Founded on Oct. 1, 2010
News & Entertainment for Mason City, Clear Lake & the Entire North Iowa Region
GREENE — Mary Christine Schipper, 69, passed away peacefully Wednesday, June 25, 2026, after a five-year battle with cancer.
A visitation will be held from 5:00 to 7:00 PM Friday, July 10, 2026, at Woodley Funeral Home in Greene. A private family funeral service will be held.
Iowa has built one of the more mature legal sports betting markets in the Midwest. Since the state launched mobile wagering in 2019, the industry has grown steadily — Hawkeye and Cyclone…
WASHINGTON — Former U.S. National Security Advisor John R. Bolton II pleaded guilty Friday to violating the Espionage Act, admitting in federal court that he willfully retained national defense information after serving in one of the most sensitive posts in the federal government.
Bolton, 77, of Bethesda, Maryland, served as national security adviser to President Donald Trump from April 2018 to September 2019. The Justice Department said Bolton used personal accounts to send classified information to family members who were not authorized to receive it, including through a personal email account later hacked by a cyber actor allegedly linked to Iran.
The case marked a dramatic fall for Bolton, a longtime Republican foreign-policy hawk who held senior national security roles across multiple administrations and later became a sharp critic of Trump after leaving the White House.
Bolton faces a maximum penalty of 60 months in prison. As part of the plea agreement, he also agreed to pay a $2.25 million fine. DOJ said federal law also bars Bolton or his survivors from collecting an annuity or federal retirement pay because of the conviction.
MASON CITY — A downtown Mason City site once marked by a major apartment-house fire is now being lined up for new life, with plans calling for apartments, retail or office space and parking near North Federal Avenue and 2nd Street Northwest.
The project, known as Kirk Multifamily, is planned for the northwest corner of North Federal Avenue and 2nd Street Northwest, on the site of the former Kirk Apartments (pictured at top, and bottom in June, 2026).
NEW HAMPTON — Kenneth Ray Lester, 94, of New Hampton, passed away Thursday, June 25, 2026, at MercyOne North Iowa Medical Center in Mason City.
A visitation will be held from 9:30 to 11:00 AM Wednesday, July 1, 2026, at Trinity Lutheran Church, 223 S. Water Ave. in New Hampton.
CLEAR LAKE — Ronald L. Gerhardt, 71, of Clear Lake, passed away peacefully Thursday, June 25, 2026, at Oakwood Care Center in Clear Lake, surrounded by family.
A private family inurnment will be held at Clear Lake Cemetery, N. 20th St. in Clear Lake.
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MASON CITY — A Mason City woman convicted just weeks ago of child endangerment is back in custody after authorities say she is now facing fresh allegations in another Northern Iowa county that children were put at risk.
MASON CITY — The North Iowa Area Community College Board of Trustees will hold a special meeting Tuesday, June 30, 2026, to consider action on the college’s Athletic Fields Project.
DES MOINES — Iowa’s push to stop taxpayer-funded food assistance from being used on soda, candy and other sugary items has been blocked by a federal judge in Washington, D.C.
Gov. Kim Reynolds criticized the ruling, saying it undercuts Iowa’s effort to align Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits with healthier food choices.
WAUCOMA — Rodney James Vrzak, 69, of Waucoma, passed away Thursday, June 25, 2026, at MercyOne Medical Center in Mason City.
A Mass of Christian Burial was held at 10:30 a.m. Friday, July 3, 2026, at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Waucoma, with Rev. Nick Radloff celebrating the Mass. Interment followed at the church cemetery.
MASON CITY — Robert H. Fowler, 92, of Mason City, passed away Wednesday, June 24, 2026, at Homestead Assisted Living of Mason City.
A visitation will begin at 10:00 AM Thursday, July 2, 2026, at Major Erickson Funeral Home, 111 N. Pennsylvania Ave. in Mason City.
NEW HAMPTON — Connie Ann Ellswick, 65, of New Hampton, passed away Wednesday, June 24, 2026, surrounded by family and friends after a battle with aggressive small cell lung cancer.
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WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump scored two major immigration victories at the U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday, with rulings that strengthen his administration’s ability to turn away asylum seekers at the border and end deportation protections for some Haitian and Syrian migrants.
The rulings also land squarely in the middle of Iowa’s ongoing political debate over immigration enforcement, border security and the role states should play in supporting federal immigration policy.
MASON CITY — A Mason City woman who was recently placed on probation after a chaotic and violent incident at a local convenience store is now facing more legal trouble after a new felony arrest in the Des Moines area.
