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Thank you to the people who keep America working

Aug 31, 2026 | Publisher's Column

There is something wonderfully old-fashioned about being tired because you worked hard. Not exhausted because you spent six hours arguing with people on Facebook. Not worn out because you binge-watched an entire television series. I mean the kind of tired that comes from putting in a full day’s work and knowing you earned the right to sit down, put your feet up and say, “Well, that was a day.”

With Labor Day approaching, I want to salute the working Americans who believe there is dignity in a job well done.

I salute the people who take pride in their work, whether they are running a company, repairing a machine, waiting tables, driving a truck, stocking shelves, teaching children or working behind a desk. They understand that a paycheck is nice, but there is also satisfaction in knowing you did something well.

I salute those who understand that the customer is the real boss. They treat customers with respect, even when the customer’s only goal seems to be to test their patience.

I salute the workers who understand that a workplace does not need a ping pong table, a beanbag chair and a refrigerator stocked with artisanal sparkling water to be a great place to work. Sometimes what makes a job great is simply good people, a fair boss and the satisfaction of accomplishing something.

I salute those who realize that every job has its miserable 20%. No matter how much you love your work, there will be days when you would rather clean the break-room microwave with a toothbrush. You do it anyway. You show up, focus and get through it.

I salute people who understand that expertise takes time. There is no shortcut around experience, practice and making enough mistakes to eventually learn how not to make them again.

I salute those who show up when they are supposed to, arrive on time, leave when they are supposed to and do not mysteriously develop a severe case of “Friday afternoon” at 2:30 p.m.

I salute the workers who spend their hard-earned money locally when they can, support American-made products when possible and understand that strong communities are built one transaction at a time.

Finally, I salute the retirees who spent decades doing these things — working, learning, providing, improving and showing up — while making life better for their families, coworkers, companies and communities.

So this Labor Day, let’s celebrate more than a three-day weekend and a good excuse to fire up the grill. Let’s celebrate the people who still believe that showing up matters, hard work matters and doing a job well matters. Because sometimes the greatest reward for a day of honest work is being tired at the end of it — and knowing you earned every bit of that tired.

Have a terrific Tuesday, and thanks for reading.

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

From starter kit to sweet success

Aug 31, 2026 | News

Karla Van Winkle sells her honey at the Panora farmers market.

Panora beekeeper turns a retirement hobby into a labor of love — and hundreds of pounds of honey.

By Rich Wicks | Panora Times, August 2026

After retiring in 2021 from her career at Wells Fargo, Karla Van Winkle of rural Panora decided to try her hand at beekeeping. And after mentioning her interest in the hobby, Van Winkle was surprised to receive a gift from a friend that included a basic “starter kit” for a beekeeper.

Since she had no prior experience, Van Winkle knew she needed more than a starter kit, so she wisely sought the advice of experienced beekeepers. Van Winkle met with Craig and Cathy Hinderaker, beekeepers with decades of experience, at their home in rural Guthrie Center.

“So, for the first full year after I retired, I worked with them,” she said. “They mentored me, and it’s turned into a wonderful friendship. The next year, they gave me a couple of hives to get started, so this is my fifth year.”

During that time, Van Winkle has found that, as she had been forewarned, beekeeping is an expensive hobby and a lot of work. But she does not regret her involvement.

“The joke is that if you want to end up with a million dollars as a beekeeper, start with two million,” she said.

Karla Van Winkle prepares to extract honey.

Van Winkle explained how beekeepers begin the process of collecting honey. The first step is to create a separate place in the hive for surplus honey that the queen bee cannot access.

“You start with one box. Then when the queen lays enough eggs and the bees have brought in enough honey and nectar that the first box is basically full, then you add a second box on top of that, and the same thing goes on there,” Van Winkle said. “Then you start adding what’s called ‘honey supers.’ You put down a metal frame with holes big enough for the worker bees to get through but the queen is too big to get through. When that super gets full, then you add another super on top. Anything the bees put in a honey super is yours to harvest.”

The term “busy as a bee” is very apt, as Van Winkle explained. The bees make honey to fulfill the dietary needs of the hive, and if pollen and conditions are right, they will actually make more than they need. Meanwhile, the queen bee is laying 1,500 to 2,000 eggs daily. So, a beekeeper needs to check the hive frequently to make sure the bees have enough room to keep growing the hive.

“If the bees run out of room, then they will swarm and the queen will leave and most of the bees will follow her, and then you’ve lost your hive,” Van Winkle said.

Van Winkle has learned many unwritten rules about dealing with bees, such as the fact that it is easier to work with a hive later in the morning when most of the worker bees are out foraging for pollen.

“Each hive will have its own personality. Some are more aggressive, but others will be more docile. They take on the personality of the queen,” she said. “I personally like to name my hives and sometimes the queens. One hive now has six honey supers on it. I affectionately call that hive the ‘East Siders’ because they’re so hard-working.”

