1977 video games

The year was 1977 and, for my brother Steve and me, Christmas toys were forever changed. That was the year Mom introduced us to Pong. Or maybe it was Santa who did. I can’t recall. What I do know, though, is that we spent countless hours playing this most basic of video games on a 9-inch black-and-white TV in our basement, and we truly thought this was high-tech. For the time, it was.

Skip the script

In the 1979 movie “The Jerk,” Navin Johnson, the main character played by Steve Martin works tirelessly and single-mindedly to “become somebody.” Already a multi-millionaire thanks to an invention, he is excited when he has a drink in his hand that mimmicks a celebrity advertisement for the same drink in an advertisement.

“Be somebody.”

Maynard Ferguson coming to Algona

150 Years Ago

Of my latest scary-but-with-a-happy ending episode

Well, you knew I’d have another misadventure before too long, right? This one, like most of my trials, had a happy ending, but was a bit scary for a while.

“The Lord’s Prayer with different words is still sweet”

By Chris Burtnett, Pastor at First Congregational United Church of Christ in Algona

The Lord’s Prayer is the most well known, most frequently and most universally prayed prayer of Christianity. Its content and what is asked for in it is generally accepted…..except for that line about forgiveness, and it revolves around three little words. Those three words are debts, trespasses and sins.

From the Algona Upper Des Moines newspaper from Dec. 31, 1964

Linda Hoeppner, top left, was named county girls’ president and Rodney Scuffham, top right, was named boy’s president during the annual 4-H County Rally Night in the Algona high school auditorium Tuesday night. Miss Hoeppner is a member of the Lakota Luckies and Scuffham a member of the Plum Creek Boys club.

Memoir redefines the City of Light

Paris Lost and Found

Scott Dominic Carpenter

Travelers’ Tales

ISBN 978-1-60952-212-4

$16.99

Can God Bless America?

To the Editor:

Santa will arrive at 10:00 a.m.

150 Years Ago

SICK. --- There is more sickness around town at present than we have known at any time since first we came here. Members of the families of Rufus and H. W. Walston, have been quite sick but are now improving. Martin Pierce is very sick with no favorable symptoms. Miss Emma Connor is very low and not expected to recover, and many others are complaining.

125 Years Ago

When snow falls, nature listens; We should, too.

The start of winter is officially marked by the winter solstice — the day of the year with the fewest hours of daylight. For this year, the date is Dec. 21. But, for most of us, the winter season starts much earlier. If you are like me, you tend to side more with the meteorological definition of winter’s beginning, which is Dec. 1 — just a few weeks away.

Zookeepers and Shepherds

By Briton Nelson, Associate Pastor at St. John's Lutheran Church in Burt and Trinity Lutheran Church in Algona 

From the Aug. 2, 1949 Kossuth County Advance newspaper

I haven’t always been a hapless cook. For many years, I managed to feed our family of seven with no fatalities and only one near-miss. That was the chili I made with ground beef that looked a little funny but I was sure it was fine.

It wasn’t.

Bing was the only one to eat it that day, and for several days thereafter he was at death’s door. At least, that’s what he claimed. Frankly, I think he was a bit of a baby about it, but I refrained from saying that aloud.

To the Editor:

Tacos for Tots -Wow Wow Wow

Thirty-five years this year of doing a benefit to help the needy kids at

Christmas time. This year would actually be 37 but because of COVID we couldn’t do it for two years.

Students Today, Leaders Tomorrow

150 Years Ago

LUMBER! --- To the people of Kossuth and surrounding counties: --- You will find at my LUMBER YARD! a well selected stock of Minneapolis Lumber, Doors, Sash, and Building Paper, In which will not be undersold. Having had much experience in building as well as in lumber trade, people will find it in their interest to give me a call before purchasing. W. W. Johnson, (Near the Depot.)  ALGONA.