Special to the Times Vedette

The annual Tori’s Angels free-will offering breakfast benefit and silent auction was held Sunday, June 16 at the Panora Community Center from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Attendees enjoyed eggs, sausage, pancakes and drinks. The annual breakfast celebrates the foundation’s first breakfast in 2010 for then-5-year-old Tori Heckman, who needed heart surgery in Boston. The subsequent foundation was named for the 800 attendees who so generously donated money for Tori’s surgery and proved themselves to be one of Tori’s Angels. Since that first breakfast, the foundation has accepted more than 150 children with life-threatening illnesses and currently supports more than 115 children across Iowa. Nine of the foundation’s currently sponsored children reside or have resided in Guthrie County and were honored at the event.

Anyone who was unable to attend the benefit and wishes to help Tori’s Angels children is invited to send donations to Tori’s Angels at P.O. Box 186, Panora IA 50216. Online donation options are located on the foundation’s website, www.torisangels.org and on Facebook, www.facebook/torisangels. For more information about Tori’s Angels, check the foundation’s website.  To request an application for support, contact the foundation through its website or by calling 641-755-2011.

Travis Heckman, Leigh-Ashley Heckman, Tori Heckman and Blake Heckman

Becky Moomey and Mariah Chapman

Jan Wilwerding, Jena Ellerbeck and Patty Reeve

M.J. Brown and Barb Bahde

Casey Crees and Brenda Wilson

Julie Dent Zajicek, Bill Ridgley and JoAnn Alumbaugh

By Rich Wicks | Times Vedette

During the regular meeting of the Guthrie County Board of Supervisors on June 18, the supervisors opened and reviewed the bids received as a result of the county’s RFP (Request for Proposals) regarding Emergency Medical Services (EMS) within the county.

Bids reviewed were from Adair Fire and Rescue, Midwest Ambulance Services of Iowa, the City of Panora, and the City of Stuart.

Maggie Armstrong suggested using a map to visually compare the various coverage areas in the bids.

“I don’t see anything on Orange Township,” JD Kuster said.

Mike Dickson pointed out that the bids received include overlap in various areas. Armstrong said because of any omissions and/or overlaps, the county would likely need to have contract negotiations as part of the process of selecting bid(s).

The supervisors chose to take more time and schedule further consideration next week. The supervisors were asked to forward any questions for bidder(s) to board chair JD Kuster by Friday, June 21. He will then send the questions to the applicable bidder(s) so answers can be reviewed by the supervisors next week.

The supervisors also considered an Appropriations resolution (Resolution 2024-29), formalizing what the supervisors decided a week prior. Auditor Dani Fink explained that this would include providing each department with a clear statement of the funds available.

Brian Johnson asked Fink what the county’s total fiscal year budget amount was.

“The total for fiscal year 2024 was $25,928,589,” Fink said.

The resolution passed 4 to 1, with Johnson voting against.

The supervisors were scheduled to meet with Region XII on the afternoon of June 18.

The next regular meeting of the supervisors will be Tuesday, June 25. The public is welcome. Attendees may participate in person or by calling 323-792-6123 and inputting conference ID 547029216#.

Special to the Times Vedette

A golf outing fundraiser was held on Saturday, June 15 at the Lake Panorama Par 3 Golf Course for the Brushy Creek Honor Flights. It was a rainy morning, but golf was played. Funds were also contributed via hole sponsorships and a live auction. 

Ron Reynolds and veteran Paul Wendl.

A live auction was held. Chad Sheley and Shane Andersen (auctioneer).

Ray Shelley, Dave Carstens, Patrick Moylan, Charlie Walker (board member and attorney for the Brushy Creek Honor Flight), Evynn Stagg (who sang the national anthem), Marshall Burgess and Lynn Zajicek.

Guthrie County Deputy Sheriff Kent Gries reported a two-vehicle collision occurring on June 13 at 11:59 a.m. on Talon Avenue. Nicholas Wayne Benshoof, 22, of Winterset was driving a 2000 Pete 379 tractor trailer and was stopped at the posted stop sign on Talon Avenue at its intersection with White Pole Road facing southbound. Aaron Lee Becker, 48, of Kansas City, Missouri, was driving a 2019 Ford F150 pickup southbound on Talon Avenue and failed to observe the stopped tractor trailer and rear-ended it. No injuries were reported, and shoulder and lap belts were used. Becker was evaluated for driving under the influence, and implied consent was invoked. The collected urine specimen will be sent to the DCI Lab for evaluation. Becker was arrested for PCS Marijuana 1st Offense and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Becker was also issued a citation for failure to maintain control. Damage to the F150 is estimated at $20,000. Damage to the Pete is estimated at $2,000.