Van Winkle also explained that a longstanding tradition among beekeepers is talking to the bees.

“Bees have always been considered part of the family. So if something happens, then you are supposed to tell the bees,” she said. “The folklore was that if you did not tell the bees the news, the entire hive could get sick and die, or they may leave, or just stop producing honey. So, I have to admit, I talk to my bees about some of that stuff.”

Within a hive, bees communicate by scent, using chemicals called pheromones. Van Winkle shared a helpful hint she learned regarding this.

“Their attack pheromone apparently smells like a banana, so you never want to eat a banana right before you go out to your hives,” she said.

Raw honey such as Van Winkle’s is known to have a variety of antibacterial properties and other potential health benefits. Some users claim that allergies can be diminished by eating local raw honey.

Van Winkle explained that despite all the precautions, a beekeeper will get stung repeatedly. But she has learned to take it all in stride.

“There’s a lot of hard work, but there’s also a lot of fun and laughter that goes into it,” she said.

Those interested in trying Raccoon River Ridge honey can buy it at the Panora Farmers Market or email Van Winkle at kvw@netins.net.

Although Van Winkle harvests hundreds of pounds of honey each year, she noted that there is very little profit in an operation of that size.

“Right now I have four hives. Each super that you have on a hive can yield about 30 pounds of honey. Last year I had a total harvest of about 330 pounds, and this year I’m expecting about 240 pounds,” she said. “It’s really just a fun hobby for me.” 

 

Yester Years

Aug 28, 2026 | Yester Years

10 years ago

From the archives of The Guthrie County Vedette, Aug. 25, 2016

SUSTAINABLE UPDATES. Troy Reinhart shows off the new LED lighting in the cooler display case at Hometown Foods in Panora. The grocery store recently updated its store lighting to LED to help the environment and to help the facility with future sustainability.

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20 years ago

From the archives of The Guthrie Center Times, Aug. 23, 2006

THEY’RE WINNERS. Michaela Jorgensen, 17, Guthrie Center, is all smiles after her crossbred steer earned the Grand Champion Market Steer banner in the 4-H Market Beef Show at the 2006 Iowa State Fair Aug. 16. (Iowa State Fair photo).

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30 years ago

From the archives of The Guthrie Center Times, Aug. 21, 1996

THE EVACUATION TECHNIQUE. Some area children had fun while learning about fire safety at the Blank Children’s Hospital Fire Safety House. The mobile unit was in Bagley Saturday for the Bagley Volunteer Fire Department’s fun day.

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40 years ago

From the archives of The Guthrie Center Vedette, Aug. 21, 1986

WADING AND WAITING. Standing waist deep in the Middle Raccoon River, a fisherman casts without success for elusive fish.

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50 years ago

From the archives of The Guthrie Center Times, Aug. 25, 1976

CONSERVATIONIST HONORED. Area soil conservationist Ken Olin, left, of Council Bluffs, last week presented Lee Neal, Guthrie Center, a Special Achievement Award. The award was made for Neal’s excellence in the organization and management of the Guthrie Soil District. A cash award accompanied the certificate.

William Ray ‘Bill’ Hillyard 

Aug 28, 2026 | Obituaries

1944-2026

William Ray “Bill” Hillyard, 82, of West Des Moines, entered into eternal rest on Aug. 21, 2026. Graveside services will be held at 1 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 31 at Highland Memory Gardens in Des Moines. Following the service, there will be a celebration of life and luncheon held at AMVETS Post No. 2, 2818 Fifth Ave., Des Moines, and casual dress is suggested. Memorial contributions may be left in Bill’s name to the Food Bank of Iowa. Online condolences may be left at www.johnsonfamilyfuneralhome.com.  

He was born on Aug. 8, 1944, in Des Moines, to Vivian Bolich Grimes Hillyard and Edwin Ray Hillyard. Bill grew up in Des Moines and graduated from North High School. He was a proud Polar Bear, Class of 1962. He went on to attend the University of Northern Iowa, then known as Iowa State Teacher’s College in Cedar Falls, where he earned his B.A. teaching degree in mathematics with a minor in business education and accounting. He later continued his studies at the University of Bridgeport in Bridgeport, Connecticut, where he earned both his master’s degree and his sixth-year professional degree in education administration and supervision. He was a lifelong learner who valued education not only as a profession but as a calling.

Bill devoted his life to teaching, mentoring and guiding students with patience, humor and high standards. He began his career at Blissfield Community Schools in Michigan, where he taught mathematics to students in grades nine through 12 from 1966 to 1969. He then traveled overseas to Institut Montana in Zugerberg, Zug, Switzerland, where he served as a mathematics instructor for grades six through 12 from 1969 to 1973. During that time, he also served as assistant dean of the American School, where his responsibilities included boarding school supervision, dormitory living, class scheduling, and organizing tours and activities for students.

