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Police said a black 2004 Mercury Mountaineer driven by Brooke Brainard, 35, of Charles City, was traveling eastbound on 4th Avenue and attempted to make a left turn to travel north on E Street.
A northern Iowa man was arrested after authorities searching for stolen property at a Bremer County residence allegedly found evidence tied to methamphetamine use.
DOUGHERTY – A Hampton woman was taken to the hospital with minor injuries Thursday morning after a two-vehicle crash in rural Cerro Gordo County.
FOREST CITY – Winnebago County supervisors approved county claims, discussed property issues in the northeast corner of the county and reviewed emergency paging concerns during meetings held May 19 and May 21, 2026.
CHARLES CITY — The Floyd County Board of Supervisors approved a new ambulance services contract, road maintenance work, a county road vacation, new stop signs and drainage district work during its regular meeting on May 19, 2026.
WATERLOO – A 22-year-old Cherokee woman has died after a two-vehicle crash Monday morning on Sergeant Road in Black Hawk County, according to the Iowa State Patrol.
WINNEBAGO COUNTY — The Winnebago County Board of Supervisors discussed property concerns, road matters, county safety issues, claims and emergency radio paging problems during meetings held May 19, 2026, and May 21, 2026.
MASON CITY – More than a decade after a beloved cookie shop closed its doors in Mason City, the familiar taste of Cookies, etc. is making a sweet return.
Cookies, etc. announced May 15, 2026, that it will be back in Mason City this summer, serving customers every Saturday at the Mason City Farmers Market.
ANKENY – Ankeny has been named one of the top places to live in the United States, earning the No. 4 national ranking in U.S. News & World Report’s 2026-2027 Best Places to Live list, the city announced Tuesday.
ESTHERVILLE – A north Iowa man already facing a string of felony drug and weapon charges in Emmet County was arrested again this month in Dickinson County, where court records show he now faces three new charges after an apparent jail altercation.
NORTHWOOD – The Worth County Board of Supervisors approved an airport road closure request for Founder’s Day and set hearing dates tied to Drainage District #6 during its regular meeting on May 18, 2026.
A Chicago man who authorities say brought a gun into an Iowa home invasion involving victims and a minor child has been sentenced to 12 years in federal prison after again being caught illegally possessing a firearm.
DES MOINES – Iowa farmers made strong progress in the fields last week, even as severe storms brought hail, damaging winds and a tornado threat to parts of the state, according to the latest Iowa Crop Progress and Condition Report.
The report, covering May 11-17, 2026, shows Iowa’s corn and soybean planting seasons are moving ahead of the five-year average, a positive sign for the state’s ag economy as farmers try to capitalize on timely fieldwork windows and favorable moisture.
MASON CITY – Northern Iowa motorists who travel U.S. 65 between Rockwell and Sheffield will need to use a detour starting Tuesday, May 26, 2026, as crews begin a bridge replacement project over the West Fork of the Cedar River.
WASHINGTON – The United States is escalating its economic campaign against Iran even as the threat of new military attacks continues to hang over the widening U.S.-Iran war.
On May 19, 2026, the U.S. State Department announced new sanctions against Iranian currency exchange houses, associated personnel, front companies and 19 vessels accused of helping Tehran evade international sanctions and move money from oil and petrochemical sales.
GARNER — The Hancock County Board of Supervisors approved a fiscal year 2025-2026 budget amendment, opioid-fund spending, maintenance garage purchases and more than $686,000 in county claims during its May 18, 2026, meeting.
MASON CITY — Cerro Gordo County supervisors approved two rural rezoning requests, payroll changes, road project plans and more than $1.26 million in county claims during their regular meeting on May 18, 2026.
An Iowa man has been charged with first-degree murder after authorities say the remains of a man reported missing nearly three years ago were found buried behind a remote rest area.
A major manufacturer of luxury kitchen appliances is planning a $196 million expansion in Iowa, a project state leaders say will bring hundreds of jobs and strengthen the state’s role in American manufacturing.
Sub-Zero Group, Inc. plans to expand its Cedar Rapids manufacturing facility with an approximately 225,000-square-foot building addition. The project is expected to create 312 jobs, including 115 jobs incented at a qualifying wage of $30.41 per hour.
The project also fits into a broader national push to grow manufacturing inside the United States. President Donald Trump has made reshoring and domestic production a centerpiece of his economic agenda, using tariffs, tax policy, investment incentives and “Made in America” messaging to encourage companies to build, expand and produce more goods on U.S. soil.
MASON CITY – Mason City Community Schools is entering into a five-year exclusive athletic apparel and equipment program agreement with Decker Sports, a Mason City-based sporting goods company that also has done business with Forest City schools.
