ALGONA—The city of Algona was awarded  $1,000 from the 2023 “Trees Please!” grant program. MidAmerican Energy is awarding more than $115,000 in grants to 55 Iowa communities for trees that can help them reduce energy costs.

MidAmerican's "Trees Please!" grant program encourages selecting and strategically planting trees at local public facilities and common areas, including publicly owned properties, schools and community spaces.

Staff with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources are currently conducting their annual nighttime spring spotlight surveys across the state, collecting information on Iowa’s deer and furbearer populations.

Iowa author, Linda Betsinger McCann, will be speaking about her books in the area. She will have copies of all her books available for purchase. All events are open to anyone and free to attend.

Contest winners to be honored at the Iowa State Fair

ALGONA-—Iowa State University Extension and Outreach Week is April 17-22. Iowa’s 100 county extension offices will host activities throughout the week to thank Iowans for their support of extension education efforts throughout the state.

WHITTEMORE—A free plant swap is set for Saturday, April 29 from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at the Whittemore Public Library. The swap will be hosted by ISU Extension and Outreach, Kossuth County Master Gardeners and the Whittemore Public Library.

Those attending can bring labeled plants to share with others and find some plants for themselves. Organizers say don’t worry if you have no plants to share as gardeners love to share plants.

WHITTEMORE—Friends of the of the Whittemore Library are sponsoring the annual pork patty barbecue on Thursday, April 27 with serving beginning at 5 p.m. until all the pork patties are gone. The free-will offering event will be held on the north side of the Whittemore Library with those attending asked to bring their own carry-out containers.

ALGONA—Nominations are currently being accepted for the annual AHS Class of 1979 Award for Excellence in Teaching. The award is designed to recognize the outstanding contributions of a teacher, either in a single academic year or over a career including developing new programs, personally motivating students, achieving greater professional standing and going above and beyond the job of teaching.

DES MOINES—Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig has commented on the Iowa Crop Progress and Condition Report released by the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service.

The report is released weekly April through November. Additionally, the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship provides a weather summary each week during this time.

DES MOINES—Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig and a 15 member delegation have just returned from a trade mission to Vietnam and the Philippines. The mission, coordinated by the Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA), included representation from Iowa’s livestock and grain organizations as well as other agricultural associations. The purpose of the mission was to encourage trade development, bolster partnerships and identify opportunities to expand export markets.

ALGONA—Kossuth County residents of all ages can join in on the fun throughout extension week by participating in the #StrongIowa coloring contest by submitting a completed coloring page by 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, April 20 to the extension office.  Each submission will be eligible to win a prize package, including a 4-H cinch bag, hammock, water bottle and more.

DES MOINES—Iowa’s farmers and ranchers still have time to be counted in the 2022 Census of Agriculture, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS). With just over 55 percent of the ag census forms returned as of mid-March, NASS has extended the deadline and will continue to accept completed forms through the end of May to ensure all producers take advantage of the opportunity to be represented in the widely used data.

DES MOINES— USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) has announced the availability of funding to support Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) in Iowa to support the development of innovative approaches and technologies. Grant proposals are due May 7.

Many Bishop Garrigan School students volunteered to assist with a wide variety of tasks at the Gala preview party Friday evening at the school. The community was invited to view all the silent and live auction items at the preview party in the Friedmann Auditorium that were donated for the Gala event which was held the next evening.

By Amy Frankl-Brandt

News Editor

ALGONA—It was an emotional evening for the barbershoppers as past and present members gathered at the Algona Country Club last Saturday night to say farewell to each other. The Cornbelt Chorus regrettably announced it has dissolved earlier this year due to lack of interest and younger members willing to pick up the torch and carry it on.