From 1973 to 1975, Bill taught at the American School of Aberdeen in Aberdeen, Scotland, where he instructed students in grades seven through 12. He also served as head of the math department, director of testing for SAT, content mastery, and related programs, and director of student activities. He later taught at Greens Farms Academy in Greens Farms, Connecticut, where he was a math instructor for grades seven through 12, a ninth-grade adviser, a math team coach and a work program organizer. At Wilton High School in Wilton, Connecticut, he served from 1982 to 2004 as a math instructor for grades nine through 12, director of student activities, student government adviser and class adviser. He also wrote curriculum during the summers and directed ACT, SAT and PSAT testing, and he spent one summer working with the assistant superintendent as an intern for his degree program.

Bill also shared his knowledge as an adjunct instructor at Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, Connecticut, where he taught algebra, precalculus, finite math and calculus in both semesters and summers from 1983 to 1987. He later taught finite math and calculus at the University of Bridgeport from 1988 to 1989. His commitment to mathematics education extended beyond the classroom, as he coached for the Connecticut State Math Team in national competitions from 1979 to 2004. He helped prepare students for competition at Penn State, organized local math competitions throughout Connecticut, and wrote questions for both state and local school competitions. His students benefited not only from his knowledge but also from his encouragement and belief in their potential.

During his college summers, Bill worked at Crescent Beach Lodge in Milford, also known as Okoboji, where he managed the office at the lakeside resort in northwestern Iowa and cooked for the restaurant. That experience reflected the same work ethic and versatility that marked every chapter of his life. He was dependable, capable and always willing to help wherever he was needed.

Bill was a Christian whose faith was reflected in the way he lived and served others. He was known for his generosity and for the steady kindness he extended to those around him. He organized and served spaghetti dinners and worked in soup kitchens for many years, and he spoke often about those experiences because they mattered deeply to him. He also enjoyed playing in his church’s Bell Choir, where his love of music and fellowship found a natural home.

He had many interests that brought joy to his life. Bill loved the theater and music, and he attended hundreds of Broadway and off-Broadway productions over the years. He collected playbills from the shows he saw and could often be heard singing a show tune, sometimes pausing to ask others what show it came from. He was an avid bridge player and enjoyed the challenge and companionship the game provided. He also loved to travel and accompanied students on many trips to Berlin, Munich, Dubrovnik, Budapest, Paris, Rome, Verona, Venice, London, Moscow, Leningrad, Barcelona, Madrid and destinations throughout Scotland and Switzerland, as well as many places across the United States. His curiosity about the world and his joy in sharing it with students made those journeys especially meaningful.

Bill was a conversationalist. He loved to visit with anyone who would give him an ear.

Bill decided to purchase a home on Lake Panorama in the early 1980s. He would go there during his summer vacations from teaching where he spent valuable time with family and friends. He later demolished that home and built a new one on the same land. He hosted all of his family at this huge banquet of deliciousness for Thanksgiving each year until he sold his home and retired to West Des Moines.

Bill always had, by his side, man’s best friend. His dogs meant the world to him. Over the years, he had Maxwell, Euclid, Emma, Maxwell II, Emma II and now Kit. They were his children, and he loved them so.

Bill will be remembered as quirky, intelligent and generous. He had a quick wit, a sharp mind and a warm heart. He made an impression on students, colleagues, friends and family alike through his humor, his dedication and his genuine care for others. His life was one of service, learning and connection, and he leaves behind a legacy that will be cherished by all who knew him.

He is survived by his sister, Sue Grimes Freerksen; his nieces and nephews, Tim Grimes, Barb Argenta (Mark Bishop), Jim Grimes (Deb), Chuck Grimes, Howard Freerksen (Jenni Scott) and Laura Stalzer (Jay); his great-nieces and great-nephews, Bailey Grimes, Michael Argenta, Mindy Argenta, Chaz Cawley, Kevin Grimes, Scott Grimes, Landon Stalzer and Drew Stalzer; and his great-great-nieces and great-great-nephews, Evan Argenta and Savannah Davis; and his loving fur baby, Kit. He was preceded in death by his parents, Vivian Bolich Grimes Hillyard and Edwin Ray Hillyard, and his brother, Ronald Grimes.

Bill’s life was a gift to those around him, and his memory will continue to bring comfort, laughter and gratitude to all who loved him.

Bill’s family wants to thank everyone who ever checked in on him, brought him meals, mowed his lawn, went shopping for him, cleaned his house, hung out with him, cared for his dog or cared for him in any way during his final months and days with us. You are a blessing and we are so grateful.

Well done, good and faithful servant… Enter into the joy of your Lord.