The Algona Senior Center hosted a forum Wednesday afternoon with local healthcare professionals to discuss the latest with regards to COVID-19 and the vaccine. Here is the forum in its entirety.

Part 1

Part 2

–Area residents who are eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine in Phase 1B can make an appointment to get their first dose beginning Thursday.

According to a release from Kossuth Regional Health Center, a call center has been established to handle all of the appointments to receive the vaccine. Beginning Thursday (1/28) at 10 AM, those who fall into Phase 1B can call 515-395-9111 to set up their appointment for one of two upcoming vaccine clinics.

Individuals aged 65 and older are in Phase 1B, along with First Responders (Firefighters, Police Officers, Child Welfare Social Workers), Preschool through 12^th Grade school staff, Early Childhood Education Workers and Childcare workers.

The call center will be staffed from 10AM-2PM on Thursday (1/28) to schedule appointments for vaccine clinics on February 3^rd and 6^th. Currently, there is no online link for registration at this time.

The call center will be reopened as needed as future clinics are scheduled.

The vaccine clinics will be held at the former Ernie Williams Harley Davidson Building, 2701 HWY 18 East in Algona. Appointments are required, no walk-ins will be accepted.

–The Algona Senior Center will sponsor a Community Forum on Wednesday afternoon to discuss the COVID-19 vaccine with local healthcare officials.

According to a release, the forum will feature Dr. Rachel Venteicher from Kossuth Regional Health Center, Lynzie Nilles from Community Health and Joanne Roepke Bode with KRHC Public Relations.

Those three will update the group on where Kossuth County is with regards to COVID-19 vaccines and answer specific questions from those in attendance.

The forum will begin at 2 PM at the Algona Senior Center and it is open to the public, as social distancing practices will be followed and masks will be required of those in attendance.

–Details of a semi/train collision in rural Kossuth County that sent a Wesley man to the hospital last week have now been released.

According to the Kossuth County Sheriff’s Office, 66-year-old Dwight Dornbier was westbound on County Road B58 near Gailbraith around 3:30 PM on Wednesday, January 20^th. Dornbier was unable to see a southbound train approaching due to sunlight, and was unable to avoid a collision once he saw the train.

The semi collided with the 2^nd rail car, breaking the link between the 1^st and 2^nd car and causing the train to derail and fall partially off the tracks. The accident report states there is no evidence at the scene, like skid marks or brake marks, to indicate the semi tried to stop before the collision.

Dornbier was driven by private vehicle to Kossuth Regional Health Center prior to the arrival of emergency personnel, where he was eventually airlifted to MercyOne-North Iowa in Mason City with serious injuries.

Damage to the semi, owned by Sandy Creek Famrs of Wesley, was estimated at $40,000. Damage to the Union Pacific Train Cars was estimated at $500,000 and damage to the train crossing signs was estimated at $5,000.

–Area residents who qualify to receive the COVID-19 vaccine in the next phase will be able to set up an appointment to get their shot beginning next week. Lynzie Nilles serves as the Director for Kossuth County Public Health, and she says they will let people know where they can go to sign up beginning  Wednesday (1/27).

Nilles says they have a rough estimate how many people will be eligible to receive the vaccine locally during this next phase.

Nilles says that it may take a while for those in Phase 1B to receive their vaccine.

Nilles says they are still trying to find a location to hold their vaccine clinics when they can begin on February 1^st.

Anyone age 65 or older is now included in Phase 1B, as Governor Kim Reynolds announced their inclusion during a news conference Thursday. Phase 1B also includes First Responders, Fire Fighters, Police Officers, Child Welfare Social Workers, Pre-School through 12^th Grade School staff, Early Childhood Education workers and Childcare workers. The phone number to call and an online link to sign up for a COVID-19 vaccine through Phase 1B will be made public on Wednesday, January 27^th.

–Anyone who would like to reserve a campsite on the north side of Smith Lake for the summer can apply now. Kendall Stumme with the Kossuth County Conservation Board tells KLGA News they have sites that will be available for five months.

Stumme says you can reserve one of those sites for the whole summer, but you don’t have to make that long of a commitment if you just want one of those sites for a shorter amount of time.

Stumme says they have had people take advantage of the seasonal rate over the last couple of summers.

Stumme says there are a couple of ways to reserve a campsite for the summer.

All of the information is available online at www.watersedgenc.com or by calling the Water’ s Edge Nature Center at 515-295-2138. All applications need to be submitted by 4 PM on Friday, March 5^th.

–Sheriff’s Deputies in Winnebago County executed a search warrant in the Community of Rake Tuesday, which resulted in a pair of drug related arrests.

According to the Winnebago County Sheriff’s Office, Deputies executed the warrant along with assistance from the North Central Iowa Narcotics Task Force Special Operations Group, the Fairbault County (MN) Sheriff’s Department, Rake First Responders and the Buffalo Center Ambulance Service.

Two individuals were found inside the residence where the warrant was executed and taken into custody. Those 2 were identified as 51-year-old Chad Christian and 50-year-old Jerilyn Reis.

Christian has been charged with Possession of Methamphetamine, Possession of Marijuana, 9 counts of Unlawful Possession of Prescription Drugs and 2 counts of Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.

Reis has been charged with Possession of Methamphetamine and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.

Both men were booked into the Winnebago County Jail to await an initial court appearance.

–The Algona City Council discussed the city’s Multi-Year Street Improvement and Bonding plan during a work-session Monday afternoon. City Administrator Jacob Tjaden spoke to the council about how the plan is coming together.

Tjaden says current interest rates could allow the city to get more done with minimal tax increases.

Tjaden says that city staff needed some direction from the council on how much debt they’re willing to take on so they can put together more concrete plans.

City staff will now work to put a couple of proposals in front of the council at an upcoming meeting that they can officially take action on.