Founded in 2010
News & Entertainment for Mason City, Clear Lake & the Entire North Iowa Region
By Roger Moore, McClatchy-Tribune News Service – “We Need to Talk About Kevin” is a horror movie for parents. Strip away the showy flashbacks — cutting between several pasts and several points in
By Claudia Buck, McClatchy Newspapers – Is there tax owed when cashing out a life insurance policy? IRS expert Jesse Weller has the answer: QUESTION: I have a whole life insurance policy that
By Mary McNamara, Los Angeles Times – It’s that most wonderful time of year, Oscar season, when all the film writers spend their time dissecting or championing the various nominees while the TV
Steve Delaney, The Hawk Eye, Burlington, Iowa – There has been much discussion in the newspaper industry about the policing of comments on stories posted on newspaper websites. Publishers have tried, mostly in
MASON CITY – Charges have been dismissed against a Mason City man after he was absent from BeJe Clark’s residential facility and was captured in the same day. 39-year-old Jamie Alan Roggeman
(DES MOINES) – Gov. Terry Branstad Friday addressed the Urban Institute Education Panel in Washington, D.C. Gov. Branstad, who is in Washington, D.C. for National Governors Association meetings, discussed his ambitious education
By Michael Hamersly, McClatchy Newspapers – MIAMI — His name might not scream “rock superstar” to the uninitiated, but Lenny Kravitz has quietly amassed a fairly formidable musical resume over the past couple
DES MOINES — Six school districts have been selected to receive up to $38,000 in reimbursement as a match for a new school bus to replace the oldest school buses still in
MCT FORUM, By Gar Alperovitz – Cities are financially strapped today, but many are adopting innovative strategies that offer much promise. From Lowell, Mass., to Berkeley, Calif., cities have discovered they can make
By Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune – Each new Oscars season binds us all together as one, in a collective, sputtering state of exasperation. How could they fail to nominate so-and-so? Are you telling
by Jody Spear – HAMPTON – Hampton-Dumont High School sent letters out with the students, Tuesday, February 21, with the understanding that they would give it to their parents. The purpose of
By Scott Collins, Los Angeles Times – LOS ANGELES — Steven Tyler, please put your clothes back on. Thursday’s “American Idol” delivered some of the show’s lowest-ever numbers, although Fox blamed basketball more
By Rebecca Keegan, Los Angeles Times – LOS ANGELES—Before the final touches to the hair and makeup and the red carpet wave comes another crucial rite of Oscar weekend — rehearsal. Dozens of
By Carrie Rickey, The Philadelphia Inquirer – PHILADELPHIA — Thomas Langmann was elated. The French film producer had a script he loved. It was about a Hollywood heartthrob, his faithful dog, and a
by Matt Marquardt – Many of you may be aware that local elected and appointed officials took a trip last week to Washington D.C. to lobby the Federal Government (see photo). The
How do we get to the promised land? You just need to get on the right bus. Let me warn you its not cheap. The fare runs into the thousands and you
Warning from U.S. Government: Did you know that your telephone bills may contain charges for products or services other than telephone service, much like charges on a credit card? Those who carry out
Hunters reported harvesting 121,407 deer in Iowa during the 2011-12 seasons, which is 4.5 percent lower than the 127,094 deer reported in 2010-11. To date, Iowa’s deer population has been reduced by
AMES, Iowa – Feb. 24, 2012 – Aviation contractors hired by the Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT) will be performing aerial seeding and fertilizing along the state’s highways as soon as weather
Photo of the day submitted by anonymous NorthIowaToday.com reader. It was taken outside a bar in Clear Lake, she said. Does anyone know what bar? To send a photo in for publication,
By Colin Covert, Star Tribune (Minneapolis) – “Rampart” is a character study of a very bad character. Woody Harrelson plays Dave Brown, a Vietnam vet and reprehensible cop in L.A.’s notoriously corrupt Rampart
By Rick Bentley, McClatchy Newspapers – It was only a matter of time before the popularity of reality TV would lead to reality movies. This scary new genre is not the same as
Diane Heldt, CR Gazette – University of Northern Iowa officials, pending state regents approval, plan to reduce general fund support to athletics and close the UNI Museum building June 30 as part of
By Todd Martens, Los Angeles Times – LOS ANGLES — Adele’s momentum is showing no signs of slowing. After winning six Grammy Awards and taking the top prize at the Brit Awards, the
The Globe states that the deal cut with Cargill looks like growth; you think? Really? Gargill could buy this entire city and rent it out…lock stock and barrel. They are the largest
Press Release from James T. Skarlis (pictured) of Waterloo, IA, Owner of Community Auto Group and Mason City Ford Lincoln: I am very disappointed that several long time Mason City Ford Lincoln
By Jim Puzzanghera, Los Angeles Times – WASHINGTON — Initial claims for unemployment benefits continued to remain at a nearly four-year low last week as a new poll showed that a majority of
By Sandra M. Jones, Chicago Tribune – CHICAGO — Sears Holdings Corp. said it plans to spin off its small-format hometown dealer stores and outlets and sell 11 stores to raise cash and
By Gail Pennington, St. Louis Post-Dispatch – Did you hear about the new sitcom that will reunite Roseanne Barr and John Goodman? How about Reba McEntire’s return to TV, or Marc Cherry’s follow-up
Erin Jordan, CR Gazette – A lottery ticket is a piece of paper representing a dream. To give everyone a fair chance at the dream, the Iowa Lottery tries to build security into
By Ben Fritz, Los Angeles Times – LOS ANGELES — Netflix is discussing a partnership with former HBO Films president Colin Callender to produce original content, including mini-series and movies, for the online
By Steven Zeitchik, Los Angeles Times – LOS ANGELES — What if you were engaged to your professional partner and called off the wedding — but decided to keep working together anyway? It
Editor’s note: Stephanie Rose is a 1991 graduate of Mason CIty High School – CR Gazette Editorial Board – What should Iowans expect of someone who has been nominated to be the next
Diane Heldt, CR Gazette – CEDAR FALLS – University of Northern Iowa President Ben Allen on Wednesday said he will recommend to the state Board of Regents closure of the Malcolm Price
MASON CITY – Three former Mason City Ford employees were arrested today by the Mason City Police Department on charges of 1st degree theft and on-going criminal conduct. The former employees that
Los Angeles Times – Ratings by the Motion Picture Association of America are: (G) for general audiences; (PG) parental guidance urged because of material possibly unsuitable for children; (PG-13) parents are strongly
At the federal level at the highest level the are checks and balances. We have two houses, the Congress and the Senate. Legislation must pass favorably through both in order to become
By Kevin C. Johnson, St. Louis Post-Dispatch – Country music veteran Martina McBride, 11 albums deep into her career, says she’s starting over. She’s representing this through her latest album, “Eleven.” “I’m definitely
By Gerrick D. Kennedy, Los Angeles Times – LOS ANGELES — “YIKES!!!!!!!!!!!!” That’s how Chris Brown, 22, tagged his remix of “Turn Up the Music,” one of two collaborations with ex-girlfriend Rihanna, 24,
Op-ed submitted by “OneEyed” – Well, Spring is coming and you know what that means….loud motorcycles. Most of which, I find very annoying. However, there are quite a few (emphasis on few),