Agricultural behavioral health experts are concerned about suicide in the farming community.

Businesses in Kossuth and adjoining counties have been bolstered by grants from the Iowa Small Business Relief Program that was created in response to the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic.
Gov. Kim Reynolds announced the program in March, and grants were announced April 7-10, April 23-28, and April 29-May 4.
Get the details in the May 7 Kossuth County Advance.

The Kossuth County COVID-19 Disaster Response Fund, a fund of the Kossuth County Community Foundation, has awarded three grants totaling $7,000 to organizations providing basic needs services and/or working with individuals and families who have been disproportionately impacted by the coronavirus pandemic.

The Hoenk Foundation scholarship may have started small, but now it is a large financial benefit for students who graduate from the Algona Community School District and Bishop Garrigan.

Tired of hearing too long from politicians who say they will fix the nation’s problems, Bret Richards is challenging incumbent Rep. Steve King in the June 2 primary.
“I’m running because I’m tired of career politicians,” he said. “Like so many Iowans, when we sit down and talk about the issues, we can probably solve them in 20 minutes. We get frustrated when a politician takes 20 years to move the needle.”
Read more in the May 7 Kossuth County Advance.

In recent years, I’ve taken to writing notes to myself and making lists to help me remember what I need to accomplish. Why? Because I forget things. We all do. We need reminders … all of us.

At the Kossuth County Advance and Algona Publishing Company (APC), part of our business is checking out rumors. I can thoroughly answer this rumor.

Someone is spreading a rumor that a member of the APC staff has tested positive for COVID-19, and that the person is going around town and spreading the virus.

FALSE.

NO ONE at APC and no family members of anyone at APC, have tested positive for the virus.

A nearly unprecedented pace of planting spring crops has occurred in recents weeks in Kossuth County as ideal weather greeted farmers. According to Monday’s report from the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), warm, dry weather presented Iowa farmers with a statewide average of 6.1 days suitable for field work, and that advanced planting well ahead of normal.

The Whittemore Public Library plans to re-open May 15. The West Bend Public Library will do the same on May 18.

City facilities are scheduled to open on May 18 in West Bend. “We will try to open on the 18th, but it will be on a limited basis,” said Lisa Sewell, city clerk for West Bend.

City employees have worked on a shift rotation in order to isolate employees during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
Get details in the May 7 Kossuth County Advance.

Now that officials in the West Bend-Mallard School District know classes are finished for the school year because of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, they have set the prom date for June 20 and graduation ceremonies for June 28.

For the first time since its inception, there will not be a Whittemore Fun Days because of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The carnival was originally scheduled for Monday, May 25 and Tuesday, May 26.

The Algona Area Chamber of Commerce has addressed its plans with three events that were scheduled within the next seven weeks.
The Women’s Networking Together Event, originally scheduled for April 6, then rescheduled for May 11, has been rescheduled again, this time for Monday, Oct. 19.

Due to safety concerns affiliated with the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus, Algona Publishing Company is moving the dates of its 11th annual Area-Wide Garage Sale.
The new dates are Friday and Saturday, July 24-25.

Freshman Andrew Tran of Algona won a scholarship that will help him as he studies to become a pilot in the Iowa Lakes Community College (Estherville) Aviation and Airport Management program.
Tran won the Lockheed Martin Vocational Scholarship award of $6,600 for education-related expenses in pursuit of an associate degree in aviation.
Read more in the May 7 Advance.