The agreement, titled “Decker Sports – Exclusive All School Program,” is between Decker Sports and Mason City Community Schools. The term of the agreement begins July 1, 2026, and runs through June 30, 2031. It will be considered at Monday’s school board meeting.
The agreement includes financial benefits for the district. Mason City schools will receive $5,000 cash up front for the initial year of the term, followed by $5,000 each additional year.
ARLINGTON – A Northern Iowa man with a drug conviction dating back to the 1990s has been sentenced after authorities say deputies raided his Fayette County home twice in less than a month during narcotics investigations.
MASON CITY – The Mason City Community School District is looking to boost substitute pay for the 2026-27 school year, including a proposed schedule that would pay substitute teachers up to $205 per day for long-term work.
MILFORD – A Northern Iowa manufacturing company is planning a major expansion in Milford, bringing new investment and dozens of decent-paying jobs to the region.
Rosenboom Machine & Tool, Inc. plans to acquire and build out a new facility in Milford as part of a $19.07 million capital investment. The project is expected to create 78 jobs, with the incented jobs carrying a qualifying wage of $25.54 per hour.
Authorities said the suspect was charged with possession with intent to deliver marijuana, a Class D felony; failure to affix a drug tax stamp, a Class D felony; possession of a controlled substance, a serious misdemeanor; and possession of drug paraphernalia, a simple misdemeanor.
CHARLES CITY – A Mason City driver was cited after police said she failed to obey a traffic control device and was involved in a two-vehicle crash that left both drivers reporting pain.
A Northern Iowa man who lost control of his Jeep Wrangler and put it into a roadside timber area on Christmas Eve was later convicted of operating while under the influence, marking another OWI conviction on his Iowa court record.
RANDALIA — Multiple people were injured and two vehicles were destroyed in a crash west of Randalia on May 14, 2026.
BUTLER COUNTY — Feldmeier Equipment Inc. plans to construct a new manufacturing facility in Butler County, bringing a $20.8 million capital investment tied to advanced production work and future growth.
The Iowa Economic Development Authority Board awarded the company $688,670 in tax credits through the state’s Business Incentives for Growth program.
MASON CITY – A young North Iowa entrepreneur who turned a personal truck problem into a growing business has been recognized by the NIACC John Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Center and North Iowa Area Small Business Development Center.
Jordan Klooster of Klooster Flaps in Garner has been named the May 2026 Entrepreneur of the Month.
CHARLES CITY — A Charles City pharmaceutical manufacturer is planning a major expansion that is expected to create more than 100 jobs and bring $150 million in new capital investment to the community.
Cambrex Charles City, Inc., a subsidiary of New Jersey-based Cambrex Corporation, plans to construct a new 7,700-square-foot facility in Charles City. The project is intended to increase the company’s production capacity by 40%.
The Iowa Economic Development Authority Board approved $10,132,500 in tax credits for the project through the state’s Business Incentives for Growth program.
MITCHELL COUNTY — Two people were taken to the hospital after a crash Wednesday afternoon at Highway 218 and 480th Street in Mitchell County.
DES MOINES — Gov. Kim Reynolds has signed a bill into law dealing with the display of flags at half-staff on public buildings, along with a long list of other bills covering issues such as human trafficking, public records, child placements, window tint, nonresident deer licenses and social districts for alcoholic beverages.
MASON CITY — North Iowa Area Community College has announced that 1,146 students have been named to the 2026 spring term President’s List and Dean’s List.
The honored students represent 104 Iowa communities, 15 states outside Iowa and 18 countries outside the United States. Students are listed by hometown.
CHARLES CITY — A Minnesota man was stopped by police in Charles City after they say he was driving without headlights on a recent morning, and he apparently didn’t go quietly when told he was under arrest.
A Kansas woman arrested in March on a criminal warrant has been convicted of felony theft in northern Iowa.
CHARLES CITY — A juvenile riding an electric bicycle on a sidewalk suffered minor injuries after crashing into a Honda Civic in Charles City.
CHARLES CITY — A Charles City woman was arrested on a felony theft warrant after police conducted a traffic stop earlier this month.
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced on May 7, 2026, that retailers authorized to accept Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits will be required to carry a broader variety of staple foods under a new final rule, what the agency calls “real foods”.
MASON CITY — The Cerro Gordo County Board of Supervisors set a public hearing for a fiscal year 2026 budget amendment during its regular meeting on May 11, 2026.
ABOARD AIR FORCE ONE — U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said China remains the United States’ top geopolitical challenge as President Donald Trump and senior U.S. officials headed to Beijing for high-level talks.
In a May 14, 2026, interview with Sean Hannity of Fox News Channel aboard Air Force One, Rubio described China as both America’s biggest geopolitical challenge and one of the most important relationships for Washington to manage. He said the two countries will continue to have conflicting interests, but also said diplomacy is needed to avoid war and maintain global stability.