Skip to main content

A thank you to veterans

Oct 25, 2024 | Publisher's Column

As most of you know, we have been working on collecting photos of veterans with ties to Guthrie County for an upcoming special section we will be publishing in the month of November in Panora Times, Guthrie Center Times and Lake Panorama Times. 

A total of 222 veteran photos have been submitted so far and are now posted at https://gctimesnews.com/veterans. If you were one of the folks who sent in a photo and information, please visit the site and let us know by Oct. 31 if anything needs to be changed before we send the pages to the printer. The website will stay up year-round and can be edited and updated, but the print edition cannot. We will accept a few more photos until Oct. 31. You can submit them on the website at https://gctimesnews.com/veterans or you can contact Cheryl Castile at or cheryl@gctimesnews.comor 641-332-2707. 

I thank each of you who submitted a photo for this effort. More importantly, I thank each of the veterans who served our country to ensure that we can all enjoy the freedoms we too often take for granted.

If you own or manage a business and want to show your appreciation to these veterans as well, contact Kerry Jacobsen at kerry@gctimesnews.com or 641-332-2707 for ideas on how you can do that in this section, too. 

Ribbon cutting and open house events

We had our official ribbon cutting for our new office at 104 Industrial Road in Guthrie Center on Wednesday, and I thank those in the business community who took time to join us for this celebration. I had a good friend who once told me that ribbon cuttings are to a business what a wedding celebration is to a newly married couple. It is a milestone event to be shared with people who are important in your life. 

If you were able to attend our ribbon cutting, I thank you. If you were not able to attend, we are having a community open house for everyone on Wednesday, Nov. 13 from 4-6:30 p.m. I look forward to showing the work we have done to the building and sharing more about our company and our plans for the future. I also found a box of unnamed photos from many years ago that may be of interest to some of you. You are more than welcome to take any of them.

I hope to see you Nov. 13.

Have a fantastic Friday, and thanks for reading. 

Shane Goodman
Editor and Publisher
Times Vedette digital editions
shane@gctimesnews.com
641-332-2707

1958 Chevy has been a dream for Klever

Oct 22, 2024 | What's in your garage?

Robert Klever enjoys showing off his 1958 Chevy.

 

Guthrie Center man has spent many days enjoying the car on the open road rather than keeping it in his garage.

By Rich Wicks | Guthrie Center Times

Robert Klever of Guthrie Center has a car he has enjoyed for more than 20 years, and he has a good story to go along with it. He told of discovering the car for sale and said he was immediately interested.

“I bought it in 2003, after seeing it advertised in the Des Moines paper. It was in north central Missouri, so I went down and got it,” Klever said. “I bought it from a sheriff down there. It was pretty plain, but I’ve added a few extras to it. I had power steering put on it, and that made it a much better driving car.”

Because the car drives so well, Klever has spent many days enjoying it on the open road rather than keeping it in a garage.

The 1958 Chevy is a popular attraction at car shows.

“I guess there were about 10,000 miles on it when I got it, and I’ve got 89,000 miles on it now. It’s not a fancy car, just a fun car,” Klever said.

When asked what attracted him to the 1958, Klever said it was similar to a car he had owned many years ago.

“When I first got out of the service, I bought a 1958 Bel Air two-door hard-top, and I drove that for 100,000 miles,” Klever said. “It was a good car; I wish I had it today.”

Since buying his car in 2003, Klever has participated in many car shows and cruises with it. He has taken it as far as Illinois for car events, and he enjoys chatting with other car enthusiasts, which has led to many friendships along the way. Although Klever has definitely enjoyed his car for the past 20 years, he is ready to pass it along to someone else.

“It’s time for me to sell it,” Klever said.

Klever told of an unexpected passenger who was with him the first time he drove the car. Although Klever had brought a trailer to transport his 1958 back home in 2003, he decided to drive it home and was fortunate that his guardian angel was apparently riding in the passenger seat.

“It’s a wonder I’m here today, because when I first bought it down there in Missouri and was driving it home, I was daydreaming, and I went right across a main highway. If there had been a truck coming, I wouldn’t be here now.”

Two-vehicle accident on Sycamore Avenue

Oct 22, 2024 | News

Special to the Times Vedette

Guthrie County Chief Deputy Jeremy Bennett reported a two-vehicle accident occurring on Oct. 18 at 9:40 a.m. on Sycamore Avenue. 

Michael Lynn Vangundy, 47, of Yale was driving a 2024 Chevrolet Silverado K2500 pickup northbound on Sycamore Avenue and 160th Road and failed to stop at the stop sign and struck the rear end of a 2022 Chevrolet Silverado pickup driven by Nathan Matthew Van Zee, 42, of Guthrie Center. Estimated damage to Vangundy’s truck is $3,500. Estimated damage to Van Zee’s truck is $2,500. Vangundy received a citation for failing to obey stop sign. 

Two-vehicle accident on Highway 141

Oct 22, 2024 | News

Special to the Times Vedette

Guthrie County Chief Deputy Jeremy Bennett reported a two-vehicle accident occurring on Oct. 18 at 7:24 a.m. on Highway 141. 

Allyn James Case, 37, of Jefferson was driving a 2014 Chevrolet Silverado pickup westbound on Highway 141 and was behind a semi. Tony Lynn Chapman, 35, of Jefferson was driving a 1988 Ford F350 truck with a 2006 flatbed trailer and stopped to make a left-hand turn onto Quail Road. A westbound semi was stopped to make a left-hand turn. Chapman made the left-hand turn. Case passed the stopped semi and struck the passenger side of the towed trailer. the Ford Truck and trailer incurred an estimated $2,000 in damage. The Chevrolet pickup incurred an estimated $8,000 in damage. Case received a citation for passing on wrong side. 

Tractor rollover accident 

Oct 22, 2024 | News

Special to the Times Vedette

Guthrie County Sergeant Kent Gries reported a tractor rollover accident occurring on Oct. 18 at 12:10 p.m. near North Sixth Street Place in rural Guthrie Center. 

Howie Eugene Hockenberry, 65, of Guthrie Center was driving a Ford 901 farm tractor with a front end loader attachment. Hockenberry had a large, heavy rock in the loader and was attempting to move it. Hockenberry was backing across the roadway and got onto grass. It is believed the weight of the rock in the front loader caused the back tires to lose traction on the dry grass. Hockenberry proceeded in reverse downhill without the ability to stop. He took evasive action and spun the front tires around, which caused the tractor to overturn an unknown amount of times. Hockenberry was pinned under the tractor but was able to get himself removed through his own strength. He was significantly injured and was transported to the Guthrie County Hospital landing zone by Panora EMS and was then transported to Iowa Methodist in Des Moines by air ambulance. Law enforcement contacted Wetzel’s Towing at the owner’s request. They responded and tipped the tractor back over. Panora EMS, Guthrie Center Fire Department and the Iowa State Patrol assisted at the scene. Estimated damage to the tractor is $1,500.