MASON CITY – The sweet, wet stench of booze wafted through the evening air, so thick that only certain elected officials would appreciate it.
The piercing sound of sirens, the babble of police radios, the low rumble of the running engine of an ambulance, blended with the murmur of people’s voices, which came and went at each corner. The ambulance hung back from the main fray, yet stayed centrally located on a bridge between two convenience stores. No one was quite sure where the next hot spot would flare, or if the situation had stabilized. Children giggled and laughed, but the looks on the faces of the adults were much more serious.
An otherwise tranquil evening in Mason City was spoiled by violence, as a melee broke out in the middle of the becoming-infamous thoroughfare known as Monroe Avenue.
The trouble started at the corner of Monroe and the 400 block of 2nd Street NW, according to Mason City Lt. Logan Wernet, and spread south to the 100 block of South Monroe Avenue. A person reported that two women were fighting, and then another report came in that a van had driven through and a knife had been thrown from it at someone. Groups of men were reported to be fighting at the 100 block of South Monroe.
Law enforcement converged on the area Wednesday at about 7:45 PM, and soon had at least two men in handcuffs. One person was taken away in an ambulance.
At the scene near Monroe Avenue and 2nd Street NW, as well as at the corner of Monroe and 1st NW – home to a newly-opened liquor store – police had groups of people stopped, asking questions, and taking statements. Onlookers and residents milled about, mostly in small groups, watching. Some sat on their stoops, smoking cigarettes. Others danced and jabbed one another in the ribs.
The ambulance soon pulled away, and police questioned a woman in a silver van with Worth county license plates, who inexplicably emerged from her vehicle with a plastic bag full of pill bottles and a jar of Vasoline.
Another van (also from Worth county) drove through as cops were dispersing the crowd, and the female driver had choice words for a certain photographer. “Who da – – – – you pointin’ dat camera at mo – – – – – – – – – -?!” She exclaimed, with a cigarette in one hand and the other on the steering wheel.
“This is like a scene out of Grand Theft Auto!” a person was overheard saying, referring to a popular video game with crime, violence and police.
Police chased the van down and had the driver pull over. Soon, everyone in the van had to get out, and police questioned them.
A woman then exited a nearby house with at least 6 children, wanting to know what was going on.
At about 10:00 PM. police were called back to a nearby area at the 200 block of North Jefferson.
At least 7 individuals were outside a home there, threatening a person inside. The aggressors were reported to have boards and other objects, some of them being thrown at the house. It was said they then fled the area and were headed to … 110 South Monroe Avenue. Later, at about 10:30 PM, the same person called police to report her car had been hit with a baseball bat.
CLICK PHOTOS TO VIEW LARGER
—-
To help prevent crime in your neighborhood, heed the words of Eric “the crime dog” Bookmeyer, and “Don’t be afraid of snitchin'”.
So now that the St. Louis race riots have begun, does anyone still want to doubt my wisdom on this issue? America has never properly atoned for what it had done, and the specter of racism is still present, because the freed slaves are essentially political refugees. The formula of District 9 doesn’t work. They need their own homeland, governmental structure, and policing…and money…BILLIONS.
@Philly-You are wrong here. We owe them nothing. I had nothing to do with them coming here and neither did any of my relatives. They are responsible for their own actions and it is not anyone’s fault but their own.
That’s not true LVS, there is a collective responsibility to manage the damage that was done by slavery. There’s an argument to be made about prosecuting only States that were involved with slavery, and families or businesses, but truth was Northern states because of reciprocation acts, would ship escaped slaves back to Southern authorities to be returned to plantations. So essentially those States and progeny are guilty as well. You want to solve the problem righteously or exterminate?
I refuse to accept responsibility for what other people that had nothing to do with me or my family did in the past. It is wrong to blame other people when the fault lies with the people breaking our laws today. Beliefs like your do nothing but enable these thugs to keep on destroying property and stealing from people who have never done anything to them.
