Founded in 2010
News & Entertainment for Mason City, Clear Lake & the Entire North Iowa Region
By Sean Cockerham, McClatchy Newspapers – WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama’s campaign says a wealthy Idaho businessman and major fundraiser for Mitt Romney is “a bitter foe of the gay rights movement,” pointing
By Manya A. Brachear, Chicago Tribune – CHICAGO — The leader of President Barack Obama’s former church in Chicago has come out against statements by other African-American clergy who condemned the president’s endorsement
By Melanie Mason, Tribune Washington Bureau – WASHINGTON — Presumptive GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney pulled in more than $40.1 million for his election effort last month, his campaign said Thursday, a near
By Jim Puzzanghera, Los Angeles Times – WASHINGTON — Two senators on Thursday denounced Facebook Inc. co-founder Eduardo Saverin as a tax dodger for renouncing his U.S. citizenship ahead of the company’s initial
By Melanie Mason, Tribune Washington Bureau – WASHINGTON — Presumptive GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney pulled in more than $40.1 million for his election effort last month, his campaign said Thursday, a near
By Marc Caputo and Adam C. Smith, McClatchy Newspapers – TAMPA, Fla.—Mitt Romney swung through Florida on Thursday, picking up more than $2 million in political contributions while bashing President Barack Barack
By Lesley Clark, McClatchy Newspapers – WASHINGTON — U.S. presidents have long sought relief from battles inside the Beltway and have entertained visiting heads of state at Camp David, the presidential retreat
By Lisa Mascaro, Tribune Washington Bureau – WASHINGTON — As President Barack Obama welcomed congressional leaders for a White House chat over hoagies about setting aside differences to improve the economy, a
By Matea Gold, Tribune Washington Bureau – WASHINGTON — The 2012 campaign air battle grew more intense Wednesday with the news that Crossroads GPS, the cash-flush conservative advocacy group, is pouring another
By Brian Bennett, Tribune Washington Bureau – WASHINGTON — The House of Representatives on Wednesday voted to strip away some protections for immigrants who are the victims of domestic violence. The Violence
National Economic Council Releases Report on Moving America’s Small Businesses and Entrepreneurs Forward WASHINGTON, DC – Today, President Obama will visit a small business in the Washington, DC area where he will
By Madison T. Shockley II, Los Angeles Times – President Obama’s conversion from nay to yay on same-sex marriage raises an interesting political question: What happens to his support among black voters who,
By Maeve Reston, Los Angeles Times – DES MOINES, Iowa — Visiting the state that launched Barack Obama’s path to the presidency, Mitt Romney went on offense Tuesday, accusing his rival of carelessly
By Lisa Mascaro, Tribune Washington Bureau – WASHINGTON — Ready for another debt ceiling standoff in Congress? House Speaker John A. Boehner, R-Ohio, said Tuesday he will insist on spending cuts in
Rod Boshart, CR Gazette – Officials at MidAmerican Energy Co. are studying potential options now that the Iowa Legislature adjourned without taking action on a bill the utility sought to lay the
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) today joined a bipartisan group of 44 Senators in sending a letter to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) and Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.)
WASHINGTON – Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa is asking the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to respond to allegations from whistleblowers regarding the agency’s Ames Research Center at Moffett Federal Airfield
By Paul West and Michael A. Memoli, Tribune Washington Bureau – WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama on Monday intensified a potentially crucial phase of his re-election try: an effort to define Mitt Romney
By J.J. Barrow and Trevor Aaronson, Florida Center for Investigative Reporting – MIAMI — Paz Oquendo, a worker at the U.S. Postal Service’s Orlando, Fla., sorting facility, smelled the noxious odor first. It
By Melanie Mason, Matea Gold and Joseph Tanfani, Los Angeles Times – WASHINGTON — In 1988, well-heeled gay activists went to Michael Dukakis’ presidential campaign with an offer to raise $1 million for
WASHINGTON – Senator Chuck Grassley today said that last week that legislation to strengthen and update the Whistleblower Protection Act passed the Senate and is now headed to the House for consideration.
