Four State

By Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier, Iowa (TNS) CEDAR FALLS — Nearly 700 students celebrated their achievements Saturday as the University of Northern Iowa hosted its fall 2024 commencement at the McLeod Center. According to a news release, there were a total of 664 graduating, including 570 undergraduates and 94 graduate students. Of those, 609 were resident

By DAVID HOTLE – Muscatine Journal, Iowa (TNS) While cases of animal hoarding in Muscatine County are not common, the number is on the rise, with area law enforcement seeing about two cases a year, said Muscatine Police animal control officer Courtney Patel. She said every case of animal hoarding she has seen is different.

By DAVID HOTLE – Muscatine Journal, Iowa (TNS) The flagpole extending on top from the roof of the Muscatine County Courthouse will be permanently removed. Use of the flagpole ceased years ago and now that work is being done to the courthouse, the Muscatine County Board of Supervisors has determined now is a good time

By Grace King – The Gazette, Cedar Rapids, Iowa (TNS) Dec. 25—The Gazette offers audio versions of articles using Instaread. Some words may be mispronounced. A Watkins man memorialized the story of how his daughter was adopted into their family in a children’s book they self-published on Amazon illustrated by a local high school student.

By ROBIN McCLELLAND – Globe Gazette, Mason City, Iowa (TNS) After two hours of debate involving nearly 40 members of the public, the Board of Supervisors voted unanimously Monday to prohibit utility-scale wind, solar and battery energy developments in rural Cerro Gordo County. Supervisors approved Ordinance 69, making permanent a moratorium on such developments that

By MARY PIEPER – Globe Gazette, Mason City, Iowa (TNS) When Brian Luallen was growing up, he listened to Buddy Holly and Chuck Berry records every night. Naturally, when he learned the nonprofit North Iowa Cultural Center and Museum was looking for a new CEO for the Surf Ballroom, “It took me about five minutes

By MARY PIEPER – Globe Gazette, Mason City, Iowa (TNS) Cerro Gordo County Sheriff Kevin Pals, who is retiring Dec. 31 after more than 45 years in law enforcement, first became involved in that career field as a teen. When he was a senior at Clear Lake High School, the town’s police department started a

By ROBIN McCLELLAND – Globe Gazette, Mason City, Iowa (TNS) Mason City’s Seventh Day Adventist Church welcomed residents to its 10th annual live Nativity scene Saturday. The church glowed warmly with light as guests came up the drive. The sound of Christmas carols drifted across the parking lot as people came to witness the sharing