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Sports

College Basketball: Iowa State Cyclones add five transfers

AMES – Iowa State head men’s basketball coach T.J. Otzelberger has announced the addition of five transfers to the 2026-27 Iowa State roster. Leon Bond III (Northern Iowa), Jaquan Johnson (Bradley), Taj Manning (Kansas State), Ryan Prather Jr. (Robert Morris) and Tre Singleton (Northwestern) will all join the Cyclones this summer.

Future-Proof Your Career with In-Demand Certifications

Introduction to Future-Proof Careers In a rapidly evolving professional world, staying relevant and competitive requires continuous learning and adaptation. Certifications have become one of the most reliable ways to future-proof a career,

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Mason City pedals into the national spotlight as elite mountain biking ‘Trail Town’

MASON CITY — The International Mountain Bicycling Association (IMBA) has officially named Mason City a 2026 IMBA Trail Town, a prestigious national designation that recognizes the community’s rapid ascent as a premier destination for outdoor enthusiasts. Mason City joins an elite group of only 28 communities nationwide honored for their exceptional commitment to building, maintaining, and celebrating high-quality trail systems.

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Homeland Security reports a record 11th month in a row with zero border crossing

WASHINGTON — The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) announced a major milestone in border enforcement this week, reporting an 11th consecutive month of zero releases at the southern border. According to the latest figures, border encounters for the first half of the 2026 fiscal year have reached their lowest levels in recorded history. Officials credit the sustained decline to the implementation of robust enforcement measures and “America First” policies that have fundamentally altered the landscape of the southwest border.

Best Home Warranty Companies in Iowa for 2026

Iowa homeowners need reliable protection for the appliances and systems that work hardest through freezing winters, humid summers, and unpredictable seasonal weather. When a furnace stops heating in January, a water heater

Obits

OBIT: David A. Giese

David A. Giese, 84, of Marshalltown, formerly of Mason City, passed away Tuesday, April 14, 2026, at The Willows of Marshalltown. He taught language arts and served as speech coach and directed three major plays annually at Mason City High School until his retirement in 2003. A funeral service will be held at 10: 30 a.m., Friday, May 8th, at Trinity Lutheran Church in Mason City.

Obits

OBIT: Thomas Dean Fischer

Tom passed away on Friday, April 10, 2026, at Iowa Specialty Hospital in Clarion, Iowa at the age of 90 years. Graveside services will be on Thursday, April 16, 1:30 p.m. at Rose Hill Cemetery, Eagle Grove.

Obits

OBIT: Julie Jo Wiebenga (formerly Zirbel, Kramer & Reimer)

Clear Lake-Julie Jo Wiebenga (formerly Zirbel, Kramer & Reimer) 77, passed away peacefully at home on Monday, April 13, 2026, surrounded by loved ones. A visitation will be held Tuesday, April 21, 2026, from 5:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m., at Ward Van Slyke Colonial Chapel.

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American military successfully blockades entire Persian Gulf

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) forces began implementing a blockade of all maritime traffic entering and exiting Iranian ports on the morning of April 13, in accordance with President Donald Trump’s proclamation, essentially grinding Iran’s economy to a standstill.

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Ray Colby: Nature Photographer, a temporary exhibition, now open in the MacNider Art Museum

MASON CITY – Ray Colby, a retired commercial photographer living in Minneapolis, MN, is featured in the solo exhibition, Ray Colby: Nature Photographer, in the Charles H. MacNider Art Museum’s Kinney-Lindstrom Gallery. This photographic display has a three-pronged focus: often-overlooked insects and arachnids that populate Midwest backyards and gardens, large birds of urban Minneapolis, and a stop on the migration route of Sandhill Cranes near the Crex Meadows Wildlife Area in Wisconsin.

Sports

Former UNI basketball star AJ Green sets 3-point shooting record for Milwaukee Bucks

MILWAUKEE – Former Panther men’s basketball standout AJ Green wrapped up his fourth season in the NBA over the weekend with the Milwaukee Bucks, doing so in record breaking fashion.

Green, a 2022 UNI graduate and two-time Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) Player of the Year, set both the franchise’s single-game and single-season three-point field goals record to close out the Bucks’ 2025-26 season.