- Protected: Wanted Mason City man arrested after report of fight at apartments
- Protected: Northern Iowa man killed in brutal auto collision with utility polie
- Protected: Illegal alien sent to prison for using fake doc’s to get job in Northwood
News Headlines for June 19, 2026
U.S. intelligence chief releases documents alleging Fauci hid Wuhan lab ties, misled Congress
WASHINGTON — Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard released newly declassified documents Thursday alleging that Dr. Anthony Fauci helped steer U.S. taxpayer money to risky coronavirus research at the Wuhan Institute of Virology, then worked with elements of the intelligence community to shape the public narrative around COVID-19’s origins.
The controversy centers on the Wuhan Institute of Virology, U.S.-funded coronavirus research, and whether SARS-CoV-2 emerged naturally from animals or escaped from a lab.
Elderly Iowa woman dies in apparent drowning at East Lake Okoboji
OKOBOJI — An elderly Iowa woman died Thursday after an apparent drowning at East Lake Okoboji, according to the Dickinson County Sheriff’s Office.
The incident happened June 18, 2026, near the Edgewater Plaza Condominiums in Okoboji.
Northern Iowa predator gets 35 years after exploiting children through Snapchat
An Northern Iowa man who prosecutors say used Snapchat to prey on minor girls across the United States and overseas has been sentenced to 35 years in federal prison for child exploitation crimes.
Federal authorities said White received 14 videos, 180 images of child sexual abuse material and more than 20,000 images of child erotica. Prosecutors said the material included prepubescent children and toddlers, as well as sadistic or masochistic content.
Alvin Stika, 75, dies; Nashua man leaves legacy of family, work and humor
NASHUA — Alvin Joseph Stika, a Nashua man remembered for hard work, devotion to family and a warm sense of humor, has died at age 75.
Stika passed away peacefully Thursday, June 18, 2026, at Whispering Willow Senior Living in Fredericksburg.
Dangerous drug dealer nabbed in Northern Iowa gets federal prison for illegal reentry
A Jamaican man who had been deported from the United States three times and previously convicted in major drug and money-laundering cases was sentenced to more than three years in federal prison after he was nabbed in Northern Iowa.
Supreme Court hands major win to marijuana users in gun-rights case
WASHINGTON — Marijuana users scored a major U.S. Supreme Court victory Thursday as the justices ruled unanimously that the federal government cannot automatically make it a crime for someone to own a gun simply because they use marijuana.
The 9-0 decision in United States v. Hemani is a major ruling at the intersection of marijuana law, gun rights and criminal justice. It could also offer new legal ammunition for some defendants and inmates facing firearm charges tied to marijuana use.
Justice Department strikes back after goofy Illinois town enacts “reparations program”
EVANSTON, Ill. — The U.S. Justice Department is moving to intervene in a federal lawsuit challenging Evanston, Illinois’ race-based reparations program, escalating a national fight over whether local governments can hand out taxpayer-backed benefits based on ancestry and skin color.
“Simply handing out money based on race, however, is not the answer,” a Justice Department spokesman said. “It is race discrimination, pure and simple. And it is illegal.”
Iowa man dies in head-on Iowa crash with semi, driver flown to hospital
An Iowa man was killed and a woman was injured in a head-on crash involving a Jeep and a semi in Boone County, according to the Iowa State Patrol.
Mason City warns drivers of 19th Street SW construction through end of June
MASON CITY — Drivers in Mason City are being urged to avoid part of 19th Street SW as road construction gets underway immediately and continues through the end of June.
Gallup: U.S. workers still seeing elevated layoffs, but AI not main culprit
WASHINGTON — U.S. workers continue to report elevated levels of downsizing at their workplaces, though hiring still appears to outpace layoffs, according to a new Gallup workplace report.
Dorothy “Dottie” Solberg, 103, of Charles City, dies; farm wife, sports fan and family cook leaves a century of memories
CHARLES CITY — Dorothy “Dottie” Solberg, 103, of Charles City, passed away Tuesday, June 16, 2026, at 9th Street Chautauqua Guest Home in Charles City.
A celebration of life will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, June 26, 2026, at Hauser Weishaar Funeral Home in Charles City, with Eric Hoefer from Messiah Lutheran Church officiating. Visitation will be held one hour before the service at the funeral home. Inurnment will take place at Sunnyside Memory Gardens in rural Charles City with a rose laying ceremony.
