Category: Watercooler

CEDAR RAPIDS – A professional rodeo clown who grew marijuana for over six years was convicted by a jury on March 8, 2013, after a three-day trial in federal court in Cedar

PRINCETON, N.J., March 11 (UPI) — A majority of Americans, 56 percent to 38 percent, said they support reductions in U.S. and Russian nuclear arsenals, a Gallup poll released Monday indicates. Results

MASON CITY – The award program for the eighth annual North Iowa Diversity Appreciation Team (NIDAT) art/writing contest was held at the Music Man Square on Thursday, March 7, 2013. Mayor Eric

MASON CITY – A Mason City mother is seeking help in locating her missing daughter. Sara Jane Eden says her daughter, Arianna Marie Kennedy has been missing since 6 PM Sunday. Sara

(DES MOINES) – Local elected officials joined Gov. Terry Branstad and Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds at their weekly news conference this morning to express their support for the administration’s property tax reform

SIOUX CITY – A woman who conspired to manufacture and distribute methamphetamine was sentenced March 6, 2013, to fourteen years in federal prison. Alicia Mofle, 25, from Webster City, Iowa, received the

SIOUX CITY – A man who distributed and received child pornography was sentenced March 7, 2013, to five years in federal prison. Adam Stephenson, age 20, of Otho, Iowa, received the sentence

MASON CITY – Two men caught breaking into a car in Clear Lake in the early morning hours of December 2nd have both received probation for the incident, along with a 2nd

MASON CITY – For a second time in four months a Mason City man has received a plea bargain in felony charges. Drake Andrew Shimon, age 21, received a plea bargain on

MCLEAN, Va., March 11 (UPI) — The average federal tax refund this year will be $2,803 and 35 percent of U.S. adults say they plan to spend all or part of theirs,

WAVERLY – Art Walk, Waverly’s annual juried fine arts and crafts show, is seeking interested artists to participate in the 2013 show. The deadline to apply is March 22, 2013. Late applications

From Sen. Amanda Ragan – I was pleased to manage SF 302, which promotes hiring armed forces employees, through the Veterans Affairs Committee. The bill creates a Hire a Hero state tax credit.

DETROIT, March 11 (UPI) — Alan Mulally has acquired holdings worth $317 million in six years as Ford Motor Co. chief executive officer, U.S. analysts said. Mulally — who is credited with

AMES, Iowa – March 10, 2013; 8:30 p.m. update – Iowa Department of Transportation’s maintenance garages based in Correctionville, Denison and Ida Grove are suspending snowplow operations for the evening and will

WASHINGTON, March 10 (UPI) — An Idaho federal district court ruled unconstitutional the state’s “fetal pain” law — a law banning most abortions after 20 weeks. The fetal pain laws, which allege

DES MOINES – A bill approved by the Senate Agriculture Committee would make fuel pumps more accessible to Iowans with disabilities, according to Iowa Senate Democrats. If SF 235 is passed, gas stations in Iowa will

From Sen. Amanda Ragan – If a student cannot read, they will not do their best in school. We should do all we can to help kids learn to read by third

MASON CITY – If you are struggling with your life and want to find a reason for living, then perhaps the Blue Zone’s “Purpose Workshop” is just what you need. “If you

WASHINGTON, March 10 (UPI) — Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., said she would like to know why more money-laundering bankers do not spend time in jail. “If you’re caught with an ounce of

Pyongyang, March 8 (KCNA) — The Secretariat of the Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of Korea (CPRK) released the information bulletin No. 1021 on Friday: The army and people of the DPRK

MASON CITY – A Mason City man is now accused of violating his probation for a third time on a charge of carrying a weapon as a felon. Aaron Michael Hermen, 25,

WASHINGTON – In his weekly address, President Obama says that businesses have created jobs every month for three years straight – nearly 6.4 million altogether, and have added 246,000 new jobs in

MASON CITY – Police have issued a citation to a Mason City man whose dog attacked 4 people at a North End home. Valentine Louie Flores, 37, of 17 9th Street NW

Dateline: Hong Kong – Mason City City Council; classic case for collusion. Not only are we saddled with an incompetent mayor, but to throw salt in the wound…take a good long look

MASON CITY – A business decision was ultimately the undoing of the Fred Meyers jewelry store in Southbridge Mall. Keith Dailey, Director of Media Relations for Kroger Company, said Thursday that “Our

DES MOINES – With just a few exceptions, Iowa hunters are ‘getting it right’ when it comes to staying safe in the great outdoors. Iowa’s 2012 hunter safety incident report shows no

By RICHARD R. SCHOEBERL WASHINGTON, March 8 (UPI) — A new report commissioned by the Pentagon and released by the Library of Congress provides a frightening look into the operations of Iran’s

(Mason City) – The Cerro Gordo County Department of Public Health is pleased to announce another LIVE Community Wellness Conversation with Fitness Wright Now partners, Daniel Wright and Rebecca Meyer, former contestants

NEW YORK, March 7 (UPI) — The National Rifle Association’s field representative for New York and its suburbs was banned by a judge from possessing any of his 39 firearms for one

Pyongyang, March 7 (KCNA) — A spokesman for the DPRK Foreign Ministry Thursday issued the following statement: The U.S. is now working hard to ignite a nuclear war to stifle the DPRK.

MASON CITY – Police say they have caught a North Iowa man in connection with a skid loader that went missing. The Mason City Police Department had been investigating the theft of

MURFREESBORO, Tenn., March 7 (UPI) — An alternative fuels researcher says he will drive across the United States from coast to coast starting Saturday — and will use no gasoline in doing

(DES MOINES) – Today, results of the AFSCME contract negotiations between the state of Iowa and the union were made known. Key provisions: · The contract costs $94 million less than it