The Patent Pending Players (PPP) of Swea City wish they had better news.
“As we step up to do our part during the  COVID-19 situation, we have canceled our summer play,” an announcement from the group stated this week. The group reported Natalie Henriksen was the director for the summer play and had been working on the project before the curtain was shut.
Get all the details in the May 28 Kossuth County Advance.

Today I am going to enjoy God’s gifts, blessings as some would call it.
I have opened my house this morning. With the drapes pulled back, I am able to enjoy the sunshine and the blue sky. I have opened the windows. A slight breeze is passing through my house and is definitely a breath of fresh air.

Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue – isn’t that what people say you need for a good wedding? All of these were also present at the opening day of the Kossuth County Farmers Market on Saturday.

Kossuth County’s libraries are operating differently in the wake of the COVID-19 coronavirus. Here is a roundup of how the libraries are operating, as of earlier this week.
Due to the changing nature of openings across the area, be sure to check with your library if you are unsure of its status.
Get all the details in the May 28 Kossuth County Advance.

The financial reward of the Voigt scholarship allows Algona High School (AHS) alumni and graduates to pursue their dreams where possibly otherwise, they could not. Brooke Boettcher, an alumnus of AHS (class of 2018), expressed her gratitude for this financial reward.
“The Voigt Scholarship has allowed me to pursue the career that I have dreamed of doing since kindergarten,” she said. “I have always known that I wanted to be a nurse and am excited for my future nursing career.”

Social studies lessons, even social studies in isolation videos, are educational pieces that one West Bend-Mallard School District educator has provided students at home during the pandemic.

The Golden Plains Wind Farm near Buffalo Center has started and is expected to provide enough clean energy to power 73,000 Iowa homes per year.

If absentee ballots are any indication, the June 2 primary could be the largest primary in Kossuth County History.
As of Tuesday, May 26, there were more than 3,500 absentee ballots either mailed or already cast, according to the Kossuth County Auditor’s office. The total voted ballots received at the auditor’s office is close to 2,100.
Voted absentee ballots need to be postmarked by Monday, June 1, to be counted.
Get all the details in the May 28 Kossuth County Advance.

The Kossuth County Advance honors area high school seniors who, over their high school careers, have been a positive force for their schools and communities. The Academic All-Star award recognizes students beyond their grade point average. Students are chosen for the award based on a combination of academics, non-school achievements, volunteer work and employment, as well as curricular and extracurricular activities.

Over the years, hog producers and the swine industry have weathered challenges, but the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has presented the biggest challenge yet.
“The swine industry faces an unimaginable nightmare with COVID-19. This industry has a very efficient, just-in-time system to provide high-quality, low-cost protein not only for our country but also for the world,” said Dennis Kollasch, director of swine operations for Standard Nutrition Services in Emmetsburg.

This announcement was made Tuesday morning, May 26:
The Founders’ Day Committee, with the support of Mayor Rick Murphy and Algona Chamber Executive Director Vicki Mallory, have made the decision to cancel the Founders’ Day Celebration, scheduled for July 9 – July 12, 2020.
This decision involved much thought and discussion and was made with the best interest of all involved due to the current social gathering and social distancing situation.

WESLEY— Johnn's Bar and Grill in Wesley is closed until Tuesday, May 26, a Facebook post from the firm said Thursday, May 21.

It may be only the middle of May, but the Smidt Campground on the east side of Titonks is 50 percent full. There are 40 of the 81 spots filled, mostly with employees working on wind turbine projects in the area.
“I didn’t have much for expectations,” said Bill Smidt, owner of the campground that has entered its fourth season. “I didn’t really know what to think.”
Read the complete story in the May 21 Kossuth County Advance.

Megan Kampen, Ottosen, is ready for the Kossuth County Farmers Market that begins on Saturday, May 23, on the Carnegie Lawn in Algona. The farmers market is open 9-11 a.m. Along with fresh produce and vegetables, Kampen feels the farmers market provides a sense of community and allows neighbors to support local small businesses.

Voters are already casting ballots ahead of the June 2 party primary elections in Kossuth County. Early and absentee voting has been encouraged to avoid lines and social distancing problems at the Columbia Events Center on election day.