Iowa man dies in rollover crash after being ejected from SUV
An Iowa man was killed in a western Iowa rollover crash after his SUV left an Interstate highway and crashed into a ditch, according to the Iowa State Patrol.
Iowa youth trap championship draws nearly 4,900 entries, 120 teams to Cedar Falls-area homegrounds
CEDAR FALLS — Iowa’s youth clay target athletes turned the Iowa State Trapshooting Homegrounds into one of the state’s largest youth sports venues last week, as more than 120 teams competed in the 2026 Scholastic Clay Target Program State Trap Shooting Championship.
Plymouth warns families after children accused of damaging community spaces
LYMOUTH — City officials in Plymouth are asking parents to talk with their children after reports of kids allegedly damaging public spaces around town, including an incident involving rocks being thrown at a park shelter.
The city issued the warning as summer gets underway, urging families to help protect the small community’s parks and shared spaces.
Ryan McGuire, 52, of Spencer, dies; hard-working father, firefighter and mechanic leaves legacy of laughter and grit
SPENCER — Ryan Thomas McGuire, 52, of Spencer, passed away Monday, June 15, 2026, at Spencer Hospital.
Visitation will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday, June 18, 2026, at Trinity Lutheran Life Center, 520 North Garfield Street in Algona. A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m. Friday, June 19, 2026, at Trinity Lutheran Church, 520 North Garfield Street in Algona. Burial will follow in Riverview Cemetery in Algona.
Marc Richmann, 71, of Iowa Falls, dies; gifted carpenter, musician and proud grandfather leaves lasting mark
IOWA FALLS — Marc Lowell Richmann, 71, of Iowa Falls, passed away Monday, June 15, 2026, at Hansen Family Hospital.
A memorial visitation will be held from 3 to 5 p.m. Saturday, June 20, 2026, at Woodley Funeral Home and Crematory, 516 S. Oak Street, Iowa Falls. Marc will be laid to rest at a later date with graveside inurnment at Pleasant Hill Grant Township Cemetery.
Iowa native Maj. Brad Hovey killed in B-52 crash at Edwards Air Force Base
DES MOINES — An Iowa native serving as a U.S. Air Force pilot was among eight people killed when a B-52 Stratofortress crashed during a test flight at Edwards Air Force Base in California.
Maj. Brad Hovey, 35, was killed in the crash on Monday, June 15, 2026. He was a pilot with the 419th Flight Test Squadron at Edwards Air Force Base.
Maxine Willert, 94, dies; life spanning nearly a century honored by family and friends
CHARLES CITY — Maxine Willert, whose life stretched across nearly 95 years of family history, community change and personal memories, has died at age 94.
Willert passed away on June 16, 2026. She was born November 1, 1931.
Donna Mae McCorkle, 75, of Mason City, dies; family and friends to gather in Clear Lake
MASON CITY — Donna Mae McCorkle, 75, of Mason City, passed away peacefully on Monday, June 15, 2026, at Good Shepherd Health Center in Mason City.
Family and friends will gather for visitation from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, July 2, 2026, at Ward Van Slyke Colonial Chapel, 310 1st Avenue North in Clear Lake.
Northern Iowa’s Callahan tract boosts Little Sioux Wildlife Area with rare prairie, river access and outdoor opportunities
GILLETTE GROVE — A recently acquired 425-acre tract in southern Clay County is giving the Little Sioux Wildlife Area a major boost, adding rare remnant prairie, more than two miles of river corridor and a mix of habitat that supports hunting, fishing, birding, hiking and conservation work.
The Iowa Department of Natural Resources acquired the Callahan Tract from the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation in 2023.
Northern Iowa man pleads guilty in federal meth and gun case, faces at least 15 years
A Northern Iowa man with a long criminal history has pleaded guilty in federal court to methamphetamine and firearm charges after authorities say he helped distribute more than a pound of meth in the Fort Dodge area.
Choose Iowa Farm Crawl offers Northern Iowa families a summer road trip through local agriculture
DES MOINES — Northern Iowa families looking for a summer road trip can explore farms, food businesses, rural shops and agritourism destinations during the second annual statewide Choose Iowa Farm Crawl on Friday and Saturday, June 26-27.
Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig announced the event Wednesday, inviting Iowans and visitors to hit the road, discover new destinations, support local businesses and experience the people, products and places that make Iowa agriculture unique.
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