 2012 – The Iowa Department of Transportation will be conducting a rest area users’ opinion survey in June and July to assist in planning for future rest
By Lisa Brown, St. Louis Post-Dispatch – ST. LOUIS — Mexico’s largest brewer, Grupo Modelo, which Anheuser-Busch Cos. once eyed as a possible savior in its failed attempt to thwart InBev’s takeover,
by Jody Spear and Kelly Meyer – MASON CITY – Mason City Police Department and Fire Department were dispatched to 12th Street and North Federal Avenue on Thursday around 6:45 pm for
Justin Chapman died Thursday; he was at Charlie’s Auto on South Federal when he collapsed and was unable to be retrieved. He was a luminous fixture in the city for decades; he
By Colin Covert, Star Tribune (Minneapolis) – Channing Tatum’s juicy male stripper romp “Magic Mike” boasts more six-packs than a tailgate party, sensationally enjoyable choreography and a dash of romance. It’s a
By Amy Kaufman, Los Angeles Times – LOS ANGELES — The potty-mouthed “Ted” will heckle the male strippers off the box-office stage, as the Seth MacFarlane comedy will take down “Magic Mike”
By Mary McNamara, Los Angeles Times – LOS ANGELES — I didn’t expect much from “Brand X,” FX’s new “talk show” starring British comedian Russell Brand, and yet I got even less.
By Jean Marbella, The Baltimore Sun – OMAHA, Neb. — Michael Phelps, who will turn 27 on Saturday, said his mother and sisters always say how hard it is to find a
By Randall Roberts, Los Angeles Times – Few would have imagined that one of the most powerful and acclaimed protest songs of the year, “Reagan,” would be about the Iran-Contra scandal of
By Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times – LOS ANGELES — Literate, intelligent and a model of accomplished European filmmaking, “Unforgivable” showcases the kind of emotional complexity that is all but gone from
By Scott Collins, Los Angeles Times – LOS ANGELES — So much for the welcoming party. Savannah Guthrie turned up as the new co-host of NBC’s “Today” on Friday without fanfare; a
By Gerrick D. Kennedy, Los Angeles Times – LOS ANGELES — When Whitney Houston passed away 24 hours before this year’s Grammy Awards, producers of the telecast were forced to scramble to
By Joe Strauss, St. Louis Post-Dispatch – ST. LOUIS — For the first time since 2006, the St. Louis Cardinals started a home game in 100-degree temperatures Friday. By the sixth inning,
By David J. Neal, McClatchy Newspapers – MIAMI — In the champagne-drenched Heat locker room Thursday night, a full-circle moment happened for Juwan Howard. Howard hugged ESPN NBA analyst and retired player
Some locals say Todd Blodgett is “trigger-happy” CLEAR LAKE – Clear Lake police officers were called to a Rumorz Bar on the city’s South Shore Drive on June 27, where they arrested
by Matt Marquardt – MASON CITY – Mercy held a neighborhood meeting Thursday evening in its Cancer Center to discuss a possible construction project that would affect some homes on the north
(DES MOINES) – Gov. Terry Branstad today named Steven K. Ferguson the new executive director of the Iowa Agricultural Development Authority. Ferguson begins his new position on Monday, July 9. Ferguson most
By David G. Savage, Tribune Washington Bureau – WASHINGTON — Solicitor General Donald B. Verrilli Jr., who was widely criticized in March by critics who said he flubbed the defense of President
Steve Gravelle, CR Gazette – On a quiet weekday late afternoon, it’s the same as it ever was at the Green Gable Inn, 1227 J Ave. NE. Almost. Four years ago, the
By Roy Gutman, McClatchy Newspapers – BRUSSELS — Under intense pressure from Italy and Spain, whose borrowing costs have soared beyond the point of sustainability, the 17 countries that use the euro
By Nancy A. Youssef, McClatchy Newspapers – CAIRO — When Hassan al-Banna founded the Muslim Brotherhood in 1928, the membership was just seven people — al-Banna and six other workers in the
By Christi Parsons and Michael A. Memoli, Tribune Washington Bureau – WASHINGTON — The day after the Supreme Court dealt him a major victory, President Barack Obama moved on to fighting other
By Tony Pugh, McClatchy Newspapers – WASHINGTON — Despite all the spin and punditry about the national health care law’s mandate that Americans buy health insurance or pay a penalty, the vast
By Richard Simon, Los Angeles Times – WASHINGTON — Congress, in a rare display of bipartisanship, on Friday sent to President Barack Obama a roughly $105 billion transportation bill that lawmakers from
by Jody Spear and Kelly Meyer – MASON CITY – Around 5:30 PM Wednesday, an accident between a motorcycle and car occurred on Highway 122 (4th Street SW) and Pierce Avenue on