By Franco Ordonez, McClatchy Newspapers – WASHINGTON — After questioning the authenticity of President Barack Obama’s birthplace, North Carolina congressional candidate Richard Hudson now says he’s willing to give the state of
By David Lightman, McClatchy Newspapers – LYNCHBURG, Va. — Mitt Romney, needing badly to stir momentum among skeptical evangelical Christians vital to his presidential hopes, told a polite audience Saturday at Liberty University,
By Richard Simon, Los Angeles Times – WASHINGTON — The Purple Heart dates back to 1782 when Gen. George Washington created the Badge of Military Merit to recognize meritorious action. The medal, which features
By Michael A. Memoli, Tribune Washington Bureau – RENO, Nev. — Although the announcement on same-sex marriage became the focus the week after President Barack Obama officially kicked off his re-election campaign,
By Michael Muskal, Los Angeles Times – LOS ANGELES — Paul Babeu, the Arizona sheriff who announced that he was gay after he was accused by a former lover of abusing his
By Seema Mehta, Los Angeles Times – LOS ANGELES — In an exclusive backyard soiree at George Clooney’s house in Studio City, President Barack Obama headlined a star-studded fundraiser Thursday night that pumped
(DES MOINES) – Gov. Terry E. Branstad released the following statement today in response to the conference committee report on education reform: “This is an important first step, with much work left
By Lisa Mascaro, Tribune Washington Bureau – WASHINGTON — The Republican-led House approved a plan for deep spending cuts in food stamps, Meals on Wheels and other domestic programs — while sparing
Senate proposals approved with strong bipartisan support that the Iowa House failed to consider – Statement by Senator Rob Hogg of Cedar Rapids: “Below are ten bills that passed the Iowa Senate
(DES MOINES) – Gov. Branstad today appointed Christopher McDonald judge to the District Court in the 5C Judicial District. Currently McDonald, of Des Moines, is senior counsel to Aviva USA. Prior to
By Robin Abcarian, Los Angeles Times – A Washington Post investigation into Mitt Romney’s years at the Cranbrook School in Michigan, which included a disturbing account of Romney bullying a student who
By James Rosen, McClatchy Newspapers – WASHINGTON — A vote Wednesday in the House of Representatives to pour billions into a little-known federal bank illustrates the divide among “tea party’’-backed lawmakers torn
(CEDAR RAPIDS) – Gov. Terry Branstad today released the following statement upon learning of the passing of Flight 232 pilot Dennis E. Fitch: “The crash of Flight 232 was an exercise in
By David Lauter, Tribune Washington Bureau – MADISON, Wis. — When Tim Cullen returned to the Wisconsin state Senate after an absence of 24 years, he might have been an ideal bridge between
By David Lightman, McClatchy Newspapers – WASHINGTON — The political world absorbed a chilling message Wednesday from the fall of Washington icon Sen. Richard Lugar: Rabid partisanship is popular, especially in Republican primaries,
WASHINGTON, DC—On May 16, President Barack Obama will award Specialist Leslie H. Sabo, Jr., U.S. Army, the Medal of Honor for conspicuous gallantry. Specialist Sabo will receive the Medal of Honor posthumously
As a friend and former colleague, I want to express my deep appreciation for Dick Lugar’s distinguished service in the United States Senate. While Dick and I didn’t always agree on everything,
By Erika Bolstad, McClatchy Newspapers – WASHINGTON — It was supposed to be introducing the team whose savvy grass-roots work will sway Hispanic voters to the Republican Party in six very different
By Lisa Mascaro, Tribune Washington Bureau – WASHINGTON — The political battle over President Barack Obama’s plan to keep student loan interest rates from skyrocketing escalated as Senate Republicans blocked a Democratic