Globe Gazette reporter Mary Pieper’s favorite stories of 2024
By MARY PIEPER – Globe Gazette, Mason City, Iowa (TNS)
After a hiatus of nearly five years, I am thrilled to be back on the Globe Gazette full-time news staff rather than being an occasional freelancer. Here are five stories I enjoyed writing the most since returning to the newsroom in late August.
Kevin Pals
Cerro Gordo County Sheriff Kevin Pals, who chose not to run for re-election this year, is retiring Dec. 31 after more than 45 years in law enforcement.
Pals looks back on almost half a century of law enforcement
Cerro Gordo County Sheriff Kevin Pals, who retires 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 reserve program.
Pals looks back on almost half a century of law enforcement in North Iowa
The long-time Cerro Gordo County Sheriff who used to work for the Clear Lake and Mason City police departments is retiring on Dec. 31.
Pals said that sparked his interest, and he joined the Clear Lake Police Department as a dispatcher in August 1978, just a few months after high school graduation.
“I was hooked,” he said. “I’ve always just loved law enforcement. I’ve never regretted going into law enforcement. I have always liked my job everywhere I’ve worked. I haven’t always had all good days, but I’m not sure anyone does.”
Brian Luallen
Brian Luallen
Texas man, rock ‘n’ roll fan is new CEO at Surf
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 to start working on my cover letter,” he told a crowd at the Surf during the Clear Lake Chamber of Commerce quarterly coffee in December where his hiring was announced.
Luallen said the Surf post is his dream job.
“I am an absolute rock ’n’ roll history nerd,” he said.
For the past five years, Luallen has been the CEO of Fair Park First, a nonprofit organization that oversees operations of oldest and largest state park in the country. Fair Park is the home of Cotton Bowl Stadium in Dallas, Texas, and other venues, including a music hall.
Bob Cookman’s grave
Lt. Robert “Bob” Cookman’s grave is located in the Field of Honor at Memorial Park Cemetery in Mason City.
WWII pilot from Mason City ‘a true hero of the war’
Lt. Robert “Bob” Cookman of Mason City, a World War II pilot, is remembered for saving the lives of his crew members by sacrificing his own in a recently published book titled, “From One War to Another.”
“He was a true hero of the war,” said the book’s author, John Lanza of New Jersey.
Lanza told the Globe Gazette he learned about Cookman and his brothers and cousins from Mason City who also served in World War II while doing research for the book.
WWII pilot from Mason City ‘a true hero of the war’
Lt. Robert “Bob” Cookman saved the lives of his crew members while sacrificing his own when his plane had engine trouble and went down.
“From One War to Another” analyzes how World War I and World War II were started, fought and ended.
The initial inspiration for the book was John Cooney of Long Island, New York, one of Cookman’s surviving crew members, who told Lanza the story of how their plane developed engine trouble and went down over Italy on Oct. 23, 1944. Cookman told the other crew members to parachute to safety while he remained on board, according to Cooney.
“He told me he (Cookman) made the supreme sacrifice for his fellow crew members,” Lanza said.
Women Build 1
Brigid Christianson looks for a high-five during Habit for Humanity North Central Iowa’s Women Build Day event on Saturday.
Building walls, building hope
Nearly 30 women, some of them construction novices and others with years of experience, built the exterior walls for a future Habitat for Humanity home during the local affiliate’s ninth annual Women Build Day in September.
“This is a chance for some ladies who may feel intimidated to come out on the job site and learn some skills if they’ve never done it before, and then we have some women leaders who have done a lot of construction that are helping teach them,” said Habitat of Humanity North Central Iowa Executive Director Melissa Schoneberg.
One of the women getting her first taste of construction work was Kaylara Hoadley, who has three sons and will be the owner of one of the 13 Habitat for Humanity homes to be built in the new Madison Heights development in Mason City.
Building walls, building hope: Volunteers participate in Habitat Women Build Day in Mason City
Women volunteers participated in a special Habitat for Humanity North Central Iowa event Saturday. They built walls for one of the homes the non-profit organization will construct in Mason City for a partner family.
“It’s actually been pretty fun,” she said.
Hoadley admitted she’s never seen a saw like the one some of the women were using to cut boards, so “I said, ‘I don’t want to be on that team. I want to be on a different team,” she said with a laugh. “I am just building some of the walls and window units and door units. It’s nice to be able to put my hands on the project, too.”
NIghtmare Authentics – Exterior
An exterior shot of Nightmare Authentics on Main Street in Charles City.
Little Shop of Horrors: Nightmare Authentics opens in Charles City
A North Iowa store specializing in all things creepy opened in September, just in time for spooky season.
John Miller, who collects horror memorabilia, said he and his fiancée, Laura Morse, opened Nightmare Authentics at 205 N. Main St. in Charles City because “I ran out of room in my house.”
Little Shop of Horrors: Nightmare Authentics opens in Charles City
A horror memorabilia shop opened last week in Charles City. The store features rare and autographed items.
Miller reached out to suppliers he trusts to stock the store, including Trick or Treat Studios, which he says makes the best latex face masks in the business.
Nightmare Authentics also carries makeup sets that help customers transform themselves into characters from classic horror films such as “Friday the 13th,” “Scream” and “Child’s Play.” Some of these kits are limited editions, so “once they’re gone, they’re gone,” Miller said.
(c)2024 Globe Gazette, Mason City, Iowa
Visit Globe Gazette, Mason City, Iowa at www.globegazette.com
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
