By Randy Evans, IFOIC Executive Director

The past couple of years have been challenging for Iowa’s 327 public school districts. Parents have become very engaged with their schools — and enraged, too, at times. This has revolved around masks and vaccines, what is being taught or not taught, the content of library books, and an assortment of other concerns.

150 Years Ago

It is proposed by the different denominations to hold Union services during the week of prayer, commencing Sunday January 7th. There will be a prayer meeting each day in the afternoon, and preaching in the evening. All are invited. 

125 Years Ago

Choose to walk in repentance towards Jesus in the new year

By Rev. Patrick Mostek - Assistant Pastor at Grace Church

Employer vaccination mandate needs review

Out of the Past - By Gene Miller

In the winter of 1994 I was living near Ackley, Iowa and one evening my son and I went to the local high school to watch a benefit basketball game being sponsored by the local Lions Club.

By Shane Goodman

The Daily Umbrella

Most of you reading this were born and raised in Midwestern states and have dealt with winter weather driving. If you weren’t, then you are forgiven for your awful driving habits when the snow hits. For the rest of you who have experienced this many, many times… come on. It’s snow. It’s slippery. Keep moving.

By Michael Tidemann

If you were on the operating table and flatlined, what would you see? 

That’s the question Tony A. Powers, former sportscaster at WHO Radio and Television in Des Moines, Iowa, tried to answer in his moving novel, Famous People You Might Meet in Eternity. 

By Brad Hicks - Publisher

People no longer hurt my pride when they tell me they don’t read city council and board of supervisors stories in this newspaper. I had that pride beaten out of me decades ago. Rather, the people who tell me that now have my sympathy.

Travel Diary - By Jim Sloter

Leaving the white church on Paris’ Montmartre, we walked back down the 277-step stairway and got on the Metro de Paris. With the map of Paris marked where our camper was parked in one hand and a map of the metro system in the other (the only way we could have found our way back to where we parked) we returned to our camper and proceeded to leave Paris. Or so we thought. 

By Vicki Mallory  - executive director for the Algona Area Chamber of Commerce.

You may have noticed an unusual storm blew through the other evening. The wind howled, the trees shook, the sirens blew. Then the lights went out, and we were in darkness.  We sat and waited. Fortunately, we were prepared with flashlights in a house that was warm and safe. Once we emerged from the basement it was pleasant to sit in the glow of candles trying to see what had happened outside. We brought out my old battery operated boom box and listened to the Algona radio.

After rolling out of bed Sunday morning following a big Christmas night meal with our family, I went to the front of the house and flipped on the lights in the front window of our house. They aren’t real noticeable from the street, but they make a unique glow around the beautiful display my wife pieced together in what is our dining room. 

Kossuth County and the city of Algona have a common problem. Both are having difficulty finding people to fill seats on various boards and commissions. For instance, the county has openings on its planning and zoning commission. Most all of the seats have to be filled by people who live in unincorporated areas. A pair of seats have been open for some time. One of the seats would double as a member of the board of adjustment.

To the Editor:

Upon returning from our evening walk in Paris, we looked around and agreed – why not? We went to bed in our camper right where it stood on the streets of Paris as traffic continued rolling by. Maybe the many policemen we saw whenever we were out and about – especially in the main tourist areas such as Notre Dame Paris and at least one outside of every bank – influenced us. We felt completely safe.