By Iowa Secretary of

Agriculture Mike Naig

DES MOINES—As we gather with family and friends this holiday season and consider resolutions in anticipation of the new year, it’s also a time to reflect upon the past year.

For Iowa agriculture, 2022 was a year of both unprecedented and historic challenges and yet many reasons to be very optimistic about our future.

DES MOINES—The 2023 Iowa Pork Congress will be held Jan. 25 and 26 at the Iowa Events Center in Des Moines. It will be the 50th pork congress that involves a trade show, educational sessions, and the Iowa Pork Producers Association (IPPA) annual meeting, which will be held Jan. 24. IPPA organizes the event, which is North America’s largest winter swine trade show and conference.

DES MOINES—Cattle and calves on feed for the slaughter market in Iowa feedlots with a capacity of 1,000 or more head totaled 630,000 head on December 1, 2022, according to the latest USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service – cattle on feed report.

DES MOINES—On December 1, 2022, there were 23.6 million hogs and pigs on Iowa farms, according to the latest USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service – hogs and pigs report. Inventory was up 1 percent from the previous quarter but down 1 percent from the previous year. The September-November 2022 quarterly pig crop was 5.89 million head, up 2 percent from the previous quarter but down 2 percent from last year. A total of 510,000 sows farrowed during this quarter.

The first grade classes of St. Cecelia - St. Joseph Centers presented a short Christmas program on Tuesday, Dec. 17, 1974 in the St. Cecelia gym, Algona. Christmas Evening, Toyland is a short play in which the toys come to life to help spread Christmas joy to Tommy (John Cotten) and Laurie (Sharon Skilling). Jon, the clown, played by Scott Glaser, gives Tommy and Laurie a first class tour of Toyland.

Tatum Galligan is a fourth grade student in Ms. Curry’s class at Bishop Garrigan. She is the nine-year-old daughter of Jake and Bridget Galligan of Whittemore.

Tatum said it is important to celebrate Christmas because it is when we celebrate the birth of Jesus.

Michael Ree is 10-years-old and in the fourth grade at Lucia Wallace Elementary.

Michael’s drawing is of his family but he forgot his sister by accident. “I chose to draw this picture because I like to see my family smile when they open their gifts. I like to spend time with them,” Michael said.

Brixlee Jean

Cantu-Albrant

Kaitlyn (Maaland) Albrant and Josue Cantu of Emmetsburg announce the birth of their daughter, Brixlee Jean, on December 8, 2022, at the Kossuth Regional Health Center.

She weighed 5 pounds, 13 ounces and was 16 1/2 inches long. Brixlee is welcomed home by a sibling, Bentlee.

Maternal grandparents are Brooke Maaland and Jason Haack of Emmetsburg. Paternal grandparents are Jim Albrant and Meghan Burbank of Swea City.

Erpelding 99th

Vera Erpelding will celebrate her 99th birthday on December 23. Her family is planning a card shower in her honor.

Cards will reach her if sent to 408 N. Putnam Street, Algona, IA 50511.

By Kim Wegener

Features Writer

ALGONA—The Algona Municipal Utilities Board of Trustees gave approval of the 2023 AMU budget, amended the 2022 budget and gave approval for the purchase agreement for the sale of the utilities ownership interest in Lehigh-Webster Transmission all at the November board meeting.

These three board actions were made following three public hearings where no verbal or written comments from the public were received.

TITONKA—Titonka Library presents Reporting from Titonka, An Evening with NPR’s Danielle Kurtzleben on Thursday, December 22 virtually from 6 to 7 p.m. at the Titonka Public Library.

Titonka native Kurtzleben is a political correspondent assigned to NPR’s Washington Desk. She appears on NPR shows, writes for the web, and is a regular on The NPR Politics Podcast. Librarian Damien Strecker will interview Kurtzleben about a wide range of journalism related topics.

Laura Ziesman (left) is the third Algona Area Chamber of Commerce holiday drawing winner. Ziesman registered at Wine & Spirits Shoppe and chose the $400 gift certificate prize offered by Bloom. Presenting Ziesman with her gift certificate was Kelsey Thompson, owner of Bloom.

To update this information, email news@algona.com or call 515-295-3535. Some changes to schedules may occur without notice.

____Libraries, Museums, recreation, EVENTS_____

Algona Nativity Scene: Small groups by appointment. Call 515-295-7241.

Algona POW Museum: Saturday and Sunday, 1-4 p.m.

Train nights

at museum

Train Nights at the Museum will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Kossuth County Ag & Motorsports Museum in Algona on Friday, December 23 and on Friday, December 30. Benschoter Train Depot will be open with subdued lighting, emphasizing the lights of the train and displays. There will be no admission charge.

An evening with NPR’s Danielle Kurtzleben