State Auditor Rob Sand held a townhall meeting at the Algona Public Library on Monday, June 30. Sand is running for Governor of Iowa. The crowd was made up of a mixture of Democrats, Republicans and Independents. People took up every seat in the room and were leaning against the walls. Sand started by saying “We are going to do things a little bit differently here today. And that’s because I want politics to be different than what it is.

Secondary Roads worker Lynn Stevens will retire this week after seven years with the department.

Stevens, of Algona, was honored Tuesday, July 8, by Kossuth County officials with a certificate of appreciation for his years of service upon his retirement. The framed certificate was presented to Stevens during the regular Kossuth County Board of Supervisors meeting in Algona.

Save a life this summer

Community blood centers, like LifeServe Blood Center, collect approximately 60 percent of the nation’s blood supply. Annually, it takes thousands of generous volunteer donors to support local hospital patients through blood donation.

The CHIPS Woodworking Club recently gave a $500 donation to the Kossuth County Shriners for support of the Shriners Children Hospital.

Anne Kohlhaas, one of the directors for Stinson Prairie Arts Council, holds the 4x5-foot canvas that will be set up at Art in the Park on Saturday, July 12 during the Founders Day event. Artists will have booths set up on the Carnegie Centre for the Arts lawn and anyone can place their own art on this canvas to be displayed at a later date. Materials will be provided, let your imagination go wild.

The Science Center of Iowa is bringing their mobile planetarium to the Twin Rivers Elementary gymnasium on July 12. The first of two programs will be at 1 p.m. featuring “Iowa Skies Tonight” which will locate constellations and planets. The planetarium holds approximately 30-40 people. Hot dogs, chips, star crunch cookies and moon pies will be served at the shelter house west of the school. The gymnasium and the planetarium are both handicapped accessible.

The Algona Public Library's Summer Reading Program is in full swing, thanks to the help of their summer interns and the support of some of our local organizations and foundations. One of these is the Donald Tietz Charitable Foundation, whose mission is to support area youth and education.

1. Founders’ Day: There will be plenty to do this weekend at the Algona Founder’s Day celebration. Art in the Park, food trucks, parade, live music, a tour of Wildhaven Campus, Kid’s Bash, bag tournament, live wrestling, and more! A complete schedule is available at algonaiowa.gov.

July is all about summer reading for the Kindergarten through 5th grade students. Students recently participated in the Pixel selfie project at the West Bend Public Library.