Special to the Times Vedette

For 20 years, Whiterock Conservancy, a 5,500-acre, nonprofit land trust, has been a leader in Iowa for ecological restoration, sustainable agriculture, educational programming and outdoor recreation opportunities.

Whiterock Conservancy offers a variety of opportunities including an assortment of camping and lodging experiences, art and music, unique geological features and the Historic Garst Farmhouse, listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Whiterock Conservancy is honoring its 20th Anniversary on Oct. 5 with a day of celebrating its roots and three-part mission that continues to model how Iowa land can connect conservation, agriculture and recreation together for successful multi-purpose land use that thrive together.

For more information about Whiterock Conservancy, visit www.whiterockconservancy.org or on Facebook for current updates on events and projects. Call the Whiterock Conservancy office at 712-790-8221 x2 or email guestinfo@whiterockconservancy.org with questions or for more information.

Whiterock Conservancy is located at 1436 Highway 141 in Coon Rapids.

Special to the Times Vedette

Whiterock Conservancy welcomes Dr. Kata McCarville for SOILS, the final program of a three-part series at the Bur Oak Visitor Center on Sept. 14 from 2-3 p.m.

Healthy soil supports Iowa’s agricultural economy, regulates water supplies and protects water quality. Learn about Iowa’s amazing soils, and build a fun (and edible) model of soil horizons.

Dr. McCarville got started with Iowa geology in 2005 when she joined the faculty at Upper Iowa University in Fayette. Born at the confluence of the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers, she is a river rat. She has spent time on and along many Iowa rivers, as well as the Colorado, Green, Platte, Snake and Mississippi. Dr. McCarville is currently the associate professor of geology at Minot State University along with continuing her work at Iowa Lakeside Lab.

Dr. McCarville has roots in the Midwest but grew up in California. She studied geology at UCLA as an undergraduate and worked as a uranium miner in Wyoming after graduation. She completed a master’s degree in geology at Colorado School of Mines, working on uranium deposits in the Red Desert basin of Wyoming, and then worked for a number of years in computing and networking at universities and for engineering consulting firms. As a Bush Foundation Leadership Fellow, she did her doctoral work in avian paleontology of Fossil Lake, Oregon, at the South Dakota School of Mines. Her work resulted in an innovative interpretation for the locality as a volcanic maar.

Dr. McCarville’s interests span the earth and environmental sciences and often cross disciplinary boundaries. Her current research centers on the origins of the Iowan Erosion Surface, soil health and soil organisms, and the role of disturbance in prairie ecosystems.

This program is free and open to the public. Call the Whiterock Conservancy office at 712-790-8221 x2 or email guestinfo@whiterockconservancy.org with questions or for more information.

Whiterock Conservancy is located at 1436 Highway 141 in Coon Rapids.

Special to the Times Vedette

Midwest Partnership, an economic development organization for Adair and Guthrie counties, is holding its 20^thAnniversary Celebration on Thursday, Sept. 12 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at 5×80 Golf and Country Club in Stuart.  Enjoy appetizers, cash bar and socializing with members as well as current and past board members. RSVP by Sept. 6 at 515-523-1262 or info@midwestpartnership.com. 

Special to the Times Vedette

The Guthrie County Attorney’s office released the following reports on Sept. 3, summarizing their work on two cases. The reports do not include all criminal convictions and sentences but provide a summary of notable entries.

CINDY LOUISE RANDEL

On April 18, Cindy Louise Randel, 52, was convicted by a jury of the following crimes: (1) Possession with Intent to Deliver Methamphetamine, Over 5g but Under 5 kg, a Class B Felony; (2) Failure To Affix Drug Tax Stamp – 7 Or More Grams, a Class D Felony; (3) Maintaining a Drug House, an Aggravated Misdemeanor, and (4) Possession Of A Controlled Substance, Marijuana 1st Offense, a Serious Misdemeanor. On June 24, 2024 with the Honorable Judge David Faith presiding, the Court sentenced Randel to a 25-year prison sentence.

The charges stem from a search warrant executed on the residence of Cindy Louise Randel on March 19, 2023, which resulted in criminal charges being filed. She was alleged to have possessed in excess of 83 grams of methamphetamine with the intent to deliver, as well as failing to affix the appropriate tax stamp, label or other official indicia, maintaining a drug house, and possession of marijuana.

The Panora Police Department, Stuart Police Department, Guthrie County Sheriff’s Office and Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) assisted in the investigation. The case was prosecuted through the Guthrie County Attorney’s Office.

BENJAMIN WYATT BARNES

On July 29, Benjamin Wyatt Barnes, 34, was convicted of Sex Offender Registration Requirement Violation – 2nd Offense, a Class D Felony. On July 29, with the Honorable Judge David Faith presiding, the Court sentenced Barnes to a five-year prison sentence. This prison sentence runs consecutively (back-to-back) with Barnes’ criminal cases out of Cass County for a total prison sentence of 10 years.

The charges stem from the execution of an arrest warrant upon information being received that Barnes was residing in Yale. Barnes was listed on the Iowa Sex Offender Registry Most Wanted list prior to his arrest on June 24.

The Iowa Department of Corrections and the Guthrie County Sheriff’s Office assisted in the investigation. The case was prosecuted through the Guthrie County Attorney’s Office.