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News Headlines for September 11, 2026

Top Stories

NIACC student Hailey Stalzer earns national workforce scholarship

MASON CITY — North Iowa Area Community College student Hailey Stalzer has been selected as one of only 200 students nationwide to receive a 2026 Chime Workforce Scholarship.

Stalzer will receive $1,000 to help cover educational expenses while she completes a certificate or associate degree preparing her to enter a high-demand career field.

The scholarship is funded by the Chime Scholars Foundation and administered by the Phi Theta Kappa Foundation.

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Top Stories

Gov. Reynolds orders Iowa flags lowered as state marks 25 years since 9/11 attacks

DES MOINES — Flags across Iowa will be lowered from sunrise to sunset Friday as the state marks the 25th anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks and remembers nearly 3,000 people killed that day.

Gov. Kim Reynolds issued the half-staff order Thursday in honor of Patriot Day and the victims of the coordinated attacks carried out against the United States on September 11, 2001.

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Crime

Mason City couple’s court battle rages as explicit-photo sharing cases drag into fall

MASON CITY — The courtroom battle surrounding a Mason City couple accused of showing and distributing explicit photographs without permission is still raging months later, with one defendant moving toward a possible plea and the other preparing for an October jury trial.

The legal turmoil adds another messy chapter to a relationship that appears to be on the rocks. Court records show both Christina Jo Dodge and Matthew Alan Dodge (pictured at top in jail phortos) have previously sought domestic-abuse protection from the other.

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Crime

Illegal alien trucker kills innocent American woman driver with totally insane passing attempt

An illegal alien semi-truck driver with a Gavin Newsom California commercial license is accused of making a disastrous passing maneuver that sent his massive rig directly into an innocent American woman’s car, killing her in a head-on collision.

Manjit Singh of Fresno, California, was arrested and charged with aggravated vehicular homicide following the September 2, 2026, crash…

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Politics

Trump proposes $5,000 windfall for American adults if Republicans retain Congress

DALLAS, TEXAS — President Donald Trump is proposing a potentially massive financial windfall for American adults, promising a $5,000 “Trump Dividend” if Republicans retain control of both chambers of Congress in November.

Trump unveiled the proposal Wednesday night during the Republican midterm convention in Dallas, presenting it as a way to return some of the federal government’s economic gains—including money collected through tariffs—to the American people.

“If the Republicans win the House of Representatives and the United States Senate, both of them … I will issue a dividend to every adult citizen in the United States of America for $5,000,” Trump said.

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Top Stories

‘Taxi’ and ‘Who’s the Boss?’ star Tony Danza bringing music, dancing and stories to Mason City

MASON CITY — Actor and entertainer Tony Danza will bring a blend of classic American music, personal stories, comedy, tap dancing and ukulele playing to North Iowa this fall.

Danza and his four-piece band will present Tony Danza: Standards & Stories at 7 p.m. Saturday, October 3, 2026, at the North Iowa Community Auditorium on the NIACC campus.

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Crime

Northern Iowa man nabbed on felony meth charge after 3:32 AM traffic stop

ROLFE — A Northern Iowa man facing a felony methamphetamine charge after an early-morning traffic stop has made his initial court appearance and is scheduled to return to court later this month.

The Pocahontas County Sheriff’s Office said deputies stopped a maroon Ford F-150 at approximately 3:32 AM on August 31 in the 700 block of Grant Street in Rolfe.

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Sports

Genesis named official luxury vehicle of Big Ten Conference

FOUNTAIN VALLEY, CALIF. — Genesis is driving deeper into college sports after being named the official luxury vehicle of the Big Ten Conference, placing the automaker alongside Iowa Hawkeye athletics and some of the nation’s most-watched college competitions.

The agreement is Genesis Motor America’s first conference-wide partnership in college athletics. It begins with Big Ten football and will expand across men’s and women’s basketball, volleyball, baseball, softball, ice hockey and wrestling.

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Obits

Todd R. McMurray, 60, Mason City, remembered for devotion to family, love of the outdoors

MASON CITY — Todd Raymond McMurray, 60, of Mason City, is remembered as a devoted husband, father and grandfather who enjoyed fishing, camping, grilling, old cars and time spent with the people he loved.

Per Todd’s wishes, cremation has taken place. A celebration of life will be held at a later date. Memorials may be directed to his family.

Todd died Monday, Sept. 7, 2026, at MercyOne North Iowa Medical Center, surrounded by his loving family.

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Business

Northern Iowa rains offer relief as area farmers prepare for harvest

Much-needed rainfall reached parts of Northern Iowa during an unusually hot opening week of September as farmers across the state continued preparing for corn and soybean harvest.

The latest Iowa Crop Progress and Condition Report shows farmers had 5.6 days suitable for fieldwork during the week ending September 6, while corn and soybean development continued toward maturity.

“The first week of September was one of the hottest on record, setting up some muggy conditions for attendees at the Farm Progress Show,” Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig said.

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Sports

Iowa Hawkeye volleyball sweeps Cyclones in Ames, snaps 32-year drought

AMES — Iowa Hawkeye volleyball ended more than three decades of frustration in Ames Tuesday night, sweeping rival Iowa State in straight sets for its first victory at Hilton Coliseum since 1994.

The Hawkeyes knocked off the Cyclones 25-20, 25-21 and 25-23 in the Iowa Corn Cy-Hawk Series showdown, improving to 4-2 on the season.

The victory was Iowa’s first over Iowa State since 2021 and its first in Ames in 32 years.

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Politics

Winnebago County Sheriff Steve Hepperly to retire after 41-year law enforcement career

FOREST CITY — Winnebago County Sheriff Steve Hepperly will step away from law enforcement at the end of the year, closing a career that has stretched more than four decades across North Iowa.

Hepperly submitted his resignation and retirement notification to the Winnebago County Board of Supervisors during its weekly meeting Tuesday morning and said his final day as sheriff will be December 31, 2026.

He is recommending that supervisors appoint current Winnebago County Chief Deputy Sheriff Michael Droessler to take over the office following his retirement.

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Business

North Iowa housing projects score $2.26 million in tax credits for 133 new units

MASON CITY — Four housing developments in Mason City, Clear Lake and Ventura are in line for more than $2.25 million in state workforce housing tax credits, supporting 133 new residential units in Cerro Gordo County as part of a nearly $40 million statewide housing push announced Tuesday.

The Iowa Economic Development Authority announced $39.84 million in Workforce Housing Tax Credits on September 8 for 69 projects expected to produce 2,093 new residential units across 39 Iowa counties.

North Iowa grabbed a sizable piece of that investment.

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James “Jim” Lee Miller, 88, Osage, remembered for craftsmanship, outdoors and devotion to family

OSAGE — James Lee “Jim” Miller, 88, of Osage, passed away peacefully Friday evening, September 4, 2026, surrounded by his loving family.

A funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. Monday, September 14, at First Grace Lutheran Church, 726 State Street in Osage. Hoff Celebrations – Champion Chapel of Osage is assisting the family with arrangements.

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Top Stories

New Iowa-Wisconsin Mississippi River bridge to open months early, ending ferry era

LANSING — A major new Mississippi River bridge connecting Iowa and Wisconsin is running well ahead of schedule and is now expected to open to traffic in early November, months earlier than originally planned.

The Iowa Department of Transportation and Wisconsin Department of Transportation announced that the new Iowa 9/WIS 82 Mississippi River crossing at Lansing is progressing quickly enough to open before winter.

The bridge had originally been scheduled to open in spring 2027.

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