CEDAR RAPIDS – A Northern Iowa farmer who lied to a local small-town bank to get a farm operating line of credit was sentenced April 1, 2026, to six months in federal prison – but he is still walking free at this time.
Author: NIT Publisher
NorthIowaToday.com Publisher
Welcome to NIT, North Iowa's only true watchdog media. NIT was founded on October 1, 2010.
Senator Doug Campbell says a number of beneficial bills are advancing in the Iowa Legislature
A number of beneficial bills are advancing in the Iowa Legislature as the governing body looks to wrap things up this year, and a budget bill is still being hammered out.
According to Senator Campbell: “A $9.623 billion budget target would leave the state budget with a projected total of $4.8 billion in ending balance, the Taxpayer Relief Fund, and the rainy day funds at the end of FY27. A target of $9.623 billion includes the nearly $100 million in new money for K-12 education passed in earlier in the session and a total increase of $114 million in new spending for the next fiscal year.”
OBIT: Robert Douglas Loften
Robert “Rob” Douglas Loften III, age 53, passed away unexpectedly on Saturday, April 4, 2026, at St. Mary’s in Rochester, Minnesota, leaving behind a legacy of love, laughter, and deep devotion to family and friends. A funeral service will be held on Thursday, April 9, 2026, at 10:30 a.m. at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Osage.
OBIT: Rhonda Magnuson
Rhonda Lynn Magnuson, 63, of Mason City, Iowa, passed away on Saturday, April 4, 2026, at her home. A Celebration of Rhonda’s life will be held at a later date.
OBIT: Barbara Elaine Berge
Barbara Elaine Berge, age 84, of Osage, passed away on Monday, March 30, 2026, at Faith Lutheran Home in Osage, Iowa. A memorial service will be held on Tuesday, April 7, 2026, at 10:30 a.m. at Rock Creek Lutheran Church in Osage.
Waterloo woman found dead, suspect nabbed
WATERLOO – A woman was found dead in a Waterloo home, and cops quickly nabbed a suspect in the apparent killing.
OBIT: Eldean August Wendt
Eldean August Wendt was called peacefully to his savior on March 30, 2026, at his home surrounded by his family. Eldean’s celebration of life will be held at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Osage with visitation on Sunday, April 12, 2026.
OBIT: Leon Joseph Weaver
Leon Joseph Weaver, 71, of Rockwell, Iowa, passed away on Monday, March 31, 2026, at MercyOne North Iowa Medical Center. A funeral service will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Monday, April 6, 2026, at Hogan Bremer Moore Colonial Chapel.
OBIT: Roberta Mary Dunn
Roberta “Betty” Mary Dunn, 86, of Aplington, Iowa, passed away on Sunday, April 5, 2026, at the Hansen Family Hospital in Iowa Falls, Iowa.
OBIT: Lois Ann Dutcher
Lois Ann Dutcher, 93, of Manly, passed away peacefully on Saturday, April 4, 2026, at Heritage Care Center in Mason City. A funeral service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, April 11, 2026, at Bethlehem Lutheran Church.
OBIT: Delbert Dean Harms
Delbert Dean Harms, 90, of Allison, Iowa, passed away April 3, 2026, at the Allison Rehabilitation Center. A public visitation will be held from 4:00 – 6:00p.m. on April 8, at Woodley Funeral Home in Allison.
OBIT: David Dorenkamp
David Dorenkamp, age 68, long-time Thornton resident and 30 year volunteer firefighter, passed away suddenly on Monday, March 30, 2026 at his home. Funeral services will be held at 10:30 AM on Tuesday, April 7, 2026 at the Thornton United Methodist Church.
Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird to hold town hall in Mitchell county
OSAGE – Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird will hold a town hall meeting in Osage next week.
Belmond residents killed in Wright county auto crash
WRIGHT COUNTY — Two Belmond residents were killed Friday evening following a two-vehicle collision on Highway 69 involving an illegal maneuver.
The Strategic Value of Fractional COO Services for Growing Businesses
Introduction As companies scale, their operations often outpace leadership capacity. Founders and executive teams are put in the position of managing growth, which includes team structure, process improvement, system implementation, vendor relations,…
Drunk driver nabbed entering Charles City after tip
CHARLES CITY — A multi-county traffic complaint ended in an arrest Thursday evening after Charles City police intercepted an intoxicated driver entering the city limits.
Dancing for the Dream event at Surf Ballroom raises over $200,000 as participants win prizes
MASON CITY — The historic Surf Ballroom was transformed into a powerhouse of philanthropy and performance as 43 North Iowa’s signature “Dancing for the Dream” fundraiser shattered records, raising more than $200,000 to support local individuals living with disabilities and mental health challenges. The sold-out event brought together a capacity crowd to celebrate a night defined by community spirit and creative energy.
OBIT: Sharon V. Nemmers
Sharon Nemmers, 74 of Britt formerly of Algona, passed away Friday, April 3, 2026, at Westview Care Center in Britt. A visitation to celebrate Sharon’s life will be held on Friday, April 10, 2026, from 10:00 AM until Noon at Lentz Funeral Home in Algona.
UNI Panthers introduce Kyle Green as men’s head basketball coach
CEDAR FALLS – The return of Kyle Green to the University of Northern Iowa was marked by a powerful sense of homecoming and deep-seated emotion during his introductory press conference at the McLeod Center this week. Stepping into the role as the 26th head coach in program history, Green—who spent 16 years as an assistant and associate head coach in Cedar Falls—frequently paused to compose himself, admitting early on that there was likely an “over-under” on how long it would take for him to start crying.