So you only want to benefit from the good parts of America’s past and not accept responsibility for the bad parts? If you want to wrap yourself in the flag, you are wrapping yourself in all of the flag, not part of it…and this history has never properly been atoned for. You can bitch and moan about it all you want, but until reparations are made, with the option for a distinct state to call homeland, racial tensions will always remain. It will NEVER end.
@Philly-It could end and end sooner than a lot of people think. People are getting fed up with the thugs destroying property and endangering people who have never done a thing to them. These people have a lot more opportunity than we do and if you don’t believe that look at the free education, free food, free lodging, free insurance, and it goes on and on and it is never enough. The end could be very near. Just saying.
nightwing
9 years ago
todd may be shithead ,but trailer park trash ,HE’s not, ibet you have never met him or talked to him, he a nice guy ,soooooo piss off
LVS
9 years ago
@Nightwing-I have read Mr. Blodgett’s stuff on facebook and he has written several times about how much he dislikes the KKK. These people make up crap about him just because his father happened to make a good living and supports the party of his choice. They are bottom feeders and he is not.
Philosophus
9 years ago
I just noticed that video of Bookmeyer saying “Don’t be afraid of snitchin”. First of all, being right and justified isn’t snitching: It’s called telling the truth. The Mayor shouldn’t even acknowledge the mafioso, underground term of “snitchin” in the first place. IF a bully is picking on someone, and you tell the teacher, it’s called CURING THE PROBLEM. It should never get to an “us against them” mentality in the first place. BECOME the govt., don’t be scared of it.
He stole from City Hall? Can you provide the link to the article you wrote about this? Or explain? I wasn’t aware of this. I only marginally followed Bookmeyer politics in the last two elections, so I actually know very little about the man and why everyone finds him egregious…not to say he isn’t, it’s just I haven’t been exposed to all the reasons why.
to Council, me, Brent, Diana, Mary, Council
Mr. Marquardt,
Thank you for your inquiries.
I have pasted below the email chain that I sent to the ombudsman. It details where the list came from and where it was sent after the next meeting’s host was determined.
I have also attached the invitation list. In addition, our city administrator and mayor pro tem were invited.
The invitations came out of the credenza in the Mayor’s Office and had been in there for an indefinite period of time before I held this office.
The deputy clerk physically dropped the invitations in the mailbox and the City of Mason City paid for the postage, amounting to $6.44. The mayor pro tem’s and the city administrator’s invitations were placed in their boxes at City Hall.
Best regards,
Eric Bookmeyer, Mayor
City of Mason City
10 First Street NW
Mason City, IA 50401
641-421-3600 mayor@masoncity.net
It depends on the circumstances of course, but the idea of being a “snitch” is rooted in gang mentality. In an open air truthful and honest democracy and community, “informing” about someone would be tantamount to reporting on the weather…no big deal. “Oh, so you saw so and so smoking some marijuana huh? Was it a good strain?” You see, only bad laws, or bad actions need worry about such terms as snitching. Following a virtuous and true path is not snitching. Gangs fear the truth
So essentially I agree with the Mayor. If you witness or know about bad behavior that is harmful to the environment, an animal or a human, by all means report what you know to applicable authorities. Who among us would cover up for a rape? A burglary? A murder? Most of the people who inflict the taboo of “snitching” upon others are mainly drug dealers and thieves. Had the jailhouse “snitch” not informed of Angela Johnson’s horrible deeds, those bodies wouldn’t have been found.
And if humans find disagreement with laws which elicit “snitching”, they can air their grievances to the Senate, so they may walk with their heads held high. Let their actions face the test of sunlight. Snitching will be dissolved in virtue if actions are good and true. Those worried about snitching 9X out of 10 are bad people with something to hide. Injustice you say? Partisan Rebellion? Yes, the only complications which threaten Pax Romana, but irrelevant in harmonious society.
Pee Wee
9 years ago
Hell yes shoot them scum, send their dead black butt’s back where they come from. Scum is there name they got to go. I do not care how they go any ways a good way. Hillary your a nut job yes. Nothing wrong with some body like 2old2fat or Blodgett, pack some heat, may be they can take some them scum out if they do I say give out some medal’s to them guys.
