Next year's Kossuth Regional Health Center (KRHC) budget accommodates considerations such as patient rate increases, salaries and employee benefits, operating expenses, and deductions from revenue.
The KRHC Board of Trustees approved the budget during a special meeting March 9.
Get all the details in the March 12 Kossuth County Advance.

Kossuth Regional Health Center staff and Kossuth County Public Health are advising residents about what they can do now to prepare for the potential spread of the novel coronavirus known as COVID-19.

When he first stepped in to Trinity Lutheran Church, the Rev. Mark Lund noticed the mission statement that connected the community with Christ and made disciples of Jesus.
Lund was installed as associate pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in February. He and his wife Hope have one daughter, Eleanor, who was born last September.
Read the complete story in the March 12 Advance.

Christine Louscher and her son Adam are the grand marshals for the St. Patrick's Day parade in Algona. For the event, the two will go by the Irish name of O'Louscher.
The parade starts at 4 p.m. this Saturday, March 14, and will take the same route as the past several years. It starts at American Marine and continues down State Street to the Kossuth County Courthouse. A celebration follows at the Locker Room on State Street.

Taxes are expected to remain steady in the fiscal year 2020-21 Algona Community School District (ACSD) budget.
School board members worked on that and handled personnel items at their regular meeting March 9.
Get all the details in the March 12 Advance.

Fish, hamburgers and hot dogs will be served at two different community events in Wesley in March.
Saturday, March 14, Bingo Night will be in the Wesley Community Center. It is a fundraiser for the town's 150th city celebration planned for July 1-4, 2022. Friday, March 20, Wesley's First Responders hold a fish fry to raise money for new equipment. It takes place beginning at 5:30 p.m. in the community center.

Taxes are expected to drop or remain the same for Wesley residents, Mayor Vahn Schumacher said after the budget was adopted at the March 9 city council meeting.
Schumacher said there are still projects from last year that need to be completed.
Get the details in the March 12 Kossuth County Advance.

When the weather turns warm (or warm-ish) in the spring, I start getting the itch to play golf. I guess the reality is that I start getting the itch to play around the middle of January, but it really kicks into gear when the tems hit 50 for the first time.
Then, once the courses open, and I can actually get out and play, I have this burning desire to grab my clubs and hit the range or play the course.
Read more in the March 12 Kossuth County Advance.

No action was taken on an Emergency Medical Services (EMS) affiliation agreement for a countywide EMS system at the March 10 Kossuth County Board of Supervisors meeting.
Supervisor Kyle Stecker suggested adding a paragraph in the agreement that would allow attachments.
Read the complete story in the March 12 Kossuth County Advance.

A quarter-mile trail to the Sugar Shack was upgraded to make it easier for those walking to the Sugar Shack during the maple syrup season.
The Sugar Shack is open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday, and 1 to 4 p.m., Sunday, March 14-15, and is located inside the Smith Wildlife Area, about 2 miles south of Algona and east of U.S. Highway 169.
Read more in the March 12 Kossuth County Advance.

For the first time, Melanie Elbert had to cut off vendor registrations because the fourth annual Whittemore Spring Extravaganza vendor and craft show was filled.
"Next year, we hope to have two locations for our fifth anniversary if we can get enough vendors," said Elbert, who coordinates the vendor and craft show.
Read more in the March 12 Kossuth County Advance.

The first four windows have been placed on the front of the Carnegie Centre for the Arts. "The windows are aesthetically attractive looking," said Brian Buscher.
"We chose to go with a dark bronze color that better mimics the aged copper downspouts, flashing and gutters. The windows give an overall depth and apppearance to the builiding," he said.
Read the complete story in the March 12 Advance.

Business leaders have said things are happening in the background to fill the Kmart complex, but as Algona Area Economic Development director John Bilsten said, "nothing has jelled."
Mayor Rick Murphy said groups are addresssing the vacancy. "It is a unified effort to work together for a solution. Visibly, maybe nothing has happened, but behind the scenes we continue to work and work together," he said.
Read more in the March 5 Kossuth County Advance.

Algona has been chosen as the southern location and Swea City as the northern location of a Kossuth County Emergency Medical Services (EMS) system. In addition, the Kossuth County Board of Supervisors dissolved the Kossuth County EMS Board.
The actions were taken at Tuesday's regular meeting.
Read the complete story in the March 5 Kossuth County Advance.

Meet a Kossuth County farmer who's looking forward to spring, a 4-H'er who has started an online business and a couple recognized with a special award. Also check out other stories about the current state of agriculture in Section C of the March 5 Kossuth County Advance.