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Alenka Korbačková Smith 

Sep 12, 2025 | Obituaries

1988-2025

With deep sorrow, we announce that our beloved Alena passed away far too soon, on June 25, 2025, at the age of 36.

She was born on July 21, 1988, in Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia. She began preschool in Handlová, where she grew up surrounded by music, dance, mountains and forests. At the age of 15, she moved with her family to the historic town of Trenčín, which became very dear to her heart and where she always loved to return. For more than 10 years, she devoted herself to piano and dance, both of which accompanied her throughout her childhood and teenage years. Her academic path led her from high school in Handlová, through the Secondary Medical School in Trenčín, and finally to the Catholic University in Ružomberok, where she earned a degree in journalism.

Alenka was full of courage and adventure. Although as a child she could not imagine life outside Slovakia, destiny led her across the ocean. She first traveled to Hawaii as a student with three of her dearest friends through a Work and Travel program. There, fate brought her together with her future husband, and, soon after, their precious daughter Leila was born.

After seven years on the Hawaiian Islands, the family briefly lived in Oregon before settling in the charming town of Panora, Iowa. Even after her 12-year marriage ended, Alena remained in Panora with her beloved daughter, Leila, creating a home in the little house of her dreams.

Throughout her life, Alena worked in many corners of Europe and the United States — from Starbucks in London, to McDonald’s and Turtle Bay in Hawaii, to The Lake Panorama Pizzeria in Panora, and finally to Target in Des Moines, where she worked in recent years. Wherever she went, she shared kindness, dedication, humility and joy.

She will be forever remembered for her love of life, her generous heart and, above all, her devotion to her cherished daughter, Leila. She loved the sea — in Italy, where she had traveled since she was a little girl, in Rhodes during her teenage years, and in Hawaii, which became her second home. Alenka knew how to embrace life, no matter how difficult, and faced every challenge with remarkable bravery.

For the past five years, she fought the most aggressive form of cancer and an unseen evil — a battle she endured with extraordinary strength, courage and gratitude for each day.

She is survived by her beloved daughter, her Slovak family — including her parents, sister and godchildren — and her American family — including her ex-husband and his mother — as well as her extended family and many friends in Slovakia and the United States.

Alenka was a loving mother, daughter, sister, godmother, friend, patient partner supporting other cancer patients, and a wonderful person with a sensitive soul and a bright sense of humor. Her passing leaves an emptiness that nothing can ever fill.

The Funeral Service will take place on Saturday, Sept. 20, 2025, at 2:30 p.m. with Holy Mass at the Methodist Church, 119 E. Main St., Panora. A Celebration of Life will follow at Crafty’s Café Panora, 102 W. Main St, Panora, beginning at 3:30 p.m.

Alena bravely carried the heavy burden of her illness, which ended here on Earth so tragically for all of us. Yet, her spirit remained unbroken. She will live on forever in our memories and hearts.

One day, in another life, we will share a coffee together in Hawaii, orange chicken in Panora, Caesar salad in Rhodes, Parmesan with balsamic in Lido di Jesolo, fresh bread rolls (rožok) in Bratislava and drink Vinea in Trenčín.

Her light, her laughter and her love will never fade.

Helping hands

Sep 12, 2025 | News

By Kerry Jacobsen | Times Vedette

Panorama students volunteered their time to help set up tables and chairs on Monday evening for the Best of Guthrie County event at the Guthrie County Fairgrounds Event Center. Pictured are Wilson, Sam, Anabel, Kaylynn, Raelyn, Adalynn and Madelyn.

Cribbage results from Sept. 10

Sep 12, 2025 | News

Special to the Times Vedette

On Sept. 10, a total of 11 players participated. Sandy Rumelhart and Dan Webb each got a 16, Dave Kading got two 16s, Rhonda Titus got 16-20, Robert Klever got a 17, Lela Schwartz  got a 20; and Larry Gardiner and Dennis Betts got a 21.

The Guthrie Center cribbage players generally meet at Guthrie Center Library, 400 Grand St., on Mondays at 8 a.m. and at the New Homestead independent living dining hall, 2306 State St., at 8 a.m. on Wednesdays and at 1 p.m. on Fridays. Organizers say there is always room for more, and they will be glad to teach you how to play. They play for quarters on Wednesday and Friday.

The Best of Guthrie County 2025

The Best of Guthrie County 2025

Sep 12, 2025 | News

The votes have been tallied. Check out the full results. 

 

By Rich Wicks | Guthrie County Times Vedette

“Good, better, best. Never let it rest, until your good is better and your better is best.”

That quote is generally attributed to Saint Jerome, an early Christian priest and theologian, born in Croatia, who lived approximately 347-419 AD. Although Saint Jerome never had the chance to experience Guthrie County, his perspective matches well with our annual poll to determine the Guthrie County people, places, events and businesses that are voted as best by our readers.