LVS
9 years ago
Very strange. When I watched KIMT News at noon today there was not a single word about this. Plenty of news about Burlington,Mn and of course Rochester, Mn. but not a word about this or anything else in Mason City. They should be kicked out of Iowa and a station brought in that would report Iowa news. A little about Minnesota is O.K. but enough is enough.
LVS, KIMT refused to give a squirt of coverage on last fall’s area elections. Such inaction always favors incumbents. I’ve been calling out KIMT for many months now, on their tepid, vacuous coverage. I saw a bunch of them in Lorados bar last fall, drinking it up, surrounded by local druggies, and criminals. I knew at that point Mason City had an intractable situation going on.
I wouldn’t be at all surprised if some of the KIMT talking heads were huge heroin addicts. I heard, the more you inject, the more your hair falls out. In other words, the more bald and inept the newscaster is, the more drugs he is likely injecting. Ooops, I almost said that scary word “syringe”.
KIMT was not there, nor was the Glob, and Bobby Fisher was probably at home marking his calendar for all the high school girls volleyball games he’ll be attending this year. If I was a parent and saw Bobby Fisher staring at my high school daughter, I’d call police, cause that man is downright creepy.
Years ago watching KIMT News at the end of the day was like getting a good night kiss before bedtime. Weather with Bob, all North Iowa News, special reports and in depth coverage of local interest stories. Those days are over and I have said goodbye and no thanks. It all about advertising dollars and they are getting more revenue out of Minnesota so that’s what drives the focus of their coverage.
sad but true
9 years ago
Nice to know in two weeks this will continue in the school systems
Allen
9 years ago
They didn’t come here for a better life, if they had of, they could have found it. They came here for the freebies that this city gives out, advertised far and wide by a council person many years ago.
LVS
9 years ago
Where was the Mayor and the Council Members when this was happening. Hiding in their homes or at the country club? So much for their Blue Zone. They have turned Monroe Avenue into a slum just like where they came from.
LVS
9 years ago
Where was the GLOB and KIMT when this was happening? KIMT was probably in Minnesota doing a feel good story. You can make all the excuses you want about these imports but no one is forcing them to act the way they do or to peddle drugs. They come here for a better life and then turn our city into Chicago or Detroit. They bring their problems on themselves. Send them back where they came from.
If KIMT shows up, I’m filming them and putting them on the news. So, I hope the have their makeup on just perfect, and their hair fully Aqua-Netted. And that goes for the women who work there, too.
That’s a fair question. It’s no secret I have disdain for the other media here in MC. Mostly, they are liars, leeches, parasites, short-timers, and bottom-feeders. Some of them seem mentally-ill, at least in my opinion. A few who work for KIMT, Globe and 3 Eagles are decent, even talented people; some of them are even seeing the light and moving into new professions (like beer?) I lost all respect I had for radio, newspaper and TV when they showed up at a woman’s funeral in downtown MC and sensationalized it. Mark it down, that happens again, I will be back, and I will shame them far worse than last time. The mainstream “hometown” media is somewhat of a scourge on society; they lie and hide the truth from the public, and I will act as a watchdog upon them, just as I do to the local government. Does that answer your question?
Have you all ever wonder where the other two media is when crap like this happens? What a bunch of scaredy cats!
HA
But on the other hand they are both a controlled media they don’t want us citizens to know what really is going on in this town!
Allen
9 years ago
The black plague is upon Mason City…
Marybeth Greenan
9 years ago
This just isn’t right…The pictures make it look like the projects in Chicago and Detroit. But as long as we have people that want drugs here… they will come. Dealers are coming with family members and then starting new families with the white women of low self-esteem. They take them in and are wooed by the money. It is a sad state of affairs, but it is as basic as the main tenet of Economics 101, supply and demand.
