ALGONA—The Kiwanis Club handed out bike helmets to third and fourth graders at Lucia Wallace and Seton schools last Friday, May 7 as they have done every year since 2002.
 
See the photos and report in the May 13 Advance.

ALGONA—Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate presented the Carrie Chapman Catt Award to Bishop Garrigan High School (BGHS) Senior Class on Wednesday, May 5. The award goes to any school that registers at least 90 percent of eligible students to vote.
 BGHS was one of 88 Iowa high schools that signed up across 54 counties, and one of 18 Iowa high schools to earn the Carrie Chapman Catt Award. A total of 3,834 students registered to vote through the initiative. 
 

An Algona Area Chamber of Commerce Ambassadors ribbon cutting was held Friday, May 7, at Taffe Wellness Center on Highway 169 near State Street.
 
 
See the photo and information in the May 13 Advance.

WEST DES MOINES—Kevin Banwart received the Iowa Society of CPAs (ISCPA) Outstanding CPA in Business and Industry Award during the May 7 annual meeting.
 
Read the story in the May 13 Advance.

ALGONA—Work is underway in Algona on a street and utilities improvement project involving four blocks of North Main Street.
Reding’s Gravel and Excavating of Algona is the contractor on the project. 
 
Get the details in the May 13 Advance.

BODE—Twin Rivers Elementary received the STEM in Action grant for grades K-5 for the 2020-21 school year. After working through COVID-19 restrictions for most of the year, the TR staff and students found an opportunity to participate in a STEM Day Wednesday, April 28. 
 
See the story in the May 13 Advance.

It’s a sure sign of spring – farmers’ market season is here! Opening day for the Kossuth County Farmers’ Market in Algona is on Saturday, May 22 from 9 to 11 a.m. The market is located on the corner of Nebraska and Dodge Streets, on the Carnegie Lawn.
 
Get the details in the May 13 Advance.

ALGONA—More than 300 Kossuth County fourth and fifth graders attended Gate to Plate, an agricultural-themed field trip, at the Kossuth County Fairgrounds on Wednesday and Thursday, May 5-6.

ALGONA—Police Chief Kendal Pals is planning to retire, effective June 30. He informed city leaders of the decision this week and spoke to the Kossuth County Advance about the decision Friday morning.

This week's Kossuth County Advance features a special section, "Celebrate Whittemore." It is about the town's past, present and future. Be sure to see this 20-page tabloid in the April 29 edition. 

WHITTEMORE—For one Whittemore family, the tradition of the Pony Express is a family affair that winds up raising money for Camp Sunnyside in Des Moines.
 
Read the full story in the April 29 Advance.

ALGONA — Olivia Frankl of Algona High School won the Best of Show award at the Stinson Prairie Arts Council (SPAC) Student Art Show and reception on Friday, April 23. 
Entries from Algona High School, Bishop Garrigan High School and West Bend-Mallard High School were on display at Eastland Hills Plaza last Friday morning in conjunction with the Chamber Coffee hosted by SPAC.
 

ALGONA—Algona Municipal Utilities and the city of Algona have teamed to create a residential tree planting project that includes up to two grants a year for plantings, and the city announced signups for summer recreation.
 
Get more on information on these programs in the April 29 Advance.

The steps in front of the former Carnegie Library in Algona have been removed to make way for the construction of the new steps and the Pharmacists Mutual Stage, on the way to finishing the Carnegie Centre for the Arts. In doing so an archway has been revealed that resembles a doorway, but never was.
 
Get the full story in the April 29 Advance. 

ALGONA—Work will soon begin on a five-year soil and water conservation plan for Kossuth County.
Following two public input meetings, the Kossuth County Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) commissioners and any working group members they want to invite will join Madison Conley, Conservation Districts of Iowa northwest planning coordinator, to finalize a plan.