CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. — President Bush invoked the memory of Thomas Jefferson Friday in welcoming new U.S. » Full Story

NEW YORK (AP) — The nation’s largest fireworks display exploded in a spectrum of color over the East River, temporarily stealing the spotlight from New York’s world-famous skyline and helping to creat » Full Story

FORT HOOD, Texas — There’s no fast way of “getting back” to normal for soldiers who are deployed away from home for more than a year. » Full Story

ALBANY, N.Y. — Wish ‘‘Yankee Doodle’’ a happy 250th birthday. Maybe. » Full Story

Two members on the staff of Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, will be making a stop in Marshalltown Monday to talk about the new farm bill known as the “Food, Conservation and Energy Act of 2008. » Full Story

Oil prices briefly soared to a record near $146 a barrel Thursday, then eased when the European Central Bank did not signal more rate hikes and a report showed unemployment in the United States has co » Full Story

DES MOINES — Iowa sweet corn could be hard to come by for the July 4th weekend.

A double punch of a cold spring followed by wet fields and flooding means a delay in the traditional feast. » Full Story

It has not been a good year for Teresa Morales and her son, Tyler Richard.

First, her husband returned to Mexico in an attempt to change his immigrant status and had to remain there. » Full Story

WASHINGTON — They’re the most fickle voters, and potentially the most powerful. Thus, with party nominations secure, John McCain and Barack Obama now are pushing toward the center to win them over. » Full Story

Federal funding in the form of $500,000 for Iowa Valley Education and Training Center in Marshalltown has made its way out of a U.S. » Full Story