The Lakota Public Library is 100 years old and it continues to evolve from its start in 1920.
“I think it is amazing. I think our pioneers were so ahead of most pioneer villages,” said Gwen Good, who has been involved with the board of trustees since 1999. “When I did my research, I found out when those ladies started it expenses have been taken care of by yearly dues and tea parties. I loved it. They had the same thought we had.”

   November 16, 2020 – In the past week, Iowa has had its largest increase in COVID-19 positive cases as well as hospitalizations, and Kossuth County is not an exception.

A mental health and community assistance program continues to evolve in the Algona Police Department.
“This is all a work in progress. The final blue print is not even close to being done,” Algona Police Chief Kendall Pals said. “The end result is going to be the willingness and the availability of volunteers.”

At least 400 Christmas care packages will be on their way to members of the Iowa National Guard serving overseas during the holidays.
Mandie Studer, owner of Pay It Forward Always, with help from local volunteers, started collecting care package items and packaging them to be sent to the veterans.

Last week’s ice storm wreaked havoc on trees across the county, but at Chris Whitacre’s home it attacked something pretty special to the family. 
When Whitacre’s twin boys Braylon and Braxton were 5 years old he bought them the classic Herbie movies. Chris said the boys loved them and watched them all the time. 
 
Get the full story about the ice storm, the Whitacres and Herbie in the Nov. 19 Kossuth County Advance.

Preparations are in the works for distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine.
Kossuth County Public Health is actively planning for the COVID-19 vaccination distribution for the near future. Planning processes include developing Point of Dispensing clinics (POD’s) that are either open POD or closed POD to ensure availability of vaccine for Kossuth County residents and working with partners to assist with coordination of vaccine deployment.

Check out the winners of the Stinson Prairie Arts Council's Photographers Show in the Nov. 12 Kossuth County Advance.

See the Salute to students and staff in the Algona school district in our public education week section in the Nov. 12 Kossuth County Advance.

KRHC nurses Megan Stone and Stephanie Kollasch in the adjusted respiratory care area at KRHC.
 
 
The COVID-19 pandemic has caused Kossuth Regional Health Center (KRHC) to make quick decisions and change the way it does business.

The Algona Community School District Board of Education met on Monday, Nov. 9. Among the key items on the agenda were the Phase 2 project for the athletic facilities, the mask requirements for indoor events and changes in protocol due to the increase in COVID-19 cases, and election of the board president and vice president. 
Rodney Davis was re-elected as board president and Dr. Brent Owen as vice president.

Test Iowa sites will close at noon on Tuesday, Nov. 24, with no testing on Nov. 25, 26 or 27 due to Thanksgiving.
COVID-19 testing through Test Iowa is available at Kossuth Regional Health Center. Participants are asked to enter through Door L on the east side of the hospital. Testing is available Monday through Friday from 1 to 2 p.m. Appointments are required to receive a test. Masks or face coverings are required. 

With Kossuth County COVID-19 coronavirus cases on the rise, local public health officials are encouraging all community members to prevent the spread of illness through basic healthy habits – staying home when ill, washing hands frequently, and wearing a mask.

It may have been a virtual Legacy Ball this year, but the targeted amounts of money for the Kossuth Regional Health Center Foundation endowment were hit.
“I was thrilled,” said Nancy Grandgenett-Besch, foundation director. “We hit all of our targets like we would have if it was a normal year. We had great support from our businesses and individuals.”
 
Get the full story in the Nov. 19 Kossuth County Advance.

In recognition of public schools week, Jan Ricke, president of the Kossuth County Historical Society, brought attention to an article written in the 1929 Algona High School yearbook. The two-page article was written by Florence Call Cowles, daughter of Ambrose Call, who founded the town of Algona with his brother Asa in 1856.
The article tells of the first schoolhouse in Kossuth County, affectionately named Gopher College. 
 

Press release from the Iowa Department of Public Safety, 2 p.m., Friday, Nov. 6:
 
ALGONA - The investigation into the death of the Kossuth County jail inmate who died on October 17, 2020, has been completed. On October 12, 2020, Christopher Mark Brunsvold, 44, of Wesley, Iowa, was booked into the Kossuth County Jail. Brunsvold was awaiting transfer to the Iowa Medical Classification Center in Coralville, Iowa, to begin serving a sentence for a probation violation.