Main Street Dance Studios performers pose for a group photo. Photo by Mark Reno

By Rich Wicks | Times Vedette

Main Street Dance Studios in Guthrie County staged its 11th annual All-Star Competition. The studio once again brought together dancers, families and fans for a weekend of impressive performances, spirited competition and a celebration of dance. The MSDS Competition Team is coached by Kristi Vance and Katie Edgington.

The studio’s All-Star teams and soloists were judged by Justin Badding, Leigh Ashley Heckman, Erin Arndorfer and Betty Baker.

Senior Division: Top Five Standouts

• Addisyn Leonard – “Voila” – 1st Place Tie (Choreography: Erin Arndorfer)
• Scarlett Putney – “Kissing You” – 1st Place Tie (Choreography: Justin Badding)
• Hadley Fitch – “Le Femme Nikkita” – 2nd Place (Choreography: Justin Badding)
• Cellophane – 3rd Place (Addi, Nella, Scarlett, Jaelyn; Choreography: Caleb Meiners)
• Reece Elliott – “Vermillion” – 4th Place (Self-Choreographed)
• Jillian Hawbaker – “Gratitude” – 5th Place (Choreography: Maycin Sansgaard)

Teen Division: Top Five Highlights

• Jaelyn Wilder – “Doomsday” – 1st Place (Choreography: Caleb Meiners)
• Nella Rivas – “Guns for Hire” – 2nd Place (Choreography: Caleb Meiners)
• Cali Knudsen – “Maneater” – 3rd Place (Choreography: Leah Biensen)
• Moulin Rouge – 4th Place Tie (Choreography: Justin Badding & Erin Arndorfer with Nella Rivas)
• Hit Me – 4th Place Tie (Choreography: Justin Badding)
• Next To You – 5th Place (Choreography: Allison Slamman)

Junior Division: Showcasing Young Talent

• Olivia Nims – “The Rose” – 1st Place (Choreography: Erin Arndorfer)
• Lexia Leone – “Courage” – 2nd Place (Choreography: Erin Arndorfer)
• Courtney Abbott – “Silence” – 3rd Place (Choreography: Addisyn Leonard)
• Brielle Coil – “The Wolf” – 4th Place (Choreography: Caleb Meiners)
• Rae Knudsen – “Deepend” – 5th Place (Choreography: Scarlett Putney)

Petite Division: Rising Stars Shine

• Mia Morgan – “Fearless” – 1st Place (Choreography: Addisyn Leonard)
• Greta Allsup – “Eye of the Tiger” – 2nd Place (Choreography: Kristi Vance)
• Electric Blue – 3rd Place (Choreography: Kristi Vance, Scarlett Putney, Nella Rivas)
• Ellis Reinhart – “Don’t Love Your Head” – 4th Place (Choreography: Justin Badding)
• Addi Dean – “Fix My Crown” – 5th Place (Choreography: Kristi Vance & Addisyn Leonard)

Top 10 Overall: Best of the Best

1. Addisyn Leonard – “Voila” – 1st Place Tie (Choreography: Erin Arndorfer)
2. Scarlett Putney – “Kissing You” – 1st Place Tie (Choreography: Justin Badding)
3. Jaelyn Wilder – “Doomsday” – 1st Place Tie (Choreography: Caleb Meiners)
4. Nella Rivas – “Guns for Hire” – 2nd Place (Choreography: Caleb Meiners)
5. Hadley Fitch – “Le Femme Nikkita” – 3rd Place (Choreography: Justin Badding)
6. Cellophane – 4th Place (Choreography: Caleb Meiners)
7. Reece Elliott – “Vermillion” – 5th Place (Self-Choreographed)
8. Cali Knudsen – “Maneater” – 6th Place (Choreography: Leah Biensen)
9. Moulin Rouge & Hit Me – 7th Place Tie (Choreography: Justin Badding & Erin Arndorfer with Nella Rivas / Justin Badding)
10. Olivia Nims – “The Rose” – 8th Place (Choreography: Erin Arndorfer)
11. Next To You – 9th Place (Choreography: Allison Slamman)
12. Addison Wagner – 10th Place (Choreography: Justin Badding)

Special Awards and Judges’ Choice Honors

• Future Star: Olivia Nims
• All Star: Hadley Fitch
• Best in Technique: Addisyn Leonard
• Best in Costume: Moulin Rouge
• Best in Choreography: Crowd Caffeine

Judges Choice Recognitions

• “Rhythm & Passion” – Hadley Fitch, Tap Solo (Presented by Kristi Vance)
• “Locked In” – Lydia Bovinett, Workshop Dancing (Presented by Justin Badding)
• “Shivers Award” – Goose Bumps (Presented by LA Heckman)
• “Future, Future, Star Award” – Addi Dean (Presented by Betty Baker)
• “Versatility and Consistency” – Scarlett Putney (Presented by Erin Arndorfer)
• “The Future is Bright” – Cali Knudsen (Presented by Justin Badding)
• “Sportsmanship Award” – Iris Young & Josie Burkart (MSDS Staff)
• “Fan Favorite” – Crowd Caffeine
• “Memorable Routine” – Addy Weber (Presented by Betty Baker)
• “Bright Future” – Mia Morgan (Presented by Justin Badding)
• “Tiny But Mighty” – Greta Allsup (Presented by Justin Badding)
• “Self Discovery” – Reece Elliott (Presented by Erin Arndorfer)
• “Love of Dance” – Iris Young (Presented by Erin Arndorfer)
• “Expressive Evolution” – Piper Schnettgoecke (Presented by Betty Baker)

With another successful All-Star Competition concluded, Main Street Dance Studios will go on the road with its competition team across the country. Their next stop is in Omaha, with the Fluid Competition Jan 23-25.