In 2024, we launched our first “Best of Guthrie County” poll, and we were pleased to see a total of 471 votes in the 82 categories listed. The 2025 poll surpassed the initial poll, with 642 votes cast. That represents an increase of more than 36% in votes received, which indicates our readers are becoming more engaged in the poll.

In 2024, and again in 2025, many categories saw a difference of only a very few votes separating the winners from the runners up, so every vote matters. We thank all of you who voted.

There are again 82 categories, but from one year to the next, a few categories are added and/or dropped as we refine the poll to match what resonates with our readers. We welcome any feedback on categories to add, exclude or change.

Some categories garnered many votes, while others had relatively few. Categories such as “Camping Spot,” “Barge Service,” “Dance Studio,” and “Dog Boarding Facility” apply to a subset of the population, so votes may be lighter in those categories. But, once again, every vote matters.

A concept to keep in mind is that our poll is “a snapshot in time.” In other words, circumstances may change after votes are cast. An individual may move away, or a business may close as The Port did. But our results show the opinions of the voters during the time the poll was open.

Also, the poll does not hold strictly to the borders of Guthrie County. Communities such as Linden, Stuart and Adair are included, even though all or most of the municipality may actually reside outside Guthrie County.

The results listed show the winners and the runners up. The runners up are listed alphabetically and do not represent placement of second or third.

Our results show some repeats from one year to the next, which is to be expected. Some of these repeat honorees include Lake Panorama Barge Services, Crafty’s Coffee & Gifts, Lake Panorama National golf course, and Tribe Boutique LLC.

In some categories, however, new names have shown up in our vote tallies. Some of the first-timers include The Captain’s Pick, The Color Nook, Max Monthei, and Keaton Rhoades Lawn Care.

In conducting such a poll, it is natural to ask, “What makes something the best?” That is a complicated matter. For example, if asked to name the best burger you ever ate, your response would likely be based on a wide range of factors. How was the burger cooked? What ingredients were added? Where did you eat it? Who were you with? The votes in our “Best of Guthrie County 2025” poll are similarly subjective, so the results are to be seen as opinions, not facts. But, clearly, those listed below have been doing something right, and we applaud them for it.

 

Best Guthrie County Camping Spot

Springbrook State Park

Runners Up: Guthrie County Fair Campgrounds; Nations Bridge Park

Best Guthrie County Dinner Spot

The Captain’s Pick

Runners Up: Pioneers Pub & Grub; Prime Time

Best Guthrie County Attorney or Law Firm

Bruner, Bruner, Reinhart & Morton LLP

Runners Up: Bump & Twillmann LLP; Varley Law Office

Best Guthrie County Auto Parts Store

NAPA Auto Parts – Panora

Runners Up: NAPA Auto Parts – Guthrie Automotive; NAPA Auto Parts – Stuart

Best Guthrie County Auto Service Center

Panorama Tire

Runners Up: Leonard Automotive LLC; M&L Service

Best Guthrie County Bank

Guthrie County State Bank

Runners Up: Farmers State Bank of Yale; Iowa Trust

Best Guthrie County Bar

The Captain’s Pick

Runners Up: Owl’s Nest; Tin Lizzie’s Sports Bar

Best Guthrie County Barge Service

Lake Panorama Barge Services

Runners Up: Deluxe Docks & Lifts; Van Houten Barge Service

Best Guthrie County Bartender or Server

Max Monthei

Runners Up: Amanda Carl; Maddi Lynch

Best Guthrie County Boutique

Tribe Boutique LLC

Runners Up: B&B Marketplace; Pearls & Lace

Best Guthrie County Bowling Alley

IncrediBowl

Runner Up: Stuart Bowl & Traditions Sports Bar

Best Guthrie County Car Wash

All Seasons Car Wash

Runners Up: Karl Chevrolet – Stuart; The Washing Machine

Best Guthrie County Caterer

Café on the Hill

Runners Up: Cabbage Rose Restaurant; The Captain’s Pick

Best Guthrie County Chamber of Commerce

Panora Chamber of Commerce

Runners Up: Guthrie Center Chamber of Commerce; Stuart Chamber of Commerce

Best Guthrie County Chiropractor (person)

Dr. Josh Calmer

Runners Up: Dr. Bailey Schreiber; Dr. Brandon Schreiber

Best Guthrie County Church

Panora United Methodist Church

Runners Up: Faith Bible Church; Hope Lutheran Church, Panora

Best Guthrie County Coach

Cody Matthewson (ACGC)

Runners Up: Aly Dahlhauser (Panorama); Cameron Little (Panorama)

