ALGONA — Tina Haase Findlay is coming back to where it all started.
“I’m completely overwhelmed,” she said in a recent interview on performing in Algona at the Wilcox Performing Arts Center on Feb. 23. “It is an amazing full-circle moment.”

ALGONA — The author of “Here’s To It” dictated his memoirs to his daughter for 14 ½ months.
“For his 91st birthday, a one and a half years ago, I said I had a proposal for a birthday present for you,” Jennifer Jewett Dilley said on Sunday, Feb. 4, during a book signing event at the Train Wreck Winery. “Why don’t we write a story about your life because he has a fascinating life and stands on such big ancestral shoulders. He agreed.”

ALGONA — In mid-September, UMC ReTech, previously known as Universal, welcomed Ken Kraus as its new president.
After two years with the company as director of sales, Kraus embraced the change. “Every day is different, which is perfect for me,” he said. “There are so many opportunities for growth and improvement that every day truly is different.”

The family of Gloria Asche invites family and friends to attend an open house in her honor to help celebrate her 80th birthday. The open house will take place Saturday, Feb. 17, 2018 from 2 p.m. – 4 p.m. at the Titonka Care Center Dining room. Gloria has requested no gifts.

Marilyn Frideres was born Feb. 24, 1938 and will celebrate her 80th birthday this year. Her children, Christine Frideres of Fort Dodge, Denise Frey of Mason City, Todd Frideres of Algona, Carilyn Bettis of Urbandale and Troy Frideres of Humboldt, along with nine grandchildren, will be having a private family celebration on Feb. 17. The family also encourages friends and loved one to shower her with cards to help her celebrate.

Henry James Struecker
James Struecker and Mariah Anderson of Bancroft are the proud parents of a baby boy, Henry James, born Thursday, Feb. 1 at Kossuth Regional Health Center. He weighed 7 pounds, 14 ounces and was 20 inches long at birth. Welcoming baby Henry home are older siblings Aidan and Harper.
 
Levi Dean Grandgeorge

Norman and Mary Carlson of Clarion (formerly of Algona), wish to announce the engagement and upcoming marriage of their daughter Jessica Carlson to Terry Davis. Jessica and Terry will be married on Feb.24, 2018 in Omaha, Neb. Jessica and Terry are both employed in Omaha, and reside in Gretna, Neb. Cards of congratulations may be mailed to them at: Jessica Carlson/Terry Davis, 19742 Bellbrook Boulevard, Gretna, Nebraska, 68028.

Ida Mae Arndorfer was born Feb. 17, 1938 and will celebrate her 80th birthday this year. Her children, Lori Potter, Kevin (Maria) Arndorfer, and Ann Arndorfer, along with seven grandchildren and one great grandchild, encourage friends and family to shower her with cards to help her celebrate. Cards and well wishes will reach her at 2002 210th Street, Wesley, IA 50483.

ALGONA — Algona’s new fire chief, Mitch Ulrick, knows he has some “special boots to fill” replacing Chuck Bell, but he also knows he is ready for the challenge.
“Chuck had the passion for it, loved it and treated everybody fairly,” Ulrick said. “What I have learned from him is to treat everybody fairly.”
Algona Mayor Lynn Kueck recently appointed Ulrick as the fire chief on a part-time basis. Ulrick will handle the fire chief operations.

Last week was no ordinary school week for hundreds of students and faculty members at the Bishop Garrigan Schools as they were greeted with a week of merriment, interrupting the normal flow of classes in celebration of Catholic Schools Week.

ALGONA — Each of the 12 vendors at the 2nd annual BaconFest has a variety of options for those attending to choose from.
“This is great,” said Algona Area Chamber of Commerce executive director, Vicki Mallory, who was sitting at the front desk at the Locker Room Bar and Grill on Saturday evening. “There is a nice assortment of vendor samples.”

Veteran Iowa newspaperman Brad Hicks is the new publisher of the Kossuth County Advance and The Reminder.
He is relocating to Kossuth County from southwest Iowa, where he oversaw newspapers and shoppers in Red Oak and Glenwood.
“Algona and Kossuth County have a great reputation as a place to live and do business,” Hicks said. “They also have a rich newspaper history upon which to build. My wife, Sue, and I look forward to a new adventure here.”
Hicks added,
 

ALGONA – Well over 100 individuals turned up for a rocking time at the annual Algona Area Chamber of Commerce’s major fundraising event of the year on Wednesday, Jan. 24. 
When the final numbers came in, this year’s event was deemed another success, pulling in $11,770. “That is pretty standard from this event,” remarked Vicki Mallory, Algona Chamber director. 
All of the proceeds from this event go towards helping fund the Algona Chamber yearly activities. 

SWEA CITY — Voters in the North Kossuth School District are heading back to the polls to decide on a new voter-approved PPEL.
The vote is slated for Feb. 6, noon to 8 p.m., in three different locations: Ledyard Community Building, Bancroft City Hall and Swea City Library Meeting Room.
In September, the voters rejected passage of the voted physical plant and equipment (PPEL) levy. The vote failed 119-98.

After several predicted snowstorms failed to impact Kossuth County with ferocity, the long-awaited first big snowstorm of the season hit on Monday, Jan. 22. 
Anticipating the storm, schools across the county closed their doors along with numerous businesses and county offices with snow ordinances taking effect in almost every town.