Founded in 2010
News & Entertainment for Mason City, Clear Lake & the Entire North Iowa Region
By Juan O. Tamayo, McClatchy Newspapers – MIAMI — A statement by the head of the Russian navy that his country is considering establishing a naval facility in Cuba underlined the warming
By Rene Rodriguez, McClatchy Newspapers – TOTAL RECALL (PG-13): Colin Farrell takes over from Arnold Schwarzenegger in this new retelling of the Philip K. Dick story about a man whose memories may
Jennifer Delgado and Ellen Jean Hirst, Chicago Tribune – Michael Haynes was set to leave his home in Chicago’s Morgan Park neighborhood next week for Iona College in New York, a Division I
Peter Nickeas, Chicago Tribune – Six people were shot and five of them died during a bloody 12-hour period between 4 p.m. Thursday and 4 a.m. Friday, according to Chicago police. Among the
Chicago Tribune – Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. is at the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota “for extensive inpatient evaluation for depression and gastrointestinal issues,” according to a statement from Jackson sent late Friday
Jennifer Delgado, Chicago Tribune – Chicago police said Saturday that they do not have a suspect in custody for the fatal shooting of South Side basketball prodigy Michael Haynes. But the 22-year-old Fenger
By Henry Chu, Los Angeles Times – LONDON — The leaders of Europe’s two biggest economies pledged Friday to “do everything to protect” the continent’s common currency, whose long-term survival has come
By Joe Christensen, Star Tribune (Minneapolis) – MINNEAPOLIS — The Twins haven’t had a player hit 40 home runs in a season since Harmon Killebrew smashed 41 in 1970. Last year, Michael Cuddyer
By Joe Christensen, Star Tribune (Minneapolis) – MINNEAPOLIS — The Twins traded lefthander Francisco Liriano to the Chicago White Sox late Saturday night for pitcher Pedro Hernandez and infielder Eduardo Escobar. Both players
By Sergei L. Loiko, Los Angeles Times – MOSCOW — Russian officials, who have strenuously resisted U.S.-led efforts to push Syrian President Bashar Assad from power, are beginning to question whether the beleaguered
Wall Lake, IOWA — Three men from Sac County have been charged with 1st Degree Kidnapping, a class A Felony, after an investigation into the 2009 alleged assault of a migrant worker
Ed Treleven, The Wisconsin State Journal – A Sun Prairie woman was convicted Friday of homicide by negligent driving after a jury found she was writing a text message when she slammed into
By Charean Williams, McClatchy Newspapers – LONDON — We already knew Michael Phelps wouldn’t duplicate what he did in Beijing. It was an impossible feat that Phelps accomplished in 2008 in winning
By Mike Bresnahan, Los Angeles Times – LONDON — A handful of journalists watched the U.S. win its Olympic opener in women’s basketball against Croatia. It was an obvious contrast to the
By Diane Pucin, Los Angeles Times – LONDON — Sometimes starting over is a disadvantage. The U.S. men’s gymnastics team finished first Saturday in the qualifying competition that selected eight team finalists.
By Lisa Dillman, Los Angeles Times – LONDON — The referees were bundled up for a brisk winter night. Aussies Nat Cook and Tamsin Hinchley went with the long sleeves and tights
By Linda Robertson, McClatchy Newspapers – LONDON — It was a strange sight, an Olympic medal ceremony following a race by Michael Phelps without Phelps standing atop the podium. If you go
Mike Mendnehall, Newton Daily News, Iowa – Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal had to order his Maid-Rite sandwiches to go during a stop at the iconic Newton diner Thursday. But he did take
By Helene Elliott, Los Angeles Times – LONDON—They had rallied twice to reach the gold-medal match of the men’s team Olympic archery competition and fought unpredictable winds that carried some of their
McClatchy Newspapers – Here are the highlights of U.S. competition in London: NBC coverage (EDT) SUNDAY 12:30 -1:30 a.m. — Late coverage, including men’s gymnastics. 1:30 -5 a.m. — Prime time repeat.
By Jim Utter, McClatchy Newspapers – INDIANAPOLIS — Denny Hamlin knows the history, but he’s not quite ready to make the call. Fourteen of the previous 18 winners of the annual Sprint
President Obama urges Republicans in the House of Representatives to act on his proposal to protect middle class families and small businesses from being hit with a big tax hike next year.
By Dennis McLellan, Los Angeles Times – LOS ANGELES — Veteran actress Lupe Ontiveros, the El Paso, Texas-born daughter of Mexican immigrants, once estimated that she had played the role of a
By Hashmat Baktash and Mark Magnier, Los Angeles Times – KABUL, Afghanistan — Two NATO service members were killed by insurgents in eastern Afghanistan on Saturday, the Western military alliance said, the
By Alexandra Sandels and Patrick J. McDonnell, Los Angeles Times – BEIRUT, Lebanon — Renewed clashes and shelling were reported Saturday in the northern Syrian city of Aleppo, where armed rebels and
By Henry Wasswa – KAMPALA, Uganda — An outbreak of Ebola in western Uganda has killed a family of 12 and two others since the beginning of the month, the Health Ministry
By Charean Williams, McClatchy Newspapers – LONDON — Dana Vollmer accomplished everything she wanted to Saturday: She got an Olympic record, an American record and the top seed for Sunday’s final when
Editorial by Matt Marquardt – A group of Mason City ladies were out celebrating their friend’s birthday Friday night and early Saturday morning at Sidewinder Bar when their fun was shattered by
Editorial by Matt Marquardt – Mason City’s most-written about bar, and a target of the City Council, has been closed the last three nights. On owner Kathy Hebel’s Facebook page, she said
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 the Iowa Board of Parole. Work Release
From Sen. Amanda Ragan – In June, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the federal Affordable Care Act. This federal initiative has already helped thousands of Iowans by expanding access to health care,
Rod Boshart, CR Gazette – A total of 93 state officials and employees – including 20 unionized workers – joined Gov. Terry Branstad and Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds in signing up for
James Q. Lynch, CR Gazette – A last-resort measure approved a year ago to avert a federal budget crisis is forcing a choice between a “hollow military” and “the whole array of
A Deputy Sheriff for the Starr County, Texas, Sheriff’s Office has been ordered detained by a federal magistrate judge in the Southern District of Texas on charges of conspiracy, federal programs bribery,
Phillip Oliver, 46, an inmate at the Muskogee County Jail (MCJ) was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Muskogee, Okla., to one year and a day followed by one year of
WASHINGTON – Anthony Mangione, 51, of Parkland, Fla., pleaded guilty today to one count of transportation of child pornography, announced Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division,
Mohamad Anas Haitham Soueid, 48, a resident of Leesburg, Va., was sentenced today to 18 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for collecting video and audio recordings and
Marc Morehouse, CR Gazette – Here’s the transcript for Kirk Ferentz’s two hours at the table during Big Ten media days Friday in Chicago. I teamed up with HawkeyeNation’s Jon Miller to
By Mark Purdy, San Jose Mercury News – LONDON — You can always count on a few things at an Olympic opening ceremony: 1. Bermuda’s team will march into the stadium wearing
By Joe Christensen, Star Tribune (Minneapolis) – MINNEAPOLIS — With the Minnesota Twins buried in the standings, General Manager Terry Ryan has said he’ll listen to offers for practically anyone leading up