“As a coach for the MSDS Competition Team and the director of Main Street Dance Studios, I am extremely proud of the dedication of these very talented dancers. They put in a lot of hours to reach their goals. We are looking forward to a very successful competition season,” Vance said.

The community can watch the MSDS competition team and all of the Main Street Dancers when they take the stage at Panorama High School Auditorium, May 29-31 at its 34^th recital, “We Can All Be Heroes.”

Photos by Mark Reno

Dancers give it their all.

Going airborne on stage.

Main Street Dance Studios earned many medals.

A ceremonial groundbreaking was held on Jan. 21 at Dream Acres in Panora by Origin Homes.

By Rich Wicks | Times Vedette

Groundbreaking occurred on Jan. 21 for five new homes being built at Dream Acres in Panora by Origin Homes. The homes will be on West Clay Street, near downtown Panora and the Panorama schools. Representatives of Origin Homes, Panora Fiber, the city of Panora and Lake Lumber were on hand.

The new homes will be on the north side of Clay Street with house numbers of 301, 303, 305, 307 and 401. Origin Homes, based in Des Moines, builds homes of various designs with the five planned in Panora priced between $312,700 and $364,000.

“We continue to be so encouraged by the outreach, support and excitement for our Rural Housing Initiative,” Matt Daniels, Director of Operations for Origin, said. “Panora has been on our radar for a year or two thanks to their great leadership, community and economic development plans with local businesses and other builders in the area. The homes at Dream Acres will be just two blocks away from the Little Panther Daycare, Panorama Community Schools and five minutes from Lake Panorama, so we believe they’ll be a great fit for this neighborhood.

Homes are expected to be completed in mid-summer 2026. The homes will all be three- and four-bedroom ranches with two-car garages, some with finished basements, and a range of 1,300 to 2,400 square feet.

“Like many rural Iowa towns, we’re facing the hard truth that our lack of housing is holding us back. Origin Homes has a proven track record across Iowa built on collaboration, local insight and long-term vision that I believe will only strengthen our local economy, expand our tax base and keep our town moving forward,” Panora Mayor Curtis Thornberry said.

If interested buyers reserve a home in the early stages of construction, Origin can customize finishes, siding colors and more inside and outside of the home.

In 2026, Origin is building an additional five homes in Knoxville’s Veterans District as part of this years’ ongoing Rural Housing Initiative. The initiative is aimed at building homes in rural communities across Iowa to improve the housing market. Origin has previously built and sold 10 homes in two phases in Knoxville, as well as 18 additional homes in Conrad, Jefferson, Manning and Gowrie. As part of the initiative, Workforce housing tax credits, awarded from the Iowa Economic Development Authority, will be used to help offset the costs of the homes to homebuyers.

This drawing is similar to the homes that will be built in Panora.

By Rich Wicks | Times Vedette

During the Jan. 22 meeting of the Guthrie County Hospital Board of Trustees, the trustees reviewed plans for funding the hospital’s improvement project.

CEO Chris Stipe summarized the funding plan.

“The USDA portion would be $37 million, that’s the cost of construction,” Stipe said. “Then there’s the separate loan of about $5 million that the banks are going to pay in, and then there’s our equity of about $4.8 million. So, that’s how you get to the $46 million.”

Although bids on the project are in, the formal USDA approval has not yet been received, so bids were not considered for acceptance at this time. The trustees scheduled a special meeting for Feb. 11 at 4 p.m. to consider taking action on bids.

Chief Human Resources Officer Mary Anderson provided a summary of hiring and personnel status.

“We have seven positions open now,” Anderson said. “And, we also have an offer out to a dietician. We should find out tomorrow if she is going to accept. So, we’re currently holding 153 employees, and our retention rate remains at 88.7%.”

Stipe shared information regarding the pursuit of a countywide EMS plan.

“The county is putting together another EMS board,” Stipe said. “Mary Jane Carothers will sit on that board.”

Stipe added that he would recommend Chief Nursing Officer Mandy Schiefert as a possibility to serve on the EMS ad hoc committee.

Foundation Director Dennis Flanery shared information on the annual Handbags and Bingo event, which is set for April 10. He said this year’s theme will be “Pajama Party.”

The next regular meeting of the trustees is set for Thursday, Feb. 26 at 4 p.m. The public is welcome.