I want you to know how great this community has been during this difficult time in our history. The people of our community, the ecumenical community and my Presbyterian churches in Algona and Irvington have really stepped up and served the Lord and each other.

Sawyer Curtis and Maddie Nevitt pose on the bridge on the bike path off of Finn Drive as part of the Algona High School prom. The COVID-19 coronavirus changed a lot of events for schools this year, but students were able to have a prom, with several changes and a few months later than normal. Photo by Michelle Penning.

KOSSUTH COUNTY—It will look different than past years, but the Kossuth County Fair is a go. The fair board voted on Sunday evening, June 21, to hold the county fair tentatively, Tuesday, Aug. 3 through Saturday, Aug. 8.

ALGONA—The motto at the Hormel Foods Algona Plant is to “Keep COVID-19 out!” The branded food processing plant has had zero confirmed positives for any of its employees since the pandemic hit in March.

ALGONA—Algona’s community development director has taken on interim city administrative duties. The Algona City Council unanimously approved Jacob Tjaden as interim city administrator during a special meeting on Wednesday, June 17.
“I’m excited for the challenge,” Tjaden said after the meeting. “I look forward to working with the council to see what we want to accomplish in the interim, and ultimately, what is our permanent solution and what that will look like?”

ALGONA—Algona Public Works Director Ron Covert submitted a letter of resignation effective on July 17. He submitted the resignation on Friday, June 19.
“I felt it came to a point in my career where it is time for a change,” he said. “It is unrelated to other resignations in city hall.”
Read more in the June 25 Advance.

KOSSUTH COUNTY—COVID-19 may have impacted quite a bit for this summer’s plans, but some Fourth of July celebrations are still underway for the communities of Kossuth County.
Wesley: Stephanie Ricke, Wesley’s city clerk, touched on just how much value is placed on that community’s Fourth of July celebration: “The Fourth of July is such an important holiday, and this is our biggest fundraiser of the year.”
Get the details on all the towns in the June 25 Kossuth County Advance.

KOSSUTH COUNTY—Former Kossuth County Board of Supervisors chair Don McGregor questioned the accuracy of three different board meeting minutes during the June 23 board meeting.
The minutes in question are May 21, 2019; Sept. 10, 2019; and Nov. 19, 2019. The board has directed the concerns to County Attorney Todd Holmes to review and decide on what or if anything needs to be done about the issue.

The Bishop Garrigan graduates practice social distancing while posing for a class photo during commencement Sunday, June 21. Photos courtesy of BGHS.
ALGONA—Like many of her 38 other classmates graduating from Bishop Garrigan, Amanda Miller, the commencement speaker, didn’t expect to have a graduation this year because of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

ALGONA—The Algona Public Library, (APL), will be going through some exciting changes this summer and will relocate to the east half of the Harley Davidson building for the time being.
“These improvements will keep the current library building functional for many years to come,” said Lori Walton, the director of the APL.
Read more about it in the June 25 Advance.

For the past few weeks, my wife and I have been spending a great deal of time attempting to eradicate the weeds that continue to grow so prolifically in our flower beds and lawn. I have often said, that considering all of the weeds that all of us have collectively pulled during the past years, weeds should be extinct by now. However, that is not the case.

Kennedy Krantz, lifeguard for the Swea City pool, scrapes off the band shell to help with the city’s park renovation project. She believes the city park is a good thing because it provides kids things to do.
SWEA CITY—A renovation may be in process, but the Class of 1970 plans to still use the Swea City park for its reunion on June 27.

SWEA CITY—The process continues for the Return-to-Learn plan for North Kossuth School District. “Everything we’re looking at plan-wise is we’re getting stuff put in place in case we can’t come back here (into the school building),” said Travis Schueller, North Kossuth School District superintendent. “We want to have all of that ready.”

The Algona City Council accepted the resignation of city administrator Curt Wiseman during its council meeting on Monday, June 15. Mayor Rick Murphy said Wiseman signed a document resigning his position that was effective on Friday, June 12.

It was a surprise for Algona Assistant Police Chief Bo Miller when he found out he was declared the winner of the Democratic primary for Kossuth County Sheriff. He had entered the race for sheriff as a Republican. “I am a pretty independent thinker,” Miller said. “I want all the citizens, no matter what party affiliation, to have their voices heard.”