Blog

By Kaylee Schuermann, Winn-Worth Betco Marketing Director Thompson welcomed a new mayor, Mike Hauan, last November who is looking forward to “improving the quality and life of Thompson.” The city is working on one major project: the water department. It has completed the first phase, water treatment, and are moving into th...Continue Reading

Pictured in the photo from left to right: Kris Singelstad; Eric Eden; Aaron Olson, Representative Henry Stone; Marisa Koeppen ; Krystal Thoe; Ashley Hoffman; Richard Schwarm; Mike Piper; Kris Belica; LuAnn Scholbrock ; Heidi Fedders; Scott Drexler; Nancy Khudtson Winn-Worth Betco and the Lake Mills Chamber Development Cooperation partnered with the Lak...Continue Reading

Lake Mills Motor Sports, Inc. has been serving Lake Mills with recreational vehicles since 1999. The business sells products like razors, side-by-sides, snowmobiles and ATVs, as well as Cub Cadet and Gravely lawn mowers. The business also offers a complete service shop for Polaris products. A second store located in Algona, title...Continue Reading

Last November, the City of Northwood welcomed Douglas Moehle back for his fifth year as mayor. Moehle is most looking forward to continuing to help Northwood sustain itself. “My fear is small-town Iowa is disintegrating, so I’m hoping to help Northwood survive,” said Moehle. “I’m hoping it becomes a nice enough plac...Continue Reading

At AMO Craft Barn, located in Joice, the world is its oyster. Annette O’Donnell opened her shop nearly three years ago, and the walls are lined from floor to ceiling with “one of a kind arts, crafts, upcycle, collectibles and antiques.” “I’ve got more stuff than I even remember having,” said O’Donnell. Th...Continue Reading

Arnie's Pump Services & Well Drilling, based in Rake, has been serving the area since 1974 with no plans of slowing down. Some of the business’s major functions are pump services and well drilling, as well as working with water softening equipment, plumbing fixtures, septic systems and pressure tanks. The five-man tea...Continue Reading

From a lumberyard to a breathtaking event center, The Timbers - Northwood’s Event Center serves the community in a way unlike any other. The lot was bought by a group of contractors who planned to use the land to build apartments. They soon realized the building’s structure was “too good t...Continue Reading

Hanlontown mayor Rick Scholbrock has been serving his town since 1995 and is looking to stay through his 30th anniversary. Scholbrock got his start in politics when the previous mayor convinced him to join the city council. He participated for two years before being encouraged to take over as mayor. “I lik...Continue Reading

Buckets Bar & Grill has been bringing communities together one drink at a time since 2019. Brian Andersen, owner, worked part-time for Squid Willy’s in Thompson for 15 years before coming into ownership of the bar in 2019. While the bar did not close during the transfer of ownership, Andersen looke...Continue Reading

Hello, I am Kaylee Schuermann. I have been working for Winn-Worth Betco as a Marketing Director since December 2020. You may have heard me on KIOW Radio with Mark Skaar on Fridays for morning conversation to promote events in Winnebago and Worth counties. You probably even saw me running around thes...Continue Reading

Kids Power Pedal Tractor Pulls, owned by Hanlontown mayor Rick Scholbrock, has been serving smiles to children’s faces all over Iowa and Minneapolis since 2005. Tractor pedal pulling is a competition between children 4-11 years old where the children sit on miniature tractors with weighted skids and pedal as far a...Continue Reading

Originally a school, the Bolan Schoolhouse & Cultural Center wiggled its way into the center of the hearts of the Bolan community as a historical landmark. From 1923 to 1956, the building was purposed as a schoolhouse. It was later relocated and used for a general and hardware store by th...Continue Reading

Despite Scarville’s size, one small-town bar continues to thrive, bringing the community together in the process. R Bar in Scarville was managed by Billie Langfald before it came into her ownership in October 2016. She always loved working as a waitress and bartender and claims her was her dream to ow...Continue Reading

Lori McNally, Kensett city clerk, is retiring after 30 years in the position on Jan. 31. McNally started her training on Oct. 24, 1991, and officially took over the position on Jan. 1 the following year. McNally loves the City of Kensett and wanted to serve the community just as her predecesso...Continue Reading

Last November, Forest City gained a new phone store when US Cellular moved into the former gas station across from NSB Bank. Overlooked by the company Appliance Plus, they believed this building was a convenient spot for locals, as well as travelers from nearby towns. The building’s conversion process from ...Continue Reading

With years of alteration experience, Northwood local Brittany Low began working independently as a seamstress in 2017. By the end of the year, she had turned her business into a formal wear shop named Fringe and Lace by Brittany. Fringe and Lace By Brittany carries four different designers and six mai...Continue Reading

In 2019, Mary Wise and her husband transformed their family auctioning business in Manly into a venue called Lanterns and Lace. Throughout their time in the auction business, people suggested that she open the building up for venue reservations. When she and her husband were ready to retire, they felt i...Continue Reading

After over 20 years working at the Lake Mills City Hall, city clerk Dorene Holstad will be retiring on Jan. 21. Upon graduation, Holstad attended Spencer School of Business to obtain a two-year degree in business administration and accounting. After this, she got a job at Forest City Regional Medical Center...Continue Reading

In 2007, Northwood locals Peter Ausenhus and his wife, Margaret Bishop, opened Worth Brewing Company, a brew pub that is open to the public and distributes hand crafted beer to various locations. Ausenhus’ passion for brewing was sparked purely by curiosity. Ausenhus would use books from the library to research an...Continue Reading

Despite the pandemic continuing in full swing, Forest City local Allyson Wilson, with the help of her husband, Brett Wilson, fought to fulfill her dream of opening up a gym. The couple opened the 24-hour gym located in Forest City in July of 2020, but the pandemic was not the onl...Continue Reading

In the early 1920s, Forest City natives banded together to memorialize a local forest area later named Pilot Knob State Park. Pilot Knob State Park has become a place for locals and travelers to enjoy a day in nature, providing opportunities for visitors to hike, camp, fish, sled, ski, skate an...Continue Reading

One business; two names. Borderline Pizza/Taco Jerry’s, run by owners Dale and Ashley White, is well-known to Winnebago County residents. Dale is proud to say their business has a 4.8 rating on Google and that it comes in the top two listings when one Googles “best pizza in Iowa.” The business cam...Continue Reading

Hello, I am Kaylee Schuermann. I have been working for Winn-Worth Betco in Lake Mills as a marketing assistant since December 2020. You may have heard me on KZOW with Mark Skaar on Fridays for morning conversation to promote events in Winnebago and Worth counties. You probably even saw me runnin...Continue Reading