Illegal alien in big trouble after fleeing cops at 100mph and slamming head-on into Jeep, killing pregnant teen
WASHINGTON – Another illegal alien has tragically killed innocent American citizens, this time a teen and her unborn child, which usually doesn’t bother Democrats, but Homeland Security is making sure this killer gets exactly what is coming to him.
Rep. Shannon Latham says speed limit increase to 60mph on state highways advances in Iowa Legislature
“The Iowa House of Representatives voted to move the speed limit to 60 on two-lane state highways,” Rep. Latham said.
Justice Department sues Minnesota to keep males out of girls’ sports and bathrooms
ST. PAUL – In Minnesota, girls are under attack by males masquerading as females (check for the XY chromosome in any cell for a clue) and leadership there celebrate the harm and chaos, but the Justice Department is aiming to shake these fraudsters so hard they are forced to recognize common sense.
Minnesota celebrates as “boys invade intimate spaces designated exclusively for girls, such as multi-person locker rooms and bathrooms…” the lawsuit states.
OBIT: Martha E. Andersen
Martha E. Andersen, 98, of Mason City, passed away Sunday, March 29, 2026, at the IOOF Home surrounded by family. A Funeral Mass will be held on Thursday, April 9, 2026, at 10:30 a.m., at Epiphany Parish St. Joseph Catholic Church.
Custom Firefighter Apparel: Supporting First Responders Through DTF Printing
ecognizing the bravery and commitment of firefighters through personalized gear not only uplifts their spirits but also enhances team unity. Custom firefighter apparel, utilizing Direct to Film (DTF) printing technology, offers a…
Mason City man enters guilty plea to child exploitation and gun crimes
CEDAR RAPIDS – A Mason City man who sexually exploited children, possessed child pornography, and possessed a stolen firearm pled guilty in federal court in Cedar Rapids.
OBIT: Kenneth L. Midtgaard
Kenneth L. Midtgaard, 93, of Mason City, passed away on Saturday, March 28, 2026. A funeral service will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, April 9, 2026, at Faith Baptist Church.
OBIT: George Veitch
George H. Veitch, age 76, passed away on Monday, March 30, 2026, at his home in Ruthven, Iowa.
Iowa City to get a new downtown entertainment hot spot
IOWA CITY — The Iowa City Downtown District announced Thursday the purchase of the former SpareMe Bowl & Arcade space. Local business owner Joe Hill has acquired the 16,000-square-foot property at 404…
OBIT: Nick Capesius
Nick Capesius, 74, of Bode, passed away Friday, April 3, 2026, at Fairview University of Minnesota Medical Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Thursday, April 9, 2026, at 10:30 AM at Divine Mercy Catholic Parish – St. Joseph Catholic Church in St. Joe.
OBIT: Dorothy Mae Davison
Dorothy Davison, 95, of Eldora, passed away Thursday April 2, 2026 at Eldora Specialty Care. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 AM on Monday, April 6, 2026 at the Christian Fellowship Church of Eldora.
OBIT: Ronald Wayne Schilling
Ronald Wayne Schilling, age 64, of Nashua, Iowa, died on Wednesday, April 1, 2026, at Cedar Valley Hospice House in Waterloo, surrounded by his family, after a courageous fight with cholangiocarcinoma—an aggressive cancer originating in the bile ducts. Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, April 11, 2026, at St. John Lutheran Church in Nashua.
OBIT: Linda L. Ell
Linda Austin Ell, 76, passed away on Tuesday, March 31, 2026, at Good Shepherd Health Center after a long battle with lung cancer and dementia.
How AI Receptionists Are Changing Client Communication in Legal Practices?
To attract and retain clients, most law firms must have effective communication methods. Today’s clients want instant responses when reaching out to their lawyer for emergency questions and/or concerns regarding their legal…
A Step-By-Step Guide to Sell Your Home Fast in Mesa For Cash
Selling a home can feel stressful, especially when you need to move quickly. Maybe you are dealing with job relocation, divorce, inherited property, foreclosure worries, costly repairs, or simply want to avoid…
Iowa man flees cops after multiple no-contact order violations
Most modern 22-year-old males spend their Friday afternoons playing video games, posing for goofy selfies, eating pop tarts in their mom’s basements, and deciding just how far their drawers can hang below their waistlines, but this Iowa man apparently spent his day trying to see how many times he could get handcuffed after he blew off a judge’s no-contact order over and over.
Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson equates birthright citizenship to stealing a wallet in Japan
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson said this week that so-called “birthright citizenship” is pretty much exactly the same as stealing a wallet in Japan, and Republicans nationwide are saying both are bad news.
OBIT: Wade Willis Mueller
Wade Mueller, 46, of Lakota died on March 31, 2026. A celebration of Wade’s life will be held at 11:00 AM on Saturday, April 11, 2026 in the Family Center at First Baptist Church.
OBIT: Diane Olerich
Diane Mary (Berg) Olerich, a devoted mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and friend, passed away peacefully on March 30, 2026, at the age of 89.
OBIT: Jack Osborn
Jack Osborn, 70, of Webster City died Monday, March 30, 2026 at Van Diest Medical Center. A visitation will be held from 10:00 am – 12:00 pm Saturday, April 4, 2026 at Foster Funeral and Cremation Center.
OBIT: Mary M. Kamish
Mary M. (McNally) Kamish “Muggs,” 72, of Mason City, passed away on Monday, March 30, 2026, at the I.O.O.F Home in Mason City. The family will host a Celebration of Life for Mary’s family and close friends on Saturday, April 11, 2026, from 2:00-5:00 pm. at the Bendickson family home in Alden, MN.