By Brad Hicks, Publisher

One Thanksgiving tradition part of my family has is that before a prayer at the table, everyone states something for which they are thankful. Our Thanksgiving gathering is over the weekend, and while I certainly will include the blessings of the Almighty at the top of my short list, people who are often overlooked will be on it for the first time.

Truckers.

There can be only one explanation when it comes to the decision last week by the Environmental Protection Agency to propose rules to extend the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) compliance deadlines for 2019 and 2020. The 2019 extension applies only to small refineries, but the 2020 extension applies to all refineries. This projects an effort to “reduce volumes and destroy biofuel demand,” said Monte Shaw, executive director of the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association. 

By Barb Smith, City of Algona

The first snow of the season has already come and gone. Winter weather can strike at any moment, and the City of Algona’s streets department is gearing up for the snow season. Moving and removing snow from our streets is a big job, and one that requires your help. These three things can make a big difference in how we manage snow removal in our community.

We called going back to Belgium between tours around Europe in our VW camper pit stops. Pit stops at the race track are really quick, but our pit stops usually lasted several days, each one enjoyable and interesting. It did not seem significant at the time, but Guido’s brother, Bart, brought his girlfriend to meet the family, and us. She turned out to be a delight to know and Bart’s wife (now a grandmother). 

Amy Daws, LLC 

$14.99 paperback 

ISBN 978-1944565404 

$4.99 Kindle 

By Michael Tideman, Author

The numbers speak for themselves. 

Sweeper: A Sports Romance Novel by Amy (Danielson) Daws is ranked number one in Kindle sports fiction, number one in Amazon sports romance books and number one in Kindle sports romance. It’s also ranked number 32 out of all Kindle books. 

150 Years Ago

Keeping Ice - A very simple way to keep small quantities of ice is to put it into a deep dish, cover it with a plate, and place the dish on a pillow stuffed with feathers (hen feathers will answer), and carefully cover the top with another pillow, thus excluding external air. Feathers are well-known non-conductors of heat, and thus ice is preserved from melting. This simple plan is within reach of every household. 

125 Years Ago

By the Rev. Thomas Cowell

St. John's Lutheran Church, Burt

Last year’s buzzword around the Thanksgiving table – whether that was a physical or virtual table – was, no doubt, Covid.  While the pandemic continues to be a hot topic of conversation, a new and somewhat related buzzword might just take its place this Thanksgiving: supply-chain! 

By The Rev. Cindy Finn

Algona First United Methodist Church

Nearly a decade ago I was charged with raising money to support a housing study for Wright County, where I was serving as economic development director. The company the county was hiring wanted $16,000 to do the study. The board of supervisors, city councils in local towns, a few businesses, MidAmerican Energy and even a developer pitched in to pay the bill.

By Jan Ricke

Kossuth Historical Society

As we look back on the year of 2021, there is so much to be thankful for to keep the Kossuth County Historical Museum free and open to the public.

Okay, here are a few things I won’t write about today:

To the Editor:

Thanksgiving arrives next Thursday. Families will gather, friends will celebrate, shopping plans will be made, football will be watched and Tryptophan will take hold. These are unmistakable assurances. 

But Thanksgiving is more than that.

Entering Belgium and having spent considerable time there with our foreign exchange student, Guido Van Rompaey, and his family, the familiar looking topography – driving through small village after small village, their streets lined with brick homes with their tile roofs made us feel almost like we were going home 

150 Years Ago

Livery Stable, We are prepared to furnish Livery to the Traveling Public, at reasonable rates, with or without drivers as good Horses and Carriages as can be found west of Chicago. Stable on State Street, near Congregational Church, Algona, Iowa, L. W. Ferguson & Co.

125 Years Ago