Tuff Enough
9 years ago
You mess with any NIT photographers and I’ll personally drag you Detroit rejects back where you belong behind my Harley and you WILL take that weave with you!
badpontiac
9 years ago
Thays just immigrants from chitcago and deadtroit – and yes we have drugs and drink milwaukees best beer up here but living in a international society we export it to slum avenue once known as Monroe scenic drive down south.
Philosophus
9 years ago
This is almost like a snapshot into the early 1800’s and what it must have looked like when authorities rounded up escaped slaves to bring them back to the plantation: I see white guys rounding up black guys. This will never end until Liberia is properly funded, and these people have their own homeland and political control. There is too much deep seated mistrust and wounds that will never heal. Doesn’t matter if slavery ended 200 years ago, the karma still lingers on.
FUBAR
9 years ago
Eric our drunken mayor should be ashamed of himself. All he cares about is his upscale buddies and how much he can f**k the city and its people. Just wondering how they got Jean M to pose while riding the fat pig in front of the decker house??? Our once proud city has gone to the imports of Detroit and Chicago. You all born and bred Mason Citians better start packin cause this shit aint going to get any better.
Insane. Love these pics tho. Instant classics.
So now that the St. Louis race riots have begun, does anyone still want to doubt my wisdom on this issue? America has never properly atoned for what it had done, and the specter of racism is still present, because the freed slaves are essentially political refugees. The formula of District 9 doesn’t work. They need their own homeland, governmental structure, and policing…and money…BILLIONS.
@Philly-You are wrong here. We owe them nothing. I had nothing to do with them coming here and neither did any of my relatives. They are responsible for their own actions and it is not anyone’s fault but their own.
That’s not true LVS, there is a collective responsibility to manage the damage that was done by slavery. There’s an argument to be made about prosecuting only States that were involved with slavery, and families or businesses, but truth was Northern states because of reciprocation acts, would ship escaped slaves back to Southern authorities to be returned to plantations. So essentially those States and progeny are guilty as well. You want to solve the problem righteously or exterminate?
I refuse to accept responsibility for what other people that had nothing to do with me or my family did in the past. It is wrong to blame other people when the fault lies with the people breaking our laws today. Beliefs like your do nothing but enable these thugs to keep on destroying property and stealing from people who have never done anything to them.
So you only want to benefit from the good parts of America’s past and not accept responsibility for the bad parts? If you want to wrap yourself in the flag, you are wrapping yourself in all of the flag, not part of it…and this history has never properly been atoned for. You can bitch and moan about it all you want, but until reparations are made, with the option for a distinct state to call homeland, racial tensions will always remain. It will NEVER end.
Accepting responsiblity for others actions is ludicrous. History should be acknowleged and learned from.
“and this history has never properly been atoned for.”
By the US? How about the African States that perptuated slavery? How about England?
Why is slavery only discussed in relation to the Afican slaves, but never the white slaves.
Answer this: Why does England have better race relations than the US?
@Philly-It could end and end sooner than a lot of people think. People are getting fed up with the thugs destroying property and endangering people who have never done a thing to them. These people have a lot more opportunity than we do and if you don’t believe that look at the free education, free food, free lodging, free insurance, and it goes on and on and it is never enough. The end could be very near. Just saying.
todd may be shithead ,but trailer park trash ,HE’s not, ibet you have never met him or talked to him, he a nice guy ,soooooo piss off
@Nightwing-I have read Mr. Blodgett’s stuff on facebook and he has written several times about how much he dislikes the KKK. These people make up crap about him just because his father happened to make a good living and supports the party of his choice. They are bottom feeders and he is not.
I just noticed that video of Bookmeyer saying “Don’t be afraid of snitchin”. First of all, being right and justified isn’t snitching: It’s called telling the truth. The Mayor shouldn’t even acknowledge the mafioso, underground term of “snitchin” in the first place. IF a bully is picking on someone, and you tell the teacher, it’s called CURING THE PROBLEM. It should never get to an “us against them” mentality in the first place. BECOME the govt., don’t be scared of it.
