DES MOINES—Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig has commented on the Iowa Crop Progress and Condition Report released by the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service. The report is released weekly April through November.

DES MOINES—Cattle and calves on feed for the slaughter market in Iowa feedlots with a capacity of 1,000 or more head totaled 600,000 head on October 1, according to the latest USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service -- Cattle on Feed report.

This was up 2 percent from September but unchanged from October 1, 2021. Iowa feedlots with a capacity of less than 1,000 head had 465,000 head on feed, down 3 percent from last month and down 5 percent from last year.

AMES—The 2023 garden calendar from Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, “Garden Lore,” is now available for gardeners and outdoors people alike.

DES MOINES—Iowa egg production during September 2022 was 1.02 billion eggs, up 2 percent from last month but down 18 percent from last year, according to the latest Chickens and Eggs report from the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service.

The average number of all layers on hand during September 2022 was 40.1 million, up 3 percent from last month but down 18 percent from the same month last year.

Budget shortfalls challenge county-wide ambulance coverage

By Joanne Roepke Bode

Guest writer

KOSSUTH COUNTY—The field of emergency medicine is facing a great challenge in Kossuth County and across the state: how to continue to provide timely ambulance service in the communities and rural corners of Iowa with fewer volunteers, a handful of staff and no sustainable source of funding.

SWEA CITY—Swea City trick or treaters will be treated to a Texas gallon size bag of treats this Halloween courtesy of Steve and Jean Fisher. The Fishers have filled 120 gallon bags of treats to give out on Halloween night, October 31.

ALGONA—Candidates were invited to a forum at the Tietz Entrepreneurial Center at Iowa Lakes Community College on Tuesday, Oct. 11 by the Algona AAUW Chapter to answer questions. AAUW member Julie Murphy acted as  moderator. The event was livestreamed by KLGA and Broadband. Phone lines were open for voters who couldn’t attend to call in with questions.

ALGONA—Nine Algona Middle Schoolers were accepted into the ICDA District Honor Choir to be held in Mason City.

AMES—Six 6th graders from Bishop Garrigan have been chosen to represent the school at the 36th Annual Opus Honor Choir Festival. Opus Honor Choirs will perform on November 17 at 4 p.m. in C.Y. Stephens Auditorium in the Iowa State Center in Ames.

More than 2,100 students were nominated by their directors for 720 positions in the four Opus Honor Choirs. Selections were made by recorded auditions.

Head Start Awareness Month is being celebrated in October.

Algona Head Start head teacher Jacey Schutjer said the Algona Head Start preschool classroom provides preschool to 11 children (ages 3 and 4) Monday through Friday.

In addition to the preschool curriculum, children have breakfast, lunch and snacks each day at Head Start.

Iowa State Bank staff created this scarecrow to alert people to the bank’s remodeling project near the display of scarecrows at the corner of State and Jones streets in Algona. Kim Wegener photo

Mrs. Creighton and Mrs. Charbonneaux kindergarten classes at Seton School recently went on a field trip to Call State Park. Students participated in stations led by Kossuth County Naturalists Billie Wille and Julie Fosado.

Students learned about trees and mammals that might be found at Call State Park. They also looked for animal tracks, made animal tracks out of clay, enjoyed a s’mores station and went on a hike around the park. Submitted photos

Fifth grade students from Bishop Garrigan went on a field trip to Water’s Edge Nature Center on October 5. They had a lesson on canoeing from Naturalist Billie Wille and then went canoeing. They also toured the trails and spent time exploring the inside exhibits. One group of the students are front, from left: Grayson Morse, Connor Plathe, Landon Bormann, Tate Bartolo, Brynlie Erpelding and Karina Chen.

ALGONA—People were able to get their hands on an early copy of Sonya Mack’s book “This Changes Everything” at her first book signing last weekend. Mack’s book will be available on Amazon Dec. 6 but you can pre-order now. Photo shows Mack signing a book for Amy McGuire. Amy Frankl-Brandt photo

Wendell Steven of Lakota grew a watermelon 23 1/2 inches long, 32 1/2 inches in diameter and weighing 40 pounds. Steven was on his way to donate the Charleston Grey variety to the Law Enforcement Center. Amy Frankl-Brandt photo