By Rich Wicks | Times Vedette
Linden United Methodist Church will hold a freewill offering ice cream social on Saturday, July 26, 5-7 p.m. at 106 N. Evans St. in Linden. The public is welcome to come enjoy homemade ice cream, pies, cakes and beef burgers.
By Rich Wicks | Times Vedette
Distracted driving is a leading cause of vehicle crashes, and electronic devices are a common cause for those distractions. Because of this, Iowa is now one of more than 30 states that have implemented laws to address the use of electronic devices while driving.
On April 2, Gov. Kim Reynolds signed Iowa Senate File 22 into law, effective July 1, 2025. The new law, commonly known as Iowa’s “hands-free driving law,” aims to make our roadways safer by prohibiting drivers from using electronics while driving, unless the device is used hands-free.
The main devices causing distracted driving are cell phones, but the law also covers the use of laptops, tablets, gaming devices and PDAs (personal digital assistant devices).
Under the law, drivers may not hold a phone, type, scroll, enter GPS coordinates, stream video, view content, or make calls unless voice activated. Options to stay hands-free include phone mounts, auxiliary cables, speakerphone features, Bluetooth and other voice command systems.
One commonly misunderstood part of the new law stipulates that, even while stopped at a red light or a train crossing, drivers are prohibited from holding or using electronic devices. Therefore, if a driver needs to interact with such a device, the law requires the vehicle to be stopped and off the traveled portion of the roadway.
Law enforcement officers will give warnings on violations through 2025 with fines set to begin Jan. 1, 2026.
Special to the Times Vedette
Lindsay Gilland resigned this week as the director of Main Street Guthrie Center, citing family reasons and a desire to be at home more. She will continue to help with the program until another director is hired.
“I am grateful for Main Street and will still be involved, as this program is very important to me,” Gilland said.
Anyone interested in applying for the director position should email mainstreetgc@netins.net or call 641-332-2674.
With all the rainy and hot weather as of late, we know what often accompanies it — mosquitoes. Now there may be someone reading this who actually likes mosquitoes, but I don’t. I don’t like the buzzing, and, as a fair-skinned Irishman, I don’t like the biting. They apparently like me, and I want to end the relationship. Sound familiar?
Unfortunately, mosquitoes are common insects that exist all over our planet. The little buggers come in various shapes and sizes, too, with more than 3,500 types found worldwide. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), not all mosquitoes bite. That may be true, but I haven’t met one.
Did you know that adult mosquitoes can live indoors and outdoors? Or that mosquitoes can bite day and night? How about that adult mosquitoes live two to four weeks, depending on the species? Much like humans, female mosquitoes live longer than male mosquitoes. Interestingly, only female mosquitoes bite, and they do so to get a “blood meal” to produce eggs. These little-known Cliff Clavin facts and more can be found on the CDC website.
I was inspired to research mosquitos after reading a Huffington Post article stating that citronella candles do not repel mosquitoes. Of course, I just bought a pack at a local hardware store in preparation to combat the mini-vampires. In doing so, I read the packaging on one that stated it did not repel mosquitoes. I thought that was odd, but now it makes sense. Apparently, citronella in its essential oil form can deter bugs, but citronella candles don’t have enough of the active ingredients to prevent mosquitoes from “getting all up in your personal space,” according to the Huffington Post story. Citronella candles also release their active ingredients vertically from the flame, minimizing where the active ingredients reach. Who knew?
So if citronella candles don’t repel mosquitoes, then what does? Well, the story says outdoor essential oil diffusers are more effective in bug protection than candles. Those that contain geraniol and linalool are best, and these two compounds can be found in essential oils and aromatic plants and herbs like rose oil, lemongrass, basil and lavender. If you are looking for a low-cost bug repellant, the story suggests diluting lemon eucalyptus essential oils in water and spraying it around your outdoor area.
If you prefer to keep things simple, you can do what I do and start a fire in a wood-burning pit. According to the story, smoke from natural woods helps with bug protection. Interestingly, “bug lights” work to repel bugs, too. Simply swap out your deck or outdoor light bulbs with the yellow lights. And, if all else fails, turn on a large outdoor fan. Mosquitoes are not strong fliers, and a large fan will keep you cool and make it more difficult for mosquitoes to get near you.
Here’s to a mosquito-free summer!
Have a fantastic Friday, and thanks for reading.
Shane Goodman
Editor and Publisher
Times Vedette digital editions
shane@gctimesnews.com
641-332-2707
By Rich Wicks | Times Vedette
During the July 22 meeting of the Guthrie County Board of Supervisors, Supervisor Steve Smith asked about the county’s status on efforts to create a countywide EMS service plan.
“Either we close the book on it, or we dive in again, starting very soon,” Smith said.
Board members discussed that if they choose to actively pursue an EMS plan, there are many steps to the process with specific timelines. No formal action was taken at this time.
Guthrie County Attorney Dana Minteer provided a quarterly departmental update. Minteer said exact case counts are difficult to specify at any given moment because of the various types of cases and how they are coded.
“We have approximately 30 active district court cases, which are B felonies and above, roughly 80 district associated court cases, and then approximately 32 magistrate cases,” Minteer said. “We have 96 active payment plans. We have 33 payments plans that have prepared and sent out, and we’re just waiting for those individuals to get those back to us. We have 57 plans that have been revoked.”
Minteer talked about the value of body camera video footage for any jury trial cases. She said juries in Guthrie County seem much more likely to vote for a conviction when video evidence is available.
Minteer was asked about the most common illegal drugs seen in Guthrie County cases.
“A lot of meth. We see a fair amount of marijuana,” Minteer said. “We have had a few fentanyl cases, but not many, which is good.”
Health Services Director Jotham Arber gave a departmental update. He shared information on plans for upcoming health fairs.
“We are going to be doing a health fair at every one of our school districts this fall,” Arber said. “The goal is, one, to offer free dental screenings through Crawford County. Two, is to offer a physical. Three, to bring our own health professionals out there to talk about what resources we have.”
Jessi Heimerman, Chief Deputy in the Assessor’s department, presented a list of the various credit and exemption applications received, including the Homestead Tax Credit and other similar credits/exemptions. After discussion, the supervisors approved the applications as recommended by Heimerman.
The supervisors meet regularly on Tuesdays at 9 a.m. The public is welcome to attend in person or via remote technology. To join remotely, call 323-792-6123, then use meeting code 547029216#.