Kind of ironic that a man who admitted he stole from City Hall has advice about ratting people off to cops, ain’t it?
He stole from City Hall? Can you provide the link to the article you wrote about this? Or explain? I wasn’t aware of this. I only marginally followed Bookmeyer politics in the last two elections, so I actually know very little about the man and why everyone finds him egregious…not to say he isn’t, it’s just I haven’t been exposed to all the reasons why.
http://northiowatoday.com/2013/04/04/more-truth-emerges-in-fallout-from-mayors-luncheon/
THE EMAIL SENT FROM BOOKMEYER:
Eric Bookmeyer
Attachments4/3/13
to Council, me, Brent, Diana, Mary, Council
Mr. Marquardt,
Thank you for your inquiries.
I have pasted below the email chain that I sent to the ombudsman. It details where the list came from and where it was sent after the next meeting’s host was determined.
I have also attached the invitation list. In addition, our city administrator and mayor pro tem were invited.
The invitations came out of the credenza in the Mayor’s Office and had been in there for an indefinite period of time before I held this office.
The deputy clerk physically dropped the invitations in the mailbox and the City of Mason City paid for the postage, amounting to $6.44. The mayor pro tem’s and the city administrator’s invitations were placed in their boxes at City Hall.
Best regards,
Eric Bookmeyer, Mayor
City of Mason City
10 First Street NW
Mason City, IA 50401
641-421-3600
mayor@masoncity.net
It depends on the circumstances of course, but the idea of being a “snitch” is rooted in gang mentality. In an open air truthful and honest democracy and community, “informing” about someone would be tantamount to reporting on the weather…no big deal. “Oh, so you saw so and so smoking some marijuana huh? Was it a good strain?” You see, only bad laws, or bad actions need worry about such terms as snitching. Following a virtuous and true path is not snitching. Gangs fear the truth
So essentially I agree with the Mayor. If you witness or know about bad behavior that is harmful to the environment, an animal or a human, by all means report what you know to applicable authorities. Who among us would cover up for a rape? A burglary? A murder? Most of the people who inflict the taboo of “snitching” upon others are mainly drug dealers and thieves. Had the jailhouse “snitch” not informed of Angela Johnson’s horrible deeds, those bodies wouldn’t have been found.
And if humans find disagreement with laws which elicit “snitching”, they can air their grievances to the Senate, so they may walk with their heads held high. Let their actions face the test of sunlight. Snitching will be dissolved in virtue if actions are good and true. Those worried about snitching 9X out of 10 are bad people with something to hide. Injustice you say? Partisan Rebellion? Yes, the only complications which threaten Pax Romana, but irrelevant in harmonious society.
Hell yes shoot them scum, send their dead black butt’s back where they come from. Scum is there name they got to go. I do not care how they go any ways a good way. Hillary your a nut job yes. Nothing wrong with some body like 2old2fat or Blodgett, pack some heat, may be they can take some them scum out if they do I say give out some medal’s to them guys.
Very strange. When I watched KIMT News at noon today there was not a single word about this. Plenty of news about Burlington,Mn and of course Rochester, Mn. but not a word about this or anything else in Mason City. They should be kicked out of Iowa and a station brought in that would report Iowa news. A little about Minnesota is O.K. but enough is enough.
LVS, KIMT refused to give a squirt of coverage on last fall’s area elections. Such inaction always favors incumbents. I’ve been calling out KIMT for many months now, on their tepid, vacuous coverage. I saw a bunch of them in Lorados bar last fall, drinking it up, surrounded by local druggies, and criminals. I knew at that point Mason City had an intractable situation going on.
funny thing is, if you want Mason City coverage, you have to watch Robin on channel 10. lol
I wouldn’t be at all surprised if some of the KIMT talking heads were huge heroin addicts. I heard, the more you inject, the more your hair falls out. In other words, the more bald and inept the newscaster is, the more drugs he is likely injecting. Ooops, I almost said that scary word “syringe”.