Dean Charles Koppen, 77, of Spencer, passed away Wednesday, June 24, 2026, at Avera McKennan Hospital in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
ST. ANSGAR — Leanna Grace Hendrickson, 92, of St. Ansgar, passed away Wednesday, June 24, 2026, at Osage Hospital.
A funeral service will follow at 11:00 AM Wednesday, July 1, 2026, at First Lutheran Church in St. Ansgar.
WASHINGTON — Federal safety officials are warning families to stay alert around pools, spas and other water hazards this summer after a new report found childhood drowning remains a persistent and deadly danger.
According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, drowning is the leading cause of death for children ages 1 to 4. The agency’s latest report found an average of 376 children under age 15 fatally drowned each year in pool- or spa-related incidents from 2021 through 2023.
CLEAR LAKE — Two people were taken to the hospital Wednesday morning after a crash at a rural Cerro Gordo County intersection near Clear Lake, authorities said.
The crash happened at about 7:05 AM on June 24, 2026, at 170th Street and Grouse Avenue.
CHARLES CITY — Lorna Ann Haeflinger, 65, of Charles City, passed away Wednesday, June 24, 2026, at her home at Comprehensive Systems in Charles City.
Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. Thursday, July 9, 2026, at St. Peter’s Lutheran Church in Elma, with Pastor Bruce Miller presiding. Burial will follow at Howard Cemetery in Elma.
CHARLES CITY — The Floyd County Board of Supervisors approved fiscal year 2027 salary certifications, a $23.9 million budget appropriation, public meeting posting rules and county claims during its regular meeting on June 23, 2026.
MASON CITY — A Mason City distracted driver has been sentenced to prison after pleading guilty in connection with a 2024 auto crash that killed a local woman who was walking home, along the side of a road.
WASHINGTON — A developing U.S.-Iran financial arrangement could become a major new market opportunity for Iowa farmers if the Trump administration’s description of the deal holds, though Iranian officials are already pushing back on the details.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the U.S. Treasury will oversee frozen Iranian funds when they are released under President Donald Trump’s interim Iran agreement. The administration is touting the arrangement as a way to direct money toward food and medical purchases, including potential purchases of American agricultural products.
That could matter in a big way for Iowa.
CEDAR RAPIDS — Federal prosecutors announced a massive national health care fraud takedown this week, charging 455 defendants across the country in alleged schemes involving more than $6.5 billion in false claims, including criminal and civil cases connected to Iowa.
AMES — U.S. Senator Joni Ernst will host her fourth and final annual Entrepreneur Expo at Iowa State University on Tuesday, June 30, bringing Iowa small business owners together with federal marketplace experts, agency representatives and innovation leaders.
NORTHWOOD — Worth County authorities are warning North Iowans to hang up on scammers after two local residents were recently manipulated into sending money.
ALLISON — Ila Grace Wangsness, 93, of Allison, passed away Tuesday, June 23, 2026, at Elm Springs in Allison.
Funeral services will be held at 10:30 AM Monday, June 29, 2026, at St. James Lutheran Church in Allison. Burial will follow at Allison Cemetery.
MASON CITY — A Northern Iowa sex offender was booked into the Cerro Gordo County Jail this week after authorities served a warrant tied to an alleged sex offender registration violation.
TROY MILLS — A Northern Iowa wildlife area along the Wapsipinicon River is drawing attention for its mix of sand prairie, wetlands, timber, hunting opportunities and quiet river access.
AMES — Iowa State forward Joshua Jefferson became the latest Cyclone to hear his name called in the NBA Draft, going to the Minnesota Timberwolves with the No. 28 pick in the first round of the 2026 NBA Draft.
MASON CITY — The Cerro Gordo County Board of Supervisors approved major budget transfers, fiscal year 2027 appropriations, a bridge contract, airport road closures and a bid schedule for a planned Rockwell Secondary Roads building during its regular meeting on June 22, 2026.
BROOKLYN, N.Y. — Bennett Stirtz’s remarkable basketball rise reached the NBA on Tuesday night, as the former University of Iowa standout was selected 16th overall by the Memphis Grizzlies in the 2026 NBA Draft and then traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder.
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A Northern Iowa man already awaiting trial on a felony drug charge was arrested again after a Fayette County deputy found a vehicle parked in the traveled portion of a roadway on a recent early morning, authorities said.
NORTHWOOD — The Worth County Board of Supervisors approved nearly $2 million in claims, accepted drainage district engineer reports, approved drainage work orders and designated the county’s official public meeting posting location during its regular meeting on June 22, 2026.
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