Founded in 2010
News & Entertainment for Mason City, Clear Lake & the Entire North Iowa Region
By Robin Abcarian, Los Angeles Times – LOS ANGELES — Sarah Palin may not be running for anything, and she hasn’t been invited (yet) to speak at the Republican National Convention, but
Christinia Crippes, The Hawk Eye, Burlington, Iowa – There is bipartisan consensus among Iowa’s federal delegation that the across-the-board budget cuts expected to happen at the end of the year should not go
By Sheera Frenkel, McClatchy Newspapers – JERUSALEM — Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney vowed Sunday to stand with Israel against any threat from Iran, eager to show that he’s a better friend than
MCT FORUM, By James Gattuso, The Heritage Foundation – Regulation is like the weather. Everyone likes to complain, but nobody does anything about it. That’s not true, however, of the House of
Chicago Tribune – Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. is at the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota “for extensive inpatient evaluation for depression and gastrointestinal issues,” according to a statement from Jackson sent late Friday
By Mike Bresnahan, Los Angeles Times – LONDON — A handful of journalists watched the U.S. win its Olympic opener in women’s basketball against Croatia. It was an obvious contrast to the
Mike Mendnehall, Newton Daily News, Iowa – Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal had to order his Maid-Rite sandwiches to go during a stop at the iconic Newton diner Thursday. But he did take
President Obama urges Republicans in the House of Representatives to act on his proposal to protect middle class families and small businesses from being hit with a big tax hike next year.
By Sheera Frenkel, McClatchy Newspapers – JERUSALEM — Even before Mitt Romney arrives in Israel, he has friends here. During a recent series of debates pitting representatives of the Republican and Democratic
By Lisa Mascaro, Tribune Washington Bureau – WASHINGTON — Congressional Republicans are taking their campaign of tax cuts for all income levels on the road, an orchestrated push to bolster the positions
By Maeve Reston, Los Angeles Times – LONDON — Looking to move past his withering debut in the British press, Mitt Romney appeared on NBC’s “Today” show Friday morning and insisted that
By Anna M. Tinsley, McClatchy Newspapers – DALLAS — Texas is ground zero for the “tea party.” Until the votes are counted and the race is settled Tuesday night, Texas’ Republican runoff
By Shashank Bengali, McClatchy Newspapers – LONDON — Mitt Romney had hoped a visit to the Olympics would advertise his own past glory and kick off an overseas trip designed to show
By Mark K. Matthews, The Orlando Sentinel – WASHINGTON — A new IRS rule designed to find tax cheats got a thumbs-down Thursday from the U.S. House, which moved to delay its
By Scott Hiaasen and Christina Veiga, McClatchy Newspapers – MIAMI — The latest investigation of potential absentee ballot fraud in Miami-Dade County was triggered by a private investigator who went to police
By Jim Puzzanghera, Los Angeles Times – WASHINGTON — Treasury Secretary Timothy F. Geithner told lawmakers that he doesn’t think the manipulation of the scandal-plagued LIBOR standard by large banks cost taxpayers
President Obama discusses his Administration’s work strengthening our communities by investing in manufacturers and small businesses, cutting taxes for middle-class families, reforming education by raising standards, and ensuring millions more Americans have
Sen. Chuck Grassley made the comment below about Senate votes Wednesday afternoon to extend expiring tax relief. Sen. Grassley served as Chairman of the tax-writing Finance Committee in 2001 and 2003 and
By Melanie Mason, Tribune Washington Bureau – WASHINGTON — Oscar winner Robert Duvall is bringing a little Hollywood cachet to the Mitt Romney fundraising effort. Duvall and his wife, Luciana, are to
By Seema Mehta, Los Angeles Times – LOS ANGELES — As Mitt Romney landed Wednesday morning in London to launch a three-country overseas trip, an anonymous quote in a British newspapers caused
By Lisa Mascaro, Tribune Washington Bureau – WASHINGTON — Here’s something you don’t see every day: A veteran House Republican reaching across the aisle to endorse a Democratic colleague’s campaign for U.S.
By David Lauter, Tribune Washington Bureau – WASHINGTON — Latino voters’ interest in the election has begun to rise, but still lags behind the levels of four years ago, according to a
By Mark Z. Barabak, Los Angeles Times – RENO, Nev.— Preparing for his first foreign travel as the unofficial Republican presidential nominee, Mitt Romney used a sendoff speech before military veterans Tuesday
By Michael Hawthorne, Chicago Tribune – WASHINGTON — The world’s leading manufacturers of flame retardants faced scathing criticism Tuesday from U.S. senators angered by what they called the industry’s misuse of science,
By Craig Jarvis, McClatchy Newspapers – DURHAM, N.C. — One of the battles won by the conservatives who took over the North Carolina Legislature this session was stripping Planned Parenthood of its
By Brian M. Rosenthal, The Seattle Times – SEATTLE — President Barack Obama dropped in to Seattle Tuesday for a pair of high-priced campaign fundraisers to bolster his re-election campaign against Republican
By Maeve Reston, Tribune Washington Bureau – BOSTON — Mitt Romney’s seven-day foreign tour this week promises to be an elaborate show of statesmanship — from his meetings with more than a
(DES MOINES) – The Branstad/Reynolds Administration on Friday announced that a comprehensive statewide housing study is underway and encourage Iowans to participate in the process by sharing information about the housing needs
By David Lightman, McClatchy Newspapers – WASHINGTON — Mitt Romney, looking for a boost after being battered recently by President Barack Obama, heads abroad next week in a bid to portray himself
By David G. Savage, Tribune Washington Bureau – WASHINGTON — The Obama administration has made it easier for same-sex domestic partners of federal employees to receive a share of their retirement benefits,
By Matea Gold and Melanie Mason, Tribune Washington Bureau – WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama’s sharp turn to the offensive against GOP challenger Mitt Romney last month came at a steep cost:
By Patrick McGreevy and Michael J. Mishak, Los Angeles Times – SACRAMENTO, Calif. — California lawmakers gave raises worth $4.6 million annually to more than 1,000 of their aides before cutting the
Jill and I were shocked to learn of the tragedy in Aurora, Colorado this morning. The reason this is so deeply felt by all Americans is that, but for the grace of
Mark Sommerhauser, St. Cloud Times, Minn. – Rep. Michele Bachmann has made fresh allegations of ties between a global Islamist movement and Rep. Keith Ellison, even as Bachmann’s fellow Republicans condemned her
By Kathleen Hennessey and David Lauter, Tribune Washington Bureau – WASHINGTON — President Obama and his Republican rival, Mitt Romney, expressed shock and sorrow over the deadly shooting in Colorado. Obama pledged
By Lisa Mascaro, Tribune Washington Bureau – WASHINGTON — Calling the accusations from conservative Republican members of Congress against a top Muslim aide to Hillary Rodham Clinton “pretty dangerous,” House Speaker John
By William Douglas, David Lightman and Lesley Clark, McClatchy Newspapers – WASHINGTON — Will he go safe or go sexy? Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney is poised to pick a running mate,
WASHINGTON – Senator Chuck Grassley on Wednesday won Finance Committee approval of his legislation to require the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) to continue negotiating with Russian officials for a bilateral Sanitary and
By Michael A. Memoli and Seema Mehta, Tribune Washington Bureau – WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — President Barack Obama broadened his attack on Mitt Romney on Thursday, using Medicare to draw a
By Lisa Mascaro, Tribune Washington Bureau – WASHINGTON — Congressional Republicans have begun a drumbeat of opposition to Pentagon cuts they agreed to last summer as part of the debt deal with