KIMT was not there, nor was the Glob, and Bobby Fisher was probably at home marking his calendar for all the high school girls volleyball games he’ll be attending this year. If I was a parent and saw Bobby Fisher staring at my high school daughter, I’d call police, cause that man is downright creepy.
Years ago watching KIMT News at the end of the day was like getting a good night kiss before bedtime. Weather with Bob, all North Iowa News, special reports and in depth coverage of local interest stories. Those days are over and I have said goodbye and no thanks. It all about advertising dollars and they are getting more revenue out of Minnesota so that’s what drives the focus of their coverage.
Nice to know in two weeks this will continue in the school systems
They didn’t come here for a better life, if they had of, they could have found it. They came here for the freebies that this city gives out, advertised far and wide by a council person many years ago.
Where was the Mayor and the Council Members when this was happening. Hiding in their homes or at the country club? So much for their Blue Zone. They have turned Monroe Avenue into a slum just like where they came from.
Where was the GLOB and KIMT when this was happening? KIMT was probably in Minnesota doing a feel good story. You can make all the excuses you want about these imports but no one is forcing them to act the way they do or to peddle drugs. They come here for a better life and then turn our city into Chicago or Detroit. They bring their problems on themselves. Send them back where they came from.
If KIMT shows up, I’m filming them and putting them on the news. So, I hope the have their makeup on just perfect, and their hair fully Aqua-Netted. And that goes for the women who work there, too.
@Matt-I sure wish I had said that.
Why? Is it your job to report the news, or create the news?
@bagodad-No its not. But I do like coming up with stuff to put down smart mouth’s like you who are just trying to start a fight. Now, piss off jerk.
That’s a fair question. It’s no secret I have disdain for the other media here in MC. Mostly, they are liars, leeches, parasites, short-timers, and bottom-feeders. Some of them seem mentally-ill, at least in my opinion. A few who work for KIMT, Globe and 3 Eagles are decent, even talented people; some of them are even seeing the light and moving into new professions (like beer?) I lost all respect I had for radio, newspaper and TV when they showed up at a woman’s funeral in downtown MC and sensationalized it. Mark it down, that happens again, I will be back, and I will shame them far worse than last time. The mainstream “hometown” media is somewhat of a scourge on society; they lie and hide the truth from the public, and I will act as a watchdog upon them, just as I do to the local government. Does that answer your question?
@Matt-Good answer.
Have you all ever wonder where the other two media is when crap like this happens? What a bunch of scaredy cats!
HA
But on the other hand they are both a controlled media they don’t want us citizens to know what really is going on in this town!
The black plague is upon Mason City…
This just isn’t right…The pictures make it look like the projects in Chicago and Detroit. But as long as we have people that want drugs here… they will come. Dealers are coming with family members and then starting new families with the white women of low self-esteem. They take them in and are wooed by the money. It is a sad state of affairs, but it is as basic as the main tenet of Economics 101, supply and demand.
You mess with any NIT photographers and I’ll personally drag you Detroit rejects back where you belong behind my Harley and you WILL take that weave with you!
Thays just immigrants from chitcago and deadtroit – and yes we have drugs and drink milwaukees best beer up here but living in a international society we export it to slum avenue once known as Monroe scenic drive down south.
This is almost like a snapshot into the early 1800’s and what it must have looked like when authorities rounded up escaped slaves to bring them back to the plantation: I see white guys rounding up black guys. This will never end until Liberia is properly funded, and these people have their own homeland and political control. There is too much deep seated mistrust and wounds that will never heal. Doesn’t matter if slavery ended 200 years ago, the karma still lingers on.
Eric our drunken mayor should be ashamed of himself. All he cares about is his upscale buddies and how much he can f**k the city and its people. Just wondering how they got Jean M to pose while riding the fat pig in front of the decker house??? Our once proud city has gone to the imports of Detroit and Chicago. You all born and bred Mason Citians better start packin cause this shit aint going to get any better.
Now we know why the riot vehicle is in town……..