Best Guthrie County Coffee Shop

Crafty’s Coffee & Gifts

Runners Up: B&B Marketplace; The Cup on 2nd

Best Guthrie County Community Festival

Panorama Days

Runners Up: Guthrie County Fair; Annual Yale 4th of July Celebration

Best Guthrie County CPA (person)

Lisa Calvert

Runners Up: Janet Dickson; Sarah Langgaard

Best Guthrie County Customer Service (overall)

Lake Panorama Realty

Runners Up: Panora Fiber; The Captain’s Pick

Best Guthrie County Dance Studio

Main Street Dance Studios

Runner Up: Adair Dance Academy

Best Guthrie County Daycare

Little Panther Daycare & Preschool

Runners Up: Exploration & Learning Station, Stuart; Little Charger Early Learning Center

Best Guthrie County Dentist (person)

Dr. Larry Spray

Runners Up: Dr. Ames Cross; Dr. Dan Nelson

Best Guthrie County Doctor (person)

Dr. Josh Strehle

Runners Up: Dr. Eric Ash; Dr. Steven Bascom

Best Guthrie County Dog Boarding Facility

Mitzie Rue’s Canine Corral

Runner Up: Guthrie County Veterinary Services

Best Guthrie County Elected Official

Maggie Armstrong

Runners Up: Matt Harmann; Steve Smith

Best Guthrie County Electrician (business)

Powell Electric

Runners Up: Berger Electric; Miller Plumbing, Heating & Electric

Best Guthrie County Employer

Guthrie County Hospital and Clinics

Runners Up: Guthrie County; Panora Fiber

Best Guthrie County Esthetician (skin care professional)

Lexi Blakely, Sapphire Skin Co & Spa

Runners Up: Courtney Claussen (Revel Salon & Boutique); Laynie Reeves (Sapphire Skin Co & Spa)

Best Guthrie County Eye Doctor (person)

Dr. Cassie Martinson

Runner Up: Dr. Kyle Stadler

Best Guthrie County Financial Planner

Dave Grove (Edward Jones, Panora)

Runners Up: Brandt Gebel (Guthrie County State Bank); Melissa Loest (Edward Jones, Guthrie Center)

Best Guthrie County Florist

Panorama Gardens

Runners Up: B&B Marketplace; Stuart Flowers & Gifts

Best Guthrie County Golf Course

Lake Panorama National Golf Course

Runners Up: Guthrie Center Golf Course; Lake Panorama West Golf Course

Best Guthrie County Grocery Store

Hometown Foods (Guthrie Center)

Runners Up: Hometown Foods (Panora); Hometown Foods (Stuart)

Best Guthrie County Hair Salon

The Color Nook

Runners Up: HairJesser by Jessica Alsted; Main Street Hair Design

Best Guthrie County Happy Hour

The Captain’s Pick

Runners Up: Tin Lizzie’s Sports Bar; Twin Vines

Best Guthrie County Hardware Store

Lake Lumber

Runners Up: Haver Lumber Company; Tractor Supply Company

Best Guthrie County Health Club/Gym

Reshape Fitness Studio

Runners Up: Active Health Solutions; Guthrie County Hospital Fitness Center

Best Guthrie County Home Builder

Donovan Construction LLC

Runners Up: Dave Arganbright Home Construction; JRL Builders

Best Guthrie County Home Improvement Contractor

Donovan Construction LLC

Runners Up: Dave Arganbright Home Construction; Laughery Construction LLC

Best Guthrie County Home Painter

Kunkle Painting

Runners Up: Baker Painting; Riggen Painting

Best Guthrie County HVAC Company

Doug’s Plumbing & Heating Inc.

Runners Up: Controlled Environments; Miller Plumbing, Heating & Electric

Best Guthrie County Insurance Agent (person)

Chris Arganbright

Runners Up: Danielle Yonker; Robert Carr

Best Guthrie County Landscaping Company

Leiferman Outdoor Services

Runners Up: Lakeside Landscapes; Wood Duck Landscapes

Best Guthrie County Lawn Care Business

Keaton Rhoades Lawn Care

Runners Up: JMJ Groundskeeping; Schwinger Lawn Service, Inc.

