By Molly Montag, News Correspondent

Two detours requested by the Iowa Department of Transportation for a project on Highway 18 were approved by the Board during its Tuesday, March 11 meeting. The detours will route traffic around a state construction project expected to start this summer to do intersection work and repaving from Algona to just east of Sexton.

Kemna Auto recently contributed $20,000 towards the renovation of the Kossuth County grandstand project. The committee for the grandstand project has been aggressively pursuing donations from businesses and individuals for the past year in hopes of making their dream a reality. The current grandstands have been in disrepair for many years and are long overdue for a makeover.

By Molly Montag, News Correspondent

The Kossuth County Board of Supervisors officially pledged its financial support for the grandstand renovation project in Algona.

Members voted unanimously on Tuesday, March 18, to pledge $250,000 over five years to the effort to reconstruct the aging grandstand at the Kossuth County Fairgrounds, 700 E. Fair St. The plan is to pay $50,000 during the 2025-26 fiscal year, with the remaining $200,000 paid by the end of five years.

On Saturday afternoon, March 15, Algona’s spacious and beautiful Wilcox Performing Arts Center resonated with outstanding music, acting and dance performances by 15 aspiring collegiate music theater students as they competed for a total of $6,600 in scholarship dollars. The scholarship applicants were students from Drake, Morningside, Millikin (Illinois) and Belmont (Tennessee) Universities.    

On March 13, 2025, at about 7:10 p.m., a Kossuth County Deputy Sheriff was patrolling in Wesley when he observed a vehicle parked along East St. and old Hwy 18 with the driver slumped over behind the wheel. The deputy stopped to do a welfare check on the occupant and determined he did not need medical attention.

Upon approaching the vehicle the deputy observed illegal narcotics and paraphernalia inside the vehicle.

Approximately 150 people were in attendance for the 2024/2025 Leadership Algona Class BINGO fundraiser at the VFW on March 8. The evening was filled with lots of BINGO excitement, a 50/50 raffle and silent auction bidding. Lucky winners walked away with cash prizes. The class raised over $3,000 which will support the renovation of the multi-purpose rooms at the Algona YMCA.

Watch for a notice in the mail from the County Auditor's office that includes the proposed maximum property tax levy rates for the City of Algona, county and school district for Fiscal Year 2026.

In March, Algona property owners will receive a notice in the mail from the County Auditor’s office that includes the proposed maximum property tax levy rates for the county, city and school district for Fiscal Year 2026 (July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2026).

By Allison Kruger, RDN, LD, CDCES

Kossuth Regional Health Center

National Nutrition Month is an annual campaign put on by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, and it focuses on the importance of making informed food choices and developing healthy eating and physical activity habits. It's a great time for us to reflect on our health and consider how small changes can make a big difference in our overall well-being.

Eva Kohlhaas, sophmore at Bishop Garrigan High School, won the Knights of Columbus State Essay competition and will be going on to the International competition. The topic for the contest was “What are the two most important virtues for an elected leader to possess, and why? How can you determine if the leader has these virtues?”

Kohlhaas’s award winning essay is as follows:

The Algona City Council approved a letter of commitment to provide financing to support a local company’s proposed expansion into the Kueck Industrial Park.

Kinetic Technologies LLC is a manufacturing technology start-up that Mark and Betsy Barglof brought to Algona in 2021. The company is seeking financing through the United States Department of Agriculture Rural Development (USDA-RD) Rural Economic Development Loan Program to support the expansion of its existing business.

The Algona City Council took the next steps to authorize General Obligation (GO) capital loan notes, or bonds, for 2025 and 2026 capital projects.

By Molly Montag, News Correspondent

Algona City Council members approved seeking up to $5 million to pay for street improvements, a street department facility and a downtown street reconstruction project.

Council members voted unanimously for a resolution to take steps to issue the general obligation bonds totaling $5,040,000 during a meeting Monday, March 17.

Preschool children and their families gathered at the school in West Bend on Tuesday,  March 11, for a state mandated family night. Preschool parents completed a family night survey in August stating what topics they'd like presented during the family night. Most parents asked for information on behavior management strategies and also early math and literary skills.

With a class 2A state dual team championship title and eleven individual qualifiers for the state individual wrestling tournament, the Algona High School wrestling program received a check for $3,152 from Iowa State Bank based on state apparel items sold.

For each state tournament apparel item sold that features the bank’s logo, the bank makes a donation to the team.

On March 13, Corwith Royal Neighbors Chapter #620 presented a check to the Corwith EMTs for $1,000.

Back row from left:  Donna Nall, Diana Pierson, Barb Devine, Julie Richter, Rebecca Rolling and Paula Chambers.

Front row from left:  Leona Welter, Diane Nall, Mark Cram and Sharon Gourley. Submitted photo.