News

Turning back the pages of time

Local News August 17, 2026

1926/100 years ago City council accepts gift of late P.M. Banks for fountain in city A fitting memorial to be dedicated to the “memory of deceased soldiers of the county” will be erected in the shape of a beautiful fountain in Graceland cemetery, according to the resolution unanimously adopted by the city council last night. The funds for such a memorial were provided for in the last will and testament of the late P.M. Banks, pioneer of Hamilton county and Civil war veteran, who also served for many years on the city council and as mayor and city clerk here. A committee was ...

Iowa Auditor Sand calls for respect

Iowa News August 17, 2026

Iowa Auditor Rob Sand called for his opponents and his own supporters to be “respectful” Saturday as the race for Iowa governor heats up. When Sand, the Democratic nominee for Iowa governor in 2026, visited the state fair on Thursday, he was followed and booed by activists with the conservative organization Turning Point USA. Speaking to reporters after his speech at the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox Saturday, he responded to the incident by saying, “they’re kids.” “I mean, I don’t know why they’re doing what they’re doing, or how they think that’s ...

City Council of Webster City meets tonight

Local News August 17, 2026

At its final regularly-scheduled meeting in August, the City Council of Webster City will consider whether or not to pay Cynthia Bettis $65,000 for the building at 545 Second Street in downtown Webster City. It will also look at a proposal from Tasler, Inc., regarding installation of a ...

Part III Teachers highlight High School issues amid renovation talks

Local News August 17, 2026

Editors note: We asked three teachers for their thoughts. This is the third of a series of articles concerning the Webster City High School project; considering what is needed, and how the building has functioned for the students, teachers and staff. Part Three – Tony Bussan By Robert E. Oliver A lot of good people are working on ideas for improving Webster City High School, if voters agree in a referendum scheduled for September 8, 2026. An advisory committee of educators, school board, and city staff members, parents, and citizens, held its fourth planning meeting recently. We ...

Restoration work is one of first in the state

Iowa News August 17, 2026

Nearly 30 individuals from around Iowa traveled north of Webster City Saturday to study the oxbow restoration work that has been done by Ray Fry, a local farm manager who started the project working with some state and federal agencies. The property which is now owned by Seldon Spencer, a ...

Rob Sand: Protecting Iowa Public Schools and Tax Dollars

Iowa News August 17, 2026

As State Auditor, I’ve been sounding the alarm on the unaccountable private school voucher program for years. Politicians who like to lie say it’s because I’m against private schools. That’s not true at all. What I am against is waste, fraud, and abuse of Iowa tax dollars, and the private school voucher program has been the second biggest invitation to all three since it was enacted. As it stands, the private school voucher system requires no accountability over how tax money is being spent. There are no audits to check. There are no limits on raising ...