Best Guthrie County Library

Panora Library

Runners Up: Casey Public Library; Mary J Barnett Memorial Library

Best Guthrie County Local Band or Musician

Dale Menning & the Stardusters

Runners Up: Jake Kemble; Kile Jackson

Best Guthrie County Massage Therapist (person)

Jade Irlmeier

Runners Up: Erica Matthies; Rylie Claussen

Best Guthrie County Mexican Restaurant

Los Altos, Panora

Runners Up: Los Altos (Stuart); Orchard Family Restaurant (Guthrie Center)

Best Guthrie County Nursery or Garden Center

Panorama Gardens

Runner Up: Tractor Supply Company

Best Guthrie County Parent/Child Date Spot

Casey Creamery

Runners Up: Guthrie Center Aquatic Complex; Pedal-In

Best Guthrie County Park

Springbrook State Park

Runners Up: Michael Mills Memorial Park (Panora); Mitchell Park (Guthrie Center)

Best Guthrie County Pastor (person)

Pastor Jeremy Poland

Runners Up: Father Ray Higgins; Pastor Jolene James

Best Guthrie County Pest Control Company

Cyclone Pest Management

Runner Up: Paul’s Pest Control

Best Guthrie County Pharmacy

Dowd Drug

Runners Up: Medicap (Panora); Wright Pharmacy

Best Guthrie County Photographer

Betty Cooper

Runners Up: Mark Reno; Serenity & Bliss Photography

Best Guthrie County First Date Spot

The Captain’s Pick

Runners Up: Prime Time; The Port on Lake Panorama (now closed)

Best Guthrie County Place for a Field Trip

Springbrook State Park

Runners Up: Early Morning Harvest; Guthrie County Historical Village & Museum

Best Guthrie County Place for Guests to Stay

Lakeside Inn (now closed)

Runners Up: Lake Panorama National Resort; Midway Motel

Best Guthrie County Place for Pizza

The Lake Panorama Pizzeria

Runners Up: Casey’s General Store; The Stuart Scoop

Best Guthrie County Place to Buy Meat

Guthrie County Quality Meats

Runners Up: Dahl’s Custom Meat Locker; Downing’s Farm to Fork

Best Guthrie County Place to Hold an Event

The Captain’s Pick

Runners Up: Guthrie County Fairgrounds Event Center; Twin Vines

Best Guthrie County Place to Purchase Gifts for Her

B&B Marketplace

Runners Up: Dowd Drug; Tribe Boutique LLC

Best Guthrie County Place to Take Kids or Grandkids

Mitchell Park Aquatic Complex

Runners Up: Guthrie County Historical Village & Museum; Springbrook State Park

Best Guthrie County Place to Take your Dog

Lake Panorama Dog Park

Runners Up: Casey City Park; Guthrie County Veterinary Services

Best Guthrie County Plumber (business)

Doug’s Plumbing & Heating Inc

Runners Up: J5 Plumbing; Miller Plumbing, Heating & Electric

Best Guthrie County Real Estate Company

Lake Panorama Realty

Runners Up: Stuart Realty; Sunset Realty

Best Guthrie County Realtor (person)

Kane Powell

Runners Up: Laura Kemble; Vicki Crannell

Best Guthrie County Retail Store

B&B Marketplace

Runners Up: Old Soul Millennial; Tribe Boutique LLC

Best Guthrie County School

Panorama Community Schools

Runners Up: ACGC Community Schools; West Central Valley Community Schools

Best Guthrie County Senior Living Facility

The New Homestead

Runners Up: Lakeside Village; Community Care Center & The Willows

Best Guthrie County Teacher

Cameron Little (Panorama)

Runners Up: Aly Dahlhauser (Panorama); Bob Bolton (ACGC)

Best Guthrie County Vehicle Detailing Business

Detailers Eye

Runners Up: Collision Concepts Inc.; Karl Chevrolet – Stuart

Best Guthrie County Veterinarian (person)

William Frels

Runners Up: Abby Frels; Seth Worthington

Best Guthrie County Wine Selection

Twin Vines

Runners Up: Local Liquor; The Captain’s Pick

Best Guthrie County Ice Cream Place

M&L Ice Cream

Runners Up: Casey Creamery; Pedal-In

Best Guthrie County Lunch Spot

Prime Time

Runners Up: Café on the Hill; The Captain’s Pick

Best Guthrie County Place to Take Mom and Dad

The Captain’s Pick

Runners Up: Pioneers Pub & Grub; Prime Time

Best Guthrie County Spot for Breakfast

Café on the Hill

Runners Up: Crafty’s Coffee & Gifts; The Sunny Spoon

Best Guthrie County Spot for Dessert

Crafty’s Coffee & Gifts

Runners Up: Casey Creamery; The Captain’s Pick

Best Guthrie County Coldest Beer

The Captain’s Pick

Runners Up: Local Liquor; Tin Lizzie’s Sports Bar

Adair-Casey 2000 football state championship team to be honored at ACGC game tonight

Sep 12, 2025 | News

The first team to claim an Iowa 8-player football championship.

By Rich Wicks | Times Vedette

Members of the 2000 Adair-Casey Bomber football squad will be honored tonight, Friday, Sept. 12. During halftime of ACGC game, the Bombers will be invited onto the field for a ceremony to mark the 25th anniversary of the state title.

Adair-Casey won the state title in 2000 and 2001, the first two years that Iowa schools competed in 8-player football.