Hearing set on proposed new Algona city council wards

ALGONA—There are just a few slight proposed changes in the boundaries for Algona’s four council wards.

Each 10 years, following the census, the city has to redraw the lines for the wards to balance population among them.

ALGONA—Precision Food Innovations (PFI), a manufacturer of sanitary conveying equipment, announced the retirement of Gary Schiltz on after serving 40 years with the company, most recently as general manager. 

The announcement was made Tuesday, Dec. 14, in a press release.

PFI has named Tom Vipond as the new general manager, effective Jan. 3, 2022. Vipond brings more than two decades of experience in the food industry to his new role.

By Brad Hicks, Publisher

ALGONA—Algona’s portion of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) is $804,280 and three uses covering approximately a third of that total were identified during the Dec. 6 Algona City Council work session.

The matter was not on the regular meeting agenda, so no action to approved the spending was taken on the proposed items. 

OAK LAKE—A public notice is published in this edition of the Advance in reference to a proposed upgrade in sanitary sewer handling buy Oak lake Maintenance Inc..

ALGONA—Kossuth County is in the process of negotiating a contract to buy the former UBC/ProBuild/Builders First Source building on Highway 169 in Algona, with total costs estimated at no more than $650,000.

Approximately 230 people attended the “Cocoa and Carols” holiday evening event at the Algona Public Library on Dec. 9. The celebration featured a hot cocoa bar, live music, prize drawings, tours of the library, story-time, crafts as well as a visit with Santa and Mrs. Claus. Friends of the Algona Public Library board and library board members assisted with the event. More than 689 people visited the newly renovated library last week.

Notice to Readers:

The information included on this page has been obtained from public records — either court files, police and sheriff logs or accident reports. The Kossuth County Advance staff reminds readers that all charges are accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

Monday, December 6

6:53 a.m.: Possible dog hit, unable to locate, Algona.

7 a.m.: Cattle out, Algona.

  The winner in the first Chamber holiday drawing prize from Nov. 29 was Gen Blumer who registered at AK’s Chrome Kitchen. Gen, pictured here with Amanda Weig, chose the $400 gift card prize offered from AK’s Chrome Kitchen.

An Algona Area Chamber of Commerce Ambassadors coffee was held Friday, Dec. 10, at PMC Advantage. An open house was held for Bruce Sundet and Deb Wilcox celebrating their retirement. Submitted photo

Twenty-five area farmers and other interested individuals attended a farm transition workshop, Your Farm, Your Future, at Iowa Lakes Community College in Algona on Dec. 2.

Attendees learned about farm finances, factors involved in farm transitioning, as well as resources available through the Iowa Finance Authority.

KOSSUTH COUNTY—In 2021, Kossuth County was the largest oat-producing county in Iowa at 263,000 bushels, according to estimates released by the USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service. 

Clayton County was second, with 186,000 bushels. Dubuque was the third largest oat-producing county with 178,000 bushels.

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced a new program to assist hog producers who sold hogs through a negotiated sale during the period in which these producers faced the greatest reduction in market prices due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Spot Market Hog Pandemic Program (SMHPP) is part of USDA’s Pandemic Assistance for Producers initiative and addresses gaps in previous assistance for hog producers.